title: Elongation factor-2 kinase: its role in protein synthesis and autophagy.
abstract: Elongation factor-2 kinase (eEF-2 kinase; Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent kinase III) controls the rate of peptide chain elongation. The activity of eEF-2 kinase is increased in many malignancies, yet its precise function in carcinogenesis remains unknown. Autophagy, a well-defined survival pathway in yeast, may also play an important role in oncogenesis. Furthermore, the autophagic response to nutrient deprivation is regulated by the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). eEF-2 kinase lies downstream of mTOR and is regulated by several kinases in this pathway. Therefore, we studied the role of eEF-2 kinase in autophagy. Knockdown of eEF-2 kinase by RNA interference inhibited autophagy in several cell types as measured by light chain 3 (LC3)-II formation, acidic vesicular organelle staining, and electron microscopy. In contrast, overexpression of eEF-2 kinase increased autophagy. Furthermore, inhibition of autophagy markedly decreased the viability of glioblastoma cells grown under conditions of nutrient depletion. These results suggest that eEF-2 kinase plays a regulatory role in the autophagic process in tumor cells and may promote cancer cell survival under conditions of nutrient deprivation. Therefore, eEF-2 kinase activation may be a part of a survival mechanism in glioblastoma, and targeting this kinase may represent a novel approach to cancer treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 195 Little Albany Street, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, USA. haitwn@umdnj.edu
authors.forename: William N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Hait
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Shenkan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Jin-Ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001343:Autophagy / Q000502:physiology*; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D054736:Elongation Factor 2 Kinase; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D034622:RNA Interference; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
chemical_list: D011494:Protein Kinases; C546842:MTOR protein, human; C517689:EEF2K protein, human; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D054736:Elongation Factor 2 Kinase