TWIST2-mediated chromatin remodeling promotes fusion-negative rhabdomyosarcoma

Sci Adv. 2023 Apr 28;9(17):eade8184. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.ade8184. Epub 2023 Apr 28.

Abstract

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a common soft tissue sarcoma in children that resembles developing skeletal muscle. Unlike normal muscle cells, RMS cells fail to differentiate despite expression of the myogenic determination protein MYOD. The TWIST2 transcription factor is frequently overexpressed in fusion-negative RMS (FN-RMS). TWIST2 blocks differentiation by inhibiting MYOD activity in myoblasts, but its role in FN-RMS pathogenesis is incompletely understood. Here, we show that knockdown of TWIST2 enables FN-RMS cells to exit the cell cycle and undergo terminal myogenesis. TWIST2 knockdown also substantially reduces tumor growth in a mouse xenograft model of FN-RMS. Mechanistically, TWIST2 controls H3K27 acetylation at distal enhancers by interacting with the chromatin remodelers SMARCA4 and CHD3 to activate growth-related target genes and repress myogenesis-related target genes. These findings provide insights into the role of TWIST2 in maintaining an undifferentiated and tumorigenic state of FN-RMS and highlight the potential of suppressing TWIST2-regulated pathways to treat FN-RMS.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation / genetics
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly / genetics
  • DNA Helicases / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
  • Repressor Proteins / metabolism
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma* / genetics
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma* / metabolism
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma* / pathology
  • Sarcoma* / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Twist-Related Protein 1 / genetics
  • Twist-Related Protein 1 / metabolism

Substances

  • SMARCA4 protein, human
  • DNA Helicases
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • TWIST2 protein, human
  • Repressor Proteins
  • Twist-Related Protein 1