1
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Jeon S, Jeong P, Kang H, Kim MJ, Yun JH, Lim KS, Song B, Kim S, Cho S, Sim B. NEK2 plays an essential role in porcine embryonic development by maintaining mitotic division and DNA damage response via the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway. Cell Prolif 2024; 57:e13626. [PMID: 38426218 PMCID: PMC11294417 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
NIMA-related kinase 2 (NEK2) is a serine/threonine protein kinase that regulates mitosis and plays pivotal roles in cell cycle regulation and DNA damage repair. However, its function in porcine embryonic development is unknown. In this study, we used an NEK2-specific inhibitor, JH295 (JH), to investigate the role of NEK2 in embryonic development and the underlying regulatory mechanisms. Inhibition of NEK2 after parthenogenesis activation or in vitro fertilization significantly reduced the rates of cleavage and blastocyst formation, the numbers of trophectoderm and total cells and the cellular survival rate compared with the control condition. NEK2 inhibition delayed cell cycle progression at all stages from interphase to cytokinesis during the first mitotic division; it caused abnormal nuclear morphology in two- and four-cell stage embryos. Additionally, NEK2 inhibition significantly increased DNA damage and apoptosis, and it altered the expression levels of DNA damage repair- and apoptosis-related genes. Intriguingly, NEK2 inhibition downregulated the expression of β-catenin and its downstream target genes. To validate the relationship between Wnt/β-catenin signalling and NEK2 during porcine embryonic development, we cultured porcine embryos in JH-treated medium with or without CHIR99021, a Wnt activator. CHIR99021 co-treatment strongly restored the developmental parameters reduced by NEK2 inhibition to control levels. Our findings suggest that NEK2 plays an essential role in porcine embryonic development by regulating DNA damage repair and normal mitotic division via the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Se‐Been Jeon
- Futuristic Animal Resource & Research Center (FARRC)Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB)CheongjuRepublic of Korea
- Department of Animal Science, College of Natural Resources & Life SciencePusan National UniversityMiryangRepublic of Korea
| | - Pil‐Soo Jeong
- Futuristic Animal Resource & Research Center (FARRC)Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB)CheongjuRepublic of Korea
| | - Hyo‐Gu Kang
- Futuristic Animal Resource & Research Center (FARRC)Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB)CheongjuRepublic of Korea
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, College of Agriculture and Life ScienceChungnam National UniversityDaejeonRepublic of Korea
| | - Min Ju Kim
- Futuristic Animal Resource & Research Center (FARRC)Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB)CheongjuRepublic of Korea
- Department of Animal Science, College of Natural Resources & Life SciencePusan National UniversityMiryangRepublic of Korea
| | - Ji Hyeon Yun
- Futuristic Animal Resource & Research Center (FARRC)Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB)CheongjuRepublic of Korea
- Department of Animal BioScience, School of Animal Life ConvergenceHankyong National UniversityAnsungRepublic of Korea
| | - Kyung Seob Lim
- Futuristic Animal Resource & Research Center (FARRC)Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB)CheongjuRepublic of Korea
| | - Bong‐Seok Song
- Futuristic Animal Resource & Research Center (FARRC)Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB)CheongjuRepublic of Korea
| | - Sun‐Uk Kim
- Futuristic Animal Resource & Research Center (FARRC)Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB)CheongjuRepublic of Korea
- Department of Functional GenomicsUniversity of Science and TechnologyDaejeonRepublic of Korea
| | - Seong‐Keun Cho
- Department of Animal Science, Life and Industry Convergence Research Institute (RICRI), College of Natural Resources & Life SciencePusan National UniversityMiryangRepublic of Korea
| | - Bo‐Woong Sim
- Futuristic Animal Resource & Research Center (FARRC)Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB)CheongjuRepublic of Korea
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2
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Pashley SL, Papageorgiou S, O'Regan L, Barone G, Robinson SW, Lucken K, Straatman KR, Roig J, Fry AM. The mesenchymal morphology of cells expressing the EML4-ALK V3 oncogene is dependent on phosphorylation of Eg5 by NEK7. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107144. [PMID: 38458397 PMCID: PMC11061729 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4 (EML4)-anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) oncogenic fusion proteins are found in approximately 5% of non-small cell lung cancers. Different EML4-ALK fusion variants exist with variant 3 (V3) being associated with a significantly higher risk than other common variants, such as variant 1 (V1). Patients with V3 respond less well to targeted ALK inhibitors, have accelerated rates of metastasis, and have poorer overall survival. A pathway has been described downstream of EML4-ALK V3 that is independent of ALK catalytic activity but dependent on the NEK9 and NEK7 kinases. It has been proposed that assembly of an EML4-ALK V3-NEK9-NEK7 complex on microtubules leads to cells developing a mesenchymal-like morphology and exhibiting enhanced migration. However, downstream targets of this complex remain unknown. Here, we show that the microtubule-based kinesin, Eg5, is recruited to interphase microtubules in cells expressing EML4-ALK V3, whereas chemical inhibition of Eg5 reverses the mesenchymal morphology of cells. Furthermore, we show that depletion of NEK7 interferes with Eg5 recruitment to microtubules in cells expressing EML4-ALK V3 and cell length is reduced, but this is reversed by coexpression of a phosphomimetic mutant of Eg5, in a site, S1033, phosphorylated by NEK7. Intriguingly, we also found that expression of Eg5-S1033D led to cells expressing EML4-ALK V1 adopting a more mesenchymal-like morphology. Together, we propose that Eg5 acts as a substrate of NEK7 in cells expressing EML4-ALK V3 and Eg5 phosphorylation promotes the mesenchymal morphology typical of these cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Pashley
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Savvas Papageorgiou
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Laura O'Regan
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Giancarlo Barone
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Susan W Robinson
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Kellie Lucken
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Kees R Straatman
- Advanced Imaging Facility, Core Biotechnology Services, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Joan Roig
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, Molecular Biology Institute of Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andrew M Fry
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
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3
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Gao W, Lu J, Yang Z, Li E, Cao Y, Xie L. Mitotic Functions and Characters of KIF11 in Cancers. Biomolecules 2024; 14:386. [PMID: 38672404 PMCID: PMC11047945 DOI: 10.3390/biom14040386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Mitosis mediates the accurate separation of daughter cells, and abnormalities are closely related to cancer progression. KIF11, a member of the kinesin family, plays a vital role in the formation and maintenance of the mitotic spindle. Recently, an increasing quantity of data have demonstrated the upregulated expression of KIF11 in various cancers, promoting the emergence and progression of cancers. This suggests the great potential of KIF11 as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target. However, the molecular mechanisms of KIF11 in cancers have not been systematically summarized. Therefore, we first discuss the functions of the protein encoded by KIF11 during mitosis and connect the abnormal expression of KIF11 with its clinical significance. Then, we elucidate the mechanism of KIF11 to promote various hallmarks of cancers. Finally, we provide an overview of KIF11 inhibitors and outline areas for future work.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Yufei Cao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China; (W.G.); (J.L.); (Z.Y.); (E.L.)
| | - Lei Xie
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China; (W.G.); (J.L.); (Z.Y.); (E.L.)
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4
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Basei FL, E Silva IR, Dias PRF, Ferezin CC, Peres de Oliveira A, Issayama LK, Moura LAR, da Silva FR, Kobarg J. The Mitochondrial Connection: The Nek Kinases' New Functional Axis in Mitochondrial Homeostasis. Cells 2024; 13:473. [PMID: 38534317 DOI: 10.3390/cells13060473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria provide energy for all cellular processes, including reactions associated with cell cycle progression, DNA damage repair, and cilia formation. Moreover, mitochondria participate in cell fate decisions between death and survival. Nek family members have already been implicated in DNA damage response, cilia formation, cell death, and cell cycle control. Here, we discuss the role of several Nek family members, namely Nek1, Nek4, Nek5, Nek6, and Nek10, which are not exclusively dedicated to cell cycle-related functions, in controlling mitochondrial functions. Specifically, we review the function of these Neks in mitochondrial respiration and dynamics, mtDNA maintenance, stress response, and cell death. Finally, we discuss the interplay of other cell cycle kinases in mitochondrial function and vice versa. Nek1, Nek5, and Nek6 are connected to the stress response, including ROS control, mtDNA repair, autophagy, and apoptosis. Nek4, in turn, seems to be related to mitochondrial dynamics, while Nek10 is involved with mitochondrial metabolism. Here, we propose that the participation of Neks in mitochondrial roles is a new functional axis for the Nek family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda L Basei
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-871, Brazil
| | - Ivan Rosa E Silva
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-871, Brazil
| | - Pedro R Firmino Dias
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-871, Brazil
| | - Camila C Ferezin
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-871, Brazil
| | | | - Luidy K Issayama
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-871, Brazil
| | - Livia A R Moura
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-871, Brazil
| | | | - Jörg Kobarg
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-871, Brazil
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5
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Panchal NK, Mohanty S, Prince SE. Computational insights into NIMA-related kinase 6: unraveling mutational effects on structure and function. Mol Cell Biochem 2023:10.1007/s11010-023-04910-0. [PMID: 38117419 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-023-04910-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
The NEK6 (NIMA-related kinase 6) serine/threonine kinase is a pivotal player in a multitude of cellular processes, including the regulation of the cell cycle and the response to DNA damage. Its significance extends to disease pathogenesis, as changes in NEK6 activity have been linked to the development of cancer. Non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) in NEK6 have been linked to cancer as they alter the protein's native structure and function. The association between NEK6 activity and cancer development has prompted researchers to explore the effects of genetic variations within the NEK6 gene. Therefore, we utilized advanced computational tools to analyze 155 high-confidence nsSNPs in the NEK6 gene. From this analysis, 21 nsSNPs were identified as potentially harmful, raising concerns about their impact on NEK6 activity and cancer risk. These 21 mutations were then examined for structural alterations, and eight of nsSNPs (I51M, V76A, I134N, Y152D, R171Q, V186G, L237R, and C285S) were found to destabilize the protein. Among the destabilizing mutations screened, a specific mutation, R171Q, stood out due to its conserved nature. To understand its impact on the protein and conformation, all-atom molecular dynamics simulations (MDS) for 100 ns were performed for both Wildtype NEK6 (WT-NEK6) and R171Q. The simulations revealed that the R171Q variant was unstable and led to significant conformational changes in NEK6. This study provides valuable insights into NEK6 dysfunction caused by single amino acid alterations, offering a novel understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying NEK6-related cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nagesh Kishan Panchal
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632 014, India
| | - Shruti Mohanty
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632014, India
| | - Sabina Evan Prince
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632 014, India.
