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Yan J, Bhanshali F, Shuzenji C, Mendenhall TT, Taylor SKB, Ermakova G, Cheng X, Bai P, Diwan G, Seraj D, Meyer JN, Sorensen PH, Hartman JH, Taubert S. Eukaryotic Elongation Factor 2 Kinase EFK-1/eEF2K promotes starvation resistance by preventing oxidative damage in C. elegans. Nat Commun 2025; 16:1752. [PMID: 39966347 PMCID: PMC11836464 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-56766-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2025] [Indexed: 02/20/2025] Open
Abstract
Cells and organisms frequently experience starvation. To survive, they mount an evolutionarily conserved stress response. A vital component in the mammalian starvation response is eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) kinase (eEF2K), which suppresses translation in starvation by phosphorylating and inactivating the translation elongation driver eEF2. C. elegans EFK-1/eEF2K phosphorylates EEF-2/eEF2 on a conserved residue and is required for starvation survival, but how it promotes survival remains unclear. Surprisingly, we found that eEF2 phosphorylation is unchanged in starved C. elegans and EFK-1's kinase activity is dispensable for starvation survival, suggesting that efk-1 promotes survival via a noncanonical pathway. We show that efk-1 upregulates transcription of DNA repair pathways, nucleotide excision repair (NER) and base excision repair (BER), to promote starvation survival. Furthermore, efk-1 suppresses oxygen consumption and ROS production in starvation to prevent oxidative stress. Thus, efk-1 enables starvation survival by protecting animals from starvation-induced oxidative damage through an EEF-2-independent pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junran Yan
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, The University of British Columbia, 117-2194 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
- British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Graduate Program in Cell & Developmental Biology, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Forum Bhanshali
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Catalera BioSolutions, 199 W 6th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Y 1K3, Canada
| | - Chiaki Shuzenji
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, The University of British Columbia, 117-2194 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
- British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Tsultrim T Mendenhall
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Ave, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Shane K B Taylor
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, The University of British Columbia, 117-2194 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
- British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Glafira Ermakova
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, The University of British Columbia, 117-2194 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
- British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Xuanjin Cheng
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, 570 W 7th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4S6, Canada
| | - Pamela Bai
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, The University of British Columbia, 117-2194 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
- British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Gahan Diwan
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Donna Seraj
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Joel N Meyer
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708-0328, USA
| | - Poul H Sorensen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, 675 W 10th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer Research Institute, 675 W 10th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1L3, Canada
| | - Jessica H Hartman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Ave, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Stefan Taubert
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada.
- Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, The University of British Columbia, 117-2194 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
- British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada.
- Graduate Program in Cell & Developmental Biology, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada.
- Department of Medical Genetics, The University of British Columbia, 950 W 28th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada.
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Lim JKM, Samiei A, Delaidelli A, de Santis JO, Brinkmann V, Carnie CJ, Radiloff D, Hruby L, Kahler A, Cran J, Leprivier G, Sorensen PH. The eEF2 kinase coordinates the DNA damage response to cisplatin by supporting p53 activation. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:501. [PMID: 39003251 PMCID: PMC11246425 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06891-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) kinase (eEF2K) is a stress-responsive hub that inhibits the translation elongation factor eEF2, and consequently mRNA translation elongation, in response to hypoxia and nutrient deprivation. EEF2K is also involved in the response to DNA damage but its role in response to DNA crosslinks, as induced by cisplatin, is not known. Here we found that eEF2K is critical to mediate the cellular response to cisplatin. We uncovered that eEF2K deficient cells are more resistant to cisplatin treatment. Mechanistically, eEF2K deficiency blunts the activation of the DNA damage response associated ATM and ATR pathways, in turn preventing p53 activation and therefore compromising induction of cisplatin-induced apoptosis. We also report that loss of eEF2K delays the resolution of DNA damage triggered by cisplatin, suggesting that eEF2K contributes to DNA damage repair in response to cisplatin. In support of this, our data shows that eEF2K promotes the expression of the DNA repair protein ERCC1, critical for the repair of cisplatin-caused DNA damage. Finally, using Caenorhabditis elegans as an in vivo model, we find that deletion of efk-1, the worm eEF2K ortholog, mitigates the induction of germ cell death in response to cisplatin. Together, our data highlight that eEF2K represents an evolutionary conserved mediator of the DNA damage response to cisplatin which promotes p53 activation to induce cell death, or alternatively facilitates DNA repair, depending on the extent of DNA damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan K M Lim
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Arash Samiei
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Alberto Delaidelli
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jessica Oliveira de Santis
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Brinkmann
- Institute of Toxicology, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Christopher J Carnie
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Daniel Radiloff
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Laura Hruby
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Alisa Kahler
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jordan Cran
- Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Gabriel Leprivier
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Poul H Sorensen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Department of Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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3
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Yazici SE, Gedik ME, Leblebici CB, Kosemehmetoglu K, Gunaydin G, Dogrul AB. Can endocan serve as a molecular "hepatostat" in liver regeneration? Mol Med 2023; 29:29. [PMID: 36849916 PMCID: PMC9972723 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-023-00622-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intriguingly, liver regeneration after injury does not induce uncontrolled growth and the underlying mechanisms of such a "hepatostat" are still not clear. Endocan, a proteoglycan, was implicated in liver regeneration. It can support the function of hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor in tissue repair after injury. Endostatin, a 20 kDa C-terminal fragment of collagen XVIII, may modulate the cessation of liver regeneration. eEF2K, a protein kinase that regulates protein synthesis, can regulate angiogenesis. Thus, we investigated the role of endocan, endostatin and eEF2K during normal liver regeneration. METHODS Serum samples and regenerating remnant liver tissues were obtained on various days after partial hepatectomy in rats. mRNA expression levels of Vegf and Pcna were analyzed in addition to immunohistochemical evaluations. Liver tissue protein levels of endostatin, endocan and p-eEF2K/eEF2K were determined with Western blot. Serum levels of endostatin and endocan were assessed with ELISA. RESULTS Pcna expression level in residual liver tissues peaked on day-1, while Vegf expression reached its highest level on days 1-3 after partial hepatectomy (70%). Endocan activity declined gradually on days 1-7. The decrease in liver endocan expression was accompanied by an increase in serum endocan levels. Partial hepatectomy induced a rapid increase in liver endostatin levels. Following its surge on day-1, endostatin expression gradually declined, which was accompanied by a peak in serum endostatin. Finally, partial hepatectomy was shown to regulate eEF2K; thus, increasing protein translation. CONCLUSIONS We revealed possible mechanistic insights into liver regeneration by examining the associations of Pcna, Vegf, endocan, endostatin, eEF2K with hepatic regeneration after partial hepatectomy. Indeed, endocan might serve as a useful biomarker to monitor clinical prognosis in a plethora of conditions such as recovery of donor's remaining liver after living-donor liver transplant. Whether endocan might represent a strategy to optimize liver regeneration when given therapeutically needs to be investigated in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinan Efe Yazici
- Department of General Surgery, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Emre Gedik
- Department of Basic Oncology, Hacettepe University Cancer Institute, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Can Berk Leblebici
- Department of Pathology, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Kemal Kosemehmetoglu
- Department of Pathology, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Gurcan Gunaydin
- Department of Basic Oncology, Hacettepe University Cancer Institute, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Ahmet Bulent Dogrul
- Department of General Surgery, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Sihhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey.
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4
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Aydemir E, Tüysüz EC, Bayrak ÖF, Tecimel D, Hızlı-Deniz AA, Şahin F. Impact of silencing eEF2K expression on the malignant properties of chordoma. Mol Biol Rep 2023; 50:3011-3022. [PMID: 36652154 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-08257-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase, eEF2K) is a calcium calmodulin dependent protein kinase that keeps the highest energy consuming cellular process of protein synthesis under check through negative regulation. eEF2K pauses global protein synthesis rates at the translational elongation step by phosphorylating its only kown substrate elongation factor 2 (eEF2), a unique translocase activity in ekaryotic cells enabling the polypeptide chain elongation. Therefore, eEF2K is thought to preserve cellular energy pools particularly upon acute development of cellular stress conditions such as nutrient deprivation, hypoxia, or infections. Recently, high expression of this enzyme has been associated with poor prognosis in an array of solid tumor types. Therefore, in a growing number of studies tremendous effort is being directed to the development of treatment methods aiming to suppress eEF2K as a novel therapeutic approach in the fight against cancer. METHODS In our study, we aimed to investigate the changes in the tumorigenicity of chordoma cells in presence of gene silencing for eEF2K. Taking a transient gene silencing approach using siRNA particles, eEF2K gene expression was suppressed in chordoma cells. RESULTS Silencing eEF2K expression was associated with a slight increase in cellular proliferation and a decrease in death rates. Furthermore, no alteration in the sensitivity of chordoma cells to chemotherapy was detected in response to the decrease in eEF2K expression which intriguingly promoted suppression of cell migratory and invasion related properties. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that the loss of eEF2K expression in chordoma cell lines results in the reduction of metastatic capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esra Aydemir
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Biruni University, 10. Yil Cad, Protokol Yolu, No: 45 Topkapı, 34010, Istanbul, Turkey.
