1
|
Kichina JV, Maslov A, Kandel ES. PAK1 and Therapy Resistance in Melanoma. Cells 2023; 12:2373. [PMID: 37830586 PMCID: PMC10572217 DOI: 10.3390/cells12192373] [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: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Malignant melanoma claims more lives than any other skin malignancy. While primary melanomas are usually cured via surgical excision, the metastatic form of the disease portents a poor prognosis. Decades of intense research has yielded an extensive armamentarium of anti-melanoma therapies, ranging from genotoxic chemo- and radiotherapies to targeted interventions in specific signaling pathways and immune functions. Unfortunately, even the most up-to-date embodiments of these therapies are not curative for the majority of metastatic melanoma patients, and the need to improve their efficacy is widely recognized. Here, we review the reports that implicate p21-regulated kinase 1 (PAK1) and PAK1-related pathways in the response of melanoma to various therapeutic modalities. Ample data suggest that PAK1 may decrease cell sensitivity to programmed cell death, provide additional stimulation to growth-promoting molecular pathways, and contribute to the creation of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Accordingly, there is mounting evidence that the concomitant inhibition of PAK1 enhances the potency of various anti-melanoma regimens. Overall, the available information suggests that a safe and effective inhibition of PAK1-dependent molecular processes would enhance the potency of the currently available anti-melanoma treatments, although considerable challenges in implementing such strategies still exist.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julia V. Kichina
- Department of Immunology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm & Carlton St., Buffalo, NY 14263, USA
| | - Alexei Maslov
- Department of Cell Stress Biology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm & Carlton St., Buffalo, NY 14263, USA
| | - Eugene S. Kandel
- Department of Cell Stress Biology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm & Carlton St., Buffalo, NY 14263, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Balakrishnan R, Garcia PA, Veluthakal R, Huss JM, Hoolachan JM, Thurmond DC. Toward Ameliorating Insulin Resistance: Targeting a Novel PAK1 Signaling Pathway Required for Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Function. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1658. [PMID: 37759961 PMCID: PMC10525748 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12091658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) is required for insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in skeletal muscle cells. However, whether PAK1 regulates skeletal muscle mitochondrial function, which is a central determinant of insulin sensitivity, is unknown. Here, the effect of modulating PAK1 levels (knockdown via siRNA, overexpression via adenoviral transduction, and/or inhibition of activation via IPA3) on mitochondrial function was assessed in normal and/or insulin-resistant rat L6.GLUT4myc and human muscle (LHCN-M2) myotubes. Human type 2 diabetes (T2D) and non-diabetic (ND) skeletal muscle samples were also used for validation of the identified signaling elements. PAK1 depletion in myotubes decreased mitochondrial copy number, respiration, altered mitochondrial structure, downregulated PGC1α (a core regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative metabolism) and PGC1α activators, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) and activating transcription factor 2 (ATF2). PAK1 enrichment in insulin-resistant myotubes improved mitochondrial function and rescued PGC1α expression levels. Activated PAK1 was localized to the cytoplasm, and PAK1 enrichment concurrent with p38MAPK inhibition did not increase PGC1α levels. PAK1 inhibition and enrichment also modified nuclear phosphorylated-ATF2 levels. T2D human samples showed a deficit for PGC1α, and PAK1 depletion in LHCN-M2 cells led to reduced mitochondrial respiration. Overall, the results suggest that PAK1 regulates muscle mitochondrial function upstream of the p38MAPK/ATF2/PGC1α-axis pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rekha Balakrishnan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope Beckman Research Institute, 1500 E Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USA; (R.B.); (R.V.)
| | - Pablo A. Garcia
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope Beckman Research Institute, 1500 E Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USA; (R.B.); (R.V.)
| | - Rajakrishnan Veluthakal
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope Beckman Research Institute, 1500 E Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USA; (R.B.); (R.V.)
| | - Janice M. Huss
- School of Medicine, Washington University, 660 S Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA;
| | - Joseph M. Hoolachan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope Beckman Research Institute, 1500 E Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USA; (R.B.); (R.V.)
| | - Debbie C. Thurmond
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope Beckman Research Institute, 1500 E Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USA; (R.B.); (R.V.)
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Nappi A, Miro C, Pezone A, Tramontano A, Di Cicco E, Sagliocchi S, Cicatiello AG, Murolo M, Torabinejad S, Abbotto E, Caiazzo G, Raia M, Stornaiuolo M, Antonini D, Fabbrocini G, Salvatore D, Avvedimento VE, Dentice M. Loss of p53 activates thyroid hormone via type 2 deiodinase and enhances DNA damage. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1244. [PMID: 36871014 PMCID: PMC9985592 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36755-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The Thyroid Hormone (TH) activating enzyme, type 2 Deiodinase (D2), is functionally required to elevate the TH concentration during cancer progression to advanced stages. However, the mechanisms regulating D2 expression in cancer still remain poorly understood. Here, we show that the cell stress sensor and tumor suppressor p53 silences D2 expression, thereby lowering the intracellular THs availability. Conversely, even partial loss of p53 elevates D2/TH resulting in stimulation and increased fitness of tumor cells by boosting a significant transcriptional program leading to modulation of genes involved in DNA damage and repair and redox signaling. In vivo genetic deletion of D2 significantly reduces cancer progression and suggests that targeting THs may represent a general tool reducing invasiveness in p53-mutated neoplasms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annarita Nappi
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Caterina Miro
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonio Pezone
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Alfonso Tramontano
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", 80138, Naples, Italy
| | - Emery Di Cicco
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Serena Sagliocchi
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Melania Murolo
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Sepehr Torabinejad
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Elena Abbotto
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Caiazzo
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Maddalena Raia
- CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate S.c.a.r.l., 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Mariano Stornaiuolo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples "Federico II", 80149, Naples, Italy
| | - Dario Antonini
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Gabriella Fabbrocini
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Domenico Salvatore
- CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate S.c.a.r.l., 80131, Naples, Italy.,Department of Public Health, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Vittorio Enrico Avvedimento
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Monica Dentice
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy. .,CEINGE, Biotecnologie Avanzate S.c.a.r.l., 80131, Naples, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Blankenstein LJ, Cordes N, Kunz-Schughart LA, Vehlow A. Targeting of p21-Activated Kinase 4 Radiosensitizes Glioblastoma Cells via Impaired DNA Repair. Cells 2022; 11:cells11142133. [PMID: 35883575 PMCID: PMC9316146 DOI: 10.3390/cells11142133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma is a devastating malignant disease with poor patient overall survival. Strong invasiveness and resistance to radiochemotherapy have challenged the identification of molecular targets that can finally improve treatment outcomes. This study evaluates the influence of all six known p21-activated kinase (PAK) protein family members on the invasion capacity and radio-response of glioblastoma cells by employing a siRNA-based screen. In a panel of human glioblastoma cell models, we identified PAK4 as the main PAK isoform regulating invasion and clonogenic survival upon irradiation and demonstrated the radiosensitizing potential of PAK4 inhibition. Mechanistically, we show that PAK4 depletion and pharmacological inhibition enhanced the number of irradiation-induced DNA double-strand breaks and reduced the expression levels of various DNA repair proteins. In conclusion, our data suggest PAK4 as a putative target for radiosensitization and impairing DNA repair in glioblastoma, deserving further scrutiny in extended combinatorial treatment testing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leon J. Blankenstein
- OncoRay—National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, PF 41, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (L.J.B.); (N.C.); (L.A.K.-S.)
