Non-canonical activating roles of RCoR2 sustain transcription in adrenergic neuroblastoma

CoREST complexes (LSD1, HDAC1/2, and RCoR1/2/3) are pivotal in neurodevelopment and have long been recognized as transcriptional repressors across various cancers. However, distinct roles of RCoR factors remain underexplored. Here, we unveil non-canonical functions of RCoR2 in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma (NB), underscoring its unique significance compared to its paralogs. This insight shifts the paradigm, highlighting RCoR2 as a key determinant of the NB chromatin landscape. Our findings demonstrate that RCoR2 is a super-enhancer-driven gene, which, unlike RCoR1, acts as a positive regulator of gene expression as a partner of the adrenergic NB core regulatory circuitry (CRC). We propose a model in which RCoR2 facilitates interactions between CRC-bound enhancers and their associated transcription start sites, thereby sustaining the expression of genes critical for NB cell survival. Thus, we identify RCoR2 as a critical vulnerability in high-risk NBs and a promising target for cancer therapeutics.