Inflammation mobilizes copper metabolism to promote colon tumorigenesis via an IL-17-STEAP4-XIAP axis

作者：Yun Liao, Junjie Zhao, Katarzyna Bulek, Fangqiang Tang, Xing Chen, Gang Cai, Shang Jia, Paul L. Fox, Emina H. Huang, Theresa T. Pizarro, Matthew F. Kalady, Mark W. Jackson, Shideng Bao, Ganes C. Sen, George R. Stark, Christopher J. Chang, Xiaoxia Li · 发表于：Nature Communications · 年份：2020 · DOI：10.1038/s41467-020-14698-y · 被引用次数：245 · 研究领域：Trace Elements in Health、RNA regulation and disease、Tuberculosis Research and Epidemiology

Copper levels are known to be elevated in inflamed and malignant tissues. But the mechanism underlying this selective enrichment has been elusive. In this study, we report a axis by which inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-17, drive cellular copper uptake via the induction of a metalloreductase, STEAP4. IL-17-induced elevated intracellular copper level leads to the activation of an E3-ligase, XIAP, which potentiates IL-17-induced NFκB activation and suppresses the caspase 3 activity. Importantly, this IL-17-induced STEAP4-dependent cellular copper uptake is critical for colon tumor formation in a murine model of colitis-associated tumorigenesis and STEAP4 expression correlates with IL-17 level and XIAP activation in human colon cancer. In summary, this study reveals a IL-17-STEAP4-XIAP axis through which the inflammatory response induces copper uptake, promoting colon tumorigenesis.