Activation of β-Adrenoceptors Promotes Lipid Droplet Accumulation in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells via cAMP/PKA/EPAC Pathways
Physiologically, β-adrenoceptors are major regulators of lipid metabolism, which may be reflected in alterations in lipid droplet dynamics. β-adrenoceptors have also been shown to participate in breast cancer carcinogenesis. Since lipid droplets may be seen as a hallmark of cancer, the present study...
Main Authors: | , , , , |
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/1/767 |
Summary: | Physiologically, β-adrenoceptors are major regulators of lipid metabolism, which may be reflected in alterations in lipid droplet dynamics. β-adrenoceptors have also been shown to participate in breast cancer carcinogenesis. Since lipid droplets may be seen as a hallmark of cancer, the present study aimed to investigate the role of β-adrenoceptors in the regulation of lipid droplet dynamics in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Cells were treated for up to 72 h with adrenaline (an endogenous adrenoceptor agonist), isoprenaline (a non-selective β-adrenoceptor agonist) and salbutamol (a selective β<sub>2</sub>-selective agonist), and their effects on lipid droplets were evaluated using Nile Red staining. Adrenaline or isoprenaline, but not salbutamol, caused a lipid-accumulating phenotype in the MCF-7 cells. These effects were significantly reduced by selective β<sub>1</sub>- and β<sub>3</sub>-antagonists (10 nM atenolol and 100 nM L-748,337, respectively), indicating a dependence on both β<sub>1</sub>- and β<sub>3</sub>-adrenoceptors. These effects were dependent on the cAMP signalling pathway, involving both protein kinase A (PKA) and cAMP-dependent guanine-nucleotide-exchange (EPAC) proteins: treatment with cAMP-elevating agents (forskolin or 8-Br-cAMP) induced lipid droplet accumulation, whereas either 1 µM H-89 or 1 µM ESI-09 (PKA or EPAC inhibitors, respectively) abrogated this effect. Taken together, the present results demonstrate the existence of a β-adrenoceptor-mediated regulation of lipid droplet dynamics in breast cancer cells, likely involving β<sub>1</sub>- and β<sub>3</sub>-adrenoceptors, revealing a new mechanism by which adrenergic stimulation may influence cancer cell metabolism. |
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ISSN: | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |