1
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Martin-Vega A, Cobb MH. Navigating the ERK1/2 MAPK Cascade. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1555. [PMID: 37892237 PMCID: PMC10605237 DOI: 10.3390/biom13101555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The RAS-ERK pathway is a fundamental signaling cascade crucial for many biological processes including proliferation, cell cycle control, growth, and survival; common across all cell types. Notably, ERK1/2 are implicated in specific processes in a context-dependent manner as in stem cells and pancreatic β-cells. Alterations in the different components of this cascade result in dysregulation of the effector kinases ERK1/2 which communicate with hundreds of substrates. Aberrant activation of the pathway contributes to a range of disorders, including cancer. This review provides an overview of the structure, activation, regulation, and mutational frequency of the different tiers of the cascade; with a particular focus on ERK1/2. We highlight the importance of scaffold proteins that contribute to kinase localization and coordinate interaction dynamics of the kinases with substrates, activators, and inhibitors. Additionally, we explore innovative therapeutic approaches emphasizing promising avenues in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Martin-Vega
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6001 Forest Park Rd., Dallas, TX 75390, USA;
| | - Melanie H. Cobb
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6001 Forest Park Rd., Dallas, TX 75390, USA;
- Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6001 Forest Park Rd., Dallas, TX 75390, USA
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2
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Weisshaar N, Wu J, Ming Y, Madi A, Hotz-Wagenblatt A, Ma S, Mieg A, Hering M, Zettl F, Mohr K, Schlimbach T, Ten Bosch N, Hertel F, Müller L, Byren H, Wang M, Borgers H, Munz M, Schmitt L, van der Hoeven F, Kloz U, Carretero R, Schleußner N, Jackstadt RF, Hofmann I, Cui G. Rgs16 promotes antitumor CD8 + T cell exhaustion. Sci Immunol 2022; 7:eabh1873. [PMID: 35622904 DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.abh1873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
T cells become functionally exhausted in tumors, limiting T cell-based immunotherapies. Although several transcription factors regulating the exhausted T (Tex) cell differentiation are known, comparatively little is known about the regulators of Tex cell survival. Here, we reported that the regulator of G protein signaling 16 (Rgs-16) suppressed Tex cell survival in tumors. By performing lineage tracing using reporter mice in which mCherry marked Rgs16-expressing cells, we identified that Rgs16+CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) were terminally differentiated, expressed low levels of T cell factor 1 (Tcf1), and underwent apoptosis as early as 6 days after the onset of Rgs16 expression. Rgs16 deficiency inhibited CD8+ T cell apoptosis and promoted antitumor effector functions of CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, Rgs16 deficiency synergized with programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blockade to enhance antitumor CD8+ T cell responses. Proteomics revealed that Rgs16 interacted with the scaffold protein IQGAP1, suppressed the recruitment of Ras and B-Raf, and inhibited Erk1 activation. Rgs16 deficiency enhanced antitumor CD8+ TIL survival in an Erk1-dependent manner. Loss of function of Erk1 decreased antitumor functions of Rgs16-deficient CD8+ T cells. RGS16 mRNA expression levels in CD8+ TILs of patients with melanoma negatively correlated with genes associated with T cell stemness, such as SELL, TCF7, and IL7R, and predicted low responses to PD-1 blockade. This study uncovers Rgs16 as an inhibitor of Tex cell survival in tumors and has implications for improving T cell-based immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Weisshaar
- T Cell Metabolism Group (D192), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jingxia Wu
- T Cell Metabolism Group (D192), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yanan Ming
- T Cell Metabolism Group (D192), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alaa Madi
- T Cell Metabolism Group (D192), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Agnes Hotz-Wagenblatt
- Core Facility Omics IT and Data Management, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sicong Ma
- T Cell Metabolism Group (D192), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alessa Mieg
- T Cell Metabolism Group (D192), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marvin Hering
- T Cell Metabolism Group (D192), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ferdinand Zettl
- T Cell Metabolism Group (D192), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kerstin Mohr
- T Cell Metabolism Group (D192), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tilo Schlimbach
- T Cell Metabolism Group (D192), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nora Ten Bosch
- T Cell Metabolism Group (D192), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Franziska Hertel
- T Cell Metabolism Group (D192), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lisann Müller
- T Cell Metabolism Group (D192), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hannah Byren
- T Cell Metabolism Group (D192), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mona Wang
- T Cell Metabolism Group (D192), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Helena Borgers
- T Cell Metabolism Group (D192), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mareike Munz
- T Cell Metabolism Group (D192), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lukas Schmitt
- T Cell Metabolism Group (D192), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Franciscus van der Hoeven
- Transgenic Service (W450), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ulrich Kloz
- Transgenic Service (W450), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rafael Carretero
- DKFZ-Bayer Immunotherapeutic Lab, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nikolai Schleußner
- Cancer Progression and Metastasis (A013), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, University Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rene-Filip Jackstadt
- Cancer Progression and Metastasis (A013), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM gGmbH), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ilse Hofmann
- Division of Vascular Oncology and Metastasis (A190), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,Core Facility Antibodies (W170), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Guoliang Cui
- T Cell Metabolism Group (D192), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,Helmholtz Institute for Translational Oncology (HI-TRON), 55131 Mainz, Germany
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3
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Wei T, Lambert PF. Role of IQGAP1 in Carcinogenesis. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:3940. [PMID: 34439095 PMCID: PMC8391515 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13163940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Scaffolding proteins can play important roles in cell signaling transduction. IQ motif-containing GTPase-activating protein 1 (IQGAP1) influences many cellular activities by scaffolding multiple key signaling pathways, including ones involved in carcinogenesis. Two decades of studies provide evidence that IQGAP1 plays an essential role in promoting cancer development. IQGAP1 is overexpressed in many types of cancer, and its overexpression in cancer is associated with lower survival of the cancer patient. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the literature regarding the oncogenic roles of IQGAP1. We start by describing the major cancer-related signaling pathways scaffolded by IQGAP1 and their associated cellular activities. We then describe clinical and molecular evidence for the contribution of IQGAP1 in different types of cancers. In the end, we review recent evidence implicating IQGAP1 in tumor-related immune responses. Given the critical role of IQGAP1 in carcinoma development, anti-tumor therapies targeting IQGAP1 or its associated signaling pathways could be beneficial for patients with many types of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul F. Lambert
- McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA;
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4
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Leone M, Cazorla-Vázquez S, Ferrazzi F, Wiederstein JL, Gründl M, Weinstock G, Vergarajauregui S, Eckstein M, Krüger M, Gaubatz S, Engel FB. IQGAP3, a YAP Target, Is Required for Proper Cell-Cycle Progression and Genome Stability. Mol Cancer Res 2021; 19:1712-1726. [PMID: 34183451 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-20-0639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Controlling cell proliferation is critical for organism development, tissue homeostasis, disease, and regeneration. IQGAP3 has been shown to be required for proper cell proliferation and migration, and is associated to a number of cancers. Moreover, its expression is inversely correlated with the overall survival rate in the majority of cancers. Here, we show that IQGAP3 expression is elevated in cervical cancer and that in these cancers IQGAP3 high expression is correlated with an increased lethality. Furthermore, we demonstrate that IQGAP3 is a target of YAP, a regulator of cell cycle gene expression. IQGAP3 knockdown resulted in an increased percentage of HeLa cells in S phase, delayed progression through mitosis, and caused multipolar spindle formation and consequentially aneuploidy. Protein-protein interaction studies revealed that IQGAP3 interacts with MMS19, which is known in Drosophila to permit, by competitive binding to Xpd, Cdk7 to be fully active as a Cdk-activating kinase (CAK). Notably, IQGAP3 knockdown caused decreased MMS19 protein levels and XPD knockdown partially rescued the reduced proliferation rate upon IQGAP3 knockdown. This suggests that IQGAP3 modulates the cell cycle via the MMS19/XPD/CAK axis. Thus, in addition to governing proliferation and migration, IQGAP3 is a critical regulator of mitotic progression and genome stability. IMPLICATIONS: Our data indicate that, while IQGAP3 inhibition might be initially effective in decreasing cancer cell proliferation, this approach harbors the risk to promote aneuploidy and, therefore, the formation of more aggressive cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Leone
- Experimental Renal and Cardiovascular Research, Department of Nephropathology, Institute of Pathology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Salvador Cazorla-Vázquez
- Experimental Renal and Cardiovascular Research, Department of Nephropathology, Institute of Pathology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Fulvia Ferrazzi
- Department of Nephropathology, Institute of Pathology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.,Institute of Pathology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.,Muscle Research Center Erlangen (MURCE), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Janica L Wiederstein
- Institute for Genetics, Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Marco Gründl
- Theodor Boveri Institute and Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Grit Weinstock
- Theodor Boveri Institute and Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Silvia Vergarajauregui
- Experimental Renal and Cardiovascular Research, Department of Nephropathology, Institute of Pathology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Markus Eckstein
- Institute of Pathology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Marcus Krüger
- Institute for Genetics, Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Stefan Gaubatz
- Theodor Boveri Institute and Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, Biocenter, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Felix B Engel
- Experimental Renal and Cardiovascular Research, Department of Nephropathology, Institute of Pathology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany. .,Muscle Research Center Erlangen (MURCE), Erlangen, Germany.,Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
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5
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Kumar D, Patel SA, Hassan MK, Mohapatra N, Pattanaik N, Dixit M. Reduced IQGAP2 expression promotes EMT and inhibits apoptosis by modulating the MEK-ERK and p38 signaling in breast cancer irrespective of ER status. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:389. [PMID: 33846302 PMCID: PMC8041781 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03673-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
IQGAP2, a member of the IQGAP family, functions as a tumor suppressor in most of the cancers. Unlike IQGAP1 and IQGAP3, which function as oncogenes in breast cancer, the role of IQGAP2 is still unexplored. Here we report a reduced expression of IQGAP2, which was associated with lymph node positivity, lymphovascular invasion, and higher age in breast cancer patients. We found an inverse correlation of IQGAP2 expression levels with oncogenic properties of breast cancer cell lines in estrogen receptor (ER) independent manner. IQGAP2 expression enhanced apoptosis via reactive oxygen species (ROS)-P38-p53 pathway and reduced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in a MEK-ERK-dependent manner. IQGAP2-IQGAP1 ratio correlated negatively with phospho-ERK levels in breast cancer patients. Pull-down assay showed interaction of IQGAP1 and IQGAP2. IQGAP2 overexpression rescued, IQGAP1-mediated ERK activation, suggesting the possibility of IQGAP1 sequestration by IQGAP2. IQGAP2 depletion, in a tumor xenograft model, increased tumor volume, tumor weight, and phospho-ERK expression. Overall, our findings suggest that IQGAP2 is negatively associated with proliferative and metastatic abilities of breast cancer cells. Suppression of IQGAP1-mediated ERK activation is a possible route via which IQGAP2 restricts oncogenic properties of breast cancer cells. Our study highlights the candidature of IQGAP2 as a potent target for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinesh Kumar
- School of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research Bhubaneswar, HBNI, P.O. Jatni, Khurda, Odisha, 752050, India
| | - Saket Awadesbhai Patel
- School of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research Bhubaneswar, HBNI, P.O. Jatni, Khurda, Odisha, 752050, India
| | - Md Khurshidul Hassan
- School of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research Bhubaneswar, HBNI, P.O. Jatni, Khurda, Odisha, 752050, India
| | - Nachiketa Mohapatra
- Apollo Hospitals, Plot No. 251, Old Sainik School Road, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 750015, India
| | - Niharika Pattanaik
- AMRI Hospital, Plot No. 1, Near Jayadev Vatika Park, Khandagiri, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751019, India
| | - Manjusha Dixit
- School of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research Bhubaneswar, HBNI, P.O. Jatni, Khurda, Odisha, 752050, India.
