Lysophosphatidic Acid Promotes the Expansion of Cancer Stem Cells via TRPC3 Channels in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive cancer for which targeted therapeutic agents are limited. Growing evidence suggests that TNBC originates from breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs), and elucidation of the molecular mechanisms controlling BCSC proliferation will be crucial for n...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Naoya Hirata, Shigeru Yamada, Shota Yanagida, Atsushi Ono, Yukuto Yasuhiko, Motohiro Nishida, Yasunari Kanda
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-02-01
Series:International Journal of Molecular Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/4/1967
Description
Summary:Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive cancer for which targeted therapeutic agents are limited. Growing evidence suggests that TNBC originates from breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs), and elucidation of the molecular mechanisms controlling BCSC proliferation will be crucial for new drug development. We have previously reported that the lysosphingolipid sphingosine-1-phosphate mediates the CSC phenotype, which can be identified as the ALDH-positive cell population in several types of human cancer cell lines. In this study, we have investigated additional lipid receptors upregulated in BCSCs. We found that lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor 3 was highly expressed in ALDH-positive TNBC cells. The LPAR3 antagonist inhibited the increase in ALDH-positive cells after LPA treatment. Mechanistically, the LPA-induced increase in ALDH-positive cells was dependent on intracellular calcium ion (Ca<sup>2+</sup>), and the increase in Ca<sup>2+</sup> was suppressed by a selective inhibitor of transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily C member 3 (TRPC3). Moreover, IL-8 production was involved in the LPA response via the activation of the Ca<sup>2+</sup>-dependent transcriptional factor nuclear factor of activated T cells. Taken together, our findings provide new insights into the lipid-mediated regulation of BCSCs via the LPA-TRPC3 signaling axis and suggest several potential therapeutic targets for TNBC.
ISSN:1661-6596
1422-0067