Targeting USP47 enhances the efficacy of KRAS inhibitor in KRASG12C mutated non-small cell lung cancer by controlling deubiquitination of c-Myc.
KRAS mutation is one of the most common oncogenic drivers. Recently FDA-approved KRASG12C inhibitors, like Sotorasib, target G12C-mutated KRAS in NSCLC. However, issues with insensitivity and drug resistance have emerged to Sotorasib as a monotherapy, requiring the development of new combination therapies to overcome these limitations. Studies have showed that dysregulation of deubiquitination plays important roles in the cancer progression, especially USP47 has been identified as a regulator of cancer-related signaling pathways such as Wnt, Hippo, and p53. However, its role in the KRAS signaling pathway remains largely unexplored and USP47 inhibitors are less developed than those targeting its homolog, USP7. Here, we identify USP47 as a novel therapeutic target in KRASG12C-mutated NSCLC and report K-552, a selective USP47 inhibitor. We demonstrate that USP47 stabilizes c-Myc by preventing its proteasomal degradation through deubiquitination, thereby promoting NSCLC cell proliferation. Additionally, the compound K-552, a USP47 inhibitor identified through virtual screening, effectively destabilizes c-Myc and inhibits NSCLC cell proliferation. Furthermore, USP47 inhibition—either by siRNA knockdown or K-552 treatment—enhances the efficacy of Sotorasib in vitro and in vivo. Together, our findings establish USP47 as a promising therapeutic target in NSCLC and introduce K-552 as a USP47 inhibitor with potential for combination therapy with KRASG12C inhibitors.
2025 Spring Convention