AUTHOR=Daks Alexandra , Shuvalov Oleg , Fedorova Olga , Petukhov Alexey , Lezina Larissa , Zharova Arsenia , Baidyuk Ekaterina , Khudiakov Alexander , Barlev Nickolai A. TITLE=p53-Independent Effects of Set7/9 Lysine Methyltransferase on Metabolism of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology VOLUME=11 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2021.706668 DOI=10.3389/fonc.2021.706668 ISSN=2234-943X ABSTRACT=

Set7/9 is a lysine-specific methyltransferase, which regulates the functioning of both the histone and non-histone substrates, thereby significantly affecting the global gene expression landscape. Using microarray expression profiling, we have identified several key master regulators of metabolic networks, including c-Myc, that were affected by Set7/9 status. Consistent with this observation, c-Myc transcriptional targets—genes encoding the glycolytic enzymes hexokinase (HK2), aldolase (ALDOB), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDHA)—were upregulated upon Set7/9 knockdown (Set7/9KD). Importantly, we showed the short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated attenuation of Set7/9 augmented c-Myc, GLUT1, HK2, ALDOA, and LDHA expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines, not only at the transcriptional but also at the protein level. In line with this observation, Set7/9KD significantly augmented the membrane mitochondrial potential (MMP), glycolysis, respiration, and the proliferation rate of NSCLC cells. Importantly, all these effects of Set7/9 on cell metabolism were p53-independent. Bioinformatic analysis has shown a synergistic impact of Set7/9 together with either GLUT1, HIF1A, HK2, or LDHA on the survival of lung cancer patients. Based on these evidence, we hypothesize that Set7/9 can be an important regulator of energy metabolism in NSCLC.