Authors: Hiroto Ohguchi, Paul M.C. Park, Tingjian Wang, Berkley E. Gryder, Daisuke Ogiya, Keiji Kurata, Xiaofeng Zhang, Deyao Li, Chengkui Pei, Takeshi Masuda, Catrine Johansson, Virangika K. Wimalasena, Yong Kim, Shinjiro Hino, Shingo Usuki, Yawara Kawano, Mehmet K. Samur, Yu-Tzu Tai, Nikhil C. Munshi, Masao Matsuoka, Sumio Ohtsuki, Mitsuyoshi Nakao, Takashi Minami, Shannon Lauberth, Javed Khan, Udo Oppermann, Adam D. Durbin, Kenneth C. Anderson, Teru Hideshima, Jun Qi
Summary: Lysine demethylase 5A (KDM5A) is a negative regulator of histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3), a histone mark associated with activate gene transcription. We identify that KDM5A interacts with the P-TEFb complex and cooperates with MYC to control MYC-targeted genes in multiple myeloma cells. We develop a cell-permeable and selective KDM5 inhibitor, JQKD82, that increases H3K4me3 but paradoxically inhibits downstream MYC-driven transcriptional output in vitro and in vivo. Using genetic ablation together with our inhibitor, we establish that KDM5A supports MYC target gene transcription independent of MYC itself by supporting TFIIH (CDK7)- and P-TEFb (CDK9)–mediated phosphorylation of RNAPII. These data identify KDM5A as a unique vulnerability in multiple myeloma functioning through regulation of MYC target gene transcription and establish JQKD82 as a tool compound to block KDM5A function as a potential therapeutic strategy for multiple myeloma.
Source: Blood Cancer Discovery, 2021