CRISPR-induced exon skipping of β-catenin reveals tumorigenic mutants driving distinct subtypes of liver cancer

Abstract

CRISPR/Cas9-driven cancer modeling studies are based on disruption of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) by small insertions or deletions (indels) that lead to frame-shift mutations. In addition, CRISPR/Cas9 is widely used to define the significance of cancer oncogenes and genetic dependencies in loss-of function studies. However, how CRISPR/Cas9 influences gain-of-function oncogenic mutations is elusive. Here, we demonstrate that single guide RNA targeting exon 3 of {beta}-catenin results in exon skipping and generates gain-of-function isoforms in vivo. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated exon skipping of {beta}-catenin induces liver tumor formation in synergy with YAPS127A in mice. We define two distinct exon skipping-induced tumor subtypes with different histological and transcriptional features. Notably, ectopic expression of two exon-skipped {beta}-catenin transcript isoforms together with YAPS127A phenocopies the two distinct subtypes of liver cancer. Moreover, we identify similar {beta}-catenin exon skipping events in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Collectively, our findings advance our understanding of {beta}-catenin-related tumorigenesis and reveal that CRISPR/Cas9 can be repurposed, in vivo, to study gain-of-function mutations of oncogenes in cancer.