Abstract 1615
Background
AKT/PKB is a protein kinase that plays a key role in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Three isoforms with a similar structure but non-overlapping functions have been described: AKT1/PKBα, AKT2/PKBβ and AKT3/PKBγ. Our project studies the molecular routes of adaption to single AKT isoform silencing.
Methods
We have individually silenced AKT isoforms using short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) delivered by lentivirus. A shRNA against an irrelevant gene was used as control. When cells adapted to the modification, high-throughput quantitative proteomics analyses were performed to evaluate the differentially altered molecular routes. Mitochondrial protein expression was determined by Western Blot. Mitochondrial function was evaluated using Agilent SeaHorse XF. Cancer stem-cell like phenotype was determined by CD44 and EpCAM expression. A subsequent silencing of the escape routes discovered was performed.
Results
Only cells adapted to AKT1 silencing, but not AKT2 or AKT3, exhibited a cancer stem-cell like phenotype with a sharp increase in CD44/EpCAM expression compared to the other cell lines or control (p < 0.0001). shAKT1 expressing cells presented a potentiation of mitochondrial functions determined both by quantitative proteomics, and by basal and maximal oxygen consumption rate (p < 0.0001). Double silencing of AKT1 and the mitochondrial protein TFB2M caused a prolonged cell growth arrest.
Conclusions
When exposed to stable AKT1 inhibition, pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells adapt by switching their metabolism from glycolysis to mitochondrial respiratorion, which suggests a reversion of Warburg effect, and adopting cancer stem-cell like phenotype. Cancer stem cells have been proposed as one of the main factors favouring therapy resistance. Targeting mitochondrial metabolism might improve the efficacy of conventional treatments.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
Grupo de Inmunomodulación.
Funding
Grupo de Inmunomodulación.
Disclosure
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
Resources from the same session
3690 - PD-L1 expression in resected undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma and its clinical implications
Presenter: Kyoungmin Lee
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
2013 - PD-L1 expression as a potential therapeutic target and prognostic biomarker in well-differentiated and dedifferentiated liposarcoma.
Presenter: Heejung Chae
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
5021 - Soft tissue sarcomas express a distinct mRNA immune profile
Presenter: Viktor Grünwald
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
3029 - The molecular landscape of fusion genes in endometrial stromal sarcomas include three nosological entities with different natural history
Presenter: Mehdi Brahmi
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
3914 - Clinical validation of a novel assay for the detection of diagnostic alterations in sarcomas
Presenter: Lauren Mc Connell
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
1912 - A prospective correlative trial of personalized patient-derived xenograft (PDX) as avatars for drug therapy in patients with metastatic or recurrent soft tissue sarcomas (STS).
Presenter: Kanan Alshammari
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
5097 - Fusion of immortalized myoblasts induces genomic instability that drives tumor development and progression.
Presenter: Candice Merle
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
1383 - let-7a suppress Ewing sarcoma CSCs' malignant phenotype through forms a positive feedback regulation loop with lin28 via STAT3
Presenter: Xu Jiang
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
3386 - Myoepithelial Tumors of Soft Tissues and Extraskeletal Myxoid Chondrosarcomas feature a distinct transcriptional pattern
Presenter: Dominga Racanelli
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
1844 - In Vivo Efficacy and Enhanced Tumor Accumulation of Liposomal Vinorelbine (TLC178) in Human Sarcoma Xenograft Mice Model
Presenter: Wan-ni Yu
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract