EZH2 Mutations in Follicular Lymphoma Distort H3K27me3 Profiles and Alter Transcriptional Responses to PRC2 Inhibition

Overview

Journal Nat Commun

Specialty Biology

Date 2024 Apr 24

PMID 38658543

Authors

Pierre Romero

Laia Richart

Setareh Aflaki

Ambre Petitalot

Megan Burton

Audrey Michaud

Julien Masliah-Planchon

Frederique Kuhnowski

Samuel Le Cam

Carlos Balinas-Gavira

Celine Meaudre

Armelle Luscan

Abderaouf Hamza

Patricia Legoix

Anne Vincent-Salomon

Michel Wassef

Daniel Holoch

Raphael Margueron

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Mutations in chromatin regulators are widespread in cancer. Among them, the histone H3 lysine 27 methyltransferase Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) shows distinct alterations according to tumor type. This specificity is poorly understood. Here, we model several PRC2 alterations in one isogenic system to reveal their comparative effects. Focusing then on lymphoma-associated EZH2 mutations, we show that Ezh2 induces aberrant H3K27 methylation patterns even without wild-type Ezh2, which are alleviated by partial PRC2 inhibition. Remarkably, Ezh2 rewires the response to PRC2 inhibition, leading to induction of antigen presentation genes. Using a unique longitudinal follicular lymphoma cohort, we further link EZH2 status to abnormal H3K27 methylation. We also uncover unexpected variability in the mutational landscape of successive biopsies, pointing to frequent co-existence of different clones and cautioning against stratifying patients based on single sampling. Our results clarify how oncogenic PRC2 mutations disrupt chromatin and transcription, and the therapeutic vulnerabilities this creates.

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