A single-copy Sleeping Beauty transposon mutagenesis screen identifies new PTEN-cooperating tumor suppressor genes

The overwhelming amount of genetic alterations identified through cancer genome sequencing requires complementary approaches to interpret their significance and interactions. We developed a novel whole-body insertional mutagenesis screen in mice, designed for the discovery of Pten-cooperating tumor suppressors, in which mobilization of a single-copy inactivating Sleeping Beauty transposon is coupled to Pten disruption within the same genome. The analysis of 278 transposition-induced prostate, breast and skin tumors detected tissue-specific and shared datasets of known and candidate cancer genes. We validated ZBTB20, CELF2, PARD3, AKAP13 and WAC, identified by our screens in multiple cancer types, as new tumor suppressors in prostate cancer: we demonstrated their synergy with PTEN for preventing invasion in vitro and confirmed their clinical relevance. Further characterization of Wac in vivo revealed obligate haploinsufficiency for this autophagy-regulating gene in a Pten-deficient context. Our study identifies complex PTEN-cooperating tumor suppressor networks in different cancer types with potential clinical implications.