Progestin receptor promotes cell macropinocytosis through CDC42 in pancreatic cancer
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ABSTRACT:
PROVIDER: PRJNA949219 | ENA |
REPOSITORIES: ENA
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Project description:Endocrine receptors play an essential role in tumor metabolic reprogramming and represent a potential therapeutic approach in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). PDAC is characterized by a nutrient-deprived microenvironment, and to support their energetic needs, they can internalize extracellular proteins via macropinocytosis. In this study, we found that progesterone receptor (PGR), a steroid-responsive nuclear receptor, has a higher expression in PDAC tissues from patients and transgenic LSL-KrasG12D/+; LSL-Trp53R172H/+; PDX1-cre (KPC) mice. Moreover, PGR knockdown restrained PDAC cell survival and tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo. Genetic and pharmacological PGR inhibition resulted in dramatically macropinocytosis impairment in PDAC cells and subcutaneous tumor models, which indicates involvement of this receptor in macropinocytosis regulation. Mechanistically, PGR deficiency caused a subsequently decreased expression of CDC42, a key regulator in macropinocytosis. These data deepen our understanding of how endocrine system influences tumor progression via non-classical pathway and provide a novel therapeutic option for patients with PDAC.
2023-09-27 | GSE228301 | GEO
Project description:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumors are glutamine-deficient, and both tumor cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) rely on this amino acid to maintain fitness and induce macropinocytosis as an adaptive response. CAFs play a critical role in sculpting the tumor microenvironment, yet how adaptations to metabolic stress impact the stromal architecture remains elusive. In this study, we find that macropinocytosis sustains the myCAF phenotype under glutamine limitation by preventing inflammatory reprogramming. Our data demonstrate that metabolic stress induces an intrinsic inflammatory CAF (iCAF) program through MEK-ERK signaling. We find that blocking macropinocytosis in vivo promotes myCAF-to-iCAF transitions, remodeling the tumor stroma. Importantly, stromal remodeling driven by macropinocytosis inhibition—including iCAF enrichment, collagen reduction, immune cell infiltration, and vascular expansion—sensitizes PDAC tumors to immunotherapy and chemotherapy. Our findings reveal that inhibiting macropinocytosis promotes an inflammatory, less fibrotic tumor microenvironment that can be leveraged to improve therapeutic responses in PDAC.
2025-06-27 | GSE301021 | GEO
Project description:Endocrine receptors play an essential role in tumor metabolic reprogramming and represent a promising therapeutic avenue in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). PDAC is characterized by a nutrient-deprived microenvironment. To meet their ascendant energy demands, cancer cells can internalize extracellular proteins via macropinocytosis. However, the roles of endocrine receptors in macropinocytosis are not clear. In this study, we found that progesterone receptor (PGR), a steroid-responsive nuclear receptor, is highly expressed in PDAC tissues obtained from both patients and transgenic LSL-KrasG12D/+; LSL-Trp53R172H/+; PDX1-cre (KPC) mice. Moreover, PGR knockdown restrained PDAC cell survival and tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo. Genetic and pharmacological PGR inhibition resulted in a marked attenuation of macropinocytosis in PDAC cells and subcutaneous tumor models, indicating the involvement of this receptor in macropinocytosis regulation. Mechanistically, PGR upregulated CDC42, a critical regulator in macropinocytosis, through PGR-mediated transcriptional activation. These data deepen the understanding of how the endocrine system influences tumor progression via a non-classical pathway and provide a novel therapeutic option for patients with PDAC.
| S-EPMC10904380 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumors are deficient in glutamine, an amino acid that tumor cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) use to sustain their fitness. In PDAC, both cell types stimulate macropinocytosis as an adaptive response to glutamine depletion. CAFs play a critical role in sculpting the tumor microenvironment, yet how adaptations to metabolic stress impact the stromal architecture remains elusive. In this study, we find that macropinocytosis functions to control CAF subtype identity when glutamine is limiting. Our data demonstrate that metabolic stress leads to an intrinsic inflammatory CAF (iCAF) program driven by MEK/ERK signaling. Utilizing in vivo models, we find that blocking macropinocytosis triggers CAF subtype transitions and reorganizes the tumor stroma. Importantly, these changes in stromal architecture can be exploited to sensitize PDAC to immunotherapy and chemotherapy. Our findings demonstrate that metabolic stress plays a role in shaping the tumor microenvironment, and that this attribute can be harnessed for therapeutic impact.
2025-05-16 | GSE291120 | GEO
Project description:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumors are deficient in glutamine, an amino acid that tumor cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) use to sustain their fitness. In PDAC, both cell types stimulate macropinocytosis as an adaptive response to glutamine depletion. CAFs play a critical role in sculpting the tumor microenvironment, yet how adaptations to metabolic stress impact the stromal architecture remains elusive. In this study, we find that macropinocytosis functions to control CAF subtype identity when glutamine is limiting. Our data demonstrate that metabolic stress leads to an intrinsic inflammatory CAF (iCAF) program driven by MEK/ERK signaling. Utilizing in vivo models, we find that blocking macropinocytosis triggers CAF subtype transitions and reorganizes the tumor stroma. Importantly, these changes in stromal architecture can be exploited to sensitize PDAC to immunotherapy and chemotherapy. Our findings demonstrate that metabolic stress plays a role in shaping the tumor microenvironment, and that this attribute can be harnessed for therapeutic impact.
2025-05-16 | GSE291118 | GEO
Project description:Macropinocytosis has emerged as a nutrient-scavenging pathway that cancer cells exploit to survive the nutrient-deprived conditions of the tumor microenvironment. Cancer cells are especially reliant on glutamine for their survival, and in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells, glutamine deficiency can enhance the stimulation of macropinocytosis, allowing the cells to escape metabolic stress through the production of extracellular-protein-derived amino acids. Here, we identify the atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) enzymes, PKC and PKCas novel regulators of macropinocytosis. In normal epithelial cells, aPKCs are known to regulate cell polarity in association with the scaffold proteins Par3 and Par6, controlling the function of several targets, including the Par1 kinases. In PDAC cells, we identify that each of these cell polarity proteins are required for glutamine stress-induced macropinocytosis. Mechanistically, we find that the aPKCs are regulated by EGFR signaling or by the transcription factor CREM to promote the relocation of Par3 to microtubules, facilitating macropinocytosis in a dynein-dependent manner. Importantly, we determine that cell fitness impairment caused by aPKC depletion is rescued by the restoration of macropinocytosis and that aPKCs support PDAC growth in vivo. These results identify a previously unappreciated role for cell polarity proteins in the regulation of macropinocytosis and provide a better understanding of the mechanistic underpinnings that control macropinocytic uptake in the context of metabolic stress.
2024-10-22 | GSE276007 | GEO
Project description:Macropinocytosis maintains CAF subtype identity under metabolic stress in pancreatic cancer
| PRJNA1232025 | ENA
Project description:The uptake of macromolecules and cellular debris through macropinocytosis has emerged as an important nutrient acquisition strategy of cancer cells. Genetic alterations commonly found in human cancers (e.g. mutations in KRAS or loss of PTEN) have been shown to increase macropinocytosis. To identify additional effectors that enable cell growth dependent on the uptake of extracellular proteins, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) cells were selected for growth in medium where extracellular albumin was the obligate source of the essential amino acid leucine. Analysis of global changes in chromatin availability and gene expression revealed that PDA cells selected under these conditions exhibited elevated activity of the transcriptional activators Yap/Taz. Knockout of Yap/Taz prevented growth of PDA cells in leucine-deficient medium, but not in complete medium. Furthermore, constitutively active forms of Yap or Taz were sufficient to stimulate macropinocytosis of extracellular protein. Together, these studies suggest that the Hippo pathway effectors Yap and Taz are important transcriptional regulators of endocytic nutrient uptake.
2020-09-17 | GSE155650 | GEO
Project description:The uptake of macromolecules and cellular debris through macropinocytosis has emerged as an important nutrient acquisition strategy of cancer cells. Genetic alterations commonly found in human cancers (e.g. mutations in KRAS or loss of PTEN) have been shown to increase macropinocytosis. To identify additional effectors that enable cell growth dependent on the uptake of extracellular proteins, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) cells were selected for growth in medium where extracellular albumin was the obligate source of the essential amino acid leucine. Analysis of global changes in chromatin availability and gene expression revealed that PDA cells selected under these conditions exhibited elevated activity of the transcriptional activators Yap/Taz. Knockout of Yap/Taz prevented growth of PDA cells in leucine-deficient medium, but not in complete medium. Furthermore, constitutively active forms of Yap or Taz were sufficient to stimulate macropinocytosis of extracellular protein. Together, these studies suggest that the Hippo pathway effectors Yap and Taz are important transcriptional regulators of endocytic nutrient uptake.
2020-09-17 | GSE155674 | GEO
Project description:Breast cancer cell lines containing the progesterone receptor respond to progestins, altering expression of a subset of genes. In a previously published experiment of inducible knock-down of histone H1 isoforms with an shRNA-expression lentivector (GSE12299), we modified the breast cancer cell line T47D with different vectors. Here, we explored response to progestin R5020 of control cells generated with the empty shRNA-expression vector. Stable breast cancer-derived cell lines containing the empty vector for inducible shRNA expression were grown for two days in the absence of serum. Progestin R5020 or vehicle was added for 6 hours, in duplicate, and RNA was extracted for microarray hybridization.
2013-10-14 | E-GEOD-25077 | biostudies-arrayexpress