Stem Cell Determinant SOX9 Promotes Lineage Plasticity and Progression in Basal-like Breast Cancer

Cell Rep. 2020 Jun 9;31(10):107742. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107742.

Abstract

Lineage plasticity is important for the development of basal-like breast cancer (BLBC), an aggressive cancer subtype. While BLBC is likely to originate from luminal progenitor cells, it acquires substantial basal cell features and contains a heterogenous collection of cells exhibiting basal, luminal, and hybrid phenotypes. Why luminal progenitors are prone to BLBC transformation and what drives luminal-to-basal reprogramming remain unclear. Here, we show that the transcription factor SOX9 acts as a determinant for estrogen-receptor-negative (ER-) luminal stem/progenitor cells (LSPCs). SOX9 controls LSPC activity in part by activating both canonical and non-canonical nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling. Inactivation of TP53 and RB via expression of SV40 TAg in a BLBC mouse tumor model leads to upregulation of SOX9, which drives luminal-to-basal reprogramming in vivo. Furthermore, SOX9 deletion inhibits the progression of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)-like lesions to invasive carcinoma. These data show that ER- LSPC determinant SOX9 acts as a lineage plasticity driver for BLBC progression.

Keywords: DCIS progression; SOX9; basal-like breast cancer; bipotent cells; lineage plasticity; luminal stem progenitor cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Cell Lineage
  • Cell Plasticity / physiology
  • Cell Proliferation / physiology
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / genetics
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / metabolism
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / pathology*
  • SOX9 Transcription Factor / metabolism*
  • Up-Regulation

Substances

  • SOX9 Transcription Factor
  • SOX9 protein, human
  • Sox9 protein, mouse