1
|
Wang Y, Minden A. Inhibition of NAMPT by PAK4 Inhibitors. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:10138. [PMID: 39337621 PMCID: PMC11431865 DOI: 10.3390/ijms251810138] [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: 07/30/2024] [Revised: 09/13/2024] [Accepted: 09/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The serine/threonine kinase PAK4 plays a crucial role in regulating cell proliferation, survival, migration, and invasion. Overexpression of PAK4 correlates with poor prognosis in some cancers. KPT-9274, a PAK4 inhibitor, significantly reduces the growth of triple-negative breast cancer cells and mammary tumors in mouse models, and it also inhibits the growth of several other types of cancer cells. Interestingly, although it was first identified as a PAK4 inhibitor, KPT-9274 was also found to inhibit the enzyme NAMPT (nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase), which is crucial for NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) synthesis and vital for cellular energy and growth. These results made us question whether growth inhibition in response to KPT-9274 was due to PAK4 inhibition, NAMPT inhibition, or both. To address this, we tested several other PAK4 inhibitors that also inhibit cell growth, to determine whether they also inhibit NAMPT activity. Our findings confirm that multiple PAK4 inhibitors also inhibit NAMPT activity. This was assessed both in cell-free assays and in a breast cancer cell line. Molecular docking studies were also used to help us better understand the mechanism by which PAK4 inhibitors block PAK4 and NAMPT activity, and we identified specific residues on the PAK4 inhibitors that interact with NAMPT and PAK4. Our results suggest that PAK4 inhibitors may have a more complex mechanism of action than previously understood, necessitating further exploration of how they influence cancer cell growth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yiling Wang
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Chemical Biology, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Audrey Minden
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Chemical Biology, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Takatsuka D, Tachinami H, Suzuki N, Yamazaki M, Yonesi A, Takaichi M, Imaue S, Yamada SI, Tanuma JI, Noguchi M, Tomihara K. PAK4 inhibition augments anti-tumour effect by immunomodulation in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14092. [PMID: 38890401 PMCID: PMC11189426 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64126-0] [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: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common malignant tumours, warranting novel treatments. Here, we examined the therapeutic efficacy of inhibiting p21 activated kinase 4 (PAK4) in OSCC and determined its immunomodulatory effect by focusing on the enhancement of anti-tumour effects. We examined PAK4 expression in OSCC cells and human clinical samples and analysed the proliferation and apoptosis of OSCC cells following PAK4 inhibition in vitro. We also investigated the effects of in vivo administration of a PAK4 inhibitor on immune cell distribution and T-cell immune responses in OSCC tumour-bearing mice. PAK4 was detected in all OSCC cells and OSCC tissue samples. PAK4 inhibitor reduced the proliferation of OSCC cells and induced apoptosis. PAK4 inhibitor significantly attenuated tumour growth in mouse and was associated with increased proportions of IFN-γ-producing CD8+ T-cells. Furthermore, PAK4 inhibitor increased the number of dendritic cells (DCs) and up-regulated the surface expression of various lymphocyte co-stimulatory molecules, including MHC-class I molecules, CD80, CD83, CD86, and CD40. These DCs augmented CD8+ T-cell activation upon co-culture. Our results suggest that PAK4 inhibition in OSCC can have direct anti-tumour and immunomodulatory effects, which might benefit the treatment of this malignancy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Danki Takatsuka
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Academic Assembly, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
| | - Hidetake Tachinami
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Academic Assembly, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
| | - Nihei Suzuki
- Life Science Research Center, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
| | - Manabu Yamazaki
- Divisions of Oral Pathology, Faculty of Dentistry and Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, 951-8514, Japan
| | - Amirmoezz Yonesi
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Academic Assembly, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
| | - Mayu Takaichi
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Academic Assembly, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
| | - Shuichi Imaue
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Academic Assembly, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichi Yamada
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Academic Assembly, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
| | - Jun-Ichi Tanuma
- Divisions of Oral Pathology, Faculty of Dentistry and Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, 951-8514, Japan
| | - Makoto Noguchi
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Academic Assembly, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
| | - Kei Tomihara
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Academic Assembly, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan.
- Divisions of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry and Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, 951-8514, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Shen C, Oh HR, Park YR, Chen JH, Park BH, Park JH. Interaction between p21-activated kinase 4 and β-catenin as a novel pathway for PTH-dependent osteoblast activation. J Cell Physiol 2024; 239:e31245. [PMID: 38497504 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.31245] [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: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Parathyroid hormone (PTH) serves dual roles in bone metabolism, exhibiting both anabolic and catabolic effects. The anabolic properties of PTH have been utilized in the treatment of osteoporosis with proven efficacy in preventing fractures. Despite these benefits, PTH can be administered therapeutically for up to 2 years, and its use in patients with underlying malignancies remains a subject of ongoing debate. These considerations underscore the need for a more comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms. p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4) is involved in bone resorption and cancer-associated osteolysis; however, its role in osteoblast function and PTH action remains unknown. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to clarify the role of PAK4 in osteoblast function and its effects on PTH-induced anabolic activity. PAK4 enhanced MC3T3-E1 osteoblast viability and proliferation and upregulated cyclin D1 expression. PAK4 also augmented osteoblast differentiation, as indicated by increased mineralization found by alkaline phosphatase and Alizarin Red staining. Treatment with PTH (1-34), an active PTH fragment, stimulated PAK4 expression and phosphorylation in a protein kinase A-dependent manner. In addition, bone morphogenetic protein-2 (which is known to promote bone formation) increased phosphorylated PAK4 (p-PAK4) and PAK4 levels. PAK4 regulated the expression of both phosphorylated and total β-catenin, which are critical for osteoblast proliferation and differentiation. Moreover, p-PAK4 directly interacted with β-catenin, and disruption of β-catenin's binding to T-cell factor impaired PAK4- and PTH-induced osteoblast differentiation. Our findings elucidate the effect of PAK4 on enhancing bone formation in osteoblasts and its pivotal role in the anabolic activity of PTH mediated through its interaction with β-catenin. These insights improve the understanding of the mechanisms underlying PTH activity and should inform the development of more effective and safer osteoporosis treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chen Shen
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Jeonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
- Research Institute of Clinical Medicine of Jeonbuk National University-Biomedical Research Institute of Jeonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Ha Ram Oh
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Jeonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
- Research Institute of Clinical Medicine of Jeonbuk National University-Biomedical Research Institute of Jeonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Ran Park
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Jeonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
- Research Institute of Clinical Medicine of Jeonbuk National University-Biomedical Research Institute of Jeonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Hong Chen
- Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, China
| | - Byung-Hyun Park
- Department of Biochemistry, Jeonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Hyun Park
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Jeonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
- Research Institute of Clinical Medicine of Jeonbuk National University-Biomedical Research Institute of Jeonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Green JR, Mahalingaiah PKS, Gopalakrishnan SM, Liguori MJ, Mittelstadt SW, Blomme EAG, Van Vleet TR. Off-target pharmacological activity at various kinases: Potential functional and pathological side effects. J Pharmacol Toxicol Methods 2023; 123:107468. [PMID: 37553032 DOI: 10.1016/j.vascn.2023.107468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
In drug discovery, during the lead optimization and candidate characterization stages, novel small molecules are frequently evaluated in a battery of in vitro pharmacology assays to identify potential unintended, off-target interactions with various receptors, transporters, ion channels, and enzymes, including kinases. Furthermore, these screening panels may also provide utility at later stages of development to provide a mechanistic understanding of unexpected safety findings. Here, we present a compendium of the most likely functional and pathological outcomes associated with interaction(s) to a panel of 95 kinases based on an extensive curation of the scientific literature. This panel of kinases was designed by AbbVie based on safety-related data extracted from the literature, as well as from over 20 years of institutional knowledge generated from discovery efforts. For each kinase, the scientific literature was reviewed using online databases and the most often reported functional and pathological effects were summarized. This work should serve as a practical guide for small molecule drug discovery scientists and clinical investigators to predict and/or interpret adverse effects related to pharmacological interactions with these kinases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathon R Green
- Departments of Preclinical Safety, AbbVie, 1 North Waukegan Road, North Chicago, IL 60064, United States.
| | | | - Sujatha M Gopalakrishnan
- Drug Discovery Science and Technology, AbbVie, 1 North Waukegan Road, North Chicago, IL 60064, United States
| | - Michael J Liguori
- Departments of Preclinical Safety, AbbVie, 1 North Waukegan Road, North Chicago, IL 60064, United States
| | - Scott W Mittelstadt
- Departments of Preclinical Safety, AbbVie, 1 North Waukegan Road, North Chicago, IL 60064, United States
| | - Eric A G Blomme
- Departments of Preclinical Safety, AbbVie, 1 North Waukegan Road, North Chicago, IL 60064, United States
| | - Terry R Van Vleet
- Departments of Preclinical Safety, AbbVie, 1 North Waukegan Road, North Chicago, IL 60064, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Farghadani R, Naidu R. The anticancer mechanism of action of selected polyphenols in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 165:115170. [PMID: 37481930 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is a leadingcause of cancer-related deaths in women globally, with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) being an aggressive subtype that lacks targeted therapies and is associated with a poor prognosis. Polyphenols, naturally occurring compounds in plants, have been investigated as a potential therapeutic strategy for TNBC. This review provides an overview of the anticancer effects of polyphenols in TNBC and their mechanisms of action. Several polyphenols, including resveratrol, quercetin, kaempferol, genistein, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, apigenin, fisetin, hesperetin and luteolin, have been shown to inhibit TNBC cell proliferation, induce cell cycle arrest, promote apoptosis, and suppress migration/invasion in preclinical models. The molecular mechanisms underlying their anticancer effects involve the modulation of several signalling pathways, such as PI3K/Akt, MAPK, STATT, and NF-κB pathways. Polyphenols also exhibit synergistic effects with chemotherapy drugs, making them promising candidates for combination therapy. The review also highlights clinical trials investigating the potential use of polyphenols, individually or in combination therapy, against breast cancer. This review deepens the under-standing of the mechanism of action of respective polyphenols and provides valuable insights into the potential use of polyphenols as a therapeutic strategy for TNBC, and lays the groundwork for future research in this area.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Reyhaneh Farghadani
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan 47500, Malaysia.
| | - Rakesh Naidu
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan 47500, Malaysia.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Fang X, Lan H, Jin K, Qian J. Pancreatic cancer and exosomes: role in progression, diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1149551. [PMID: 37287924 PMCID: PMC10242099 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1149551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most dangerous diseases that threaten human life, and investigating the details affecting its progression or regression is particularly important. Exosomes are one of the derivatives produced from different cells, including tumor cells and other cells such as Tregs, M2 macrophages, and MDSCs, and can help tumor growth. These exosomes perform their actions by affecting the cells in the tumor microenvironment, such as pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) that produce extracellular matrix (ECM) components and immune cells that are responsible for killing tumor cells. It has also been shown that pancreatic cancer cell (PCC)-derived exosomes at different stages carry molecules. Checking the presence of these molecules in the blood and other body fluids can help us in the early stage diagnosis and monitoring of PC. However, immune system cell-derived exosomes (IEXs) and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived exosomes can contribute to PC treatment. Immune cells produce exosomes as part of the mechanisms involved in the immune surveillance and tumor cell-killing phenomenon. Exosomes can be modified in such a way that their antitumor properties are enhanced. One of these methods is drug loading in exosomes, which can significantly increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs. In general, exosomes form a complex intercellular communication network that plays a role in developing, progressing, diagnosing, monitoring, and treating pancreatic cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xingliang Fang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
| | - Huanrong Lan
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Hangzhou Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ketao Jin
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Affiliated Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Jinhua, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jun Qian
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Xinchang People’s Hospital, Affiliated Xinchang Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Xinchang, Zhejiang, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Expression Patterns of PAK4 and PHF8 Are Associated with the Survival of Gallbladder Carcinoma Patients. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:diagnostics13061149. [PMID: 36980457 PMCID: PMC10047028 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13061149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: PAK4 and PHF8 are involved in cancer progression and are under evaluation as targets for cancer therapy. However, despite extensive studies in human cancers, there are limited reports on the roles of PAK4 and PHF8 in gallbladder cancers. Methods: Immunohistochemical expression of PAK4 and PHF8 and their prognostic significance were evaluated in 148 human gallbladder carcinomas. Results: PAK4 expression was significantly associated with PHF8 expression in gallbladder carcinomas. Positive expression of nuclear PAK4, cytoplasmic PAK4, nuclear PHF8, and cytoplasmic PHF8 were significantly associated with shorter overall survival and relapse-free survival in univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis showed that nuclear PAK4 expression and nuclear PHF8 expression were independent predictors of overall survival and relapse-free survival in gallbladder carcinomas. Furthermore, coexpression of nuclear PAK4 and nuclear PHF8 predicted shorter overall survival (p < 0.001) and relapse-free survival (p < 0.001) of gallbladder carcinoma in multivariate analysis. Conclusions: This study suggests that the individual and coexpression patterns of PAK4 and PHF8 as the prognostic indicators for gallbladder carcinoma patients.
Collapse
|
8
|
Shao W, Azam Z, Guo J, To SST. Oncogenic potential of PIK3CD in glioblastoma is exerted through cytoskeletal proteins PAK3 and PLEK2. J Transl Med 2022; 102:1314-1322. [PMID: 35851857 DOI: 10.1038/s41374-022-00821-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The Class IA phosphoinositide-3-kinase catalytic isoforms p110α, p110β, and p110δ have been implicated to play vital but overlapping roles in various cancers, including glioblastoma (GBM). We have previously shown that PIK3CD, encoding p110δ, is highly expressed in multiple glioma cell lines and involved in glioma cell migration and invasion. Based on the RNA sequencing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, we found the level of PIK3CD expression is significantly higher in GBM than WHO grade II and III gliomas and is closely related to poor survival. To further dissect the oncogenic roles of PIK3CD in glioma progression, we employed CRISPR/Cas9 to completely abrogate its expression in the GBM cell line U87-MG and have successfully isolated two knockout clones with different gene modifications. As expected, the knockout clones exhibited significantly lower migration and invasion capabilities when compared with their parental cells. Interestingly, knockout of PIK3CD also dramatically reduced the colony formation ability of the knockout cells. Further study revealed that PIK3CD deficiency could negate tumorigenesis in nude mice. To determine the downstream effect of PIK3CD depletion, we performed RT2 profiler PCR array of selected gene sets and found that knockout of PIK3CD impaired the activity of p-21 activated kinase 3 (PAK3) and pleckstrin 2 (PLEK2), molecules involved in cancer cell migration and proliferation. This explains why the glioma cells without the PIK3CD expression exhibited weaker oncogenic features. Further, RNAseq analysis of parent and knockout clones revealed that this interaction might happen through axonogenesis signaling pathway. Taken together, we demonstrated that PIK3CD could be a potential prognostic factor and therapeutic target for GBM patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Shao
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Zulfikar Azam
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Jintao Guo
- Department of Translational Medicine, Medical College of Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Shing Shun Tony To
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Mozibullah M, Junaid M. Biological Role of the PAK4 Signaling Pathway: A Prospective Therapeutic Target for Multivarious Cancers. ARAB J CHEM 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.arabjc.2022.104438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
|
10
|
Abril-Rodriguez G, Torrejon DY, Karin D, Campbell KM, Medina E, Saco JD, Galvez M, Champhekar AS, Perez-Garcilazo I, Baselga-Carretero I, Singh J, Comin-Anduix B, Puig-Saus C, Ribas A. Remodeling of the tumor microenvironment through PAK4 inhibition sensitizes tumors to immune checkpoint blockade. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2022; 2:1214-1228. [PMID: 36588582 PMCID: PMC9799984 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-21-0133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
PAK4 inhibition can sensitize tumors to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy, however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We report that PAK4 inhibition reverses immune cell exclusion by increasing the infiltration of CD8 T cells and CD103+ dendritic cells (DCs), a specific type of DCs that excel at cross-presenting tumor antigens and constitute a source of CXCL10. Interestingly, in melanoma clinical datasets, PAK4 expression levels negatively correlate with the presence of CCL21, the ligand for CCR7 expressed in CD103+ DCs. Furthermore, we extensively characterized the transcriptome of PAK4 knock out (KO) tumors, in vitro and in vivo, and established the importance of PAK4 expression in the regulation of the extracellular matrix, which can facilitate immune cell infiltration. Comparison between PAK4 wild type (WT) and KO anti-PD-1 treated tumors revealed how PAK4 deletion sensitizes tumors to ICB from a transcriptomic perspective. In addition, we validated genetically and pharmacologically that inhibition of PAK4 kinase activity is sufficient to improve anti-tumor efficacy of anti-PD-1 blockade in multiple melanoma mouse models. Therefore, this study provides novel insights into the mechanism of action of PAK4 inhibition and provides the foundation for a new treatment strategy that aims to overcome resistance to PD-1 blockade by combining anti-PD-1 with a small molecule PAK4 kinase inhibitor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Abril-Rodriguez
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Davis Y. Torrejon
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California
| | - Daniel Karin
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Katie M. Campbell
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California
| | - Egmidio Medina
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California
| | - Justin D. Saco
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California
| | - Mildred Galvez
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California
| | - Ameya S. Champhekar
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California
| | - Ivan Perez-Garcilazo
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California
| | - Ignacio Baselga-Carretero
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California
| | - Jas Singh
- Arcus Biosciences, Inc., Hayward, California
| | - Begoña Comin-Anduix
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Cristina Puig-Saus
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, California
| | - Antoni Ribas
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, California
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Li X, Li F. p21-Activated Kinase: Role in Gastrointestinal Cancer and Beyond. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14194736. [PMID: 36230657 PMCID: PMC9563254 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14194736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Gastrointestinal tumors are the most common tumors with a high mortality rate worldwide. Numerous protein kinases have been studied in anticipation of finding viable tumor therapeutic targets, including PAK. PAK is a serine/threonine kinase that plays an important role in the malignant phenotype of tumors. The function of PAK in tumors is highlighted in cell proliferation, survival, motility, tumor cell plasticity and the tumor microenvironment, therefore providing a new possible target for clinical tumor therapy. Based on the current research works of PAK, we summarize and analyze the PAK features and signaling pathways in cells, especially the role of PAK in gastrointestinal tumors, thereby hoping to provide a theoretical basis for both the future studies of PAK and potential tumor therapeutic targets. Abstract Gastrointestinal tumors are the most common tumors, and they are leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, but their mechanisms are still unclear, which need to be clarified to discover therapeutic targets. p21-activating kinase (PAK), a serine/threonine kinase that is downstream of Rho GTPase, plays an important role in cellular signaling networks. According to the structural characteristics and activation mechanisms of them, PAKs are divided into two groups, both of which are involved in the biological processes that are critical to cells, including proliferation, migration, survival, transformation and metabolism. The biological functions of PAKs depend on a large number of interacting proteins and the signaling pathways they participate in. The role of PAKs in tumors is manifested in their abnormality and the consequential changes in the signaling pathways. Once they are overexpressed or overactivated, PAKs lead to tumorigenesis or a malignant phenotype, especially in tumor invasion and metastasis. Recently, the involvement of PAKs in cellular plasticity, stemness and the tumor microenvironment have attracted attention. Here, we summarize the biological characteristics and key signaling pathways of PAKs, and further analyze their mechanisms in gastrointestinal tumors and others, which will reveal new therapeutic targets and a theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of gastrointestinal cancer.
