Regulation of theby p53‐crosstalk modulates thedamage response and therapeutic efficacy in
Source: PubMed Central Open Access, NCBI / U.S. National Library of Medicine
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are characterized by recurrent genetic alterations, including the inactivation of the tumor suppressorgene and dysregulation of thegene. Thegene encodes multiple isoforms, among which the N‐terminal truncated isoform ΔNp63 is fundamental for the integrity of stratified epithelial tissues. We previously demonstrated that ΔNp63 represses the expression of the lncRNA NEAT1. Here, we investigated the functional crosstalk between p53 and ΔNp63 in modulating NEAT1 expression following genotoxic stress. We found that upon genotoxic insults, p53 activation and the concomitant downregulation of ΔNp63 promote NEAT1 transcription. In p53‐proficient HNSCC cells, NEAT1 targeting leads to increased DNA damage, highlighting its potential role in maintaining genomic stability and facilitating efficient DNA repair. Importantly, we showed that histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) upregulate NEAT1 expression independently of p53, and NEAT1 silencing enhances HDACis‐induced DNA damage. Overall, our findings establish NEAT1 as an early regulator of the DNA damage response in HNSCCs and suggest that combining NEAT1 targeting with HDAC inhibition may potentiate therapeutic efficacy, particularly in‐mutant HNSCCs. In head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) p53 and p63 exert opposite roles on the transcription regulation of the lncRNA NEAT1. Under basal conditions, p53 levels are low and p63 represses NEAT1 expression. Upon genotoxic stress, p5
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are characterized by recurrent genetic alterations, including the inactivation of the tumor suppressorgene and dysregulation of thegene. Thegene encodes multiple isoforms, among which the N‐terminal truncated isoform ΔNp63 is fundamental for the integrity of stratified epithelial tissues. We previously demonstrated that ΔNp63 represses the expression of the lncRNA NEAT1. Here, we investigated the functional crosstalk between p53 and ΔNp63 in modulating NEAT1 expression following genotoxic stress. We found that upon genotoxic insults, p53 activation and the concomitant downregulation of ΔNp63 promote NEAT1 transcription. In p53‐proficient HNSCC cells, NEAT1 targeting leads to increased DNA damage, highlighting its potential role in maintaining genomic stability and facilitating efficient DNA repair. Importantly, we showed that histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) upregulate NEAT1 expression independently of p53, and NEAT1 silencing enhances HDACis‐induced DNA damage. Overall, our findings establish NEAT1 as an early regulator of the DNA damage response in HNSCCs and suggest that combining NEAT1 targeting with HDAC inhibition may potentiate therapeutic efficacy, particularly in‐mutant HNSCCs. In head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) p53 and p63 exert opposite roles on the transcription regulation of the lncRNA NEAT1. Under basal conditions, p53 levels are low and p63 represses NEAT1 expression. Upon genotoxic stress, p53 is rapidly induced, displacing p63 from the NEAT1 promoter leading to NEAT1 transcriptional activation and subsequent induction of the DNA damage response (DDR) pathway. The figure was drawn using images created in Microsoft 365 PowerPoint (CNR license). graphical