Cell-death induced immune response and coagulopathy promote cachexia in Drosophila

bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2025 Jan 8:2025.01.07.631515. doi: 10.1101/2025.01.07.631515.

Abstract

Tumors can exert a far-reaching influence on the body, triggering systemic responses that contribute to debilitating conditions like cancer cachexia. To characterize the mechanisms underlying tumor-host interactions, we utilized a BioID-based proximity labeling method to identify proteins secreted by Yki act adult Drosophila gut tumors into the bloodstream/hemolymph. Among the major proteins identified are coagulation and immune-responsive factors that contribute to the systemic wasting phenotypes associated with Yki act tumors. The effect of innate immunity factors is mediated by NFκB transcription factors Relish, dorsal, and Dif, which in turn upregulate the expression of the cachectic factors Pvf1, Impl2, and Upd3. In addition, Yki act tumors secrete Eiger, a TNF-alpha homolog, which activates the JNK signaling pathway in neighboring non-tumor cells, leading to cell death. The release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) from these dying cells presumably amplifies the inflammatory response, exacerbating systemic wasting. Targeting the inflammatory response, the JNK pathway, or the production of cachectic factors could potentially alleviate the debilitating effects of cancer cachexia.

Publication types

  • Preprint

Grants and funding

This work is funded by NIH Transformative R01 grant 5R01DK121409 and the CANCAN team supported by the Cancer Grand Challenges partnership funded by Cancer Research UK (CGCATF-2021/100022) and the National Cancer Institute (1 OT2 CA278685-01). N.P. is an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.