SHQ1 regulation of RNA splicing is required for T-lymphoblastic leukemia cell survival

Nat Commun. 2018 Oct 15;9(1):4281. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-06523-4.

Abstract

T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive hematologic malignancy with complicated heterogeneity. Although expression profiling reveals common elevated genes in distinct T-ALL subtypes, little is known about their functional role(s) and regulatory mechanism(s). We here show that SHQ1, an H/ACA snoRNP assembly factor involved in snRNA pseudouridylation, is highly expressed in T-ALL. Mechanistically, oncogenic NOTCH1 directly binds to the SHQ1 promoter and activates its transcription. SHQ1 depletion induces T-ALL cell death in vitro and prolongs animal survival in murine T-ALL models. RNA-Seq reveals that SHQ1 depletion impairs widespread RNA splicing, and MYC is one of the most prominently downregulated genes due to inefficient splicing. MYC overexpression significantly rescues T-ALL cell death resulted from SHQ1 inactivation. We herein report a mechanism of NOTCH1-SHQ1-MYC axis in T-cell leukemogenesis. These findings not only shed light on the role of SHQ1 in RNA splicing and tumorigenesis, but also provide additional insight into MYC regulation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carcinogenesis / metabolism
  • Carcinogenesis / pathology
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic*
  • Gene Knockout Techniques
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Leukemia, T-Cell / genetics*
  • Leukemia, T-Cell / pathology*
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Models, Biological
  • Protein Binding
  • RNA Precursors / metabolism
  • RNA Splicing / genetics*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Receptor, Notch1 / metabolism

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • RNA Precursors
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Receptor, Notch1
  • SHQ1 protein, human