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Query: EC:2.7.10.2 (
focal adhesion kinase
)
44,029
document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)
Malignant melanoma continues to remain a significant health threat, with death often occurring as a result of metastasis. The metastatic phenotype typically is characterized by augmented tumor cell invasion and migration in addition to tumor cell plasticity as shown by vasculogenic mimicry. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms that promote an aggressive phenotype is essential to predicting the likelihood of metastasis at a stage when intervention may be possible. This study focuses on the role of
focal adhesion kinase
(
FAK
), a cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase important for many cellular processes, including cell survival, invasion, and migration. We found
FAK
to be phosphorylated on its key tyrosine residues, Tyr397 and Tyr576, in only aggressive uveal and cutaneous melanoma cells, which correlates with their increased invasion, migration, and vasculogenic mimicry plasticity. Additionally, we confirmed the presence of
FAK
phosphorylated on Tyr397 and Tyr576 in both cutaneous and uveal melanoma tumors in situ. Examination of a functional role for
FAK
in aggressive melanoma revealed that disruption of
FAK
-mediated signal transduction pathways, through the expression of
FAK
-related nonkinase (FRNK), results in a decrease in melanoma cell invasion, migration, and inhibition of vasculogenic mimicry. Moreover, we found that FRNK expression resulted in a down-regulation of Erk1/2 phosphorylation resulting in a decrease in
urokinase
activity. Collectively, these data suggest a new mechanism involved in promoting the aggressive melanoma phenotype through
FAK
-mediated signal transduction pathways, thus providing new insights into possible therapeutic intervention strategies.
...
PMID:Focal adhesion kinase promotes the aggressive melanoma phenotype. 1626 8
Calcitonin (CT) is synthesized and secreted in prostate epithelium, and its secretion from malignant prostates is several folds higher than that in benign prostates. CT receptor (CTR) is expressed in malignant prostate epithelium, and its activation increases invasiveness of prostate cancer (PC) cells via activation of protein kinase A. Since the role of
urokinase-type plasminogen activator
(
uPA
) in invasion of PC has been established, we tested the hypothesis that CT increases invasion of PC cells by stimulating
uPA
secretion from PC cells. Exogenously added CT stimulated the secretion of
uPA
from PC-3M cells in a dose-dependent manner, which was blocked by Rp.cAMP, a competitive inhibitor of protein kinase A. CT stimulated the secretion of MMP-2 and MMP-9 from PC-3M cells, and also increased their invasiveness. Both these actions of CT were blocked by
uPA
-neutralizing antibodies. Immunofluorescence studies with PC-3M cells suggest that CT stimulated redistribution of cellular
uPA
to focal adhesion sites, which was further confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation of
uPA
with
focal adhesion kinase
(
FAK
) in response to CT. These results suggest that CT increases invasiveness of PC cells by stimulating PKA-mediated
uPA
secretion and by redirecting the secreted
uPA
to focal adhesion sites. The results also suggest that
uPA
may, at least in part, mediate proinvasive actions of CT on PC cells by stimulating the secretion of gelatinases and degradation of focal adhesion sites.
...
PMID:Calcitonin stimulates the secretion of urokinase-type plasminogen activator from prostate cancer cells: its possible implications on tumor cell invasion. 1638 Oct 4
Nodular fasciitis (NF) is a rapidly growing cellular mass composed of fibroblasts/myofibroblasts, usually localized in subcutaneous tissues, that typically undergoes fibrosis and almost never recurs. Desmoid tumours (DTs) are rare forms of fibroblastic/myofibroblastic growth that arise in deep soft tissues, display a propensity for local infiltration and recurrence, but fail to metastasize. Given that both entities are primarily fibroblastic/myofibroblastic lesions with overlapping histological features, their gene expression profiles were compared to identify differentially expressed genes that may provide not only potential diagnostic markers, but also clues as to the pathogenesis of each disorder. Differentially expressed transcripts (89 clones displaying increased expression in DTs and 246 clones displaying increased expression in NF) included genes encoding several receptor and non-receptor tyrosine kinases (EPHB3, PTPRF, GNAZ,
SYK
,
LYN
, EPHA4, BIRC3), transcription factors (TWIST1, PITX2, EYA2, OAS1, MITF, TCF20), and members of the Wnt signalling pathway (AXIN2, WISP1, SFRP). Remarkably, almost one-quarter of the differentially expressed genes encode proteins associated with inflammation and tissue remodelling, including members of the interferon (IFN), tumour necrosis factor (TNF), and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) signalling pathways as well as metalloproteinases (MMP1, 9, 13, 23),
urokinase plasminogen activator
(PLAU), and cathepsins. The observations provide the first comparative molecular characterization of desmoid tumours and nodular fasciitis and suggest that selected tyrosine kinases, transcription factors, and members of the Wnt, TGF-beta, IFN, and TNF signalling pathways may be implicated in influencing and distinguishing their fate.
