Endoplasmic reticulum-resident α-glucosidase II drives non-small cell lung cancer progression via regulation of secretory glycoproteins.

Abstract

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, yet its molecular drivers are not fully defined. Emerging evidence highlights the importance of tumor-stroma interactions mediated by secreted glycoproteins. However, the mechanisms by which cancer cells regulate the secretion of these protumorigenic proteins remain largely unknown. Endoplasmic reticulum-resident (ER-resident) N-glycan-processing enzymes regulate proper protein folding, a prerequisite for glycoproteins to exit the ER and undergo secretion. By evaluating their prognostic significance in lung tumors and conducting functional screening in lung cancer cells, we identify α-glucosidase II (α-Glc II) as a key regulator of NSCLC progression. α-Glc II promotes tumor growth and dissemination in a glucosidase activity-dependent manner in orthotopic mouse lung tumor model. Genetic disruption of α-Glc II induced ER stress and reduced cell proliferation and motility. Mechanistically, α-Glc II-mediated N-glycan modification regulated the ER-to-Golgi trafficking and secretion of specific oncogenic glycoproteins, including lysyl hydroxylase 2 (LH2), Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP1), and TGF-β, which are known to be associated with extracellular matrix remodeling. These findings uncover a role for ER glycosylation machinery in shaping the NSCLC secretome and highlight α-Glc II as a potential therapeutic target.