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He Y, Grassam-Rowe A, Lei M, Bae JSH. Targeting p21-activated kinase 1 for development of a novel anti-arrhythmic drug class. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220285. [PMID: 37122206 PMCID: PMC10150222 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0285] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence accumulated over the past decade suggests that p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) is a critical cardiac-protective signalling molecule. The present article provides an updated review of recent findings regarding the role of PAK1 in maintaining normal cardiac electrophysiological function through its regulation of membrane and Ca2+ clocks. We first overviewed the PAK1 activation mechanism. We then discussed recent updated results showing the action mechanisms of PAK1 signalling on Cav1.2/Cav1.3 (ICaL)-mediated Ca2+ entry, ryanodine receptor type 2-mediated sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ release, transcriptional regulation of SR Ca2+-ATPase 2a, Na+/Ca2+ exchangers, and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. Finally, we proposed a new and exciting route for developing a PAK1-based therapeutic strategy for cardiac arrhythmias. This article is part of the theme issue 'The heartbeat: its molecular basis and physiological mechanisms'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu He
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QT, UK
| | | | - Ming Lei
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QT, UK
| | - James S H Bae
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QT, UK
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Jung E, Capel R, Jiang C, Venturi E, Neagu G, Pearcey S, Zhou Y, Zhang Y, Lei M. Cardiac deficiency of P21-activated kinase 1 promotes atrial arrhythmogenesis in mice following adrenergic challenge. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220168. [PMID: 37122217 PMCID: PMC10150202 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0168] [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: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
P21-activated kinase 1 (Pak1) signalling plays a vital and overall protective role in the heart. However, the phenotypes of Pak1 deficiency in the cardiac atria have not been well explored. In this study, Pak1 cardiac-conditional knock-out (cKO) mice were studied under baseline and adrenergic challenge conditions. Pak1 cKO mice show atrial arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation (AF) in vivo, detected during anaesthetized electrocardiography without evidence of interstitial fibrosis upon Masson's trichrome staining. Optical mapping of left atrial preparations from Pak1 cKO mice revealed a higher incidence of Ca2+ and action potential alternans under isoprenaline challenge and differences in baseline action potential and calcium transient characteristics. Type-2 ryanodine receptor (RyR2) channels from Pak1 cKO hearts had a higher open probability than those from wild-type. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting indicated that pCamkIIδ and RyR2 are highly phosphorylated at baseline in the atria of Pak1 cKO mice, while the expression of Slc8a2 and Slc8a3 as a Na+-Ca2+ exchanger, controlling the influx of Ca2+ from outside of the cell and efflux of Na+ from the cytoplasm, are augmented. Chromatin immunoprecipitation study showed that pCreb1 interacts with Slc8a2 and Slc8a3. Our study thus demonstrates that deficiency of Pak1 promotes atrial arrhythmogenesis under adrenergic stress, probably through post-translational and transcriptional modifications of key molecules that are critical to Ca2+ homeostasis. This article is part of the theme issue 'The heartbeat: its molecular basis and physiological mechanisms'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunjeong Jung
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QT, UK
| | - Rebecca Capel
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QT, UK
| | - Congshan Jiang
- National Regional Children's Medical Center (Northwest); Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine to Pediatric Diseases of Shaanxi Province; Xi'an Key Laboratory of Children's Health and Diseases, Shaanxi Institute for Pediatric Diseases; Xi'an Children's Hospital, Affiliated Children's Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University. No. 69, Xijuyuan Lane, Xi'an 710003, People's Republic of China
| | - Elisa Venturi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QT, UK
| | - Georgiana Neagu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QT, UK
| | - Sarah Pearcey
- Paediatric Intensive Care, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 1QY, UK
| | - Yafei Zhou
- National Regional Children's Medical Center (Northwest); Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine to Pediatric Diseases of Shaanxi Province; Xi'an Key Laboratory of Children's Health and Diseases, Shaanxi Institute for Pediatric Diseases; Xi'an Children's Hospital, Affiliated Children's Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University. No. 69, Xijuyuan Lane, Xi'an 710003, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of the Ministry of Education, Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanmin Zhang
- National Regional Children's Medical Center (Northwest); Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine to Pediatric Diseases of Shaanxi Province; Xi'an Key Laboratory of Children's Health and Diseases, Shaanxi Institute for Pediatric Diseases; Xi'an Children's Hospital, Affiliated Children's Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University. No. 69, Xijuyuan Lane, Xi'an 710003, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Human Science, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13, 9GB UK
| | - Ming Lei
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QT, UK
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of the Ministry of Education, Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, People's Republic of China
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Pereira CH, Bare DJ, Rosas PC, Dias FAL, Banach K. The role of P21-activated kinase (Pak1) in sinus node function. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2023; 179:90-101. [PMID: 37086972 PMCID: PMC10294268 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2023.04.004] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2023]
Abstract
Sinoatrial node (SAN) dysfunction (SND) and atrial arrhythmia frequently occur simultaneously with a hazard ratio of 4.2 for new onset atrial fibrillation (AF) in SND patients. In the atrial muscle attenuated activity of p21-activated kinase 1 (Pak1) increases the risk for AF by enhancing NADPH oxidase 2 dependent production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the role of Pak1 dependent ROS regulation in SAN function has not yet been determined. We hypothesize that Pak1 activity maintains SAN activity by regulating the expression of the hyperpolarization activated cyclic nucleotide gated cation channel (HCN). To determine Pak1 dependent changes in heart rate (HR) regulation we quantified the intrinsic sinus rhythm in wild type (WT) and Pak1 deficient (Pak1-/-) mice of both sexes in vivo and in isolated Langendorff perfused hearts. Pak1-/- hearts displayed an attenuated HR in vivo after autonomic blockage and in isolated hearts. The contribution of the Ca2+ clock to pacemaker activity remained unchanged, but Ivabradine (3 μM), a blocker of HCN channels that are a membrane clock component, eliminated the differences in SAN activity between WT and Pak1-/- hearts. Reduced HCN4 expression was confirmed in Pak1-/- right atria. The reduced HCN activity in Pak1-/- could be rescued by class II HDAC inhibition (LMK235), ROS scavenging (TEMPOL) or attenuation of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK) 1/2 activity (SCH772984). No sex specific differences in Pak1 dependent SAN regulation were determined. Our results establish Pak1 as a class II HDAC regulator and a potential therapeutic target to attenuate SAN bradycardia and AF susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos H Pereira
- Dept. of Internal Medicine/Cardiology, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 W. Harrison St., Chicago, IL 60612, USA; Biological Science Center, Department of Physiology, Av. Cel Francisco H. dos Santos 100, 19031 Centro Politécnico-Curitiba, Brazil.
| | - Dan J Bare
- Dept. of Physiology & Biophysics, The Ohio State University, 5018 Graves Hall, 333 W.10th Ave., Columbus, OH 4321, USA.
| | - Paola C Rosas
- Dept. of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, 833 S Wood St., Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
| | - Fernando A L Dias
- Biological Science Center, Department of Physiology, Av. Cel Francisco H. dos Santos 100, 19031 Centro Politécnico-Curitiba, Brazil.
| | - Kathrin Banach
- Dept. of Internal Medicine/Cardiology, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 W. Harrison St., Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
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Yi Q, Chen T, Zhou K, Ma Q, Sun Z, Shi H. PAK1 Inhibition Suppresses the Proliferation, Migration and Invasion of Glioma Cells. Curr Protein Pept Sci 2023; 24:178-189. [PMID: 36573046 DOI: 10.2174/1389203724666221226150329] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) is abnormally expressed in glioma, but its roles and mechanisms in glioma remain unclear. This study aims to explore the effects of PAK1 inhibition on the proliferation, migration and invasion of glioma cells. METHODS Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), 5-ethynyl-20-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation and colony formation assays were performed to evaluate the effects of PAK1 inhibition on the proliferation of glioma cells. The cell cycle distribution and apoptosis rate of glioma cells were explored by flow cytometry. Wound healing and Transwell assays were performed to investigate the effects of PAK1 inhibition on glioma cell migration and invasion. The orthotopic xenograft glioma model was used to probe the effect of PAK1 silencing on glioma tumor formation. RESULTS PAK1 inhibition arrested cells at the G1 phase and induced apoptosis of glioma cells. Moreover, the knockdown of PAK1 decreased the protein expression levels of MDM2, p38, p-p38, cyclin D1, CDK4, Bcl-2, MMP2, MMP9, and cofilin but increased the protein levels of p53, Bax, p21 and cleaved caspase-3. A xenograft glioma model confirmed that the silencing of PAK1 repressed the formation of tumors induced by U87 cell transplantation. CONCLUSION This study showed that PAK1 inhibition impedes the proliferation, migration, and invasion of glioma cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinghao Yi
- Central Laboratory, the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.,Institute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tianze Chen
- Central Laboratory, the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.,Institute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.,Huaian Hospital Affiliated to Xuzhou Medical University, Huaian, Jiangsu, China
| | - Kunlin Zhou
- Central Laboratory, the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.,Institute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qiang Ma
- Central Laboratory, the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.,Institute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhiyuan Sun
- Central Laboratory, the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.,Institute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hengliang Shi
- Central Laboratory, the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.,Institute of Nervous System Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.,Institute of Digestive Diseases, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
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Ji W, Sun X, Gao Y, Lu M, Zhu L, Wang D, Hu C, Chen J, Cao P. Natural Compound Shikonin Is a Novel PAK1 Inhibitor and Enhances Efficacy of Chemotherapy against Pancreatic Cancer Cells. Molecules 2022; 27:2747. [PMID: 35566098 PMCID: PMC9102431 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27092747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Shikonin is the main component of root extracts from the Chinese herbal medicine Lithospermum erythrorhizon, which is commonly used for the treatment of various diseases including cancer. Previous research showed that shikonin suppressed pancreatic cancer growth; nevertheless, its molecular targets and mechanisms have not been elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the interaction and regulatory mechanisms of shikonin on its potential target p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1). Through a labchip-based screening method, shikonin was identified as a potential bioactive PAK1 inhibitor. Molecular docking technology was used to detect the interaction sites of shikonin and PAK1 kinase. Western blot was performed to validate the mechanism. MTT and flow cytometry were practiced to investigate the effect of shikonin against pancreatic cancer cells. The results show that shikonin significantly inhibited the activity of PAK1 kinase with IC50 value of 7.252 ± 0.054 μM. Molecular docking studies showed that shikonin binds to the ATP-binding pocket of the PAK1 kinase domain. Moreover, shikonin inhibited PAK1 activation and its downstream signaling pathway proteins, while reducing proliferation and inducing apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells. Further studies showed that the treatment of shikonin sensitized pancreatic cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs. These results suggest that shikonin, a potential natural inhibitor targeting PAK1 kinase, has promising potent applications in the treatment of pancreatic cancer and chemotherapy sensitization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Ji
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China;
| | - Xiaoyan Sun
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China; (X.S.); (Y.G.); (M.L.); (L.Z.); (D.W.); (C.H.)
| | - Yang Gao
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China; (X.S.); (Y.G.); (M.L.); (L.Z.); (D.W.); (C.H.)
| | - Man Lu
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China; (X.S.); (Y.G.); (M.L.); (L.Z.); (D.W.); (C.H.)
| | - Lingxia Zhu
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China; (X.S.); (Y.G.); (M.L.); (L.Z.); (D.W.); (C.H.)
| | - Dawei Wang
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China; (X.S.); (Y.G.); (M.L.); (L.Z.); (D.W.); (C.H.)
| | - Chunping Hu
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China; (X.S.); (Y.G.); (M.L.); (L.Z.); (D.W.); (C.H.)
| | - Jiao Chen
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China; (X.S.); (Y.G.); (M.L.); (L.Z.); (D.W.); (C.H.)
| | - Peng Cao
- Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China; (X.S.); (Y.G.); (M.L.); (L.Z.); (D.W.); (C.H.)
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Kořánová T, Dvořáček L, Grebeňová D, Röselová P, Obr A, Kuželová K. PAK1 and PAK2 in cell metabolism regulation. J Cell Biochem 2021; 123:375-389. [PMID: 34750857 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
P21-activated kinases (PAKs) regulate processes associated with cytoskeletal rearrangements, such as cell division, adhesion, and migration. The possible regulatory role of PAKs in cell metabolism has not been well explored, but increasing evidence suggests that a cell metabolic phenotype is related to cell interactions with the microenvironment. We analyzed the impact of PAK inhibition by small molecule inhibitors, small interfering RNA, or gene knockout on the rates of mitochondrial respiration and aerobic glycolysis. Pharmacological inhibition of PAK group I by IPA-3 induced a strong decrease in metabolic rates in human adherent cancer cell lines, leukemia/lymphoma cell lines, and primary leukemia cells. The immediate effect of FRAX597, which inhibits PAK kinase activity, was moderate, indicating that PAK nonkinase functions are essential for cell metabolism. Selective downregulation or deletion of PAK2 was associated with a shift toward oxidative phosphorylation. In contrast, PAK1 knockout resulted in increased glycolysis. However, the overall metabolic capacity was not substantially reduced by PAK1 or PAK2 deletion, possibly due to partial redundancy in PAK1/PAK2 regulatory roles or to activation of other compensatory mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tereza Kořánová
- Department of Proteomics, Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Lukáš Dvořáček
- Department of Proteomics, Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Dana Grebeňová
- Department of Proteomics, Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Pavla Röselová
- Department of Proteomics, Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Adam Obr
- Department of Proteomics, Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Kuželová
- Department of Proteomics, Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czech Republic
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Li B, Jia R, Li W, Zhou Y, Guo D, Teng Q, Du S, Li M, Li W, Sun T, Ma D, Ji M, Ji C. PAK1 Mediates Bone Marrow Stromal Cell-Induced Drug Resistance in Acute Myeloid Leukemia via ERK1/2 Signaling Pathway. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:686695. [PMID: 34307365 PMCID: PMC8297649 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.686695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chemoresistance is emerging as a major barrier to successful treatment in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) protect leukemia cells from chemotherapy eventually leading to recurrence. This study was designed to investigate the role of p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) in AML progression and chemosensitivity, highlighting the mechanism of stroma-mediated chemoresistance. Methods The GEPIA and TCGA datasets were used to analyze the relationship between PAK1 mRNA expression and various clinical parameters of AML patients. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were examined to evaluate the role of PAK1 on chemosensitivity in AML by silencing PAK1 with shRNA or small molecular inhibitor. Human BMSC (HS-5) was utilized to mimic the leukemia bone marrow microenvironment (BMM) in vitro, and co-culture model was established to investigate the role of PAK1 in BMSC-mediated drug resistance. Results p21-activated kinase 1 high expression was shown to be associated with shorter overall survival in AML patients. The silence of PAK1 could repress cell proliferation, promote apoptosis, and enhance the sensitivity of AML cells to chemotherapeutic agents. More importantly, BMSCs induced PAK1 up-regulation in AML cells, subsequently activating the ERK1/2 signaling pathway. The effect of BMSC-mediated apoptotic-resistance could be partly reversed by knock down of PAK1. Conclusion p21-activated kinase 1 is a potential prognostic predictor for AML patients. PAK1 may play a pivotal role in mediating BMM-induced drug resistance, representing a novel therapeutic target in AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Banban Li
- Department of Hematology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.,Department of Hematology, Taian City Central Hospital, Taian, China
| | - Ruinan Jia
- Department of Hematology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Hematology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Ying Zhou
- Department of Hematology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Dongmei Guo
- Department of Hematology, Taian City Central Hospital, Taian, China
| | - Qingliang Teng
- Department of Hematology, Taian City Central Hospital, Taian, China
| | - Shenghong Du
- Department of Hematology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.,Department of Hematology, Taian City Central Hospital, Taian, China
| | - Mingying Li
- Department of Hematology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Wěi Li
- Department of Hematology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Tao Sun
- Department of Hematology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.,Shandong Key Laboratory of Immunohematology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Daoxin Ma
- Department of Hematology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.,Shandong Key Laboratory of Immunohematology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Min Ji
- Department of Hematology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Chunyan Ji
- Department of Hematology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
