title: Akt3-mediated resistance to apoptosis in B-RAF-targeted melanoma cells.
abstract: Melanoma cells are highly resistant to anoikis, a form of apoptosis induced in nonadherent/inappropriate adhesion conditions. Depleting B-RAF or the prosurvival Bcl-2 family protein Mcl-1 renders mutant B-RAF melanoma cells susceptible to anoikis. In this study, we examined the effect of targeting B-RAF on the survival of primary stage melanoma cells cultured in three-dimensional type I collagen gels, which partially mimics the dermal microenvironment. Depletion/inhibition of B-RAF with small interfering RNA or the mutant B-RAF inhibitor, PLX4720, induced apoptosis of mutant B-RAF melanoma cells in three-dimensional collagen. Apoptosis was dependent on two upregulated BH3-only proteins, Bim-EL and Bmf, and was inhibited by ectopic Mcl-1 expression. Akt3 activation has been associated with the survival of melanoma cells. Mutant B-RAF melanoma cells ectopically expressing a constitutively activated form of Akt3 or endogenously expressing mutant Akt3 were protected from apoptosis induced by B-RAF knockdown or PLX4720 treatment. Furthermore, intrinsically resistant metastatic melanoma cells displayed elevated Akt phosphorylation in three-dimensional collagen and were rendered susceptible to PLX4720 by Akt3 knockdown. Importantly, myristylated Akt3 prevented B-RAF targeting-induced upregulation of Bim-EL and Bmf in three-dimensional collagen and partially protected Mcl-1-depleted cells from apoptosis. These findings delineate how mutant B-RAF protects melanoma cells from apoptosis and provide insight into possible resistance mechanisms to B-RAF inhibitors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Biology and Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, USA
authors.forename: Yongping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Andrew E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Aplin
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D000072224:Bcl-2-Like Protein 11; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D008545:Melanoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D064549:Myeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Protein; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C000606775:BCL2L11 protein, human; C486655:BMF protein, human; D000072224:Bcl-2-Like Protein 11; D007211:Indoles; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D064549:Myeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Protein; C528407:PLX 4720; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D013449:Sulfonamides; C491754:AKT3 protein, human; C482119:BRAF protein, human; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt