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Geng D, Ciavattone N, Lasola JJ, Shrestha R, Sanchez A, Guo J, Vlk A, Younis R, Wang L, Brown AJ, Zhang Y, Velasco-Gonzalez C, Tan AC, Davila E. Induction of IRAK-M in melanoma induces caspase-3 dependent apoptosis by reducing TRAF6 and calpastatin levels. Commun Biol 2020; 3:306. [PMID: 32533049 PMCID: PMC7293221 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-1033-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Melanoma represents the most serious type of skin cancer. Although recent years have seen advances using targeted and immunotherapies, most patients remain at high risk for tumor recurrence. Here we show that IRAK-M, a negative regulator of MyD88 signaling, is deficient or low in melanoma and expression levels correlate with patient survival. Inducing IRAK-M expression using genetic approaches or epigenetic modifiers initiates apoptosis by prompting its interaction with TRAF6 via IRAK-M's C-terminal domain. This complex recruits and degrades calpastatin which stimulates calpain activity and triggers caspase-3-dependent but caspase-8,-9-independent apoptosis. Using a drug screen, we identified compounds that induced IRAK-M expression. Administration of IRAK-M-inducing drugs reduced tumor growth in mice but was ineffective against IRAK-M knock-down tumors. These results uncover a previously uncharacterized apoptosis pathway, emphasize IRAK-M as a potential therapeutic target and suggest that the anticancer activity of certain drugs could do so through their ability to induce IRAK-M expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Degui Geng
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
| | - Nicholas Ciavattone
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Jackline Joy Lasola
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Rojesh Shrestha
- Renal Electrolyte and Hypertension Division, Department of Medicine and Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Amelia Sanchez
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Jitao Guo
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Alexandra Vlk
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Rania Younis
- Department of Oncology and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Lucy Wang
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Alex J Brown
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Yuji Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Cruz Velasco-Gonzalez
- Center for Outcomes and Health Services Research, Ochsner Health System, New Orleans, LA, 70115, USA
| | - Aik-Choon Tan
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- University of Colorado Denver Comprehensive Cancer Center, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Eduardo Davila
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
- University of Colorado Denver Comprehensive Cancer Center, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
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