Advanced Science (Jul 2024)

USP25 Elevates SHLD2‐Mediated DNA Double‐Strand Break Repair and Regulates Chemoresponse in Cancer

  • Yunhui Li,
  • Lei Li,
  • Xinshu Wang,
  • Fei Zhao,
  • Yuntong Yang,
  • Yujuan Zhou,
  • Jiyuan Zhang,
  • Li Wang,
  • Zeshan Jiang,
  • Yuanyuan Zhang,
  • Yuping Chen,
  • Chenming Wu,
  • Ke Li,
  • Tingting Zhang,
  • Ping Wang,
  • Zhiyong Mao,
  • Weiguo Zhu,
  • Xingzhi Xu,
  • Shikang Liang,
  • Zhenkun Lou,
  • Jian Yuan

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202403485
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 28
pp. n/a – n/a

Abstract

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Abstract DNA damage plays a significant role in the tumorigenesis and progression of the disease. Abnormal DNA repair affects the therapy and prognosis of cancer. In this study, it is demonstrated that the deubiquitinase USP25 promotes non‐homologous end joining (NHEJ), which in turn contributes to chemoresistance in cancer. It is shown that USP25 deubiquitinates SHLD2 at the K64 site, which enhances its binding with REV7 and promotes NHEJ. Furthermore, USP25 deficiency impairs NHEJ‐mediated DNA repair and reduces class switch recombination (CSR) in USP25‐deficient mice. USP25 is overexpressed in a subset of colon cancers. Depletion of USP25 sensitizes colon cancer cells to IR, 5‐Fu, and cisplatin. TRIM25 is also identified, an E3 ligase, as the enzyme responsible for degrading USP25. Downregulation of TRIM25 leads to an increase in USP25 levels, which in turn induces chemoresistance in colon cancer cells. Finally, a peptide that disrupts the USP25‐SHLD2 interaction is successfully identified, impairing NHEJ and increasing sensitivity to chemotherapy in PDX model. Overall, these findings reveal USP25 as a critical effector of SHLD2 in regulating the NHEJ repair pathway and suggest its potential as a therapeutic target for cancer therapy.

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