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6
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Jin X, Liu D, Zhou X, Luo X, Huang Q, Huang Y. Entrectinib inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome and inflammatory diseases by directly targeting NEK7. Cell Rep Med 2023; 4:101310. [PMID: 38118409 PMCID: PMC10772347 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
Excessive inflammation caused by abnormal activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome contributes to the pathogenesis of multiple human diseases, but clinical drugs targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome are still not available. In this study, we identify entrectinib (ENB), a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved anti-cancer agent, as a target inhibitor of the NLRP3 inflammasome to treat related diseases. ENB specifically blocks NLRP3 without affecting activation of other inflammasomes. Furthermore, we demonstrate that ENB directly binds to arginine 121 (R121) of NEK7 and blocks the interaction between NEK7 and NLRP3, thereby inhibiting inflammasome assembly and activation. In vivo studies show that ENB has a significant ameliorative effect on mouse models of NLRP3 inflammasome-related diseases, including lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced systemic inflammation, monosodium urate (MSU)-induced peritonitis, and high-fat diet (HFD)-induced type 2 diabetes (T2D). These data show that ENB is a targeted inhibitor of NEK7 with strong anti-NLRP3 inflammasome activity, making it a potential candidate drug for the treatment of inflammasome-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyu Jin
- Insitute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei 230601, China; Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Didi Liu
- Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xinru Zhou
- Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xianyu Luo
- Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qian Huang
- Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yi Huang
- Insitute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei 230601, China; Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Jiangsu, China.
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7
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Wu X, Deng K, Cai H, Zeng Z, Cao J, Zhang L, Lu Z, Cheng W. Nek6 knockdown polarized macrophages into a pro-inflammatory phenotype via inhibiting STAT3 expression. Int J Exp Pathol 2023; 104:237-246. [PMID: 37431082 PMCID: PMC10500168 DOI: 10.1111/iep.12489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently macrophage polarization has emerged as playing an essential role in the oathogenesis of atherosclerosis, which is the most important underlying process in many types of cardiovascular diseases. Although Nek6 has been reported to be involved in various cellular processes, the effect of Nek6 on macrophage polarization remains unknown. Macrophages exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or IL-4 were used to establish an in vitro model for the study of regulation of classically (M1) or alternatively (M2) activated macrophage. Bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) transfected with short hairpin RNA-targeting Nek6 were then in functional studies. We observed that Nek6 expression was decreased in both peritoneal macrophages (PMs) and BMDMs stimulated by LPS. This effect was seen at both mRNA and protein level. The opposite results were obtained after administration of IL-4. Macrophage-specific Nek6 knockdown significantly exacerbated pro-inflammatory M1 polarized macrophage gene expression in response to LPS challenge, but the anti-inflammatory response gene expression that is related to M2 macrophages was attenuated by Nek6 silencing followed by treatment with IL-4. Mechanistic studies exhibited that Nek6 knockdown inhibited the phosphorylated STAT3 expression that mediated the effect on macrophage polarization regulated by AdshNek6. Moreover, decreased Nek6 expression was also observed in atherosclerotic plaques. Collectively, these evidences suggested that Nek6 acts as a crucial site in macrophage polarization, and that this operates in a STAT3-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Wu
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongnan HospitalWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Institute of Myocardial Injury and RepairWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Ke‐Qiong Deng
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongnan HospitalWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Institute of Myocardial Injury and RepairWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Huan‐Huan Cai
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongnan HospitalWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Institute of Myocardial Injury and RepairWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Ziyue Zeng
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongnan HospitalWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Institute of Myocardial Injury and RepairWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Jian‐Lei Cao
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongnan HospitalWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Institute of Myocardial Injury and RepairWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Lin Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongnan HospitalWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Institute of Myocardial Injury and RepairWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Zhibing Lu
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongnan HospitalWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Institute of Myocardial Injury and RepairWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Wen‐Lin Cheng
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongnan HospitalWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Institute of Myocardial Injury and RepairWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
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8
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Chen L, Ballout F, Lu H, Hu T, Zhu S, Chen Z, Peng D. Differential Expression of NEK Kinase Family Members in Esophageal Adenocarcinoma and Barrett's Esophagus. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4821. [PMID: 37835513 PMCID: PMC10571661 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15194821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) has risen rapidly during the past four decades, making it the most common type of esophageal cancer in the USA and Western countries. The NEK (Never in mitosis A (NIMA) related kinase) gene family is a group of serine/threonine kinases with 11 members. Aberrant expression of NEKs has been recently found in a variety of human cancers and plays important roles in tumorigenesis, progression, and drug-resistance. However, the expression of the NEKs in EAC and its precancerous condition (Barrett's esophagus, BE) has not been investigated. In the present study, we first analyzed the TCGA and 9 GEO databases (a total of 10 databases in which 8 contain EAC and 6 contain BE) using bioinformatic approaches for NEKs expression in EAC and BE. We identified that several NEK members, such as NEK2 (7/8), NEK3 (6/8), and NEK6 (6/8), were significantly upregulated in EAC as compared to normal esophagus samples. Alternatively, NEK1 was downregulated in EAC as compared to the normal esophagus. On the contrary, genomic alterations of these NEKs are not frequent in EAC. We validated the above findings using qRT-PCR and the protein expression of NEKs in EAC cell lines using Western blotting and in primary EAC tissues using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Our data suggest that frequent upregulation of NEK2, NEK3, and NEK7 may be important in EAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Chen
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (L.C.); (F.B.); (H.L.); (T.H.); (S.Z.); (Z.C.)
| | - Farah Ballout
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (L.C.); (F.B.); (H.L.); (T.H.); (S.Z.); (Z.C.)
| | - Heng Lu
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (L.C.); (F.B.); (H.L.); (T.H.); (S.Z.); (Z.C.)
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Tianling Hu
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (L.C.); (F.B.); (H.L.); (T.H.); (S.Z.); (Z.C.)
| | - Shoumin Zhu
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (L.C.); (F.B.); (H.L.); (T.H.); (S.Z.); (Z.C.)
| | - Zheng Chen
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (L.C.); (F.B.); (H.L.); (T.H.); (S.Z.); (Z.C.)
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Dunfa Peng
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (L.C.); (F.B.); (H.L.); (T.H.); (S.Z.); (Z.C.)
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, FL 33136, USA
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9
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Nguyen K, Boehling J, Tran MN, Cheng T, Rivera A, Collins-Burow BM, Lee SB, Drewry DH, Burow ME. NEK Family Review and Correlations with Patient Survival Outcomes in Various Cancer Types. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15072067. [PMID: 37046733 PMCID: PMC10093199 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15072067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The Never in Mitosis Gene A (NIMA)–related kinases (NEKs) are a group of serine/threonine kinases that are involved in a wide array of cellular processes including cell cycle regulation, DNA damage repair response (DDR), apoptosis, and microtubule organization. Recent studies have identified the involvement of NEK family members in various diseases such as autoimmune disorders, malignancies, and developmental defects. Despite the existing literature exemplifying the importance of the NEK family of kinases, this family of protein kinases remains understudied. This report seeks to provide a foundation for investigating the role of different NEKs in malignancies. We do this by evaluating the 11 NEK family kinase gene expression associations with patients’ overall survival (OS) from various cancers using the Kaplan–Meier Online Tool (KMPlotter) to correlate the relationship between mRNA expression of NEK1-11 in various cancers and patient survival. Furthermore, we use the Catalog of Somatic Mutations in Cancer (COSMIC) database to identify NEK family mutations in cancers of different tissues. Overall, the data suggest that the NEK family has varying associations with patient survival in different cancers with tumor-suppressive and tumor-promoting effects being tissue-dependent.
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10
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Panchal NK, Evan Prince S. The NEK family of serine/threonine kinases as a biomarker for cancer. Clin Exp Med 2023; 23:17-30. [PMID: 35037094 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-021-00782-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cancer is defined by unrestrained cell proliferation due to impaired protein activity. Cell cycle-related proteins are likely to play a role in human cancers, including proliferation, invasion, and therapeutic resistance. The serine/threonine NEK kinases are the part of Never In Mitosis A Kinases (NIMA) family, which are less explored kinase family involved in the cell cycle, checkpoint regulation, and cilia biology. They comprise of eleven members, namely NEK1, NEK2, NEK3, NEK4, NEK5, NEK6, NEK7, NEK8, NEK9, NEK10, and NEK11, located in different cellular regions. Recent research has shown the role of NEK family in various cancers by perversely expressing. Therefore, this review aimed to provide a systematic account of our understanding of NEK kinases; structural details; and its role in the cell cycle regulation. Furthermore, we have comprehensively reviewed the NEK kinases in terms of their expression and regulation in different cancers. Lastly, we have emphasized on some of the potential NEK inhibitors reported so far.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nagesh Kishan Panchal
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632 014, India
| | - Sabina Evan Prince
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632 014, India.
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11
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NEK6 Regulates Redox Balance and DNA Damage Response in DU-145 Prostate Cancer Cells. Cells 2023; 12:cells12020256. [PMID: 36672191 PMCID: PMC9856815 DOI: 10.3390/cells12020256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
NEK6 is a central kinase in developing castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). However, the pathways regulated by NEK6 in CRPC are still unclear. Cancer cells have high reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and easily adapt to this circumstance and avoid cell death by increasing antioxidant defenses. We knocked out the NEK6 gene and evaluated the redox state and DNA damage response in DU-145 cells. The knockout of NEK6 decreases the clonogenic capacity, proliferation, cell viability, and mitochondrial activity. Targeting the NEK6 gene increases the level of intracellular ROS; decreases the expression of antioxidant defenses (SOD1, SOD2, and PRDX3); increases JNK phosphorylation, a stress-responsive kinase; and increases DNA damage markers (p-ATM and γH2AX). The exogenous overexpression of NEK6 also increases the expression of these same antioxidant defenses and decreases γH2AX. The depletion of NEK6 also induces cell death by apoptosis and reduces the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein. NEK6-lacking cells have more sensitivity to cisplatin. Additionally, NEK6 regulates the nuclear localization of NF-κB2, suggesting NEK6 may regulate NF-κB2 activity. Therefore, NEK6 alters the redox balance, regulates the expression of antioxidant proteins and DNA damage, and its absence induces the death of DU-145 cells. NEK6 inhibition may be a new strategy for CRPC therapy.