- National Center for Tumor Diseases, Partner Site Dresden: German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nils Cordes
- OncoRay—National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, PF 41, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (L.J.B.); (N.C.); (L.A.K.-S.)
- National Center for Tumor Diseases, Partner Site Dresden: German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, PF 50, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden—Rossendorf, Institute of Radiooncology—OncoRay, Bautzner Landstr. 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69192 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Leoni A. Kunz-Schughart
- OncoRay—National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, PF 41, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (L.J.B.); (N.C.); (L.A.K.-S.)
- National Center for Tumor Diseases, Partner Site Dresden: German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anne Vehlow
- OncoRay—National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, PF 41, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (L.J.B.); (N.C.); (L.A.K.-S.)
- National Center for Tumor Diseases, Partner Site Dresden: German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69192 Heidelberg, Germany
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Hawley E, Gehlhausen J, Karchugina S, Chow HY, Araiza-Olivera D, Radu M, Smith A, Burks C, Jiang L, Li X, Bessler W, Masters A, Edwards D, Burgin C, Jones D, Yates C, Clapp DW, Chernoff J, Park SJ. PAK1 inhibition reduces tumor size and extends the lifespan of mice in a genetically engineered mouse model of Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2). Hum Mol Genet 2021; 30:1607-1617. [PMID: 34075397 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddab106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurofibromatosis Type II (NF2) is an autosomal dominant cancer predisposition syndrome in which germline haploinsufficiency at the NF2 gene confers a greatly increased propensity for tumor development arising from tissues of neural crest derived origin. NF2 encodes the tumor suppressor, Merlin, and its biochemical function is incompletely understood. One well established function of Merlin is as a negative regulator of group A serine/threonine p21 activated kinases (PAKs). In these studies we explore the role of PAK1 and its closely related paralog, PAK2, both pharmacologically and genetically, in Merlin deficient Schwann cells and in a genetically engineered mouse model (GEMM) that develops spontaneous vestibular and spinal schwannomas. We demonstrate that PAK1 and PAK2 are both hyper activated in Merlin deficient murine schwannomas. In preclinical trials, a pan Group A PAK inhibitor, FRAX-1036, transiently reduced PAK1 and PAK2 phosphorylation in vitro, but had insignificant efficacy in vivo. NVS-PAK1-1, a PAK1 selective inhibitor, had a greater but still minimal effect on our GEMM phenotype. However, genetic ablation of Pak1 but not Pak2 reduced tumor formation in our NF2 GEMM. Moreover, germline genetic deletion of Pak1 was well tolerated while conditional deletion of Pak2 in Schwann cells resulted in significant morbidity and mortality. These data support the further development of PAK1-specific small molecule inhibitors and the therapeutic targeting of PAK1 in vestibular schwannomas and argue against PAK1 and PAK2 existing as functionally redundant protein isoforms in Schwann cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eric Hawley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Jeffrey Gehlhausen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Sofiia Karchugina
- Cancer Biology Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Hoi-Yee Chow
- Cancer Biology Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | | | - Maria Radu
- Cancer Biology Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Abbi Smith
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Ciersten Burks
- Department of Otolaryngology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Li Jiang
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Xiaohong Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Waylan Bessler
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Andrea Masters
- Clinical Pharmacology Analytical Core, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Donna Edwards
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Callie Burgin
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - David Jones
- Clinical Pharmacology Analytical Core, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Charles Yates
- Department of Otolaryngology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - D Wade Clapp
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana.,Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Jonathan Chernoff
- Cancer Biology Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Su-Jung Park
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Genome assembly, sex-biased gene expression and dosage compensation in the damselfly Ischnura elegans. Genomics 2021; 113:1828-1837. [PMID: 33831439 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2021.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2020] [Revised: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of sex chromosomes, and patterns of sex-biased gene expression and dosage compensation, are poorly known among early winged insects such as odonates. We assembled and annotated the genome of Ischnura elegans (blue-tailed damselfly), which, like other odonates, has a male-hemigametic sex-determining system (X0 males, XX females). By identifying X-linked genes in I. elegans and their orthologs in other insect genomes, we found homologies between the X chromosome in odonates and chromosomes of other orders, including the X chromosome in Coleoptera. Next, we showed balanced expression of X-linked genes between sexes in adult I. elegans, i.e. evidence of dosage compensation. Finally, among the genes in the sex-determining pathway only fruitless was found to be X-linked, while only doublesex showed sex-biased expression. This study reveals partly conserved sex chromosome synteny and independent evolution of dosage compensation among insect orders separated by several hundred million years of evolutionary history.
