Abstract 25: MIF and NR3C2 interactively regulate glucose metabolism in pancreatic cancer

Abstract

Abstract Inflammation and altered cellular metabolism are described as hallmarks of cancer. Although inflammatory signaling and metabolic reprogramming are highly integrated and play critical role in the development and progression of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The role of inflammatory mediators in the regulation of metabolic reprogramming is not adequately studied in pancreatic cancer and remains to be explored. Here we show that macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) collaborates with its downstream transcriptional factor nuclear-receptor-subfamily-3, group-C, member-2 (NR3C2) regulate metabolic reprogramming to support cancer growth and progression in PDAC. MIF enhances glucose uptake and lactate efflux through enhancing HK1 (hexokinase 1), HK2 (hexokinase 2) and LDHA (lactate dehydrogenase) expression in pancreatic cancer cell in vitro and in an orthotopic mouse model. Furthermore, a decreased HK1, HK2, LDHA expression, pyruvate and lactate production are found in patient tumors with lower MIF expression and MIF-deficiency tumors from genetically engineered KPC mouse model. Conversely, NR3C2 suppresses HK1, HK2, and LDHA expression and decreases glucose uptake and lactate efflux in pancreatic cancer. Mechanistically, MIF-mediated regulation of glycolytic metabolism involves MAPK-ERK Kinase pathway while NR3C2 interacts with AP-1 transcriptional factor in regulation of glycolysis metabolism. Taken together, our result demonstrates an interactive role of MIF and NR3C2 signaling in regulation cancer metabolism and therapeutic approaches target this axis may improve disease outcome in patients with PDAC. Citation Format: Shouhui Yang, Wei Tang, Azadeh Azizian, Philipp Ströbel, Yuuki Ohara, Helen Cawley, Nader Hanna, B. Michael Ghadimi, Nagireddy Putluri, S. Perwez Hussain. MIF and NR3C2 interactively regulate glucose metabolism in pancreatic cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 25.