Abstract

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.

Details

Title
Progesterone receptor potentiates macropinocytosis through CDC42 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Author
Liao, Ying-Na 1 ; Gai, Yan-Zhi 1 ; Qian, Li-Heng 1 ; Pan, Hong 1 ; Zhang, Yi-Fan 1 ; Li, Pin 2 ; Guo, Ying 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Li, Shu-Xin 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Nie, Hui-Zhen 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Shanghai Jiao Tong University, State Key Laboratory of Systems Medicine for Cancer, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai, P.R. China (GRID:grid.16821.3c) (ISNI:0000 0004 0368 8293) 
 Shanghai Jiao Tong University, The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai, P.R. China (GRID:grid.16821.3c) (ISNI:0000 0004 0368 8293) 
 Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Radiology Department, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou, P.R. China (GRID:grid.452661.2) (ISNI:0000 0004 1803 6319) 
Pages
10
Publication year
2024
Publication date
Dec 2024
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
21579024
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2933288584
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2024. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.