| | - Emre Can Tüysüz
- Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey.,Department of Medical Genetics, Yeditepe University Medical School and Yeditepe University Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.,Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Ömer Faruk Bayrak
- Department of Medical Genetics, Yeditepe University Medical School and Yeditepe University Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Didem Tecimel
- Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey.,Department of Medical Genetics, Yeditepe University Medical School and Yeditepe University Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ayşen Aslı Hızlı-Deniz
- Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Fikrettin Şahin
- Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey
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5
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Knight JRP, Proud CG, Mallucci G, von der Haar T, Smales CM, Willis AE, Sansom OJ. Eukaryotic Elongation Factor 2 Kinase Activity Is Required for the Phenotypes of the Rpl24 Bst Mouse. J Invest Dermatol 2022; 142:3346-3348.e1. [PMID: 35850210 PMCID: PMC9708116 DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2022.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- John R P Knight
- Beatson Institute, Cancer Research UK, Glasgow, United Kingdom; Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher G Proud
- Lifelong Health, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Giovanna Mallucci
- UK Dementia Research Institute at The University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - C Mark Smales
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | - Anne E Willis
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Owen J Sansom
- Beatson Institute, Cancer Research UK, Glasgow, United Kingdom; Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
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6
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Rubio A, Garland GD, Sfakianos A, Harvey RF, Willis AE. Aberrant protein synthesis and cancer development: The role of canonical eukaryotic initiation, elongation and termination factors in tumorigenesis. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 86:151-165. [PMID: 35487398 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
In tumourigenesis, oncogenes or dysregulated tumour suppressor genes alter the canonical translation machinery leading to a reprogramming of the translatome that, in turn, promotes the translation of selected mRNAs encoding proteins involved in proliferation and metastasis. It is therefore unsurprising that abnormal expression levels and activities of eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs), elongation factors (eEFs) or termination factors (eRFs) are associated with poor outcome for patients with a wide range of cancers. In this review we discuss how RNA binding proteins (RBPs) within the canonical translation factor machinery are dysregulated in cancers and how targeting such proteins is leading to new therapeutic avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Rubio
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Gleeson Building, Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | - Gavin D Garland
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Gleeson Building, Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | - Aristeidis Sfakianos
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Gleeson Building, Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | - Robert F Harvey
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Gleeson Building, Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK
| | - Anne E Willis
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Gleeson Building, Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK.
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7
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Heterozygous variants in GATA2 contribute to DCML deficiency in mice by disrupting tandem protein binding. Commun Biol 2022; 5:376. [PMID: 35440757 PMCID: PMC9018821 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03316-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulating lines of clinical evidence support the emerging hypothesis that loss-of-function mutations of GATA2 cause inherited hematopoietic diseases, including Emberger syndrome; dendritic cell, monocyte B and NK lymphoid (DCML) deficiency; and MonoMAC syndrome. Here, we show that mice heterozygous for an arginine-to-tryptophan substitution mutation in GATA2 (G2R398W/+), which was found in a patient with DCML deficiency, substantially phenocopy human DCML deficiency. Mice heterozygous for the GATA2-null mutation (G2-/+) do not show such phenotypes. The G2R398W protein possesses a decreased DNA-binding affinity but obstructs the function of coexpressed wild-type GATA2 through specific cis-regulatory regions, which contain two GATA motifs in direct-repeat arrangements. In contrast, G2R398W is innocuous in mice containing single GATA motifs. We conclude that the dominant-negative effect of mutant GATA2 on wild-type GATA2 through specific enhancer/silencer of GATA2 target genes perturbs the GATA2 transcriptional network, leading to the development of the DCML-like phenotype. The present mouse model provides an avenue for the understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of GATA2-related hematopoietic diseases.
