Daidzein reprograms EP300/CREBBP-deficient immune evasion via targeting the PPARγ-ANGPT4/Tie2 axis in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. (PubMed, Phytomedicine)
Through an integrated multi-omics strategy combining whole-exome sequencing, transcriptome profiling, and histone modification analysis in a Chinese HPSCC cohort, we identified recurrent loss-of-function mutations in EP300/CREBBP. These mutations reduced H3K27 acetylation and downregulated PPARγ, thereby activating the ANGPT4/Tie2 oncogenic signaling axis. Functional assays confirmed enhanced proliferation, invasion, and immune evasion, characterized by a regulatory T cell-dominant immune phenotype. Treatment with daidzein restored PPARγ expression, suppressed ANGPT4/Tie2 signaling, and reversed these malignant features, both in vitro and in vivo. Compared with previous studies, our work not only elucidates the functional consequences of EP300/CREBBP mutations in HPSCC but also proposes a novel therapeutic strategy targeting this axis. Importantly, we reveal a previously unrecognized EP300/CREBBP-PPARγ-ANGPT4/Tie2 axis and identify daidzein as a dual agonist of EP300 and PPARγ, providing mechanistic insights and translational potential for HPSCC therapy.