Journal Article

DKFZ-2025-02258

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Transcription factor switching drives subtype-specific pancreatic cancer.

Rao, S. V. ; Young, L. ; Cheeseman, D. ; Flynn, S. ; Krebs, N. ; Couturier, D.-L. ; Mack, S. ; Brais, R. ; Temple, J. ; Smith, A. ; Papachristou, E. ; Pelicano, C. ; Chilamakuri, C. S. R. ; Herka, K. ; Baba, H. ; Farah, L.DKFZ* ; Cheung, P. F.DKFZ* ; Siveke, J.DKFZ* ; Guerrier, S. ; Insolia, L. ; Gill, M. ; Archer Goode, E. ; Kupczak, S. ; Cheng, Y. ; Borsari, G. ; Jodrell, D. ; D'Santos, C. ; Russell, A. ; Grünwald, B. T. ; Serrao, E. ; Chernukhin, I. ; Carroll, J. S.

2025
Macmillan Publishers Limited, part of Springer Nature London

This record in other databases:  

Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1038/s41588-025-02389-7

Abstract: Emerging evidence suggests that lineage-specifying transcription factors control the progression of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We have discovered a transcription factor switching mechanism involving the poorly characterized orphan nuclear receptor HNF4G and the putative pioneer factor FOXA1, which drives PDAC progression. Using our unbiased protein interactome discovery approach, we identified HNF4A and HNF4G as reproducible, FOXA1-associated proteins, in both preclinical models and Whipple surgical samples. In the primary tumor context, we consistently find that the dominant transcription factor is HNF4G, where it functions as the driver. A molecular switch occurs in advanced disease, whereby HNF4G expression or activity decreases, unmasking FOXA1's transcriptional potential. Derepressed FOXA1 drives late-stage disease by orchestrating metastasis-specific enhancer-promoter loops to regulate the expression of metastatic genes. Overall survival is influenced by HNF4G and FOXA1 activity in primary tumor growth and in metastasis, respectively. We suggest that the existence of stage-dependent transcription factor activity, triggered by molecular compartmentalization, mediates the progression of PDAC.

Note: epub

---

Contributing Institute(s):

1. DKTK Koordinierungsstelle Essen/Düsseldorf (ED01)

Research Program(s):

1. 899 - ohne Topic (POF4-899) (POF4-899)

Appears in the scientific report 2025

---

Database coverage:
; BIOSIS Previews ; Biological Abstracts ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Life Sciences ; DEAL Nature ; Ebsco Academic Search ; Essential Science Indicators ; IF >= 30 ; JCR ; Nationallizenz ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection

---