Collapse
|
7
|
Magalhaes YT, Farias JO, Silva LE, Forti FL. GTPases, genome, actin: A hidden story in DNA damage response and repair mechanisms. DNA Repair (Amst) 2021; 100:103070. [PMID: 33618126 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2021.103070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The classical small Rho GTPase (Rho, Rac, and Cdc42) protein family is mainly responsible for regulating cell motility and polarity, membrane trafficking, cell cycle control, and gene transcription. Cumulative recent evidence supports important roles for these proteins in the maintenance of genomic stability. Indeed, DNA damage response (DDR) and repair mechanisms are some of the prime biological processes that underlie several disease phenotypes, including genetic disorders, cancer, senescence, and premature aging. Many reports guided by different experimental approaches and molecular hypotheses have demonstrated that, to some extent, direct modulation of Rho GTPase activity, their downstream effectors, or actin cytoskeleton regulation contribute to these cellular events. Although much attention has been paid to this family in the context of canonical actin cytoskeleton remodeling, here we provide a contextualized review of the interplay between Rho GTPase signaling pathways and the DDR and DNA repair signaling components. Interesting questions yet to be addressed relate to the spatiotemporal dynamics of this collective response and whether it correlates with different subcellular pools of Rho GTPases. We highlight the direct and indirect targets, some of which still lack experimental validation data, likely associated with Rho GTPase activation that provides compelling evidence for further investigation in DNA damage-associated events and with potential therapeutic applications in translational medicine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuli T Magalhaes
- Laboratory of Biomolecular Systems Signaling, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Jessica O Farias
- Laboratory of Biomolecular Systems Signaling, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Luiz E Silva
- Laboratory of Biomolecular Systems Signaling, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Fabio L Forti
- Laboratory of Biomolecular Systems Signaling, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Venu A, Archana B, Kanumuri R, Vuttaradhi VK, D'Cruze L, Murugan S, Ganesh K, Prathiba D, Dymova MA, Rayala SK, Venkatraman G. Clinical Evaluation of P21 Activated Kinase 1 (PAK1) Activation in Gliomas and Its Effect on Cell Proliferation. Cancer Invest 2020; 39:98-113. [PMID: 33251876 DOI: 10.1080/07357907.2020.1858097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Glioblastomas are the primary malignant tumors of brain tissues with poor prognosis and highly invasive phenotypes. Till now Ki-67 LI has emerged as a well-studied proliferation marker that aids in tumor grading, but labeling index alone cannot predict overall survival in gliomas. P21 activated kinase 1 (PAK1) - a serine/threonine kinase has been shown to function as downstream nodule for various oncogenic signaling pathways that promote neoplastic changes. This study is designed to evaluate the expression of PAK1 across various grades and its correlation with Ki-67 LI and overall survival rates among a total number of 140 clinical brain tumors of glioma patients. We also studied the activation status of phospho PAK1 in glioma tissues and established the role of PAK1 in proliferation of glioblatoma cell lines under γ-irradiation.This study provides molecular evidence signifying the role of PAK1 and its activation status in the progression of Gliomas to more aggressive phenotypes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Akkanapally Venu
- Department of Human Genetics, Sri Ramachandra Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Technology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, India
| | - Balasubramanian Archana
- Department of Pathology, Sri Ramachandra Medical College, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, India
| | - Rahul Kanumuri
- Department of Human Genetics, Sri Ramachandra Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Technology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, India
| | | | - Lawrence D'Cruze
- Department of Pathology, Sri Ramachandra Medical College, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, India
| | - Sowmiya Murugan
- Department of Pathology, Sri Ramachandra Medical College, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, India
| | - Krishnamurthy Ganesh
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sri Ramachandra Medical College, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, India
| | - Duvuru Prathiba
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, India
| | - Mayya Alexandrovna Dymova
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine of Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Suresh Kumar Rayala
- Department of Pathology, Sri Ramachandra Medical College, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, India
| | - Ganesh Venkatraman
- Department of Human Genetics, Sri Ramachandra Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Technology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, India
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Coordinated dysregulation of cancer progression by the HER family and p21-activated kinases. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2020; 39:583-601. [PMID: 32820388 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-020-09922-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Most epithelial cancer types are polygenic in nature and are driven by coordinated dysregulation of multiple regulatory pathways, genes, and protein modifications. The process of coordinated regulation of cancer promoting pathways in response to extrinsic and intrinsic signals facilitates the dysregulation of several pathways with complementary functions, contributing to the hallmarks of cancer. Dysregulation and hyperactivation of cell surface human epidermal growth factor receptors (HERs) and cytoskeleton remodeling by p21-activated kinases (PAKs) are two prominent interconnected aspects of oncogenesis. We briefly discuss the discoveries and significant advances in the area of coordinated regulation of HERs and PAKs in the development and progression of breast and other epithelial cancers. We also discuss how initial studies involving heregulin signaling via HER3-HER2 axis and HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells not only discovered a mechanistic role of PAK1 in breast cancer pathobiology but also acted as a bridge in generating a broader cancer research interest in other PAK family members and cancer types and catalyzed establishing the role of PAKs in human cancer, at-large. In addition, growth factor stimulation of the PAK pathway also helped to recognize new facets of PAKs, connecting the PAK pathway to oncogenesis, nuclear signaling, gene expression, mitotic progression, DNA damage response, among other phenotypic responses, and shaped the field of PAK cancer research. Finally, we recount some of the current limitations of HER- and PAK-directed therapeutics in counteracting acquired therapeutic resistance and discuss how cancer's as a polygenic disease may be best targeted with a polygenic approach.
