MAX-mutant small cell lung cancers sustain impaired activities of the MGA-dependent ncPRC1

The MYC-axis is disrupted in cancer, mostly by activation of the MYC-oncogenes but also through inactivation of the MYC-partner, MAX, or of the MAX-partner, MGA, both also members of the polycomb repressive complex, ncPRC1.6. Here, we use genetically modified MAX-deficient small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cells and apply genome wide and proteomics analysis to study the tumor suppressor function of MAX. We find that MAX-mutant SCLCs classify as ASCL1-type and lack MYC-transcriptional activities. MAX-restitution triggers pro-differentiation expression profiles that shift when MAX and oncogenic MYC (HMYC/MAX) are co-expressed. Despite the ncPRC1.6 can be formed, the lack of MAX restricts global MGA-occupancy, selectively driving its recruitment towards E2F6-motifs. Conversely, MAX-restitution enhances MGA-occupancy and global gene repression of genes involved in different functionalities, including stem-cell and DNA repair/replication. Collectively, these findings reveal that MAX-mutant SCLCs have ASCL1-characteristics, are MYC-independent and their oncogenic features include a deficient ncPRC1.6-mediated gene repression. 6 cell lines from SCLC were analyzed in triplicates to compare gene expression signature.