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Biomedical subjects

G C Prendergast

Publications and source records attributed to G C Prendergast.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

RhoB facilitates c-Myc turnover by supporting efficient nuclear accumulation of GSK-3.

The small GTPase RhoB suppresses cancer in part by limiting cell proliferation. However, the mechanisms it uses to achieve this are poorly understood. Recent studies link RhoB to trafficking of Akt, which through its regulation of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) has an important role in controlling the stability of the c-Myc oncoprotein. c-Myc stabilization may be a root feature of human tumorigenesis as it phenocopies an essential contribution of SV40 small T antigen in human cell transformation. In this study we show that RhoB directs efficient turnover of c-Myc in established or transformed mouse fibroblasts and that the attenuation of RhoB which occurs commonly in human cancer is a sufficient cause to elevate c-Myc levels. Increased levels of c-Myc elicited by RhoB deletion increased the proliferation of nullizygous cells, whereas restoring RhoB in null cells decreased the stability of c-Myc and restrained cell proliferation. Mechanistic analyses indicated that RhoB facilitated nuclear accumulation of GSK-3 and GSK-3-mediated phosphorylation of c-Myc T58, the critical site for ubiquitination and degradation of c-Myc. RhoB deletion restricted nuclear localization of GSK-3, reduced T58 phosphorylation, and stabilized c-Myc. These effects were not associated with changes in phosphorylation or localization of Akt, however, differences were observed in phosphorylation and localization of the GSK-3 regulatory Akt-related kinase, serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible protein kinase (SGK). The ability of RhoB to support GSK-3-dependent turnover of c-Myc offers a mechanism by which RhoB acts to limit the proliferation of neoplastically transformed cells.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

RhoB in cancer suppression.

RhoB is a mainly endosomal small GTPase that regulates actin organization and vesicle trafficking. Expression of RhoB is elevated rapidly by many stimuli, including growth factors, cytokines, and genotoxic stress. In cancer, RhoB can limit cell proliferation, survival, invasion, and metastasis, and during malignant progression its levels are attenuated commonly. In support of its role as a negative modifier of cancer progression, targeted deletion of RhoB in mice can increase tumor formation initiated by Ras mutation. How RhoB acts to suppress different aspects of cancer pathophysiology has emerged as a question of significant interest.

Actins↗
PubMed2001

RhoB is required to mediate apoptosis in neoplastically transformed cells after DNA damage.

The effect of neoplastic transformation on the response to genotoxic stress is of significant clinical interest. In this study, we offer genetic evidence that the apoptotic response of neoplastically transformed cells to DNA damage requires RhoB, a member of the Rho family of actin cytoskeletal regulators. Targeted deletion of the rhoB gene did not affect cell cycle arrest in either normal or transformed cells after exposure to doxorubicin or gamma irradiation, but rendered transformed cells resistant to apoptosis. This effect was specific insofar as rhoB deletion did not affect apoptotic susceptibility to agents that do not damage DNA. However, rhoB deletion also affected apoptotic susceptibility to Taxol, an agent that disrupts microtubule dynamics. We have demonstrated that RhoB alteration mediates the proapoptotic and antineoplastic effects of farnesyltransferase inhibitors, and we show here that RhoB alteration is also crucial for farnesyltransferase inhibitors to sensitize neoplastic cells to DNA damage-induced cell death. We found RhoB to be an important determinant of long-term survival in vitro and tumor response in vivo after gamma irradiation. Our findings identify a pivotal role for RhoB in the apoptotic response of neoplastic cells to DNA damage at a novel regulatory point that may involve the actin cytoskeleton.

Alkyl and Aryl Transferases↗
PubMed2001

Bin1 mediates apoptosis by c-Myc in transformed primary cells.

The Bin1 gene encodes a c-Myc-interacting adapter protein with tumor suppressor and cell death properties. In this study, we offer evidence that Bin1 participates in a mechanism through which c-Myc activates programmed cell death in transformed primary chick or rat cells. Antisense or dominant inhibitory Bin1 genes did not affect the ability of c-Myc to drive proliferation or transformation, but they did reduce the susceptibility of cells to c-Myc-induced apoptosis. Protein-protein interaction was implicated, suggesting that Bin1 mediates a death or death sensitization signal from c-Myc. Our findings offer direct support for the "dual signal" model of Myc apoptotic function, based on interactions with a binding protein. Loss of Bin1 in human tumors may promote malignant progression in part by helping to stanch the death penalty associated with c-Myc activation.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed2001

Human BIN3 complements the F-actin localization defects caused by loss of Hob3p, the fission yeast homolog of Rvs161p.

