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Zhang J, Pearson AJ, Sabherwal N, Telfer BA, Ali N, Kan K, Xu Q, Zhang W, Chen F, Li S, Wang J, Gray NS, Risa-Ebrí B, Finegan KG, Cross MJ, Giurisato E, Whitmarsh AJ, Tournier C. Inhibiting ERK5 overcomes breast cancer resistance to anti-HER2 therapy by targeting the G1/S cell cycle transition. Cancer Res Commun 2022; 2:131-145. [PMID: 36466034 PMCID: PMC7613885 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-21-0089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Targeting the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) became a landmark in the treatment of HER2-driven breast cancer. Nonetheless, the clinical efficacy of anti-HER2 therapies can be short-lived and a significant proportion of patients ultimately develop metastatic disease and die. One striking consequence of oncogenic activation of HER2 in breast cancer cells is the constitutive activation of the extracellular-regulated protein kinase 5 (ERK5) through its hyperphosphorylation. In this study, we sought to decipher the significance of this unique molecular signature in promoting therapeutic resistance to anti-HER2 agents. We found that a small-molecule inhibitor of ERK5 suppressed the phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma protein (RB) in HER2 positive breast cancer cells. As a result, ERK5 inhibition enhanced the anti-proliferative activity of single-agent anti-HER2 therapy in resistant breast cancer cell lines by causing a G1 cell cycle arrest. Moreover, ERK5 knockdown restored the anti-tumor activity of the anti-HER2 agent lapatinib in human breast cancer xenografts. Taken together, these findings support the therapeutic potential of ERK5 inhibitors to improve the clinical benefit that patients receive from targeted HER2 therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwei Zhang
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH), University of Manchester, UK
| | - Adam J Pearson
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH), University of Manchester, UK
| | - Nitin Sabherwal
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, FBMH, University of Manchester, UK
| | - Brian A Telfer
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, FBMH, University of Manchester, UK
| | - Nisha Ali
- Manchester University NHS FT, Wythenshawe hospital, UK
| | - Karmern Kan
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH), University of Manchester, UK
| | - Qiuping Xu
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH), University of Manchester, UK
| | - Wei Zhang
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH), University of Manchester, UK
| | - Fuhui Chen
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH), University of Manchester, UK
| | - Shiyang Li
- Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, School of Biological Sciences, FBMH, University of Manchester, UK
| | - Jinhua Wang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Nathanael S Gray
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Blanca Risa-Ebrí
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, FBMH, University of Manchester, UK
| | - Katherine G Finegan
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, FBMH, University of Manchester, UK
| | - Michael J Cross
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology (ISMIB), University of Liverpool, UK
| | - Emanuele Giurisato
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH), University of Manchester, UK,Department of Biotechnology Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Italy
| | - Alan J Whitmarsh
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Sciences, FBMH, University of Manchester, UK
| | - Cathy Tournier
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH), University of Manchester, UK,Corresponding author: Cathy Tournier, University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK, Tel: +44 161 275 5417,
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2
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Xu Q, Zhang J, Telfer BA, Zhang H, Ali N, Chen F, Risa B, Pearson AJ, Zhang W, Finegan KG, Ucar A, Giurisato E, Tournier C. The extracellular-regulated protein kinase 5 (ERK5) enhances metastatic burden in triple-negative breast cancer through focal adhesion protein kinase (FAK)-mediated regulation of cell adhesion. Oncogene 2021; 40:3929-3941. [PMID: 33981002 PMCID: PMC8195737 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-01798-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
There is overwhelming clinical evidence that the extracellular-regulated protein kinase 5 (ERK5) is significantly dysregulated in human breast cancer. However, there is no definite understanding of the requirement of ERK5 in tumor growth and metastasis due to very limited characterization of the pathway in disease models. In this study, we report that a high level of ERK5 is a predictive marker of metastatic breast cancer. Mechanistically, our in vitro data revealed that ERK5 was critical for maintaining the invasive capability of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells through focal adhesion protein kinase (FAK) activation. Specifically, we found that phosphorylation of FAK at Tyr397 was controlled by a kinase-independent function of ERK5. Accordingly, silencing ERK5 in mammary tumor grafts impaired FAK phosphorylation at Tyr397 and suppressed TNBC cell metastasis to the lung without preventing tumor growth. Collectively, these results establish a functional relationship between ERK5 and FAK signaling in promoting malignancy. Thus, targeting the oncogenic ERK5-FAK axis represents a promising therapeutic strategy for breast cancer exhibiting aggressive clinical behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuping Xu
