Schokoroy S, Juster D, Kloog Y, Pinkas-Kramarski R. Disrupting the oncogenic synergism between nucleolin and Ras results in cell growth inhibition and cell death.
PLoS One 2013;
8:e75269. [PMID:
24086490 PMCID:
PMC3782480 DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0075269]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2013] [Accepted: 08/14/2013] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
The ErbB receptors, Ras proteins and nucleolin are major contributors to malignant transformation. The pleiotropic protein nucleolin can bind to both Ras protein and ErbB receptors. Previously, we have demonstrated a crosstalk between Ras, nucleolin and the ErbB1 receptor. Activated Ras facilitates nucleolin interaction with ErbB1 and stabilizes ErbB1 levels. The three oncogenes synergistically facilitate anchorage independent growth and tumor growth in nude mice.
METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
In the present study we used several cancer cell lines. The effect of Ras and nucleolin inhibition was determined using cell growth, cell death and cell motility assays. Protein expression was determined by immunohistochemistry. We found that inhibition of Ras and nucleolin reduces tumor cell growth, enhances cell death and inhibits anchorage independent growth. Our results reveal that the combined treatment affects Ras and nucleolin levels and localization. Our study also indicates that Salirasib (FTS, Ras inhibitor) reduces cell motility, which is not affected by the nucleolin inhibitor.
CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE
These results suggest that targeting both nucleolin and Ras may represent an additional avenue for inhibiting cancers driven by these oncogenes.
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