Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program, Centenary Institute.
L-type amino acid transporters such as LAT1 and LAT3 mediate the uptake of essential amino acids. Here we report that prostate cancer cells coordinate the expression of LAT1 and LAT3 to maintain sufficient levels of leucine needed for mTORC1 signaling and cell growth. Inhibitiing LAT function was sufficient to decrease cell growth and mTORC1 signaling in prostate cancer cells. These cells maintained levels of amino acid influx through androgen receptor-mediated regulation of LAT3 expression, and ATF4 regulation of LAT1 expression after amino acid deprivation. These responses remained intact in primary prostate cancer, as indicated by high levels of LAT3 in primary disease, and by increased levels of LAT1 after hormone ablation and in metastatic lesions. Taken together, our results show how prostate cancer cells respond to demands for increased essential amino acids, by coordinately activating amino acid transporter pathways vital for tumor outgrowth.
Written by:
Wang Q, Bailey CG, Ng C, Tiffen J, Thoeng A, Minhas V, Lehman ML, Hendy SC, Buchanan G, Nelson CC, Rasko JE, Holst J. Are you the author?
Reference: Cancer Res. 2011 Oct 17. Epub ahead of print.
doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-11-1821
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 22007000
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