RGS12 is a novel tumor suppressor in osteosarcoma that inhibits YAP-TEAD1-Ezrin signaling

Oncogene. 2021 Apr;40(14):2553-2566. doi: 10.1038/s41388-020-01599-z. Epub 2021 Mar 8.

Abstract

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignancy of the bone that predominantly affects children and adolescents. Hippo pathway is a crucial regulator of organ size and tumorigenesis. However, how Hippo pathway regulates the occurrence of osteosarcoma is largely unknown. Here, we reported the regulator of G protein signaling protein 12 (RGS12) is a novel Hippo pathway regulator and tumor suppressor of osteosarcoma. Depletion of Rgs12 promotes osteosarcoma progression and lung metastasis in an orthotopic xenograft mouse model. Our data showed that the knockdown of RGS12 upregulates Ezrin expression through promoting the GNA12/13-RhoA-YAP pathway. Moreover, RGS12 negatively regulates the transcriptional activity of YAP/TEAD1 complex through its PDZ domain function to inhibit the expression and function of the osteosarcoma marker Ezrin. PDZ domain peptides of RGS12 can inhibit the development of intratibial tumor and lung metastases. Collectively, this study identifies that the RGS12 is a novel tumor suppressor in osteosarcoma through inhibiting YAP-TEAD1-Ezrin signaling pathway and provides a proof of principle that targeting RGS12 may be a therapeutic strategy for osteosarcoma.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone Neoplasms / genetics
  • Bone Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Bone Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement / physiology
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / metabolism*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Down-Regulation
  • Heterografts
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, SCID
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
  • Osteosarcoma / genetics
  • Osteosarcoma / metabolism*
  • Osteosarcoma / pathology
  • RGS Proteins / genetics
  • RGS Proteins / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Survival Analysis
  • TEA Domain Transcription Factors
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • RGS Proteins
  • RGS12 protein, human
  • TEA Domain Transcription Factors
  • TEAD1 protein, human
  • Transcription Factors
  • YY1AP1 protein, human
  • ezrin