The SS18-SSX oncoprotein hijacks KDM2B-PRC1.1 to drive synovial sarcoma [RNA-seq]

Gene fusions arising from chromosomal translocations are key oncogenic drivers in soft tissue sarcomas but little is known about how they exert their oncogenic effects. Our study explores the molecular mechanisms by which the SS18-SSX fusion oncoprotein subverts epigenetic mechanisms of gene regulation to drive synovial sarcoma. Using functional genomics, we identify KDM2B – a histone demethylase and core component of a non-canonical Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 (PRC1.1) – as selectively required for sustaining synovial sarcoma cell transformation. SS18-SSX physically interacts with PRC1.1 and co-associates with SWI/SNF and KDM2B complexes on unmethylated CpG islands genome-wide. Via KDM2B, SS18-SSX binds and aberrantly activates expression of a series of developmentally regulated transcription factors that would otherwise be targets of polycomb-mediated repression, which is restored upon KDM2B depletion leading to irreversible mesenchymal differentiation. Thus, SS18-SSX de-regulates developmental programs to drive transformation by hijacking a transcriptional repressive complex to aberrantly activate gene expression. RNA-Seq of human synovial sarcoma cells (HS-SY-II) in control cells (Ren.173) and upon knockdown of SS18-SSX1 (SS18.273 and SSX.1274) or of KDM2B (KDM2B. 4395 and KDM2B.4835) in duplicates.