Abstract LB110: Multiple myeloma cells depend on the NRF1-DDI2 proteasome stress response pathway for survival
Authors: Chen Tianzeng , Ho Matthew , Briere Jenna , Moscvin Maria , Czarnecki Peter G. , Anderson Kenneth C. , Blackwell T. Keith , Bianchi Giada 
Published: July 2021

Introduction: We previously showed that an imbalance between polyubiquitinated proteins awaiting proteasomal degradation and proteasome activity is a main determinant of proteasome inhibitor (PI) sensitivity in MM. While PIs have radically improved survival of MM patients, resistance is inevitable over time and understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying it is critically important to develop novel therapies to improve patient outcomes. The proteasome stress response (PSR) is an evolutionarily conserved homeostatic mechanism triggered by insufficient proteasome activity and aimed at restoring homeostasis via de novo proteasome biogenesis. The PSR master regulator NRF1 is constitutively degraded by the proteasome in homeostatic conditions, but in face of proteasomal insufficiency is cleaved by the aspartic protease DDI2, translocates to the nucleus, and induces proteasome subunit gene transcription. It is unknown whether blocking DDI2 or NRF1 could target an intrinsic vulnerability of MM. Materials and methods: We used human MM cell lines with distinct baseline sensitivity to PIs. NRF1 cleavage and nuclear localization were assessed via western blotting. We used CRISPR-Cas9 to knock out (KO) DDI2 and NRF1. Cell viability or tumor growth of DDI2/NRF1 KO cells versus cells edited with a non-targeting gRNA were compared in in vitro and in vivo growth competition studies, respectively. Addback studies were performed by stably expressing WT or aspartic protease dead DDI2 in DDI2 KO AMO1-VR monoclones. Chymotryptic-like proteasome activity was measured via cleavage of a fluorescent substrate upon incubation with protein lysates from DDI2 WT, KO, or addback cells. Results: We detected full-length and cleaved NRF1 in human MM cell lines, but not other hematologic cancer cell lines, suggesting constitutively active PSR in MM. Query of the dependency map (depmap.org) shows that MM is the cell line type most highly dependent on DDI2. Consistently, DDI2 or NRF1 KO is cytotoxic alone or in combination with PI across a panel of MM cells with distinct PI sensitivity, including de novo, PI-resistant KMS20. In vivo, DDI2 KO leads to reduced plasmacytoma formation in NOD SCID mice and results in prolongation of animal survival. While biallelic DDI2 or NRF1 KO monoclones could not be generated across 7 distinct MM cell lines, consistent with these genes being essential, we successfully established DDI2 KO monoclones in AMO1-VR, an isogenic AMO1 cell line variant adapted to grow in continuous bortezomib. Even in this cell line model of acquired PI resistance, DDI2 KO sensitized cells to PI carfilzomib. In this model, DDI2 KO blocks NRF1 cleavage and nuclear import, thereby impairing proteasome recovery after irreversible PI treatment and sensitizing to PI. Wild-type, but not catalytically-dead DDI2 addback rescues these phenotypes, confirming a causative link. Conclusions: Our data show that MM cells are intrinsically dependent on an intact DDI2/NRF1 axis to survive in baseline conditions and upon proteasomal inhibition. We propose that DDI2 is an unexplored, promising molecular target for MM treatment by disrupting the PSR and exacerbating proteotoxicity. This study provides the preclinical rationale for the development of novel therapeutics targeting the DDI2/NRF1 pathway to overcome acquired and de novo PI resistance and improve patient outcomes in MM.

Citation Format: Tianzeng Chen, Matthew Ho, Jenna Briere, Maria Moscvin, Peter G. Czarnecki, Kenneth C. Anderson, T. Keith Blackwell, Giada Bianchi. Multiple myeloma cells depend on the NRF1-DDI2 proteasome stress response pathway for survival [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr LB110.