Repression of LSD1 potentiates homologous recombination-proficient ovarian cancer to PARP inhibitors through down-regulation of BRCA1/2 and RAD51

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) are selectively active in ovarian cancer (OC) with homologous recombination (HR) deficiency (HRD) caused by mutations in BRCA1/2 and other DNA repair pathway members. We sought molecular targeted therapy that induce HRD in HR-proficient cells to induce synthetic lethality with PARPi and extend the utility of PARPi. Here, we demonstrate that lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) is an important regulator for OC. Importantly, genetic depletion or pharmacological inhibition of LSD1 induces HRD and sensitizes HR-proficient OC cells to PARPi in vitro and in multiple in vivo models. Mechanistically, LSD1 inhibition directly impairs transcription of BRCA1/2 and RAD51, three genes essential for HR, dependently of its canonical demethylase function. Collectively, our work indicates combination with LSD1 inhibitor could greatly expand the utility of PARPi to patients with HR-proficient tumor, warranting assessment in human clinical trials. Here, the authors identify lysine-specific demethylase 1 is a homologous recombination (HR) regulator. Its inhibitor induces HR deficiency and sensitizes HR-proficient ovarian cancer cells to PARP inhibitors, which expand the use of PARP inhibitors.