OSBPL3-driven sterol metabolic reprogramming promotes oncogenic signaling and therapeutic resistance in pancreatic cancer.

[BACKGROUND] As a member of the oxysterol-binding protein-like (OSBP) family, which is primarily involved in lipid transport and metabolic regulation, Oxysterol-binding protein-like protein 3 (OSBPL3), has garnered increasing attention due to its abnormal expression and functional roles in various cancers. However, the specific role and molecular mechanisms of OSBPL3 in pancreatic cancer (PDA) remain unclear.

[METHODS] Single-cell and spatial transcriptomic data analyses combined with functional experiments were utilized to systematically evaluate OSBPL3 expression changes at various stages of PDA. Cell lines with decreased or increased expression of OSBPL3 were generated to analyze its role in cell proliferation, stemness, metastasis and chemoresistance. Single-cell transcriptomic and mass spectrometry data was further integrated with functional validation to explore the regulatory mechanisms through which OSBPL3 modulates PDA malignancy.

[RESULTS] OSBPL3 was highly expressed throughout various stages of pancreatic inflammation, precursor lesions, and PDA in both human and mouse pancreatic tissues. Increased OSBPL3 expression significantly enhanced the proliferative capacity and stemness of PDA cells, and promoted their migration, invasion, and metastasis. Moreover, increased OSBPL3 expression impacted on the malignant behaviors of PDA, , reduced PDA cell sensitivity to oxaliplatin, whereas inhibition of NOTCH pathway significantly attenuated the drug resistance and stemness features induced by increased OSBPL3 expression, suggesting that OSBPL3 modulated PDA malignancy via oncogenic pathways such as NOTCH signaling pathway. Furthermore, increased OSBPL3 expression was significantly associated with the enrichment of cholesterol esters and other steroid metabolites, as well as their related pathways. Inhibition of key enzymes involved in cholesterol synthesis resulted in a significant reduction in NOTCH pathway and stemness in PDA mouse models.

[CONCLUSIONS] Aberrant expression of OSBPL3 plays a pivotal role in PDA initiation and progression and serves as an independent prognostic factor for poor outcomes in PDA patients. OSBPL3 promotes PDA cell proliferation, stemness, and chemoresistance by mediating lipid metabolic reprogramming and regulating oncogenic pathways such as NOTCH. Therefore, inhibition of OSBPL3 expression or blockade of its signaling represent a potential therapeutic strategy to improve therapeutic efficacy and prognosis in PDA patients.