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Chung JH, Kim T, Kang YJ, Yoon SH, Kim YS, Lee SK, Son JH, Son B, Kim DH. PAK1 as a Potential Therapeutic Target in Male Smokers with EGFR-Mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Molecules 2020; 25:E5588. [PMID: 33261184 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25235588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
P21-activated kinases (PAKs) are serine/threonine protein kinases that contribute to several cellular processes. Here, we aimed to determine the prognostic value of PAK1 and its correlation with the clinicopathological characteristics and five-year survival rates in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We evaluated PAK1 mRNA and protein expression in NSCLC cells and resected tumor specimens, as well as in healthy human bronchial epithelial cells and adjacent healthy lung tissues, respectively, for effective comparison. Immunohistochemical tissue microarray analysis of 201 NSCLC specimens showed the correlation of PAK1 expression with clinicopathological characteristics. The mRNA and protein expression of PAK1 were 2.9- and 4.3-fold higher in six of seven NSCLC cell types and human tumors (both, p < 0.001) than in healthy human bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cells and adjacent healthy lung tissues, respectively. Decreased survival was significantly associated with PAK1 overexpression in the entire cohort (χ2 = 8.48, p = 0.0036), men (χ2 = 17.1, p < 0.0001), and current and former smokers (χ2 = 19.2, p < 0.0001). Notably, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive lung cancer patients with high PAK1 expression showed higher mortality rates than those with low PAK1 expression (91.3% vs. 62.5%, p = 0.02). Therefore, PAK1 overexpression could serve as a molecular target for the treatment of EGFR mutation-positive lung cancer, especially among male patients and current/former smokers.
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Park SY, An JM, Seo JT, Seo SR. Y-27632 Induces Neurite Outgrowth by Activating the NOX1-Mediated AKT and PAK1 Phosphorylation Cascades in PC12 Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E7679. [PMID: 33081375 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21207679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Y-27632 is known as a selective Rho-associated coiled coil-forming kinase (ROCK) inhibitor. Y-27632 has been shown to induce neurite outgrowth in several neuronal cells. However, the precise molecular mechanisms linking neurite outgrowth to Y-27632 are not completely understood. In this study, we examined the ability of Y-27632 to induce neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells and evaluated the signaling cascade. The effect of Y-27632 on the neurite outgrowth was inhibited by reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers such as N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) and trolox. Furthermore, Y-27632-induced neurite outgrowth was not triggered by NADPH oxidase 1 (NOX1) knockdown or diphenyleneiodonium (DPI), a NOX inhibitor. Suppression of the Rho-family GTPase Rac1, which is under the negative control of ROCK, with expression of the dominant negative Rac1 mutant (Rac1N17) prevented Y-27632-induced neurite outgrowth. Moreover, the Rac1 inhibitor NSC23766 prevented Y-27632-induced AKT and p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) activation. AKT inhibition with MK2206 suppressed Y-27632-induced PAK1 phosphorylation and neurite outgrowth. In conclusion, our results suggest that Rac1/NOX1-dependent ROS generation and subsequent activation of the AKT/PAK1 cascade contribute to Y-27632-induced neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells.
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Kanumuri R, Saravanan R, Pavithra V, Sundaram S, Rayala SK, Venkatraman G. Current trends and opportunities in targeting p21 activated kinase-1(PAK1) for therapeutic management of breast cancers. Gene 2020; 760:144991. [PMID: 32717309 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2020.144991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 07/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women worldwide. Identifying reliable biomarkers and druggable molecular targets pose to be a significant quest in breast cancer research. p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) is a serine/threonine kinase that direct cell motility, cytoskeletal remodelling, and has been shown to function as a downstream regulator for various cancer signalling cascades that promote cell proliferation, apoptosis deregulation and hasten mitotic abnormalities, resulting in tumor formation and progression. The heterogeneity and acquired drug resistance are important factors that challenge the treatment of breast cancer. p21-activated kinase 1 signalling is crucial for activation of the Ras/RAF/MEK/ERK, PI3K/Akt/mTOR and Wnt signalling cascades which regulate cell survival, cell cycle progression, differentiation, and proliferation. A study involving proteogenomics analysis on breast cancer tissues showed the PAK1 as outlier kinase. In addition to this, few outlier molecules were identified specific to subtypes of breast cancer. A few substrates of PAK1 in breast cancer are already known. In this paper, we have discussed a similar approach called Kinase Interacting Substrate Screening (KISS) for the identification of novel oncogenic substrates of p21-activated kinase specific to subtypes of breast cancer. Such high throughput approaches are expected to accelerate the process of identifying novel drug targets and biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Kanumuri
- Department of Human Genetics, Sri Ramachandra Faculty of Biomedical Sciences & Technology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education & Research (Deemed to be University), Porur, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India; Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Roshni Saravanan
- Department of Human Genetics, Sri Ramachandra Faculty of Biomedical Sciences & Technology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education & Research (Deemed to be University), Porur, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
| | - V Pavithra
- Department of Pathology, Sri Ramachandra Medical College & Research Institute, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education & Research (Deemed to be University), Porur, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Sandhya Sundaram
- Department of Pathology, Sri Ramachandra Medical College & Research Institute, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education & Research (Deemed to be University), Porur, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Suresh K Rayala
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India.
