CKB inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition and prostate cancer progression by sequestering and inhibiting AKT activation
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ABSTRACT: Highlights • Through unbiased kinome cDNA screening, we have identified creatine kinase brain-type (CKB) as a critical negative regulator of epithelial-mesenchymal transition .• CKB is expressed significantly lower in tumors than in normal tissues and its downregulation correlates with poor prognosis in several solid cancer types.• Its ectopic expression blocks, while its silencing promotes, AKT activation and prostate cancer progression.• CKB physically sequestrates AKT from interacting with mTORC2 complex.• We have also mapped the CKB and AKT interaction domains and further pinpointed a small fragment of 84aa on C-terminus of CKB protein as the key element in blocking AKT activation and Epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) contributes to tumor invasion, metastasis and drug resistance. AKT activation is key in a number of cellular processes. While many positive regulators for either EMT or AKT activation have been reported, few negative regulators are established. Through kinase cDNA screen, we identified brain-type creatine kinase (CKB or BCK) as a potent suppressor for both. As a ubiquitously expressed kinase in normal tissues, CKB is significantly downregulated in several solid cancer types. Lower CKB expression is significantly associated with worse prognosis. Phenotypically, CKB overexpression suppresses, while its silencing promotes, EMT and cell migration, xenograft tumor growth and metastasis of prostate cancer cells. AKT activation is one of the most prominent signaling events upon CKB silencing in prostate cancer cells, which is in line with prostate cancer TCGA data. EMT enhanced by CKB silencing is abolished by AKT inhibition. Mechanistically, CKB interacts with AKT and sequestrates it from activation by mTOR. We further elucidated that an 84aa fragment at C-terminus of CKB protein interacts with AKT's PH domain. Ectopic expression of the 84aa CKB fragment inhibits AKT activation, EMT and cell proliferation. Interestingly, molecular dynamics simulation on crystal structures of AKT and CKB independently demonstrates that AKT's PH domain and CKB's 84aa fragment establish their major interaction interface. In summary, we have discovered CKB as a negative regulator of EMT and AKT activation, revealing a new mode of their regulation . We have also demonstrated that CKB downregulation is a poor prognosticator, which is sufficient to promote prostate cancer progression.
SUBMITTER: Wang Z
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8551525 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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