Satyajit K. Mitra

Focal adhesion kinase: in command and control of cell motility

A central question in cell biology is how membrane-spanning receptors transmit extracellular signals inside cells to modulate cell adhesion and motility. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a crucial signalling component that is activated by numerous stimuli and functions as a biosensor or integrator to control cell motility. Through multifaceted and diverse molecular connections, FAK can influence the cytoskeleton, structures of cell adhesion sites and membrane protrusions to regulate cell movement.

Differential regulation of cell motility and invasion by FAK

Cell migration and invasion are fundamental components of tumor cell metastasis. Increased focal adhesion kinase (FAK) expression and tyrosine phosphorylation are connected with elevated tumorigenesis. Null mutation of FAK results in embryonic lethality, and FAK−/− fibroblasts exhibit cell migration defects in culture. Here we show that viral Src (v-Src) transformation of FAK−/− cells promotes integrin-stimulated motility equal to stable FAK reexpression. However, FAK−/− v-Src cells were not invasive, and FAK reexpression, Tyr-397 phosphorylation, and FAK kinase activity were required for the generation of an invasive cell phenotype. Cell invasion was linked to transient FAK accumulation at lamellipodia, formation of a FAK–Src-p130Cas–Dock180 signaling complex, elevated Rac and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase activation, and increased matrix metalloproteinase expression and activity. Our studies support a dual role for FAK in promoting cell motility and invasion through the activation of distinct signaling pathways.

Wnt pathway inhibition via the targeting of Frizzled receptors results in decreased growth and tumorigenicity of human tumors

The Wnt/β-catenin pathway, which signals through the Frizzled (Fzd) receptor family and several coreceptors, has long been implicated in cancer. Here we demonstrate a therapeutic approach to targeting the Wnt pathway with a monoclonal antibody, OMP-18R5. This antibody, initially identified by binding to Frizzled 7, interacts with five Fzd receptors through a conserved epitope within the extracellular domain and blocks canonical Wnt signaling induced by multiple Wnt family members. In xenograft studies with minimally passaged human tumors, this antibody inhibits the growth of a range of tumor types, reduces tumor-initiating cell frequency, and exhibits synergistic activity with standard-of-care chemotherapeutic agents.

Intrinsic FAK activity and Y925 phosphorylation facilitate an angiogenic switch in tumors

Elevated focal adhesion kinase (FAK) expression occurs in advanced cancers, yet a signaling role for FAK in tumor progression remains undefined. Here, we suppressed FAK activity in 4T1 breast carcinoma cells resulting in reduced FAK Y925 phosphorylation, Grb2 adaptor protein binding to FAK, and signaling to mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase (MAPK). Loss of a FAK-Grb2-MAPK linkage did not affect 4T1 cell proliferation or survival in culture, yet FAK inhibition reduced vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and resulted in small avascular tumors in mice. This FAK-Grb2-MAPK linkage was essential in promoting angiogenesis as reconstitution experiments using Src-transformed FAK-null fibroblasts revealed that point mutations affecting FAK catalytic activity (R454) or Y925 phosphorylation (F925) disrupted the ability of FAK to promote MAPK- and VEGF-associated tumor growth. Notably, in both FAK-inhibited 4T1 and Src-transformed FAK-null cells, constitutively activated (CA) mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 (MEK1) restored VEGF production and CA-MEK1 or added VEGF rescued tumor growth and angiogenesis. These studies provide the first biological support for Y925 FAK phosphorylation and define a novel role for FAK activity in promoting a MAPK-associated angiogenic switch during tumor progression.

Intrinsic focal adhesion kinase activity controls orthotopic breast carcinoma metastasis via the regulation of urokinase plasminogen activator expression in a syngeneic tumor model.

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 (∼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.

