Cholesterol pathway inhibition induces TGFβ signaling to promote basal differentiation in pancreatic cancer

ABSTRACT: Oncogenic transformation alters the metabolism of cellular lipids to sustain tumor growth. We define a reciprocal mechanism by which cholesterol metabolism controls the formation and differentiation of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Disruption of distal cholesterol biosynthesis by conditional inactivation of Nsdhl, or treatment with cholesterol-lowering statins caused murine pancreatic carcinomas induced by KrasG12D expression and homozygous Trp53 loss to undergo a differentiation switch from a glandular to basal (mesenchymal) phenotype. In parallel, PDACs from patients receiving statins had enhanced mesenchymal features. Mechanistically, statins and NSDHL loss induced sterol response element binding protein 1 (SREBP1), promoting autocrine transforming growth factor beta (TGF) signaling, inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Activation of promesenchymal TGFβ effectors by cholesterol-lowering statins may select for poorly differentiated carcinomas.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE156210 | GEO | 2020/08/14

REPOSITORIES: GEO