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Jingwei Zhang
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Brian A Telfer
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Hao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Nisha Ali
- Manchester University NHS FT, Wythenshawe hospital, Manchester, UK
| | - Fuhui Chen
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Blanca Risa
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Adam J Pearson
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Wei Zhang
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Katherine G Finegan
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Ahmet Ucar
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Emanuele Giurisato
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,Department of Biotechnology Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Cathy Tournier
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
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3
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Carmell N, Rominiyi O, Myers KN, McGarrity-Cottrell C, Vanderlinden A, Lad N, Perroux-David E, El-Khamisy SF, Fernando M, Finegan KG, Brown S, Collis SJ. Identification and Validation of ERK5 as a DNA Damage Modulating Drug Target in Glioblastoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13050944. [PMID: 33668183 PMCID: PMC7956595 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13050944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Glioblastomas are high-grade brain tumours and are the most common form of malignancy arising in the brain. Patient survival has improved little over the last 40 years, highlighting an urgent unmet need for more effective treatments for these tumours. Current standard-of-care treatment involves surgical removal of as much of the tumour as possible followed by a course of chemo-/radiotherapy. The main chemotherapeutic drug used is called temozolomide, however even with this treatment regimen, the average patient survival following diagnosis is around 15 months. We have identified a protein called ERK5 which is present at higher levels in these high-grade brain tumours compared to normal brain tissue, and which is also associated with resistance to temozolomide and poor patient survival. Additionally, we show that targeting ERK5 in brain tumour cells can improve the effectiveness of temozolomide in killing these tumour cells and offers potential much-needed future clinical benefit to patients diagnosed with glioblastoma. Abstract Brain tumours kill more children and adults under 40 than any other cancer, with approximately half of primary brain tumours being diagnosed as high-grade malignancies known as glioblastomas. Despite de-bulking surgery combined with chemo-/radiotherapy regimens, the mean survival for these patients is only around 15 months, with less than 10% surviving over 5 years. This dismal prognosis highlights the urgent need to develop novel agents to improve the treatment of these tumours. To address this need, we carried out a human kinome siRNA screen to identify potential drug targets that augment the effectiveness of temozolomide (TMZ)—the standard-of-care chemotherapeutic agent used to treat glioblastoma. From this we identified ERK5/MAPK7, which we subsequently validated using a range of siRNA and small molecule inhibitors within a panel of glioma cells. Mechanistically, we find that ERK5 promotes efficient repair of TMZ-induced DNA lesions to confer cell survival and clonogenic capacity. Finally, using several glioblastoma patient cohorts we provide target validation data for ERK5 as a novel drug target, revealing that heightened ERK5 expression at both the mRNA and protein level is associated with increased tumour grade and poorer patient survival. Collectively, these findings provide a foundation to develop clinically effective ERK5 targeting strategies in glioblastomas and establish much-needed enhancement of the therapeutic repertoire used to treat this currently incurable disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Carmell
- Weston Park Cancer Centre, Department of Oncology & Metabolism, The University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield S10 2SJ, UK; (N.C.); (O.R.); (K.N.M.); (C.M.-C.); (A.V.); (N.L.); (E.P.-D.)
| | - Ola Rominiyi
- Weston Park Cancer Centre, Department of Oncology & Metabolism, The University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield S10 2SJ, UK; (N.C.); (O.R.); (K.N.M.); (C.M.-C.); (A.V.); (N.L.); (E.P.-D.)
- Department of Neurosurgery, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield S10 2JF, UK
| | - Katie N. Myers
- Weston Park Cancer Centre, Department of Oncology & Metabolism, The University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield S10 2SJ, UK; (N.C.); (O.R.); (K.N.M.); (C.M.-C.); (A.V.); (N.L.); (E.P.-D.)
| | - Connor McGarrity-Cottrell
- Weston Park Cancer Centre, Department of Oncology & Metabolism, The University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield S10 2SJ, UK; (N.C.); (O.R.); (K.N.M.); (C.M.-C.); (A.V.); (N.L.); (E.P.-D.)
| | - Aurelie Vanderlinden
- Weston Park Cancer Centre, Department of Oncology & Metabolism, The University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield S10 2SJ, UK; (N.C.); (O.R.); (K.N.M.); (C.M.-C.); (A.V.); (N.L.); (E.P.-D.)
| | - Nikita Lad
- Weston Park Cancer Centre, Department of Oncology & Metabolism, The University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield S10 2SJ, UK; (N.C.); (O.R.); (K.N.M.); (C.M.-C.); (A.V.); (N.L.); (E.P.-D.)
| | - Eva Perroux-David
- Weston Park Cancer Centre, Department of Oncology & Metabolism, The University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield S10 2SJ, UK; (N.C.); (O.R.); (K.N.M.); (C.M.-C.); (A.V.); (N.L.); (E.P.-D.)
| | - Sherif F. El-Khamisy
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids (SInFoNiA) and the Healthy Lifespan Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK;
- Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, UK
| | - Malee Fernando
- Department of Histopathology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK;
| | - Katherine G. Finegan
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK;
| | - Stephen Brown
- Department of Biomedical Science, The Sheffield RNAi Screening Facility, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK;
| | - Spencer J. Collis
- Weston Park Cancer Centre, Department of Oncology & Metabolism, The University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield S10 2SJ, UK; (N.C.); (O.R.); (K.N.M.); (C.M.-C.); (A.V.); (N.L.); (E.P.-D.)
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids (SInFoNiA) and the Healthy Lifespan Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +44-(0)114-215-9043
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4
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Green D, Eyre H, Singh A, Taylor JT, Chu J, Jeys L, Sumathi V, Coonar A, Rassl D, Babur M, Forster D, Alzabin S, Ponthan F, McMahon A, Bigger B, Reekie T, Kassiou M, Williams K, Dalmay T, Fraser WD, Finegan KG. Targeting the MAPK7/MMP9 axis for metastasis in primary bone cancer. Oncogene 2020; 39:5553-5569. [PMID: 32655131 PMCID: PMC7426263 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-1379-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [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: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related death. This multistage process involves contribution from both tumour cells and the tumour stroma to release metastatic cells into the circulation. Circulating tumour cells (CTCs) survive circulatory cytotoxicity, extravasate and colonise secondary sites effecting metastatic outcome. Reprogramming the transcriptomic landscape is a metastatic hallmark, but detecting underlying master regulators that drive pathological gene expression is a key challenge, especially in childhood cancer. Here we used whole tumour plus single-cell RNA-sequencing in primary bone cancer and CTCs to perform weighted gene co-expression network analysis to systematically detect coordinated changes in metastatic transcript expression. This approach with comparisons applied to data collected from cell line models, clinical samples and xenograft mouse models revealed mitogen-activated protein kinase 7/matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MAPK7/MMP9) signalling as a driver for primary bone cancer metastasis. RNA interference knockdown of MAPK7 reduces proliferation, colony formation, migration, tumour growth, macrophage residency/polarisation and lung metastasis. Parallel to these observations were reduction of activated interleukins IL1B, IL6, IL8 plus mesenchymal markers VIM and VEGF in response to MAPK7 loss. Our results implicate a newly discovered, multidimensional MAPK7/MMP9 signalling hub in primary bone cancer metastasis that is clinically actionable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darrell Green
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Heather Eyre
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | | | - Jessica T Taylor
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Jason Chu
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Lee Jeys
- Orthopaedic Oncology, The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham, UK
| | - Vaiyapuri Sumathi
- Musculoskeletal Pathology, The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham, UK
| | - Aman Coonar
- Thoracic Surgery, The Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Doris Rassl
- Pathology, The Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Muhammad Babur
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Duncan Forster
- Wolfson Molecular Imaging Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | | | | | - Adam McMahon
- Wolfson Molecular Imaging Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Brian Bigger
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Tristan Reekie
- School of Chemistry, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Michael Kassiou
- School of Chemistry, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Kaye Williams
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Tamas Dalmay
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - William D Fraser
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
- Clinical Biochemistry, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norwich, UK.