Collapse
|
12
|
Li Y, Lu Q, Xie C, Yu Y, Zhang A. Recent advances on development of p21-activated kinase 4 inhibitors as anti-tumor agents. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:956220. [PMID: 36105226 PMCID: PMC9465411 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.956220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4) is a member of the PAKs family. It is overexpressed in multiple tumor tissues. Pharmacological inhibition of PAK4 attenuates proliferation, migration, and invasion of cancer cells. Recent studies revealed that inhibition of PAK4 sensitizes immunotherapy which has been extensively exploited as a new strategy to treat cancer. In the past few years, a large number of PAK4 inhibitors have been reported. Of note, the allosteric inhibitor KPT-9274 has been tested in phase Ⅰ clinic trials. Herein, we provide an update on recent research progress on the PAK4 mediated signaling pathway and highlight the development of the PAK4 small molecular inhibitors in recent 5 years. Meanwhile, challenges, limitations, and future developmental directions will be discussed as well.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yang Li
- Pharm-X Center, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qing Lu
- Pharm-X Center, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chenghu Xie
- Pharm-X Center, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiming Yu
- Pharm-X Center, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ao Zhang
- Pharm-X Center, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Ao Zhang,
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
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
|
14
|
Yuan Y, Zhang H, Li D, Li Y, Lin F, Wang Y, Song H, Liu X, Li F, Zhang J. PAK4 in cancer development: Emerging player and therapeutic opportunities. Cancer Lett 2022; 545:215813. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2022.215813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
|
15
|
Yu X, Huang C, Liu J, Shi X, Li X. The significance of PAK4 in signaling and clinicopathology: A review. Open Life Sci 2022; 17:586-598. [PMID: 35800076 PMCID: PMC9210989 DOI: 10.1515/biol-2022-0064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
P21-activated protein kinases (PAKs) are thought to be at the center of tumor signaling pathways. As a representative member of the group II PAK family, P21-activated protein kinase 4 (PAK4) plays an important role in the development of tumors, with several biological functions such as participating in oncogenic transformation, promoting cell division, resisting aging and apoptosis, regulating cytoskeleton and adhesion, as well as suppressing antitumor immune responses. PAK4 is also crucial in biological processes, including the occurrence, proliferation, survival, migration, invasion, drug resistance, and immune escape of tumor cells. It is closely related to poor prognosis and tumor-related pathological indicators, which have significant clinical and pathological significance. Therefore, this article offers a review of the structure, activation, and biological functions of PAK4 and its clinical and pathological importance. This overview should be of assistance for future research on PAK4 and tumors and provide new ideas for tumor treatment and prognostic evaluation of patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinbo Yu
- The First Clinical College, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110122, China
| | - Changwei Huang
- The First Clinical College, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110122, China
| | - Jiyuan Liu
- The First Clinical College, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110122, China
| | - Xinyu Shi
- The Second Clinical College, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110122, China
| | - Xiaodong Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, National Health Commission of the PRC and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education of the PRC, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110122, China
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
CORO1C, a novel PAK4 binding protein, recruits phospho-PAK4 at serine 99 to the leading edge and promotes the migration of gastric cancer cells. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2022; 54:673-685. [PMID: 35593474 PMCID: PMC9827817 DOI: 10.3724/abbs.2022044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer is one of the malignant tumors in the world. PAK4 plays an important role in the occurrence and development of gastric cancer, especially in the process of invasion and metastasis. Here we discover that CORO1C, a member of coronin family that regulates microfilament and lamellipodia formation, recruits cytoplasmic PAK4 to the leading edge of gastric cancer cells by C-terminal extension (CE) domain of CORO1C (353-457 aa). The localization of PAK4 on the leading edge of the cell depends on two necessary conditions: the phosphorylation of PAK4 on serine 99 and the binding to the CE domain of CORO1C. Unphosphorylated PAK4 on serine 99 is closely associated with microtubules by PAK4/GEF-H1/Tctex-1 complex. Once phosphorylated, PAK4 is released from microtubule, and then is recruited by CORO1C to the leading edge and regulates the CORO1C/RCC2 (regulator of chromosome condensation 2) complex, leading to the migration of gastric cancer cells. Our results reveal a new mechanism by which PAK4 regulates the migration potential of gastric cancer cells through microtubule-microfilament cross talk.
Collapse
|
17
|
Liu S, Wu X, Chandra S, Lyon C, Ning B, jiang L, Fan J, Hu TY. Extracellular vesicles: Emerging tools as therapeutic agent carriers. Acta Pharm Sin B 2022; 12:3822-3842. [PMID: 36213541 PMCID: PMC9532556 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are secreted by both eukaryotes and prokaryotes, and are present in all biological fluids of vertebrates, where they transfer DNA, RNA, proteins, lipids, and metabolites from donor to recipient cells in cell-to-cell communication. Some EV components can also indicate the type and biological status of their parent cells and serve as diagnostic targets for liquid biopsy. EVs can also natively carry or be modified to contain therapeutic agents (e.g., nucleic acids, proteins, polysaccharides, and small molecules) by physical, chemical, or bioengineering strategies. Due to their excellent biocompatibility and stability, EVs are ideal nanocarriers for bioactive ingredients to induce signal transduction, immunoregulation, or other therapeutic effects, which can be targeted to specific cell types. Herein, we review EV classification, intercellular communication, isolation, and characterization strategies as they apply to EV therapeutics. This review focuses on recent advances in EV applications as therapeutic carriers from in vitro research towards in vivo animal models and early clinical applications, using representative examples in the fields of cancer chemotherapeutic drug, cancer vaccine, infectious disease vaccines, regenerative medicine and gene therapy. Finally, we discuss current challenges for EV therapeutics and their future development.
Collapse
|
18
|
Gao F, Wang J, Li C, Xie C, Su M, Zou C, Xie X, Zhao D. Risk-Related Genes and Associated Signaling Pathways of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors. Int J Gen Med 2022; 15:3839-3849. [PMID: 35431569 PMCID: PMC9005359 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s357224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Knowledge on the potential association between differential gene expression and risk of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) is currently limited. We used bioinformatics tools to identify differentially expressed genes in GIST samples and the related signaling pathways of these genes. Patients and Methods The GSE136755 dataset was obtained from the GEO database and differentially expressed genes (CENPA, CDK1, TPX2, CCNB1, CCNA2, BUB1, AURKA, KIF11, NDC80) were screened using String and Cytoscape bioinformatics tools. Then, three groups of eight patients at high, intermediate and low risk of GIST were selected from patients diagnosed with GIST by immunohistochemistry in our hospital from October 2020 to March 2021. Differential expression of CDK1 and BUB1 was verified by comparing the amount of expressed p21-Activated kinase 4 (PAK4) protein in pathological sections. Results SPSS26.0 analysis showed that the expression level of PAK4 in GISTs was significantly higher than in normal tissues and paratumoral tissues and there was significant difference among the three groups of patients (P < 0.01). PAK4 levels in paratumoral and normal tissues were negligible with no significant difference between the tissues. Conclusion CENPA, CDK1, TPX2, CCNB1, CCNA2, BUB1, AURKA, KIF11 and NDC80 gene expression can be used as biomarkers to assess the risk of gastrointestinal stromal tumors whereby expression increases gradually with the increased risk of GIST formation. The genes encode proteins that regulate the division, proliferation and apoptosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumors mainly through PI3K/AKT, MARK, P53, WNT and other signaling pathways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fulai Gao
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Qinhuangdao, Qinhuangdao, 066000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiaqi Wang
- Basic Medical College, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Changjuan Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Changshun Xie
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Qinhuangdao, Qinhuangdao, 066000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Miao Su
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chunyan Zou
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Qinhuangdao, Qinhuangdao, 066000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoli Xie
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dongqiang Zhao
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Dongqiang Zhao, Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, No. 215, He Ping West Road, Xinhua District, Shijiazhuang, 050000, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 0311 66636179, Email
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Rumex Vesicarius L. extract improves the efficacy of doxorubicin in triple-negative breast cancer through inhibiting Bcl2, mTOR, JNK1 and augmenting p21 expression. INFORMATICS IN MEDICINE UNLOCKED 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.imu.2022.100869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
|
20
|
p21-Activated kinases as promising therapeutic targets in hematological malignancies. Leukemia 2022; 36:315-326. [PMID: 34697424 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-021-01451-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The p21-Activated Kinases (PAKs) are a family of six serine/threonine kinases that were originally identified as downstream effectors of the Rho GTPases Cdc42 and Rac. Since the first PAK was discovered in 1994, studies have revealed their fundamental and biological importance in the development of physiological systems. Within the cell, PAKs also play significant roles in regulating essential cellular processes such as cytoskeletal dynamics, gene expression, cell survival, and cell cycle progression. These processes are often deregulated in numerous cancers when different PAKs are overexpressed or amplified at the chromosomal level. Furthermore, PAKs modulate multiple oncogenic signaling pathways which facilitate apoptosis escape, uncontrolled proliferation, and drug resistance. There is growing insight into the critical roles of PAKs in regulating steady-state hematopoiesis, including the properties of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), and the initiation and progression of hematological malignancies. This review will focus on the most recent studies that provide experimental evidence showing how specific PAKs regulate the properties of leukemic stem cells (LSCs) and drug-resistant cells to initiate and maintain hematological malignancies. The current understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which the PAKs operate in specific human leukemia or lymphomas will be discussed. From a translational point of view, PAKs have been suggested to be critical therapeutic targets and potential prognosis markers; thus, this review will also discuss current therapeutic strategies against hematological malignancies using existing small-molecule PAK inhibitors, as well as promising combination treatments, to sensitize drug-resistant cells to conventional therapies. The challenges of toxicity and non-specific targeting associated with some PAK inhibitors, as well as how future approaches for PAK inhibition to overcome these limitations, will also be addressed.
Collapse
|
21
|
Zhang H, Xing J, Dai Z, Wang D, Tang D. Exosomes: the key of sophisticated cell-cell communication and targeted metastasis in pancreatic cancer. Cell Commun Signal 2022; 20:9. [PMID: 35033111 PMCID: PMC8760644 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-021-00808-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most common malignancies. Unfortunately, the lack of effective methods of treatment and diagnosis has led to poor prognosis coupled with a very high mortality rate. So far, the pathogenesis and progression mechanisms of pancreatic cancer have been poorly characterized. Exosomes are small vesicles secreted by most cells, contain lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, and are involved in diverse functions such as intercellular communications, biological processes, and cell signaling. In pancreatic cancer, exosomes are enriched with multiple signaling molecules that mediate intercellular communication with control of immune suppression, mutual promotion between pancreas stellate cells and pancreatic cancer cells, and reprogramming of normal cells. In addition, exosomes can regulate the pancreatic cancer microenvironment and promote the growth and survival of pancreatic cancer. Exosomes can also build pre-metastatic micro-ecological niches and facilitate the targeting of pancreatic cancer. The ability of exosomes to load cargo and target allows them to be of great clinical value as a biomarker mediator for targeted drugs in pancreatic cancer. Video Abstract.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huan Zhang
- Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Juan Xing
- Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhujiang Dai
- Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Daorong Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Institute of General Surgery, Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225001, China
| | - Dong Tang
- Department of General Surgery, Institute of General Surgery, Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225001, China.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Zhang S, Wang X, Wang D. Long non-coding RNA LINC01296 promotes progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma through activating the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway via the miR-485-5p/PAK4 axis. Arch Med Sci 2022; 18:786-799. [PMID: 35591837 PMCID: PMC9102572 DOI: 10.5114/aoms.2019.86805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Long intergenic non-protein-coding RNA 1296 (LINC01296), a newly identified lncRNA, can function as an oncogenic driver to promote the development of multiple carcinomas. However, the effect of LINC01296 on oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is still unclear. MATERIAL AND METHODS We determined the expression and role of LINC01296 in OSCC tissues and cell lines. The cell viability, migration and invasion were determined by MTT, wound healing assay and transwell assay, respectively. Flow cytometry was used for detecting cell cycle and apoptosis. The interaction and association between LINC01296, microRNA-485-5p (miR-485-5p) and p21 (RAC1) activated kinase 4 (PAK4) were analyzed by RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and luciferase reporter assays. The xenograft mouse model was established to detect the effect of LINC01296 on OSCC tumor growth. RESULTS Our study showed that LINC01296 was over-expressed in OSCC tissues and cell lines. The level of LINC01296 was positively correlated with the patient's tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage and nodal invasion. Knockdown of LINC01296 effectively inhibits cell viability, migration and invasion but promotes cell apoptosis in vitro. The in vivo experiment showed that LINC01296 knockdown inhibited OSCC tumor growth. The following analysis indicated that LINC01296 acted as a ceRNA for miR-485-5p, and PAK4 was identified as a direct target of miR-485-5p. Furthermore, we found that the effects of LINC01296 on OSCC progression were through regulating the expression of PAK4/p-MEK/p-ERK via sponging miR-485-5p. CONCLUSIONS LINC01296 promote the cell cycle, proliferation, migration and invasion, and inhibit apoptosis of OSCC cells through activating the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway via sponging miR-485-5p to regulate PAK4 expression. These results suggested that the LINC01296/miR-485-5p/PAK4 axis was closely associated with OSCC progression. Our study provides a new insight into the molecular pathogenesis of OSCC, and may supply novel biomarkers for diagnosis and therapy of OSCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuangyue Zhang
- Department of Stomatology, The Affiliated Huaian No. 1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xiaowei Wang
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Huaian No. 1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Dazhao Wang
- Department of Stomatology, The Affiliated Huaian No. 1 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an, Jiangsu Province, China
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
The Use of Nanomedicine to Target Signaling by the PAK Kinases for Disease Treatment. Cells 2021; 10:cells10123565. [PMID: 34944073 PMCID: PMC8700304 DOI: 10.3390/cells10123565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
P21-activated kinases (PAKs) are serine/threonine kinases involved in the regulation of cell survival, proliferation, inhibition of apoptosis, and the regulation of cell morphology. Some members of the PAK family are highly expressed in several types of cancer, and they have also been implicated in several other medical disorders. They are thus considered to be good targets for treatment of cancer and other diseases. Although there are several inhibitors of the PAKs, the utility of some of these inhibitors is reduced for several reasons, including limited metabolic stability. One way to overcome this problem is the use of nanoparticles, which have the potential to increase drug delivery. The overall goals of this review are to describe the roles for PAK kinases in cell signaling and disease, and to describe how the use of nanomedicine is a promising new method for administering PAK inhibitors for the purpose of disease treatment and research. We discuss some of the basic mechanisms behind nanomedicine technology, and we then describe how these techniques are being used to package and deliver PAK inhibitors.
