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Seo G, Mckinley J, Wang W. MAP4K2 connects the Hippo pathway to autophagy in response to energy stress. Autophagy 2024; 20:704-706. [PMID: 37937799 PMCID: PMC10936684 DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2023.2280876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [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: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
As a key regulator of development, organ size, tissue homeostasis and cancer, the Hippo pathway is tightly regulated by various growth-related signaling events. Among them, energy stress activates the Hippo pathway to inhibit its downstream effector YAP1. Our recent work reported a YAP1-independent role of the Hippo pathway in promoting macroautophagy/autophagy and cell survival in response to energy stress, a process mediated by Hippo kinase MAP4K2. MAP4K2 interacts with and phosphorylates MAP1LC3A/LC3A at S87, which in turn drives autophagosome-lysosome fusion via the RAB3GAP-RAB18 axis. Energy stress activates MAP4K2 by reducing its association with the Hippo phosphatase complex STRIPAK component STRN4. Moreover, MAP4K2 is highly expressed in head and neck cancer, while MAP4K2 and its mediated autophagy are required for head and neck cancer development. Taken together, our study not only reveals a noncanonical role of the Hippo pathway in energy stress response, but also suggests Hippo kinase MAP4K2 as a potential therapeutic target for head and neck cancer treatment.Abbreviation: AMPK: 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase; Atg8: autophagy related 8; LATS1: large tumor suppressor 1; LIR: microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3-interacting region; MAP1LC3A/LC3A: microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 alpha; MAP4K2: mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase kinase 2; PPP2/PP2A: protein phosphatase 2; RAB3GAP: RAB3 GTPase activating protein; RAB18: RAB18, member RAS oncogene family; SLMAP: sarcolemma associated protein; STK3/MST2: serine/threonine kinase 3; STK4/MST1: serine/threonine kinase 4; STRIPAK: striatin-interacting phosphatase and kinase; STRN4: striatin, calmodulin binding protein 4; SQSTM1/p62: sequestosome 1; TEAD: TEA domain family member; ULK1: unc-51 like kinase 1; WWTR1/TAZ: WW domain containing transcription regulator 1; YAP1: yes-associated protein 1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gayoung Seo
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Joshua Mckinley
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Wenqi Wang
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
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Seo G, Yu C, Han H, Xing L, Kattan RE, An J, Kizhedathu A, Yang B, Luo A, Buckle AL, Tifrea D, Edwards R, Huang L, Ju HQ, Wang W. The Hippo pathway noncanonically drives autophagy and cell survival in response to energy stress. Mol Cell 2023; 83:3155-3170.e8. [PMID: 37595580 PMCID: PMC10568779 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [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: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
The Hippo pathway is known for its crucial involvement in development, regeneration, organ size control, and cancer. While energy stress is known to activate the Hippo pathway and inhibit its effector YAP, the precise role of the Hippo pathway in energy stress response remains unclear. Here, we report a YAP-independent function of the Hippo pathway in facilitating autophagy and cell survival in response to energy stress, a process mediated by its upstream components MAP4K2 and STRIPAK. Mechanistically, energy stress disrupts the MAP4K2-STRIPAK association, leading to the activation of MAP4K2. Subsequently, MAP4K2 phosphorylates ATG8-family member LC3, thereby facilitating autophagic flux. MAP4K2 is highly expressed in head and neck cancer, and its mediated autophagy is required for head and neck tumor growth in mice. Altogether, our study unveils a noncanonical role of the Hippo pathway in energy stress response, shedding light on this key growth-related pathway in tissue homeostasis and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gayoung Seo
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Clinton Yu
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Han Han
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Li Xing
- Irvine Materials Research Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Rebecca Elizabeth Kattan
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Jeongmin An
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Amrutha Kizhedathu
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Bing Yang
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Annabella Luo
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Abigail L Buckle
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Delia Tifrea
- Department of Pathology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Robert Edwards
- Department of Pathology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Lan Huang
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Huai-Qiang Ju
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China.
| | - Wenqi Wang
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
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