The deubiquitinase USP28 promotes esophageal squamous cell carcinoma proliferation by stabilizing ΔNp63 protein

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains a lethal malignancy with limited therapeutic options. The deubiquitinase USP28 has emerged as a key stabilizer of the oncogenic transcription factor ΔNp63 in squamous cancers, yet its functional significance and therapeutic potential in ESCC are unexplored. Here, we elucidate that USP28 is essential for ESCC proliferation. Genetic ablation of USP28 induced profound G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, phenotypes mechanistically linked to the destabilization of ΔNp63. We further establish that USP28 directly binds to and deubiquitinates ΔNp63, thereby controlling its protein stability. Crucially, targeting this axis with CT1113, a novel and potent USP28 inhibitor, recapitulated the anti-tumor effects of genetic knockdown, triggering ΔNp63 degradation, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis in ESCC cells. Importantly, CT1113 administration significantly suppressed tumor growth in ESCC xenograft models. Our study not only defines the USP28/ΔNp63 axis as a critical driver of ESCC but also validates the therapeutic strategy of pharmacologically inhibiting USP28 for the treatment of this aggressive cancer.