KRAS-dependent acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM) is a fundamental step in the development of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), but the involvement of cell death pathways remains unclear. Here, we show that key regulators of programmed cell death (PCD) become upregulated during KRAS-driven ADM, thereby priming transdifferentiated cells to death. Using transgenic mice and primary cell and organoid cultures, we show that transforming growth factor (TGF)-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), a kinase regulating cell survival and inflammatory pathways, prevents the elimination of transdifferentiated cells through receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1)-mediated apoptosis and necroptosis, enabling PDAC development. Accordingly, pharmacological inhibition of TAK1 induces PCD in patient-derived PDAC organoids. Importantly, cell death induction via TAK1 inhibition does not appear to elicit an overt injury-associated inflammatory response. Collectively, these findings suggest that TAK1 supports cellular plasticity by suppressing spontaneous PCD activation during ADM, representing a promising pharmacological target for the prevention and treatment of PDAC.
FörderungenGerman Cancer Aid (Deutsche Krebshilfe) Medical faculty of the Heinrich Heine University German Research Foundation (DFG, German Research Foundation) Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia German-Research-Foundation ERC German Ministry of Health German Research Foundation European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program through the ERC Consolidator Grant PhaseControl I&I future Helmholtz Topic EOS Flundern grant MOST grant BMBF DKTK (German Cancer Consortium) Strategic Initiative Organoid Platform European Research Council Grant ERC-AdG-2020 FIBCAN ARC French National Research Agency LABEX Institute Universitaire de France (IUF) German Cancer Aid Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, EISglobe European Union German Cancer Aid (Max Eder Program, Deutsche Krebshilfe) German Research Foundation (DFG)