| | - Ganesh Venkatraman
- Department of Human Genetics, Sri Ramachandra Faculty of Biomedical Sciences & Technology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education & Research (Deemed to be University), Porur, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India.
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11
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Wang K, Zhan Y, Huynh N, Dumesny C, Wang X, Asadi K, Herrmann D, Timpson P, Yang Y, Walsh K, Baldwin GS, Nikfarjam M, He H. Inhibition of PAK1 suppresses pancreatic cancer by stimulation of anti-tumour immunity through down-regulation of PD-L1. Cancer Lett 2020; 472:8-18. [PMID: 31857154 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2019.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Revised: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapies have not yielded significant clinical benefits for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) because of the existence of an immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment (TME) characterized by a desmoplastic stroma containing infiltrated immune cells and activated pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs). This study aims to investigate the involvement of PAK1 in anti-tumour immunity. In PDA patients, low PAK1 expression, low activation of PSC and high CD8+ T cell/PAK1 ratios correlated with longer overall survival. In a murine PDA model, PAK1 knockout increased intra-tumoral CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, inhibited PSCs activation and extended survival. Inhibition of PAK1 reduced PSC-stimulated PDA cell proliferation and migration, blocked PSC-mediated protection of PDA cells from killing by cytotoxic lymphocytes and decreased intrinsic and PSC-stimulated PD-L1 expression in PDA cells, which further sensitized PDA cells to cytotoxic lymphocytes. Inhibition of PAK1 stimulates anti-tumour immunity by increasing intra-tumoral CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and by sensitizing PDA cells to killing by cytotoxic lymphocytes via down-regulation of intrinsic and PSC-stimulated PD-L1 expression. PAK1 inhibitors, especially in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors may result in improved efficacy of immunotherapy of PDA.
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12
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Shahinozzaman M, Ishii T, Ahmed S, Halim MA, Tawata S. A computational approach to explore and identify potential herbal inhibitors for the p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1). J Biomol Struct Dyn 2019; 38:3514-3526. [PMID: 31448698 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2019.1659855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The oncogenic kinase PAK1 (p21-activated kinase 1) is involved in developing many diseases including cancers, neurofibromatosis, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes (type 2), and hypertension. Thus, it is thought to be a prominent therapeutic target, and its selective inhibitors have a huge market potential. Recently, herbal PAK1 inhibitors have gained immense interest over synthetic ones mainly due to their non-toxic effects. Till date, many herbal compounds have been suggested to inhibit PAK1, but their information on selectivity, bioavailability, ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) properties, and molecular interactions with PAK1 has not been explored. Hence, this study was designed with computational approaches to explore and identify the best herbal PAK1-blockers showing good ADMET properties, druggable features and binding affinity with PAK1. Herbal inhibitors reported here were initially filtered with Lipinski's rule of five (RO5). Then, molecular docking between these inhibitors and PAK1 catalytic sites was performed using AutoDock Vina and GOLD suite to determine the binding affinity and interactions. Finally, 200 ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on three top-ranked inhibitors including cucurbitacin I (C-I), nymphaeol A (NA), and staurosporine (SPN) were carried out. The binding free energies and interactions revealed that NA can strongly bind with the PAK1 catalytic cleft. PASS prediction and ADMET profiling supported that NA is appeared to be a more selective and safer inhibitor than C-I and SPN. These results conform to the previous experimental evidences, and therefore, NA from Okinawa propolis could be a promising inhibitor for treating PAK1-dependent illnesses.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Shahinozzaman
- PAK Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.,Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Takahiro Ishii
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Sinthyia Ahmed
- Division of Computer Aided Drug Design, The Red-Green Research Center, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad A Halim
- Department of Physical Sciences, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, Fort Smith, AR, USA
| | - Shinkichi Tawata
- PAK Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.,Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
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13
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Shahinozzaman M, Taira N, Ishii T, Halim MA, Hossain MA, Tawata S. Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Diabetic, and Anti-Alzheimer's Effects of Prenylated Flavonoids from Okinawa Propolis: An Investigation by Experimental and Computational Studies. Molecules 2018; 23:E2479. [PMID: 30262742 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23102479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Revised: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Okinawa propolis (OP) and its major ingredients were reported to have anti-cancer effects and lifespan-extending effects on Caenorhabditis elegans through inactivation of the oncogenic kinase, p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1). Herein, five prenylated flavonoids from OP, nymphaeol-A (NA), nymphaeol-B (NB), nymphaeol-C (NC), isonymphaeol-B (INB), and 3'-geranyl-naringenin (GN), were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and anti-Alzheimer's effects using in vitro techniques. They showed significant anti-inflammatory effects through inhibition of albumin denaturation (half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 0.26⁻1.02 µM), nitrite accumulation (IC50 values of 2.4⁻7.0 µM), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) activity (IC50 values of 11.74⁻24.03 µM). They also strongly suppressed in vitro α-glucosidase enzyme activity with IC50 values of 3.77⁻5.66 µM. However, only INB and NA inhibited acetylcholinesterase significantly compared to the standard drug donepezil, with IC50 values of 7.23 and 7.77 µM, respectively. Molecular docking results indicated that OP compounds have good binding affinity to the α-glucosidase and acetylcholinesterase proteins, making non-bonded interactions with their active residues and surrounding allosteric residues. In addition, none of the compounds violated Lipinski's rule of five and showed notable toxicity parameters. Density functional theory (DFT)-based global reactivity descriptors demonstrated their high reactive nature along with the kinetic stability. In conclusion, this combined study suggests that OP components might be beneficial in the treatment of inflammation, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and Alzheimer's disease.
