title: Up-regulation of Skp2 after prostate cancer cell adhesion to basement membranes results in BRCA2 degradation and cell proliferation.
abstract: Aberrant interaction of carcinoma cells with basement membranes (BM) is a fundamental pathophysiological process that initiates a series of events resulting in cancer cell invasion and metastasis. In this report, we describe the results of our investigations pertaining to the events triggered by the adhesion of normal (PNT1A) and highly metastatic (PC-3) prostate cells onto BM proteins. Unlike PNT1A, PC-3 cells adhered avidly to Matrigel BM matrix as well as to isolated collagen type IV, laminin, and heparan sulfate proteoglycan perlecan, main BM components. This aberrantly increased cancer cell adhesion resulted in sustained BRCA2 protein depletion and vigorous cell proliferation, a cascade triggered by beta1 integrin-mediated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activation leading to BRCA2 degradation in the proteasome. This latter effect was orchestrated by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-dependent up-regulation of Skp2, a subunit of the Skp1-Cul1-F-box protein ubiquitin complex that directly associates with BRCA2 as demonstrated by coimmunoprecipitation assays, determines its ubiquitination, and ultimately targets it for proteasomal degradation. Inhibition of Skp2 expression by small interference RNA prevented BRCA2 depletion and inhibited the trophic effect upon cell proliferation. These results provide additional evidence on the role of BRCA2 as a modulator of cancer cell growth and elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in its down-regulation in cancer cells when interacting with BM, a crucial step in the biology of metastasis. Furthering the understanding of this molecular pathway may prove valuable in designing new therapeutic strategies aimed at modifying the natural history of prostate carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomembranes and Bioenergetics, National Research Council, Bari 70126, Italy. Electronic address: l.moro@ibbe.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moro
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York 14642.
authors.forename: Arnaldo A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Arbini
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomembranes and Bioenergetics, National Research Council, Bari 70126, Italy.
authors.forename: Ersilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marra
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomembranes and Bioenergetics, National Research Council, Bari 70126, Italy.
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Greco
mesh_terms: D024682:BRCA2 Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; D044786:S-Phase Kinase-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D024682:BRCA2 Protein; D044786:S-Phase Kinase-Associated Proteins; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex