An AKT/PRMT5/SREBP1 axis in lung adenocarcinoma regulates de novo lipogenesis and tumor growth.

Protein kinase B (AKT) hyperactivation and de novo lipogenesis are both common in tumor progression. Sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1) is the master regulator for tumor lipid metabolism, and protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) is an enzyme that can catalyze symmetric dimethyl arginine (SDMA) modification of the mature form of SREBP1 (mSREBP1) to induce its hyperactivation. Here, we report that SDMA-modified mSREBP1 (mSREBP1-SDMA) was overexpressed and correlated with Ser473-phosphorylated AKT (AKT-473P) expression and poor patient outcomes in human lung adenocarcinomas. Furthermore, patients with AKT-473P and mSREBP1-SDMA coexpression showed the worst prognosis. Mechanistic investigation revealed that AKT activation upregulated SREBP1 at both the transcriptional and post-translational levels, whereas PRMT5 knockdown reversed AKT signaling-mediated mSREBP1 ubiquitin-proteasome pathway stabilization at the post-translational level. Meanwhile, AKT activation promoted nuclear PRMT5 to the cytoplasm without changing total PRMT5 expression, and the transported cytoplasmic PRMT5 (cPRMT5) induced by AKT activation showed a strong mSREBP1-binding ability. Immunohistochemical assay indicated that AKT-473P and mSREBP1-SDMA were positively correlated with cPRMT5 in lung adenocarcinomas, and high cPRMT5 levels in tumors were associated with poor patient outcomes. Additionally, PRMT5 knockdown reversed AKT activation-induced lipid synthesis and growth advantage of lung adenocarcinoma cells both in vitro and in vivo. Finally, we defined an AKT/PRMT5/SREBP1 axis involved in de novo lipogenesis and the growth of lung cancer. Our data also support that cPRMT5 is a potential therapeutic target for hyperactive AKT-driven lung adenocarcinoma.