Phosphorylation of pericyte FAK-Y861 affects tumour cell apoptosis and tumour blood vessel regression

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase that is overexpressed in many cancer types and in vivo studies have shown that vascular endothelial cell FAK expression and FAK-phosphorylation at tyrosine (Y) 397, and subsequently FAK-Y861, are important in tumour angiogenesis. Pericytes also play a vital role in regulating tumour blood vessel stabilisation, but the specific involvement of pericyte FAK-Y397 and FAK-Y861 phosphorylation in tumour blood vessels is unknown. Using PdgfrβCre + ;FAK(WT/WT), PdgfrβCre + ;FAK(Y397F/Y397F) and PdgfrβCre + ;FAK(Y861F/Y861F) mice, our data demonstrate that Lewis lung carcinoma tumour growth, tumour blood vessel density, blood vessel perfusion and pericyte coverage were affected only in late stage tumours in PdgfrβCre + ;FAK(Y861F/Y861F) but not PdgfrβCre + ;FAK(Y397F/Y397F) mice. Further examination indicates a dual role for pericyte FAK-Y861 phosphorylation in the regulation of tumour vessel regression and also in the control of pericyte derived signals that influence apoptosis in cancer cells. Overall this study identifies the role of pericyte FAK-Y861 in the regulation of tumour vessel regression and tumour growth control and that non-phosphorylatable FAK-Y861F in pericytes reduces tumour growth and blood vessel density. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10456-021-09776-8.