Tumor cell-secreted PLD increases tumor stemness by senescence-mediated communication with microenvironment

Cancer cells are in continuous communication with the surrounding microenvironment and this communication can affect tumor evolution. In this work, we show that phospholipase D2 (PLD2) was overexpressed in colon tumors and is secreted by cancer cells, inducing senescence in neighboring fibroblasts. This occurs through its lipase domain. Senescence induced by its product, phosphatidic acid, leads to a senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) able to increase the stem properties of cancer cells. This increase in stemness occurs by Wnt pathway activacion. This closes a feedback loop in which senescence acts as a crosspoint for the generation of CSCs mediated by phospholipid metabolism. We also demonstrate the connexion of both phenomena in mouse models in vivo showing that a high PLD2 expression increased stemness and tumorigenesis. Thus, the patients with colon cancer show high levels of PLD2 and SASP factor genes expression correlating with Wnt pathway activation. Therefore, we demonstrate that tumor cell-secreted PLD2 contributes to tumor development by modifying the microenvironment, making it a possible therapeutic target for cancer treatment. This mechanism may also explain the high levels of Wnt pathway activation in colon cancer.