Abstract 1350: The role of phosphatidylserine scramblases in tumor progression

Abstract Introduction: Phosphatidylserine (PS), an anionic phospholipid, is asymmetrically distributed in the inner leaflet of the phospholipid bilayer in normal cells under homeostasis. However, PS is constitutively externalized in the tumor microenvironment (TME); on viable cells that undergo stress, such as hypoxic tumor cells, stressed tumor vascular endothelial cells, as well as on cells undergoing apoptosis. This high PS harbors a pro-tumorigenic micro-environment, as myeloid cells expressing PS receptors (Mertk, Tyro3 and Axl) engage with externalized PS and secrete immunosuppressive cytokines. PS is externalized on viable cells by a calcium activated scramblase TMEM16F and on apoptotic cells by a caspase activated scramblase called Xkr8. Here, to study the mechanisms by which PS is externalized in the TME, we hypothesize that TMEM16F and Xkr8 are the major scramblases responsible for creating an immune suppressive milieu in the tumor microenvironment. Methods: To study the mechanisms of PS dysregulation in the tumor microenvironment, TMEM16F and Xkr8 were knocked out in E0771 murine breast cancer cell line using CRISPR/Cas9. The knockouts were validated by western blotting, q-RT-PCR and surveyor assays. Results: TMEM16F KO E0771 cells express lower basal levels of PS compared to WT E0771 cells when detected by Annexin V staining by flow cytometry. TMEM16F KO cells are also less responsive to activation by calcium ionophore. TMEM16F KO, Xkr8 KO and WT E0771 cells have similar viability and migration patterns in response to Gas6, indicating that the cells themselves do not have altered oncogenic potential. TMEM16F KO E0771 cells injected into the inguinal mammary gland fat pad of C57BL6 syngeneic mice showed modest but significantly reduced tumor growth compared to the E0771 WT tumors, suggesting that TMEM16F mediated PS externalization could play a role in exacerbating tumor progression. Conclusion: TMEM16F driven PS externalization contributes to tumor growth. The effect of TMEM16F KO on immune regulation of the tumor milieu will be discussed. These data corroborate previous studies targeting PS in tumors therapeutically using anti-PS antibodies and suggests a role for scramblases in pleiotropic immune-suppression in the tumor. Citation Format: Varsha Gadiyar, Viralkumar Davra, David Calianese, Kevin Lahey, Raymond B. Birge. The role of phosphatidylserine scramblases in tumor progression [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 1350.