Collapse
|
10
|
Wang J, Zhu Y, Chen J, Yang Y, Zhu L, Zhao J, Yang Y, Cai X, Hu C, Rosell R, Sun X, Cao P. Identification of a novel PAK1 inhibitor to treat pancreatic cancer. Acta Pharm Sin B 2020; 10:603-614. [PMID: 32322465 PMCID: PMC7161699 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2019.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2019] [Revised: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive cancers with poor prognosis and a low 5-year survival rate. The family of P21-activated kinases (PAKs) appears to modulate many signaling pathways that contribute to pancreatic carcinogenesis. In this work, we demonstrated that PAK1 is a critical regulator in pancreatic cancer cell growth. PAK1-targeted inhibition is therefore a new potential therapeutic strategy for pancreatic cancer. Our small molecule screening identified a relatively specific PAK1-targeted inhibitor, CP734. Pharmacological and biochemical studies indicated that CP734 targets residue V342 of PAK1 to inhibit its ATPase activity. Further in vitro and in vivo studies elucidated that CP734 suppresses pancreatic tumor growth through depleting PAK1 kinase activity and its downstream signaling pathways. Little toxicity of CP734 was observed in murine models. Combined with gemcitabine or 5-fluorouracil, CP734 also showed synergistic effects on the anti-proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells. All these favorable results indicated that CP734 is a new potential therapeutic candidate for pancreatic cancer.
Collapse
Key Words
- 5-FU, 5-fluorouracil
- ALP, alkaline phosphatase
- ALT, alanine aminotransferase
- ANOVA, analysis of variance
- AST, aspartate aminotransferase
- BCL-2, B-cell lymphoma-2
- BUN, blood urea nitrogen
- CCK-8, cell counting kit-8
- CDC42, cell division cycle 42
- DMEM, Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium
- DMSO, dimethylsulfoxide
- ERK, extracellular regulated protein kinase
- GEPIA, gene expression profiling interactive analysis
- GTEx, genotype-tissue expression
- Gem, gemcitabine
- HEK293, human embryonic kidney 293
- HTVS, high-throughput virtual screening
- IMEM, improved minimum essential medium
- IP, immunoprecipitation
- Inhibitor
- MEK, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase
- MEM, modified Eagle's medium
- NSCLC, non-small cell lung cancer
- OHP, oxaliplatin
- OS, overall survival
- PAK, P21-activated kinase
- PAK1
- PARP, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase
- PAX, paclitaxel
- PSCs, pancreatic stellate cells
- PUMA, P53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis
- PVDF, polyvinylidene fluoride
- Pancreatic cancer
- RAC1, Rac family small GTPase 1
- RIPA, radio immunoprecipitation assay
- RPMI1640, Roswell Park Memorial Institute 1640 medium
- SDS-PAGE, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis
- SP, standard precision
- Structure-based virtual screening
- Synergistic effect
- TCGA, The Cancer Genome Atlas
- TUNEL, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling
- XP, extra precision
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Wang
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
| | - Yonghua Zhu
- Fullshare Health College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jiao Chen
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
| | - Yuhan Yang
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200080, China
| | - Lingxia Zhu
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
| | - Jiayu Zhao
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
| | - Xueting Cai
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
| | - Chunping Hu
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
| | - Rafael Rosell
- Cancer Biology and Precision Medicine Program, Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, Badalona, Badalona 08916, Spain
| | - Xiaoyan Sun
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
- Corresponding authors. Tel.: +86 25 85608666; fax: +86 25 52362230.
| | - Peng Cao
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China
- Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center For Cancer Personalized Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
- Corresponding authors. Tel.: +86 25 85608666; fax: +86 25 52362230.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Li N, Lopez MA, Linares M, Kumar S, Oliva S, Martinez-Lopez J, Xu L, Xu Y, Perini T, Senapedis W, Baloglu E, Shammas MA, Hunter Z, Anderson KC, Treon SP, Munshi NC, Fulciniti M. Dual PAK4-NAMPT Inhibition Impacts Growth and Survival, and Increases Sensitivity to DNA-Damaging Agents in Waldenström Macroglobulinemia. Clin Cancer Res 2018; 25:369-377. [PMID: 30206161 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-18-1776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Revised: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4) plays a significant biological and functional role in a number of malignancies, including multiple myeloma (MM). On the basis of our promising findings in MM, we here characterize PAK4 expression and role in WM cells, as well effect of dual PAK4-NAMPT inhibitor (KPT-9274) against WM cell growth and viability. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We have analyzed mRNA and protein expression levels of PAK4 in WM cells, and used loss-of-function approach to investigate its contribution to WM cell viability. We have further tested the in vitro and in vivo effect of KPT-9274 against WM cell growth and viability. RESULTS We report here high-level expression and functional role of PAK4 in WM, as demonstrated by shRNA-mediated knockdown; and significant impact of KPT-9274 on WM cell growth and viability. The growth inhibitory effect of KPT-9274 was associated with decreased PAK4 expression and NAMPT activity, as well as induction of apoptosis. Interestingly, in WM cell lines treated with KPT-9274, we detected a significant impact on DNA damage and repair genes. Moreover, we observed that apart from inducing DNA damage, KPT-9274 specifically decreased RAD51 and the double-strand break repair by the homologous recombination pathway. As a result, when combined with a DNA alkylating agents bendamustine and melphalan, KPT-9274 provided a synergistic inhibition of cell viability in WM cell lines and primary patient WM cells in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSIONS These results support the clinical investigation of KPT-9274 in combination with DNA-damaging agent for treatment of WM.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Na Li
- LeBow Institute for Myeloma Therapeutics and Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Liaoning, China
| | - Michael A Lopez
- LeBow Institute for Myeloma Therapeutics and Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Maria Linares
- Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Complutense School of Medicine, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, Madrid, Spain
| | - Subodh Kumar
- LeBow Institute for Myeloma Therapeutics and Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Stefania Oliva
- Myeloma Unit, Division of Hematology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Joaquin Martinez-Lopez
- Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Complutense School of Medicine, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lian Xu
- Bing Center for Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yan Xu
- LeBow Institute for Myeloma Therapeutics and Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Tommaso Perini
- LeBow Institute for Myeloma Therapeutics and Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | | | - Masood A Shammas
- LeBow Institute for Myeloma Therapeutics and Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Zachary Hunter
- Bing Center for Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kenneth C Anderson
- LeBow Institute for Myeloma Therapeutics and Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Steven P Treon
- Bing Center for Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nikhil C Munshi
- LeBow Institute for Myeloma Therapeutics and Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Mariateresa Fulciniti
