Meng Chenling, Lin Kevin, Shi Wei, Teng Hongqi, Wan Xinhai, DeBruine Anna, Wang Yin, Liang Xin, Leo Javier, Chen Feiyu, Gu Qianlin, Zhang Jie, Van Vivien, Maldonado Kiersten L, Gan Boyi, Ma Li, Lu Yue, Zhao Di
Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
Nat Commun. 2025 May 20;16(1):4681. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-59381-2.
Bone metastasis is a major cause of cancer death; however, the epigenetic determinants driving this process remain elusive. Here, we report that histone methyltransferase ASH1L is genetically amplified and is required for bone metastasis in men with prostate cancer. ASH1L rewires histone methylations and cooperates with HIF-1α to induce pro-metastatic transcriptome in invading cancer cells, resulting in monocyte differentiation into lipid-associated macrophage (LA-TAM) and enhancing their pro-tumoral phenotype in the metastatic bone niche. We identified IGF-2 as a direct target of ASH1L/HIF-1α and mediates LA-TAMs' differentiation and phenotypic changes by reprogramming oxidative phosphorylation. Pharmacologic inhibition of the ASH1L-HIF-1α-macrophages axis elicits robust anti-metastasis responses in preclinical models. Our study demonstrates epigenetic alterations in cancer cells reprogram metabolism and features of myeloid components, facilitating metastatic outgrowth. It establishes ASH1L as an epigenetic driver priming metastasis and macrophage plasticity in the bone niche, providing a bona fide therapeutic target in metastatic malignancies.
骨转移是癌症死亡的主要原因;然而,驱动这一过程的表观遗传决定因素仍不清楚。在此,我们报告组蛋白甲基转移酶ASH1L在患有前列腺癌的男性中发生基因扩增,并且是骨转移所必需的。ASH1L重塑组蛋白甲基化,并与HIF-1α协同作用,在侵袭性癌细胞中诱导促转移转录组,导致单核细胞分化为脂质相关巨噬细胞(LA-TAM),并增强它们在转移性骨微环境中的促肿瘤表型。我们确定IGF-2是ASH1L/HIF-1α的直接靶点,并通过重编程氧化磷酸化介导LA-TAM的分化和表型变化。在临床前模型中,对ASH1L-HIF-1α-巨噬细胞轴的药物抑制引发了强大的抗转移反应。我们的研究表明癌细胞中的表观遗传改变可重编程代谢和髓系成分的特征,促进转移生长。它将ASH1L确立为一种表观遗传驱动因子,引发骨微环境中的转移和巨噬细胞可塑性,为转移性恶性肿瘤提供了一个真正的治疗靶点。
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