Multiomics analyses reveal DARS1-AS1/YBX1-controlled posttranscriptional circuits promoting glioblastoma tumorigenesis/radioresistance

Sci Adv. 2023 Aug 4;9(31):eadf3984. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adf3984. Epub 2023 Aug 4.

Abstract

The glioblastoma (GBM) stem cell-like cells (GSCs) are critical for tumorigenesis/therapeutic resistance of GBM. Mounting evidence supports tumor-promoting function of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), but their role in GSCs remains poorly understood. By combining CRISPRi screen with orthogonal multiomics approaches, we identified a lncRNA DARS1-AS1-controlled posttranscriptional circuitry that promoted the malignant properties of GBM cells/GSCs. Depleting DARS1-AS1 inhibited the proliferation of GBM cells/GSCs and self-renewal of GSCs, prolonging survival in orthotopic GBM models. DARS1-AS1 depletion also impaired the homologous recombination (HR)-mediated double-strand break (DSB) repair and enhanced the radiosensitivity of GBM cells/GSCs. Mechanistically, DARS1-AS1 interacted with YBX1 to promote target mRNA binding and stabilization, forming a mixed transcriptional/posttranscriptional feed-forward loop to up-regulate expression of the key regulators of G1-S transition, including E2F1 and CCND1. DARS1-AS1/YBX1 also stabilized the mRNA of FOXM1, a master transcription factor regulating GSC self-renewal and DSB repair. Our findings suggest DARS1-AS1/YBX1 axis as a potential therapeutic target for sensitizing GBM to radiation/HR deficiency-targeted therapy.

MeSH terms

  • Brain Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Brain Neoplasms* / metabolism
  • Carcinogenesis / genetics
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / genetics
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Glioblastoma* / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Multiomics
  • RNA, Long Noncoding* / genetics
  • Y-Box-Binding Protein 1 / genetics
  • Y-Box-Binding Protein 1 / metabolism

Substances

  • RNA, Long Noncoding
  • Y-Box-Binding Protein 1
  • YBX1 protein, human
  • DARS2 protein, human