Radiation-induced YAP activation confers glioma radioresistance via promoting FGF2 transcription and DNA damage repair

Although radiotherapy is a well-known effective non-surgical treatment for malignant gliomas, the therapeutic efficacy is severely limited due to the radioresistance of tumor cells. Previously, we demonstrated that Yes-associated protein (YAP) promotes glioma malignant progression. However, whether YAP plays a role in radioresistance and its potential value in cancer treatment are still unclear. In this study, we found that high YAP expression is associated with poor prognosis in malignant glioma patients undergoing radiotherapy. Research in immortalized cell lines and primary cells from GBM patients revealed that YAP exhibited a radioresistant effect on gliomas via promoting DNA damage repair. Mechanistically, after radiation, YAP was translocated into the nucleus, where it promoted the expression and secretion of FGF2, leading to MAPK–ERK pathway activation. FGF2 is a novel target gene of YAP. Inhibition of YAP–FGF2–MAPK signaling sensitizes gliomas to radiotherapy and prolongs the survival of intracranial cell-derived and patient-derived xenograft models. These results suggest that YAP–FGF2–MAPK is a key mechanism of radioresistance and is an actionable target for improving radiotherapy efficacy.