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An epitranscriptomic mechanism underlies selective mRNA translation remodelling in melanoma persister cells.

Shensi ShenSara FaouziAmandine BastideSylvain MartineauHélène Malka-MahieuYu FuXiaoxiao SunChristine MateusEmilie RoutierSeverine RoyLaurent DesaubryFabrice AndreAlexander EggermontAlexandre DavidJean Yves ScoazecStéphan VagnerCaroline Robert
Published in: Nature communications (2019)
Cancer persister cells tolerate anticancer drugs and serve as the founders of acquired resistance and cancer relapse. Here we show that a subpopulation of BRAFV600 mutant melanoma cells that tolerates exposure to BRAF and MEK inhibitors undergoes a reversible remodelling of mRNA translation that evolves in parallel with drug sensitivity. Although this process is associated with a global reduction in protein synthesis, a subset of mRNAs undergoes an increased efficiency in translation. Inhibiting the eIF4A RNA helicase, a component of the eIF4F translation initiation complex, abrogates this selectively increased translation and is lethal to persister cells. Translation remodelling in persister cells coincides with an increased N6-methyladenosine modification in the 5'-untranslated region of some highly translated mRNAs. Combination of eIF4A inhibitor with BRAF and MEK inhibitors effectively inhibits the emergence of persister cells and may represent a new therapeutic strategy to prevent acquired drug resistance.
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