1. GAGE mediates radio resistance in cervical cancers via the regulation of chromatin accessibility
- Author
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Nin, Dawn Sijin, Wujanto, Caryn, Tan, Tuan Zea, Lim, Diana, Damen, J. Mirjam. A., Wu, Kuan-Yi, Dai, Ziyu Melvin, Lee, Zheng-Wei, Idres, Shabana Binte, Leong, Yiat Horng, Jha, Sudhakar, Ng, Joseph Soon-Yau, Low, Jeffrey J.H., Chang, Shih-Chung, Tan, David Shao Peng, Wu, Wei, Choo, Bok Ai, and Deng, Lih-Wen
- Abstract
Radiotherapy (RT) resistance is a major cause of treatment failure in cancers that use definitive RT as their primary treatment modality. This study identifies the cancer/testis (CT) antigen G antigen (GAGE) as a mediator of radio resistance in cervical cancers. Elevated GAGE expression positively associates with de novoRT resistance in clinical samples. GAGE, specifically the GAGE12 protein variant, confers RT resistance through synemin-dependent chromatin localization, promoting the association of histone deacetylase 1/2 (HDAC1/2) to its inhibitor actin. This cumulates to elevated histone 3 lysine 56 acetylation (H3K56Ac) levels, increased chromatin accessibility, and improved DNA repair efficiency. Molecular or pharmacological disruption of the GAGE-associated complex restores radiosensitivity. Molecularly, this study demonstrates the role of GAGE in the regulation of chromatin dynamics. Clinically, this study puts forward the utility of GAGE as a pre-screening biomarker to identify poor responders at initial diagnosis and the therapeutic potential of agents that target GAGE and its associated complex in combination with radiotherapy to improve outcomes.
- Published
- 2021
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