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12
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Liu F, Dai L, Li Z, Yin’s X. Novel variants of NEK9 associated with neonatal arthrogryposis: Two case reports and a literature review. Front Genet 2023; 13:989215. [PMID: 36712877 PMCID: PMC9879004 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.989215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: Pathogenic variants in NEK9 (MIM: 609798) have been identified in patients with lethal congenital contracture syndrome 10 (OMIM: 617022) and arthrogryposis, Perthes disease, and upward gaze palsy (APUG and OMIM: 614262). The shared core phenotype is multiple joint contractures or arthrogryposis. In the present study, three novel variants of NEK9 associated with neonatal arthrogryposis were reported. Methods: The clinical data of two premature infants and their parents were collected. The genomic DNA was extracted from their peripheral blood samples and subjected to trio-whole-exome sequencing (trio-WES) and copy number variation analysis. Results: Using trio-WES, a total of three novel pathogenic variants of NEK9 were detected in the two families. Patient 1 carried compound heterozygous variations of c.717C > A (p. C239*741) and c.2824delA (p.M942Cfs*21), which were inherited from his father and mother, respectively. Patient 2 also carried compound heterozygous variations of c.61G > T (p. E21*959) and c. 2824delA (p. M942Cfs*21), which were inherited from his father and mother, respectively. These variants have not been previously reported in the ClinVar, HGMD, or gnomAD databases. Conclusion: This is the first report about NEK9-related arthrogryposis in neonatal patients. The findings from this study suggest that different types of mutations in NEK9 lead to different phenotypes. Our study expanded the clinical phenotype spectrum and gene spectrum of NEK9-associated arthrogryposis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, NICU, the 980th Hospital of the People’s Liberation Army Joint Service Support Force, Bethune International Peace Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China,*Correspondence: Fang Liu,
| | - Liying Dai
- Department of Neonatology, Anhui Children’s Hospital, Hefei, China
| | - Zhi Li
- Department of Pediatrics, NICU, the 980th Hospital of the People’s Liberation Army Joint Service Support Force, Bethune International Peace Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xiaowei Yin’s
- Department of Pediatrics, NICU, the 980th Hospital of the People’s Liberation Army Joint Service Support Force, Bethune International Peace Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China
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13
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Panchal NK, Mohanty S, Prince SE. NIMA-related kinase-6 (NEK6) as an executable target in cancer. CLINICAL & TRANSLATIONAL ONCOLOGY : OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE FEDERATION OF SPANISH ONCOLOGY SOCIETIES AND OF THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE OF MEXICO 2023; 25:66-77. [PMID: 36074296 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-022-02926-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is a disease that develops when cells begin to divide uncontrollably and spreads to other parts of the body. Proliferation and invasion of cancerous cells are generally known to be influenced by cell cycle-related proteins in human malignancies. Therefore, in this review, we have emphasized on the serine/threonine kinase named NEK6. NEK6 is been deliberated to play a critical role in mitosis progression that includes mitotic spindle formation, metaphase to anaphase transition, and centrosome separation. Moreover, it has a mechanistic role in DNA repair and can cause apoptosis when inhibited. Past studies have connected NEK6 protein expression to cancer cell senescence. Besides, there are reports relating NEK6 to a range of malignancies including breast, lung, ovarian, prostate, kidney, liver, and others. Given its significance, this review attempts to describe the structural and functional aspects of NEK6 in various cellular processes, as well as how it is linked to different forms of cancer. Lastly, we have accentuated, on some of the plausible inhibitors that have been explored against NEK6 overexpression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nagesh Kishan Panchal
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632014, India
| | - Shruti Mohanty
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632014, India
| | - Sabina Evan Prince
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632014, India.
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14
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NIMA-related kinase 9 regulates the phosphorylation of the essential myosin light chain in the heart. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6209. [PMID: 36266340 PMCID: PMC9585074 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33658-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
To adapt to changing hemodynamic demands, regulatory mechanisms modulate actin-myosin-kinetics by calcium-dependent and -independent mechanisms. We investigate the posttranslational modification of human essential myosin light chain (ELC) and identify NIMA-related kinase 9 (NEK9) to interact with ELC. NEK9 is highly expressed in the heart and the interaction with ELC is calcium-dependent. Silencing of NEK9 results in blunting of calcium-dependent ELC-phosphorylation. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated disruption of NEK9 leads to cardiomyopathy in zebrafish. Binding to ELC is mediated via the protein kinase domain of NEK9. A causal relationship between NEK9 activity and ELC-phosphorylation is demonstrated by genetic sensitizing in-vivo. Finally, we observe significantly upregulated ELC-phosphorylation in dilated cardiomyopathy patients and provide a unique map of human ELC-phosphorylation-sites. In summary, NEK9-mediated ELC-phosphorylation is a calcium-dependent regulatory system mediating cardiac contraction and inotropy.
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15
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Wang J, Chen S, Liu M, Zhang M, Jia X. NEK7: a new target for the treatment of multiple tumors and chronic inflammatory diseases. Inflammopharmacology 2022; 30:1179-1187. [PMID: 35829941 DOI: 10.1007/s10787-022-01026-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
NIMA-related kinase 7 (NEK7) is a serine/threonine kinase, which is the smallest one in mammalian NEK family. At present, many studies have reported that NEK7 has a physiological role in regulating the cell cycle and promoting the mitotic process of cells. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have proposed that NEK7 is involved in the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Under normal conditions, NEK7 is in a low activity state, while under pathological conditions, NEK7 is abnormally expressed and therefore plays a key role in the progression of multiple tumors and chronic inflammatory diseases. This review will concentrate on the mechanism of NEK7 participates in the process of mitosis and regulates the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome, the aberrant expression of NEK7 in a variety of tumors and chronic inflammatory diseases, and some potential inhibitors, which may provide some new ideas for the treatment of diverse tumors and chronic inflammatory diseases associated with NEK7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012, People's Republic of China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Formula, Hefei, 230012, People's Republic of China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Research and Development of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012, People's Republic of China
| | - Simeng Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012, People's Republic of China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Formula, Hefei, 230012, People's Republic of China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Research and Development of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012, People's Republic of China
| | - Min Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012, People's Republic of China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Formula, Hefei, 230012, People's Republic of China.,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Research and Development of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012, People's Republic of China
| | - Min Zhang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyi Jia
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012, People's Republic of China. .,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Formula, Hefei, 230012, People's Republic of China. .,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Research and Development of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012, People's Republic of China.
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16
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Identification of potent inhibitors of NEK7 protein using a comprehensive computational approach. Sci Rep 2022; 12:6404. [PMID: 35436996 PMCID: PMC9016071 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10253-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
NIMA related Kinases (NEK7) plays an important role in spindle assembly and mitotic division of the cell. Over expression of NEK7 leads to the progression of different cancers and associated malignancies. It is becoming the next wave of targets for the development of selective and potent anti-cancerous agents. The current study is the first comprehensive computational approach to identify potent inhibitors of NEK7 protein. For this purpose, previously identified anti-inflammatory compound i.e., Phenylcarbamoylpiperidine-1,2,4-triazole amide derivatives by our own group were selected for their anti-cancer potential via detailed Computational studies. Initially, the density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried out using Gaussian 09 software which provided information about the compounds' stability and reactivity. Furthermore, Autodock suite and Molecular Operating Environment (MOE) software’s were used to dock the ligand database into the active pocket of the NEK7 protein. Both software performances were compared in terms of sampling power and scoring power. During the analysis, Autodock results were found to be more reproducible, implying that this software outperforms the MOE. The majority of the compounds, including M7, and M12 showed excellent binding energies and formed stable protein–ligand complexes with docking scores of − 29.66 kJ/mol and − 31.38 kJ/mol, respectively. The results were validated by molecular dynamics simulation studies where the stability and conformational transformation of the best protein–ligand complex were justified on the basis of RMSD and RMSF trajectory analysis. The drug likeness properties and toxicity profile of all compounds were determined by ADMETlab 2.0. Furthermore, the anticancer potential of the potent compounds were confirmed by cell viability (MTT) assay. This study suggested that selected compounds can be further investigated at molecular level and evaluated for cancer treatment and associated malignancies.
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17
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Jeltema D, Wang J, Cai J, Kelley N, Yang Z, He Y. A Single Amino Acid Residue Defines the Difference in NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation between NEK7 and NEK6. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2022; 208:2029-2036. [PMID: 35354613 PMCID: PMC9012696 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2101154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is a critical component of the innate immune system that is activated by microbial infections and cellular stress signals. The molecular mechanism of NLRP3 inflammasome activation remains not fully understood. As an NLRP3-interacting partner, NEK7 has emerged as a critical mediator for NLRP3 inflammasome activation. In contrast to NEK7, NEK6, the closely related member of the NEK family, does not support NLRP3 inflammasome activation. In this study, we show that the mouse NEK7 catalytic domain, which shares high sequence identity with the counterpart of NEK6, mediates its interaction with NLRP3 and inflammasome activation in mouse macrophages. Within their catalytic domains, a single amino acid residue at a corresponding position (R121NEK7, Q132NEK6) differentiates their function in NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Surprisingly, substitution of the glutamine residue to an arginine residue at position 132 confers NEK6 the ability of NLRP3 binding and inflammasome activation in mouse macrophages. Furthermore, our results suggest a structural pocket surrounding the residue R121 of NEK7 that is essential for NLRP3 binding and inflammasome activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devon Jeltema
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
| | - Jihong Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
| | - Juan Cai
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
| | - Nathan Kelley
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
| | - Zhe Yang
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
| | - Yuan He
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
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18
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In Mitosis You Are Not: The NIMA Family of Kinases in Aspergillus, Yeast, and Mammals. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23074041. [PMID: 35409400 PMCID: PMC8999480 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23074041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The Never in mitosis gene A (NIMA) family of serine/threonine kinases is a diverse group of protein kinases implicated in a wide variety of cellular processes, including cilia regulation, microtubule dynamics, mitotic processes, cell growth, and DNA damage response. The founding member of this family was initially identified in Aspergillus and was found to play important roles in mitosis and cell division. The yeast family has one member each, Fin1p in fission yeast and Kin3p in budding yeast, also with functions in mitotic processes, but, overall, these are poorly studied kinases. The mammalian family, the main focus of this review, consists of 11 members named Nek1 to Nek11. With the exception of a few members, the functions of the mammalian Neks are poorly understood but appear to be quite diverse. Like the prototypical NIMA, many members appear to play important roles in mitosis and meiosis, but their functions in the cell go well beyond these well-established activities. In this review, we explore the roles of fungal and mammalian NIMA kinases and highlight the most recent findings in the field.
