NFIC regulates ribosomal biology and ER stress in pancreatic acinar cells and restrains PDAC initiation

Pancreatic acinar cells rely on PTF1 and other transcription factors to deploy their transcriptional program. We identify NFIC as a NR5A2 interactor and regulator of acinar differentiation. NFIC binding sites are enriched in NR5A2 ChIP-Sequencing peaks. Nfic knockout mice have a smaller, histologically normal, pancreas with reduced acinar gene expression. NFIC binds and regulates the promoters of acinar genes and those involved in RNA/protein metabolism, and Nfic knockout pancreata show defective ribosomal RNA maturation. NFIC dampens the endoplasmic reticulum stress program through binding to gene promoters and is required for resolution of Tunicamycin-mediated stress. NFIC is down-regulated during caerulein pancreatitis and is required for recovery after damage. Normal human pancreata with low levels of NFIC transcripts display reduced expression of genes down-regulated in Nfic knockout mice. NFIC expression is down-regulated in mouse and human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Consistently, Nfic knockout mice develop a higher number of mutant Kras-driven pre-neoplastic lesions.