The prolyl isomerase Pin1 induces LC-3 expression and mediates tamoxifen resistance in breast cancer.
Endocrine therapies, which inhibit estrogen receptor signaling, are the most common and effective treatments for estrogen receptoralpha-positive breast cancer. However, the utility of these agents is limited by the frequent development of resistance, and the precise mechanisms underlying endocrine therapy resistance remain incompletely understood. Here, we demonstrate that peptidyl-prolyl isomerase Pin1 is an important determinant of resistance to tamoxifen and show that Pin1 increases E2F-4- and Egr-1-driven expression of LC-3 as a result of an increased interaction with and phosphorylation of MEK1/2. In human tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer, our results show a significant correlation between Pin1 overexpression and high levels of LC-3. Promoter activity as well as expression levels of Pin1 were drastically higher in tamoxifen-resistant MCF7 cells than control MCF7 cells, as were levels of LC-3 mRNA and protein, an autophagy marker. Pin1(-/-) mouse embryonic fibroblasts showed lower 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced MEK1/2 phosphorylation than Pin1(+/+) mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Silencing of Pin1 expression inhibited TPA-induced MEK1/2 phosphorylation in MCF7 cells. Moreover, PD98059, a specific inhibitor of MEK1/2, and juglone, a potent Pin1 inhibitor, significantly suppressed the TPA-induced expression of E2F-4 as well as Egr-1 transcription factors, which control LC-3 gene expression. Importantly, 4-hydroxy tamoxifen, when used in combination with silencing of Pin1 or LC-3, increased cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and DNA fragmentation to inhibit cologenic growth of MCF7 cells. We therefore link the Pin1-MEK pathway and LC-3-mediated tamoxifen resistance and show the therapeutic potential of Pin1 in the treatment of tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer.
Namgoong
Gwang Mo
GM
BK21 Project Team, College of Pharmacy, Chosun University, Gwangju 501-759, South Korea.
Khanal
Prem
P
Cho
Hae-Guk
HG
Lim
Sung-Chul
SC
Oh
Yoon Kyeong
YK
Kang
Bong Seok
BS
Shim
Jung-Hyun
JH
Shim
Jeong-Hyun
JH
Yoo
Jin-Cheol
JC
Choi
Hong Seok
HS
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000072340:NIMA-Interacting Peptidylprolyl Isomerase; D009285:Naphthoquinones / Q000494:pharmacology; D019696:Peptidylprolyl Isomerase / Q000378:metabolism*; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005419:Flavonoids; C477012:MAP1LC3A protein, human; C480860:Map1lc3b protein, mouse; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D000072340:NIMA-Interacting Peptidylprolyl Isomerase; D009285:Naphthoquinones; D013629:Tamoxifen; C000606846:PIN1 protein, human; D019696:Peptidylprolyl Isomerase; C000606850:Pin1 protein, mouse; C093973:2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one; C005134:juglone