GSE132365
H3K27Ac mapping in isogenic CREBBP-WT, CREBBP-KO and  EP300-KO SUDHL4 cell lines
Inactivating mutations of the CREBBP acetyltransferase and, at lower frequencies, its paralogue EP300 are among the most common genetic alterations in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and follicular lymphoma (FL), the two most frequent B cell malignancies. Here we uncover unexpected distinct functions for CREBBP and EP300 in the germinal center (GC), i.e. the target structure for most human B cell lymphomas. We show that these proteins modulate non-overlapping transcriptional programs that are preferentially enriched in biological functions associated with the separate anatomic compartments of the GC. Consistently, deletion of CREBBP or EP300 have opposing effects on GC formation in vivo. Nonetheless, these proteins partially compensate for each other to maintain a minimal threshold of acetyltransferase activity and guarantee homeostatic control of the GC, which is completely abrogated by their combined loss. This synthetic lethal interaction is retained in DLBCL cells, identifying an Achille's heel in CREBBP-mutant lymphomas that could be pharmacologically targeted by using a novel, selective small molecule inhibitor of the CREBBP/EP300 bromodomain. These data shed light on the unique roles of CREBBP and EP300 in the physiology and pathology of GC B cells, and provide a proof-of-principle for the development and testing of EP300 inhibition as a therapeutic strategy in these diseases. Overall design: CHIP-Seq analysis fo H3K27Ac in isogenic DLBCL cell lines lacking CREBBP or EP300 vs control CREBBP/EP300 WT cells.