Activation of a Ductal-to-Endocrine Transdifferentiation Transcriptional Program in the Pancreatic Cancer Cell Line PANC-1 Is Controlled by RAC1 and RAC1b through Antagonistic Regulation of Stemness Factors
Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a driving force for tumor growth, metastatic spread, therapy resistance, and the generation of cancer stem cells (CSCs). However, the regained stem cell character may also be exploited for therapeutic conversion of aggressive tumor cells to benign, highly d...
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2021
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oai:doaj.org-article:9942266632504c8d88bf3c4bd7f07b0a2021-11-11T15:34:21ZActivation of a Ductal-to-Endocrine Transdifferentiation Transcriptional Program in the Pancreatic Cancer Cell Line PANC-1 Is Controlled by RAC1 and RAC1b through Antagonistic Regulation of Stemness Factors10.3390/cancers132155412072-6694https://doaj.org/article/9942266632504c8d88bf3c4bd7f07b0a2021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/21/5541https://doaj.org/toc/2072-6694Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a driving force for tumor growth, metastatic spread, therapy resistance, and the generation of cancer stem cells (CSCs). However, the regained stem cell character may also be exploited for therapeutic conversion of aggressive tumor cells to benign, highly differentiated cells. The PDAC-derived quasimesenchymal-type cell lines PANC-1 and MIA PaCa-2 have been successfully transdifferentiated to endocrine precursors or insulin-producing cells; however, the underlying mechanism of this increased plasticity remains elusive. Given its crucial role in normal pancreatic endocrine development and tumor progression, both of which involve EMT, we analyzed here the role of the small GTPase RAC1. Ectopic expression in PANC-1 cells of dominant negative or constitutively active mutants of RAC1 activation blocked or enhanced, respectively, the cytokine-induced activation of a ductal-to-endocrine transdifferentiation transcriptional program (deTDtP) as revealed by induction of the NEUROG3, INS, SLC2A2, and MAFA genes. Conversely, ectopic expression of RAC1b, a RAC1 splice isoform and functional antagonist of RAC1-driven EMT, decreased the deTDtP, while genetic knockout of RAC1b dramatically increased it. We further show that inhibition of RAC1 activation attenuated pluripotency marker expression and self-renewal ability, while depletion of RAC1b dramatically enhanced stemness features and clonogenic potential. Finally, rescue experiments involving pharmacological or RNA interference-mediated inhibition of RAC1 or RAC1b, respectively, confirmed that both RAC1 isoforms control the deTDtP in an opposite manner. We conclude that RAC1 and RAC1b antagonistically control growth factor-induced activation of an endocrine transcriptional program and the generation of CSCs in quasimesenchymal PDAC cells. Our results have clinical implications for PDAC patients, who in addition to eradication of tumor cells have a need for replacement of insulin-producing cells.Paula Marie SchmidtleinClara VolzAlexander HackelIsabel ThürlingDarko CastvenRüdiger BraunUlrich Friedrich WellnerBjörn KonukiewitzGabriela RiemekastenHendrik LehnertJens-Uwe MarquardtHendrik UngefrorenMDPI AGarticlepancreatic ductal adenocarcinomaPANC-1quasimesenchymalductal-to-endocrine transdifferentiationpancreatic β cellstemnessNeoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogensRC254-282ENCancers, Vol 13, Iss 5541, p 5541 (2021) |
| institution |
DOAJ |
| collection |
DOAJ |
| language |
EN |
| topic |
pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma PANC-1 quasimesenchymal ductal-to-endocrine transdifferentiation pancreatic β cell stemness Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens RC254-282 |
| spellingShingle |
pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma PANC-1 quasimesenchymal ductal-to-endocrine transdifferentiation pancreatic β cell stemness Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens RC254-282 Paula Marie Schmidtlein Clara Volz Alexander Hackel Isabel Thürling Darko Castven Rüdiger Braun Ulrich Friedrich Wellner Björn Konukiewitz Gabriela Riemekasten Hendrik Lehnert Jens-Uwe Marquardt Hendrik Ungefroren Activation of a Ductal-to-Endocrine Transdifferentiation Transcriptional Program in the Pancreatic Cancer Cell Line PANC-1 Is Controlled by RAC1 and RAC1b through Antagonistic Regulation of Stemness Factors |
