Lamin A/C loss promotes R-loop-mediated genomic instability and poor survival in small-cell lung cancer

C Christopher W. Schultz (Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health) S Sourav Saha (Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health) A Anjali Dhall Y Yang Zhang P Parth Desai (Department of Hematology & Medical Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center) L Lorinc S. Pongor D David A. Scheiblin (Optical Microscopy and Analysis Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research) V Valentin Magidson (Optical Microscopy and Analysis Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research) R Ravi P. Shuklah (Department of Cancer and Cellular Biology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University) R Robin Sebastian U Umeshkumar M. Vekariya (Fels Cancer Institute for Personalized Medicine, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University) S Shahbaz Ahmed (Department of Cancer and Cellular Biology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University) Y Yilun Sun (Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Drug Development, University of Maryland School of Medicine) C Christophe Redon (Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health) S Suresh Kumar (Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health) M Manan Krishnamurthy (Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health) H Henrique B. Dias (Cancer Innovation Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH) V Vasilisa Aksenova E Elizabeth Giordano N Nobuyuki Takahashi (Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East) M Michael Nirula (Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health) M Mohit Arora (Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health) C Chiori Tabe (Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health) M Maria Sebastian Thomas (Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health) R Rajesh Kumar Y Yasuhiro Arakawa (Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Jikei University School of Medicine) U Ukhyun Jo (Developmental Therapeutics Branch and Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH) T Tomasz Skorski (Fels Cancer Institute for Personalized Medicine, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University) B Beverly A. Teicher (Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute, NIH) R Roshan Shreshta (Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health) M Mirit I. Aladjem S Stephen Lockett (Optical Microscopy and Analysis Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research) M Mary Dasso Y Yves Pommier A Ajit K. Sharma (Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health) A Anish Thomas

Abstract

Lamin A/C ( LMNA ), a key component of the nuclear envelope, is essential for maintaining nuclear integrity and genome organization [W. Xie et al. , Curr. Biol. 26 , 2651–2658 (2016)]. While LMNA dysregulation has been implicated in genomic instability across cancer and aging, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood [S. Graziano et al. , Nucleus 9 , 258–275 (2018)]. Here, we define a mechanistic role for LMNA in preserving genome stability in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), a malignancy marked by extreme genomic instability [N. Takahashi et al. , Cancer Res. Commun. 2 , 503–517 (2022)]. LMNA depletion promotes R-loop accumulation, transcription-replication conflicts, replication stress, DNA breaks, and micronuclei formation. Mechanistically, LMNA deficiency disrupts nuclear pore complex organization, specifically reducing phenylalanine-glycine (FG)-nucleoporin incorporation, resulting in impaired RNA export and nuclear retention of RNA. LMNA expression is repressed by EZH2 and reexpressed during SCLC differentiation from neuroendocrine (NE) to non-NE states, and low LMNA levels correlate with poor clinical outcomes. These findings establish LMNA as a key regulator of nuclear transport and genome integrity, linking nuclear architecture to SCLC progression and therapeutic vulnerability.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 122, Issue 43
Published October 28, 2025
ISSN 0027-8424
Publisher National Academy of Sciences

Authors (36)

C

Christopher W. Schultz

Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health

S

Sourav Saha

Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health

A

Anjali Dhall

Y

Yang Zhang

P

Parth Desai

Department of Hematology & Medical Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center

L

Lorinc S. Pongor

D

David A. Scheiblin

Optical Microscopy and Analysis Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research

V

Valentin Magidson

Optical Microscopy and Analysis Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research

R

Ravi P. Shuklah

Department of Cancer and Cellular Biology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University

R

Robin Sebastian

U

Umeshkumar M. Vekariya

Fels Cancer Institute for Personalized Medicine, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University

S

Shahbaz Ahmed

Department of Cancer and Cellular Biology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University

Y

Yilun Sun

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Drug Development, University of Maryland School of Medicine

C

Christophe Redon

Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health

S

Suresh Kumar

Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health

M

Manan Krishnamurthy

Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health

H

Henrique B. Dias

Cancer Innovation Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH

V

Vasilisa Aksenova

E

Elizabeth Giordano

N

Nobuyuki Takahashi

Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East

M

Michael Nirula

Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health

M

Mohit Arora

Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health

C

Chiori Tabe

Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health

M

Maria Sebastian Thomas

Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health

R

Rajesh Kumar

Y

Yasuhiro Arakawa

Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Jikei University School of Medicine

U

Ukhyun Jo

Developmental Therapeutics Branch and Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH

T

Tomasz Skorski

Fels Cancer Institute for Personalized Medicine, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University

B

Beverly A. Teicher

Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute, NIH

R

Roshan Shreshta

Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health

M

Mirit I. Aladjem

S

Stephen Lockett

Optical Microscopy and Analysis Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research

M

Mary Dasso

Y

Yves Pommier

A

Ajit K. Sharma

Developmental Therapeutics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health

A

Anish Thomas