Collapse
|
24
|
Inhibition of UBA5 Expression and Induction of Autophagy in Breast Cancer Cells by Usenamine A. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11091348. [PMID: 34572561 PMCID: PMC8469757 DOI: 10.3390/biom11091348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is now the most common type of cancer worldwide, surpassing lung cancer. This issue is further worsened by the lack of effective therapies for the disease. Recent reports indicate that the inhibition of ubiquitin-like modifier-activating enzyme 5 (UBA5) can impede tumor development. However, there have been few reports regarding UBA5-inhibiting compounds. This work studied usenamine A, a natural product from the lichen Usnea longissimi that exhibits UBA5-inhibitory effects. Bioinformatics analysis was performed using public databases, and the anti-proliferative ability of usenamine A in breast cancer cells was examined through MTS and colony formation assays. Flow cytometry and western blot analysis were also conducted to examine and analyze cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. In addition, LC3B-RFP and UBA5 expression plasmids were used for the analysis of usenamine A-induced autophagy. According to the bioinformatics analysis results, UBA5 was upregulated in breast cancer. According to in vitro studies, usenamine A displayed prominent anti-proliferative activity and resulted in G2/M phase arrest in MDA-MB-231 cells. Moreover, usenamine A induced autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum stress in MDA-MB-231 cells. In conclusion, the findings support the potential of usenamine A as an agent that can attenuate the development and progression of breast cancer.
Collapse
|
25
|
Wang H, Song P, Gao Y, Shen L, Xu H, Wang J, Cheng M. Drug discovery targeting p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4): a patent review. Expert Opin Ther Pat 2021; 31:977-987. [PMID: 34369844 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2021.1944100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: The Ser/Thr protein kinase PAK4 is a downstream regulator of Cdc42, mediating cytoskeleton remodeling, and cell motility, and inhibiting apoptosis and transcriptional regulation. Nowadays, efforts in PAK4 inhibitor development are focusing on improving inhibitory selectivity, cellular potency, and in vivo pharmacokinetic properties, and identifying the feasibility of immunotherapy combination in oncology therapy.Areas covered: This review summarized the development of PAK4 inhibitors that reported on patents in the past two decades. According to their binding features, these inhibitors were classified into type I, type I 1/2, and PAMs. Their designing ideas and SAR were elucidated in this review. Moreover, synergistic therapy of PAK4 inhibitors with PD-1/PD-L1 or CAR-T were also summarized .Expert opinion: In the past years, preclinical and clinical studies of PAK4 inhibitors ended in failure due to poor selectivity, cellular activity, or pharmacokinetic issues. There are researchers questioning the reliability of PAK4 as a drug target, particularly PAK4-related therapy is concerned with the distinguishment of the non-kinase functions and catalytic functions triggered by PAK4 phosphorylation. Meanwhile, synergistic effects of PAK4 inhibitors with PD-1/PD-L1 and CAR-T immunotherapy shed light for the development of PAK4 inhibitors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hanxun Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China.,Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Peilu Song
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China.,Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yinli Gao
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China.,Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Lanlan Shen
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China.,Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Hanqin Xu
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China.,Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Jian Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China.,Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Maosheng Cheng
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China.,Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery of Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Naїja A, Merhi M, Inchakalody V, Fernandes Q, Mestiri S, Prabhu KS, Uddin S, Dermime S. The role of PAK4 in the immune system and its potential implication in cancer immunotherapy. Cell Immunol 2021; 367:104408. [PMID: 34246086 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2021.104408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Revised: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The p21 activated kinases (PAKs) are known to play a role in the regulation of cell morphology and functions. Among the various members of PAKs family, only the PAK4 protein has been shown to be overexpressed in cancer cells and its upregulation was associated with tumor development. Indeed, several studies have shown that PAK4 overexpression is implicated in carcinogenesis by different mechanisms including promotion of cell proliferation, invasion and migration, protection of cells from apoptosis, stimulation of the tumor-specific anchorage-independent cell growth and regulation of the cytoskeletal organisation and adhesion. Moreover, high PAK4 protein levels have been observed in several solid tumors and have been shown able to enhance cancer cell resistance to many treatments especially chemotherapy. Interestingly, it has been recently demonstrated that PAK4 downregulation can inhibit the PD-1/PD-L1 immune regulatory pathway. Taken together, these findings not only implicate PAK4 in oncogenic transformation and in prediction of tumor response to treatment but also suggest its role as an attractive target for immunotherapy. In the current review we will summarize the different mechanisms of PAK4 implication in tumor development, describe its role as a regulator of the immune response and as a potential novel target for cancer immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Azza Naїja
- Translational Cancer Research Facility, Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Maysaloun Merhi
- National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; Translational Cancer Research Facility, Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Varghese Inchakalody
- National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; Translational Cancer Research Facility, Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Queenie Fernandes
- National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; Translational Cancer Research Facility, Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; College of Medicine, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Sarra Mestiri
- National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; Translational Cancer Research Facility, Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Kirti S Prabhu
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Shahab Uddin
- Translational Research Institute and Dermatology Institute, Academic health system, Hamad medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Said Dermime
- National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; Translational Cancer Research Facility, Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Wright GM, Gimbrone NT, Sarcar B, Percy TR, Gordián ER, Kinose F, Sumi NJ, Rix U, Cress WD. CDK4/6 inhibition synergizes with inhibition of P21-Activated Kinases (PAKs) in lung cancer cell lines. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0252927. [PMID: 34138895 PMCID: PMC8211232 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Theoretically, small molecule CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6is) represent a logical therapeutic option in non-small cell lung cancers since most of these malignancies have wildtype RB, the key target of CDKs and master regulator of the cell cycle. Unfortunately, CDK4/6is are found to have limited clinical activity as single agents in non-small cell lung cancer. To address this problem and to identify effective CDK4/6i combinations, we screened a library of targeted agents for efficacy in four non-small cell lung cancer lines treated with CDK4/6 inhibitors Palbociclib or Abemaciclib. The pan-PAK (p21-activated kinase) inhibitor PF03758309 emerged as a promising candidate with viability ratios indicating synergy in all 4 cell lines and for both CDK4/6is. It is noteworthy that the PAKs are downstream effectors of small GTPases Rac1 and Cdc42 and are overexpressed in a wide variety of cancers. Individually the compounds primarily induced cell cycle arrest; however, the synergistic combination induced apoptosis, accounting for the synergy. Surprisingly, while the pan-PAK inhibitor PF03758309 synergizes with CDK4/6is, no synergy occurs with group I PAK inhibitors FRAX486 or FRAX597. Cell lines treated only with Ribociclib, FRAX486 or FRAX597 underwent G1/G0 arrest, whereas combination treatment with these compounds predominantly resulted in autophagy. Combining high concentrations of FRAX486, which weakly inhibits PAK4, and Ribociclib, mimics the autophagy and apoptotic effect of PF03758309 combined with Ribociclib. FRAX597, a PAKi that does not inhibit PAK4 did not reduce autophagy in combination with Ribociclib. Our results suggest that a unique combination of PAKs plays a crucial role in the synergy of PAK inhibitors with CDK4/6i. Targeting this unique PAK combination, could greatly improve the efficacy of CDK4/6i and broaden the spectrum of cancer treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela M. Wright
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
| | - Nick T. Gimbrone
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
| | - Bhaswati Sarcar
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
| | - Trent R. Percy
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
| | - Edna R. Gordián
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
| | - Fumi Kinose
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
| | - Natália J. Sumi
- Department of Drug Discovery, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
- Cancer Biology PhD Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
| | - Uwe Rix
- Department of Drug Discovery, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
| | - W. Douglas Cress
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Dasgupta A, Sierra L, Tsang SV, Kurenbekova L, Patel T, Rajapakse K, Shuck RL, Rainusso N, Landesman Y, Unger T, Coarfa C, Yustein JT. Targeting PAK4 Inhibits Ras-Mediated Signaling and Multiple Oncogenic Pathways in High-Risk Rhabdomyosarcoma. Cancer Res 2021; 81:199-212. [PMID: 33168646 PMCID: PMC7878415 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-0854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most prevalent pediatric soft-tissue sarcoma. Multimodal treatment, including surgery and traditional chemotherapy with radiotherapy, has contributed to improvements in overall survival rates. However, patients with recurrent or metastatic disease have 5-year survival rates of less than 30%. One reason for the lack of therapeutic advancement is identification and targeting of critical signaling nodes. p21-activated kinases (PAK) are a family of serine/threonine kinases downstream of multiple critical tumorigenic receptor tyrosine kinase receptors and oncogenic regulators, including IGFR and RAS signaling, that significantly contribute to aggressive malignant phenotypes. Here, we report that RMS cell lines and tumors exhibit enhanced PAK4 expression levels and activity, which are further activated by growth factors involved in RMS development. Molecular perturbation of PAK4 in multiple RMS models in vitro and in vivo resulted in inhibition of RMS development and progression. Fusion-positive and -negative RMS models were sensitive to two PAK4 small-molecule inhibitors, PF-3758309 and KPT-9274, which elicited significant antitumor and antimetastatic potential in several primary and metastatic in vivo models, including a relapsed RMS patient-derived xenograft model. Transcriptomic analysis of PAK4-targeted tumors revealed inhibition of the RAS-GTPase, Hedgehog, and Notch pathways, along with evidence of activation of antitumor immune response signatures. This PAK4-targeting gene signature showed prognostic significance for patients with sarcoma. Overall, our results show for the first time that PAK4 is a novel and viable therapeutic target for the treatment of high-risk RMS. SIGNIFICANCE: These data demonstrate a novel oncogenic role for PAK4 in rhabdomyosarcoma and show that targeting PAK4 activity is a promising viable therapeutic option for advanced rhabdomyosarcoma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Atreyi Dasgupta
- Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers and The Faris D. Virani Ewing Sarcoma Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Laura Sierra
- Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers and The Faris D. Virani Ewing Sarcoma Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Susan V Tsang
- Integrative Molecular and Biological Sciences Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Lyazat Kurenbekova
- Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers and The Faris D. Virani Ewing Sarcoma Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Tajhal Patel
- Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers and The Faris D. Virani Ewing Sarcoma Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Kimal Rajapakse
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Dan L. Duncan Cancer Comprehensive Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Ryan L Shuck
- Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers and The Faris D. Virani Ewing Sarcoma Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Nino Rainusso
- Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers and The Faris D. Virani Ewing Sarcoma Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | | | | | - Cristian Coarfa
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Dan L. Duncan Cancer Comprehensive Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Jason T Yustein
- Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers and The Faris D. Virani Ewing Sarcoma Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.