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6
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Peng X, Wang T, Gao H, Yue X, Bian W, Mei J, Zhang Y. The interplay between IQGAP1 and small GTPases in cancer metastasis. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 135:111243. [PMID: 33434854 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 12/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The metastatic spread of tumor cells to distant anatomical locations is a critical cause for disease progression and leads to more than 90 % of cancer-related deaths. IQ motif-containing GTPase-activating protein 1 (IQGAP1), a prominent regulator in the cancer metastasis process, is a scaffold protein that interacts with components of the cytoskeleton. As a critical node within the small GTPase network, IQGAP1 acts as a binding partner of several small GTPases, which in turn function as molecular switches to control most cellular processes, including cell migration and invasion. Given the significant interaction between IQGAP1 and small GTPases in cancer metastasis, we briefly elucidate the role of IQGAP1 in regulating cancer metastasis and the varied interactions existing between IQGAP1 and small GTPases. In addition, the potential regulators for IQGAP1 activity and its interaction with small GTPases are also incorporated in this review. Overall, we comprehensively summarize the role of IQGAP1 in cancer tumorigenicity and metastasis, which may be a potential anti-tumor target to restrain cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiafeng Peng
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Wuxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital to Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, 214023, China; First Clinical Medicine College, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
| | - Tiejun Wang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Wuxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital to Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, 214023, China.
| | - Han Gao
- School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China.
| | - Xin Yue
- First Clinical Medicine College, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
| | - Weiqi Bian
- First Clinical Medicine College, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
| | - Jie Mei
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Wuxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital to Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, 214023, China; Wuxi Clinical Medical College, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, 214023, China.
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Wuxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital to Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, 214023, China.
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7
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Zhang M, Jang H, Nussinov R. PI3K Driver Mutations: A Biophysical Membrane-Centric Perspective. Cancer Res 2021; 81:237-247. [PMID: 33046444 PMCID: PMC7855922 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-0911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Ras activates its effectors at the membrane. Active PI3Kα and its associated kinases/phosphatases assemble at membrane regions enriched in signaling lipids. In contrast, the Raf kinase domain extends into the cytoplasm and its assembly is away from the crowded membrane surface. Our structural membrane-centric outlook underscores the spatiotemporal principles of membrane and signaling lipids, which helps clarify PI3Kα activation. Here we focus on mechanisms of activation driven by PI3Kα driver mutations, spotlighting the PI3Kα double (multiple) activating mutations. Single mutations can be potent, but double mutations are stronger: their combination is specific, a single strong driver cannot fully activate PI3K, and two weak drivers may or may not do so. In contrast, two strong drivers may successfully activate PI3K, where one, for example, H1047R, modulates membrane interactions facilitating substrate binding at the active site (km) and the other, for example, E542K and E545K, reduces the transition state barrier (ka), releasing autoinhibition by nSH2. Although mostly unidentified, weak drivers are expected to be common, so we ask here how common double mutations are likely to be and why PI3Kα with double mutations responds effectively to inhibitors. We provide a structural view of hotspot and weak driver mutations in PI3Kα activation, explain their mechanisms, compare these with mechanisms of Raf activation, and point to targeting cell-specific, chromatin-accessible, and parallel (or redundant) pathways to thwart the expected emergence of drug resistance. Collectively, our biophysical outlook delineates activation and highlights the challenges of drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingzhen Zhang
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Laboratory of Cancer Immunometabolism, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Hyunbum Jang
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Laboratory of Cancer Immunometabolism, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Ruth Nussinov
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Laboratory of Cancer Immunometabolism, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland.
