LncRNA BCYRN1-induced autophagy enhances asparaginase resistance in extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma

Liang Wang; Jing Yang; He-Nan Wang; Rui-Ying Fu; Xin-di Liu; Ying-Shi Piao; Li-Qiang Wei; Jing-Wen Wang; Luo Zhang

doi:10.7150/thno.46655

LncRNA BCYRN1-induced autophagy enhances asparaginase resistance in extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma

Theranostics. 2021 Jan 1;11(2):925-940. doi: 10.7150/thno.46655. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Liang Wang^{1

2}, Jing Yang¹, He-Nan Wang¹, Rui-Ying Fu¹, Xin-di Liu¹, Ying-Shi Piao^{3

4}, Li-Qiang Wei¹, Jing-Wen Wang¹, Luo Zhang^{5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Hematology, Beijing TongRen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China.
² Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Big Data-Based Precision Medicine, Beihang University & Capital Medical University, Beijing TongRen Hospital, Beijing 100730, China.
³ Department of Pathology, Beijing TongRen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China.
⁴ Beijing Key Laboratory of Head and Neck Molecular Pathological Diagnosis, Beijing TongRen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China.
⁵ Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing TongRen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China.
⁶ Beijing Key Laboratory of Nasal Disease, Beijing Institute of Otolaryngology, Beijing 100730, China.

Abstract

Background: Asparaginase (ASP) is the cornerstone drug in the treatment of extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTCL), and the mechanisms of resistance to ASP remain largely unknown. Long non-coding RNAs play important roles in chemotherapy resistance in various cancers. However, the expression of BCYRN1 and its role in ENKTCL still remain unidentified. Methods: Lentivirus-mediated BCYRN1 overexpression and knockdown were performed in SNK-6 cells. Cell autophagy was analyzed by adenovirus expressing GFP-LC3B fusion protein. RNA pull-down and RNA Binding Protein Immunoprecipitation Assay were performed to investigate the relationship between BCYRN1 and p53. Western blot analysis was performed to assess the effect of BCYRN1 on different autophagy pathways. Finally, in vivo xenograft tumor model was constructed to analyze the effect of BCYRN1 on tumor growth and ASP resistance. Results: BCYRN1 was overexpressed in ENKTCL than normal NK cells, and patients with higher expression had significantly inferior progression-free survival (PFS). The IC50 value of ASP was significantly increased in BCYRN1-overexpressed SNK-6 cells and BCYRN1 overexpression could resist the inhibitory effect of ASP on proliferation. ASP could induce concurrent apoptosis and autophagy in ENKTCL, and the latter process was enhanced by overexpression of BCYRN1, mainly through affecting both PI3K/AKT/mTOR and p53/mTOR pathways. BCYRN1 could induce the degradation of p53 via ubiquitination, thus resulting in enhancement of autophagy and ASP resistance, which could be reversed by drug-induced autophagy inhibition. The effect of BCYRN1 on tumor growth and autophagy were confirmed in vivo xenograft model. Conclusions: It was found that BCYRN1 was a valuable prognostic biomarker in ENKTCL. BCYRN1 could promote resistance to ASP by inducing autophagy, which could be reversed by inhibition of autophagy. Our findings highlight the feasibility of combining autophagy inhibition and ASP in the treatment of ENKTCL.

Keywords: asparaginase; autophagy; extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma; long non-coding RNA; resistance.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Apoptosis
Asparaginase / pharmacology*
Autophagy*
Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics*
Cell Proliferation
Drug Resistance, Neoplasm*
Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
Humans
Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell / drug therapy*
Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell / genetics
Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell / pathology
Male
Mice
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Mice, Nude
Middle Aged
RNA, Long Noncoding / genetics*
Tumor Cells, Cultured
Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

Biomarkers, Tumor
RNA, Long Noncoding
long non-coding RNA BC200, human
Asparaginase