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14
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Jiang S, Tian WY, Yan Y, Teng F, Gao JP, Wang YM, Xue FX. [Expression and clinical significance of MIIP and PAK1 in endometrial carcinoma]. Zhonghua Zhong Liu Za Zhi 2018; 40:359-364. [PMID: 29860763 DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.0253-3766.2018.05.008] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the expressions of migration and invasion inhibitory protein (MIIP) and p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) in endometrial carcinoma (EC) and their correlation with clinicopathological features. Methods: The protein levels of MIIP and PAK1 in 135 paraffin-embedded EC tissues, 55 atypical hyperplasia of endometrium (AHE) and 88 normal endometrium (NE) tissues were quantified by immunohistochemistry, the clincial significance and the relationship of these two proteins were also analyzed. Results: The positive rates of MIIP expression in NE, AHE and EC tissues were 52.3%(46/88), 41.8% (23/55) and 34.8% (47/135), respectively. The expression of MIIP in EC was significantly lower than that of MIIP in NE (P<0.05). The positive rates of PAK1 expression in NE, AHE and EC tissues were 45.5% (40/88), 50.9% (28/55) and 62.2% (84/135), respectively. The expression of PAK1 in EC tissues was significantly higher than that of PAK1 in NE tissues (P<0.05). The expression of MIIP in EC tissues was significantly associated with myometrial invasion, International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage and lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). The expression of PAK1 in EC tissues was significantly related with differentiation, myometrial invasion, FIGO stage and lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). The expressions of MIIP and PAK1 in EC tissues were marginally related with the overall survival of patients (P=0.092, P=0.052). The expression of MIIP in EC was negatively correlated with PAK1 (r=-0.329, P<0.001). Conclusions: The down-regulation of MIIP and up-regualtion of PAK1 paticipate in the initiation and development of EC, which are correlated with the poor prognosis of EC. The protein expression of MIIP is inversely related with PAK1 in EC.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Jiang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - W Y Tian
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Y Yan
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - F Teng
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - J P Gao
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Y M Wang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - F X Xue
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
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15
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Wu Y, Wu J, Chen T, Li Q, Peng W, Li H, Tang X, Fu X. Fusobacterium nucleatum Potentiates Intestinal Tumorigenesis in Mice via a Toll-Like Receptor 4/ p21-Activated Kinase 1 Cascade. Dig Dis Sci 2018; 63:1210-1218. [PMID: 29508166 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-018-4999-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2017] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The underlying pathogenic mechanism of Fusobacterium nucleatum in the carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer has been poorly understood. METHODS Using C57BL/6-ApcMin/+ mice, we investigated gut microbial structures with F. nucleatum, antibiotics, and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) antagonist TAK-242 treatment. In addition, we measured intestinal tumor formation and the expression of TLR4, p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1), phosphorylated-PAK1 (p-PAK1), phosphorylated-β-catenin S675 (p-β-catenin S675), and cyclin D1 in mice with different treatments. RESULTS Fusobacterium nucleatum and antibiotics treatment altered gut microbial structures in mice. In addition, F. nucleatum invaded into the intestinal mucosa in large amounts but were less abundant in the feces of F. nucleatum-fed mice. The average number and size of intestinal tumors in F. nucleatum groups was significantly increased compared to control groups in ApcMin/+ mice (P < 0.05). The expression of TLR4, PAK1, p-PAK1, p-β-catenin S675, and cyclin D1 was significantly increased in F. nucleatum groups compared to the control groups (P < 0.05). Moreover, TAK-242 significantly decreased the average number and size of intestinal tumors compared to F. nucleatum groups (P < 0.05). The expression of p-PAK1, p-β-catenin S675, and cyclin D1 was also significantly decreased in the TAK-242-treated group compared to F. nucleatum groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Fusobacterium nucleatum potentiates intestinal tumorigenesis in ApcMin/+ mice via a TLR4/p-PAK1/p-β-catenin S675 cascade. Fusobacterium nucleatum-induced intestinal tumorigenesis can be inhibited by TAK-242, implicating TLR4 as a potential target for the prevention and therapy of F. nucleatum-related colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaxin Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China.,Endoscopy Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Street Taiping 25#, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiao Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China.,Endoscopy Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Street Taiping 25#, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Ting Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China.,Endoscopy Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Street Taiping 25#, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Qing Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China.,Endoscopy Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Street Taiping 25#, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Wei Peng
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China.,Endoscopy Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Street Taiping 25#, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Huan Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China.,Endoscopy Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Street Taiping 25#, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaowei Tang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiangsheng Fu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China. .,Endoscopy Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Street Taiping 25#, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China.
