Abstract 403: APOBEC3 enzymes induce chromosomal translocations in solid cancer
Authors: Cheong Taek-Chin , Wang Qi , Jang Ahram , Karaca-Atabay Elif , Chiarle Roberto 
Published: March 2024

Introduction: Chromosomal translocations are common oncogenic drivers in human cancers, and an increasing number of translocations are being considered as crucial diagnostic and prognostic markers in clinics. In B-cell lymphoma, a number of chromosomal translocations are directed by the off-target activity of the activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID; a B-cell specific apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptode-like (APOBEC) family enzyme). However, in solid tumors, no such enzymes capable of directing chromosomal translocations have been identified. Given recent findings on APOBEC-mediated mutagenesis in solid cancers, APOBECs may be involved in the formation of chromosomal translocations in solid tumors, like AID does in B cells. In human, the APOBEC3 (A3) family consists of seven members (A3A-A3H) and is associated with C &lt;t or="" c&lt;g="" substitutions.="" recent="" evidence="" shows="" that="" a3a="" might="" be="" involved="" in="" chromosomal="" instability="" leading="" to="" drug="" resistance="" lung="" cancer.="" however,="" it="" has="" not="" been="" explored="" whether="" a3s="" generate="" dna="" dsbs,="" eventually="" translocations.="" this="" study,="" we="" investigated="" the="" role="" of="" and="" their="" mechanisms="" translocations="" solid="" cancer.Methods: We applied high-throughput genome-wide translocation sequencing (HTGTS) approach to map genome-wide chromosomal translocations induced by human A3s in mouse fibroblast and human epithelial cells. We correlated patterns of translocations induced by A3s with several other cellular features including transcription, DNA accessibility, DNA replication timing, and mutational signatures. We validated the contribution of A3 to the generation of oncogenic translocations in lung cancer.

Results: Ectopic expression of A3s significantly increased chromosomal translocations in mouse fibroblasts and human epithelial cells. A3s and AID preferentially induced translocations in different parts of the genome, but some of the translocation hotspots were shared among them. Hierarchical clustering of hotspots showed that A3-mediated translocations were distinguished from AID-mediated translocations. Notably, the junction distribution of breakpoint clusters showed three distinct translocation patterns based on the locations of breakpoint clusters: (1) AID-preferred; (2) A3-preferred; and (3) AID/A3-mixed. AID-mediated translocations were heavily enriched near the transcription start site, whereas A3-mediated translocations were dispersed across the gene body and transcription end site. Furthermore, DNA replication timing and genomic architectures were linked to the formation of A3-mediated chromosomal translocations in solid cancer. Finally, A3 contributed to the formation of oncogenic rearrangements in lung cancer.

Conclusions: A3 enzymes induced chromosomal translocations with distinct patterns compared to AID and facilitated chromosomal translocation formation in solid cancers.

Citation Format: Taek-Chin Cheong, Qi Wang, Ahram Jang, Elif Karaca-Atabay, Roberto Chiarle. APOBEC3 enzymes induce chromosomal translocations in solid cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 403.