Expression of the cholesterol transporter SR-B1 in melanoma cells facilitates inflammatory signaling leading to reduced cholesterol synthesis

Scavenger receptor class B type 1 (SR-B1) is a cholesterol transporter, abundantly expressed in human melanoma, yet its precise role for melanoma progression is not fully understood. This study investigates the involvement of SR-B1 in cholesterol homeostasis of tumor cells and its implications for p...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Oliver Eckel, Madalina A. Mirea, Anna Gschwendtner, Martina Pistek, Katharina Kinslechner, Clemens Röhrl, Herbert Stangl, Markus Hengstschläger, Mario Mikula
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:Neoplasia: An International Journal for Oncology Research
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1476558625000338
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850260664289853440
author Oliver Eckel
Madalina A. Mirea
Anna Gschwendtner
Martina Pistek
Katharina Kinslechner
Clemens Röhrl
Herbert Stangl
Markus Hengstschläger
Mario Mikula
author_facet Oliver Eckel
Madalina A. Mirea
Anna Gschwendtner
Martina Pistek
Katharina Kinslechner
Clemens Röhrl
Herbert Stangl
Markus Hengstschläger
Mario Mikula
author_sort Oliver Eckel
collection DOAJ
description Scavenger receptor class B type 1 (SR-B1) is a cholesterol transporter, abundantly expressed in human melanoma, yet its precise role for melanoma progression is not fully understood. This study investigates the involvement of SR-B1 in cholesterol homeostasis of tumor cells and its implications for potential therapy. We found that SR-B1 depletion in melanoma cells does not alter total cholesterol levels, but induces cholesterol biosynthesis. This effect was characterized by an increased expression of HMG-CoA reductase (HMGCR), a rate limiting enzyme of cholesterol biosynthesis. Notably, further analyses indicated that this regulation occurs at the post-translational level, mediated via the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) signaling pathway. Importantly, we identified SR-B1 as a transporter of the lipid hormone sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and we found that S1P exposure leads to HIF1A up-regulation. Finally, we used a pluripotent stem cell-derived skin organoid model to show that targeting SR-B1 in combination with targeted melanoma therapy can lead to increased apoptosis and suppressed proliferation of transplanted tumor cells. Our study shows that functional SR-B1 is linked to inflammatory signaling, which reduces cholesterol synthesis, while enabling melanoma cell survival during chemotherapy treatment.
format Article
id doaj-art-ebff537f431741b09f7077d3729c15ee
institution OA Journals
issn 1476-5586
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Neoplasia: An International Journal for Oncology Research
spelling doaj-art-ebff537f431741b09f7077d3729c15ee2025-08-20T01:55:34ZengElsevierNeoplasia: An International Journal for Oncology Research1476-55862025-05-016310115410.1016/j.neo.2025.101154Expression of the cholesterol transporter SR-B1 in melanoma cells facilitates inflammatory signaling leading to reduced cholesterol synthesisOliver Eckel0Madalina A. Mirea1Anna Gschwendtner2Martina Pistek3Katharina Kinslechner4Clemens Röhrl5Herbert Stangl6Markus Hengstschläger7Mario Mikula8Institute of Medical Genetics, Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Strasse 10, 1090, Vienna, AustriaInstitute of Medical Genetics, Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Strasse 10, 1090, Vienna, AustriaInstitute of Medical Genetics, Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Strasse 10, 1090, Vienna, AustriaInstitute of Medical Genetics, Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Strasse 10, 1090, Vienna, AustriaInstitute of Medical Genetics, Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Strasse 10, 1090, Vienna, AustriaUniversity of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Faculty of Engineering, Stelzhamerstraße 23, 4600, Wels, AustriaInstitute of Medical Chemistry, Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Strasse 10, 1090, Vienna, AustriaInstitute of Medical Genetics, Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Strasse 10, 1090, Vienna, AustriaInstitute of Medical Genetics, Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Strasse 