- LeBow Institute for Myeloma Therapeutics and Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Pérez-Yépez EA, Saldívar-Cerón HI, Villamar-Cruz O, Pérez-Plasencia C, Arias-Romero LE. p21 Activated kinase 1: Nuclear activity and its role during DNA damage repair. DNA Repair (Amst) 2018; 65:42-46. [PMID: 29597073 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2018.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) is a serine/threonine kinase activated by the small GTPases Rac1 and Cdc42. It is located in the chromosome 11q13 and is amplified and/or overexpressed in several human cancer types including 25-30% of breast tumors. This enzyme plays a pivotal role in the control of a number of fundamental cellular processes by phosphorylating its downstream substrates. In addition to its role in the cytoplasm, it is well documented that PAK1 also plays crucial roles in the nucleus participating in mitotic events and gene expression through its association and/or phosphorylation of several transcription factors, transcriptional co-regulators and cell cycle-related proteins, including Aurora kinase A (AURKA), polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1), the forkhead transcription factor (FKHR), estrogen receptor α (ERα), and Snail. More recently, PAK signaling has emerged as a component of the DNA damage response (DDR) as PAK1 activity influences the cellular sensitivity to ionizing radiation and promotes the expression of several genes involved in the Fanconi Anemia/BRCA pathway. This review will focus on the nuclear functions of PAK1 and its role in the regulation of DNA damage repair.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eloy Andrés Pérez-Yépez
- UBIMED, Facultad de Estudios Superiores-Iztacala, UNAM, Tlalnepantla, Estado de México 54090, Mexico; Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA
| | - Héctor Iván Saldívar-Cerón
- Departamento de Biomedicina Molecular, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Apartado postal 14-740, 07360 México, D. F., México
| | - Olga Villamar-Cruz
- UBIMED, Facultad de Estudios Superiores-Iztacala, UNAM, Tlalnepantla, Estado de México 54090, Mexico
| | - Carlos Pérez-Plasencia
- UBIMED, Facultad de Estudios Superiores-Iztacala, UNAM, Tlalnepantla, Estado de México 54090, Mexico
| | - Luis Enrique Arias-Romero
- UBIMED, Facultad de Estudios Superiores-Iztacala, UNAM, Tlalnepantla, Estado de México 54090, Mexico.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Cardama GA, Alonso DF, Gonzalez N, Maggio J, Gomez DE, Rolfo C, Menna PL. Relevance of small GTPase Rac1 pathway in drug and radio-resistance mechanisms: Opportunities in cancer therapeutics. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2018; 124:29-36. [PMID: 29548483 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2018.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Revised: 11/21/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Rac1 GTPase signaling pathway has a critical role in the regulation of a plethora of cellular functions governing cancer cell behavior. Recently, it has been shown a critical role of Rac1 in the emergence of resistance mechanisms to cancer therapy. This review describes the current knowledge regarding Rac1 pathway deregulation and its association with chemoresistance, radioresistance, resistance to targeted therapies and immune evasion. This supports the idea that interfering Rac1 signaling pathway could be an interesting approach to tackle cancer resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- G A Cardama
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National University of Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - D F Alonso
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National University of Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina; National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - N Gonzalez
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National University of Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - J Maggio
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National University of Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - D E Gomez
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National University of Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina; National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - C Rolfo
- Phase I-Early Clinical trials Unit, Oncology Department Antwerp University Hospital & Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Antwerp University, Belgium.
| | - P L Menna
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National University of Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina; National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Fan G. FER mediated HGF-independent regulation of HGFR/MET activates RAC1-PAK1 pathway to potentiate metastasis in ovarian cancer. Small GTPases 2018; 11:155-159. [PMID: 29099290 DOI: 10.1080/21541248.2017.1379931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Uncontrolled metastasis significantly contributes to high lethality of patients suffering from ovarian cancer. To date, the detailed molecular mechanisms which account for ovarian tumor cell spreading and metastasis remain largely unknown. In a recent study, we have demonstrated that aberrantly high expression of the non-receptor tyrosine kinase FER is responsible for ovarian tumor cell metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, we indentified Hepatocyte Growth Factor Receptor HGFR/MET as a novel substrate of FER, and through which the kinase FER modulates ovarian cancer cell motility and invasiveness in a ligand-independent manner. We also observed aberrantly high expression of PAK1 kinase in cancer cells, and RNAi-mediated knockdown of FER kinase inactivated the RAC1-PAK1 signaling pathway and decreased metastatic potential of CAOV4 ovarian cancer cells. Overall, our study revealed a previously uncharacterized, pro-metastatic role of the kinase FER in ovarian cancer through the MET-RAC1-PAK1 pathway. Further efforts are essential to investigating beneficial outcomes towards targeting the RAC1-PAK1 signaling pathway in reducing metastatic burden of this deadly disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gaofeng Fan
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Transcriptional regulation of ataxia–telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein by activated p21-activated kinase-1 protects keratinocytes in UV-B-induced premalignant skin lesions. Oncogene 2017; 36:6154-6163. [DOI: 10.1038/onc.2017.218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2017] [Revised: 04/16/2017] [Accepted: 05/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
|
16
|
Kumar R, Deivendran S, Santhoshkumar TR, Pillai MR. Signaling coupled epigenomic regulation of gene expression. Oncogene 2017. [DOI: 10.1038/onc.2017.201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
|
17
|
Kumar R, Sanawar R, Li X, Li F. Structure, biochemistry, and biology of PAK kinases. Gene 2016; 605:20-31. [PMID: 28007610 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2016.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2016] [Revised: 11/24/2016] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
PAKs, p21-activated kinases, play central roles and act as converging junctions for discrete signals elicited on the cell surface and for a number of intracellular signaling cascades. PAKs phosphorylate a vast number of substrates and act by remodeling cytoskeleton, employing scaffolding, and relocating to distinct subcellular compartments. PAKs affect wide range of processes that are crucial to the cell from regulation of cell motility, survival, redox, metabolism, cell cycle, proliferation, transformation, stress, inflammation, to gene expression. Understandably, their dysregulation disrupts cellular homeostasis and severely impacts key cell functions, and many of those are implicated in a number of human diseases including cancers, neurological disorders, and cardiac disorders. Here we provide an overview of the members of the PAK family and their current status. We give special emphasis to PAK1 and PAK4, the prototypes of groups I and II, for their profound roles in cancer, the nervous system, and the heart. We also highlight other family members. We provide our perspective on the current advancements, their growing importance as strategic therapeutic targets, and our vision on the future of PAKs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rakesh Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA; Cancer Biology Program, Rajiv Gandhi Center of Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram 695014, India.
