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Purpose: The epigenetic mechanisms involved in transcriptional regulation leading to malignant phenotype in gliomas remains poorly understood. Topoisomerase IIB (TOP2B), an enzyme that decoils and releases torsional forces in DNA, is overexpressed in a subset of gliomas. Therefore, we investigated its role in epigenetic regulation in these tumors. Experimental Design: To investigate the role of TOP2B in epigenetic regulation in gliomas, we performed paired chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing for TOP2B and RNA-sequencing analysis of glioma cell lines with and without TOP2B inhibition and in human glioma specimens. These experiments were complemented with assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing, gene silencing, and mouse xenograft experiments to investigate the function of TOP2B and its role in glioma phenotypes. Results: We discovered that TOP2B modulates transcription of multiple oncogenes in human gliomas. TOP2B regulated transcription only at sites where it was enzymatically active, but not at all native binding sites. In particular, TOP2B activity localized in enhancers, promoters, and introns of PDGFRA and MYC, facilitating their expression. TOP2B levels and genomic localization was associated with PDGFRA and MYC expression across glioma specimens, which was not seen in nontumoral human brain tissue. In vivo, TOP2B knockdown of human glioma intracranial implants prolonged survival and downregulated PDGFRA. Conclusions: Our results indicate that TOP2B activity exerts a pleiotropic role in transcriptional regulation of oncogenes in a subset of gliomas promoting a proliferative phenotype.

Oncogene expression varies across gliomas. We discovered that TOP2B modulates transcription and splicing of multiple oncogenes in Drosophila brain tumors and human gliomas. TOP2B regulated transcription at sites where it was active, but not where found natively binding. TOP2B activity localized in enhancers, promoters and introns of PDGFRA and MYC, facilitating their expression. TOP2B levels and genomic localization was associated with PDGFR and MYC expression across gliomas specimens. Susceptibility to MST-16, a TOP2 inhibitor drug, correlated with baseline PDGRA expression across glioma cell lines. Our results indicate that TOP2B activity exerts a pleiotropic role in transcriptional regulation of oncogenes in a subset of gliomas. Modulation of oncogenes by TOP2-targeting drugs is the basis for a personalized approach for cancer therapy.