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EMT-activated secretory and endocytic vesicular trafficking programs underlie a vulnerability to PI4K2A antagonism in lung cancer
Xiaochao Tan, … , Chad J. Creighton, Jonathan M. Kurie
Xiaochao Tan, … , Chad J. Creighton, Jonathan M. Kurie
Published February 9, 2023
Citation Information: J Clin Invest. 2023;133(7):e165863. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI165863.
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Research Article Cell biology Oncology

EMT-activated secretory and endocytic vesicular trafficking programs underlie a vulnerability to PI4K2A antagonism in lung cancer

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Abstract

Hypersecretory malignant cells underlie therapeutic resistance, metastasis, and poor clinical outcomes. However, the molecular basis for malignant hypersecretion remains obscure. Here, we showed that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) initiates exocytic and endocytic vesicular trafficking programs in lung cancer. The EMT-activating transcription factor zinc finger E-box–binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) executed a PI4KIIIβ-to-PI4KIIα (PI4K2A) dependency switch that drove PI4P synthesis in the Golgi and endosomes. EMT enhanced the vulnerability of lung cancer cells to PI4K2A small-molecule antagonists. PI4K2A formed a MYOIIA-containing protein complex that facilitated secretory vesicle biogenesis in the Golgi, thereby establishing a hypersecretory state involving osteopontin (SPP1) and other prometastatic ligands. In the endosomal compartment, PI4K2A accelerated recycling of SPP1 receptors to complete an SPP1-dependent autocrine loop and interacted with HSP90 to prevent lysosomal degradation of AXL receptor tyrosine kinase, a driver of cell migration. These results show that EMT coordinates exocytic and endocytic vesicular trafficking to establish a therapeutically actionable hypersecretory state that drives lung cancer progression.

Authors

Xiaochao Tan, Guan-Yu Xiao, Shike Wang, Lei Shi, Yanbin Zhao, Xin Liu, Jiang Yu, William K. Russell, Chad J. Creighton, Jonathan M. Kurie

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Figure 6

PI4K2A accelerates endocytic trafficking of SPP1 receptors.

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PI4K2A accelerates endocytic trafficking of SPP1 receptors.
(A) Intracel...
(A) Intracellular levels of biotinylated Tfn in siRNA-transfected H1299 cells were quantified at the indicated time points after a 30-minute pulse. The percentage of the internalized Tfn pool was calculated relative to the initial loading (n = 4 samples per condition). (B) WB analysis of CD44, ITGB1, and AXL protein levels in WCLs (input) or streptavidin bead–enriched protein samples from H1299 cells that were transfected with PI4K2A/TurboID construct and treated with biotin. Controls included the PI4KB/TurboID construct (PI4KB) and Turbo alone (CTL). (C) WB analysis of WCLs (input) or anti-HA immunoprecipitates from H1299 cells transfected with HA-tagged PI4K2A. IgG was used as the control IP. (D) SPP1 protein-protein interaction network (STRING-db.org). (E) WB analysis of proteins isolated by streptavidin bead–based pulldowns carried out on H1299 cells treated with biotin-labeled recombinant SPP1. (F) Confocal micrographs of plasma membrane–bound ITGB1 (arrows, upper panels) and CD44 (arrows, lower panels) in nonpermeabilized siRNA-transfected H1299 cells stained with antibodies against endogenous ITGB1 or CD44. Scale bars: 10 μm. (G) WB analysis of cell membrane–enriched fractions (Mem.) and WCL. Densitometric values are shown under the gels. (H) WB analysis of cleaved PARP1 (gel) and flow cytometric analysis of annexin V/PI–stained cells (graph) to quantify apoptosis in siRNA-transfected H1299 cells. (I) Boyden chamber migration and invasion assays on siRNA-transfected cells. (J) Schematic illustration of the working model. PI4K2A coordinates exocytic and endocytic vesicular trafficking to activate an SPP1-dependent autocrine loop. Data indicate the mean ± SD from a single experiment incorporating biological replicate samples (n = 3, unless otherwise indicated) and are representative of at least 2 independent experiments. P values were determined by 1-way ANOVA test for multiple comparisons (A, H, and I).

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