
The planar cell polarity (PCP) protein Flamingo (Fmi) is required in winner cells to maintain their status and outcompete neighboring cells during both malignant tumor growth and developmental cell competition in Drosophila.


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The growth and survival of cells with different fitness, such as those with a proliferative advantage or a deleterious mutation, is controlled through cell competition. During development, cell competition enables healthy cells to eliminate less fit cells that could jeopardize tissue integrity, and facilitates the elimination of pre-malignant cells by healthy cells as a surveillance mechanism to prevent oncogenesis. Malignant cells also benefit from cell competition to promote their expansion. Despite its ubiquitous presence, the mechanisms governing cell competition, particularly those common to developmental competition and tumorigenesis, are poorly understood. Here, we show that in Drosophila , the planar cell polarity (PCP) protein Flamingo (Fmi) is required by winners to maintain their status during cell competition in malignant tumors to overtake healthy tissue, in early pre-malignant cells when they overproliferate among wildtype cells, in healthy cells when they later eliminate pre-malignant cells, and by supercompetitors as they compete to occupy excessive territory within wildtype tissues. “Would-be” winners that lack Fmi are unable to over-proliferate, and instead become losers. We demonstrate that the role of Fmi in cell competition is independent of PCP, and that it uses a distinct mechanism that may more closely resemble one used in other less well-defined functions of Fmi.

### Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

Flamingo participates in multiple models of cell competition

flamingo-a-planar-cell-polarity-protein-is-required-for-cell-competition-in-drosophila-tumors-and-development


Flamingo, a Planar Cell Polarity Protein, is Required for Cell Competition in Drosophila Tumors and Development
