Loss of NOTCH2 creates a TRIM28-dependent vulnerability in small cell lung cancer

Abstract

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly aggressive malignancy that lacks effective targeted therapies, in part due to frequent loss-of-function mutations in tumor suppressors and the absence of recurrent oncogenic drivers. Approximately 15% of SCLCs harbor inactivating mutations in NOTCH1 or NOTCH2, and most neuroendocrine-high SCLCs exhibit low NOTCH activity. Using CRISPR-Cas9 screening in primary cell lines derived from NOTCH1/2-isogenic SCLC genetically engineered mouse models, we identified TRIM28 as a synthetic lethal dependency in NOTCH2-inactivated SCLCs. Loss of TRIM28 in this context robustly induced expression of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), activated viral sensing pathways, and triggered a type I interferon response. Mechanistically, NOTCH2 inactivation increased reliance on TRIM28-mediated ERV silencing, creating a hyperdependence on TRIM28 via the STING-MAVS-TBK1 axis. Notably, TRIM28 was essential for tumor growth only in the setting of NOTCH2 loss. These findings identify TRIM28 as a potential therapeutic target in NOTCH2-deficient or low-NOTCH2-expressing SCLC.

Keywords: CRISPR-Cas9 screening; NOTCH2; TRIM28; endogenous retroviruses; small cell lung cancer; synthetic lethality; viral sensing.