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19
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Yang M, Guo Y, Guo X, Mao Y, Zhu S, Wang N, Lu D. Analysis of the effect of NEKs on the prognosis of patients with non-small-cell lung carcinoma based on bioinformatics. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1705. [PMID: 35105934 PMCID: PMC8807624 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05728-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
NEKs are proteins that are involved in various cell processes and play important roles in the formation and development of cancer. However, few studies have examined the role of NEKs in the development of non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). To address this problem, the Oncomine, UALCAN, and the Human Protein Atlas databases were used to analyze differential NEK expression and its clinicopathological parameters, while the Kaplan-Meier, cBioPortal, GEPIA, and DAVID databases were used to analyze survival, gene mutations, similar genes, and biological enrichments. The rate of NEK family gene mutation was high (> 50%) in patients with NSCLC, in which NEK2/4/6/8/ was overexpressed and significantly correlated with tumor stage and nodal metastasis status. In addition, the high expression of NEK2/3mRNA was significantly associated with poor prognosis in patients with NSCLC, while high expression of NEK1/4/6/7/8/9/10/11mRNA was associated with good prognosis. In summary, these results suggest that NEK2/4/6/8 may be a potential prognostic biomarker for the survival of patients with NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengxia Yang
- Graduate School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, People's Republic of China.,Department of Oncology, Wangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100102, People's Republic of China
| | - Yikun Guo
- Graduate School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaofei Guo
- Department of Oncology, Wangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100102, People's Republic of China
| | - Yun Mao
- Department of Oncology, The Second Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410005, People's Republic of China
| | - Shijie Zhu
- Department of Oncology, Wangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100102, People's Republic of China
| | - Ningjun Wang
- Department of Oncology, Wangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100102, People's Republic of China.
| | - Dianrong Lu
- Department of Oncology, Wangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100102, People's Republic of China.
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20
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MicroRNA-323a-3p Negatively Regulates NEK6 in Colon Adenocarcinoma Cells. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:7007718. [PMID: 35096064 PMCID: PMC8791743 DOI: 10.1155/2022/7007718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Objective. The activity of NEK6 is enhanced in several cancer cells, including colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) cells. However, there are few reports on the microRNA (miRNA/miR) regulation of NEK6. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of miRNAs targeting NEK6 in COAD cells. Methods. Public data and online analysis sites were used to analyze the expression levels of NEK6 and miR-323a-3p in COAD tissues as well as the relationship between NEK6 or miR-323a-3p levels and survival in patients with COAD and to predict miRNAs targeting NEK6. Real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were performed to determine the levels of NEK6 and miR-323a-3p in COAD cells. The targeting of NEK6 by miR-323a-3p was verified using a dual-luciferase reporter assay. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine assay, propidium iodide (PI) staining, annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/PI staining, and transwell assay were employed to test the proliferation, apoptosis, migration ability, and invasiveness of COAD cells. Results. In COAD cells, NEK6 was highly expressed, whereas miR-323a-3p was expressed at low levels and negatively regulated NEK6. Upregulating the level of miR-323a-3p impaired the proliferation, migration, and invasion of COAD cells and promoted apoptosis, whereas supplementing NEK6 alleviated the damage of the proliferation, migration, and invasion of COAD cells caused by miR-323a-3p and inhibited miR-323a-3p-induced apoptosis. These findings indicate that miR-323a-3p regulates the proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of COAD cells by targeting NEK6. Conclusion. miR-323a-3p downregulates NEK6 in COAD cells; this provides a novel basis for further understanding the occurrence and development of COAD.
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21
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Yu Y, Shen T, Zhong X, Wang LL, Tai W, Zou Y, Qin J, Zhang Z, Zhang CL. NEK6 is an injury-responsive kinase cooperating with STAT3 in regulation of reactive astrogliosis. Glia 2021; 70:273-286. [PMID: 34643969 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In response to brain injury, resident astrocytes become reactive and play dynamic roles in neural repair and regeneration. The signaling pathways underlying such reactive astrogliosis remain largely unclear. We here show that NEK6, a NIMA-related serine/threonine protein kinase, is rapidly induced following pathological stimulations and plays critical roles in reactive astrogliosis. Enhanced NEK6 expression promotes reactive astrogliosis and exacerbates brain lesions; and conversely, NEK6 downregulation dampens injury-induced astrocyte reactivity and reduces lesion size. Mechanistically, NEK6 associates with and phosphorylates STAT3. Kinase activity of NEK6 is required for induction of GFAP and PCNA, markers of reactive astrogliosis. Interestingly, NEK6 is also localized in the nucleus and binds to STAT3-responsive genomic elements in astrocytes. These results indicate that NEK6 constitutes a molecular target for the regulation of reactive astrogliosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Yu
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.,Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Tianjin Shen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Xiaoling Zhong
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Lei-Lei Wang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Wenjiao Tai
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Yuhua Zou
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Jun Qin
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhaohui Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Chun-Li Zhang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
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22
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Yan Z, Qu J, Li Z, Yi J, Su Y, Lin Q, Yu G, Lin Z, Yin W, Lu F, Liu J. NEK7 Promotes Pancreatic Cancer Progression And Its Expression Is Correlated With Poor Prognosis. Front Oncol 2021; 11:705797. [PMID: 34295827 PMCID: PMC8290842 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.705797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The prognosis for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients is still dismal. Elucidation of associated genomic alteration may provide effective therapeutic strategies for PDAC treatment. NIMA-related protein kinase 7 is widely expressed in various tumors, including breast cancer, colorectal cancer and lung cancer, and promotes the proliferation of liver cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. We investigated the protein expression level of NEK7 in tumor tissues and adjacent normal tissues using immunohistochemistry of 90 patients with PADC. Meanwhile, the RNA expression level of NEK7 was examined using database-based bioinformatic analysis. Correlation and significance of NEK7 expression with patient clinicopathological features and prognosis were examined. Cell proliferation, cell adhesion, migration and invasion capabilities were measured following downregulation of NEK7 expression. 3D tumor organoids of pancreatic cancer were established and splenic xenografted into nude mice, then liver metastatic ability of NEK7 was evaluated in following 4 weeks. We observed NEK7 expression was upregulated in tumor tissues compared to normal tissues at both RNA and protein levels using bioinformatic analysis and immunohistochemistry analysis in PDAC. NEK7 expression was undetectable in normal pancreatic ducts; NEK7 was overexpressed in primary tumor of PDAC; NEK7 expression was highly correlated with advanced T stage, poorly differentiated histological grade invasive ductal carcinoma, and lymphatic invasion. Meanwhile, patients with higher NEK7 expression accompanied by worse survival outcome. Moreover, NEK7 promoted migration, invasion, adhesion, proliferation and liver metastatic ability of pancreatic cancer cells. Taken together, our data indicate that NEK7 promotes pancreatic cancer progression and it may be a potential marker for PDAC prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zilong Yan
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen-Peking University-Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jianhua Qu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhangfu Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen-Peking University-Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jing Yi
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yanze Su
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qirui Lin
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Guangyin Yu
- Department of Pathology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zewei Lin
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Weihua Yin
- Department of Pathology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Fengmin Lu
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Disease Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Jikui Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
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23
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Structures and functions of the inflammasome engine. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2021; 147:2021-2029. [PMID: 34092352 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2021.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Inflammasomes are molecular machines that carry out inflammatory responses on challenges by pathogens and endogenous dangers. Dysregulation of inflammasome assembly and regulation is associated with numerous human diseases from autoimmunity to cancer. In recent years, significant advances have been made in understanding the mechanism of inflammasome signaling using structural approaches. Here, we review inflammasomes formed by the NLRP1, NLRP3, and NLRC4 sensors, which are well characterized structurally, and discuss the structural and functional diversity among them.
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24
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Melo-Hanchuk TD, Kobarg J. Polyglutamylase activity of tubulin tyrosine ligase-like 4 is negatively regulated by the never in mitosis gene A family kinase never in mitosis gene A -related kinase 5. World J Biol Chem 2021; 12:38-51. [PMID: 34084286 PMCID: PMC8160597 DOI: 10.4331/wjbc.v12.i3.38] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tubulins, building blocks of microtubules, are modified substrates of diverse post-translational modifications including phosphorylation, polyglycylation and polyglutamylation. Polyglutamylation of microtubules, catalyzed by enzymes from the tubulin tyrosine ligase-like (TTLL) family, can regulate interactions with molecular motors and other proteins. Due to the diversity and functional importance of microtubule modifications, strict control of the TTLL enzymes has been suggested.
AIM To characterize the interaction between never in mitosis gene A-related kinase 5 (NEK5) and TTLL4 proteins and the effects of TTLL4 phosphorylation.
METHODS The interaction between NEK5 and TTLL4 was identified by yeast two-hybrid screening using the C-terminus of NEK5 (a.a. 260–708) as bait and confirmed by immunoprecipitation. The phosphorylation sites of TTLL4 were identified by mass spectrometry and point mutations were introduced.
RESULTS Here, we show that NEK5 interacts with TTLL4 and regulates its polyglutamylation activity. We further show that NEK5 can also interact with TTLL5 and TTLL7. The silencing of NEK5 increases the levels of polyglutamylation of proteins by increasing the activity of TTLL4. The same effects were observed after the expression of the catalytically inactive form of NEK5. This regulation of TTLL4 activity involves its phosphorylation at Y815 and S1136 amino acid residues.
