Targeting Src reactivates pyroptosis to reverse chemoresistance in lung and pancreatic cancer models

Sci Transl Med. 2023 Jan 11;15(678):eabl7895. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abl7895. Epub 2023 Jan 11.

Abstract

Pancreatic and lung cancers frequently develop resistance to chemotherapy-induced cell apoptosis during the treatment, indicating that targeting nonapoptotic-related pathways, such as pyroptosis, can be an alternative cancer treatment strategy. Pyroptosis is a gasdermin-driven lytic programmed cell death triggered by inflammatory caspases when initiated by canonical or noncanonical pathways that has been recently seen as a potential therapeutic target in cancer treatment. However, overcoming chemoresistance in cancers by modulating pyroptosis has not been explored. Here, we demonstrate that β5-integrin represses chemotherapy-induced canonical pyroptosis to confer cancer chemoresistance through ASAH2-driven sphingolipid metabolic reprogramming. Clinically, high β5-integrin expression associates with poor patient prognosis and chemotherapeutic responses in cancers. In addition, chemoresistant cells in vitro fail to undergo chemotherapy-induced pyroptosis, which is controlled by β5-integrin. Mechanistically, proteomic and lipidomic analyses indicate that β5-integrin up-regulates sphingolipid metabolic enzyme ceramidase (ASAH2) expression through Src-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling, which then reduces the metabolite ceramide concentration and subsequent ROS production to prohibit chemotherapy-induced canonical pyroptosis. Using cancer cell lines, patient-derived tumor organoids, and orthotopic lung and pancreatic animal models, we show that administration of a Src or ceramidase inhibitor rescues the response of chemoresistant pancreatic and lung cancer cells to chemotherapy by reactivating pyroptosis in vitro and in vivo. Overall, our results suggest that pyroptosis-based therapy is a means to improve cancer treatment and warrants further investigation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / therapeutic use
  • Ceramidases / metabolism
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm* / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Integrin beta Chains / metabolism
  • Integrins / metabolism
  • Lung / metabolism
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms* / metabolism
  • Proteomics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins pp60(c-src)* / drug effects
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins pp60(c-src)* / metabolism
  • Pyroptosis* / drug effects
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / metabolism

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Integrins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins pp60(c-src)
  • ITGB5 protein, human
  • Integrin beta Chains
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor
  • Ceramidases