The downregulation of the pro-apoptotic protein Par-4 is critical for Ras-induced survival and tumor progression.

TitleThe downregulation of the pro-apoptotic protein Par-4 is critical for Ras-induced survival and tumor progression.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication1999
AuthorsBarradas M, Monjas A, Diaz-Meco MT, Serrano M, Moscat J
JournalEMBO J
Volume18
Issue22
Pagination6362-9
Date Published1999 Nov 15
ISSN0261-4189
Keywords3T3 Cells, Animals, Apoptosis, Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins, Carrier Proteins, Cell Cycle, Cell Line, Cell Line, Transformed, Cell Survival, Cell Transformation, Neoplastic, Female, Fibroblasts, Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic, Genes, p16, Genes, p53, Genes, ras, HeLa Cells, Humans, Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins, MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 1, MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases, Mice, Mice, Knockout, Mice, Nude, Microtubule Proteins, Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases, Phosphoproteins, Protein Kinase C, Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf, Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras), ras Proteins, Stathmin, Transplantation, Heterologous
Abstract

Inhibition of apoptosis is an important characteristic of oncogenic transformation. The Par-4 gene product has recently been shown to be upregulated in cells undergoing apoptotic cell death, and its ectopic expression was shown to be critical in apoptosis. We demonstrate that expression of oncogenic Ras promotes a potent reduction of Par-4 protein and mRNA levels through a MEK-dependent pathway. In addition, the expression of permanently active mutants of MEK, Raf-1 or zetaprotein kinase C but not of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) is sufficient to decrease Par-4 levels. These effects are independent of p53, p16 and p19, and were detected not only in fibroblast primary cultures but also in NIH 3T3 and HeLa cells, indicating that they are not secondary to Ras actions on cell cycle regulation. Importantly, restoration of Par-4 levels to normal in Ras-transformed cells makes these cells sensitive to the pro-apoptotic actions of tumor necrosis factor-alpha under conditions in which PI 3-kinase is inhibited and also severely impairs colony formation in soft agar and tumor development in nude mice, as well as increases the sensitivity of these tumors to camptothecin. This indicates that the downregulation of Par-4 by oncogenic Ras is a critical event in tumor progression.

DOI10.1093/emboj/18.22.6362
Alternate JournalEMBO J
PubMed ID10562548
PubMed Central IDPMC1171699
Related Faculty: 
Jorge Moscat, Ph.D. Maria Diaz-Meco Conde, Ph.D.

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