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Das JK, Ren Y, Kumar A, Peng HY, Wang L, Xiong X, Alaniz RC, de Figueiredo P, Ren X, Liu X, Ryazonov AG, Yang JM, Song J. Elongation factor-2 kinase is a critical determinant of the fate and antitumor immunity of CD8 + T cells. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabl9783. [PMID: 35108044 PMCID: PMC8809536 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abl9783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
eEF-2K has important roles in stress responses and cellular metabolism. We report here a previously unappreciated but critical role of eEF-2K in regulating the fate and cytocidal activity of CD8+ T cells. CD8+ T cells from eEF-2K KO mice were more proliferative but had lower survival than their wild-type counterparts after their activation, followed by occurrence of premature senescence and exhaustion. eEF-2K KO CD8+ T cells were more metabolically active and showed hyperactivation of the Akt-mTOR-S6K pathway. Loss of eEF-2K substantially impaired the activity of CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, the antitumor efficacy and tumor infiltration of the CAR-CD8+ T cells lacking eEF-2K were notably reduced as compared to the control CAR-CD8+ T cells. Thus, eEF-2K is critically required for sustaining the viability and function of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells, and therapeutic augmentation of this kinase may be exploited as a novel approach to reinforcing CAR-T therapy against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jugal Kishore Das
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77843, USA
| | - Yijie Ren
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77843, USA
| | - Anil Kumar
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77843, USA
| | - Hao-Yun Peng
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77843, USA
| | - Liqing Wang
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77843, USA
| | - Xiaofang Xiong
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77843, USA
| | - Robert C. Alaniz
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77843, USA
| | - Paul de Figueiredo
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77843, USA
- Norman Borlaug Center, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Xingcong Ren
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Xiaoqi Liu
- Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Science, and Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Alexey G. Ryazonov
- Department of Pharmacology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Jin-Ming Yang
- Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Science, and Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Jianxun Song
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77843, USA
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9
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Tamaddondoust RN, Wang Y, Jafarnejad SM, Graber TE, Alain T. The highs and lows of ionizing radiation and its effects on protein synthesis. Cell Signal 2021; 89:110169. [PMID: 34662715 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2021.110169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Ionizing radiation (IR) is a constant feature of our environment and one that can dramatically affect organismal health and development. Although the impacts of high-doses of IR on mammalian cells and systems have been broadly explored, there are still challenges in accurately quantifying biological responses to IR, especially in the low-dose range to which most individuals are exposed in their lifetime. The resulting uncertainty has led to the entrenchment of conservative radioprotection policies around the world. Thus, uncovering long-sought molecular mechanisms and tissue responses that are targeted by IR could lead to more informed policymaking and propose new therapeutic avenues for a variety of pathologies. One often overlooked target of IR is mRNA translation, a highly regulated cellular process that consumes more than 40% of the cell's energy. In response to environmental stimuli, regulation of mRNA translation allows for precise and rapid changes to the cellular proteome, and unsurprisingly high-dose of IR was shown to trigger a severe reprogramming of global protein synthesis allowing the cell to conserve energy by preventing the synthesis of unneeded proteins. Nonetheless, under these conditions, certain mRNAs encoding specific proteins are translationally favoured to produce the factors essential to repair the cell or send it down the path of no return through programmed cell death. Understanding the mechanisms controlling protein synthesis in response to varying doses of IR could provide novel insights into how this stress-mediated cellular adaptation is regulated and potentially uncover novel targets for radiosensitization or radioprotection. Here, we review the current literature on the effects of IR at both high- and low-dose on the mRNA translation machinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosette Niloufar Tamaddondoust
- Molecular Biomedicine Program, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Radiobiology and Health, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Chalk River, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Radiobiology and Health, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Chalk River, Ontario, Canada
| | - Seyed Mehdi Jafarnejad
- Patrick G. Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7AE, UK
| | - Tyson E Graber
- Molecular Biomedicine Program, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tommy Alain
- Molecular Biomedicine Program, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
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10
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Ballard DJ, Peng HY, Das JK, Kumar A, Wang L, Ren Y, Xiong X, Ren X, Yang JM, Song J. Insights Into the Pathologic Roles and Regulation of Eukaryotic Elongation Factor-2 Kinase. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:727863. [PMID: 34532346 PMCID: PMC8438118 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.727863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic Elongation Factor-2 Kinase (eEF2K) acts as a negative regulator of protein synthesis, translation, and cell growth. As a structurally unique member of the alpha-kinase family, eEF2K is essential to cell survival under stressful conditions, as it contributes to both cell viability and proliferation. Known as the modulator of the global rate of protein translation, eEF2K inhibits eEF2 (eukaryotic Elongation Factor 2) and decreases translation elongation when active. eEF2K is regulated by various mechanisms, including phosphorylation through residues and autophosphorylation. Specifically, this protein kinase is downregulated through the phosphorylation of multiple sites via mTOR signaling and upregulated via the AMPK pathway. eEF2K plays important roles in numerous biological systems, including neurology, cardiology, myology, and immunology. This review provides further insights into the current roles of eEF2K and its potential to be explored as a therapeutic target for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darby J. Ballard
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States
| | - Hao-Yun Peng
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Jugal Kishore Das
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States
| | - Anil Kumar
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States
| | - Liqing Wang
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Yijie Ren
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States
| | - Xiaofang Xiong
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States
| | - Xingcong Ren
- Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Jin-Ming Yang
- Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Jianxun Song
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, United States
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11
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Knight JRP, Garland G, Pöyry T, Mead E, Vlahov N, Sfakianos A, Grosso S, De-Lima-Hedayioglu F, Mallucci GR, von der Haar T, Smales CM, Sansom OJ, Willis AE. Control of translation elongation in health and disease. Dis Model Mech 2020; 13:dmm043208. [PMID: 32298235 PMCID: PMC7104864 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.043208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulation of protein synthesis makes a major contribution to post-transcriptional control pathways. During disease, or under stress, cells initiate processes to reprogramme protein synthesis and thus orchestrate the appropriate cellular response. Recent data show that the elongation stage of protein synthesis is a key regulatory node for translational control in health and disease. There is a complex set of factors that individually affect the overall rate of elongation and, for the most part, these influence either transfer RNA (tRNA)- and eukaryotic elongation factor 1A (eEF1A)-dependent codon decoding, and/or elongation factor 2 (eEF2)-dependent ribosome translocation along the mRNA. Decoding speeds depend on the relative abundance of each tRNA, the cognate:near-cognate tRNA ratios and the degree of tRNA modification, whereas eEF2-dependent ribosome translocation is negatively regulated by phosphorylation on threonine-56 by eEF2 kinase. Additional factors that contribute to the control of the elongation rate include epigenetic modification of the mRNA, coding sequence variation and the expression of eIF5A, which stimulates peptide bond formation between proline residues. Importantly, dysregulation of elongation control is central to disease mechanisms in both tumorigenesis and neurodegeneration, making the individual key steps in this process attractive therapeutic targets. Here, we discuss the relative contribution of individual components of the translational apparatus (e.g. tRNAs, elongation factors and their modifiers) to the overall control of translation elongation and how their dysregulation contributes towards disease processes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gavin Garland
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK
| | - Tuija Pöyry
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK
| | - Emma Mead
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NJ, UK
| | - Nikola Vlahov
- Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
| | - Aristeidis Sfakianos
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK
| | - Stefano Grosso
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK
| | | | - Giovanna R Mallucci
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge and Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | | | - C Mark Smales
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NJ, UK
| | - Owen J Sansom
- Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Anne E Willis
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK
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12
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Lu Y, Hu M, Zhang Z, Qi Y, Wang J. The regulation of hematopoietic stem cell fate in the context of radiation. RADIATION MEDICINE AND PROTECTION 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.radmp.2020.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
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13
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What is the impact of eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase on cancer: A systematic review. Eur J Pharmacol 2019; 857:172470. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2019.172470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Revised: 06/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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14
