CBX4 deletion promotes tumorigenesis under Kras^G12D background by inducing genomic instability

Chromobox protein homolog 4 (CBX4) is a component of the Polycomb group (PcG) multiprotein Polycomb repressive complexes 1 (PRC1), which is participated in several processes including growth, senescence, immunity, and tissue repair. CBX4 has been shown to have diverse, even opposite functions in different types of tissue and malignancy in previous studies. In this study, we found that CBX4 deletion promoted lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) proliferation and progression in Kras^G12D mutated background. In vitro, over 50% Cbx4^L/L, Kras^G12D mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) underwent apoptosis in the initial period after Adeno-Cre virus treatment, while a small portion of survival cells got increased proliferation and transformation abilities, which we called selected Cbx4^-/-, Kras^G12D cells. Karyotype analysis and RNA-seq data revealed chromosome instability and genome changes in selected Cbx4^-/-, Kras^G12D cells compared with Kras^G12D cells. Further study showed that P15, P16 and other apoptosis-related genes were upregulated in the primary Cbx4^-/-, Kras^G12D cells due to chromosome instability, which led to the large population of cell apoptosis. In addition, multiple pathways including Hippo pathway and basal cell cancer-related signatures were altered in selected Cbx4^-/-, Kras^G12D cells, ultimately leading to cancer. We also found that low expression of CBX4 in LUAD was associated with poorer prognosis under Kras mutation background from the human clinical data. To sum up, CBX4 deletion causes genomic instability to induce tumorigenesis under Kras^G12D background. Our study demonstrates that CBX4 plays an emerging role in tumorigenesis, which is of great importance in guiding the clinical treatment of lung adenocarcinoma.