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16
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Chen Y, Peng Y, Yu J, Chen T, Wu Y, Shi L, Li Q, Wu J, Fu X. Invasive Fusobacterium nucleatum activates beta-catenin signaling in colorectal cancer via a TLR4/P-PAK1 cascade. Oncotarget 2018; 8:31802-31814. [PMID: 28423670 PMCID: PMC5458249 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.15992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [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: 10/20/2016] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The underlying mechanism of Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) in the carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC) is poorly understood. Here, we examined Fn abundance in CRC tissues, as well as β-catenin, TLR4 and PAK1 protein abundance in Fn positive and Fn negative CRCs. Furthermore, we isolated a strain of Fn (F01) from a CRC tissue and examined whether Fn (F01) infection of colon cancer cells activated β-catenin signaling via the TLR4/P-PAK1/P-β-catenin S675 cascade. Invasive Fn was abundant in 62.2% of CRC tissues. TLR4, PAK1 and nuclear β-catenin proteins were more abundant within Fn-positive over Fn-negative CRCs (P < 0.05). Fn and its lipopolysaccharide induced a significant increase in TLR4/P-PAK1/P-β-catenin S675/C-myc/CyclinD1 protein abundance, as well as in the nuclear translocation of β-catenin. Furthermore, inhibition of TLR4 or PAK1 prior to challenge with Fn significantly decreased protein abundance of P-β-catenin S675, C-myc and Cyclin D1, as well as nuclear β-catenin accumulation. Inhibition of TLR4 significantly decreased P-PAK1 protein abundance, and for the first time, we observed an interaction between TLR4 and P-PAK1 using immunoprecipitation. Our data suggest that invasive Fn activates β-catenin signaling via a TLR4/P-PAK1/P-β-catenin S675 cascade in CRC. Furthermore, TLR4 and PAK1 could be potential pharmaceutical targets for the treatment of Fn-related CRCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongyu Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Yan Peng
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Jiahui Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Ting Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Yaxin Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Lei Shi
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Qing Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Jiao Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Sichuan, 646000, China
| | - Xiangsheng Fu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Sichuan, 646000, China
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Liu F, Cheng Z, Li X, Li Y, Zhang H, Li J, Liu F, Xu H, Li F. A Novel Pak1/ATF2/miR-132 Signaling Axis Is Involved in the Hematogenous Metastasis of Gastric Cancer Cells. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids 2017; 8:370-382. [PMID: 28918037 PMCID: PMC5537170 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2017.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2017] [Revised: 07/04/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
We, along with others, have shown previously that P21-activated kinase 1 (Pak1) plays a pivotal role in gastric cancer progression and metastasis. However, whether Pak1 controls gastric cancer metastasis by regulating microRNAs (miRNAs) has never been explored. Here, we report a novel mechanism of Pak1 in tumor metastasis. A detailed examination revealed that Pak1 interacts with and phosphorylates the serine 62 residue of ATF2 and then blocks its translocation into the nucleus. We also confirmed that ATF2 binds to the promoter of miR-132 and tightly regulates its transcription, thus explaining the regulatory mechanism of miR-132 by Pak1. miR-132 also significantly reduced cell adhesion, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells in vitro and significantly prevented tumor metastasis in vivo. miR-132 specifically inhibited hematogenous metastasis, but not lymph node or implantation metastases. In order to further delineate the effects of the Pak1/ATF2/miR-132 cascade on gastric cancer progression, we identified several targets of miR-132 using a bioinformatics TargetScan algorithm. Notably, miR-132 reduced the expression of CD44 and fibronectin1 (FN1), and such inhibition enabled lymphocytes to home in on gastric cancer cells and induce tumor apoptosis. Taken together, our studies establish a novel cell-signaling pathway and open new possibilities for therapeutic intervention of gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Funan Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China; Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - Zhenguo Cheng
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - Xiaodong Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - Yanshu Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - Hongyan Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - Jiabin Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - Furong Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - Huimian Xu
- Department of Surgical Oncology and General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - Feng Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.
