Inhibition of LSD1 Attenuates Oral Cancer Development and Promotes Therapeutic Efficacy of Immune Checkpoint Blockade and YAP/TAZ Inhibition

Abstract

Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) is a histone demethylase that contributes to the etiology of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in part by promoting cancer stem cell phenotypes. The molecular signals regulated by LSD1, or acting with LSD1, are poorly understood, particularly in the development of OSSC. In this study, we show that conditional deletion of the Lsd1 gene or pharmacologic inhibition of LSD1 in the tongue epithelium leads to reduced development of OSCC following exposure to the tobacco carcinogen 4NQO. LSD1 inhibition attenuated proliferation and clonogenic survival and showed an additive effect when combined with the YAP inhibitor Verteporfin. Interestingly, LSD1 inhibition upregulated the expression of PD-L1, leading to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy responses. Implications: Collectively, our studies reveal a critical role for LSD1 in OSCC development and identification of tumor growth targeting strategies that can be combined with LSD1 inhibition for improved therapeutic application.