The BAR adaptor proteins encoded by the RVS167 and RVS161 genes from Saccharomyces cerevisiae form a complex that regulates actin, endocytosis, and viability following starvation or osmotic stress. In this study, we identified a human homolog of RVS161, termed BIN3 (bridging integrator-3), and a Schizosaccharomyces pombe homolog of RVS161, termed hob3+ (homolog of Bin3). In human tissues, the BIN3 gene was expressed ubiquitously except for brain. S. pombe cells lacking Hob3p were often multinucleate and characterized by increased amounts of calcofluor-stained material and mislocalized F-actin. For example, while wild-type cells localized F-actin to cell ends during interphase, hob3Delta mutants had F-actin patches distributed randomly around the cell. In addition, medial F-actin rings were rarely found in hob3Delta mutants. Notably, in contrast to S. cerevisiae rvs161Delta mutants, hob3Delta mutants showed no measurable defects in endocytosis or response to osmotic stress, yet hob3+ complemented the osmosensitivity of a rvs161Delta mutant. BIN3 failed to rescue the osmosensitivity of rvs161Delta, but the actin localization defects of hob3Delta mutants were completely rescued by BIN3 and partially rescued by RVS161. These findings suggest that hob3+ and BIN3 regulate F-actin localization, like RVS161, but that other roles for this gene have diverged somewhat during evolution.

Actins↗
PubMed2001

Actin' up: RhoB in cancer and apoptosis.

RhoB is a small GTPase that regulates actin organization and vesicle transport. It is required for signalling apoptosis in transformed cells that are exposed to farnesyltransferase inhibitors, DNA-damaging agents or taxol. Genetic analysis in mice indicates that RhoB is dispensable for normal cell physiology, but that it has a suppressor or negative modifier function in stress-associated processes, including cancer.

Actins↗
PubMed2001

RhoB is dispensable for mouse development, but it modifies susceptibility to tumor formation as well as cell adhesion and growth factor signaling in transformed cells.

RhoB is an endosomal small GTPase that is implicated in the response to growth factors, genotoxic stress, and farnesyltransferase inhibitors. To gain insight into its physiological functions we examined the consequences of homozygous gene deletion in the mouse. Loss of RhoB did not adversely affect mouse development, fertility, or wound healing. However, embryo fibroblasts cultured in vitro exhibited a defect in motility, suggesting that RhoB has a role in this process that is conditional on cell stress. Neoplastic transformation by adenovirus E1A and mutant Ras yielded differences in cell attachment and spreading that were not apparent in primary cells. In addition, transformed -/- cells displayed altered actin and proliferative responses to transforming growth factor beta. A negative modifier role in transformation was suggested by the increased susceptibility of -/- mice to 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced skin carcinogenesis and by the increased efficiency of intraperitoneal tumor formation by -/- cells. Our findings suggest that RhoB is a negative regulator of integrin and growth factor signals that are involved in neoplastic transformation and possibly other stress or disease states.

9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene↗
PubMed2001

Farnesyltransferase inhibitors define a role for RhoB in controlling neoplastic pathophysiology.

A long-standing goal in cancer research is to identify cellular functions that have selective roles in regulating neoplastic pathophysiology. Farnesyl-transferase inhibitors (FTIs) are a novel class of cancer chemotherapeutics which have little effect on normal cell physiology but which inhibit or reverse malignant cell phenotypes. FTIs were originally developed as a strategy to inhibit oncogenic Ras, the activity of which depends upon posttranslational farnesylation. However, recent work indicates the antineoplastic effects of FTIs are not linked to Ras inhibition but instead to alteration of RhoB, a small GTPase of the Rho family of cytoskeletal regulators that controls trafficking of cell surface receptors. Rho proteins integrate signals from integrins and cytokine receptors with cell shape via the actin cytoskeleton. A connection between FTIs and Rho alteration is interesting given that histological differences have long been used to define clinical cancer. RhoB is dispensable for normal cell growth and differentiation in mice. Thus, research into the antineoplastic effects of FTIs has led to the identification of a function(s) that is unnecessary for normal cell physiology but crucial for controlling malignant phenotypes.

Alkyl and Aryl Transferases↗
PubMed2001

Farnesyltransferase inhibitors: mechanism and applications.