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18
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Gan J, Zhang Y, Ke X, Tan C, Ren H, Dong H, Jiang J, Chen S, Zhuang Y, Zhang H. Dysregulation of PAK1 Is Associated with DNA Damage and Is of Prognostic Importance in Primary Esophageal Small Cell Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2015; 16:12035-50. [PMID: 26023713 PMCID: PMC4490427 DOI: 10.3390/ijms160612035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/12/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary esophageal small cell carcinoma (PESCC) is a rare, but fatal subtype of esophageal carcinoma. No effective therapeutic regimen for it. P21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) is known to function as an integrator and an indispensable node of major growth factor signaling and the molecular therapy targeting PAK1 has been clinical in pipeline. We thus set to examine the expression and clinical impact of PAK1 in PESCC. The expression of PAK1 was detected in a semi-quantitative manner by performing immunohistochemistry. PAK1 was overexpressed in 22 of 34 PESCC tumors, but in only 2 of 18 adjacent non-cancerous tissues. Overexpression of PAK1 was significantly associated with tumor location (p = 0.011), lymph node metastasis (p = 0.026) and patient survival (p = 0.032). We also investigated the association of PAK1 with DNA damage, a driven cause for malignancy progression. γH2AX, a DNA damage marker, was detectable in 18 of 24 (75.0%) cases, and PAK1 expression was associated with γH2AX (p = 0.027). Together, PAK1 is important in metastasis and progression of PESCC. The contribution of PAK1 to clinical outcomes may be involved in its regulating DNA damage pathway. Further studies are worth determining the potentials of PAK1 as prognostic indicator and therapeutic target for PESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfeng Gan
- Cancer Research Centre, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515063, China.
| | - Yuling Zhang
- Department of Information, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China.
| | - Xiurong Ke
- Cancer Research Centre, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515063, China.
- Department of Biotherapy, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China.
| | - Chong Tan
- Department of General Surgery, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China.
| | - Hongzheng Ren
- Department of Pathology, Central Hospital of Kaifeng, Kaifeng 475000, China.
| | - Hongmei Dong
- Cancer Research Centre, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515063, China.
| | - Jiali Jiang
- Cancer Research Centre, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515063, China.
- Department of Biotherapy, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China.
| | - Shaobin Chen
- Thoracic Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China.
| | - Yixuan Zhuang
- Tumor Tissue Bank, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China.
| | - Hao Zhang
- Cancer Research Centre, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515063, China.
- Department of Biotherapy, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China.
- Tumor Tissue Bank, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China.
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Zhu Y, Xu L, An H, Liu W, Wang Z, Xu J. p21-activated kinase 1 predicts recurrence and survival in patients with non-metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Int J Urol 2015; 22:447-53. [PMID: 25711487 DOI: 10.1111/iju.12715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2014] [Revised: 12/05/2014] [Accepted: 12/23/2014] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To estimate the impact of p21-activated kinase 1 expression on recurrence and survival of patients with non-metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma after surgical resection. METHODS We retrospectively enrolled 254 patients (187 in the training cohort and 67 in the validation cohort) with non-metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma undergoing nephrectomy at a single institution. Clinicopathological features, overall survival and recurrence-free survival were recorded. p21-activated kinase 1 intensities were assessed by immunohistochemistry of patients' specimens. The Kaplan-Meier method was applied to compare survival curves. Cox regression models were used to analyze the impact of prognostic factors on overall survival and recurrence-free survival. The concordance index was calculated to assess predictive accuracy. RESULTS In both cohorts, elevated p21-activated kinase 1 expression in tumor tissues positively correlated with advanced T stage and Fuhrman grade. High p21-activated kinase 1 expression indicated poor survival and early recurrence of patients with non-metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma, especially with early T1-2 stage disease. After backward elimination, p21-activated kinase 1 expression was identified as an independent adverse prognostic factor for survival and recurrence. The predictive accuracy of the traditional University of California Integrated Staging System and Mayo Clinic stage, size, grade and necrosis prognostic models was improved when p21-activated kinase 1 expression was added. CONCLUSIONS Elevated expression of p21-activated kinase 1 seems to be an independent adverse prognostic biomarker for recurrence and survival in patients with non-metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma after nephrectomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhu
- Department of Urology, Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
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20
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Procko E, Hedman R, Hamilton K, Seetharaman J, Fleishman SJ, Su M, Aramini J, Kornhaber G, Hunt JF, Tong L, Montelione GT, Baker D. Computational design of a protein-based enzyme inhibitor. J Mol Biol 2013; 425:3563-75. [PMID: 23827138 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2013.06.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2013] [Revised: 06/15/2013] [Accepted: 06/25/2013] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
While there has been considerable progress in designing protein-protein interactions, the design of proteins that bind polar surfaces is an unmet challenge. We describe the computational design of a protein that binds the acidic active site of hen egg lysozyme and inhibits the enzyme. The design process starts with two polar amino acids that fit deep into the enzyme active site, identifies a protein scaffold that supports these residues and is complementary in shape to the lysozyme active-site region, and finally optimizes the surrounding contact surface for high-affinity binding. Following affinity maturation, a protein designed using this method bound lysozyme with low nanomolar affinity, and a combination of NMR studies, crystallography, and knockout mutagenesis confirmed the designed binding surface and orientation. Saturation mutagenesis with selection and deep sequencing demonstrated that specific designed interactions extending well beyond the centrally grafted polar residues are critical for high-affinity binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Procko
- Department of Biochemistry and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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