Targeting acetylcholine signaling modulates persistent drug tolerance in EGFR-mutant lung cancer and impedes tumor relapse.

ABSTRACT: Although first-line epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy is effective for treating EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), it is now understood that drug-tolerant persister (DTP) cells escaping from initial treatment eventually drives drug resistance. Here, through integration of metabolomics and transcriptomics, we found that the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) was specifically accumulated in DTP cells, and demonstrated that treatment with EGFR-TKI heightened the expression of the rate-limiting enzyme choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in ACh biosynthesis via YAP mediation. Genetic and pharmacological manipulation of ACh biosynthesis or ACh signaling could predictably regulate the extent of DTP formation in vitro and in vivo. Strikingl

SUBMITTER: Nie M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9566900 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature