Biology subjects

Millar, F. R.

Publications and source records attributed to Millar, F. R..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2021

Toll-like receptor 2 orchestrates a potent anti-tumor response in non-small cell lung cancer

Targeting early-stage lung cancer is vital to improve overall survival. We previously identified Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) as a regulator of oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), both key for tumor suppression. Here, we demonstrate that TLR2 is widely expressed in human lung tumor epithelium where it correlates with improved survival and clinical regression. Using genetically engineered mouse models of lung cancer we have shown that Tlr2 is a tumor suppressor in lung cancer initiation via regulation of proliferation and the SASP. The SASP is integral in the regulation of immune surveillance of premalignant cells, and we observe impaired myeloid derived immune surveillance following Tlr2 loss. Lastly, we show that administration of a synthetic Tlr2 agonist significantly reduces preinvasive lung tumor growth. Our data highlight an unexpected tumor surveillance pathway in early-stage lung cancer with therapeutic potential. Statement of significanceLung cancer is a major cancer of unmet need. This study identifies a novel tumor suppressor mechanism in lung cancer. Not only does this highlight a potential therapeutic target for early-stage disease but also multiple secreted candidate biomarkers that could be exploited to augment lung cancer screening approaches.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Cytoplasmic innate immune sensing by the caspase-4 non-canonical inflammasome promotes cellular senescence.

Cytoplasmic recognition of microbially derived lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in human cells is elicited by the inflammatory cysteine aspartic proteases caspase-4 and caspase-5, which activate non-canonical inflammasomes inducing a form of inflammatory programmed cell death termed pyroptosis. Here we show that LPS mediated activation of the non-canonical inflammasome also induces cellular senescence and the activation of tumour suppressor stress responses in human diploid fibroblasts. Interestingly, this LPS-induced senescence is dependent on caspase-4, the pyroptotic effector protein gasdermin-D and the tumour suppressor protein p53. Also, experiments with a catalytically deficient mutant suggest that caspase-4 proteolytic activity is not necessary for its role in senescence. Furthermore, we found that the caspase-4 non-canonical inflammasome is induced and assembled during Ras-mediated oncogene-induced senescence (OIS). Moreover, targeting caspase-4 in OIS showed that the non-canonical inflammasome is critical for SASP activation and contributes to reinforcing the cell cycle arrest in OIS. Finally, we observed that caspase-4 induction occurs in vivo in models of tumour suppression and ageing. Altogether, we are unveiling that cellular senescence is induced by cytoplasmic microbial LPS recognition by the caspase-4 non-canonical inflammasome and that this pathway is conserved in the senescence program induced by oncogenic stress.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2018

The innate immune sensor Toll-like receptor 2 controls the senescence-associated secretory phenotype.

Cellular senescence is a stress response program characterised by a robust cell cycle arrest and the induction of a pro-inflammatory senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) that is triggered through an unknown mechanism. Here, we show that during oncogene-induced senescence (OIS), the Toll-like receptor TLR2 and its partner TLR10 are key mediators of senescence in vitro and in murine models. TLR2 promotes cell cycle arrest by regulating the tumour suppressors p53-p21CIP1, p16INK4a and p15INK4b, and regulates the SASP through the induction of the acute-phase serum amyloids A1 and A2 (A-SAA) that, in turn, function as the damage associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) signalling through TLR2 in OIS. Finally, we found evidence that the cGAS-STING cytosolic DNA sensing pathway primes TLR2 and A-SAA expression in OIS. In summary, we report that innate immune sensing of senescence-associated DAMPs by TLR2 controls the SASP and reinforces the cell cycle arrest program in OIS.

cell biology↗