| | - Rahul Sanawar
- Cancer Biology Program, Rajiv Gandhi Center of Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram 695014, India
| | - Xiaodong Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Chinese Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - Feng Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Chinese Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Cruz OV, Prudnikova TY, Araiza-Olivera D, Perez-Plasencia C, Johnson N, Bernhardy AJ, Slifker M, Renner C, Chernoff J, Arias LE. Reduced PAK1 activity sensitizes FA/BRCA-proficient breast cancer cells to PARP inhibition. Oncotarget 2016; 7:76590-76603. [PMID: 27740936 PMCID: PMC5363532 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.12576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Cells that are deficient in homologous recombination, such as those that have mutations in any of the Fanconi Anemia (FA)/BRCA genes, are hypersensitive to inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). However, FA/BRCA-deficient tumors represent a small fraction of breast cancers, which might restrict the therapeutic utility of PARP inhibitor monotherapy. The gene encoding the serine-threonine protein kinase p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) is amplified and/or overexpressed in several human cancer types including 25-30% of breast tumors. This enzyme controls many cellular processes by phosphorylating both cytoplasmic and nuclear substrates. Here, we show that depletion or pharmacological inhibition of PAK1 down-regulated the expression of genes involved in the FA/BRCA pathway and compromised the ability of cells to repair DNA by Homologous Recombination (HR), promoting apoptosis and reducing colony formation. Combined inhibition of PAK1 and PARP in PAK1 overexpressing breast cancer cells had a synergistic effect, enhancing apoptosis, suppressing colony formation, and delaying tumor growth in a xenograft setting. Because reduced PAK1 activity impaired FA/BRCA function, inhibition of this kinase in PAK1 amplified and/or overexpressing breast cancer cells represents a plausible strategy for expanding the utility of PARP inhibitors to FA/BRCA-proficient cancers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olga Villamar Cruz
- UBIMED, Facultad de Estudios Superiores-Iztacala, UNAM, Tlalnepantla, Estado de México, Mexico
| | | | | | - Carlos Perez-Plasencia
- UBIMED, Facultad de Estudios Superiores-Iztacala, UNAM, Tlalnepantla, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Neil Johnson
- Experimental Therapeutics Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Andrea J. Bernhardy
- Experimental Therapeutics Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Michael Slifker
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Catherine Renner
- Department of Pathology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jonathan Chernoff
- Cancer Biology Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Luis E. Arias
- UBIMED, Facultad de Estudios Superiores-Iztacala, UNAM, Tlalnepantla, Estado de México, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Kumar R, Li DQ. PAKs in Human Cancer Progression: From Inception to Cancer Therapeutic to Future Oncobiology. Adv Cancer Res 2016; 130:137-209. [PMID: 27037753 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2016.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Since the initial recognition of a mechanistic role of p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) in breast cancer invasion, PAK1 has emerged as one of the widely overexpressed or hyperactivated kinases in human cancer at-large, allowing the PAK family to make in-roads in cancer biology, tumorigenesis, and cancer therapeutics. Much of our current understanding of the PAK family in cancer progression relates to a central role of the PAK family in the integration of cancer-promoting signals from cell membrane receptors as well as function as a key nexus-modifier of complex, cytoplasmic signaling network. Another core aspect of PAK signaling that highlights its importance in cancer progression is through PAK's central role in the cross talk with signaling and interacting proteins, as well as PAK's position as a key player in the phosphorylation of effector substrates to engage downstream components that ultimately leads to the development cancerous phenotypes. Here we provide a comprehensive review of the recent advances in PAK cancer research and its downstream substrates in the context of invasion, nuclear signaling and localization, gene expression, and DNA damage response. We discuss how a deeper understanding of PAK1's pathobiology over the years has widened research interest to the PAK family and human cancer, and positioning the PAK family as a promising cancer therapeutic target either alone or in combination with other therapies. With many landmark findings and leaps in the progress of PAK cancer research since the infancy of this field nearly 20 years ago, we also discuss postulated advances in the coming decade as the PAK family continues to shape the future of oncobiology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R Kumar
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States; Rajiv Gandhi Center of Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, India.
| | - D-Q Li
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Epigenetics in Shanghai, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Rho GTPases: Novel Players in the Regulation of the DNA Damage Response? Biomolecules 2015; 5:2417-34. [PMID: 26437439 PMCID: PMC4693241 DOI: 10.3390/biom5042417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2015] [Revised: 09/02/2015] [Accepted: 09/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1) belongs to the family of Ras-homologous small GTPases. It is well characterized as a membrane-bound signal transducing molecule that is involved in the regulation of cell motility and adhesion as well as cell cycle progression, mitosis, cell death and gene expression. Rac1 also adjusts cellular responses to genotoxic stress by regulating the activity of stress kinases, including c-Jun-N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase (JNK/SAPK) and p38 kinases as well as related transcription factors. Apart from being found on the inner side of the outer cell membrane and in the cytosol, Rac1 has also been detected inside the nucleus. Different lines of evidence indicate that genotoxin-induced DNA damage is able to activate nuclear Rac1. The exact mechanisms involved and the biological consequences, however, are unclear. The data available so far indicate that Rac1 might integrate DNA damage independent and DNA damage dependent cellular stress responses following genotoxin treatment, thereby coordinating mechanisms of the DNA damage response (DDR) that are related to DNA repair, survival and cell death.
Collapse
|
21
|
Liu JS, Che XM, Chang S, Qiu GL, He SC, Fan L, Zhao W, Zhang ZL, Wang SF. β-elemene enhances the radiosensitivity of gastric cancer cells by inhibiting Pak1 activation. World J Gastroenterol 2015; 21:9945-9956. [PMID: 26379399 PMCID: PMC4566387 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i34.9945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2015] [Revised: 05/12/2015] [Accepted: 07/18/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM: To explore the potential of β-elemene as a radiosensitizer for gastric cancer cells and the underlying mechanisms.
METHODS: SGC7901, MKN45, MKN28, N87, and AGS human gastric cancer cell lines were used to screen for radioresistant gastric cancer cell lines. A 3-(4,5-dimeth-ylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium (MTT) assay was used to determine the effects of β-elemene and IPA-3 on cell viability in MKN45 and SGC7901 gastric cancer cell lines. A clonogenic survival assay and annexin V-FITC/PI apoptosis detection assay were used to evaluate cellular radiosensitivity and radiation-induced cell death, respectively. A proteomic method, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ), was employed to screen the proteins regulated by β-elemene pretreatment prior to ionizing radiation (IR) in SGC7901 gastric cancer cell line. IPA-3 was used as a specific small molecule inhibitor of p21-activated protein kinase 1 (Pak1) to target Pak1 signaling. Protein levels of PAK1IP1 (p21-activated protein kinase-interacting protein 1), total Pak1 (t-Pak1), phospho-Pak1 (T423), phospho-ERK1/2 (Thr202/Tyr204), and cleaved caspase-3 (17 kDa) were assessed by western blotting.
RESULTS: MKN45 and SGC7901 gastric cancer cell lines were relatively more resistant to IR. β-elemene pretreatment decreased clonogenic survival following IR in MKN45 and SGC7901 gastric cancer cell lines. Additionally, β-elemene pretreatment prior to IR increased radiation-induced cell death compared with IR alone in MKN45 (10.4% ± 0.9% vs 34.8% ± 2.8%, P < 0.05) and SGC7901 (11.6% ± 0.9% vs 46.7% ± 5.2%, P < 0.05) human gastric cancer cell lines, respectively, consistent with the level of cleaved caspase-3 (17 kDa). Through iTRAQ analysis and western blot validation, we found that β-elemene upregulated PAK1IP1 and downregulated phospho-Pak1 (T423) and phospho-ERK1/2 in SGC7901 gastric cancer cells. IR increased the level of phospho-Pak1 (T423). Pretreatment with β-elemene decreased radiation-induced Pak1 and ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Inhibition of Pak1 using IPA-3 decreased clonogenic survival following IR. In addition, IPA-3 increased radiation-induced cell death in MKN45 (13.4% ± 0.3% vs 26.6% ± 1.0%, P < 0.05) and SGC7901 (16.0% ± 0.6% vs 37.3% ± 1.7%, P < 0.05) gastric cancer cell lines, respectively, consistent with the level of cleaved caspase-3 (17 kDa). Western blotting showed that IPA-3 decreased radiation-induced Pak1 and ERK1/2 phosphorylation.
CONCLUSION: This is the first demonstration that β-elemene enhances radiosensitivity of gastric cancer cells, and that the mechanism involves inhibition of Pak1 signaling.
Collapse
|
22
|
Advani SJ, Camargo MF, Seguin L, Mielgo A, Anand S, Hicks AM, Aguilera J, Franovic A, Weis SM, Cheresh DA. Kinase-independent role for CRAF-driving tumour radioresistance via CHK2. Nat Commun 2015; 6:8154. [PMID: 26333361 PMCID: PMC4559870 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2014] [Accepted: 07/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Although oncology therapy regimens commonly include radiation and genotoxic drugs, tumour cells typically develop resistance to these interventions. Here we report that treatment of tumours with ionizing radiation or genotoxic drugs drives p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1)-mediated phosphorylation of CRAF on Serine 338 (pS338) triggering a kinase-independent mechanism of DNA repair and therapeutic resistance. CRAF pS338 recruits CHK2, a cell cycle checkpoint kinase involved in DNA repair, and promotes CHK2 phosphorylation/activation to enhance the tumour cell DNA damage response. Accordingly, a phospho-mimetic mutant of CRAF (S338D) is sufficient to induce the CRAF/CHK2 association enhancing tumour radioresistance, while an allosteric CRAF inhibitor sensitizes tumour cells to ionizing radiation or genotoxic drugs. Our findings establish a role for CRAF in the DNA damage response that is independent from its canonical function as a kinase. Tumors hijack cellular pathways to evade the effects of cancer therapy. Here, Advani et al. show that DNA damage-induced phosphorylation of CRAF Serine 338 triggers DNA repair by recruiting CHK2, highlighting a role for CRAF independent from its canonical function as a kinase.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sunil J Advani
- Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences at the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Maria Fernanda Camargo
- Department of Pathology at the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center and Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 3855 Health Science Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Laetitia Seguin
- Department of Pathology at the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center and Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 3855 Health Science Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Ainhoa Mielgo
- Department of Pathology at the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center and Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 3855 Health Science Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Sudarshan Anand
- Department of Pathology at the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center and Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 3855 Health Science Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Angel M Hicks
- Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences at the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Joseph Aguilera
- Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences at the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Aleksandra Franovic
- Department of Pathology at the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center and Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 3855 Health Science Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Sara M Weis
- Department of Pathology at the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center and Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 3855 Health Science Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - David A Cheresh
- Department of Pathology at the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center and Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 3855 Health Science Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Effects of p21-activated kinase 1 inhibition on 11q13-amplified ovarian cancer cells. Oncogene 2015; 35:2178-85. [PMID: 26257058 PMCID: PMC5125076 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2015.278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2015] [Revised: 05/26/2015] [Accepted: 06/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
p21-activated kinases (PAKs) are Cdc42/Rac–activated serine-threonine protein kinases that regulate of several key cancer-relevant signaling pathways, such as the Mek/Erk, PI3K/Akt, and Wnt/b-catenin signaling pathways. Pak1 is frequently overexpressed and/or hyperactivated in different human cancers, including human breast, ovary, prostate, and brain cancer, due to amplification of the PAK1 gene in an 11q13 amplicon. Genetic or pharmacological inactivation of Pak1 has been shown to reduce proliferation of different cancer cells in vitro and reduce tumor progression in vivo. In this work, we examined the roles of Pak1 in cellular and animal models of PAK1-amplified ovarian cancer. We found that inhibition of Pak1 leads to decreased proliferation and migration in PAK1 amplified/overexpressed ovarian cancer cells, and has no effect in cell that lack such amplification/overexpression. Further, we observed that loss of Pak1 function causes 11q13 amplified ovarian cancer cells to arrest in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle. This arrest correlates with activation of p53 and p21Cip and decreased expression of cyclin B1. These findings suggest that small molecule inhibitors of Pak1 may play a therapeutic role in the ~25% of ovarian cancers characterized by PAK1 gene amplification.