| description |
Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a driving force for tumor growth, metastatic spread, therapy resistance, and the generation of cancer stem cells (CSCs). However, the regained stem cell character may also be exploited for therapeutic conversion of aggressive tumor cells to benign, highly differentiated cells. The PDAC-derived quasimesenchymal-type cell lines PANC-1 and MIA PaCa-2 have been successfully transdifferentiated to endocrine precursors or insulin-producing cells; however, the underlying mechanism of this increased plasticity remains elusive. Given its crucial role in normal pancreatic endocrine development and tumor progression, both of which involve EMT, we analyzed here the role of the small GTPase RAC1. Ectopic expression in PANC-1 cells of dominant negative or constitutively active mutants of RAC1 activation blocked or enhanced, respectively, the cytokine-induced activation of a ductal-to-endocrine transdifferentiation transcriptional program (deTDtP) as revealed by induction of the NEUROG3, INS, SLC2A2, and MAFA genes. Conversely, ectopic expression of RAC1b, a RAC1 splice isoform and functional antagonist of RAC1-driven EMT, decreased the deTDtP, while genetic knockout of RAC1b dramatically increased it. We further show that inhibition of RAC1 activation attenuated pluripotency marker expression and self-renewal ability, while depletion of RAC1b dramatically enhanced stemness features and clonogenic potential. Finally, rescue experiments involving pharmacological or RNA interference-mediated inhibition of RAC1 or RAC1b, respectively, confirmed that both RAC1 isoforms control the deTDtP in an opposite manner. We conclude that RAC1 and RAC1b antagonistically control growth factor-induced activation of an endocrine transcriptional program and the generation of CSCs in quasimesenchymal PDAC cells. Our results have clinical implications for PDAC patients, who in addition to eradication of tumor cells have a need for replacement of insulin-producing cells. |
| format |
article |
| author |
Paula Marie Schmidtlein Clara Volz Alexander Hackel Isabel Thürling Darko Castven Rüdiger Braun Ulrich Friedrich Wellner Björn Konukiewitz Gabriela Riemekasten Hendrik Lehnert Jens-Uwe Marquardt Hendrik Ungefroren |
| author_facet |
Paula Marie Schmidtlein Clara Volz Alexander Hackel Isabel Thürling Darko Castven Rüdiger Braun Ulrich Friedrich Wellner Björn Konukiewitz Gabriela Riemekasten Hendrik Lehnert Jens-Uwe Marquardt Hendrik Ungefroren |
| author_sort |
Paula Marie Schmidtlein |
| title |
Activation of a Ductal-to-Endocrine Transdifferentiation Transcriptional Program in the Pancreatic Cancer Cell Line PANC-1 Is Controlled by RAC1 and RAC1b through Antagonistic Regulation of Stemness Factors |
| title_short |
Activation of a Ductal-to-Endocrine Transdifferentiation Transcriptional Program in the Pancreatic Cancer Cell Line PANC-1 Is Controlled by RAC1 and RAC1b through Antagonistic Regulation of Stemness Factors |
| title_full |
Activation of a Ductal-to-Endocrine Transdifferentiation Transcriptional Program in the Pancreatic Cancer Cell Line PANC-1 Is Controlled by RAC1 and RAC1b through Antagonistic Regulation of Stemness Factors |
| title_fullStr |
Activation of a Ductal-to-Endocrine Transdifferentiation Transcriptional Program in the Pancreatic Cancer Cell Line PANC-1 Is Controlled by RAC1 and RAC1b through Antagonistic Regulation of Stemness Factors |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Activation of a Ductal-to-Endocrine Transdifferentiation Transcriptional Program in the Pancreatic Cancer Cell Line PANC-1 Is Controlled by RAC1 and RAC1b through Antagonistic Regulation of Stemness Factors |
| title_sort |
activation of a ductal-to-endocrine transdifferentiation transcriptional program in the pancreatic cancer cell line panc-1 is controlled by rac1 and rac1b through antagonistic regulation of stemness factors |
| publisher |
MDPI AG |
| publishDate |
2021 |
| url |
https://doaj.org/article/9942266632504c8d88bf3c4bd7f07b0a |
| work_keys_str_mv |
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