Patient-Derived Mutant Forms of NFE2L2/NRF2 Drive Aggressive Murine Hepatoblastomas

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Hepatoblastoma (HB), the most common pediatric liver cancer, often bears beta-catenin mutations and deregulates the Hippo tumor suppressor pathway. Murine HBs can be generated by co-expressing beta-catenin mutants and the constitutively active Hippo effector YAP(S127A). Some HBs and other cancers also express mutants of NFE2L2/NRF2 (NFE2L2), a transcription factor that tempers oxidative and electrophilic stress. In doing so, NFE2L2 either suppresses or facilitates tumorigenesis. METHODS: We evaluated NFE2L2's role in HB pathogenesis by co-expressing all combinations of mutant beta-catenin, YAP(S127A), and the patient-derived NFE2L2 mutants L30P and R34P in murine livers. We evaluated growth, biochemical and metabolic profiles, and transcriptomes of the ensuing tumors. RESULTS: In association with beta-catenin+YAP(S127A), L30P and R34P markedly accelerated HB growth and generated widespread cyst formation and necrosis, which are otherwise uncommon features. Surprisingly, any 2 members of the mutant beta-catenin-YAP(S127A)-L30P/R34P triad were tumorigenic, thus directly establishing NFE2L2's oncogenicity. Each tumor group displayed distinct features but shared 22 similarly deregulated transcripts, 10 of which perfectly correlated with survival in human HBs and 17 of which correlated with survival in multiple adult cancers. One highly up-regulated transcript encoded serpin E1, a serine protease inhibitor that regulates fibrinolysis, growth, and extracellular matrix. Although the combination of mutant beta-catenin, YAP(S127A), and serpin E1 did not accelerate cystogenic tumor growth, it did promote the widespread necrosis associated with mutant beta-catenin-YAP(S127A)- L30P/R34P tumors. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings establish the direct oncogenicity of NFE2L2 mutants and key transcripts, including serpin E1, that drive specific HB features.

Automated summary

The study found that the mutations of NFE2L2 and key transcripts, including Serpin E1, directly contribute to the specific features of hepatoblastoma.