- Integrative Molecular and Biological Sciences Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
- Dan L. Duncan Cancer Comprehensive Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Huang H, Xue Q, Du X, Cui J, Wang J, Cheng D, Li J, Zheng Y, Huang G, Zhang K, Liu K, Lu J, Zhao J, Chen X, Dong Z, Li X. p21-activated kinase 4 promotes the progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by targeting LASP1. Mol Carcinog 2020; 60:38-50. [PMID: 33289209 PMCID: PMC7756368 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2019] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors of the digestive tract in humans. Several studies have indicated that PAK4 is associated with the risk of ESCC and may be a potential druggable kinase for ESCC treatment. However, the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. The aim of our study is to identify the functional role of PAK4 in ESCC. To determine the expression of PAK4 in ESCC, Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry were performed, and the results showed that PAK4 is significantly upregulated in ESCC tissues and cell lines compared with normal controls and normal esophageal epithelial cell line. To further investigate the role of PAK4 in ESCC, cell viability assays, anchorage-independent cell growth assays, wound healing assays, cellular invasion assays, in vivo xenograft mouse models, and metastasis assays were conducted, and the results showed that PAK4 can significantly facilitate ESCC proliferation and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. To determine the potential target of PAK4 in ESCC progression, a pull-down assay was performed, and the results showed that LASP1 may be a potential target of PAK4. An immunoprecipitation assay and confocal microscopy analysis confirmed that PAK4 can bind to and colocalize with LASP1 in vitro and in cells. Notably, rescue experiments further illustrated the mechanistic network of PAK4/LASP1. Our research reveals the oncogenic roles of PAK4 in ESCC and preliminarily elucidates the mechanistic network of PAK4/LASP1 in ESCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hui Huang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical SciencesZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouHenanChina
| | - Qianqian Xue
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical SciencesZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouHenanChina
- Department of Public HealthNanshi Hospital of NanyangNanyangHenanChina
| | - Xiaoge Du
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical SciencesZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouHenanChina
- China‐US (Henan) Hormel Cancer InstituteZhengzhouHenanChina
- Department of NursingHenan Health School of Medicine and PharmacyPingdingshanHenanChina
| | - Jie Cui
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical SciencesZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouHenanChina
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical SciencesZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouHenanChina
- China‐US (Henan) Hormel Cancer InstituteZhengzhouHenanChina
| | - Dan Cheng
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical SciencesZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouHenanChina
- China‐US (Henan) Hormel Cancer InstituteZhengzhouHenanChina
| | - Jiaqiong Li
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical SciencesZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouHenanChina
- China‐US (Henan) Hormel Cancer InstituteZhengzhouHenanChina
| | - Yaqiu Zheng
- China‐US (Henan) Hormel Cancer InstituteZhengzhouHenanChina
| | - Guojing Huang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical SciencesZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouHenanChina
| | - Keke Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical SciencesZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouHenanChina
- China‐US (Henan) Hormel Cancer InstituteZhengzhouHenanChina
| | - Kangdong Liu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical SciencesZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouHenanChina
- China‐US (Henan) Hormel Cancer InstituteZhengzhouHenanChina
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer ChemopreventionZhengzhouHenanChina
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouHenanChina
| | - Jing Lu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical SciencesZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouHenanChina
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer ChemopreventionZhengzhouHenanChina
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouHenanChina
| | - Jimin Zhao
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical SciencesZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouHenanChina
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer ChemopreventionZhengzhouHenanChina
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouHenanChina
| | - Xinhuan Chen
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical SciencesZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouHenanChina
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer ChemopreventionZhengzhouHenanChina
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouHenanChina
| | - Ziming Dong
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical SciencesZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouHenanChina
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer ChemopreventionZhengzhouHenanChina
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouHenanChina
| | - Xiang Li
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical SciencesZhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouHenanChina
- China‐US (Henan) Hormel Cancer InstituteZhengzhouHenanChina
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer ChemopreventionZhengzhouHenanChina
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouHenanChina
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
PAK4 methylation by the methyltransferase SETD6 attenuates cell adhesion. Sci Rep 2020; 10:17068. [PMID: 33051544 PMCID: PMC7555502 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74081-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
P21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4), a member of serine/threonine kinases family is over-expressed in numerous cancer tumors and is associated with oncogenic cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Our recent work demonstrated that the SET-domain containing protein 6 (SETD6) interacts with and methylates PAK4 at chromatin in mammalian cells, leading to activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In our current work, we identified lysine 473 (K473) on PAK4 as the primary methylation site by SETD6. Methylation of PAK4 at K473 activates β-catenin transcriptional activity and inhibits cell adhesion. Specific methylation of PAK4 at K473 also attenuates paxillin localization to focal adhesions leading to overall reduction in adhesion-related features, such as filopodia and actin structures. The altered adhesion of the PAK4 wild-type cells is accompanied with a decrease in the migrative and invasive characteristics of the cells. Taken together, our results suggest that methylation of PAK4 at K473 plays a vital role in the regulation of cell adhesion and migration.
Collapse
|
31
|
Xu L, Faruqu FN, Lim YM, Lim KY, Liam-Or R, Walters AA, Lavender P, Fear D, Wells CM, Tzu-Wen Wang J, Al-Jamal KT. Exosome-mediated RNAi of PAK4 prolongs survival of pancreatic cancer mouse model after loco-regional treatment. Biomaterials 2020; 264:120369. [PMID: 32977209 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2020.120369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
With a dismal survival rate, pancreatic cancer (PC) remains one of the most aggressive and devastating malignancies, predominantly due to the absence of a valid biomarker for diagnosis and limited therapeutic options for advanced diseases. Exosomes (Exo) as cell-derived vesicles, are widely used as natural nanocarriers for drug delivery. P21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4) is oncogenic when overexpressed, promoting cell survival, migration and anchorage-independent growth. Herein we validated PAK4 as a therapeutic target in an in vivo PC tumour mouse model using Exo-mediated RNAi following intra-tumoural administration. PC derived Exo were firstly isolated by ultracentrifugation on sucrose cushion and characterised for their surface marker expression, size, number, purity and morphology. SiRNA was encapsulated into Exo via electroporation and dual uptake of Exo and siRNA was investigated by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. In vitro siPAK4 silencing in PC cells following uptake was assessed by flow cytometry, western blotting, and in vitro scratch assay. In vivo efficacy (tumour growth delay and mouse survival) of siPAK4 was evaluated in PC bearing NSG mouse model. Ex vivo tumours were examined using Haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and immunohistochemistry. Results showed high quality PC-derived PANC-1 Exo were obtained. SiRNA was incorporated in Exo with 16.5% encapsulation efficiency. In vitro imaging confirmed Exo and siRNA co-localisation in cells. PAK4 knockdown was successful with 30 nM Exo-siPAK4 at 24 h post incubation in vitro. Intra-tumoural administration of Exo-siPAK4 (0.03 mg/kg siPAK4 and 6.1 × 1011 Exo, each dose, two doses) reduced PC tumour growth in vivo and enhanced mice survival (p < 0.001), with minimal toxicity observed compared to polyethylenimine (PEI) used as a commercial transfection reagent. H&E staining of tumours showed significant tissue apoptosis in siPAK4 treated groups. PAK4 knockdown prolongs survival of PC-bearing mice suggesting its potential as a new therapeutic target for PC. PANC-1 Exo demonstrated comparable efficacy but safer profile than PEI as in vivo RNAi transfection reagent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lizhou Xu
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford Street, London, SE1 9NH, United Kingdom
| | - Farid N Faruqu
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford Street, London, SE1 9NH, United Kingdom
| | - Yau M Lim
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford Street, London, SE1 9NH, United Kingdom
| | - Kee Y Lim
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford Street, London, SE1 9NH, United Kingdom
| | - Revadee Liam-Or
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford Street, London, SE1 9NH, United Kingdom
| | - Adam A Walters
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford Street, London, SE1 9NH, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Lavender
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergy, School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas Street, London, SE1 9RT, United Kingdom
| | - David Fear
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergy, School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas Street, London, SE1 9RT, United Kingdom
| | - Claire M Wells
- Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, New Hunts House, Guy's Campus, London, SE1 1UL, United Kingdom
| | - Julie Tzu-Wen Wang
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford Street, London, SE1 9NH, United Kingdom
| | - Khuloud T Al-Jamal
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford Street, London, SE1 9NH, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Wang X, Liu S, Shao Z, Zhang P. Bioinformatic analysis of the potential molecular mechanism of PAK7 expression in glioblastoma. Mol Med Rep 2020; 22:1362-1372. [PMID: 32626960 PMCID: PMC7339666 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2020.11206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to determine the potential molecular mechanisms underlying p21 (RAC1)-activated kinase 7 (PAK7) expression in glioblastoma (GBM) and evaluate candidate prognosis biomarkers for GBM. Gene expression data from patients with GBM, including 144 tumor samples and 5 normal brain samples, were downloaded. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) were explored via re-annotation. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including differentially expressed mRNAs and differentially expressed lncRNAs, were investigated and subjected to pathway analysis via gene set enrichment analysis. The miRNA-lncRNA-mRNA interaction [competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA)] network was investigated and survival analysis, including of overall survival (OS), was performed on lncRNAs/mRNAs to reveal prognostic markers for GBM. A total of 954 upregulated and 1,234 downregulated DEGs were investigated between GBM samples and control samples. These DEGs, including PAK7, were mainly enriched in pathways such as axon guidance. ceRNA network analysis revealed several outstanding ceRNA relationships, including miR-185-5p-LINC00599-PAK7. Moreover, paraneoplastic antigen Ma family member 5 (PNMA5) and somatostatin receptor 1 (SSTR1) were the two outstanding prognostic genes associated with OS. PAK7 may participate in the tumorigenesis of GBM by regulating axon guidance, and miR-185-5p may play an important role in GBM progression by sponging LINC00599 to prevent interactions with PAK7. PNMA5 and SSTR1 may serve as novel prognostic markers for GBM.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xuefeng Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, P.R. China
| | - Shuang Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, P.R. China
| | - Zhengkai Shao
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, P.R. China
| | - Penghai Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Jiang N, Dai Q, Su X, Fu J, Feng X, Peng J. Role of PI3K/AKT pathway in cancer: the framework of malignant behavior. Mol Biol Rep 2020; 47:4587-4629. [PMID: 32333246 PMCID: PMC7295848 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-020-05435-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 322] [Impact Index Per Article: 80.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Given that the PI3K/AKT pathway has manifested its compelling influence on multiple cellular process, we further review the roles of hyperactivation of PI3K/AKT pathway in various human cancers. We state the abnormalities of PI3K/AKT pathway in different cancers, which are closely related with tumorigenesis, proliferation, growth, apoptosis, invasion, metastasis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, stem-like phenotype, immune microenvironment and drug resistance of cancer cells. In addition, we investigated the current clinical trials of inhibitors against PI3K/AKT pathway in cancers and found that the clinical efficacy of these inhibitors as monotherapy has so far been limited despite of the promising preclinical activity, which means combinations of targeted therapy may achieve better efficacies in cancers. In short, we hope to feature PI3K/AKT pathway in cancers to the clinic and bring the new promising to patients for targeted therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ningni Jiang