Distinct FAK-Src activation events promote α5β1 and α4β1 integrin-stimulated neuroblastoma cell motility

Signals from fibronectin-binding integrins promote neural crest cell motility during development in part through protein-tyrosine kinase (PTK) activation. Neuroblastoma (NB) is a neural crest malignancy with high metastatic potential. We find that α4 and α5 integrins are present in late-stage NB tumors and cell lines derived thereof. To determine the signaling connections promoting either α4β1- or α5β1-initiated NB cell motility, pharmacological, dominant negative and short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) inhibitory approaches were undertaken. shRNA knockdown revealed that α5β1-stimulated NB motility is dependent upon focal adhesion kinase (FAK) PTK, Src PTK and p130Cas adapter protein expression. Cell reconstitution showed that FAK catalytic activity is required for α5β1-stimulated Src activation in part through direct FAK phosphorylation of Src at Tyr-418. Alternatively, α4β1-stimulated NB cell motility is dependent upon Src and p130Cas but FAK is not essential. Catalytically inactive receptor protein-tyrosine phosphatase-α overexpression inhibited α4β1-stimulated NB motility and Src activation consistent with α4-regulated Src activity occurring through Src Tyr-529 dephosphorylation. In α4 shRNA-expressing NB cells, α4β1-stimulated Src activation and NB cell motility were rescued by wild type but not cytoplasmic domain-truncated α4 re-expression. These studies, supported by results using reconstituted fibroblasts, reveal that α4β1-mediated Src activation is mechanistically distinct from FAK-mediated Src activation during α5β1-mediated NB migration and support the evaluation of inhibitors to α4, Src and FAK in the control of NB tumor progression.

Monoclonal Antibody against Cell Surface GRP78 as a Novel Agent in Suppressing PI3K/AKT Signaling, Tumor Growth, and Metastasis

Purpose: The ER chaperone GRP78 translocates to the surface of tumor cells and promotes survival, metastasis, and resistance to therapy. An oncogenic function of cell surface GRP78 has been attributed to the activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway. We intend to use a novel anti-GRP78 monoclonal antibody (MAb159) to attenuate PI3K signaling and inhibit tumor growth and metastasis. Experimental Design: MAb159 was characterized biochemically. Antitumor activity was tested in cancer cell culture, tumor xenograft models, tumor metastasis models, and spontaneous tumor models. Cancer cells and tumor tissues were analyzed for PI3K activity. MAb159 was humanized and validated for diagnostic and therapeutic application. Results: MAb159 specifically recognized surface GRP78, triggered GRP78 endocytosis, and localized to tumors but not to normal organs in vivo. MAb159 inhibited tumor cell proliferation and enhanced tumor cell death both in vitro and in vivo. In MAb159-treated tumors, PI3K signaling was inhibited without compensatory MAPK pathway activation. Furthermore, MAb159 halted or reversed tumor progression in the spontaneous PTEN–loss-driven prostate and leukemia tumor models, and inhibited tumor growth and metastasis in xenograft models. Humanized MAb159, which retains high affinity, tumor specific localization, and the antitumor activity, was nontoxic in mice, and had desirable pharmacokinetics. Conclusions: GRP78-specific antibody MAb159 modulates the PI3K pathway and inhibits tumor growth and metastasis. Humanized MAb159 will enter human trials shortly. Clin Cancer Res; 19(24); 6802–11. ©2013 AACR.

Integrin α4β1 Promotes Focal Adhesion Kinase-Independent Cell Motility via α4 Cytoplasmic Domain-Specific Activation of c-Src

ABSTRACT The fibronectin binding integrins α5β1 and α4β1 generate signals pivotal for cell migration through distinct yet undefined mechanisms. For α5β1, β1-mediated activation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) promotes c-Src recruitment to FAK and the formation of a FAK-Src signaling complex. Herein, we show that FAK expression is essential for α5β1-stimulated cell motility and that exogenous expression of human α4 in FAK-null fibroblasts forms a functional α4β1 receptor that promotes robust cell motility equal to the α5β1 stimulation of wild-type and FAK-reconstituted fibroblasts. α4β1-stimulated FAK-null cell spreading and motility were dependent on the integrity of the α4 cytoplasmic domain, independent of direct paxillin binding to α4, and were not affected by PRNK expression, a dominant-negative inhibitor of Pyk2. α4 cytoplasmic domain-initiated signaling led to a ∼4-fold activation of c-Src which did not require paxillin binding to α4. Notably, α4-stimulated cell motility was inhibited by catalytically inactive receptor protein-tyrosine phosphatase α overexpression and blocked by the p50Csk phosphorylation of c-Src at Tyr-529. α4β1-stimulated cell motility of triple-null Src−/−, c-Yes−/−, and Fyn−/− fibroblasts was dependent on c-Src reexpression that resulted in p130Cas tyrosine phosphorylation and Rac GTPase loading. As p130Cas phosphorylation and Rac activation are common downstream targets for α5β1-stimulated FAK activation, our results support the existence of a novel α4 cytoplasmic domain connection leading to c-Src activation which functions as a FAK-independent linkage to a common motility-promoting signaling pathway.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha stimulates focal adhesion kinase activity required for mitogen-activated kinase-associated interleukin 6 expression.

