β-catenin knockdown promotes NHERF1-mediated survival of colorectal cancer cells: implications for a double-targeted therapy

Oncogene. 2018 Jun;37(24):3301-3316. doi: 10.1038/s41388-018-0170-y. Epub 2018 Mar 19.

Abstract

Nuclear activated β-catenin plays a causative role in colorectal cancers (CRC) but remains an elusive therapeutic target. Using human CRC cells harboring different Wnt/β-catenin pathway mutations in APC/KRAS or β-catenin/KRAS genes, and both genetic and pharmacological knockdown approaches, we show that oncogenic β-catenin signaling negatively regulates the expression of NHERF1 (Na+/H+ exchanger 3 regulating factor 1), a PDZ-adaptor protein that is usually lost or downregulated in early dysplastic adenomas to exacerbate nuclear β-catenin activity. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays demonstrated that β-catenin represses NHERF1 via TCF4 directly, while the association between TCF1 and the Nherf1 promoter increased upon β-catenin knockdown. To note, the occurrence of a cytostatic survival response in settings of single β-catenin-depleted CRC cells was abrogated by combining NHERF1 inhibition via small hairpin RNA (shRNA) or RS5517, a novel PDZ1-domain ligand of NHERF1 that prevented its ectopic nuclear entry. Mechanistically, dual NHERF1/β-catenin targeting promoted an autophagy-to-apoptosis switch consistent with the activation of Caspase-3, the cleavage of PARP and reduced levels of phospho-ERK1/2, Beclin-1, and Rab7 autophagic proteins compared with β-catenin knockdown alone. Collectively, our data unveil novel β-catenin/TCF-dependent mechanisms of CRC carcinogenesis, also offering preclinical proof of concept for combining β-catenin and NHERF1 pharmacological inhibitors as a mechanism-based strategy to augment apoptotic death of CRC cells refractory to current Wnt/β-catenin-targeted therapeutics.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / pharmacology
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Apoptosis / genetics
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / genetics
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Humans
  • Mutation
  • Phosphoproteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Phosphoproteins / chemistry
  • Phosphoproteins / genetics
  • Phosphoproteins / metabolism*
  • Protein Transport / drug effects
  • Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers / chemistry
  • Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers / genetics
  • Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers / metabolism*
  • Sulfonamides / pharmacology
  • Transcription Factor 4 / genetics
  • Transcription Factor 4 / metabolism
  • beta Catenin / antagonists & inhibitors
  • beta Catenin / genetics*

Substances

  • CTNNB1 protein, human
  • FH535
  • Phosphoproteins
  • Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers
  • Sulfonamides
  • TCF4 protein, human
  • Transcription Factor 4
  • beta Catenin
  • sodium-hydrogen exchanger regulatory factor