- Department of Pathology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 63 Duobao Road, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- The Third Clinical School of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, 510150 China
| | - Qijie Dai
- Department of Pathology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 63 Duobao Road, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- The Third Clinical School of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, 510150 China
| | - Xiaorui Su
- Department of Pathology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 63 Duobao Road, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- The Third Clinical School of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, 510150 China
| | - Jianjiang Fu
- Department of Pathology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 63 Duobao Road, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- The Third Clinical School of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, 510150 China
| | - Xuancheng Feng
- Department of Pathology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 63 Duobao Road, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- The Third Clinical School of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, 510150 China
| | - Juan Peng
- Department of Pathology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, 63 Duobao Road, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- The Third Clinical School of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, 510150 China
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157 USA
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Tang L, Gao Y, Song Y, Li Y, Li Y, Zhang H, Li D, Li J, Liu C, Li F. PAK4 phosphorylating RUNX1 promotes ERα-positive breast cancer-induced osteolytic bone destruction. Int J Biol Sci 2020; 16:2235-2247. [PMID: 32549768 PMCID: PMC7294946 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.47225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The biological function of nuclear PAK4 in ERα-positive breast cancer osteolytic bone destruction remains unclear. Here, we find that the nuclear PAK4 promotes osteoclastogenesis and tumor-induced osteolysis via phosphorylating RUNX1. We show that nuclear PAK4 interacts with and phosphorylates RUNX1 at Thr-207, which induces its localization from the nucleus to the cytoplasm and influences direct interaction with SIN3A/HDAC1 and PRMT1. Furthermore, we reveal that RUNX1 phosphorylation by PAK4 at Thr-207 promotes osteolytic bone destruction via targeting downstream genes related to osteoclast differentiation and maturation. Importantly, we verify changes in RUNX1 subcellular localization when nuclear PAK4 is positive in breast cancer bone metastasis tissues. Functionally, we demonstrate that RUNX1 phosphorylation promotes osteolytic bone maturation and ERα-positive breast cancer-induced osteolytic bone damage in the mouse model of orthotopic breast cancer bone metastasis. Our results suggest PAK4 can be a therapeutic target for ERα-positive breast cancer osteolytic bone destruction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lina Tang
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of National Health Commission of the PRC, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education of the PRC, China Medical University, No.77, Puhe Road, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China
| | - Yunling Gao
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of National Health Commission of the PRC, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education of the PRC, China Medical University, No.77, Puhe Road, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China
| | - Yongqi Song
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of National Health Commission of the PRC, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education of the PRC, China Medical University, No.77, Puhe Road, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of National Health Commission of the PRC, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education of the PRC, China Medical University, No.77, Puhe Road, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China
| | - Yanshu Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of National Health Commission of the PRC, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education of the PRC, China Medical University, No.77, Puhe Road, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China
| | - Hongyan Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of National Health Commission of the PRC, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education of the PRC, China Medical University, No.77, Puhe Road, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China
| | - Danni Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, China
| | - Jiabin Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of National Health Commission of the PRC, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education of the PRC, China Medical University, No.77, Puhe Road, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China
| | - Caigang Liu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, China
| | - Feng Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of National Health Commission of the PRC, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education of the PRC, China Medical University, No.77, Puhe Road, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Chandrashekar DS, Chakravarthi BVSK, Robinson AD, Anderson JC, Agarwal S, Balasubramanya SAH, Eich ML, Bajpai AK, Davuluri S, Guru MS, Guru AS, Naik G, Della Manna DL, Acharya KK, Carskadon S, Manne U, Crossman DK, Ferguson JE, Grizzle WE, Palanisamy N, Willey CD, Crowley MR, Netto GJ, Yang ES, Varambally S, Sonpavde G. Therapeutically actionable PAK4 is amplified, overexpressed, and involved in bladder cancer progression. Oncogene 2020; 39:4077-4091. [PMID: 32231273 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-1275-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Muscle-invasive bladder carcinomas (MIBCs) are aggressive genitourinary malignancies. Metastatic urothelial carcinoma of the bladder is generally incurable by current chemotherapy and leads to early mortality. Recent studies have identified molecular subtypes of MIBCs with different sensitivities to frontline therapy, suggesting tumor heterogeneity. We have performed multi-omic profiling of the kinome in bladder cancer patients with the goal of identify therapeutic targets. Our analyses revealed amplification, overexpression, and elevated kinase activity of P21 (RAC1) activated kinase 4 (PAK4) in a subset of Bladder cancer (BLCA). Using bladder cancer cells, we confirmed the role of PAK4 in BLCA cell proliferation and invasion. Furthermore, we observed that a PAK4 inhibitor was effective in curtailing growth of BLCA cells. Transcriptomic analyses identified elevated expression of another kinase, protein tyrosine kinase 6 (PTK6), upon treatment with a PAK4 inhibitor and RNA interference of PAK4. Treatment with a combination of kinase inhibitors (vandetanib and dasatinib) showed enhanced sensitivity compared with either drug alone. Thus, PAK4 may be therapeutically actionable for a subset of MIBC patients with amplified and/or overexpressed PAK4 in their tumors. Our results also indicate that combined inhibition of PAK4 and PTK6 may overcome resistance to PAK4. These observations warrant clinical investigations with selected BLCA patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alyncia D Robinson
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Joshua C Anderson
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Sumit Agarwal
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | | | - Marie-Lisa Eich
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | | | | | - Maya S Guru
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Arjun S Guru
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Gurudatta Naik
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Deborah L Della Manna
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Kshitish K Acharya
- Shodhaka Life Sciences Private Limited, Bengaluru, India.,Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB), Biotech Park, Electronic City, Bengaluru, 560100, Karnataka, India
| | - Shannon Carskadon
- Vattikuti Urology Institute, Department of Urology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Upender Manne
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - David K Crossman
- Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - James E Ferguson
- Department of Urology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - William E Grizzle
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,Department of Urology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Nallasivam Palanisamy
- Vattikuti Urology Institute, Department of Urology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Christopher D Willey
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,Department of Urology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Michael R Crowley
- Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - George J Netto
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Eddy S Yang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Sooryanarayana Varambally
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA. .,O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA. .,Informatics Institute, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
| | - Guru Sonpavde
- Department of Medicine, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Ramos-Álvarez I, Lee L, Jensen RT. Group II p21-activated kinase, PAK4, is needed for activation of focal adhesion kinases, MAPK, GSK3, and β-catenin in rat pancreatic acinar cells. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2020; 318:G490-G503. [PMID: 31984786 PMCID: PMC7099487 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00229.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
PAK4 is the only member of the Group II p21-activated kinases (PAKs) present in rat pancreatic acinar cells and is activated by gastrointestinal hormones/neurotransmitters stimulating PLC/cAMP and by various pancreatic growth factors. However, little is known of the role of PAK4 activation in cellular signaling cascades in pancreatic acinar cells. In the present study, we examined the role of PAK4's participation in five different cholecystokinin-8 (CCK-8)-stimulated signaling pathways (PI3K/Akt, MAPK, focal adhesion kinase, GSK3, and β-catenin), which mediate many of its physiological acinar-cell effects, as well as effects in pathophysiological conditions. To define PAK4's role, the effect of two different PAK4 inhibitors, PF-3758309 and LCH-7749944, was examined under experimental conditions that only inhibited PAK4 activation and not activation of the other pancreatic PAK, Group I PAK2. The inhibitors' effects on activation of these five signaling cascades by both physiological and pathophysiological concentrations of CCK, as well as by 12-O-tetradecanoylphobol-13-acetate (TPA), a PKC-activator, were examined. CCK/TPA activation of focal adhesion kinases(PYK2/p125FAK) and the accompanying adapter proteins (paxillin/p130CAS), Mek1/2, and p44/42, but not c-Raf or other MAPKs (JNK/p38), were mediated by PAK4. Activation of PI3K/Akt/p70s6K was independent of PAK4, whereas GSK3 and β-catenin stimulation was PAK4-dependent. These results, coupled with recent studies showing PAK4 is important in pancreatic fluid/electrolyte/enzyme secretion and acinar cell growth, show that PAK4 plays an important role in different cellular signaling cascades, which have been shown to mediate numerous physiological and pathophysiological processes in pancreatic acinar cells.NEW & NOTEWORTHY In pancreatic acinar cells, cholecystokinin (CCK) or 12-O-tetradecanoylphobol-13-acetate (TPA) activation of focal adhesion kinases (p125FAK,PYK2) and its accompanying adapter proteins, p130CAS/paxillin; Mek1/2, p44/42, GSK3, and β-catenin are mediated by PAK4. PI3K/Akt/p70s6K, c-Raf, JNK, or p38 pathways are independent of PAK4 activation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Irene Ramos-Álvarez
- Digestive Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Lingaku Lee
- Digestive Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Robert T. Jensen
- Digestive Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Yin ZF, Wei YL, Wang X, Wang LN, Li X. Buyang Huanwu Tang inhibits cellular epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition by inhibiting TGF-β1 activation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in pulmonary fibrosis model in vitro. BMC Complement Med Ther 2020; 20:13. [PMID: 32020862 PMCID: PMC7076841 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-019-2807-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a chronic and progressive interstitial lung disease. Buyang Huanwu Tang (BYHWT), a classical traditional Chinese medicine formula, has been widely utilized for the treatment of PF in China. This present study aimed to explore the mechanism of BYHWT in the treatment of PF in vitro. Methods TGF-β1 stimulated human alveolar epithelial A549 cells were used as in vitro model for PF. Post the treatment of BYHWT, cell viability was measured by MTT assay, and cell morphology was observed under microscope. The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers (E-cadherin, Vimentin) and collagen I (Col I) were detected by western blot, immunofluorescence staining and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. With the co-administration of activators (IGF-1, SC79) and inhibitors (LY294002, MK2206), the effect of BYHWT on PI3K/Akt pathway was analyzed by western blot. Results BYHWT inhibited cell growth, and prevented cell morphology changed from epithelial to fibroblasts in TGF-β1 induced A549 cells. BYHWT decreased Vimentin and Col I, while increased E-cadherin at both protein and mRNA levels. Moreover, phosphorylation of PI3K (p-PI3K) and phosphorylation of Akt (p-Akt) were significantly down-regulated by BYHWT in TGF-β1 stimulated A549 cells. Conclusion These results indicate that BYHWT suppressed TGF-β1-induced collagen accumulation and EMT of A549 cells by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. These findings suggest that BYHWT may have potential for the treatment of PF.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Fei Yin
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changhai Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, No.168 Changhai Road, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Yang-Lin Wei
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changhai Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, No.168 Changhai Road, Shanghai, 200433, China.,Seventh People's Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.358 Datong Road, Shanghai, 200137, China
