Choline kinase activation is a critical requirement for the proliferation of primary human mammary epithelial cells and breast tumor progression

Cancer Res. 2004 Sep 15;64(18):6732-9. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-04-0489.

Abstract

Breast cancer is still one of the most important tumors among women in industrialized countries. Improvement in both understanding the molecular events associated with the disease and the development of new additional treatments is still an important goal to be achieved. Choline kinase (ChoK) is increased in human mammary tumors with high incidence, and this activation is associated with clinical variable indicators of greater malignancy. Here, we have investigated the role of ChoK in the development of breast cancer and found that ChoK is both necessary and sufficient for growth factor-induced proliferation in primary human mammary epithelial cells and an absolute requirement for the specific mitogenic response to heregulin in breast tumor-derived cells. These results demonstrate that ChoK plays an essential role in both normal human mammary epithelial cell proliferation and breast tumor progression. Furthermore, inhibition of ChoK shows a strong in vivo antitumor activity against human breast cancer xenografts. Thus, ChoK constitutes a novel bona fide molecular target for the treatment of breast cancer patients.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Breast Neoplasms / enzymology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cell Division / drug effects
  • Cell Division / physiology
  • Choline Kinase / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Choline Kinase / genetics
  • Choline Kinase / metabolism*
  • Disease Progression
  • Enzyme Activation / drug effects
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Epithelial Cells / cytology
  • Epithelial Cells / drug effects
  • Epithelial Cells / enzymology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Mammary Glands, Human / cytology
  • Mammary Glands, Human / drug effects
  • Mammary Glands, Human / enzymology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Neuregulin-1 / pharmacology
  • Phosphorylcholine / metabolism
  • Transfection
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Neuregulin-1
  • Phosphorylcholine
  • Choline Kinase