TELO2-interacting protein 1 (TTI1), a novel Wnt/β-catenin target gene, decreases chemo-sensitivity in colorectal cancer by modulating DNA damage responses

Abstract Colorectal cancer is frequently driven by hyperactivation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, which also contributes to reduced responsiveness to chemotherapy. However, how aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling enables colorectal cancer cells to tolerate chemotherapy-induced DNA damage remains elusive. Identifying actionable downstream effectors of this pathway may provide a more selective strategy to improve chemotherapy response while avoiding the toxicity associated with global Wnt inhibition. Here we show that TELO2-interacting protein 1 ( TTI1 ) is a direct transcriptional target of β-catenin/TCF in colorectal cancer. TTI1 expression correlates with β-catenin abundance and is elevated in tumors from patients with poor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Mechanistically, TTI1 maintains the integrity of the TELO2-TTI1-TTI2 complex and stabilizes the DNA damage response kinases ATM and ATR. Genetic depletion of TTI1 destabilizes ATM and ATR, attenuates DNA damage signaling, impairs double-strand break repair, and sensitizes colorectal cancer cells to 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin. Conversely, restoration of TTI1 or ATM/ATR re-establishes DNA damage responses and chemo-insensitivity. Pharmacological suppression of the TTT complex by piperlongumine mimics TTI1 loss and enhances the anti-tumor activity of chemotherapy in cell lines, xenografts, Apc -mutant patient-derived organoids and Apc min/+ colonic adenomas. These findings define a β-catenin-TTI1-ATM/ATR axis that links Wnt/β-catenin activation to DNA damage tolerance and chemotherapy response in colorectal cancer. Targeting TTI1 is therefore a promising approach to improve chemotherapy efficacy in Wnt/β-catenin-activated colorectal cancer.