Publications
Cell reportsSep 2025 |
44
(
10
),
116185
DOI:
10.1016/j.celrep.2025.116185

Mutant RIT1 cooperates with YAP to drive an EMT-like lung cancer state

Rominger, Mary C; O'Brien, Siobhan; Gupta, Saksham; Moorthi, Sitapriya; McSharry, Maria; Kamlapurkar, Shriya; Lowe, Amy R; Waldum, Annie; Lo, April; Duke, Fujiko; Wu, Feinan; Headley, Mark B; Cromwell, Elizabeth; Glabman, Raisa; Koehne, Amanda; Berger, Alice H
Product Used
Genes
Abstract
Mutations in Ras-like in all tissues (RIT1) occur in up to 2% of lung adenocarcinomas and are mutually exclusive with KRAS and EGFR mutations, suggesting that RIT1 may act as a non-canonical driver oncogene in lung cancer. However, the lack of a RIT1-mutant lung cancer model has hindered the development and testing of RIT1-targeted therapeutics. Here, we report a mouse model with conditional regulation of the cancer-associated RIT1M90I variant. We show that autochthonous expression of RIT1M90I and combined inactivation of Nf2 and p53 drives an aggressive lung cancer with 100% penetrance and short latency. Oncogenic cooperation between RIT1M90I and p53/Nf2 loss is driven by synergistic activation of AP-1 transcription factors and can be reversed by the combined inhibition of MEK and TEAD. These data identify YAP/TEAD as a mediator of RIT1's oncogenic capability and nominate TEAD as a potential drug target in RIT1-mutant lung cancer.
Product Used
Genes

Related Publications