...
PMID:A gene expression signature that distinguishes desmoid tumours from nodular fasciitis. 1644 Feb 90
Expression of
focal adhesion kinase
(
FAK
) is elevated in malignant breast cancer, yet the role of intrinsic
FAK
activity in promoting tumor progression remains undefined. Here, we have inhibited
FAK
activity or expression in murine 4T1 breast carcinoma cells via dominant-negative
focal adhesion kinase
-related non-kinase (FRNK) or anti-
FAK
short hairpin RNA (shRNA) expression, respectively. Neither FRNK nor
FAK
shRNA ( approximately 80% reduced
FAK
levels) affected 4T1 proliferation in culture, whereas reduced
FAK
activity or expression blocked 4T1 cell invasion through Matrigel and resulted in 2-3-fold lower
urokinase plasminogen activator
(
uPA
) expression. Control 4T1 cells implanted into mammary fat pads of BALB/c mice exhibited spontaneous metastasis to the lungs, to the peritoneal cavity, and resulted in 90% lethality within 21 days. Whereas
FAK
shRNA-expressing 4T1 cells formed tumors in mice with low levels of apoptosis, when mammary-injected, these cells did not exhibit lung metastasis after 21 days and caused only 40% lethality up to 60 days. Transient re-expression of wild-type but not kinase-dead
FAK
in 4T1
FAK
shRNA cells promoted
uPA
production and mammary to lung metastasis within 7 days. In fact, stable human
uPA
overexpression in 4T1
FAK
shRNA cells promoted Matrigel invasion and lung metastasis equal to 4T1 controls. Conversely, treatment with plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 or neutralizing antibody to
uPA
blocked Matrigel invasion of 4T1 control cells. These studies provide the first direct proof that
FAK
catalytic activity can facilitate metastatic breast cancer progression by regulating
uPA
expression.
...
PMID:Intrinsic focal adhesion kinase activity controls orthotopic breast carcinoma metastasis via the regulation of urokinase plasminogen activator expression in a syngeneic tumor model. 1654 1
Silibinin is a natural flavonoid antioxidant with anti-hepatotoxic properties and pleiotropic anticancer capabilities. We tested the hypothesis that silibinin inhibits cellular invasiveness by down-regulating the
focal adhesion kinase
(
FAK
) and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK)-dependent c-Jun/activator protein-1 (AP-1) induction, which leads to inhibition of
urokinase-type plasminogen activator
(
u-PA
) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) expressions in human osteosarcoma MG-63 cells. We found that silibinin decreased cell adhesion and invasiveness, as well as inhibited
u-PA
and MMP-2 expressions. Silibinin reduced ERK 1/2 phosphorylation, but had no effects on the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) 1/2, p38 and Akt. Silibinin suppressed AP-1-binding activity and c-Jun levels and its phosphorylation without changes of c-Fos and Ets-1 levels. Silibinin also inhibited interleukin-6-induced ERK 1/2 and c-Jun phosphorylation, and cell invasiveness. Thus, silibinin may possess an anti-metastatic activity in MG-63 cells.
...
