EZH2 Inhibition Induces a Metabolic Stress Response Sensitizing Triple-Negative Breast Cancer to Glutaminase Targeting

Abstract

EZH2, the catalytic subunit of the histone methyltransferase complex PRC2, is overexpressed and associated with poor prognosis in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Although EZH2 inhibition significantly alters chromatin landscapes and gene expression, it has limited impact on the growth of TNBC models, suggesting adaptive compensatory mechanisms. Here, we demonstrated that EZH2 inhibition causes the accumulation of misfolded proteins and double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), triggering an essential integrated stress response (ISR) through PKR and PERK activation. By inducing ISR-mediated ATF4, EZH2 inhibition enhanced amino acid flux and promoted glutaminolysis to support TNBC cell survival. Pharmacological targeting of this metabolic axis with a glutaminase inhibitor in combination with EZH2 inhibition significantly impaired TNBC cell proliferation and tumor growth. These findings reveal a stress-driven metabolic adaptation that sustains TNBC survival upon EZH2 blockade and highlight inhibition of this pathway as a strategy to enhance the efficacy of EZH2 inhibitors in TNBC.