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Inhibition of RAC1 GTPase sensitizes pancreatic cancer cells to ?-irradiation.

ABSTRACT: Radiation therapy is a staple treatment for pancreatic cancer. However, owing to the intrinsic radioresistance of pancreatic cancer cells, radiation therapy often fails to increase survival of pancreatic cancer patients. Radiation impedes cancer cells by inducing DNA damage, which can activate cell cycle checkpoints. Normal cells possess both a G1 and G2 checkpoint. However, cancer cells are often defective in G1 checkpoint due to mutations/alterations in key regulators of this checkpoint. Accordingly, our results show that normal pancreatic ductal cells respond to ionizing radiation (IR) with activation of both checkpoints whereas pancreatic cancer cells respond to IR with G2/M arrest only. Overexpression/hyperactivation of Rac1 GTPase is detected in the majority of pancreatic cancers. Rac1 plays important roles in survival and Ras-mediated transformation. Here, we show that Rac1 also plays a critical role in the response of pancreatic cancer cells to IR. Inhibition of Rac1 using specific inhibitor and dominant negative Rac1 mutant not only abrogates IR-induced G2 checkpoint activation, but also increases radiosensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells through induction of apoptosis. These results implicate Rac1 signaling in the survival of pancreatic cancer cells following IR, raising the possibility that this pathway contributes to the intrinsic radioresistance of pancreatic cancer.

SUBMITTER: Yan Y

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4279370 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Inhibition of RAC1 GTPase sensitizes pancreatic cancer cells to γ-irradiation.

Yan Ying Y Hein Ashley L AL Etekpo Asserewou A Burchett Katrina M KM Lin Chi C Enke Charles A CA Batra Surinder K SK Cowan Kenneth H KH Ouellette Michel M MM

Oncotarget 20141101 21

Radiation therapy is a staple treatment for pancreatic cancer. However, owing to the intrinsic radioresistance of pancreatic cancer cells, radiation therapy often fails to increase survival of pancreatic cancer patients. Radiation impedes cancer cells by inducing DNA damage, which can activate cell cycle checkpoints. Normal cells possess both a G1 and G2 checkpoint. However, cancer cells are often defective in G1 checkpoint due to mutations/alterations in key regulators of this checkpoint. Accor ...[more]

PMID: 25344910

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Project description:IntroductionIn response to gamma-irradiation (IR)-induced double-strand DNA breaks, cells undergo cell-cycle arrest, allowing time for DNA repair before reentering the cell cycle. G2/M checkpoint activation involves activation of ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM)/ATM- and rad3-related (ATR) kinases and inhibition of Cdc25 phosphatases, resulting in inhibition of Cdc2 kinase and subsequent G2/M cell-cycle arrest. Previous studies from our laboratory showed that the G2/M checkpoint activation after IR exposure of MCF-7 breast cancer cells is dependent on the activation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) signaling. In the present studies, we investigated the role of Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1) guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) in IR-induced G2/M checkpoint response and ERK1/2 activation, as well as in cell survival after IR.MethodsWith Rac1-specific inhibitor, dominant negative mutant Rac1 (N17Rac1) and specific small interfering RNA, the effect of Rac1 on IR-induced G2/M checkpoint response and ERK1/2 activation was examined in human breast cancer cells. In addition, the effect of Rac1 on cell survival after irradiation was assessed by using Rac1-specific inhibitor.ResultsIR exposure of MCF-7 breast cancer cells was associated with a marked activation of Rac1 GTPase. Furthermore, inhibition of Rac1 by using specific inhibitor, dominant-negative Rac1 mutant, or specific siRNA resulted in attenuation of IR-induced G2/M arrest and concomitant diminution of IR-induced activation of ATM, ATR, Chk1, and Chk2 kinases, as well as phosphorylation of Cdc2-Tyr15. Moreover, Rac1 inhibition or decreased Rac1 expression also abrogated IR-induced phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 and 2 (MEK1/2) and ERK1/2. Ultimately, inhibition of Rac1 markedly increased cellular sensitivity to IR exposure, which involves induction of apoptosis.ConclusionStudies in this report suggest that Rac1 GTPase plays an essential role in the activation of IR-induced ERK1/2 signaling and subsequent G2/M checkpoint response. Furthermore, results also support a role for Rac1 in promoting cell survival after irradiation treatment.

Project description:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is one of the most aggressive cancer types and is well-known for its general low intrinsic radiosensitivity. In order to resolve mechanisms of how PDAC cells carry out radioresistance, a combination of proteomics and phosphoproteomics of two radiosensitive as well as radioresistant murine PDAC cell lines upon exposition to radiation was performed. A high depth of (phospho)proteomic identifications with > 13000 confidently identified phosphorylation sites and > 7800 proteins was achieved. Measuring the response of the phosphoproteome upon radiation revealed >700 phosphorylation sites on >400 proteins which were regulated in all four cell lines independently of the sensitivity status. This analysis validated already known radiomarkers but also uncovered novel members of the radiation-dependent signaling network in PDAC cells that were shown to be exclusively based on protein phosphorylation but not protein expression. Among those radioresponsive phosphoproteins were ten novel ATM substrates, which were validated by in vitro kinase assays. Comparison of radiosensitive and -resistant cells revealed a complex regulation of apoptotic processes, while changes in expression of DNA repair proteins seemed to not play a pivotal role. Especially increased expression of NQO1 was found to be a potential mechanism enabling resistance by clearing harmful reactive oxygen species from the PDAC cells. Further analysis of the radioresistance-associated-phosphoproteome, which was especially enriched in phosphoproteins with cytoskeleton organizational function, uncovered increased Actin dynamics and FAK activity in radioresistant cells. Both likely lead to increased survival, migrational capacity and perturbations in chromatin condensation which could oppose radiation. Based on the displayed adaptions in cellular protein expression and signaling in resistant PDAC cells, pharmacological inhibition of NQO1 and FAK could be suggested to sensitize towards radiation.

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Inhibition of RAC1 GTPase sensitizes pancreatic cancer cells to ?-irradiation.

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Inhibition of RAC1 GTPase sensitizes pancreatic cancer cells to γ-irradiation.

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