PTEN Deficiency and AMPK Activation Promote Nutrient Scavenging and Anabolism in Prostate Cancer Cells.

ABSTRACT: We report that PTEN-deficient prostate cancer cells use macropinocytosis to survive and proliferate under nutrient stress. PTEN loss increased macropinocytosis only in the context of AMPK activation, revealing a general requirement for AMPK in macropinocytosis and a novel mechanism by which AMPK promotes survival under stress. In prostate cancer cells, albumin uptake did not require macropinocytosis, but necrotic cell debris proved a specific macropinocytic cargo. Isotopic labeling confirmed that macropinocytosed necrotic cell proteins fueled new protein synthesis in prostate cancer cells. Supplementation with necrotic debris, but not albumin, also maintained lipid stores, suggesting that macropinocytosis can supply nutrients other than amino acids. Nontransformed prostatic epithelial cell

SUBMITTER: Kim SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6030497 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature