SUMMARY Members of the KDM5 histone H3 lysine 4 demethylase family are associated with therapeutic resistance, including endocrine resistance in breast cancer, but the underlying mechanism is poorly defined. Here we show that genetic deletion of KDM5A/B or inhibition of KDM5 activity increases sensitivity to anti-estrogens by modulating estrogen receptor (ER) signaling and by decreasing cellular transcriptomic heterogeneity. Higher KDM5B expression levels are associated with higher transcriptomic heterogeneity and poor prognosis in ER+ breast tumors. Single cell RNA-seq, cellular barcoding, and mathematical modeling demonstrate that endocrine-resistance is due to selection for pre-existing genetically distinct cells, while KDM5 inhibitor-resistance is acquired. Our findings highlight the importance of cellular phenotypic heterogeneity in therapeutic resistance and identify KDM5A/B as key regulators of this process.

Defects in the apoptotic signaling cascades contribute to the poor therapeutic response of malignant gliomas. As glioblastomas are characterized by high expression levels of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins, we studied the effects of the novel Bcl-2 inhibitor, ABT-737, on malignant glioma cells. ABT-737 treatment released the pro-apoptotic Bax protein from its binding partner Bcl-2 and potently induced apoptotic cell death in glioblastoma cells in vitro and in vivo. The local administration of ABT-737 prolonged the survival in an intracranial glioma xenograft model. Downregulation of Mcl-1 and overexpression of Bcl-2 sensitized the cells to ABT-737-mediated apoptosis. Moreover, ABT-737 potentiated the cytotoxicity of the chemotherapeutic drugs vincristine and etoposide, and of the death ligand TRAIL. As glioma stem cells may play a crucial role for the tumor progression and the resistance to treatment in glioblastomas, we investigated the effects of ABT-737 on the subpopulation of glioma cells exhibiting stem cell characteristics. Inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis by ABT-737 were less efficient in glioma stem cells than in non-stem cell-like glioma cells. As the resistance of glioma stem cells was associated with high Mcl-1 expression levels, ABT-737 treatment combined with downregulation of Mcl-1 could represent a promising novel approach in glioblastoma treatment.

Cyclin C was cloned as a growth-promoting G1 cyclin, and was also shown to regulate gene transcription. Here we report that in vivo cyclin C acts as a haploinsufficient tumor suppressor, by controlling Notch1 oncogene levels. Cyclin C activates an “orphan” CDK19 kinase, as well as CDK8 and CDK3. These cyclin C-CDK complexes phosphorylate Notch1 intracellular domain (ICN1) and promote ICN1 degradation. Genetic ablation of cyclin C blocks ICN1 phosphorylation in vivo, thereby elevating ICN1 levels in cyclin C-knockout mice. Cyclin C ablation or heterozygosity collaborate with other oncogenic lesions and accelerate development of T-cell-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). Furthermore, the cyclin C gene is heterozygously deleted in a significant fraction of human T-ALL, and these tumors express reduced cyclin C levels. We also describe point mutations in human T-ALL that render cyclin C-CDK unable to phosphorylate ICN1. Hence, tumor cells may develop different strategies to evade cyclin C inhibitory function.