The AKT-independent MET-V-ATPase-MTOR axis suppresses liver cancer vaccination

Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2020 Aug 7;5(1):122. doi: 10.1038/s41392-020-0179-x.

Abstract

Despite recent progress in hepatitis treatment, there have been no significant advances in the development of liver cancer vaccines in recent years. In this study, we investigated the regulatory effect and potential mechanism of hepatocyte growth factor receptor (MET, also known as HGFR) on tumor vaccinations for liver cancer in mice. Herein, we demonstrate that MET expression is significantly associated with the immunogenicity of liver cancer in mice and humans, and that MET depletion dramatically enhances the protective efficacy of chemotherapy-based anti-liver cancer vaccination. Mechanistically, MET repressed liver cancer immunogenicity independent of the traditional PI3K-AKT cascade, and MET interacted with vacuolar ATP synthase (V-ATPase) and mediated the activation of mammalian target of rapamycin (MTOR), thus suppressing liver cancer immunogenicity. The efficacy of chemotherapy-based liver cancer vaccination was markedly enhanced by targeting the MET-V-ATPase-MTOR axis, highlighting a translational strategy for identifying MET-associated drug candidates for cancer prevention.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cancer Vaccines / pharmacology*
  • Liver Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Liver Neoplasms* / immunology
  • Liver Neoplasms* / therapy
  • Mice
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt* / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt* / immunology
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met* / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met* / immunology
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Signal Transduction / immunology*
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases* / genetics
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases* / immunology
  • Vaccination*
  • Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases* / genetics
  • Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases* / immunology

Substances

  • Cancer Vaccines
  • mTOR protein, mouse
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases