Non-canonical NFκB mutations reinforce pro-survival TNF response in multiple myeloma through an autoregulatory RelB:p50 NFκB pathway

Oncogene. 2017 Mar;36(10):1417-1429. doi: 10.1038/onc.2016.309. Epub 2016 Sep 19.

Abstract

Environmental drug resistance constitutes a serious impediment for therapeutic intervention in multiple myeloma. Tumor-promoting cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF), induce nuclear factor-κB (NFκB)- driven expression of pro-survival factors, which confer resistance in myeloma cells to apoptotic insults from TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and other chemotherapeutic drugs. It is thought that RelA:p50 dimer, activated from IκBα-inhibited complex in response to TNF-induced canonical NFκB signal, mediates the pro-survival NFκB function in cancerous cells. Myeloma cells additionally acquire gain-of-function mutations in the non-canonical NFκB module, which induces partial proteolysis of p100 into p52 to promote RelB:p52/NFκB activation from p100-inhibited complex during immune cell differentiation. However, role of non-canonical NFκB signaling in the drug resistance in multiple myeloma remains unclear. Here we report that myeloma-associated non-canonical aberrations reinforce pro-survival TNF signaling in producing a protracted TRAIL-refractory state. These mutations did not act through a typical p52 NFκB complex, but completely degraded p100 to reposition RelB under IκBα control, whose degradation during TNF signaling induced an early RelB:p50 containing NFκB activity. More so, autoregulatory RelB synthesis prolonged this TNF-induced RelB:p50 activity in myeloma cells harboring non-canonical mutations. Intriguingly, TNF-activated RelB:p50 dimer was both necessary and sufficient, and RelA was not required, for NFκB-dependent pro-survival gene expressions and suppression of apoptosis. Indeed, high RelB mRNA expressions in myeloma patients correlated with the augmented level of pro-survival factors and resistance to therapeutic intervention. In sum, we provide evidence that cancer-associated mutations perpetuate TNF-induced pro-survival NFκB activity through autoregulatory RelB control and thereby exacerbate environmental drug resistance in multiple myeloma.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Apoptosis / genetics
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Survival / genetics
  • Enzyme Activation / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Models, Biological
  • Multiple Myeloma / genetics*
  • Multiple Myeloma / metabolism*
  • Mutation*
  • NF-kappa B / genetics*
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism*
  • NF-kappa B p52 Subunit / genetics
  • NF-kappa B p52 Subunit / metabolism
  • Protein Binding
  • Signal Transduction* / drug effects
  • TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand / pharmacology
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / pharmacology

Substances

  • NF-kappa B
  • NF-kappa B p52 Subunit
  • TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha