TFE3 fusions direct an oncogenic transcriptional program that drives OXPHOS and unveils vulnerabilities in translocation renal cell carcinoma.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology
Authors
Abstract

Translocation renal cell carcinoma (tRCC) is an aggressive subtype of kidney cancer driven by gene fusions, which act via poorly characterized downstream mechanisms. Here we report that TFE3 fusions transcriptionally rewire tRCCs toward oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), contrasting with the highly glycolytic metabolism of most other renal cancers. This TFE3 fusion-driven OXPHOS program, together with heightened glutathione levels found in renal cancers, renders tRCCs sensitive to reductive stress - a metabolic stress state induced by an imbalance of reducing equivalents. Genome-scale CRISPR screening identifies tRCC-selective vulnerabilities linked to this metabolic state, including , which hydroxylates HIF-1α and targets it for proteolysis. Inhibition of EGLN1 compromises tRCC cell growth by stabilizing HIF-1a and promoting metabolic reprogramming away from OXPHOS, thus representing a vulnerability to OXPHOS-dependent tRCC cells. Our study defines a distinctive tRCC-essential metabolic program driven by TFE3 fusions and nominates EGLN1 inhibition as a therapeutic strategy to counteract fusion-induced metabolic rewiring.

Year of Publication
2024
Journal
bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology
Date Published
08/2024
ISSN
2692-8205
DOI
10.1101/2024.08.09.607311
PubMed ID
39149323
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