# Deregulation of COMPASS complex and enhancer chromatin in pancreatic cancer

> **NIH NIH R01** · GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $364,856

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer related deaths in the United States with
a 5-year survival rate less than 10%. Although it is characterized by a small number of well-defined
genetic alterations, such as mutations of the KRAS oncogene as well as TP53, CDKN2A, and SMAD4
tumor suppressors, efforts to pharmacologically target those pathways have been unsuccessful. In
contrast, the epigenetic networks that drive pancreatic cancer are poorly understood at the molecular
level and unexplored as therapeutic targets. Epigenetic alterations undergo selective pressure, drive
neoplastic progression, and result from mutations and copy number alterations in chromatin modifying
enzymes. Considering that rewired epigenetic circuitries are not present in normal cells, yet essential in
cancer, identification and targeting the responsible enzymes may uncover an Achilles’ heel for the
development of patient tailored therapies. Mutations in KDM6A, an X chromosome encoded histone
demethylase, and KMT2C and KMT2D methyltransferases are frequent in pancreatic cancer and define
a subgroup with distinct histology and dismal prognosis. KDM6A, KMT2C, and KMT2D are part of a
COMPASS (COMplex of Proteins ASsociated with Set1)-like complex which mono-methylates histone
H3K4 to delimit enhancer chromatin. Long stretches of enhancer chromatin form “super-enhancers”
which preferentially regulate genes that orchestrate cell fate and lineage commitment decisions. We
found that mutations in the COMPASS complex rewire “super-enhancers” to erase identity and favor
the development of poorly differentiated and aggressive tumors. Furthermore, loss of KDM6A exhibits a
gender specific tumor suppressor role in mice, with females developing distinct tumors of squamous
and quasi-mesenchymal histology. High-throughput screening using a library of small molecule
inhibitors revealed that COMPASS complex mutant pancreatic cancer is sensitive to Bromodomain and
Extra-Terminal (BET) domain family of inhibitors, suggesting a therapeutic niche that can be exploited
for personalized therapies. Here, we generated genetically engineered mice and human cell lines to
conditionally delete Kdm6a, Kmt2c, and Kmt2d and propose to (a) comprehensively study the role of
COMPASS complex in the initiation and progression of pancreatic cancer, (b) map the epigenetic
changes that rewire enhancer chromatin to facilitate pancreatic oncogenesis, and (c) identify and target
epigenetic vulnerabilities stemming from loss of COMPASS complex.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9947899
- **Project number:** 5R01CA222930-03
- **Recipient organization:** GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Alexandros Tzatsos
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $364,856
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-07-01 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9947899

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9947899, Deregulation of COMPASS complex and enhancer chromatin in pancreatic cancer (5R01CA222930-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9947899. Licensed CC0.

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