Synthetic essentiality of TRAIL/TNFSF10 in VHL-deficient renal cell carcinoma

X Xuechun Wang (Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame) Y Yujing Qin (Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame) L Loan D. Duong (Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame) M Minzhi Liang (Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame) A Adrian Chao (Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame) R Rossella Parrotta (School of Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Galway) Y Yaoyin Li (Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame) P Paresh Kumar Purohit (Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame) Y Yihao Fang (Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics, University of Notre Dame) G Guoqiang Liu (Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame) J Jianping He (Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame) J Jiling Wen (Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame) Y Yan Liu Y Yuting Zhang (Shenzhen Crystalo Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.) J Junling Zhao (Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame) N Nipuni Barupala (Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame) Z Zachary T. Schafer (Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame) X Xuemin Lu (Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame) E Eva Szegezdi (School of Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Galway) X Xin Lu

Abstract

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common and aggressive subtype of kidney cancer. Loss of von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) and the consequent activation of hypoxia-inducible factor-α (HIFα, especially HIF2α) plays an essential role in ccRCC initiation and progression. The VHL–HIF2α axis as the main driver for ccRCC may present specific opportunities to control the disease by cotargeting HIF2α with belzutifan and another vulnerability. This study elucidates the synthetic essentiality of TRAIL (tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) in VHL-deficient ccRCC. Upregulated in ccRCC in a VHL–HIF2α-dependent manner, TRAIL is selectively essential in ccRCC cells, promoting cell proliferation by activating the p38 MAPK pathway and facilitating G1/S phase transition. Depletion of endogenous TRAIL or inhibition of HIF2α with belzutifan sensitizes ccRCC cell and tumor models to recombinant TRAIL, presenting a promising avenue for combination therapy in ccRCC.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 123, Issue 27
Published July 07, 2026
ISSN 0027-8424
Publisher National Academy of Sciences

Authors (20)

X

Xuechun Wang

Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame

Y

Yujing Qin

Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame

L

Loan D. Duong

Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame

M

Minzhi Liang

Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame

A

Adrian Chao

Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame

R

Rossella Parrotta

School of Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Galway

Y

Yaoyin Li

Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame

P

Paresh Kumar Purohit

Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame

Y

Yihao Fang

Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics, University of Notre Dame

G

Guoqiang Liu

Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame

J

Jianping He

Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame

J

Jiling Wen

Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame

Y

Yan Liu

Y

Yuting Zhang

Shenzhen Crystalo Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.

J

Junling Zhao

Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame

N

Nipuni Barupala

Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame

Z

Zachary T. Schafer

Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame

X

Xuemin Lu

Department of Biological Sciences, Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare Diseases, Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame

E

Eva Szegezdi

School of Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Galway

X

Xin Lu