- Diabetes and Endocrinology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norwich, UK.
| | - Katherine G Finegan
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
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5
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Giurisato E, Lonardi S, Telfer B, Lussoso S, Risa-Ebrí B, Zhang J, Russo I, Wang J, Santucci A, Finegan KG, Gray NS, Vermi W, Tournier C. Extracellular-Regulated Protein Kinase 5-Mediated Control of p21 Expression Promotes Macrophage Proliferation Associated with Tumor Growth and Metastasis. Cancer Res 2020; 80:3319-3330. [PMID: 32561530 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-19-2416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The presence of immunosuppressive macrophages that become activated in the tumor microenvironment constitutes a major factor responsible for tumor growth and malignancy. In line with this knowledge, we report here that macrophage proliferation is a significant feature of advanced stages of cancer. Moreover, we have found that a high proportion of proliferating macrophages in human tumors express ERK5. ERK5 was required for supporting the proliferation of macrophages in tumor grafts in mice. Furthermore, myeloid ERK5 deficiency negatively impacted the proliferation of both resident and infiltrated macrophages in metastatic lung nodules. ERK5 maintained the capacity of macrophages to proliferate by suppressing p21 expression to halt their differentiation program. Collectively, these data provide insight into the mechanism underpinning macrophage proliferation to support malignant tumor development, thereby strengthening the value of ERK5-targeted therapies to restore antitumor immunity through the blockade of protumorigenic macrophage activation. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings offer a new rationale for anti-ERK5 therapy to improve cancer patient outcomes by blocking the proliferative activity of tumor macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuele Giurisato
- Department of Biotechnology Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. .,Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Silvia Lonardi
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Brian Telfer
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Lussoso
- Department of Biotechnology Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Blanca Risa-Ebrí
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Jingwei Zhang
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Ilaria Russo
- School of Medicine, Keel University, Keel, United Kingdom.,Department of Medicine-Infectious Diseases, Washington University, Saint Louis, Missouri
| | - Jinhua Wang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Annalisa Santucci
- Department of Biotechnology Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Katherine G Finegan
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Nathanael S Gray
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - William Vermi
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.,Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University, Saint Louis, Missouri
| | - Cathy Tournier
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
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6
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Sivalingam VN, Latif A, Kitson S, McVey R, Finegan KG, Marshall K, Lisanti MP, Sotgia F, Stratford IJ, Crosbie EJ. Hypoxia and hyperglycaemia determine why some endometrial tumours fail to respond to metformin. Br J Cancer 2020; 122:62-71. [PMID: 31819173 PMCID: PMC6964676 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-019-0627-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [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: 06/08/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND High expression of Ki67, a proliferation marker, is associated with reduced endometrial cancer-specific survival. Pre-surgical metformin reduces tumour Ki-67 expression in some women with endometrial cancer. Metformin's anti-cancer activity may relate to effects on cellular energy metabolism. Since tumour hypoxia and glucose availability are major cellular redox determinants, we evaluated their role in endometrial cancer response to metformin. METHODS Endometrial cancer biopsies from women treated with pre-surgical metformin were tested for the hypoxia markers, HIF-1α and CA-9. Endometrial cancer cell lines were treated with metformin in variable glucose concentrations in normoxia or hypoxia and cell viability, mitochondrial biogenesis, function and energy metabolism were assessed. RESULTS In women treated with metformin (n = 28), Ki-67 response was lower in hypoxic tumours. Metformin showed minimal cytostatic effects towards Ishikawa and HEC1A cells in conventional medium (25 mM glucose). In low glucose (5.5 mM), a dose-dependent cytostatic effect was observed in normoxia but attenuated in hypoxia. Tumours treated with metformin showed increased mitochondrial mass (n = 25), while in cultured cells metformin decreased mitochondrial function. Metformin targets mitochondrial respiration, however, in hypoxic, high glucose conditions, there was a switch to glycolytic metabolism and decreased metformin response. CONCLUSIONS Understanding the metabolic adaptations of endometrial tumours may identify patients likely to derive clinical benefit from metformin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanitha N Sivalingam
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, UK
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Ayşe Latif
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Sarah Kitson
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, UK
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Rhona McVey
- Department of Histopathology, Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Katherine G Finegan
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Kay Marshall
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Michael P Lisanti
- School of Environmental & Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford, UK
| | - Federica Sotgia
- School of Environmental & Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford, UK
| | - Ian J Stratford
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Emma J Crosbie
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, UK.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK.
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7
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O'Connor JPB, Boult JKR, Jamin Y, Babur M, Finegan KG, Williams KJ, Little RA, Jackson A, Parker GJM, Reynolds AR, Waterton JC, Robinson SP. Oxygen-Enhanced MRI Accurately Identifies, Quantifies, and Maps Tumor Hypoxia in Preclinical Cancer Models. Cancer Res 2016; 76:787-95. [PMID: 26659574 PMCID: PMC4757751 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-15-2062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2015] [Accepted: 11/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
There is a clinical need for noninvasive biomarkers of tumor hypoxia for prognostic and predictive studies, radiotherapy planning, and therapy monitoring. Oxygen-enhanced MRI (OE-MRI) is an emerging imaging technique for quantifying the spatial distribution and extent of tumor oxygen delivery in vivo. In OE-MRI, the longitudinal relaxation rate of protons (ΔR1) changes in proportion to the concentration of molecular oxygen dissolved in plasma or interstitial tissue fluid. Therefore, well-oxygenated tissues show positive ΔR1. We hypothesized that the fraction of tumor tissue refractory to oxygen challenge (lack of positive ΔR1, termed "Oxy-R fraction") would be a robust biomarker of hypoxia in models with varying vascular and hypoxic features. Here, we demonstrate that OE-MRI signals are accurate, precise, and sensitive to changes in tumor pO2 in highly vascular 786-0 renal cancer xenografts. Furthermore, we show that Oxy-R fraction can quantify the hypoxic fraction in multiple models with differing hypoxic and vascular phenotypes, when used in combination with measurements of tumor perfusion. Finally, Oxy-R fraction can detect dynamic changes in hypoxia induced by the vasomodulator agent hydralazine. In contrast, more conventional biomarkers of hypoxia (derived from blood oxygenation-level dependent MRI and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI) did not relate to tumor hypoxia consistently. Our results show that the Oxy-R fraction accurately quantifies tumor hypoxia noninvasively and is immediately translatable to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P B O'Connor
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom. Centre for Imaging Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom. Department of Radiology, Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom. james.o'
| | - Jessica K R Boult
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yann Jamin
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Muhammad Babur
- Manchester Pharmacy School, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Katherine G Finegan
- Manchester Pharmacy School, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Kaye J Williams
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom. Manchester Pharmacy School, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Ross A Little
- Centre for Imaging Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Alan Jackson
- Centre for Imaging Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Geoff J M Parker
- Centre for Imaging Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew R Reynolds
- Tumour Biology Team, Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - John C Waterton
- Centre for Imaging Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Simon P Robinson
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
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8
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O'Connor JPB, Boult JKR, Jamin Y, Babur M, Finegan KG, Williams KJ, Reynolds AR, Little RA, Jackson A, Parker GJM, Waterton JC, Robinson SP. Oxygen-enhanced MRI can accurately identify, quantify and map tumour hypoxia in preclinical models. Cancer Imaging 2015. [PMCID: PMC4601618 DOI: 10.1186/1470-7330-15-s1-p9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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Abstract
Chronic inflammation is a hallmark of many cancers, yet the pathogenic mechanisms that distinguish cancer-associated inflammation from benign persistent inflammation are still mainly unclear. Here, we report that the protein kinase ERK5 controls the expression of a specific subset of inflammatory mediators in the mouse epidermis, which triggers the recruitment of inflammatory cells needed to support skin carcinogenesis. Accordingly, inactivation of ERK5 in keratinocytes prevents inflammation-driven tumorigenesis in this model. In addition, we found that anti-ERK5 therapy cooperates synergistically with existing antimitotic regimens, enabling efficacy of subtherapeutic doses. Collectively, our findings identified ERK5 as a mediator of cancer-associated inflammation in the setting of epidermal carcinogenesis. Considering that ERK5 is expressed in almost all tumor types, our findings suggest that targeting tumor-associated inflammation via anti-ERK5 therapy may have broad implications for the treatment of human tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine G Finegan
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
| | | | - James R Hitchin
- Drug Discovery Unit Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Clare C Davies
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Allan M Jordan
- Drug Discovery Unit Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Cathy Tournier
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
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10
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Davies CC, Harvey E, McMahon RFT, Finegan KG, Connor F, Davis RJ, Tuveson DA, Tournier C. Impaired JNK signaling cooperates with KrasG12D expression to accelerate pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Cancer Res 2014; 74:3344-56. [PMID: 24713432 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-13-2941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK) and its two direct activators, namely the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase 4 (MKK4) and MKK7, constitute a signaling node frequently mutated in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Here we demonstrate the cooperative interaction of endogenous expression of Kras(G12D) with loss-of-function mutations in mkk4 or both, mkk4 and mkk7 genes in the pancreas. More specifically, impaired JNK signaling in a subpopulation of Pdx1-expressing cells dramatically accelerated the appearance of Kras(G12D)-induced acinar-to-ductal metaplasia and pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasias, which rapidly progressed to invasive PDAC within 10 weeks of age. Furthermore, inactivation of mkk4/mkk7 compromised acinar regeneration following acute inflammatory stress by locking damaged exocrine cells in a permanently de-differentiated state. Therefore, we propose that JNK signaling exerts its tumor suppressive function in the pancreas by antagonizing the metaplastic conversion of acinar cells toward a ductal fate capable of responding to oncogenic stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare C Davies
- Authors' Affiliations: Faculty of Life Sciences and Department of Histopathology Medical School, University of Manchester, Manchester; Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Emma Harvey
- Authors' Affiliations: Faculty of Life Sciences and Department of Histopathology Medical School, University of Manchester, Manchester; Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Raymond F T McMahon
- Authors' Affiliations: Faculty of Life Sciences and Department of Histopathology Medical School, University of Manchester, Manchester; Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Katherine G Finegan
- Authors' Affiliations: Faculty of Life Sciences and Department of Histopathology Medical School, University of Manchester, Manchester; Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Frances Connor
- Authors' Affiliations: Faculty of Life Sciences and Department of Histopathology Medical School, University of Manchester, Manchester; Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Roger J Davis
- Authors' Affiliations: Faculty of Life Sciences and Department of Histopathology Medical School, University of Manchester, Manchester; Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - David A Tuveson
- Authors' Affiliations: Faculty of Life Sciences and Department of Histopathology Medical School, University of Manchester, Manchester; Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Cathy Tournier
