Nutrient scavenging-fueled growth in pancreatic cancer depends on caveolae-mediated endocytosis under nutrient-deprived conditions

Menée à l'aide de lignées cellulaires, d'échantillons de tissus pancréatiques et de modèles murins, cette étude met en évidence le rôle, dans la tumorigenèse, la croissance tumorale et la survie des cellules cancéreuses, de la cavéoline-1 et de l'endocytose induite par les cavéoles

Résumé en anglais

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by its nutrient-scavenging ability, crucial for tumor progression. Here, we investigated the roles of caveolae-mediated endocytosis (CME) in PDAC progression. Analysis of patient data across diverse datasets revealed a strong association of high caveolin-1 (Cav-1) expression with higher histologic grade, the most aggressive PDAC molecular subtypes, and worse clinical outcomes. Cav-1 loss markedly promoted longer overall and tumor-free survival in a genetically engineered mouse model. Cav-1–deficient tumor cell lines exhibited significantly reduced proliferation, particularly under low nutrient conditions. Supplementing cells with albumin rescued the growth of Cav-1–proficient PDAC cells, but not in Cav-1–deficient PDAC cells under low glutamine conditions. In addition, Cav-1 depletion led to significant metabolic defects, including decreased glycolytic and mitochondrial metabolism, and downstream protein translation signaling pathways. These findings highlight the crucial role of Cav-1 and CME in fueling pancreatic tumorigenesis, sustaining tumor growth, and promoting survival through nutrient scavenging.