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a cytoplasmic protein-tyrosine kinase that promotes cell migration, survival, and gene expression. Here we show that FAK signaling is important for tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα)-induced interleukin 6 (IL-6) mRNA and protein expression in breast (4T1), lung (A549), prostate (PC-3), and neural (NB-8) tumor cells by FAK short hairpin RNA knockdown and by comparisons of FAK-null (FAK–/–) and FAK+/+ mouse embryo fibroblasts. FAK promoted TNFα-stimulated MAPK activation needed for maximal IL-6 production. FAK was not required for TNFα-mediated nuclear factor-κB or c-Jun N-terminal kinase activation. TNFα-stimulated FAK catalytic activation and IL-6 production were inhibited by FAK N-terminal but not FAK C-terminal domain overexpression. Analysis of FAK–/– fibroblasts stably reconstituted with wild type or various FAK point mutants showed that FAK catalytic activity, Tyr-397 phosphorylation, and the Pro-712/713 proline-rich region of FAK were required for TNFα-stimulated MAPK activation and IL-6 production. Constitutively activated MAPK kinase-1 (MEK1) expression in FAK–/– and A549 FAK short hairpin RNA-expressing cells rescued TNFα-stimulated IL-6 production. Inhibition of Src protein-tyrosine kinase activity or mutation of Src phosphorylation sites on FAK (Tyr-861 or Tyr-925) did not affect TNFα-stimulated IL-6 expression. Moreover, analyses of Src–/–, Yes–/–, and Fyn–/– fibroblasts showed that Src expression was inhibitory to TNFα-stimulated IL-6 production. These studies provide evidence for a novel Src-independent FAK to MAPK signaling pathway regulating IL-6 expression with potential importance to inflammation and tumor progression.

Tumor necrosis factor-α stimulates FAK activity required for mitogen-activated kinase-associated interleukin 6 expression

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a cytoplasmic protein-tyrosine kinase that promotes cell migration, survival, and gene expression. Here we show that FAK signaling is important for tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα)-induced interleukin 6 (IL-6) mRNA and protein expression in breast (4T1), lung (A549), prostate (PC-3), and neural (NB-8) tumor cells by FAK short hairpin RNA knockdown and by comparisons of FAK-null (FAK–/–) and FAK+/+ mouse embryo fibroblasts. FAK promoted TNFα-stimulated MAPK activation needed for maximal IL-6 production. FAK was not required for TNFα-mediated nuclear factor-κB or c-Jun N-terminal kinase activation. TNFα-stimulated FAK catalytic activation and IL-6 production were inhibited by FAK N-terminal but not FAK C-terminal domain overexpression. Analysis of FAK–/– fibroblasts stably reconstituted with wild type or various FAK point mutants showed that FAK catalytic activity, Tyr-397 phosphorylation, and the Pro-712/713 proline-rich region of FAK were required for TNFα-stimulated MAPK activation and IL-6 production. Constitutively activated MAPK kinase-1 (MEK1) expression in FAK–/– and A549 FAK short hairpin RNA-expressing cells rescued TNFα-stimulated IL-6 production. Inhibition of Src protein-tyrosine kinase activity or mutation of Src phosphorylation sites on FAK (Tyr-861 or Tyr-925) did not affect TNFα-stimulated IL-6 expression. Moreover, analyses of Src–/–, Yes–/–, and Fyn–/– fibroblasts showed that Src expression was inhibitory to TNFα-stimulated IL-6 production. These studies provide evidence for a novel Src-independent FAK to MAPK signaling pathway regulating IL-6 expression with potential importance to inflammation and tumor progression.