- Authors' Affiliations: Faculty of Life Sciences and Department of Histopathology Medical School, University of Manchester, Manchester; Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
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11
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Perez-Madrigal D, Finegan KG, Paramo B, Tournier C. The extracellular-regulated protein kinase 5 (ERK5) promotes cell proliferation through the down-regulation of inhibitors of cyclin dependent protein kinases (CDKs). Cell Signal 2012; 24:2360-8. [PMID: 22917534 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2012.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2012] [Revised: 07/27/2012] [Accepted: 08/07/2012] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Activation of the extracellular-regulated protein kinase 5 (ERK5) has been associated with mitogenic signal transduction. However, conflicting findings have challenged the idea that ERK5 is a critical regulator of cell proliferation. We have addressed this issue by testing the effect of the conditional loss of ERK5 in primary fibroblasts. We have discovered that ERK5 suppressed the expression of the cyclin dependent protein kinase (CDKs) inhibitors, p21 and p27, by decreasing mRNA and protein stability, respectively. As a result, low level CDK2 activity detected in ERK5-deficient cells correlated with a defect in G1 to S phase transition of the cell cycle. Similarly, we found that the malignant MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell line was dependent on ERK5 to proliferate. We propose that ERK5 blocks p21 expression in MDA-MB-231 cells via a mechanism that implicates c-Myc-dependent transcriptional regulation of the miR-17-92 cluster. Together with evidence that cancer patients with poor prognosis display a high level of expression of components of the ERK5 signaling pathway, these findings support the hypothesis that ERK5 can be a potential target for cancer therapy.
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12
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Abstract
The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase 4 (MKK4) is a nonredundant component of stress-activated MAPK signaling modules. Its function in tumorigenesis remains highly controversial with some studies indicating that MKK4 is a tumor suppressor, whereas others have reported a pro-oncogenic role. To clarify the role of MKK4 in cancer, we have created a novel mouse model to test the effect of the specific loss of MKK4 in the epidermis on the formation of papillomas caused by activated ras mutation. We have discovered that skin-specific MKK4-deficient mice are resistant to carcinogen-induced tumorigenesis. One mechanism by which MKK4 promotes cell proliferation and the formation of tumors is by increasing epidermal growth factor receptor expression through the c-Jun NH(2)-terminal protein kinase/c-Jun signaling pathway. Together, our results provide the first genetic demonstration that MKK4 is essential to mediate the oncogenic effect of Ras in vivo, thereby validating MKK4 as a potential drug target for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine G Finegan
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, United Kingdom
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13
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Finegan KG, Wang X, Lee EJ, Robinson AC, Tournier C. Regulation of neuronal survival by the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 5. Cell Death Differ 2009; 16:674-83. [PMID: 19148185 PMCID: PMC2670276 DOI: 10.1038/cdd.2008.193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 5 (ERK5) is a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) that phosphorylates and regulates various transcription factors in response to growth factors and extra-cellular stresses. To address its biological function during the development of the peripheral nervous system (PNS), we have engineered a novel model of sympathetic neurons in which the erk5 gene can be deleted in vitro. Our data provide for the first time genetic evidence that ERK5 is required to mediate the survival response of neurons to nerve growth factor (NGF). Increased cell death associated with the loss of ERK5 is caused by elevated expression of the BH3-only members of the Bcl-2 family, Bad and Bim. Further investigation indicated that ERK5 suppresses the transcription of the bad and the bim genes via Ca++/cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) and Forkhead box 03a (Foxo3a), respectively. Consistently, we found that the phosphorylation of both p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK) and protein kinase B (PKB) is impaired in neurons lacking ERK5. Together these findings reveal a novel signaling mechanism that promotes neuronal survival during the development of the PNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- K G Finegan
