Regulation of mRNA stability and translation plays a critical role in determining protein abundance within cells. Processing bodies (P-bodies) are critical regulators of these processes. Here, we report that the Pim1 and 3 protein kinases bind to the P-body protein enhancer of mRNA decapping 3 (EDC3) and phosphorylate EDC3 on serine (S)161, thereby modifying P-body assembly. EDC3 phosphorylation is highly elevated in many tumor types, is reduced upon treatment of cells with kinase inhibitors, and blocks the localization of EDC3 to P-bodies. Prostate cancer cells harboring an EDC3 S161A mutation show markedly decreased growth, migration, and invasion in tissue culture and in xenograft models. Consistent with these phenotypic changes, the expression of integrin β1 and α6 mRNA and protein is reduced in these mutated cells. These results demonstrate that EDC3 phosphorylation regulates multiple cancer-relevant functions and suggest that modulation of P-body activity may represent a new paradigm for cancer treatment.
Keywords: P-bodies; cancers; kinases; mRNA processing; phosphorylation.
© 2021 The Authors.