Cancer-cell-secreted extracellular vesicles suppress insulin secretion through miR-122 to impair systemic glucose homeostasis and contribute to tumour growth

Minghui Cao, Roi Isaac, Wei Yan, Xianhui Ruan, Li Jiang, Yuhao Wan, Jessica Wang, Emily Wang, Christine Caron, Steven Neben, Denis Drygin, Donald P. Pizzo, Xiwei Wu, Xuxiang Liu, Andrew R. Chin, Miranda Y. Fong, Ziting Gao, Kaizhu Guo, Oluwole Fadare, Richard B. SchwabYuan Yuan, Susan E. Yost, Joanne Mortimer, Wenwan Zhong, Wei Ying, Jack D. Bui, Dorothy D. Sears, Jerrold M. Olefsky, Shizhen Emily Wang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

34 Scopus citations

Abstract

Epidemiological studies demonstrate an association between breast cancer (BC) and systemic dysregulation of glucose metabolism. However, how BC influences glucose homeostasis remains unknown. We show that BC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) suppress pancreatic insulin secretion to impair glucose homeostasis. EV-encapsulated miR-122 targets PKM in β-cells to suppress glycolysis and ATP-dependent insulin exocytosis. Mice receiving high-miR-122 EVs or bearing BC tumours exhibit suppressed insulin secretion, enhanced endogenous glucose production, impaired glucose tolerance and fasting hyperglycaemia. These effects contribute to tumour growth and are abolished by inhibiting EV secretion or miR-122, restoring PKM in β-cells or supplementing insulin. Compared with non-cancer controls, patients with BC have higher levels of circulating EV-encapsulated miR-122 and fasting glucose concentrations but lower fasting insulin; miR-122 levels are positively associated with glucose and negatively associated with insulin. Therefore, EV-mediated impairment of whole-body glycaemic control may contribute to tumour progression and incidence of type 2 diabetes in some patients with BC.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)954-967
Number of pages14
JournalNature Cell Biology
Volume24
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2022

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cell Biology

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