The SIAH2-NRF1 axis spatially regulates tumor microenvironment remodeling for tumor progression

Nat Commun. 2019 Mar 4;10(1):1034. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-08618-y.

Abstract

The interactions between tumor cells with their microenvironments, including hypoxia, acidosis and immune cells, lead to the tumor heterogeneity which promotes tumor progression. Here, we show that SIAH2-NRF1 axis remodels tumor microenvironment through regulating tumor mitochondrial function, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) polarization and cell death for tumor maintenance and progression. Mechanistically, low mitochondrial gene expression in breast cancers is associated with a poor clinical outcome. The hypoxia-activated E3 ligase SIAH2 spatially downregulates nuclear-encoded mitochondrial gene expression including pyruvate dehydrogenase beta via degrading NRF1 (Nuclear Respiratory Factor 1) through ubiquitination on lysine 230, resulting in enhanced Warburg effect, metabolic reprogramming and pro-tumor immune response. Dampening NRF1 degradation under hypoxia not only impairs the polarization of TAMs, but also promotes tumor cells to become more susceptible to apoptosis in a FADD-dependent fashion, resulting in secondary necrosis due to the impairment of efferocytosis. These data represent that inhibition of NRF1 degradation is a potential therapeutic strategy against cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / immunology
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cell Death / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cellular Reprogramming
  • Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats / genetics
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Gene Knockout Techniques
  • Humans
  • Hypoxia / metabolism
  • Macrophages / drug effects
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mitochondria / drug effects
  • Mitochondria / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
  • Nuclear Respiratory Factor 1 / genetics
  • Nuclear Respiratory Factor 1 / metabolism*
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • Tumor Microenvironment*
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / genetics
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / metabolism*
  • Ubiquitination

Substances

  • NRF1 protein, human
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Nuclear Respiratory Factor 1
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
  • seven in absentia proteins