CONCLUSION Our results demonstrate, for the first time, the regulation of TTLL activity through phosphorylation, pointing to NEK5 as a potential effector kinase. We also suggest a general control of tubulin polyglutamylation through NEK family members in human cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jörg Kobarg
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-862, Brazil
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25
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Pavan ICB, Peres de Oliveira A, Dias PRF, Basei FL, Issayama LK, Ferezin CDC, Silva FR, Rodrigues de Oliveira AL, Alves dos Reis Moura L, Martins MB, Simabuco FM, Kobarg J. On Broken Ne(c)ks and Broken DNA: The Role of Human NEKs in the DNA Damage Response. Cells 2021; 10:507. [PMID: 33673578 PMCID: PMC7997185 DOI: 10.3390/cells10030507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
NIMA-related kinases, or NEKs, are a family of Ser/Thr protein kinases involved in cell cycle and mitosis, centrosome disjunction, primary cilia functions, and DNA damage responses among other biological functional contexts in vertebrate cells. In human cells, there are 11 members, termed NEK1 to 11, and the research has mainly focused on exploring the more predominant roles of NEKs in mitosis regulation and cell cycle. A possible important role of NEKs in DNA damage response (DDR) first emerged for NEK1, but recent studies for most NEKs showed participation in DDR. A detailed analysis of the protein interactions, phosphorylation events, and studies of functional aspects of NEKs from the literature led us to propose a more general role of NEKs in DDR. In this review, we express that NEK1 is an activator of ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR), and its activation results in cell cycle arrest, guaranteeing DNA repair while activating specific repair pathways such as homology repair (HR) and DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair. For NEK2, 6, 8, 9, and 11, we found a role downstream of ATR and ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) that results in cell cycle arrest, but details of possible activated repair pathways are still being investigated. NEK4 shows a connection to the regulation of the nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) repair of DNA DSBs, through recruitment of DNA-PK to DNA damage foci. NEK5 interacts with topoisomerase IIβ, and its knockdown results in the accumulation of damaged DNA. NEK7 has a regulatory role in the detection of oxidative damage to telomeric DNA. Finally, NEK10 has recently been shown to phosphorylate p53 at Y327, promoting cell cycle arrest after exposure to DNA damaging agents. In summary, this review highlights important discoveries of the ever-growing involvement of NEK kinases in the DDR pathways. A better understanding of these roles may open new diagnostic possibilities or pharmaceutical interventions regarding the chemo-sensitizing inhibition of NEKs in various forms of cancer and other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isadora Carolina Betim Pavan
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Andressa Peres de Oliveira
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Pedro Rafael Firmino Dias
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Fernanda Luisa Basei
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Luidy Kazuo Issayama
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Camila de Castro Ferezin
- Graduate Program in “Biologia Funcional e Molecular”, Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-857, Brazil;
| | - Fernando Riback Silva
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Ana Luisa Rodrigues de Oliveira
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Lívia Alves dos Reis Moura
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Mariana Bonjiorno Martins
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
- Graduate Program in “Biologia Funcional e Molecular”, Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-857, Brazil;
| | | | - Jörg Kobarg
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
- Graduate Program in “Biologia Funcional e Molecular”, Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-857, Brazil;
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Priyanga J, Guha G, Bhakta-Guha D. Microtubule motors in centrosome homeostasis: A target for cancer therapy? Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2021; 1875:188524. [PMID: 33582170 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2021.188524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is a grievous concern to human health, owing to a massive heterogeneity in its cause and impact. Dysregulation (numerical, positional and/or structural) of centrosomes is one of the notable factors among those that promote onset and progression of cancers. In a normal dividing cell, a pair of centrosomes forms two poles, thereby governing the formation of a bipolar spindle assembly. A large number of cancer cells, however, harbor supernumerary centrosomes, which mimic the bipolar arrangement in normal cells by centrosome clustering (CC) into two opposite poles, thus developing a pseudo-bipolar spindle assembly. Manipulation of centrosome homeostasis is the paramount pre-requisite for the evasive strategy of CC in cancers. Out of the varied factors that uphold centrosome integrity, microtubule motors (MiMos) play a critical role. Categorized as dyneins and kinesins, MiMos are involved in cohesion of centrosomes, and also facilitate the maintenance of the numerical, positional and structural integrity of centrosomes. Herein, we elucidate the decisive mechanisms undertaken by MiMos to mediate centrosome homeostasis, and how dysregulation of the same might lead to CC in cancer cells. Understanding the impact of MiMos on CC might open up avenues toward a credible therapeutic target against diverse cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Priyanga
- Cellular Dyshomeostasis Laboratory (CDHL), School of Chemical and Bio Technology, SASTRA University, Thanjavur 613 401, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Gunjan Guha
- Cellular Dyshomeostasis Laboratory (CDHL), School of Chemical and Bio Technology, SASTRA University, Thanjavur 613 401, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Dipita Bhakta-Guha
- Cellular Dyshomeostasis Laboratory (CDHL), School of Chemical and Bio Technology, SASTRA University, Thanjavur 613 401, Tamil Nadu, India.
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27
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Mao L, Kitani A, Hiejima E, Montgomery-Recht K, Zhou W, Fuss I, Wiestner A, Strober W. Bruton tyrosine kinase deficiency augments NLRP3 inflammasome activation and causes IL-1β-mediated colitis. J Clin Invest 2020; 130:1793-1807. [PMID: 31895698 DOI: 10.1172/jci128322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) is present in a wide variety of cells and may thus have important non-B cell functions. Here, we explored the function of this kinase in macrophages with studies of its regulation of the NLR family, pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. We found that bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) from BTK-deficient mice or monocytes from patients with X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) exhibited increased NLRP3 inflammasome activity; this was also the case for BMDMs exposed to low doses of BTK inhibitors such as ibrutinib and for monocytes from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia being treated with ibrutinib. In mechanistic studies, we found that BTK bound to NLRP3 during the priming phase of inflammasome activation and, in doing so, inhibited LPS- and nigericin-induced assembly of the NLRP3 inflammasome during the activation phase of inflammasome activation. This inhibitory effect was caused by BTK inhibition of protein phosphatase 2A-mediated (PP2A-mediated) dephosphorylation of Ser5 in the pyrin domain of NLRP3. Finally, we show that BTK-deficient mice were subject to severe experimental colitis and that such colitis was normalized by administration of anti-IL-β or anakinra, an inhibitor of IL-1β signaling. Together, these studies strongly suggest that BTK functions as a physiologic inhibitor of NLRP3 inflammasome activation and explain why patients with XLA are prone to develop Crohn's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liming Mao
- Mucosal Immunity Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Atsushi Kitani
- Mucosal Immunity Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Eitaro Hiejima
- Mucosal Immunity Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Kim Montgomery-Recht
- Clinical Research Directorate/Clinical Monitoring Research Program, Leidos Biomedical Research Inc., National Cancer Institute (NCI) Campus at Frederick, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Wenchang Zhou
- Theoretical Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), and
| | - Ivan Fuss
- Mucosal Immunity Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Adrian Wiestner
- Lymphoid Malignancies Section, Hematology Branch, NHLBI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Warren Strober
- Mucosal Immunity Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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28
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Sun Z, Gong W, Zhang Y, Jia Z. Physiological and Pathological Roles of Mammalian NEK7. Front Physiol 2020; 11:606996. [PMID: 33364979 PMCID: PMC7750478 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.606996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
NEK7 is the smallest NIMA-related kinase (NEK) in mammals. The pathological and physiological roles of NEK7 have been widely reported in many studies. To date, the major function of NEK7 has been well documented in mitosis and NLRP3 inflammasome activation, but the detailed mechanisms of its regulation remain unclear. This review summarizes current advances in NEK7 research involving mitotic regulation, NLRP3 inflammasome activation, related diseases and potential inhibitors, which may provide new insights into the understanding and therapy of the diseases associated with NEK7, as well as the subsequent studies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenzhen Sun
- Department of Nephrology, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wei Gong
- Department of Nephrology, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Department of Nephrology, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhanjun Jia
- Department of Nephrology, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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29
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Ong JY, Bradley MC, Torres JZ. Phospho-regulation of mitotic spindle assembly. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken) 2020; 77:558-578. [PMID: 33280275 PMCID: PMC7898546 DOI: 10.1002/cm.21649] [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: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The assembly of the bipolar mitotic spindle requires the careful orchestration of a myriad of enzyme activities like protein posttranslational modifications. Among these, phosphorylation has arisen as the principle mode for spatially and temporally activating the proteins involved in early mitotic spindle assembly processes. Here, we review key kinases, phosphatases, and phosphorylation events that regulate critical aspects of these processes. We highlight key phosphorylation substrates that are important for ensuring the fidelity of centriole duplication, centrosome maturation, and the establishment of the bipolar spindle. We also highlight techniques used to understand kinase-substrate relationships and to study phosphorylation events. We conclude with perspectives on the field of posttranslational modifications in early mitotic spindle assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Y Ong
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Michelle C Bradley
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jorge Z Torres
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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30
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Zeng Q, Deng H, Li Y, Fan T, Liu Y, Tang S, Wei W, Liu X, Guo X, Jiang J, Wang Y, Song D. Berberine Directly Targets the NEK7 Protein to Block the NEK7-NLRP3 Interaction and Exert Anti-inflammatory Activity. J Med Chem 2020; 64:768-781. [PMID: 33440945 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Berberine (BBR), a traditional Chinese medicine, has therapeutic effects on a variety of inflammation-related diseases, but its direct proteomic targets remain unknown. Using activity-based protein profiling, we first demonstrated that BBR directly targets the NEK7 protein via the hydrogen bond between the 2,3-methylenedioxy and 121-arginine (R121) residues. The fact that R121 is located precisely within the key domain involved in the NEK7-NLRP3 interaction allows BBR to specifically block the NEK7-NLRP3 interaction and successively inhibit IL-1β release, independent of the NF-κB and TLR4 signaling pathways. Moreover, BBR displays in vivo anti-inflammatory efficacy in a NEK7-dependent manner. Therefore, we consider NEK7 to be a key target of BBR in the treatment of NLRP3-related inflammatory diseases, and the development of novel NEK7-NLRP3 interaction inhibitors might be easily achieved using NEK7 as a target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingxuan Zeng
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Hongbin Deng
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Yinghong Li
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Tianyun Fan
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Sheng Tang
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Wei Wei
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Xiaojia Liu
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Xixi Guo
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Jiandong Jiang
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Yanxiang Wang
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Danqing Song
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
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31
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Zhao N, Li CC, Di B, Xu LL. Recent advances in the NEK7-licensed NLRP3 inflammasome activation: Mechanisms, role in diseases and related inhibitors. J Autoimmun 2020; 113:102515. [PMID: 32703754 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2020.102515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor containing pyrin domain 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is a high-molecular-weight complex mediated by the activation of pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs) seed in innate immunity. Once NLRP3 is activated, the following recruitment of the adapter apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (CARD) (ASC) and procaspase-1 would be initiated. Cleavage of procaspase-1 into active caspase-1 then leads to the maturation of the precursor forms of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 into biologically active IL-1β and IL-18. The activation of NLRP3 inflammasome is thought to be tightly associated with a regulator never in mitosis A (NIMA)-related kinase 7 (NEK7), apart from other signaling events such as K+ efflux and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Plus, the NLRP3 inflammasome has been linked to various metabolic disorders, chronic inflammation and other diseases. In this review, we firstly describe the cellular/molecular mechanisms of the NEK7-licensed NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Then we detail the potential inhibitors that can selectively and effectively modulate either the NEK7-NLRP3 complex itself or the related molecular/cellular events. Finally, we describe some inhibitors as promising therapeutic strategies for diverse diseases driven by NLRP3 inflammasome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ni Zhao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, Ministry of Education, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Cui-Cui Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, Ministry of Education, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Bin Di
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, Ministry of Education, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| | - Li-Li Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, Ministry of Education, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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32
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O'Regan L, Barone G, Adib R, Woo CG, Jeong HJ, Richardson EL, Richards MW, Muller PAJ, Collis SJ, Fennell DA, Choi J, Bayliss R, Fry AM. EML4-ALK V3 oncogenic fusion proteins promote microtubule stabilization and accelerated migration through NEK9 and NEK7. J Cell Sci 2020; 133:jcs241505. [PMID: 32184261 PMCID: PMC7240300 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.241505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
EML4-ALK is an oncogenic fusion present in ∼5% of non-small cell lung cancers. However, alternative breakpoints in the EML4 gene lead to distinct variants of EML4-ALK with different patient outcomes. Here, we show that, in cell models, EML4-ALK variant 3 (V3), which is linked to accelerated metastatic spread, causes microtubule stabilization, formation of extended cytoplasmic protrusions and increased cell migration. EML4-ALK V3 also recruits the NEK9 and NEK7 kinases to microtubules via the N-terminal EML4 microtubule-binding region. Overexpression of wild-type EML4, as well as constitutive activation of NEK9, also perturbs cell morphology and accelerates migration in a microtubule-dependent manner that requires the downstream kinase NEK7 but does not require ALK activity. Strikingly, elevated NEK9 expression is associated with reduced progression-free survival in EML4-ALK patients. Hence, we propose that EML4-ALK V3 promotes microtubule stabilization through NEK9 and NEK7, leading to increased cell migration. This represents a novel actionable pathway that could drive metastatic disease progression in EML4-ALK lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura O'Regan
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK
| | - Giancarlo Barone
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK
- Department of Oncology and Metabolism, Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids (SInFoNiA), University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, UK
| | - Rozita Adib
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK
| | - Chang Gok Woo
- Department of Pathology, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Hui Jeong Jeong
- Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Emily L Richardson
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK
| | - Mark W Richards
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Patricia A J Muller
- Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, University of Manchester, Alderley Park SK10 4TG, UK
| | - Spencer J Collis
- Department of Oncology and Metabolism, Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids (SInFoNiA), University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, UK
| | - Dean A Fennell
- Cancer Research Centre, University of Leicester, Robert Kilpatrick Clinical Sciences Building, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK
| | - Jene Choi
- Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Richard Bayliss
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Andrew M Fry
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK
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33
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Peres de Oliveira A, Kazuo Issayama L, Betim Pavan IC, Riback Silva F, Diniz Melo-Hanchuk T, Moreira Simabuco F, Kobarg J. Checking NEKs: Overcoming a Bottleneck in Human Diseases. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25081778. [PMID: 32294979 PMCID: PMC7221840 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25081778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In previous years, several kinases, such as phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK), have been linked to important human diseases, although some kinase families remain neglected in terms of research, hiding their relevance to therapeutic approaches. Here, a review regarding the NEK family is presented, shedding light on important information related to NEKs and human diseases. NEKs are a large group of homologous kinases with related functions and structures that participate in several cellular processes such as the cell cycle, cell division, cilia formation, and the DNA damage response. The review of the literature points to the pivotal participation of NEKs in important human diseases, like different types of cancer, diabetes, ciliopathies and central nervous system related and inflammatory-related diseases. The different known regulatory molecular mechanisms specific to each NEK are also presented, relating to their involvement in different diseases. In addition, important information about NEKs remains to be elucidated and is highlighted in this review, showing the need for other studies and research regarding this kinase family. Therefore, the NEK family represents an important group of kinases with potential applications in the therapy of human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andressa Peres de Oliveira
- Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Tecidual, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil; (A.P.d.O.); (L.K.I.); (I.C.B.P.); (F.R.S.); (T.D.M.-H.)