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Fabbrizi MR, Warshowsky KE, Zobel CL, Hallahan DE, Sharma GG. Molecular and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms of normal stem cell radiosensitivity. Cell Death Discov 2018; 4:117. [PMID: 30588339 PMCID: PMC6299079 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-018-0132-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Revised: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Ionizing radiation (IR) therapy is a major cancer treatment modality and an indispensable auxiliary treatment for primary and metastatic cancers, but invariably results in debilitating organ dysfunctions. IR-induced depletion of neural stem/progenitor cells in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus in the hippocampus where neurogenesis occurs is considered largely responsible for deficiencies such as learning, memory, and spatial information processing in patients subjected to cranial irradiation. Similarly, IR therapy-induced intestinal injuries such as diarrhea and malabsorption are common side effects in patients with gastrointestinal tumors and are believed to be caused by intestinal stem cell drop out. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is currently used to reinstate blood production in leukemia patients and pre-clinical treatments show promising results in other organs such as the skin and kidney, but ethical issues and logistic problems make this route difficult to follow. An alternative way to restore the injured tissue is to preserve the stem cell pool located in that specific tissue/organ niche, but stem cell response to ionizing radiation is inadequately understood at the molecular mechanistic level. Although embryonic and fetal hypersensity to IR has been very well known for many decades, research on embryonic stem cell models in culture concerning molecular mechanisms have been largely inconclusive and often in contradiction of the in vivo observations. This review will summarize the latest discoveries on stem cell radiosensitivity, highlighting the possible molecular and epigenetic mechanism(s) involved in DNA damage response and programmed cell death after ionizing radiation therapy specific to normal stem cells. Finally, we will analyze the possible contribution of stem cell-specific chromatin's epigenetic constitution in promoting normal stem cell radiosensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Rita Fabbrizi
- Cancer Biology Division, Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 4511 Forest Park, Saint Louis, MO 63108 USA
| | - Kacie E. Warshowsky
- Cancer Biology Division, Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 4511 Forest Park, Saint Louis, MO 63108 USA
| | - Cheri L. Zobel
- Cancer Biology Division, Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 4511 Forest Park, Saint Louis, MO 63108 USA
| | - Dennis E. Hallahan
- Cancer Biology Division, Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 4511 Forest Park, Saint Louis, MO 63108 USA
- Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63108 USA
| | - Girdhar G. Sharma
- Cancer Biology Division, Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 4511 Forest Park, Saint Louis, MO 63108 USA
- Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63108 USA
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15
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Eukaryotic elongation factors 2 promotes tumor cell proliferation and correlates with poor prognosis in ovarian cancer. Tissue Cell 2018; 53:53-60. [PMID: 30060827 DOI: 10.1016/j.tice.2018.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2017] [Revised: 05/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Eukaryotic elongation factors 2 (eEF2) plays an essential role in the GTP-dependent translocation of the ribosome along mRNA. Previous studies have shown that eEF2 is overexpressed in various tumors. However, little is known about the role of eEF2 in ovarian cancer. The aim of the present study is to examine the effect of eEF2 on ovarian cancer proliferation. We first measured eEF2 protein expression by western blot using six fresh ovarian cancer tissues from G1 to G3. The results showed that eEF2 expression gradually increased from G1 to G3. Additionally, eEF2 expression correlated significantly with grade (P = 0.045), FIGO stage (P = 0.035) and Ki67 (P < 0.05). Additionally, there was a significant positive association between eEF2 expression and Ki67 (r = 0.855). Cox's proportional hazards model also showed that eEF2 (P = 0.004) and Ki67 (P < 0.001) were an independent prognostic factor of overall survival in ovarian cancer patients. In vitro, after the release of ovarian cancer cell line (HO8910) from serum starvation, the expression of eEF2, cyclinD1 and PCNA was up-regulated. Moreover, silencing eEF2 in HO8910 cells decreased cell proliferation. Finally, we hypothesize that eEF2 may be activated in a positive feedback cycle through inactivation of eEF2K via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. These data provide novel insights into developing experimental therapies for ovarian cancer.
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16
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The molecular basis of mTORC1-regulated translation. Biochem Soc Trans 2017; 45:213-221. [PMID: 28202675 DOI: 10.1042/bst20160072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2016] [Revised: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 12/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway is a master regulator of cell growth throughout eukaryotes. The pathway senses nutrient and other growth signals, and then orchestrates the complex systems of anabolic and catabolic metabolism that underpin the growth process. A central target of mTOR signaling is the translation machinery. mTOR uses a multitude of translation factors to drive the bulk production of protein that growth requires, but also to direct a post-transcriptional program of growth-specific gene expression. This review will discuss current understanding of how mTOR controls these mechanisms and their functions in growth control.
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