Suppression of VEGFD expression by S-nitrosylation promotes the development of lung adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND: Vascular endothelial growth factor D (VEGFD), a member of the VEGF family, is implicated in angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, and is deemed to be expressed at a low level in cancers. S-nitrosylation, a NO (nitric oxide)-mediated post-translational modification has a critical role in angiogenesis. Here, we attempt to dissect the role and underlying mechanism of S-nitrosylation-mediated VEGFD suppression in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). METHODS: Messenger RNA and protein expression of VEGFD in LUAD were analyzed by TCGA and CPTAC database, respectively, and Assistant for Clinical Bioinformatics was performed for complex analysis. Mouse models with urethane (Ure)–induced LUAD or LUAD xenograft were established to investigate the role of S-nitrosylation in VEGFD expression and of VEGFD mutants in the oncogenesis of LUAD. Molecular, cellular, and biochemical approaches were applied to explore the underlying mechanism of S-nitrosylation-mediated VEGFD suppression. Tube formation and wound healing assays were used to examine the role of VEGFD on the angiogenesis and migration of LUAD cells, and the molecular modeling was applied to predict the protein stability of VEGFD mutant. RESULTS: VEGFD mRNA and protein levels were decreased to a different extent in multiple primary malignancies, especially in LUAD. Low VEGFD protein expression was closely related to the oncogenesis of LUAD and resultant from excessive NO-induced VEGFD S-nitrosylation at Cys277. Moreover, inhibition of S-nitrosoglutathione reductase consistently decreased the VEGFD denitrosylation at Cys277 and consequently promoted angiogenesis of LUAD. Finally, the VEGFD(C277S) mutant decreased the secretion of mature VEGFD by attenuating the PC7-dependent proteolysis and VEGFD(C277S) mutant thus reversed the effect of VEGFD on angiogenesis of LUAD. CONCLUSION: Low-expression of VEGFD positively correlates with LUAD development. Aberrant S-nitrosylation of VEGFD negates itself to induce the tumorigenesis of LUAD, whereas normal S-nitrosylation of VEGFD is indispensable for its secretion and repression of angiogenesis of LUAD. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-022-02453-8.