PMID:Silibinin suppresses human osteosarcoma MG-63 cell invasion by inhibiting the ERK-dependent c-Jun/AP-1 induction of MMP-2. 1711 26
Up-regulation of
urokinase
receptors is common during tumor progression and thought to promote invasion and metastasis. Urokinase receptors bind
urokinase
and a set of beta1 integrins, but it remains unclear to what degree
urokinase
receptor/integrin binding is important to beta1 integrin signaling. Using site-directed mutagenesis, single amino acid mutants of the
urokinase
receptor were identified that fail to associate with either alpha3beta1 (D262A) or alpha5beta1 (H249A) but associate normally with
urokinase
. To study the effects of these mutations on beta1 integrin function, endogenous
urokinase
receptors were first stably silenced in tumor cell lines HT1080 and H1299, and then wild type or mutant receptors were expressed. Knockdown of
urokinase
receptors resulted in markedly reduced fibronectin and alpha5beta1-dependent ERK activation and metalloproteinase MMP-9 expression. Re-expression of wild type or D262A mutant receptors but not the alpha5beta1 binding-deficient H249A mutant reconstituted fibronectin responses. Because
urokinase
receptor.alpha5beta1 complexes bind in the fibronectin heparin-binding domain (Type III 12-14) whereas alpha5beta1 primarily binds in the RGD-containing domain (Type III 7-10), signaling pathways leading to ERK and MMP-9 responses were dissected. Binding to III 7-10 led to Src/
focal adhesion kinase
activation, whereas binding to III 7-14 caused Rac 1 activation. Tumor cells engaging fibronectin required both Type III 7-10- and 12-14-initiated signals to activate ERK and up-regulate MMP-9. Thus
urokinase
receptor binding to alpha5beta1 is required for maximal responses to fibronectin and tumor cell invasion, and this operates through an enhanced Src/Rac/ERK signaling pathway.
...
PMID:Urokinase receptors are required for alpha 5 beta 1 integrin-mediated signaling in tumor cells. 1714 53
Protein kinase C (PKC) superfamily play key regulatory roles on the development of cancer. However, the exact role of these enzymes in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been well established. Using the RT-PCR and Western blotting to analyze the levels of PKC isoforms mRNA and protein in the five different differentiated hepatoma cell lines, we found that PKC alpha was highly expressed in the poor-differentiated HCC cell lines (SK-Hep-1 and HA22T/VGH) as compared with that in the well-differentiated HCC cell lines (PLC/PRF/5, Hep3B, and HepG2). When treated with PKC alpha antisense oligonucleotides (ODN), both HA22T/VGH and SK-Hep-1 cells lines showed the reduction of PKC alpha expression, as well as a deceleration in the growth rate and in the level of cyclin D1, but the increase in the levels of p53 and p21(WAF1/CIP1). Moreover, the reduction of PKC alpha expression also inhibited the migratory and invasive potential of both HA22T/VGH and SK-Hep-1 cells lines, and revealed a down-regulation of several migration/invasion-related genes (MMP-1,
u-PA
, u-PAR, and
FAK
). These phenomenon were also confirmed by DNA-based small interfering RNA (siRNA) PKC alpha and PKC alpha/beta specific inhibitor Go6976. Thus, the results indicated that PKC alpha may be associated with regulation of cell proliferation/migration/invasion in human poorly differentiated HCC cells, suggesting a role for the PKC alpha in the malignant progression of human HCC.
...