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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8
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Enhancement of Migration and Invasion of Gastric Cancer Cells by IQGAP3. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10081194. [PMID: 32824461 PMCID: PMC7465220 DOI: 10.3390/biom10081194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Although gastric cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer death in the world, mechanisms underlying this type of tumor have not been fully understood. In this study, we found that IQGAP3, a member of the IQGAP gene family, was significantly up-regulated in human gastric cancer starting from the early stages of tumor progression. Overexpression of IQGAP3 in 293T and NIH3T3 cells, which have no endogenous IQGAP3 expression, resulted in morphological change with multiple dendritic-like protrusions and enhanced migration. Overexpression of IQGAP3 also led to reduced cell–cell adhesion in 293T cells, likely as a result of its interactions with e-cadherin or β-catenin proteins. Additionally, IQGAP3 accumulated along the leading edge of migrating cells and at the cleavage furrow of dividing cells. In contrast, suppression of IQGAP3 by short-interfering RNA (siRNA) markedly reduced invasion and anchorage-independent growth of MKN1 and TMK-1 gastric cancer cells. We further confirmed that IQGAP3 interacted with Rho family GTPases, and had an important role in cytokinesis. Taken together, we demonstrated that IQGAP3 plays critical roles in migration and invasion of human gastric cancer cells, and regulates cytoskeletal remodeling, cell migration and adhesion. These findings may open a new avenue for the diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer.
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9
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Dongol S, Zhang Q, Qiu C, Sun C, Zhang Z, Wu H, Kong B. IQGAP3 promotes cancer proliferation and metastasis in high-grade serous ovarian cancer. Oncol Lett 2020; 20:1179-1192. [PMID: 32724358 PMCID: PMC7377165 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2020.11664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is a type of gynecological cancer with the highest mortality rate worldwide. Due to a lack of effective screening methods, most cases are diagnosed at later stages where the survival rates are poor. Thus, it is termed a ‘silent killer’ and is the most lethal of all the malignancies in women. IQ motif containing GTPase Activating Protein 3 (IQGAP3) is a member of the Rho family of GTPases, and plays a crucial role in the development and progression of several types of cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the oncogenic functions and mechanisms of IQGAP3 on the proliferation and metastasis of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). Therefore, the expression levels of IQGAP3 in HGSOC and normal tissue samples were compared, and IQGAP3 knockdown was performed to examine its functional role using various in vitro and in vivo experiments. It was demonstrated that the expression of IQGAP3 was upregulated in HGSOC tissues compared with the healthy tissues; this differential expression was also observed in the ovarian cancer cell lines. Functional experimental results suggested that IQGAP3 silencing significantly reduced proliferation, migration and invasion in ovarian cancer cell lines. Moreover, in vivo experimental findings validated the in vitro results, where the tumorigenic and metastatic capacities of IQGAP3-silenced cells were significantly lower in the nude mice compared with the mice implanted with the control cells. Furthermore, knockdown of IQGAP3 resulted in increased apoptosis, and the effects of IQGAP3 expression on various epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers were identified, suggesting a possible mechanism associated with the role of IQGAP3 in metastasis. The effect of IQGAP3 silencing on chemosensitivity towards olaparib was also assessed. Collectively, the present results indicated that IQGAP3 is a potential diagnostic and prognostic marker, and a putative therapeutic target of HGSOC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samina Dongol
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Ji'nan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Gynecologic Oncology of Shandong, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Ji'nan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Qing Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Ji'nan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Gynecologic Oncology of Shandong, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Ji'nan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Chunping Qiu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Ji'nan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Gynecologic Oncology of Shandong, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Ji'nan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Chenggong Sun
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Ji'nan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Gynecologic Oncology of Shandong, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Ji'nan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Zhiwei Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Ji'nan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Gynecologic Oncology of Shandong, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Ji'nan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Huan Wu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Ji'nan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Gynecologic Oncology of Shandong, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Ji'nan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Beihua Kong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Ji'nan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory of Gynecologic Oncology of Shandong, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Ji'nan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
