Intrinsic and acquired drug resistance to LSD1 inhibitors in small cell lung cancer occurs through a TEAD4‐driven transcriptional state

Abstract

Small‐cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a heterogeneous disease, consisting of intratumoral and intertumoral neuroendocrine (ASCL1 and/or NEUROD1), mesenchymal‐like, and YAP‐driven transcriptional states. Lysine‐specific demethylase 1 (LSD1; also known as KDM1A) inhibitors have recently been progressed to clinical trials in SCLC based on a promising preclinical antitumor activity. A potential clinical limitation of LSD1 inhibitors is the heterogeneous drug responses that have been observed in SCLC cell lines and patient‐derived models. Based on these observations, we studied molecular and transcriptional signatures that predict patient response to this class of drug. Employing SCLC patient‐derived transcriptional signatures, we define that SCLC cell lines sensitive to LSD1 inhibitors are enriched in neuroendocrine transcriptional markers, whereas cell lines enriched in a mesenchymal‐like transcriptional program demonstrate intrinsic resistance to LSD1 inhibitors. We have identified a reversible, adaptive resistance mechanism to LSD1 inhibitors through epigenetic reprogramming to a TEAD4‐driven mesenchymal‐like state. Our data suggest that only a segment of SCLC patients, with a defined neuroendocrine differentiation state, will likely benefit from LSD1 inhibitors. It provides novel evidence for the selection of a TEAD4‐driven mesenchymal‐like subpopulation resistant to LSD1 inhibitors in SCLC patients that may require effective drug combinations to sustain effective clinical responses.

Keywords

• drug resistance
• epigenetic therapy
• KDM1A
• LSD1
• small‐cell lung cancer