- Feichtenschlager, Valentin;
- Chen, Linan;
- Zheng, Yixuan James;
- Ho, Wilson;
- Sanlorenzo, Martina;
- Vujic, Igor;
- Fewings, Eleanor;
- Lee, Albert;
- Chen, Christopher;
- Callanan, Ciara;
- Lin, Kevin;
- Qu, Tiange;
- Hohlova, Dasha;
- Vujic, Marin;
- Hwang, Yeonjoo;
- Lai, Kevin;
- Chen, Stephanie;
- Nguyen, Thuan;
- Muñoz, Denise P;
- Kohwi, Yoshinori;
- Posch, Christian;
- Daud, Adil;
- Rappersberger, Klemens;
- Kohwi-Shigematsu, Terumi;
- Coppé, Jean-Philippe;
- Ortiz-Urda, Susana
Finding effective therapeutic targets to treat NRAS-mutated melanoma remains a challenge. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) recently emerged as essential regulators of tumorigenesis. Using a discovery approach combining experimental models and unbiased computational analysis complemented by validation in patient biospecimens, we identified a nuclear-enriched lncRNA (AC004540.4) that is upregulated in NRAS/MAPK-dependent melanoma, and that we named T-RECS. Considering potential innovative treatment strategies, we designed antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) to target T-RECS. T-RECS ASOs reduced the growth of melanoma cells and induced apoptotic cell death, while having minimal impact on normal primary melanocytes. Mechanistically, treatment with T-RECS ASOs downregulated the activity of pro-survival kinases and reduced the protein stability of hnRNPA2/B1, a pro-oncogenic regulator of MAPK signaling. Using patient- and cell line- derived tumor xenograft mouse models, we demonstrated that systemic treatment with T-RECS ASOs significantly suppressed the growth of melanoma tumors, with no noticeable toxicity. ASO-mediated T-RECS inhibition represents a promising RNA-targeting approach to improve the outcome of MAPK pathway-activated melanoma.