PMID:Reduction of PKC alpha decreases cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of human malignant hepatocellular carcinoma. 1748 87
Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptor Met and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) signaling pathways are commonly activated in aggressive tumors and promote progression. Since both Met and HIF-1alpha proteins are heat shock protein (Hsp) 90 clients, Hsp90 inhibitors might be expected to positively impact tumor progression. Here, we systematically evaluated the inhibitory effects of the prototypical Hsp90 inhibitor geldanamycin (GA) on cellular processes involved in invasion and angiogenesis in T24 bladder cancer cells stimulated with HGF and chemical hypoxia. First, we demonstrated the positive feedback loop between Met and HIF-1 pathways, which serves to sustain and amplifies their signaling in T24 cells. GA downregulated Met by inhibiting new protein maturation, thereby dampening HGF signaling. HGF and chemical hypoxia with CoCl2 cooperatively promoted in vitro invasion and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion, while CoCl2 but not HGF activated
urokinase-type plasminogen activator
and matrix metalloproteinase 2, both of which promote invasion and angiogenesis. Low dose GA (100 nmol/L) inhibited these processes by suppressing both HGF and HIF-1 pathways. Notably, brief GA pretreatment inhibited in vitro invasion and VEGF secretion induced by HGF as effectively as did continuous treatment. Moreover, we found that GA inhibited activation of
focal adhesion kinase
, focal adhesion assembly, and actin reorganization induced by HGF and integrin engagement by extracellular matrix. Thus, GA widely suppresses extrinsic stimuli-induced signaling that contribute to tumor invasion and angiogenesis in this bladder carcinoma model, suggesting the utility of Hsp90 inhibitors in preventing tumor progression and metastasis.
...
PMID:Low dose geldanamycin inhibits hepatocyte growth factor and hypoxia-stimulated invasion of cancer cells. 1752 27
Activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and its downstream target Akt/
PKB
are important signaling molecules and key survival factors involved in the control of cell proliferation, apoptosis and oncogenesis. We investigated the role of the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway in the invasion of prostate cancer cell lines and activation of this pathway in primary human prostate tumors. Treatment of human prostate cancer cells viz. LNCaP, PC-3 and DU145 with PI3K pharmacological inhibitor, LY294002, potentially suppressed the invasive properties in each of these cell lines. Restoration of the PTEN gene to highly invasive prostate cancer PC-3 cells or expression of a dominant negative version of the PI3K target, Akt also significantly inhibited invasion and downregulated protein expression of
urokinase-type plasminogen activator
(
uPA
) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, markers for cell invasion, indicating a central role of the PI3K-Akt pathway in this process. Immunoblot analysis of PI3K and total/activated levels of Akt showed increased protein levels of catalytic (p110alpha/beta) and regulatory (p85) subunits of PI3K and constitutive Akt activation in high-grade tumors compared to low-grade tumor and benign tissue. Immunohistochemical analyses further confirmed a progressive increase in p-Akt (p-Ser473) levels but not of total-Akt (Akt1/2) in cancer tissues compared to benign specimens. A successive increase in p-Akt expression was further noted in specimens serially obtained from individuals with time-course disease progression. Taken together, these results suggest that aberrant activation of PI3K-Akt pathway may contribute to increased cell invasiveness and facilitate prostate cancer progression.
...
PMID:Activation of PI3K-Akt signaling pathway promotes prostate cancer cell invasion. 1755 21
Endocytic pathways have been implicated in polyamine transport in mammalian cells, but specific mechanisms have not been described. We have shown that expression of a dominant negative (DN) form of the GTPase Dynamin, but not Eps15, diminished polyamine uptake in colon cancer cells indicating a caveolar and nonclathrin uptake mode. Polyamines co-sediment with lipid raft/caveolin-1 rich fractions, of the plasma membrane in a sucrose density gradient. Knock down of caveolin-1 significantly increased polyamine uptake. Conversely, ectopic expression of this protein resulted in diminished polyamine uptake. We also found that presence of an activated K-RAS oncogene significantly increased polyamine uptake by colon cancer cells. This effect is through an increase in caveolin-1 phosphorylation at tyrosine residue 14. Caveolin-1 is a negative regulator of caveolar endocytosis and phosphorylation in a K-RAS dependent manner leads to an increase in caveolar endocytosis. In cells expressing wild type K-RAS, addition of exogenous
uPA
was sufficient to stimulate caveolar endocytosis of polyamines. This effect was abrogated by the addition of a
SRC
kinase inhibitor. These data indicate that polyamine transport follows a dynamin-dependent and clathrin-independent endocytic uptake route, and this route is positively regulated by the oncogenic expression of K-RAS in a caveolin-1 dependent manner.
...
PMID:Activated K-RAS increases polyamine uptake in human colon cancer cells through modulation of caveolar endocytosis. 1817 34
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