Inhibition of RNA polymerase III transcription by Triptolide attenuates colorectal tumorigenesis

BACKGROUND: Upregulation of RNA polymerase (Pol) III products, including tRNAs and 5S rRNA, in tumor cells leads to enhanced protein synthesis and tumor formation, making it a potential target for cancer treatment. In this study, we evaluated the inhibition of Pol III transcription by triptolide and the anti-cancer effect of this drug in colorectal tumorigenesis. METHODS: The effect of triptolide on colorectal cancer development was assessed in colorectal cancer mouse models, 3D organoids, and cultured cells. Colorectal cancer cells were treated with triptolide. Pol III transcription was measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The formation of TFIIIB, a multi-subunit transcription factor for Pol III, was determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). RESULTS: Triptolide reduced both tumor number and tumor size in adenomatous polyposis coli (Apc) mutated (Apc(Min/+)) mice as well as AOM/DSS-induced mice. Moreover, triptolide effectively inhibited colorectal cancer cell proliferation, colony formation, and organoid growth in vitro, which was associated with decreased Pol III target genes. Mechanistically, triptolide treatment blocked TBP/Brf1interaction, leading to the reduced formation of TFIIIB at the promoters of tRNAs and 5S rRNA. CONCLUSIONS: Together, our data suggest that inhibition of Pol III transcription with existing drugs such as triptolide provides a new avenue for developing novel therapies for colorectal cancer. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s13046-019-1232-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.