Combinatorial targeting of Hippo-STRIPAK and PARP elicits synthetic lethality in gastrointestinal cancers

The striatin-interacting phosphatase and kinase (STRIPAK) complexes integrate extracellular stimuli that result in intracellular activities. Previously, we discovered that STRIPAK is a key machinery responsible for loss of the Hippo tumor suppressor signal in cancer. Here, we identified the Hippo-STRIPAK complex as an essential player in the control of DNA double-stranded break (DSB) repair and genomic stability. Specifically, we found that the mammalian STE20-like protein kinases land 2 (MST1/2), independent of classical Hippo signaling, directly phosphorylated zinc finger MYND type-containing 8 (ZMYNDB) and hence resulted in the suppression of DNA repair in the nucleus. In response to genotoxic stress, the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase/stimulator of IFN genes (cGAS/STING) pathway was determined to relay nuclear DNA damage signals to the dynamic assembly of Hippo-STRIPAK via TANK-binding kinase 1-induced (TBK1-induced) structural stabilization of the suppressor of IKBKE 1- sarcolemma membrane-associated protein (SIKE1-SLMAP) arm. As such, we found that STRIPAK-mediated MST1/2 inactivation increased the DSB repair capacity of cancer cells and endowed these cells with resistance to radio- and chemotherapy and poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP) inhibition. Importantly, targeting the STRIPAK assembly with each of 3 distinct peptide inhibitors efficiently recovered the kinase activity of MST1/ 2 to suppress DNA repair and resensitize cancer cells to PARP inhibitors in both animal- and patient-derived tumor models. Overall, our findings not only uncover what we believe to be a previously unrecognized role for STRIPAK in modulating DSB repair but also provide translational implications of cotargeting STRIPAK and PARP for a new type of synthetic lethality anticancer therapy.

Automated summary

We identified the Hippo-STRIPAK complex as a crucial regulator of DNA double-stranded break (DSB) repair and genomic stability. Inhibition of STRIPAK-mediated MST1/2 activation increased the DSB repair capacity of cancer cells and conferred resistance to radio- and chemotherapy and PARP inhibition. Furthermore, targeting the STRIPAK assembly effectively restored the kinase activity of MST1/2 and resensitized cancer cells to PARP inhibitors. Our findings suggest a previously unrecognized role for STRIPAK in modulating DSB repair and provide translational implications for a new type of synthetic lethality anticancer therapy by cotargeting STRIPAK and PARP.