Open AccessActivation of p38α stress-activated protein kinase drives the formation of the pre-metastatic niche in the lungs
Author(s) -
Jun Gui,
Farima Zahedi,
Angelíca Ortiz,
Christina Cho,
Kanstantsin V. Katlinski,
Kevin Alicea-Torres,
Jinyang Li,
Leslie Todd,
Hongru Zhang,
Daniel P. Beiting,
Cindy Sander,
John M. Kirkwood,
Bryan E. Snow,
Andrew Wakeham,
Tak W. Mak,
J. Alan Diehl,
Constantinos Koumenis,
Sandra Ryeom,
Ben Z. Stanger,
Ellen Puré,
Dmitry I. Gabrilovich,
Serge Y. Fuchs
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
nature cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2662-1347
DOI - 10.1038/s43018-020-0064-0
Subject(s) - cancer research , lung , extracellular matrix , chemokine , p38 mitogen activated protein kinases , medicine , metastasis , fibroblast , protein kinase a , kinase , melanoma , inflammation , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , cancer , cell culture , genetics
Primary tumor-derived factors (TDFs) act upon normal cells to generate a pre-metastatic niche, which promotes colonization of target organs by disseminated malignant cells. Here we report that TDFs-induced activation of the p38α kinase in lung fibroblasts plays a critical role in the formation of a pre-metastatic niche in the lungs and subsequent pulmonary metastases. Activation of p38α led to inactivation of type I interferon signaling and stimulation of expression of fibroblast activation protein (FAP). FAP played a key role in remodeling of the extracellular matrix as well as inducing the expression of chemokines that enable lung infiltration by neutrophils. Increased activity of p38 in normal cells was associated with metastatic disease and poor prognosis in human melanoma patients whereas inactivation of p38 suppressed lung metastases. We discuss the p38α-driven mechanisms stimulating the metastatic processes and potential use of p38 inhibitors in adjuvant therapy of metastatic cancers.