Targeting ST8SIA6-AS1 counteracts KRAS inhibitor resistance through abolishing the reciprocal activation of PLK1/c-Myc signaling.

BACKGROUND

KRAS inhibitors (KRASi) AMG510 and MRTX849 have shown promising efficacy in clinical trials and been approved for the treatment of KRAS-mutant cancers. However, the emergence of therapy-related drug resistance limits their long-term potential. This study aimed to identify the critical mediators and develop overcoming strategies.

METHODS

By using RNA sequencing, RT-qPCR and immunoblotting, we identified and validated the upregulation of c-Myc activity and the amplification of the long noncoding RNA ST8SIA6-AS1 in KRASi-resistant cells. The regulatory axis ST8SIA6-AS1/Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1)/c-Myc was investigated by bioinformatics, RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization, RNA immunoprecipitation, RNA pull-down and chromatin immunoprecipitation. Gain/loss-of-function assays, cell viability assay, xenograft models, and IHC staining were conducted to evaluate the anti-cancer effects of co-inhibition of ST8SIA6-AS1/PLK1 pathway and KRAS both in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

KRASi sustainably decreased c-Myc levels in responsive cell lines but not in cell lines with intrinsic or acquired resistance to KRASi. PLK1 activation contributed to this ERK-independent c-Myc stability, which in turn directly induced PLK1 transcription, forming a positive feedback loop and conferring resistance to KRASi. ST8SIA6-AS1 was found significantly upregulated in resistant cells and facilitated the proliferation of KRAS-mutant cancers. ST8SIA6-AS1 bound to Aurora kinase A (Aurora A)/PLK1 and promoted Aurora A-mediated PLK1 phosphorylation. Concurrent targeting of KRAS and ST8SIA6-AS1/PLK1 signaling suppressed both ERK-dependent and -independent c-Myc expression, synergistically led to cell death and tumor regression and overcame KRASi resistance.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study deciphers that the axis of ST8SIA6-AS1/PLK1/c-Myc confers both intrinsic and acquired resistance to KRASi and represents a promising therapeutic target for combination strategies with KRASi in the treatment of KRAS-mutant cancers.