| | - Luidy Kazuo Issayama
- Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Tecidual, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil; (A.P.d.O.); (L.K.I.); (I.C.B.P.); (F.R.S.); (T.D.M.-H.)
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-871, Brazil
| | - Isadora Carolina Betim Pavan
- Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Tecidual, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil; (A.P.d.O.); (L.K.I.); (I.C.B.P.); (F.R.S.); (T.D.M.-H.)
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-871, Brazil
- Laboratório Multidisciplinar em Alimentos e Saúde, Faculdade de Ciências Aplicadas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, São Paulo 13484-350, Brazil;
| | - Fernando Riback Silva
- Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Tecidual, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil; (A.P.d.O.); (L.K.I.); (I.C.B.P.); (F.R.S.); (T.D.M.-H.)
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-871, Brazil
| | - Talita Diniz Melo-Hanchuk
- Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Tecidual, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil; (A.P.d.O.); (L.K.I.); (I.C.B.P.); (F.R.S.); (T.D.M.-H.)
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-871, Brazil
| | - Fernando Moreira Simabuco
- Laboratório Multidisciplinar em Alimentos e Saúde, Faculdade de Ciências Aplicadas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, São Paulo 13484-350, Brazil;
| | - Jörg Kobarg
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-871, Brazil
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +55-19-3521-8143
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Adib R, Montgomery JM, Atherton J, O'Regan L, Richards MW, Straatman KR, Roth D, Straube A, Bayliss R, Moores CA, Fry AM. Mitotic phosphorylation by NEK6 and NEK7 reduces the microtubule affinity of EML4 to promote chromosome congression. Sci Signal 2019; 12:eaaw2939. [PMID: 31409757 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aaw2939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
EML4 is a microtubule-associated protein that promotes microtubule stability. We investigated its regulation across the cell cycle and found that EML4 was distributed as punctate foci along the microtubule lattice in interphase but exhibited reduced association with spindle microtubules in mitosis. Microtubule sedimentation and cryo-electron microscopy with 3D reconstruction revealed that the basic N-terminal domain of EML4 mediated its binding to the acidic C-terminal tails of α- and β-tubulin on the microtubule surface. The mitotic kinases NEK6 and NEK7 phosphorylated the EML4 N-terminal domain at Ser144 and Ser146 in vitro, and depletion of these kinases in cells led to increased EML4 binding to microtubules in mitosis. An S144A-S146A double mutant not only bound inappropriately to mitotic microtubules but also increased their stability and interfered with chromosome congression. In addition, constitutive activation of NEK6 or NEK7 reduced the association of EML4 with interphase microtubules. Together, these data support a model in which NEK6- and NEK7-dependent phosphorylation promotes the dissociation of EML4 from microtubules in mitosis in a manner that is required for efficient chromosome congression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rozita Adib
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK
| | - Jessica M Montgomery
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK
| | - Joseph Atherton
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Birkbeck College, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, UK
| | - Laura O'Regan
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK
| | - Mark W Richards
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Kees R Straatman
- Centre for Core Biotechnology Services, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Daniel Roth
- Centre for Mechanochemical Cell Biology and Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Anne Straube
- Centre for Mechanochemical Cell Biology and Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Richard Bayliss
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Carolyn A Moores
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Birkbeck College, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, UK
| | - Andrew M Fry
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK.
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35
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van de Kooij B, Creixell P, van Vlimmeren A, Joughin BA, Miller CJ, Haider N, Simpson CD, Linding R, Stambolic V, Turk BE, Yaffe MB. Comprehensive substrate specificity profiling of the human Nek kinome reveals unexpected signaling outputs. eLife 2019; 8:44635. [PMID: 31124786 PMCID: PMC6570481 DOI: 10.7554/elife.44635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Human NimA-related kinases (Neks) have multiple mitotic and non-mitotic functions, but few substrates are known. We systematically determined the phosphorylation-site motifs for the entire Nek kinase family, except for Nek11. While all Nek kinases strongly select for hydrophobic residues in the −3 position, the family separates into four distinct groups based on specificity for a serine versus threonine phospho-acceptor, and preference for basic or acidic residues in other positions. Unlike Nek1-Nek9, Nek10 is a dual-specificity kinase that efficiently phosphorylates itself and peptide substrates on serine and tyrosine, and its activity is enhanced by tyrosine auto-phosphorylation. Nek10 dual-specificity depends on residues in the HRD+2 and APE-4 positions that are uncommon in either serine/threonine or tyrosine kinases. Finally, we show that the phosphorylation-site motifs for the mitotic kinases Nek6, Nek7 and Nek9 are essentially identical to that of their upstream activator Plk1, suggesting that Nek6/7/9 function as phospho-motif amplifiers of Plk1 signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bert van de Kooij
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,MIT Center for Precision Cancer Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
| | - Pau Creixell
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,MIT Center for Precision Cancer Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
| | - Anne van Vlimmeren
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,MIT Center for Precision Cancer Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
| | - Brian A Joughin
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,MIT Center for Precision Cancer Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
| | - Chad J Miller
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, United States
| | - Nasir Haider
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Craig D Simpson
- Biotech Research and Innovation Center, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rune Linding
- Biotech Research and Innovation Center, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vuk Stambolic
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
| | - Benjamin E Turk
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, United States
| | - Michael B Yaffe
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,MIT Center for Precision Cancer Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.,Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Divisions of Acute Care Surgery, Trauma, and Critical Care and Surgical Oncology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States
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36
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Hypo-phosphorylated CD147 promotes migration and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells and predicts a poor prognosis. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2019; 42:537-554. [DOI: 10.1007/s13402-019-00444-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
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Eisa NH, Jilani Y, Kainth K, Redd P, Lu S, Bougrine O, Abdul Sater H, Patwardhan CA, Shull A, Shi H, Liu K, Elsherbiny NM, Eissa LA, El-Shishtawy MM, Horuzsko A, Bollag R, Maihle N, Roig J, Korkaya H, Cowell JK, Chadli A. The co-chaperone UNC45A is essential for the expression of mitotic kinase NEK7 and tumorigenesis. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:5246-5260. [PMID: 30737284 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.006597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Cumulative evidence suggests that the heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) co-chaperone UNC-45 myosin chaperone A (UNC45A) contributes to tumorigenesis and that its expression in cancer cells correlates with proliferation and metastasis of solid tumors. However, the molecular mechanism by which UNC45A regulates cancer cell proliferation remains largely unknown. Here, using siRNA-mediated gene silencing and various human cells, we report that UNC45A is essential for breast cancer cell growth, but is dispensable for normal cell proliferation. Immunofluorescence microscopy, along with gene microarray and RT-quantitative PCR analyses, revealed that UNC45A localizes to the cancer cell nucleus, where it up-regulates the transcriptional activity of the glucocorticoid receptor and thereby promotes expression of the mitotic kinase NIMA-related kinase 7 (NEK7). We observed that UNC45A-deficient cancer cells exhibit extensive pericentrosomal material disorganization, as well as defects in centrosomal separation and mitotic chromosome alignment. Consequently, these cells stalled in metaphase and cytokinesis and ultimately underwent mitotic catastrophe, phenotypes that were rescued by heterologous NEK7 expression. Our results identify a key role for the co-chaperone UNC45A in cell proliferation and provide insight into the regulatory mechanism. We propose that UNC45A represents a promising new therapeutic target to inhibit cancer cell growth in solid tumor types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nada H Eisa
- From the Georgia Cancer Center.,the Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt 35516
| | | | | | | | - Su Lu
- From the Georgia Cancer Center
| | - Oulia Bougrine
- the Department of Pathology, Augusta University, CN-3151, Augusta, Georgia 30912
| | - Houssein Abdul Sater
- the Department of Pathology, Augusta University, CN-3151, Augusta, Georgia 30912
| | | | | | | | - Kebin Liu
- the Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt 35516
| | - Nehal M Elsherbiny
- the Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt 35516
| | - Laila A Eissa
- the Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt 35516
| | - Mamdouh M El-Shishtawy
- the Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt 35516
| | | | - Roni Bollag
- From the Georgia Cancer Center.,the Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt 35516.,the Georgia Cancer Center Biorepository, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia 30912, and
| | | | - Joan Roig
- the Institut de Biologia Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC), Parc Científic de Barcelona, c/Baldiri i Reixac, 10-12, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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38
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Dunn J, Ferluga S, Sharma V, Futschik M, Hilton DA, Adams CL, Lasonder E, Hanemann CO. Proteomic analysis discovers the differential expression of novel proteins and phosphoproteins in meningioma including NEK9, HK2 and SET and deregulation of RNA metabolism. EBioMedicine 2018; 40:77-91. [PMID: 30594554 PMCID: PMC6412084 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2018.12.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Meningioma is the most frequent primary intracranial tumour. Surgical resection remains the main therapeutic option as pharmacological intervention is hampered by poor knowledge of their proteomic signature. There is an urgent need to identify new therapeutic targets and biomarkers of meningioma. Methods We performed proteomic profiling of grade I, II and III frozen meningioma specimens and three normal healthy human meninges using LC-MS/MS to analyse global proteins, enriched phosphoproteins and phosphopeptides. Differential expression and functional annotation of proteins was completed using Perseus, IPA® and DAVID. We validated differential expression of proteins and phosphoproteins by Western blot on a meningioma validation set and by immunohistochemistry. Findings We quantified 3888 proteins and 3074 phosphoproteins across all meningioma grades and normal meninges. Bioinformatics analysis revealed commonly upregulated proteins and phosphoproteins to be enriched in Gene Ontology terms associated with RNA metabolism. Validation studies confirmed significant overexpression of proteins such as EGFR and CKAP4 across all grades, as well as the aberrant activation of the downstream PI3K/AKT pathway, which seems differential between grades. Further, we validated upregulation of the total and activated phosphorylated form of the NIMA-related kinase, NEK9, involved in mitotic progression. Novel proteins identified and validated in meningioma included the nuclear proto-oncogene SET, the splicing factor SF2/ASF and the higher-grade specific protein, HK2, involved in cellular metabolism. Interpretation Overall, we generated a proteomic thesaurus of meningiomas for the identification of potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Fund This study was supported by Brain Tumour Research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jemma Dunn
- Institute of Translational and Stratified Medicine, Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, John Bull Building, Plymouth Science Park, Research Way, Derriford, Plymouth PL6 8BU, UK
| | - Sara Ferluga
- Institute of Translational and Stratified Medicine, Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, John Bull Building, Plymouth Science Park, Research Way, Derriford, Plymouth PL6 8BU, UK
| | - Vikram Sharma
- School of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Plymouth, Derriford Research Facility, Research Way, Derriford, Plymouth PL6 8BU, UK
| | - Matthias Futschik
- School of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Plymouth, Derriford Research Facility, Research Way, Derriford, Plymouth PL6 8BU, UK
| | - David A Hilton
- Cellular and Anatomical Pathology, Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, Derriford Road, Plymouth PL6 8DH, UK
| | - Claire L Adams
- Institute of Translational and Stratified Medicine, Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, John Bull Building, Plymouth Science Park, Research Way, Derriford, Plymouth PL6 8BU, UK
| | - Edwin Lasonder
- School of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Plymouth, Derriford Research Facility, Research Way, Derriford, Plymouth PL6 8BU, UK
| | - C Oliver Hanemann
- Institute of Translational and Stratified Medicine, Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, John Bull Building, Plymouth Science Park, Research Way, Derriford, Plymouth PL6 8BU, UK.
