p27Kip1 inhibition of GRB2-SOS formation can regulate Ras activation.
p27(Kip1) (p27) is often inappropriately downregulated in aggressive human cancers. Although p27 can inhibit cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), low p27 does not always correlate with increased CDK activity. Furthermore, cells derived from p27(-/-) mice respond to antimitogens, maintain restriction point control, and do not deregulate CDKs. Thus, disruption of a p27 function other than CDK inhibition may contribute to the disease state. A yeast two-hybrid screen identified growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (GRB2) as a p27 binding partner. We now demonstrate that p27 can inhibit GRB2 function by blocking its association with the guanine nucleotide exchange factor SOS. Endogenous p27 is rapidly exported from the nucleus to the cytoplasm in response to mitogen stimulation, where it binds GRB2 concomitant with a decrease in GRB2-associated SOS. As predicted, mitogen-stimulated p27(-/-) cells maintained their GRB2-SOS complexes for significantly longer. The Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway does not appear to be deregulated in cells lacking p27 despite excess GRB2-SOS, suggesting that additional control mechanisms are present. A transient-transfection approach was employed to show that p27 can inhibit Ras activation by targeting GRB2 and further revealed that the CDK and GRB2 inhibitory functions of p27 are separable and distinct. Thus, p27 downregulation may compromise control of Ras, one of the most common oncogenic events in human cancer.
University of Minnesota Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
Stephanie J
SJ
Moeller
Elizabeth D
ED
Head
Robert J
RJ
Sheaff
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000818:Animals; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D019927:Cyclin E / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D051380:GRB2 Adaptor Protein; D006801:Humans; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000502:physiology; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008934:Mitogens / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000502:physiology; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020664:Son of Sevenless Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques; D018631:ras Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; C493961:Cdkn1b protein, mouse; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D019927:Cyclin E; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D051380:GRB2 Adaptor Protein; C495948:GRB2 protein, human; C495949:Grb2 protein, mouse; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008934:Mitogens; D011506:Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D020664:Son of Sevenless Proteins; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D018631:ras Proteins; C038753:leptomycin B