A genome-wide genetic screen reveals the P2Y2-integrin axis as a stabilizer of EGFR mutants in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

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Authors: Yafei Du, Wenjing Wang, Hui Chin Goh, Thamil Selvan Vaiyapuri, Anandhkumar Raju, Yu-Chun Hsiao, Cheng Chun Wang, Vanisha Agrawal, Noorul Farzana Mohideen, Norhidayah Binte Mohd Mazian, Feride Karatekin, Wendy Kehan Wang
+11 more Manikandan Lakshmanan, Komal C. Gupta, H. T. Chang, Xavier Le Guezennec, Frederic Bard, Daniel S. W. Tan, Vinay Tergaonkar, Mien-Chie Hung, Xiaogang Liu, Wanjin Hong, Gandhi T K Boopathy
Cited by: 1
References: 102

Abstract

) gene drive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Oncogenic EGFR mutants are ligand-independent and more stable, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. We hypothesized that EGFR mutants selectively leverage cellular stabilizers to evade degradation. Genome-wide RNA interference screens identified genes (encoding for stabilizers) responsible for mutant EGFR stability, with P2Y2 receptor (P2Y2) emerging as a bona fide stabilizer. Mechanistically, high extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels transactivate EGFR mutants via P2Y2 activation, previously shown to signal through Src kinase-dependent EGFR phosphorylation. Our study reveals that ATP-driven P2Y2 activation stabilizes EGFR mutants by forming a P2Y2-integrin β1-EGFR complex enriched in endosomes. Targeting this axis destabilizes EGFR mutants and offers a strategy against drug resistance. Elevated P2Y2 and integrin β1 expression in patients with NSCLC implies clinical relevance. Our results provide previously unidentified insight that EGFR mutants enhance extracellular ATP levels to activate P2Y2-integrin for enhanced stability of EGFR mutants to drive the oncogenic program.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Adenosine and Purinergic Signaling Cancer Stress Anesthesia and Immune Response Receptor Mechanisms and Signaling

Publication details

Journal / source
Science Advances
Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Volume
12
Issue
4
Pages
eadv3980–eadv3980
Publication date
21 January 2026
Language
EN