10, 1090, Vienna, Austria; Corresponding author.Scavenger receptor class B type 1 (SR-B1) is a cholesterol transporter, abundantly expressed in human melanoma, yet its precise role for melanoma progression is not fully understood. This study investigates the involvement of SR-B1 in cholesterol homeostasis of tumor cells and its implications for potential therapy. We found that SR-B1 depletion in melanoma cells does not alter total cholesterol levels, but induces cholesterol biosynthesis. This effect was characterized by an increased expression of HMG-CoA reductase (HMGCR), a rate limiting enzyme of cholesterol biosynthesis. Notably, further analyses indicated that this regulation occurs at the post-translational level, mediated via the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) signaling pathway. Importantly, we identified SR-B1 as a transporter of the lipid hormone sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and we found that S1P exposure leads to HIF1A up-regulation. Finally, we used a pluripotent stem cell-derived skin organoid model to show that targeting SR-B1 in combination with targeted melanoma therapy can lead to increased apoptosis and suppressed proliferation of transplanted tumor cells. Our study shows that functional SR-B1 is linked to inflammatory signaling, which reduces cholesterol synthesis, while enabling melanoma cell survival during chemotherapy treatment.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1476558625000338HDL receptorCholesterolS1PHIF1AInflammationBLT-1
spellingShingle Oliver Eckel
Madalina A. Mirea
Anna Gschwendtner
Martina Pistek
Katharina Kinslechner
Clemens Röhrl
Herbert Stangl
Markus Hengstschläger
Mario Mikula
Expression of the cholesterol transporter SR-B1 in melanoma cells facilitates inflammatory signaling leading to reduced cholesterol synthesis
Neoplasia: An International Journal for Oncology Research
HDL receptor
Cholesterol
S1P
HIF1A
Inflammation
BLT-1
title Expression of the cholesterol transporter SR-B1 in melanoma cells facilitates inflammatory signaling leading to reduced cholesterol synthesis
title_full Expression of the cholesterol transporter SR-B1 in melanoma cells facilitates inflammatory signaling leading to reduced cholesterol synthesis
title_fullStr Expression of the cholesterol transporter SR-B1 in melanoma cells facilitates inflammatory signaling leading to reduced cholesterol synthesis
title_full_unstemmed Expression of the cholesterol transporter SR-B1 in melanoma cells facilitates inflammatory signaling leading to reduced cholesterol synthesis
title_short Expression of the cholesterol transporter SR-B1 in melanoma cells facilitates inflammatory signaling leading to reduced cholesterol synthesis
title_sort expression of the cholesterol transporter sr b1 in melanoma cells facilitates inflammatory signaling leading to reduced cholesterol synthesis
topic HDL receptor
Cholesterol
S1P
HIF1A
Inflammation
BLT-1
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1476558625000338
work_keys_str_mv AT olivereckel expressionofthecholesteroltransportersrb1inmelanomacellsfacilitatesinflammatorysignalingleadingtoreducedcholesterolsynthesis
AT madalinaamirea expressionofthecholesteroltransportersrb1inmelanomacellsfacilitatesinflammatorysignalingleadingtoreducedcholesterolsynthesis
AT annagschwendtner expressionofthecholesteroltransportersrb1inmelanomacellsfacilitatesinflammatorysignalingleadingtoreducedcholesterolsynthesis
AT martinapistek expressionofthecholesteroltransportersrb1inmelanomacellsfacilitatesinflammatorysignalingleadingtoreducedcholesterolsynthesis
AT katharinakinslechner expressionofthecholesteroltransportersrb1inmelanomacellsfacilitatesinflammatorysignalingleadingtoreducedcholesterolsynthesis
AT clemensrohrl expressionofthecholesteroltransportersrb1inmelanomacellsfacilitatesinflammatorysignalingleadingtoreducedcholesterolsynthesis
AT herbertstangl expressionofthecholesteroltransportersrb1inmelanomacellsfacilitatesinflammatorysignalingleadingtoreducedcholesterolsynthesis
AT markushengstschlager expressionofthecholesteroltransportersrb1inmelanomacellsfacilitatesinflammatorysignalingleadingtoreducedcholesterolsynthesis
AT mariomikula expressionofthecholesteroltransportersrb1inmelanomacellsfacilitatesinflammatorysignalingleadingtoreducedcholesterolsynthesis