NRF3 suppresses squamous carcinogenesis, involving the unfolded protein response regulator HSPA5.
EMBO Mol Med
; 15(11): e17761, 2023 11 08.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37807968
ABSTRACT
Epithelial skin cancers are extremely common, but the mechanisms underlying their malignant progression are still poorly defined. Here, we identify the NRF3 transcription factor as a tumor suppressor in the skin. NRF3 protein expression is strongly downregulated or even absent in invasively growing cancer cells of patients with basal and squamous cell carcinomas (BCC and SCC). NRF3 deficiency promoted malignant conversion of chemically induced skin tumors in immunocompetent mice, clonogenic growth and migration of human SCC cells, their invasiveness in 3D cultures, and xenograft tumor formation. Mechanistically, the tumor-suppressive effect of NRF3 involves HSPA5, a key regulator of the unfolded protein response, which we identified as a potential NRF3 interactor. HSPA5 levels increased in the absence of NRF3, thereby promoting cancer cell survival and migration. Pharmacological inhibition or knock-down of HSPA5 rescued the malignant features of NRF3-deficient SCC cells in vitro and in preclinical mouse models. Together with the strong expression of HSPA5 in NRF3-deficient cancer cells of SCC patients, these results suggest HSPA5 inhibition as a treatment strategy for these malignancies in stratified cancer patients.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Neoplasias Cutâneas
/
Carcinoma de Células Escamosas
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Animals
/
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
EMBO Mol Med
Assunto da revista:
BIOLOGIA MOLECULAR
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Suíça