Stress-Activated NRF2-MDM2 Cascade Controls Neoplastic Progression in Pancreas

Stress-Activated NRF2-MDM2 Cascade Controls Neoplastic Progression in Pancreas.
Todoric J, Antonucci L, Di Caro G, Li N, Wu X, Lytle NK, Dhar D, Banerjee S, Fagman JB, Browne CD, Umemura A, Valasek MA, Kessler H, Tarin D, Goggins M, Reya T, Diaz-Meco M, Moscat J, Karin M.
Cancer Cell. 2017 Dec 11;32(6):824-839.e8. DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2017.10.011. PubMed | PDF |

ABSTRACT

Despite expression of oncogenic KRAS, premalignant pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia 1 (PanIN1) lesions rarely become fully malignant pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The molecular mechanisms through which established risk factors, such as chronic pancreatitis, acinar cell damage, and/or defective autophagy increase the likelihood of PDAC development are poorly understood. We show that accumulation of the autophagy substrate p62/SQSTM1 in stressed KrasG12D acinar cells is associated with PDAC development and maintenance of malignancy in human cells and mice. p62 accumulation promotes neoplastic progression by controlling the NRF2-mediated induction of MDM2, which acts through p53-dependent and -independent mechanisms to abrogate checkpoints that prevent conversion of differentiated acinar cells to proliferative ductal progenitors. MDM2 targeting may be useful for preventing PDAC development in high-risk individuals.