| | - Xuan Wang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changhai Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, No.168 Changhai Road, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Li-Na Wang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changhai Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, No.168 Changhai Road, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Xia Li
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changhai Hospital, The Second Military Medical University, No.168 Changhai Road, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Cordover E, Wei J, Patel C, Shan NL, Gionco J, Sargsyan D, Wu R, Cai L, Kong AN, Jacinto E, Minden A. KPT-9274, an Inhibitor of PAK4 and NAMPT, Leads to Downregulation of mTORC2 in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells. Chem Res Toxicol 2020; 33:482-491. [PMID: 31876149 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.9b00376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is difficult to treat due to lack of druggable targets. We have found that treatment with the small molecule inhibitor KPT-9274 inhibits growth of TNBC cells and eventually leads to cell death. KPT-9274 is a dual specific inhibitor of PAK4 and Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT). The PAK4 protein kinase is often highly expressed in TNBC cells and has important roles in cell growth, survival, and migration. Previously we have found that inhibition of PAK4 leads to growth inhibition of TNBC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Likewise, NAMPT has been shown to be dysregulated in cancer due to its role in cell metabolism. In order to understand better how treating cells with KPT-9274 abrogates TNBC cell growth, we carried out an RNA sequencing of TNBC cells treated with KPT-9274. As a result, we identified Rictor as an important target that is inhibited in the KPT-9274 treated cells. Conversely, we found that Rictor is predicted to be activated when PAK4 is overexpressed in cells, which suggests a role for PAK4 in the regulation of Rictor. Rictor is a component of mTORC2, one of the complexes formed by the serine/threonine kinase mTOR. mTOR is important for the control of cell growth and metabolism. Our results suggest a new mechanism by which the KPT-9274 compound may block the growth of breast cancer cells, which is via inhibition of mTORC2 signaling. Consistent with this, sequencing analysis of PAK4 overexpressing cells indicates that PAK4 has a role in activation of the mTOR pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emma Cordover
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Chemical Biology, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy , Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , 164 Frelinghuysen Road , Piscataway , New Jersey 08854 , United States
| | - Janet Wei
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School , 683 Hoes Lane , Piscataway , New Jersey 08854 , United States
| | - Chadni Patel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School , 683 Hoes Lane , Piscataway , New Jersey 08854 , United States
| | - Naing Lin Shan
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Chemical Biology, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy , Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , 164 Frelinghuysen Road , Piscataway , New Jersey 08854 , United States
| | - John Gionco
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Chemical Biology, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy , Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , 164 Frelinghuysen Road , Piscataway , New Jersey 08854 , United States
| | - Davit Sargsyan
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy , Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , 164 Frelinghuysen Road , Piscataway , New Jersey 08854 , United States
| | - Renyi Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy , Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , 164 Frelinghuysen Road , Piscataway , New Jersey 08854 , United States
| | - Li Cai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering , Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , 599 Taylor Road , Piscataway , New Jersey 08854 , United States
| | - Ah-Ng Kong
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy , Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , 164 Frelinghuysen Road , Piscataway , New Jersey 08854 , United States
| | - Estela Jacinto
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School , 683 Hoes Lane , Piscataway , New Jersey 08854 , United States
| | - Audrey Minden
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Chemical Biology, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy , Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , 164 Frelinghuysen Road , Piscataway , New Jersey 08854 , United States
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Abril-Rodriguez G, Torrejon DY, Liu W, Zaretsky JM, Nowicki TS, Tsoi J, Puig-Saus C, Baselga-Carretero I, Medina E, Quist MJ, Garcia AJ, Senapedis W, Baloglu E, Kalbasi A, Cheung-Lau G, Berent-Maoz B, Comin-Anduix B, Hu-Lieskovan S, Wang CY, Grasso CS, Ribas A. PAK4 inhibition improves PD-1 blockade immunotherapy. NATURE CANCER 2019; 1:46-58. [PMID: 34368780 PMCID: PMC8340852 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-019-0003-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Lack of tumor infiltration by immune cells is the main mechanism of primary resistance to programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blockade therapies for cancer. It has been postulated that cancer cell-intrinsic mechanisms may actively exclude T cells from tumors, suggesting that the finding of actionable molecules that could be inhibited to increase T cell infiltration may synergize with checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy. Here, we show that p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4) is enriched in non-responding tumor biopsies with low T cell and dendritic cell infiltration. In mouse models, genetic deletion of PAK4 increased T cell infiltration and reversed resistance to PD-1 blockade in a CD8 T cell-dependent manner. Furthermore, combination of anti-PD-1 with the PAK4 inhibitor KPT-9274 improved anti-tumor response compared with anti-PD-1 alone. Therefore, high PAK4 expression is correlated with low T cell and dendritic cell infiltration and a lack of response to PD-1 blockade, which could be reversed with PAK4 inhibition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Abril-Rodriguez
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Davis Y Torrejon
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Wei Liu
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jesse M Zaretsky
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Theodore S Nowicki
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Jennifer Tsoi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Cristina Puig-Saus
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ignacio Baselga-Carretero
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Egmidio Medina
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael J Quist
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Alejandro J Garcia
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Anusha Kalbasi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Gardenia Cheung-Lau
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Beata Berent-Maoz
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Begoña Comin-Anduix
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Siwen Hu-Lieskovan
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Cun-Yu Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Division of Oral Biology and Medicine, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Catherine S Grasso
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Antoni Ribas
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Lin A, Giuliano CJ, Palladino A, John KM, Abramowicz C, Yuan ML, Sausville EL, Lukow DA, Liu L, Chait AR, Galluzzo ZC, Tucker C, Sheltzer JM. Off-target toxicity is a common mechanism of action of cancer drugs undergoing clinical trials. Sci Transl Med 2019; 11:eaaw8412. [PMID: 31511426 PMCID: PMC7717492 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaw8412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 385] [Impact Index Per Article: 77.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Ninety-seven percent of drug-indication pairs that are tested in clinical trials in oncology never advance to receive U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. While lack of efficacy and dose-limiting toxicities are the most common causes of trial failure, the reason(s) why so many new drugs encounter these problems is not well understood. Using CRISPR-Cas9 mutagenesis, we investigated a set of cancer drugs and drug targets in various stages of clinical testing. We show that-contrary to previous reports obtained predominantly with RNA interference and small-molecule inhibitors-the proteins ostensibly targeted by these drugs are nonessential for cancer cell proliferation. Moreover, the efficacy of each drug that we tested was unaffected by the loss of its putative target, indicating that these compounds kill cells via off-target effects. By applying a genetic target-deconvolution strategy, we found that the mischaracterized anticancer agent OTS964 is actually a potent inhibitor of the cyclin-dependent kinase CDK11 and that multiple cancer types are addicted to CDK11 expression. We suggest that stringent genetic validation of the mechanism of action of cancer drugs in the preclinical setting may decrease the number of therapies tested in human patients that fail to provide any clinical benefit.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ann Lin
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
- Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Christopher J Giuliano
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
- Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Ann Palladino
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Kristen M John
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
- Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY 11549, USA
| | - Connor Abramowicz
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
- New York Institute of Technology, Glen Head, NY 11545, USA
| | - Monet Lou Yuan
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
- Syosset High School, Syosset, NY 11791, USA
| | - Erin L Sausville
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Devon A Lukow
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
- Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Luwei Liu
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
- Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | | | | | - Clara Tucker
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
- Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Jason M Sheltzer
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Santiago-Gómez A, Kedward T, Simões BM, Dragoni I, NicAmhlaoibh R, Trivier E, Sabin V, Gee JM, Sims AH, Howell SJ, Clarke RB. PAK4 regulates stemness and progression in endocrine resistant ER-positive metastatic breast cancer. Cancer Lett 2019; 458:66-75. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2019.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
|
42
|
p21-Activated kinase 3 promotes cancer stem cell phenotypes through activating the Akt-GSK3β-β-catenin signaling pathway in pancreatic cancer cells. Cancer Lett 2019; 456:13-22. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2019.04.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
|
43
|
Rodriguez D, Ramkairsingh M, Lin X, Kapoor A, Major P, Tang D. The Central Contributions of Breast Cancer Stem Cells in Developing Resistance to Endocrine Therapy in Estrogen Receptor (ER)-Positive Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11071028. [PMID: 31336602 PMCID: PMC6678134 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11071028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2019] [Revised: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer stem cells (BCSC) play critical roles in the acquisition of resistance to endocrine therapy in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive (ER + ve) breast cancer (BC). The resistance results from complex alterations involving ER, growth factor receptors, NOTCH, Wnt/β-catenin, hedgehog, YAP/TAZ, and the tumor microenvironment. These mechanisms are likely converged on regulating BCSCs, which then drive the development of endocrine therapy resistance. In this regard, hormone therapies enrich BCSCs in ER + ve BCs under both pre-clinical and clinical settings along with upregulation of the core components of “stemness” transcriptional factors including SOX2, NANOG, and OCT4. SOX2 initiates a set of reactions involving SOX9, Wnt, FXY3D, and Src tyrosine kinase; these reactions stimulate BCSCs and contribute to endocrine resistance. The central contributions of BCSCs to endocrine resistance regulated by complex mechanisms offer a unified strategy to counter the resistance. ER + ve BCs constitute approximately 75% of BCs to which hormone therapy is the major therapeutic approach. Likewise, resistance to endocrine therapy remains the major challenge in the management of patients with ER + ve BC. In this review we will discuss evidence supporting a central role of BCSCs in developing endocrine resistance and outline the strategy of targeting BCSCs to reduce hormone therapy resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Rodriguez
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- The Research Institute of St Joe's Hamilton, St Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
- Urological Cancer Center for Research and Innovation (UCCRI), St Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
- The Hamilton Center for Kidney Research, St. Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
| | - Marc Ramkairsingh
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- The Research Institute of St Joe's Hamilton, St Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
- Urological Cancer Center for Research and Innovation (UCCRI), St Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
- The Hamilton Center for Kidney Research, St. Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
| | - Xiaozeng Lin
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- The Research Institute of St Joe's Hamilton, St Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
- Urological Cancer Center for Research and Innovation (UCCRI), St Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
- The Hamilton Center for Kidney Research, St. Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
| | - Anil Kapoor
- The Research Institute of St Joe's Hamilton, St Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
- Urological Cancer Center for Research and Innovation (UCCRI), St Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada
- Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Pierre Major
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8V 5C2, Canada
| | - Damu Tang
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada.