Farnesyltransferase (FT) inhibitors (FTIs) are among the first wave of signal transduction inhibitors to be clinically tested for antitumour properties. FTIs were designed to attack Ras oncoproteins, the function of which depends upon post-translational modification by farnesyl isoprenoid. Extensive preclinical studies have demonstrated that FTIs compromise neoplastic transformation and tumour growth. In preclinical models, FTIs display limited effects on normal cell physiology and in Phase I human trials FTIs have been largely well tolerated. Exactly how FTIs selectively target cancer cells has emerged as an important question, one which has become more pressing with the somewhat disappointing results from initial Phase II efficacy trials. Although FTI development was predicated on Ras inhibition, it has become clear that the drugs' antineoplastic properties are based to a large degree on altering the prenylation and function of proteins other than Ras. One key candidate that has emerged is RhoB, an endosomal protein that has been implicated in selective growth inhibition and apoptosis in neoplastic cells. On the basis of mechanistic studies and other recent developments, we propose that FTIs may be useful to treat a unique spectrum of diseases including not only inflammatory breast cancer and melanoma but also non-neoplastic diseases such as diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration.

Alkyl and Aryl Transferases↗
PubMed2000

The c-Myc-interacting adaptor protein Bin1 activates a caspase-independent cell death program.

Cell death processes are progressively inactivated during malignant development, in part by loss of tumor suppressors that can promote cell death. The Bin1 gene encodes a nucleocytosolic adaptor protein with tumor suppressor properties, initially identified through its ability to interact with and inhibit malignant transformation by c-Myc and other oncogenes. Bin1 is frequently missing or functionally inactivated in breast and prostate cancers and in melanoma. In this study, we show that Bin1 engages a caspase-independent cell death process similar to type II apoptosis, characterized by cell shrinkage, substratum detachment, vacuolated cytoplasm, and DNA degradation. Cell death induction was relieved by mutation of the BAR domain, a putative effector domain, or by a missplicing event that occurs in melanoma and inactivates suppressor activity. Cells in all phases of the cell cycle were susceptible to death and p53 and Rb were dispensable. Notably, Bin1 did not activate caspases and the broad spectrum caspase inhibitor ZVAD.fmk did not block cell death. Consistent with the lack of caspase involvement, dying cells lacked nucleosomal DNA cleavage and nuclear lamina degradation. Moreover, neither Bcl-2 or dominant inhibition of the Fas pathway had any effect. In previous work, we showed that Bin1 could not suppress cell transformation by SV40 large T antigen. Consistent with this finding, we observed that T antigen suppressed the death program engaged by Bin1. This observation was interesting in light of emerging evidence that T antigen has roles in cell immortalization and human cell transformation beyond Rb and p53 inactivation. In support of a link to c-Myc-induced death processes, AEBSF, a serine protease inhibitor that inhibits apoptosis by c-Myc, potently suppressed DNA degradation by Bin1. Our findings suggest that the tumor suppressor activity of Bin1 reflects engagement of a unique cell death program. We propose that loss of Bin1 may promote malignancy by blunting death penalties associated with oncogene activation.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed2000

Geranylgeranylated RhoB is sufficient to mediate tissue-specific suppression of Akt kinase activity by farnesyltransferase inhibitors.

Farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) induce apoptosis by elevating the levels of geranylgeranylated RhoB (RhoB-GG) in cells. However, the mechanism by which RhoB-GG acts is unclear. Here we report that RhoB-GG is sufficient to mediate the suppressive effects of FTIs on the activity of the survival kinase Akt-1 in epithelial cells. This mechanism is tissue-specific insofar as it does not operate in fibroblasts. We discuss how the cell survival functions of RhoB and Akt may be linked biochemically in certain cell types.

Alkyl and Aryl Transferases↗
PubMed2000

Bin2, a functionally nonredundant member of the BAR adaptor gene family.

BAR family proteins are a unique class of adaptor proteins characterized by a common N-terminal fold of undetermined function termed the BAR domain. This set of adaptors, which includes the mammalian proteins amphiphysin and Bin1 and the yeast proteins Rvs167p and Rvs161p, has been implicated in diverse cellular processes, including synaptic vesicle endocytosis, actin regulation, differentiation, cell survival, and tumorigenesis. Here we report the identification and characterization of Bin2, a novel protein that contains a BAR domain but that is otherwise structurally dissimilar to other members of the BAR adaptor family. The Bin2 gene is located at chromosome 4q22.1 and is expressed predominantly in hematopoietic cells. Bin2 is upregulated during differentiation of granulocytes, suggesting that it functions in that lineage. Bin2 formed a stable complex in cells with Bin1, but not with amphiphysin, in a BAR domain-dependent manner. This finding indicates that BAR domains have specific preferences for interaction. However, Bin2 did not influence endocytosis in the same manner as brain-specific splice isoforms of Bin1, nor did it exhibit the tumor suppressor properties inherent to ubiquitous splice isoforms of Bin1. Thus, Bin2 appears to encode a nonredundant function in the BAR adaptor gene family.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed2000

Loss of heterozygosity and tumor suppressor activity of Bin1 in prostate carcinoma.