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10
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Arora PD, Nakajima K, Nanda A, Plaha A, Wilde A, Sacks DB, McCulloch CA. Flightless anchors IQGAP1 and R-ras to mediate cell extension formation and matrix remodeling. Mol Biol Cell 2020; 31:1595-1610. [PMID: 32432944 PMCID: PMC7521798 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e19-10-0554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Tractional remodeling of collagen fibrils by fibroblasts requires long cell extensions that mediate fibril alignment. The formation of these cell extensions involves flightless I (FliI), an actin-binding protein that contains a leucine-rich-repeat (LRR), which binds R-ras and may regulate cdc42. We considered that FliI interacts with small GTPases and their regulators to mediate assembly of cell extensions. Mass spectrometry analyses of FliI immunoprecipitates showed abundant Ras GTPase-activating-like protein (IQGAP1), which in immunostained samples colocalized with FliI at cell adhesions. Knockdown of IQGAP1 reduced the numbers of cell extensions and the alignment of collagen fibrils. In experiments using dominant negative mutants, cdc42 activity was required for the formation of short extensions while R-ras was required for the formation of long extensions. Immunoprecipitation of wild-type and mutant constructs showed that IQGAP1 associated with cdc42 and R-ras; this association required the GAP-related domain (1004–1237 aa) of IQGAP1. In cells transfected with FliI mutants, the LRR of FliI, but not its gelsolin-like domains, mediated association with cdc42, R-ras, and IQGAP1. We conclude that FliI interacts with IQGAP1 and co-ordinates with cdc42 and R-ras to control the formation of cell extensions that enable collagen tractional remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- P D Arora
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1G6, Canada
| | - K Nakajima
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1G6, Canada
| | - A Nanda
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1G6, Canada
| | - A Plaha
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1G6, Canada
| | - A Wilde
- Departments of Medical Genetics and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - D B Sacks
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - C A McCulloch
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1G6, Canada
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11
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Trenton NJ, McLaughlin RT, Bellamkonda SK, Tsao DS, Rodzinski A, Mace EM, Orange JS, Schweikhard V, Diehl MR. Membrane and Actin Tethering Transitions Help IQGAP1 Coordinate GTPase and Lipid Messenger Signaling. Biophys J 2020; 118:586-599. [PMID: 31952801 PMCID: PMC7002982 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2019.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Revised: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The coordination of lipid messenger signaling with cytoskeletal regulation is central to many organelle-specific regulatory processes. This coupling often depends on the function of multidomain scaffolds that orchestrate transient interactions among multiple signaling intermediates and regulatory proteins on organelles. The number of possible scaffold interaction partners and the ability for these interactions to occur at different timescales makes investigations of scaffold functions challenging. This work employs live cell imaging to probe how the multidomain scaffold IQ motif containing GTPase activating protein 1 (IQGAP1) coordinates the activities of proteins affecting local actin polymerization, membrane processing, and phosphoinositide signaling. Using endosomes that are confined by a local actin network as a model system, we demonstrate that IQGAP1 can transition between different actin and endosomal membrane tethered states. Fast scaffold binding/disassociation transitions are shown to be driven by interactions between C-terminal scaffold domains and Rho GTPases at the membrane. Fluctuations in these binding modes are linked to negative regulation of actin polymerization. Although this control governs core elements of IQGAP1 dynamics, actin binding by the N-terminal calponin homology domain of the scaffold is shown to help the scaffold track the temporal development of endosome membrane markers, implying actin associations bolster membrane and actin coordination. Importantly, these effects are not easily distilled purely through standard (static) co-localization analyses or traditional pathway perturbations methods and were resolved by performing dynamic correlation and multiple regression analyses of IQGAP1 scaffold mutants. Using these capabilities with pharmacological inhibition, we provide evidence that membrane tethering is dependent on the activities of the lipid kinase phosphoinositide 3-kinase in addition to the Rho GTPases Rac1 and Cdc42. Overall, these methods and results point to a scaffold tethering mechanism that allows IQGAP1 to help control the amplitude of phosphoinositide lipid messenger signaling by coordinating signaling intermediate activities with the development and disassembly of local actin cytoskeletal networks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - R Tyler McLaughlin
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas; Graduate Program in Systems, Synthetic and Physical Biology, Rice University, Houston, Texas
| | | | - David S Tsao
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas
| | | | - Emily M Mace
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Jordan S Orange
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
| | | | - Michael R Diehl
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas; Graduate Program in Systems, Synthetic and Physical Biology, Rice University, Houston, Texas; Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas.
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