KMT2D Deficiency Impairs Super-Enhancers to Confer a Glycolytic Vulnerability in Lung Cancer

Cancer Cell. 2020 Apr 13;37(4):599-617.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2020.03.005. Epub 2020 Apr 2.

Abstract

Epigenetic modifiers frequently harbor loss-of-function mutations in lung cancer, but their tumor-suppressive roles are poorly characterized. Histone methyltransferase KMT2D (a COMPASS-like enzyme, also called MLL4) is among the most highly inactivated epigenetic modifiers in lung cancer. Here, we show that lung-specific loss of Kmt2d promotes lung tumorigenesis in mice and upregulates pro-tumorigenic programs, including glycolysis. Pharmacological inhibition of glycolysis preferentially impedes tumorigenicity of human lung cancer cells bearing KMT2D-inactivating mutations. Mechanistically, Kmt2d loss widely impairs epigenomic signals for super-enhancers/enhancers, including the super-enhancer for the circadian rhythm repressor Per2. Loss of Kmt2d decreases expression of PER2, which regulates multiple glycolytic genes. These findings indicate that KMT2D is a lung tumor suppressor and that KMT2D deficiency confers a therapeutic vulnerability to glycolytic inhibitors.

Keywords: KMT2D; epigenetic modifier; glycolysis; histone methylation; histone methyltransferase; inhibitor; lung cancer; metabolism; super-enhancer; tumor suppressor.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma of Lung / drug therapy
  • Adenocarcinoma of Lung / metabolism
  • Adenocarcinoma of Lung / pathology*
  • Animals
  • Antimetabolites / pharmacology
  • Apoptosis
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Cell Proliferation
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Deoxyglucose / pharmacology*
  • Enhancer Elements, Genetic*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Glycolysis*
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / physiology*
  • Histones / genetics
  • Histones / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Lung Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Nude
  • Mutation
  • Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia Protein / physiology*
  • Neoplasm Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism
  • Period Circadian Proteins / genetics
  • Period Circadian Proteins / metabolism
  • Prognosis
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antimetabolites
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Histones
  • KMT2D protein, human
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • PER2 protein, human
  • Period Circadian Proteins
  • Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia Protein
  • Deoxyglucose
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase
  • Kmt2b protein, mouse