학술논문

Stem cell-like transcriptional reprogramming mediates metastatic resistance to mTOR inhibition
Document Type
article
Source
Oncogene. 36(19)
Subject
Biomedical and Clinical Sciences
Oncology and Carcinogenesis
Cancer
Breast Cancer
Stem Cell Research
Adaptor Proteins
Signal Transducing
Adult
Aged
Breast Neoplasms
Carrier Proteins
Cell Proliferation
DNA-Binding Proteins
Female
Gene Expression Regulation
Neoplastic
Humans
Lung Neoplasms
MCF-7 Cells
MDS1 and EVI1 Complex Locus Protein
Microfilament Proteins
Middle Aged
Neoplasm Metastasis
Osteonectin
Proto-Oncogenes
Regulatory-Associated Protein of mTOR
SOX9 Transcription Factor
Signal Transduction
TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
Transcription Factors
Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
Clinical Sciences
Oncology & Carcinogenesis
Biochemistry and cell biology
Oncology and carcinogenesis
Language
Abstract
Inhibitors of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) are currently used to treat advanced metastatic breast cancer. However, whether an aggressive phenotype is sustained through adaptation or resistance to mTOR inhibition remains unknown. Here, complementary studies in human tumors, cancer models and cell lines reveal transcriptional reprogramming that supports metastasis in response to mTOR inhibition. This cancer feature is driven by EVI1 and SOX9. EVI1 functionally cooperates with and positively regulates SOX9, and promotes the transcriptional upregulation of key mTOR pathway components (REHB and RAPTOR) and of lung metastasis mediators (FSCN1 and SPARC). The expression of EVI1 and SOX9 is associated with stem cell-like and metastasis signatures, and their depletion impairs the metastatic potential of breast cancer cells. These results establish the mechanistic link between resistance to mTOR inhibition and cancer metastatic potential, thus enhancing our understanding of mTOR targeting failure.