Targeting TFAP2β condensation suppresses the development of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Exploring targeted therapies for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains challenging. Although investigating the roles and therapeutic applications of liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is increasingly of interest, its relationship with ESCC remains unclear. After improving the assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) protocol for limited-amount clinical samples, we unravel transcription factor AP-2 beta (TFAP2β) as a key downregulated transcription factor (TF) through combined chromatin accessibility and gene expression analyses with cancerous and paracancerous tissues from early-stage ESCC patients. TFAP2β undergoes condensation in the nucleus to bind the zinc finger protein 131 (ZNF131) promoter, thereby inhibiting ZNF131 expression and ESCC progression. The other two crucial downregulated TFs uncovered are incorporated into TFAP2β condensates to bind their corresponding target, suggesting that LLPS may be a hallmark of ESCC transcription. In addition, we obtained compound A6 that mediates intrinsically disordered region conformational changes to enhance TFAP2β condensation and specific ESCC suppression in cells, mice, and patient-derived organoids. Thus, we indicate an LLPS-mediated transcriptional mechanism and a potential therapeutic approach for ESCC.