Stress-induced phosphoprotein-1 maintains the stability of JAK2 in cancer cells

Oncotarget. 2016 Aug 2;7(31):50548-50563. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.10500.

Abstract

Overexpression of stress-induced phosphoprotein 1 (STIP1) - a co-chaperone of heat shock protein (HSP) 70/HSP90 - and activation of the JAK2-STAT3 pathway occur in several tumors. Combined treatment with a HSP90 inhibitor and a JAK2 inhibitor exert synergistic anti-cancer effects. Here, we show that STIP1 stabilizes JAK2 protein in ovarian and endometrial cancer cells. Knock-down of endogenous STIP1 decreased JAK2 and phospho-STAT3 protein levels. The N-terminal fragment of STIP1 interacts with the N-terminus of JAK2, whereas the C-terminal DP2 domain of STIP1 mediates the interaction with HSP90 and STAT3. A peptide fragment in the DP2 domain of STIP1 (peptide 520) disrupted the interaction between STIP1 and HSP90 and induced cell death through JAK2 suppression. In an animal model, treatment with peptide 520 inhibited tumor growth. In summary, STIP1 modulates the function of the HSP90-JAK2-STAT3 complex. Peptide 520 may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of JAK2-overexpressing tumors.

Keywords: JAK2; STIP1; cancer.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival
  • Endometrial Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Female
  • Gene Deletion
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Heat-Shock Proteins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Janus Kinase 2 / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Domains
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / metabolism

Substances

  • Heat-Shock Proteins
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor
  • STAT3 protein, human
  • STIP1 protein, human
  • JAK2 protein, human
  • Janus Kinase 2