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  • Integrative oncogene-dependency mapping identifies RIT1 vulnerabilities and synergies in lung cancer.

Integrative oncogene-dependency mapping identifies RIT1 vulnerabilities and synergies in lung cancer.

Nature communications (2021-08-11)
Athea Vichas, Amanda K Riley, Naomi T Nkinsi, Shriya Kamlapurkar, Phoebe C R Parrish, April Lo, Fujiko Duke, Jennifer Chen, Iris Fung, Jacqueline Watson, Matthew Rees, Austin M Gabel, James D Thomas, Robert K Bradley, John K Lee, Emily M Hatch, Marina K Baine, Natasha Rekhtman, Marc Ladanyi, Federica Piccioni, Alice H Berger
ABSTRACT

CRISPR-based cancer dependency maps are accelerating advances in cancer precision medicine, but adequate functional maps are limited to the most common oncogenes. To identify opportunities for therapeutic intervention in other rarer subsets of cancer, we investigate the oncogene-specific dependencies conferred by the lung cancer oncogene, RIT1. Here, genome-wide CRISPR screening in KRAS, EGFR, and RIT1-mutant isogenic lung cancer cells identifies shared and unique vulnerabilities of each oncogene. Combining this genetic data with small-molecule sensitivity profiling, we identify a unique vulnerability of RIT1-mutant cells to loss of spindle assembly checkpoint regulators. Oncogenic RIT1M90I weakens the spindle assembly checkpoint and perturbs mitotic timing, resulting in sensitivity to Aurora A inhibition. In addition, we observe synergy between mutant RIT1 and activation of YAP1 in multiple models and frequent nuclear overexpression of YAP1 in human primary RIT1-mutant lung tumors. These results provide a genome-wide atlas of oncogenic RIT1 functional interactions and identify components of the RAS pathway, spindle assembly checkpoint, and Hippo/YAP1 network as candidate therapeutic targets in RIT1-mutant lung cancer.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Sigma-Aldrich
Anti-Vinculin antibody, Mouse monoclonal, clone hVIN-1, purified from hybridoma cell culture
Sigma-Aldrich
Monoclonal Anti-KRAS antibody produced in mouse, clone 3B10-2F2, purified immunoglobulin, buffered aqueous solution