A mandatory role of nuclear PAK4-LIFR axis in breast-to-bone metastasis of ERα-positive breast cancer cells

Oncogene. 2019 Feb;38(6):808-821. doi: 10.1038/s41388-018-0456-0. Epub 2018 Sep 3.

Abstract

The mechanism of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)-positive breast cancer-associated bone metastasis is poorly understood. In this article, we report that nuclear p21-activated kinase 4 (nPAK4) is a novel repressor of ERα-mediated transactivation in a 17β-estradiol (E2)-dependent manner and promotes PAK4-ERα axis-mediated bone metastasis by targeting leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR) in ERα-positive breast cancer. An evaluation of clinical breast cancer samples revealed that nPAK4 is linked to ERα expression and appears to be associated with a poor prognosis in bone metastatic breast cancer. PAK4 bound and co-translocated with ERα from the cytoplasm to the nucleus upon stimulation with E2. nPAK4 enhanced the invasive potential of ERα-positive breast cancer cells in vitro and promoted breast cancer metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, nPAK4 promoted the metastasis of ERα-positive breast cancer cells by targeting LIFR, a bone metastasis suppressor. Strikingly, the nuclear accumulation of PAK4 might promote aggressive phenotypes, highlighting nPAK4 as a novel predictive biomarker for ERα-positive breast cancer bone metastasis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism*
  • Bone Neoplasms / genetics
  • Bone Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Bone Neoplasms / pathology
  • Bone Neoplasms / secondary
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cell Nucleus
  • Drosophila melanogaster
  • Estrogen Receptor alpha / genetics
  • Estrogen Receptor alpha / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leukemia Inhibitory Factor Receptor alpha Subunit / genetics
  • Leukemia Inhibitory Factor Receptor alpha Subunit / metabolism*
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism*
  • p21-Activated Kinases / genetics
  • p21-Activated Kinases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • ESR1 protein, human
  • Estrogen Receptor alpha
  • LIFR protein, human
  • Leukemia Inhibitory Factor Receptor alpha Subunit
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • PAK4 protein, human
  • p21-Activated Kinases