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Emerging evidence indicates that various cancers can gain resistance to targeted therapies by acquiring lineage plasticity. Although various genomic and transcriptomic aberrations correlate with lineage plasticity, the molecular mechanisms enabling the acquisition of lineage plasticity have not been fully elucidated. We reveal that Janus kinase (JAK)–signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling is a crucial executor in promoting lineage plasticity-driven androgen receptor (AR)-targeted therapy resistance in prostate cancer. Importantly, ectopic JAK–STAT activation is specifically required for the resistance of stem-like subclones expressing multilineage transcriptional programs but not subclones exclusively expressing the neuroendocrine-like lineage program. Both genetic and pharmaceutical inhibition of JAK–STAT signaling resensitizes resistant tumors to AR-targeted therapy. Together, these results suggest that JAK–STAT are compelling therapeutic targets for overcoming lineage plasticity-driven AR-targeted therapy resistance.

Supplementary Data from MYC Levels Regulate Metastatic Heterogeneity in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

The degree of metastatic disease varies widely among patients with cancer and affects clinical outcomes. However, the biological and functional differences that drive the extent of metastasis are poorly understood. We analyzed primary tumors and paired metastases using a multifluorescent lineage-labeled mouse model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC)—a tumor type in which most patients present with metastases. Genomic and transcriptomic analysis revealed an association between metastatic burden and gene amplification or transcriptional upregulation of MYC and its downstream targets. Functional experiments showed that MYC promotes metastasis by recruiting tumor-associated macrophages, leading to greater bloodstream intravasation. Consistent with these findings, metastatic progression in human PDAC was associated with activation of MYC signaling pathways and enrichment for MYC amplifications specifically in metastatic patients. Collectively, these results implicate MYC activity as a major determinant of metastatic burden in advanced PDAC.Significance:Here, we investigate metastatic variation seen clinically in patients with PDAC and murine PDAC tumors and identify MYC as a major driver of this heterogeneity.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 275

Supplementary Figure from MYC Levels Regulate Metastatic Heterogeneity in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

The degree of metastatic disease varies widely among patients with cancer and affects clinical outcomes. However, the biological and functional differences that drive the extent of metastasis are poorly understood. We analyzed primary tumors and paired metastases using a multifluorescent lineage-labeled mouse model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC)—a tumor type in which most patients present with metastases. Genomic and transcriptomic analysis revealed an association between metastatic burden and gene amplification or transcriptional upregulation of MYC and its downstream targets. Functional experiments showed that MYC promotes metastasis by recruiting tumor-associated macrophages, leading to greater bloodstream intravasation. Consistent with these findings, metastatic progression in human PDAC was associated with activation of MYC signaling pathways and enrichment for MYC amplifications specifically in metastatic patients. Collectively, these results implicate MYC activity as a major determinant of metastatic burden in advanced PDAC. Significance: Here, we investigate metastatic variation seen clinically in patients with PDAC and murine PDAC tumors and identify MYC as a major driver of this heterogeneity. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 275

Emerging evidence indicates that various cancers can gain resistance to targeted therapies by acquiring lineage plasticity. Although various genomic and transcriptomic aberrations correlate with lineage plasticity-driven resistance, the molecular mechanisms of acquiring lineage plasticity have not been fully elucidated. Through integrated transcriptomic and single cell RNA-Seq (scRNA-Seq) analysis of more than 80,000 cells, we reveal for the first time that the Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling is a crucial executor in promoting lineage plasticity-driven AR targeted therapy resistance in prostate cancer. Ectopic activation of JAK-STAT signaling is specifically required for the AR targeted therapy resistance of subclones expressing multilineage, stem-like and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) lineage transcriptional programs and represents a potential therapeutic target for overcoming AR targeted therapy resistance.One-Sentence SummaryJAK-STAT signaling is a crucial executor in promoting lineage plasticity-driven AR therapy resistance in prostate cancer.