Synthetical Lethality of Werner Helicase and Mismatch Repair Deficiency Is Mediated by p53 and Puma in Colon Cancer

Investigators showed that Werner (WRN) helicase depletion selectively induced p53/PUMA-mediated cell death program in mismatch repair-deficient colorectal cancer cells. The in vitro and in vivo effects of WRN depletion or inhibition are dependent on p53/PUMA-mediated apoptosis.