KRAS phosphorylation regulates cell polarization and tumorigenic properties in colorectal cancer.

Oncogenic mutations of KRAS are found in the most aggressive human tumors, including colorectal cancer. It has been suggested that oncogenic KRAS phosphorylation at Ser181 modulates its activity and favors cell transformation. Using nonphosphorylatable (S181A), phosphomimetic (S181D), and phospho-/d...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Cabot, Débora, Brun, Sonia, Paco, Noelia, Ginestà, Mireia M., Gendrau Sanclemente, Núria, Abuasaker, Baraa, Ruíz Fariña, Triana, Barceló, Carles, Cuatrecasas Freixas, Miriam, Bosch i Rodríguez, Marta, Rentero Alfonso, Carles, Pons i Irazazábal, Gabriel, Estanyol i Ullate, Josep Maria, Capellá, G. (Gabriel), Jaumot i Pijoan, Montserrat, Agell i Jané, Neus
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2021
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/180304
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/180304
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Càncer colorectal
Fosforilació
Colorectal cancer
Phosphorylation
Descripción
Sumario:Oncogenic mutations of KRAS are found in the most aggressive human tumors, including colorectal cancer. It has been suggested that oncogenic KRAS phosphorylation at Ser181 modulates its activity and favors cell transformation. Using nonphosphorylatable (S181A), phosphomimetic (S181D), and phospho-/dephosphorylatable (S181) oncogenic KRAS mutants, we analyzed the role of this phosphorylation to the maintenance of tumorigenic properties of colorectal cancer cells. Our data show that the presence of phospho-/dephosphorylatable oncogenic KRAS is required for preserving the epithelial organization of colorectal cancer cells in 3D cultures, and for supporting subcutaneous tumor growth in mice. Interestingly, gene expression differed according to the phosphorylation status of KRAS. In DLD-1 cells, CTNNA1 was only expressed in phospho-/dephosphorylatable oncogenic KRAS-expressing cells, correlating with cell polarization. Moreover, lack of oncogenic KRAS phosphorylation leads to changes in expression of genes related to cell invasion, such as SERPINE1, PRSS1,2,3, and NEO1, and expression of phosphomimetic oncogenic KRAS resulted in diminished expression of genes involved in enterocyte differentiation, such as HNF4G. Finally, the analysis, in a public data set of human colorectal cancer, of the gene expression signatures associated with phosphomimetic and nonphosphorylatable oncogenic KRAS suggests that this post-translational modification regulates tumor progression in patients.