The genetic events underlying the development of prostate cancer are poorly defined. c-Myc is often activated in tumors that have progressed to metastatic status, so events that promote this process may be important. Bin1 is a nucleocytoplasmic adaptor protein with features of a tumor suppressor that was identified through its ability to interact with and inhibit malignant transformation by c-Myc. We investigated a role for Bin1 loss or inactivation in prostate cancer because the human Bin1 gene is located at chromosome 2q14 within a region that is frequently deleted in metastatic prostate cancer but where no tumor suppressor candidate has been located. A novel polymorphic microsatellite marker located within intron 5 of the human Bin1 gene was used to demonstrate loss of heterozygosity and coding alteration in 40% of informative cases of prostate neoplasia examined. RNA and immunohistochemical analyses indicated that Bin1 was expressed in most primary tumors, even at slightly elevated levels relative to benign tissues, but that it was frequently missing or inactivated by aberrant splicing in metastatic tumors and androgen-independent tumor cell lines. Ectopic expression of Bin1 suppressed the growth of prostate cancer lines in vitro. Our findings support the candidacy of Bin1 as the chromosome 2q prostate tumor suppressor gene.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed2000

Losses of the tumor suppressor BIN1 in breast carcinoma are frequent and reflect deficits in programmed cell death capacity.

Oncogenic activation of MYC occurs often in breast carcinoma and is associated with poor prognosis. Loss or inactivation of mechanisms that restrain MYC may therefore be involved in tumor progression. In this study, we show that the MYC-interacting adaptor protein BIN1 is frequently missing in malignant breast cells and that this loss is functionally significant. BIN1 was expressed in normal and benign cells and tissues but was undetectable in 6/6 estrogen receptor-positive or estrogen receptor-negative carcinoma cell lines examined. Similarly, complete or partial losses of BIN1 were documented in 30/50 (60%) cases of malignant breast tissue analyzed by immuno-histochemistry or RT-PCR. Abnormalities in the organization of the BIN1 gene were apparent in only a minority of these cases, suggesting that most losses were due to epigenetic causes. Nevertheless, they were functionally significant because ectopic BIN1 induced programmed cell death in malignant cells lacking endogenous BIN1 but had no effect on the viability of benign cells. We propose that loss of BIN1 may contribute to breast cancer progression by eliminating a mechanism that restrains the ability of activated MYC to drive cell division inappropriately.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed2000

Farnesyltransferase inhibitors: antineoplastic properties, mechanisms of action, and clinical prospects.

Farnesyltransferase (FTase) inhibitors are among the current wave of molecularly targeted anti-cancer agents being used to attack malignancy in a rational manner. A large body of preclinical data indicates that FTase inhibitors block cancer cell proliferation through both cytostatic and cytotoxic effects. Interestingly, FTase inhibitors have rather limited effects on normal cell function, suggesting that they may target unique aspects of cancer cell pathophysiology. The development of FTase inhibitors was predicated on the discovery that the Ras oncoproteins must be post-translationally modified to transform cells. However, recent work indicates that the anti-neoplastic effects of FTase inhibitors depend on altering the post-translational modifications of non-Ras proteins as well. In particular, a critical target protein that responds to FTase inhibition by blocking tumor cell growth is RhoB, an endosomal Rho protein that functions in receptor trafficking. In this review, we survey the biological foundations for the clinical development of FTase inhibitors, and consider some of the latest mechanistic studies that reveal how these agents affect cellular physiology.

Alkyl and Aryl Transferases↗
PubMed2000

Farnesyltransferase inhibitors: antineoplastic mechanism and clinical prospects.

Recent work suggests that farnesyltransferase inhibitors suppress cancer cell proliferation through mechanisms other than inhibiting Ras isoprenylation, which is not a crucial event. Recent evidence also suggests that the antineoplastic properties of farnesyltransferase inhibitors are due to alterations in the isoprenylation of RhoB, an endosomal Rho protein that functions in receptor trafficking. A shift in conceptual focus from Ras to Rho to understand how farnesyltransferase inhibitors act provides a new vantage to address old questions in the field and suggests strategies to improve and potentially widen clinical applications.

Alkyl and Aryl Transferases↗