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39
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De Donato M, Righino B, Filippetti F, Battaglia A, Petrillo M, Pirolli D, Scambia G, De Rosa MC, Gallo D. Identification and antitumor activity of a novel inhibitor of the NIMA-related kinase NEK6. Sci Rep 2018; 8:16047. [PMID: 30375481 PMCID: PMC6207720 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34471-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The NIMA (never in mitosis, gene A)-related kinase-6 (NEK6), which is implicated in cell cycle control and plays significant roles in tumorigenesis, is an attractive target for the development of novel anti-cancer drugs. Here we describe the discovery of a potent ATP site-directed inhibitor of NEK6 identified by virtual screening, adopting both structure- and ligand-based techniques. Using a homology-built model of NEK6 as well as the pharmacophoric features of known NEK6 inhibitors we identified novel binding scaffolds. Twenty-five compounds from the top ranking hits were subjected to in vitro kinase assays. The best compound, i.e. compound 8 ((5Z)-2-hydroxy-4-methyl-6-oxo-5-[(5-phenylfuran-2-yl)methylidene]-5,6-dihydropyridine-3-carbonitrile), was able to inhibit NEK6 with low micromolar IC50 value, also displaying antiproliferative activity against a panel of human cancer cell lines. Our results suggest that the identified inhibitor can be used as lead candidate for the development of novel anti-cancer agents, thus opening the possibility of new therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta De Donato
- Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.,Department of Woman and Child Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Benedetta Righino
- Institute of Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Flavia Filippetti
- Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.,Department of Woman and Child Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandra Battaglia
- Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Petrillo
- Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.,Gynecologic and Obstetric Clinic, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Davide Pirolli
- Institute of Chemistry of Molecular Recognition (ICRM) - CNR, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Scambia
- Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.,Department of Woman and Child Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Daniela Gallo
- Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.,Department of Woman and Child Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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40
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He Z, Ni X, Xia L, Shao Z. Overexpression of NIMA-related kinase 6 (NEK6) contributes to malignant growth and dismal prognosis in Human Breast Cancer. Pathol Res Pract 2018; 214:1648-1654. [DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2018.07.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2018] [Revised: 07/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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41
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Expression profiles of histone modification genes in gastric cancer progression. Mol Biol Rep 2018; 45:2275-2282. [PMID: 30250993 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-018-4389-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) development can be attributed to several risk factors including atrophic gastritis (AG), intestinal metaplasia (IM), and the presence of Helicobacter pylori (HP). Also, histone modification is an epigenetic mechanism that plays a pivotal role in GC carcinogenesis. In this preliminary study, we aimed to describe the expression profiles of histone modification in the AG, IM, and GC patient groups. A total of 80 patients with AG (n = 27), IM (n = 25), and GC (n = 28) with an additional 20 control subjects were included in the study. Expression profiles of three histone phosphorylation genes (PAK1, NEK6, and AURKA) and five histone deacetylation genes (HDACs 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7) were examined based on the results of Real Time qPCR method. It was observed that AURKA and HDAC2 genes were significantly overexpressed in all groups compared to the control (P < 0.05). In GC patients, overexpression of HDAC2 gene was detected in the absence of metastasis, and overexpression of AURKA, HDAC2, and NEK6 genes was detected in the presence of metastasis. When cancer involvements were compared, significant overexpression of the HDAC2 gene was noted in overall and corpus involvements (P < 0.05). In addition, overexpression of AURKA, NEK6, HDAC1, and HDAC2 genes and underexpression of HDAC5 gene were detected in the antrum involvement (P < 0.05). In conclusion, decreased expression of HDAC5 in GC is reported for the first time in this study, while supporting the existing literature in AURKA, NEK6, HDAC1, and HDAC2 up regulations during GC development.
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42
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Mukherjee M, Sabir S, O'Regan L, Sampson J, Richards MW, Huguenin-Dezot N, Ault JR, Chin JW, Zhuravleva A, Fry AM, Bayliss R. Mitotic phosphorylation regulates Hsp72 spindle localization by uncoupling ATP binding from substrate release. Sci Signal 2018; 11:11/543/eaao2464. [PMID: 30108182 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aao2464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Hsp72 is a member of the 70-kDa heat shock family of molecular chaperones (Hsp70s) that comprise a nucleotide-binding domain (NBD) and a substrate-binding domain (SBD) connected by a linker that couples the exchange of adenosine diphosphate (ADP) for adenosine triphosphate (ATP) with the release of the protein substrate. Mitotic phosphorylation of Hsp72 by the kinase NEK6 at Thr66 located in the NBD promotes the localization of Hsp72 to the mitotic spindle and is required for efficient spindle assembly and chromosome congression and segregation. We determined the crystal structure of the Hsp72 NBD containing a genetically encoded phosphoserine at position 66. This revealed structural changes that stabilized interactions between subdomains within the NBD. ATP binding to the NBD of unmodified Hsp72 resulted in the release of substrate from the SBD, but phosphorylated Hsp72 retained substrate in the presence of ATP. Mutations that prevented phosphorylation-dependent subdomain interactions restored the connection between ATP binding and substrate release. Thus, phosphorylation of Thr66 is a reversible mechanism that decouples the allosteric connection between nucleotide binding and substrate release, providing further insight into the regulation of the Hsp70 family. We propose that phosphorylation of Hsp72 on Thr66 by NEK6 during mitosis promotes its localization to the spindle by stabilizing its interactions with components of the mitotic spindle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manjeet Mukherjee
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Sarah Sabir
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Laura O'Regan
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Josephina Sampson
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Mark W Richards
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Nicolas Huguenin-Dezot
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - James R Ault
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Jason W Chin
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Anastasia Zhuravleva
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Andrew M Fry
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Richard Bayliss
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
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43
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NEK7 regulates dendrite morphogenesis in neurons via Eg5-dependent microtubule stabilization. Nat Commun 2018; 9:2330. [PMID: 29899413 PMCID: PMC5997995 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04706-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Organization of microtubules into ordered arrays is best understood in mitotic systems, but remains poorly characterized in postmitotic cells such as neurons. By analyzing the cycling cell microtubule cytoskeleton proteome through expression profiling and targeted RNAi screening for candidates with roles in neurons, we have identified the mitotic kinase NEK7. We show that NEK7 regulates dendrite morphogenesis in vitro and in vivo. NEK7 kinase activity is required for dendrite growth and branching, as well as spine formation and morphology. NEK7 regulates these processes in part through phosphorylation of the kinesin Eg5/KIF11, promoting its accumulation on microtubules in distal dendrites. Here, Eg5 limits retrograde microtubule polymerization, which is inhibitory to dendrite growth and branching. Eg5 exerts this effect through microtubule stabilization, independent of its motor activity. This work establishes NEK7 as a general regulator of the microtubule cytoskeleton, controlling essential processes in both mitotic cells and postmitotic neurons. NEK7 is a kinase known for its role in mitotic spindle assembly, driving centrosome separation in prophase through regulation of the kinesin Eg5. Here, the authors show that NEK7 and Eg5 also control dendrite morphogenesis in postmitotic neurons.
