YAP and TAZ modulate cell phenotype in a subset of small cell lung cancer

M Horie, A Saito, M Ohshima, HI Suzuki… - Cancer …, 2016 - Wiley Online Library
M Horie, A Saito, M Ohshima, HI Suzuki, T Nagase
Cancer science, 2016Wiley Online Library
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly aggressive and metastatic malignancy that shows
rapid development of chemoresistance and a high rate of recurrence. Recent genome and
transcriptome studies have provided the whole landscape of genomic alterations and gene
expression changes in SCLC. In light of the inter‐individual heterogeneity of SCLC,
subtyping of SCLC might be helpful for prediction of therapeutic response and prognosis.
Based on the transcriptome data of SCLC cell lines, we undertook transcriptional network …
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly aggressive and metastatic malignancy that shows rapid development of chemoresistance and a high rate of recurrence. Recent genome and transcriptome studies have provided the whole landscape of genomic alterations and gene expression changes in SCLC. In light of the inter‐individual heterogeneity of SCLC, subtyping of SCLC might be helpful for prediction of therapeutic response and prognosis. Based on the transcriptome data of SCLC cell lines, we undertook transcriptional network‐defined SCLC classification and identified a unique SCLC subgroup characterized by relatively high expression of Hippo pathway regulators Yes‐associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ‐binding motif (TAZ) (YAP/TAZ subgroup). The YAP/TAZ subgroup displayed adherent cell morphology, lower expression of achaete‐scute complex homolog 1 (ASCL1) and neuroendocrine markers, and higher expression of laminin and integrin. YAP knockdown caused cell morphological alteration reminiscent of floating growth pattern in many SCLC cell lines, and microarray analyses revealed a subset of genes regulated by YAP, including Ajuba LIM protein (AJUBA). AJUBA also contributed to cell morphology regulation. Of clinical importance, SCLC cell lines of the YAP/TAZ subgroup showed unique patterns of drug sensitivity. Our findings shed light on a subtype of SCLC with YAP and TAZ expression, and delineate molecular networks underlying the heterogeneity of SCLC.
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