c-Src functionality controls self-renewal and glucose metabolism in MCF7 breast cancer stem cells

PLoS One. 2020 Jul 16;15(7):e0235850. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235850. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Deregulation of Src kinases is associated with cancer. We previously showed that SrcDN conditional expression in MCF7 cells reduces tumorigenesis and causes tumor regression in mice. However, it remained unclear whether SrcDN affected breast cancer stem cell functionality or it reduced tumor mass. Here, we address this question by isolating an enriched population of Breast Cancer Stem Cells (BCSCs) from MCF7 cells with inducible expression of SrcDN. Induction of SrcDN inhibited self-renewal, and stem-cell marker expression (Nanog, Oct3-4, ALDH1, CD44). Quantitative proteomic analyses of mammospheres from MCF7-Tet-On-SrcDN cells (data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD017789, project DOI: 10.6019/PXD017789) and subsequent GSEA showed that SrcDN expression inhibited glycolysis. Indeed, induction of SrcDN inhibited expression and activity of hexokinase, pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase, resulting in diminished glucose consumption and lactate production, which restricted Warburg effect. Thus, c-Src functionality is important for breast cancer stem cell maintenance and renewal, and stem cell transcription factor expression, effects linked to glucose metabolism reduction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family / genetics
  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family / metabolism
  • Cell Self Renewal*
  • Glucose / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Hyaluronan Receptors / genetics
  • Hyaluronan Receptors / metabolism
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Nanog Homeobox Protein / genetics
  • Nanog Homeobox Protein / metabolism
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / physiology
  • Proteome / genetics
  • Proteome / metabolism
  • src-Family Kinases / genetics
  • src-Family Kinases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Hyaluronan Receptors
  • Nanog Homeobox Protein
  • Proteome
  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family
  • src-Family Kinases
  • Glucose

Grants and funding

This work has been supported by grand SAF2016–75991-R (MINECO, AEI/FEDER, UE) to Jorge Martín-Pérez and ISCIII [grand PI 16/00789] to Miguel Ángel Fernández-Moreno. Víctor Mayoral-Varo was supported by the grand SAF2016–75991-R (MINECO, AEI/FEDER, UE). We acknowledge support for publication fee by the CSIC Open Access Publication Support Initiative through its Unit for Information Resources for Research (URICI).