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Lažetić V, Joseph BB, Bernazzani SM, Fay DS. Actin organization and endocytic trafficking are controlled by a network linking NIMA-related kinases to the CDC-42-SID-3/ACK1 pathway. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007313. [PMID: 29608564 PMCID: PMC5897031 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Revised: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Molting is an essential process in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans during which the epidermal apical extracellular matrix, termed the cuticle, is detached and replaced at each larval stage. The conserved NIMA-related kinases NEKL-2/NEK8/NEK9 and NEKL-3/NEK6/NEK7, together with their ankyrin repeat partners, MLT-2/ANKS6, MLT-3/ANKS3, and MLT-4/INVS, are essential for normal molting. In nekl and mlt mutants, the old larval cuticle fails to be completely shed, leading to entrapment and growth arrest. To better understand the molecular and cellular functions of NEKLs during molting, we isolated genetic suppressors of nekl molting-defective mutants. Using two independent approaches, we identified CDC-42, a conserved Rho-family GTPase, and its effector protein kinase, SID-3/ACK1. Notably, CDC42 and ACK1 regulate actin dynamics in mammals, and actin reorganization within the worm epidermis has been proposed to be important for the molting process. Inhibition of NEKL-MLT activities led to strong defects in the distribution of actin and failure to form molting-specific apical actin bundles. Importantly, this phenotype was reverted following cdc-42 or sid-3 inhibition. In addition, repression of CDC-42 or SID-3 also suppressed nekl-associated defects in trafficking, a process that requires actin assembly and disassembly. Expression analyses indicated that components of the NEKL-MLT network colocalize with both actin and CDC-42 in specific regions of the epidermis. Moreover, NEKL-MLT components were required for the normal subcellular localization of CDC-42 in the epidermis as well as wild-type levels of CDC-42 activation. Taken together, our findings indicate that the NEKL-MLT network regulates actin through CDC-42 and its effector SID-3. Interestingly, we also observed that downregulation of CDC-42 in a wild-type background leads to molting defects, suggesting that there is a fine balance between NEKL-MLT and CDC-42-SID-3 activities in the epidermis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Lažetić
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
| | - Braveen B. Joseph
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
| | - Sarina M. Bernazzani
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
| | - David S. Fay
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
- * E-mail:
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Wells CI, Kapadia NR, Couñago RM, Drewry DH. In depth analysis of kinase cross screening data to identify chemical starting points for inhibition of the Nek family of kinases. MEDCHEMCOMM 2018; 9:44-66. [PMID: 30108900 PMCID: PMC6071746 DOI: 10.1039/c7md00510e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Potent, selective, and cell active small molecule kinase inhibitors are useful tools to help unravel the complexities of kinase signaling. As the biological functions of individual kinases become better understood, they can become targets of drug discovery efforts. The small molecules used to shed light on function can also then serve as chemical starting points in these drug discovery efforts. The Nek family of kinases has received very little attention, as judged by number of citations in PubMed, yet they appear to play many key roles and have been implicated in disease. Here we present our work to identify high quality chemical starting points that have emerged due to the increased incidence of broad kinome screening. We anticipate that this analysis will allow the community to progress towards the generation of chemical probes and eventually drugs that target members of the Nek family.
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Affiliation(s)
- C I Wells
- Structural Genomics Consortium , Eshelman School of Pharmacy , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill , NC , 27599 USA .
| | - N R Kapadia
- Structural Genomics Consortium , Eshelman School of Pharmacy , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill , NC , 27599 USA .
| | - R M Couñago
- Structural Genomics Consortium , Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP , Campinas , SP , 13083 Brazil
| | - D H Drewry
- Structural Genomics Consortium , Eshelman School of Pharmacy , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill , NC , 27599 USA .
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Fry AM, Bayliss R, Roig J. Mitotic Regulation by NEK Kinase Networks. Front Cell Dev Biol 2017; 5:102. [PMID: 29250521 PMCID: PMC5716973 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2017.00102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic studies in yeast and Drosophila led to identification of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), Polo-like kinases (PLKs) and Aurora kinases as essential regulators of mitosis. These enzymes have since been found in the majority of eukaryotes and their cell cycle-related functions characterized in great detail. However, genetic studies in another fungal species, Aspergillus nidulans, identified a distinct family of protein kinases, the NEKs, that are also widely conserved and have key roles in the cell cycle, but which remain less well studied. Nevertheless, it is now clear that multiple NEK family members act in networks to regulate specific events of mitosis, including centrosome separation, spindle assembly and cytokinesis. Here, we describe our current understanding of how the NEK kinases contribute to these processes, particularly through targeted phosphorylation of proteins associated with the microtubule cytoskeleton. We also present the latest findings on molecular events that control the activation state of the NEKs and how these are revealing novel modes of enzymatic regulation relevant not only to other kinases but also to pathological mechanisms of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M. Fry
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Bayliss
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Joan Roig
- Institut de Biologia Molecular de Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
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Phadke M, Remsing Rix LL, Smalley I, Bryant AT, Luo Y, Lawrence HR, Schaible BJ, Chen YA, Rix U, Smalley KSM. Dabrafenib inhibits the growth of BRAF-WT cancers through CDK16 and NEK9 inhibition. Mol Oncol 2017; 12:74-88. [PMID: 29112787 PMCID: PMC5748485 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.12152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the BRAF inhibitors dabrafenib and vemurafenib have both proven successful against BRAF-mutant melanoma, there seem to be differences in their mechanisms of action. Here, we show that dabrafenib is more effective at inhibiting the growth of NRAS-mutant and KRAS-mutant cancer cell lines than vemurafenib. Using mass spectrometry-based chemical proteomics, we identified NEK9 and CDK16 as unique targets of dabrafenib. Both NEK9 and CDK16 were highly expressed in specimens of advanced melanoma, with high expression of both proteins correlating with a worse overall survival. A role for NEK9 in the growth of NRAS- and KRAS-mutant cell lines was suggested by siRNA studies in which silencing was associated with decreased proliferation, cell cycle arrest associated with increased p21 expression, inhibition of phospho-CHK1, decreased CDK4 expression, and the initiation of a senescence response. Inhibition of CDK4 but not CHK1 recapitulated the effects of NEK9 silencing, indicating this to be the likely mechanism of growth inhibition. We next turned our attention to CDK16 and found that its knockdown inhibited the phosphorylation of the Rb protein at S780 and increased expression of p27. Both of these effects were phenocopied in NRAS- and KRAS-mutant cancer cells by dabrafenib, but not vemurafenib. Combined silencing of NEK9 and CDK16 was associated with enhanced inhibition of melanoma cell proliferation. In summary, we have identified dabrafenib as a potent inhibitor of NEK9 and CDK16, and our studies suggest that inhibition of these kinases may have activity against cancers that do not harbor BRAF mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manali Phadke
- The Department of Tumor Biology, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Lily L Remsing Rix
- The Department of Drug Discovery, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Inna Smalley
- The Department of Tumor Biology, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Annamarie T Bryant
- The Department of Drug Discovery, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Yunting Luo
- The Chemical Biology Core, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Harshani R Lawrence
- The Chemical Biology Core, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Braydon J Schaible
- The Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Yian A Chen
- The Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Uwe Rix
- The Department of Drug Discovery, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Keiran S M Smalley
- The Department of Tumor Biology, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.,The Department of Cutaneous Oncology, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
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Cullati SN, Kabeche L, Kettenbach AN, Gerber SA. A bifurcated signaling cascade of NIMA-related kinases controls distinct kinesins in anaphase. J Cell Biol 2017. [PMID: 28630147 PMCID: PMC5551695 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201512055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
A signaling module of NIMA-related kinases (Neks) regulates two kinesins, Mklp2 and Kif14, to spatiotemporally coordinate their subcellular localizations and activities. This is important for faithful completion of cytokinesis and reveals novel mechanisms by which Neks regulate late mitosis. In mitosis, cells undergo a precisely orchestrated series of spatiotemporal changes in cytoskeletal structure to divide their genetic material. These changes are coordinated by a sophisticated network of protein–protein interactions and posttranslational modifications. In this study, we report a bifurcation in a signaling cascade of the NIMA-related kinases (Neks) Nek6, Nek7, and Nek9 that is required for the localization and function of two kinesins essential for cytokinesis, Mklp2 and Kif14. We demonstrate that a Nek9, Nek6, and Mklp2 signaling module controls the timely localization and bundling activity of Mklp2 at the anaphase central spindle. We further show that a separate Nek9, Nek7, and Kif14 signaling module is required for the recruitment of the Rho-interacting kinase citron to the anaphase midzone. Our findings uncover an anaphase-specific function for these effector kinesins that is controlled by specific Nek kinase signaling modules to properly coordinate cytokinesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sierra N Cullati
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH
| | - Lilian Kabeche
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH
| | - Arminja N Kettenbach
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH.,Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH
| | - Scott A Gerber
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH .,Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH.,Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH
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van Ree JH, Nam HJ, van Deursen JM. Mitotic kinase cascades orchestrating timely disjunction and movement of centrosomes maintain chromosomal stability and prevent cancer. Chromosome Res 2016; 24:67-76. [PMID: 26615533 DOI: 10.1007/s10577-015-9501-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Centrosomes are microtubule-organizing centers that duplicate in S phase to form bipolar spindles that separate duplicated chromosomes faithfully into two daughter cells during cell division. Recent studies show that proper timing of centrosome dynamics, the disjunction and movement of centrosomes, is tightly linked to spindle symmetry, correct microtubule-kinetochore attachment, and chromosome segregation. Here, we review mechanisms that regulate centrosome dynamics, with emphasis on the roles of key mitotic kinases in the proper timing of centrosome dynamics and how aberrancies in these processes may cause chromosomal instability and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine H van Ree
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Hyun-Ja Nam
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Jan M van Deursen
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. .,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
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Harrington KM, Clevenger CV. Identification of NEK3 Kinase Threonine 165 as a Novel Regulatory Phosphorylation Site That Modulates Focal Adhesion Remodeling Necessary for Breast Cancer Cell Migration. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:21388-21406. [PMID: 27489110 PMCID: PMC5076809 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.726190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2016] [Revised: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence supports a role for prolactin (PRL) in the development and progression of human breast cancer. Although PRL is an established chemoattractant for breast cancer cells, the precise molecular mechanisms of how PRL regulates breast cancer cell motility and invasion are not fully understood. PRL activates the serine/threonine kinase NEK3, which was reported to enhance breast cancer cell migration, invasion, and the actin cytoskeletal reorganization necessary for these processes. However, the specific mechanisms of NEK3 activation in response to PRL signaling have not been defined. In this report, a novel PRL-inducible regulatory phosphorylation site within the activation segment of NEK3, threonine 165 (Thr-165), was identified. Phosphorylation at NEK3 Thr-165 was found to be dependent on activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) signaling pathway using both pharmacological inhibition and siRNA-mediated knockdown approaches. Strikingly, inhibition of phosphorylation at NEK3 Thr-165 by expression of a phospho-deficient mutant (NEK3-T165V) resulted in increased focal adhesion size, formation of zyxin-positive focal adhesions, and reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton into stress fibers. Concordantly, NEK3-T165V cells exhibited migratory defects. Together, these data support a modulatory role for phosphorylation at NEK3 Thr-165 in focal adhesion maturation and/or turnover to promote breast cancer cell migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M Harrington
- From the Department of Pathology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611 and
| | - Charles V Clevenger
- the Department of Pathology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23298
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