USP22 promotes resistance to EGFR-TKIs by preventing ubiquitination-mediated EGFR degradation in EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma

As a newly discovered deubiquitinating enzyme, ubiquitin-specific protease 22 (USP22) is predictive of therapeutic outcomes in individual cancer patients. However, its clinical effects on malignancy and its roles in conferring resistance to EGFR-TKIs (epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors) in lung adenocarcinoma (ADC) remain largely unknown. Here, we showed that USP22 promotes cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and contributes to resistance to EGFR-TKIs in EGFR mutant lung ADC cells. Mechanistically, USP22 deubiquitinates EGFR localized on late endosomes, prevents ubiquitination mediated EGFR degradation and enhances recycling of EGFR after EGF stimulation. Additionally, USP22 sustained the activation of multiple EGFR downstream signaling pathways, including STAT3, AKT/mTOR and MEK/ERK pathways, in lung ADC cell lines H1975 and PC9. Furthermore, USP22 stabilizes EGFR protein expression, which correlates with USP22 expression in EGFR-mutant lung ADC patient samples. We are the first to demonstrate that silencing USP22 counteracts EGFR-TKIs resistance both in vitro and in vivo. We propose USP22 as a potential therapeutic target for EGFR-TKIs-resistant lung ADC. •USP22 promotes cell malignant biological functions, and contributes to resistance to EGFR-TKIs in EGFR mutant lung ADC cells.•USP22 prevents ubiquitination mediated EGFR degradation and enhances recycling of EGFR after EGF stimulation.•USP22 sustains the activation of multiple EGFR downstream signaling pathways in lung ADC cell lines.•USP22 stabilizes EGFR protein, positively correlated with USP22 expression in EGFR-mutant lung ADC tissues of patients.