DDR2 upregulation confers ferroptosis susceptibility of recurrent breast tumors through the Hippo pathway
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-22-2021
Department
Department of Biological Sciences
Abstract
Recurrent breast cancer presents significant challenges with aggressive phenotypes and treatment resistance. Therefore, novel therapeutics are urgently needed. Here, we report that murine recurrent breast tumor cells, when compared with primary tumor cells, are highly sensitive to ferroptosis. Discoidin Domain Receptor Tyrosine Kinase 2 (DDR2), the receptor for collagen I, is highly expressed in ferroptosis-sensitive recurrent tumor cells and human mesenchymal breast cancer cells. EMT regulators, TWIST and SNAIL, significantly induce DDR2 expression and sensitize ferroptosis in a DDR2-dependent manner. Erastin treatment induces DDR2 upregulation and phosphorylation, independent of collagen I. Furthermore, DDR2 knockdown in recurrent tumor cells reduces clonogenic proliferation. Importantly, both the ferroptosis protection and reduced clonogenic growth may be compatible with the compromised YAP/TAZ upon DDR2 inhibition. Collectively, these findings identify the important role of EMT-driven DDR2 upregulation in recurrent tumors in maintaining growth advantage but activating YAP/TAZ-mediated ferroptosis susceptibility, providing potential strategies to eradicate recurrent breast cancer cells with mesenchymal features.
Publication Title
Oncogene
Recommended Citation
Lin, C.,
Yang, W.,
Lin, Y.,
Tang, X.,
Chen, P.,
Ding, C. C.,
&
et al.
(2021).
DDR2 upregulation confers ferroptosis susceptibility of recurrent breast tumors through the Hippo pathway.
Oncogene.
http://doi.org/10.1038/s41388-021-01676-x
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p/14680
Publisher's Statement
© 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited part of Springer Nature. Publisher’s version of record: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41388-021-01676-x