HDAC5 deficiency induces intrinsic resistance to KRAS inhibition by disrupting c-Myc acetylation-ubiquitination homeostasis

Abstract

KRAS mutations serve as key oncogenic drivers in the initiation and progression of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Despite the advancement of KRAS inhibitors, such as MRTX1133, for PDAC treatment, intrinsic and acquired resistance remain major barriers to their clinical efficacy. This study underscored the role of histone deacetylase 5 (HDAC5) loss in mediating intrinsic resistance to KRASG12D inhibitors. Mechanistically, HDAC5 promoted c-Myc degradation by deacetylating K148, thereby facilitating NEDD4-mediated ubiquitination at this site. The loss of HDAC5 resulted in hyperacetylation of c-Myc at K148, impeding the ubiquitination and subsequent degradation process of c-Myc following deacetylation. Consequently, c-Myc stability and transcriptional activity were sustained even under KRAS/MEK/ERK pathway inhibition, reinforcing MAPK signaling and promoting cell survival despite KRAS suppression. Our data further demonstrated that pharmacological or genetic inhibition of c-Myc effectively reversed the resistance phenotype mediated by HDAC5 loss, suggesting a therapeutic strategy centered on KRAS-MYC dual-node blockade. Furthermore, the expression levels of HDAC5 and the acetylation status of c-Myc may serve as biomarkers for predicting the therapeutic response to MRTX1133. These findings provide insights into overcoming resistance to KRASG12D inhibitors and offer potential biomarkers and combinatorial therapeutic strategies for precision treatment of PDAC.