- The Research Institute of St Joe's Hamilton, St Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada.
- Urological Cancer Center for Research and Innovation (UCCRI), St Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada.
- The Hamilton Center for Kidney Research, St. Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, ON L8N 4A6, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Liu YY, Tanikawa C, Ueda K, Matsuda K. INKA2, a novel p53 target that interacts with the serine/threonine kinase PAK4. Int J Oncol 2019; 54:1907-1920. [PMID: 31081062 PMCID: PMC6521941 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2019.4786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The p53 protein is a tumour suppressor and transcription factor that regulates the expression of target genes involved in numerous stress responses systems. In this study, we designed a screening strategy using DNA damage-induced mouse and human transcriptome data to identify novel downstream targets of p53. Our method selected genes with an induced expression in multiple organs of X-ray-irradiated p53 wild-type mice. The expression of inka box actin regulator 2 gene, known as Inka2, was upregulated in 12 organs when p53 expression was induced. Similarly, INKA2 was induced in a p53-dependent manner at both the mRNA and protein level in human cells treated with adriamycin. Reporter assays confirmed that p53 directly regulated INKA2 through an intronic binding site. The overexpression of INKA2 produced a slight decrease in cancer cell growth in the colony formation assay. Moreover, the analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data revealed a decreased INKA2 expression in tumour samples carrying p53 mutations compared with p53 wild-type samples. In addition, significantly higher levels of DNA methylation were observed in the INKA2 promoter in tumour samples, concordant with the reduced INKA2 expression in tumour tissues. These results demonstrate the potential of INKA2 as a cancer cell growth inhibitor. Furthermore, INKA2 protein interacts with the serine/threonine-protein kinase, p21 (RAC1) activated kinase (PAK)4, which phosphorylates β-catenin to prevent ubiquitin-proteasomal degradation. As β-catenin was downregulated in a stable INKA2-expressing cell line, the findings of this study suggest that INKA2 is a novel, direct downstream target of p53 that potentially decreases cell growth by inhibiting the PAK4-β-catenin pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Yu Liu
- Laboratory of Clinical Genome Sequencing, Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo 108‑8639, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chizu Tanikawa
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Human Genome Center, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo 108‑8639, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koji Ueda
- Project for Realization of Personalized Cancer Medicine, Cancer Precision Medicine Center, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo 135‑8550, Japan
| | - Koichi Matsuda
- Laboratory of Clinical Genome Sequencing, Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo 108‑8639, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Wang F, Gao Y, Tang L, Ning K, Geng N, Zhang H, Li Y, Li Y, Liu F, Li F. A novel PAK4-CEBPB-CLDN4 axis involving in breast cancer cell migration and invasion. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2019; 511:404-408. [PMID: 30808546 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.02.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Claudin-4 (CLDN4), a crucial member of tight junction proteins, is aberrantly expressed in breast cancer cells and contributes to cell migration and invasion. However, the mechanisms controlling CLDN4 expression in breast cancer are poorly understood. Here, we reported that CLDN4 expression correlated positively with p21-activated kinase 4 (PAK4) expression in human breast cancer tissues. Knockdown of PAK4 in MDA-MB-231 and ZR-75-30 cells suppressed CLDN4 expression and significantly inhibited cell migration and invasion. Conversely, restoration of CLDN4 expression in PAK4-knockdown cells reversed the inhibition of migration and invasion. We identified CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β (CEBPB) as a novel transcriptional regulator of CLDN4 and confirmed that CEBPB bound to the -1093 to -991 bp region of the CLDN4 promoter. Importantly, we found that PAK4 enhanced CEBPB phosphorylation on Thr-235. In summary, we showed that PAK4-mediated CEBPB activation upregulated CLDN4 expression to promote breast cancer cell migration and invasion. Our results might contribute to understanding the mechanisms of CLDN4 regulation and suggest PAK4-CEBPB-CLDN4 axis as a potential therapeutic target for breast cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fei Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of National Health Commission of the PRC, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education of the PRC, China Medical University, No. 77, Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China
| | - Yunling Gao
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of National Health Commission of the PRC, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education of the PRC, China Medical University, No. 77, Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China
| | - Lina Tang
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of National Health Commission of the PRC, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education of the PRC, China Medical University, No. 77, Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China
| | - Ke Ning
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of National Health Commission of the PRC, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education of the PRC, China Medical University, No. 77, Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China
| | - Nanxi Geng
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of National Health Commission of the PRC, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education of the PRC, China Medical University, No. 77, Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China
| | - Hongyan Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of National Health Commission of the PRC, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education of the PRC, China Medical University, No. 77, Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China
| | - Yanshu Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of National Health Commission of the PRC, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education of the PRC, China Medical University, No. 77, Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of National Health Commission of the PRC, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education of the PRC, China Medical University, No. 77, Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China
| | - Furong Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of National Health Commission of the PRC, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education of the PRC, China Medical University, No. 77, Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China
| | - Feng Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology of National Health Commission of the PRC, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education of the PRC, China Medical University, No. 77, Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
P21 activated kinase signaling in cancer. Semin Cancer Biol 2019; 54:40-49. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2018.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Revised: 01/04/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
|
47
|
Wang K, Baldwin GS, Nikfarjam M, He H. p21-activated kinase signalling in pancreatic cancer: New insights into tumour biology and immune modulation. World J Gastroenterol 2018; 24:3709-3723. [PMID: 30197477 PMCID: PMC6127653 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v24.i33.3709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Revised: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive and lethal malignancies worldwide, with a very poor prognosis and a five-year survival rate less than 8%. This dismal outcome is largely due to delayed diagnosis, early distant dissemination and resistance to conventional chemo-therapies. Kras mutation is a well-defined hallmark of pancreatic cancer, with over 95% of cases harbouring Kras mutations that give rise to constitutively active forms of Kras. As important down-stream effectors of Kras, p21-activated kinases (PAKs) are involved in regulating cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion/migration and chemo-resistance. Immunotherapy is now emerging as a promising treatment modality in the era of personalized anti-cancer therapeutics. In this review, basic knowledge of PAK structure and regulation is briefly summarised and the pivotal role of PAKs in Kras-driven pancreatic cancer is highlighted in terms of tumour biology and chemo-resistance. Finally, the involvement of PAKs in immune modulation in the tumour microenvironment is discussed and the potential advantages of targeting PAKs are explored.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kai Wang
- Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3084, Australia
| | - Graham S Baldwin
- Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3084, Australia
| | - Mehrdad Nikfarjam
- Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3084, Australia
| | - Hong He
- Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3084, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Phatak P, Burrows WM, Chesnick IE, Tulapurkar ME, Rao JN, Turner DJ, Hamburger AW, Wang JY, Donahue JM. MiR-199a-3p decreases esophageal cancer cell proliferation by targeting p21 activated kinase 4. Oncotarget 2018; 9:28391-28407. [PMID: 29983868 PMCID: PMC6033339 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.25375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2017] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Although microRNA (miR) 199a-3p functions as a tumor suppressor in multiple malignancies, its expression and role in esophageal cancer have not been studied. Based on our previous observation that miR-199a-3p is markedly downregulated in esophageal cancer cell lines relative to esophageal epithelial cells, we examined the function of miR-199a-3p in these cells. MiR-199a-3p is predicted to bind with high affinity to the mRNA of p21 activated kinase 4 (PAK4). This kinase has been shown to be overexpressed in several malignancies and to modulate proliferation and motility. The current study is designed to determine whether miR-199a-3p regulates the expression of PAK4 in esophageal cancer cells and to understand the functional consequences of this interaction. Herein, we demonstrate reduced expression of miR-199a-3p in human esophageal cancer specimens and cell lines compared to esophageal epithelial cells, with associated increased expression of PAK4. Forced expression of miR-199a-3p decreases expression of PAK4 in esophageal cancer cell lines. Mechanistic studies reveal that miR-199a-3p binds to the 3'UTR of PAK4 mRNA. This interaction results in reduced levels of PAK4 mRNA due to decreased mRNA stability. Downregulation of PAK4 leads to decreased cyclin D1 (CD1) transcription and protein expression, resulting in markedly impaired cellular proliferation. When PAK4 expression is rescued, both CD1 transcription and protein return to baseline levels. Our results show that miR-199a-3p functions as a tumor suppressor in esophageal cancer cells through repression of PAK4. These findings suggest that both miR-199a-3p and PAK4 may be novel therapeutic targets in the treatment of esophageal cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pornima Phatak
- Department of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Whitney M. Burrows
- Department of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | | | - Mohan E. Tulapurkar
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Jaladanki N. Rao
- Department of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Douglas J. Turner
- Department of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Anne W. Hamburger
- Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Jian-Ying Wang
- Department of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - James M. Donahue
- Department of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
|
50
|
Thillai K, Sarker D, Wells C. PAK4 pathway as a potential therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer. Future Oncol 2018; 14:579-582. [PMID: 29508632 DOI: 10.2217/fon-2017-0458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kiruthikah Thillai
- Cancer Studies, King's College London, London, SE1 9RT, UK.,Department of Medical Oncology, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Trust, London, SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Debashis Sarker
- Cancer Studies, King's College London, London, SE1 9RT, UK.,Department of Medical Oncology, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Trust, London, SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Claire Wells
- Cancer Studies, King's College London, London, SE1 9RT, UK
| |
Collapse
|