Collapse
|
24
|
Gan J, Zhang Y, Ke X, Tan C, Ren H, Dong H, Jiang J, Chen S, Zhuang Y, Zhang H. Dysregulation of PAK1 Is Associated with DNA Damage and Is of Prognostic Importance in Primary Esophageal Small Cell Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2015; 16:12035-50. [PMID: 26023713 PMCID: PMC4490427 DOI: 10.3390/ijms160612035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/12/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary esophageal small cell carcinoma (PESCC) is a rare, but fatal subtype of esophageal carcinoma. No effective therapeutic regimen for it. P21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) is known to function as an integrator and an indispensable node of major growth factor signaling and the molecular therapy targeting PAK1 has been clinical in pipeline. We thus set to examine the expression and clinical impact of PAK1 in PESCC. The expression of PAK1 was detected in a semi-quantitative manner by performing immunohistochemistry. PAK1 was overexpressed in 22 of 34 PESCC tumors, but in only 2 of 18 adjacent non-cancerous tissues. Overexpression of PAK1 was significantly associated with tumor location (p = 0.011), lymph node metastasis (p = 0.026) and patient survival (p = 0.032). We also investigated the association of PAK1 with DNA damage, a driven cause for malignancy progression. γH2AX, a DNA damage marker, was detectable in 18 of 24 (75.0%) cases, and PAK1 expression was associated with γH2AX (p = 0.027). Together, PAK1 is important in metastasis and progression of PESCC. The contribution of PAK1 to clinical outcomes may be involved in its regulating DNA damage pathway. Further studies are worth determining the potentials of PAK1 as prognostic indicator and therapeutic target for PESCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jinfeng Gan
- Cancer Research Centre, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515063, China.
| | - Yuling Zhang
- Department of Information, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China.
| | - Xiurong Ke
- Cancer Research Centre, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515063, China.
- Department of Biotherapy, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China.
| | - Chong Tan
- Department of General Surgery, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China.
| | - Hongzheng Ren
- Department of Pathology, Central Hospital of Kaifeng, Kaifeng 475000, China.
| | - Hongmei Dong
- Cancer Research Centre, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515063, China.
| | - Jiali Jiang
- Cancer Research Centre, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515063, China.
- Department of Biotherapy, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China.
| | - Shaobin Chen
- Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China.
| | - Yixuan Zhuang
- Tumor Tissue Bank, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China.
| | - Hao Zhang
- Cancer Research Centre, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515063, China.
- Department of Biotherapy, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China.
- Tumor Tissue Bank, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Koth AP, Oliveira BR, Parfitt GM, Buonocore JDQ, Barros DM. Participation of group I p21-activated kinases in neuroplasticity. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 108:270-7. [PMID: 25174326 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphysparis.2014.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2014] [Revised: 04/25/2014] [Accepted: 08/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
PAKs are a family of serine/threonine protein kinases activated by small GTPases of the Rho family, including Rac and Cdc42, and are categorized into group I (isoforms 1, 2 and 3) and group II (isoforms 4, 5 and 6). PAK1 and PAK3 are critically involved in biological mechanisms associated with neurodevelopment, neuroplasticity and maturation of the nervous system, and changes in their activity have been detected in pathological disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease and mental retardation. The group I PAKs have been associated with neurological processes due to their involvement in intracellular mechanisms that result in molecular and cellular morphological alterations that promote cytoskeletal outgrowth, increasing the efficiency of synaptic transmission. Their substrates in these processes include other intracellular signaling molecules, such as Raf, Mek and LIMK, as well as other components of the cytoskeleton, such as MLC and FLNa. In this review, we describe the characteristics of group I PAKs, such as their molecular structure, mechanisms of activation and importance in the neurobiological processes involved in synaptic plasticity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- André P Koth
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (ICB), Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Fisiológicas, Fisiologia Animal Comparada, Laboratório de Neurociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG), Av Itália, Km 8, Rio Grande, RS 96203-900, Brazil.
| | - Bruno R Oliveira
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (ICB), Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Fisiológicas, Fisiologia Animal Comparada, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG), Av Itália, Km 8, Rio Grande, RS 96203-900, Brazil.
| | - Gustavo M Parfitt
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (ICB), Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Fisiológicas, Fisiologia Animal Comparada, Laboratório de Neurociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG), Av Itália, Km 8, Rio Grande, RS 96203-900, Brazil.
| | - Juliana de Quadros Buonocore
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (ICB), Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Fisiológicas, Fisiologia Animal Comparada, Laboratório de Neurociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG), Av Itália, Km 8, Rio Grande, RS 96203-900, Brazil.
| | - Daniela M Barros
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas (ICB), Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Fisiológicas, Fisiologia Animal Comparada, Laboratório de Neurociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG), Av Itália, Km 8, Rio Grande, RS 96203-900, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Role of p-21-activated kinases in cancer progression. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2014; 309:347-87. [PMID: 24529727 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-800255-1.00007-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The p-21-activated kinases (PAKs) are downstream effectors of Rho GTPases Rac and Cdc42. The PAK family consists of six members which are segregated into two subgroups (Group I and Group II) based on sequence homology. Group I PAKs (PAK1-3) are the most extensively studied but there is increasing interest in the functionality of Group II PAKs (PAK4-6). The PAK family proteins are thought to play an important role in many different cellular processes, some of which have particular significance in the context of cancer progression. This review explores established and more recent data, linking the PAK family kinases to cancer progression including expression profiles, evasion of apoptosis, promotion of cell survival, and regulation of cell invasion. Finally, we discuss attempts to therapeutically target the PAK family and outline the major obstacles that still need to be overcome.
Collapse
|