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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14
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Wang X, Finegan KG, Robinson AC, Knowles L, Khosravi-Far R, Hinchliffe KA, Boot-Handford RP, Tournier C. Activation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 5 downregulates FasL upon osmotic stress. Cell Death Differ 2006; 13:2099-108. [PMID: 16710360 DOI: 10.1038/sj.cdd.4401969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) 5 is a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) that is activated by dual phosphorylation via a unique MAPK/ERK kinase 5, MEK5. The physiological importance of this signaling cascade is underscored by the early embryonic death caused by the targeted deletion of the erk5 or the mek5 genes in mice. Here, we have found that ERK5 is required for mediating the survival of fibroblasts under basal conditions and in response to sorbitol treatment. Increased Fas ligand (FasL) expression acts as a positive feedback loop to enhance apoptosis of ERK5- or MEK5-deficient cells under conditions of osmotic stress. Compared to wild-type cells, erk5-/- and mek5-/- fibroblasts treated with sorbitol display a reduced protein kinase B (PKB) activity associated with increased Forkhead box O3a (Foxo3a) activity. Based on these results, we conclude that the ERK5 signaling pathway promotes cell survival by downregulating FasL expression via a mechanism that implicates PKB-dependent inhibition of Foxo3a downstream of phosphoinositide 3 kinase.
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Affiliation(s)
- X Wang
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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15
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Papadakis ES, Finegan KG, Wang X, Robinson AC, Guo C, Kayahara M, Tournier C. The regulation of Bax by c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK) is a prerequisite to the mitochondrial-induced apoptotic pathway. FEBS Lett 2006; 580:1320-6. [PMID: 16458303 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2006.01.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2005] [Revised: 01/19/2006] [Accepted: 01/19/2006] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The signaling mechanism by which JNK affects mitochondria is critical to initiate apoptosis. Here we show that the absence of JNK provides a partial resistance to the toxic effect of the heavy metal cadmium. Both wild type and jnk-/- fibroblasts undergoing death exhibit cytosolic cytochrome c but, unlike wild type cells, the JNK-deficient fibroblasts do not display increased caspase activity and DNA fragmentation. The absence of apoptotic death correlates with a specific defect in activation of Bax. We conclude that JNK-dependent regulation of Bax is essential to mediate the apoptotic release of cytochrome c regardless of Bid and Bim activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanouil S Papadakis
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
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16
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Wang X, Merritt AJ, Seyfried J, Guo C, Papadakis ES, Finegan KG, Kayahara M, Dixon J, Boot-Handford RP, Cartwright EJ, Mayer U, Tournier C. Targeted deletion of mek5 causes early embryonic death and defects in the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5/myocyte enhancer factor 2 cell survival pathway. Mol Cell Biol 2005; 25:336-45. [PMID: 15601854 PMCID: PMC538774 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.25.1.336-345.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
To elucidate the physiological significance of MEK5 in vivo, we have examined the effect of mek5 gene elimination in mice. Heterozygous mice appear to be healthy and were fertile. However, mek5(-/-) embryos die at approximately embryonic day 10.5 (E10.5). The phenotype of the mek5(-/-) embryos includes abnormal cardiac development as well as a marked decrease in proliferation and an increase in apoptosis in the heart, head, and dorsal regions of the mutant embryos. The absence of MEK5 does not affect cell cycle progression but sensitizes mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) to the ability of sorbitol to enhance caspase 3 activity. Further studies with mek5(-/-) MEFs indicate that MEK5 is required for mediating extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5) activation and for the regulation of the transcriptional activity of myocyte enhancer factor 2. Overall, this is the first study to rigorously establish the role of MEK5 in vivo as an activator of ERK5 and as an essential regulator of cell survival that is required for normal embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- University of Manchester, The Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom
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