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Yang Z, Chen H, Yin S, Mo H, Chai F, Luo P, Li Y, Ma L, Yi Z, Sun Y, Chen Y, Wu J, Wang W, Yin T, Zhu J, Shi C, Zhang F. PGR-KITLG signaling drives a tumor-mast cell regulatory feedback to modulate apoptosis of breast cancer cells. Cancer Lett 2024; 589:216795. [PMID: 38556106 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
The immune microenvironment constructed by tumor-infiltrating immune cells and the molecular phenotype defined by hormone receptors (HRs) have been implicated as decisive factors in the regulation of breast cancer (BC) progression. Here, we found that the infiltration of mast cells (MCs) informed impaired prognoses in HR(+) BC but predicted improved prognoses in HR(-) BC. However, molecular features of MCs in different BC remain unclear. We next discovered that HR(-) BC cells were prone to apoptosis under the stimulation of MCs, whereas HR(+) BC cells exerted anti-apoptotic effects. Mechanistically, in HR(+) BC, the KIT ligand (KITLG), a major mast cell growth factor in recruiting and activating MCs, could be transcriptionally upregulated by the progesterone receptor (PGR), and elevate the production of MC-derived granulin (GRN). GRN attenuates TNFα-induced apoptosis in BC cells by competitively binding to TNFR1. Furthermore, disruption of PGR-KITLG signaling by knocking down PGR or using the specific KITLG-cKIT inhibitor iSCK03 potently enhanced the sensitivity of HR(+) BC cells to MC-induced apoptosis and exerted anti-tumor activity. Collectively, these results demonstrate that PGR-KITLG signaling in BC cells preferentially induces GRN expression in MCs to exert anti-apoptotic effects, with potential value in developing precision medicine approaches for diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyu Yang
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing, 401147, China; Graduate School of Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Hongdan Chen
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing, 401147, China
| | - Supeng Yin
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing, 401147, China
| | - Hongbiao Mo
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing, 401147, China
| | - Fan Chai
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing, 401147, China
| | - Peng Luo
- Institute of Rocket Force Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Yao Li
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing, 401147, China
| | - Le Ma
- Institute of Rocket Force Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Ziying Yi
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing, 401147, China
| | - Yizeng Sun
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing, 401147, China
| | - Yan Chen
- Institute of Rocket Force Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Jie Wu
- Institute of Rocket Force Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Weihua Wang
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing, 401147, China
| | - Tingjie Yin
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing, 401147, China
| | - Junping Zhu
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing, 401147, China
| | - Chunmeng Shi
- Institute of Rocket Force Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China.
| | - Fan Zhang
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing, 401147, China; Graduate School of Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
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