ABCC2 induces metabolic vulnerability and cellular ferroptosis via enhanced glutathione efflux in gastric cancer

Background Although it is traditionally believed that ATP binding cassette subfamily C member 2 (ABCC2) is a multidrug resistance-associated protein correlated with a worse prognosis, our previous and several other studies demonstrated the contrary to be true in gastric cancer (GC). We aim to explore the underlying mechanism of this discovery. Methods Our study utilized whole-exome sequencing (WES), RNA sequencing, and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) analysis of 80 gastric cancer samples, along with comprehensive immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of 1044 human GC tissue samples.By utilizing CRISPRCas9 to genetically modify cell lines with the ABCC2-24C > T (rs717620) point mutation and conducting dual-luciferase reporter assays, we identified that transcription factors SOX9 and ETS1 serve as negative regulators of ABCC2 expression. Seahorse assay and mass spectrometry were used to discover altered metabolic patterns. Gain and loss-of-function experiments in GC cell lines and preclinical models were carried out to validate ABCC2 biological function. Results ABCC2 high expression correlated with better prognosis, and rs717620 can influence ABCC2 expression by disrupting the binding of ETS1 and SOX9. Gain and loss-of-function experiments in GC cell lines demonstrated amino acid deprivation reduces proliferation, migration, and drug resistance in ABCC2-high GC cells. ABCC2 leads to reduced intracellular amino acid pools and disruption of cellular energy metabolism. This phenomenon depended on ABCC2-mediated GSH extrusion, resulting in alterations in redox status, thereby increasing the cell's susceptibility to ferroptosis. Furthermore, patient-derived organoids and patient-derived tumor-like cell clusters were used to observe impact of ABCC2 on therapeutic effect. In the xenograft model with high ABCC2 expression, we observed that constricting amino acid intake in conjunction with GPX4 inactivation resulted in notable tumor regression. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate a significant role of ABCC2 in amino acid metabolism and ferroptosis by mediating GSH efflux in GC. This discovery underlines the potential of combining multiple ferroptosis targets as a promising therapeutic strategy for GC with high ABCC2 expression.