Lineage Reversion Drives WNT Independence in Intestinal Cancer

The WNT pathway is a fundamental regulator of intestinal homeostasis, and hyperactivation of WNT signaling is the major oncogenic driver in colorectal cancer. To date, there are no described mechanisms that bypass WNT dependence in intestinal tumors. Here, we show that although WNT suppression blocks tumor growth in most organoid and in vivo colorectal cancer models, the accumulation of colorectal cancer–associated genetic alterations enables drug resistance and WNT-independent growth. In intestinal epithelial cells harboring mutations in KRAS or BRAF, together with disruption of TP53 and SMAD4, transient TGFβ exposure drives YAP/TAZ-dependent transcriptional reprogramming and lineage reversion. Acquisition of embryonic intestinal identity is accompanied by a permanent loss of adult intestinal lineages, and long-term WNT-independent growth. This work identifies genetic and microenvironmental factors that drive WNT inhibitor resistance, defines a new mechanism for WNT-independent colorectal cancer growth, and reveals how integration of associated genetic alterations and extracellular signals can overcome lineage-dependent oncogenic programs.

Significance: Colorectal and intestinal cancers are driven by mutations in the WNT pathway, and drugs aimed at suppressing WNT signaling are in active clinical development. Our study identifies a mechanism of acquired resistance to WNT inhibition and highlights a potential strategy to target those drug-resistant cells.

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1426