Upregulated Apelin Signaling in Pancreatic Cancer Activates Oncogenic Signaling Pathways to Promote Tumor Development.

Abstract

Despite decades of effort in understanding pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), there is still a lack of innovative targeted therapies for this devastating disease. Herein, we report the expression of apelin and its receptor, APJ, in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma and its protumoral function. Apelin and APJ protein expression in tumor tissues from patients with PDAC and their spatiotemporal pattern of expression in engineered mouse models of PDAC were investigated by immunohistochemistry. Apelin signaling function in tumor cells was characterized in pancreatic tumor cell lines by Western blot as well as proliferation, migration assays and in murine orthotopic xenograft experiments. In premalignant lesions, apelin was expressed in epithelial lesions whereas APJ was found in isolated cells tightly attached to premalignant lesions. However, in the invasive stage, apelin and APJ were co-expressed by tumor cells. In human tumor cells, apelin induced a long-lasting activation of PI3K/Akt, upregulated β-catenin and the oncogenes c-myc and cyclin D1 and promoted proliferation, migration and glucose uptake. Apelin receptor blockades reduced cancer cell proliferation along with a reduction in pancreatic tumor burden. These findings identify the apelin signaling pathway as a new actor for PDAC development and a novel therapeutic target for this incurable disease.

• Authors: Carline Chaves-Almagro, Johanna Auriau, Alizée Dortignac, Pascal Clerc, Hubert Lulka, Simon Deleruyelle, Fabrice Projetti, Jessica Nakhlé, Audrey Frances, Judit Berta, Véronique Gigoux, Daniel Fourmy, Marlène Dufresne, Anne Gomez-Brouchet, Julie Guillermet-Guibert, Pierre Cordelier, Bernard Knibiehler, Ralf Jockers, Philippe Valet, Yves Audigier, Bernard Masri
• Journal: International journal of molecular sciences (Int J Mol Sci) Vol. 23 Issue 18 (Sep 13 2022) ISSN: 1422-0067 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 36142542 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• APLN protein, human
• APLNR protein, human
• Apelin
• Apelin Receptors
• Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
• beta Catenin
• Cyclin D1
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
• Glucose

Topics

• Adenocarcinoma (pathology)
• Animals
• Apelin (metabolism)
• Apelin Receptors (metabolism)
• Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal (genetics)
• Cyclin D1 (metabolism)
• Glucose
• Humans
• Mice
• Oncogenes
• Pancreatic Neoplasms (pathology)
• Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases (metabolism)
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt (metabolism)
• Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled (genetics, metabolism)
• Signal Transduction
• beta Catenin (metabolism)
• Pancreatic Neoplasms