YAP signaling pathway plays critical roles in tissue homeostasis, and aberrant activation of YAP signaling has been implicated in cancers. To identify tractable targets of YAP pathway, we have performed a pathway-based pooled CRISPR screen and identified tankyrase and its associated E3 ligase RNF146 as positive regulators of YAP signaling. Genetic ablation or pharmacological inhibition of tankyrase prominently suppresses YAP activity and YAP target gene expression. Using a proteomic approach, we have identified angiomotin family proteins, which are known negative regulators of YAP signaling, as novel tankyrase substrates. Inhibition of tankyrase or depletion of RNF146 stabilizes angiomotins. Angiomotins physically interact with tankyrase through a highly conserved motif at their N terminus, and mutation of this motif leads to their stabilization. Tankyrase inhibitor-induced stabilization of angiomotins reduces YAP nuclear translocation and decreases downstream YAP signaling. We have further shown that knock-out of YAP sensitizes non-small cell lung cancer to EGFR inhibitor Erlotinib. Tankyrase inhibitor, but not porcupine inhibitor, which blocks Wnt secretion, enhances growth inhibitory activity of Erlotinib. This activity is mediated by YAP inhibition and not Wnt/β-catenin inhibition. Our data suggest that tankyrase inhibition could serve as a novel strategy to suppress YAP signaling for combinatorial targeted therapy.

EGFR-mutant NSCLCs frequently respond to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). However, the responses are not durable, and the magnitude of tumor regression is variable, suggesting the existence of genetic modifiers of EGFR dependency. Here, we applied a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screening to identify genetic determinants of EGFR TKI sensitivity and uncovered putative candidates. We show that knockout of RIC8A, essential for G-alpha protein activation, enhanced EGFR TKI-induced cell death. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that RIC8A is a positive regulator of YAP signaling, activation of which rescued the EGFR TKI sensitizing phenotype resulting from RIC8A knockout. We also show that knockout of ARIH2, or other components in the Cullin-5 E3 complex, conferred resistance to EGFR inhibition, in part by promoting nascent protein synthesis through METAP2. Together, these data uncover a spectrum of previously unidentified regulators of EGFR TKI sensitivity in EGFR-mutant human NSCLC, providing insights into the heterogeneity of EGFR TKI treatment responses.

While best known for its role in the innate immune system, the TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) is now known to play a role in modulating cellular growth and autophagy. One of the major ways that TBK1 accomplishes this task is by modulating the mechanistic Target of Rapamycin (mTOR), a master regulator that when activated promotes cell growth and inhibits autophagy. However, whether TBK1 promotes or inhibits mTOR activity is highly cell type and context dependent. To further understand the mechanism whereby TBK1 regulates mTOR, we tested the hypothesis that TBK1 phosphorylates a key component of the mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1), Raptor. Using kinase assays coupled with mass spectrometry, we mapped the position of the TBK1 dependent phosphorylation sites on Raptor in vitro. Among the sites identified in vitro, we found that TBK1 promotes Raptor Ser877 phosphorylation in cells both basally and in response to pathogen-associated molecules known to induce TBK1 activity. The levels of Raptor Ser877 phosphorylation were inversely correlated with the levels of mTOR activity. Expression of a mutant Raptor that could not be phosphorylated at Ser877 led to an increase in mTORC1 activity. We conclude that TBK1 limits mTORC1 activity by promoting Raptor Ser877 phosphorylation.

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