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The nuclear deubiquitylase BRCA1-associated protein 1 (BAP1) is frequently inactivated in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) and germline BAP1 mutation predisposes to cancers including MPM. To explore the influence on cell physiology and drug sensitivity, we sequentially edited a predisposition mutation (w-) and a promoter trap (KO) into human mesothelial cells. BAP1w-/KO MeT5A cells express less BAP1 protein and phenocopy key aspects of BAP1 loss in MPM. Stable isotope labeling with amino acids in cell culture–mass spectrometry revealed evidence of metabolic adaptation, with concomitant alteration of cellular metabolites. In MeT5A, BAP1 deficiency reduces glycolytic enzyme levels but increases enzymes involved in the tricarboxylic acid cycle and anaplerotic pathways. Notably both argininosuccinate synthase 1 (ASS1), essential for cellular synthesis of arginine, and its substrate aspartate, are elevated in BAP1w-/KO MeT5A cells. Likewise, ASS1 expression is higher in BAP1-altered MPM cell lines, and inversely correlates with BAP1 in The Cancer Genome Atlas MESO dataset. Elevated ASS1 is also evident by IHC staining in epithelioid MPM lacking nuclear BAP1 expression, with improved survival among patients with BAP1-negative/ASS1-expressing tumors. Alterations in arginine metabolism may sensitize cells to metabolic drugs and we find that BAP1-negative/ASS1-expressing MPM cell lines are more sensitive to ASS1 inhibition, although not to inhibition of purine synthesis by mizoribine. Importantly, BAP1w-/KO MeT5A become desensitized to arginine deprivation by pegylated arginine deiminase (ADI-PEG20), phenocopying BAP1-negative/ASS1-expressing MPM cell lines. Implications: Our data reveal an interrelationship between BAP1 and arginine metabolism, providing a potential means of identifying patients with epithelioid MPM likely to benefit from ADI-PEG20.

The nuclear deubiquitylase BRCA1-associated protein 1 (BAP1) is frequently inactivated in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) and germline BAP1 mutation predisposes to cancers including MPM. To explore the influence on cell physiology and drug sensitivity, we sequentially edited a predisposition mutation (w-) and a promoter trap (KO) into human mesothelial cells. BAP1w-/KO MeT5A cells express less BAP1 protein and phenocopy key aspects of BAP1 loss in MPM. Stable isotope labeling with amino acids in cell culture–mass spectrometry revealed evidence of metabolic adaptation, with concomitant alteration of cellular metabolites. In MeT5A, BAP1 deficiency reduces glycolytic enzyme levels but increases enzymes involved in the tricarboxylic acid cycle and anaplerotic pathways. Notably both argininosuccinate synthase 1 (ASS1), essential for cellular synthesis of arginine, and its substrate aspartate, are elevated in BAP1w-/KO MeT5A cells. Likewise, ASS1 expression is higher in BAP1-altered MPM cell lines, and inversely correlates with BAP1 in The Cancer Genome Atlas MESO dataset. Elevated ASS1 is also evident by IHC staining in epithelioid MPM lacking nuclear BAP1 expression, with improved survival among patients with BAP1-negative/ASS1-expressing tumors. Alterations in arginine metabolism may sensitize cells to metabolic drugs and we find that BAP1-negative/ASS1-expressing MPM cell lines are more sensitive to ASS1 inhibition, although not to inhibition of purine synthesis by mizoribine. Importantly, BAP1w-/KO MeT5A become desensitized to arginine deprivation by pegylated arginine deiminase (ADI-PEG20), phenocopying BAP1-negative/ASS1-expressing MPM cell lines.Implications:Our data reveal an interrelationship between BAP1 and arginine metabolism, providing a potential means of identifying patients with epithelioid MPM likely to benefit from ADI-PEG20.

Metabolomics MeT5A isogenics

Supplementary Methods, References and List of Figures and Tables

Proteomics MeT5A isogenics and MPM cell lines

STR profiling MPM cell lines

Fig. S1. SNP6.0 analysis of parental MeT5A-BAP1+/+ cells.Fig. S2. Expression of catalytically active BAP1 in parental MeT5A.Fig. S3. Characterisation of BAP1 expression in gene-edited MeT5A.Fig. S4. Whole genome sequencing of gene-edited MeT5A.Fig. S5. Proliferative profiles for gene-edited MeT5A.Fig. S6. Enriched GO terms in gene-edited MeT5A SILAC-MS.Fig. S7. Enriched KEGG pathways in gene-edited MeT5A SILAC-MS include EMT.Fig. S8. Metabolite responses to BAP1 mutation in isogenic MeT5A.Fig. S9. Immunoblotting for differentially expressed metabolic enzymes identified by SILAC-MS in isogenic MeT5A cell lines.Fig. S10. Characterisation of BAP1-status for MPM cell panel.Fig. S11. Evaluating correlation between BAP1 and selected metabolic enzymes in a panel of MPM cell lines and the TCGA MESO pan-cancer dataset.Fig. S12. Validation of ASS1 response to BAP1 alteration.Fig. S13. Improved prognosis for epithelioid MPM patients with loss of nBAP1 and increased expression of ASS1.Fig. S14. Relationship between BAP1 and ASS1 transcripts in the TCGA Pan-Cancer datasets for other cancer types.Fig. S15. The influence of BAP1-status on response to inhibition of purine metabolism.Fig. S16. The influence of BAP1-status on response to ASS1 inhibition.

Patient scoring and survival summary