Snf1-related kinase inhibits colon cancer cell proliferation through calcyclin-binding protein-dependent reduction of β-catenin

FASEB J. 2012 Nov;26(11):4685-95. doi: 10.1096/fj.12-212282. Epub 2012 Aug 8.

Abstract

Sucrose nonfermenting 1 (Snf1)-related kinase (SNRK) is a serine/threonine kinase with sequence similarity to AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK); however, its function is not well characterized. We conducted a gene array to determine which genes are regulated by SNRK. The array demonstrated that SNRK overexpression increased the levels of genes involved in cell proliferation, including calcyclin-binding protein (CacyBP), a member of the ubiquitin ligase complex that targets nonphosphorylated β-catenin for degradation. We confirmed that SNRK increased CacyBP mRNA and protein, and decreased β-catenin protein in HCT116 and RKO colon cancer cells. Furthermore, SNRK inhibited colon cancer cell proliferation, and CacyBP down-regulation reversed the SNRK-mediated decrease in proliferation and β-catenin. SNRK overexpression also decreased β-catenin nuclear localization and target gene transcription, and β-catenin down-regulation reversed the effects of SNRK knockdown on proliferation. SNRK transcript levels were reduced in human colon tumors compared to normal tissue by 35.82%, and stable knockdown of SNRK increased colon cancer cell tumorigenicity. Our results demonstrate that SNRK is down-regulated in colon cancer and inhibits colon cancer cell proliferation through CacyBP up-regulation and β-catenin degradation, resulting in reduced proliferation signaling. These findings reveal a novel function for SNRK in the regulation of colon cancer cell proliferation and β-catenin signaling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Colonic Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Colonic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / physiology
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Humans
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • Transcriptome
  • beta Catenin / genetics
  • beta Catenin / metabolism*

Substances

  • CACYBP protein, human
  • CTNNB1 protein, human
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • beta Catenin
  • SNF1-related protein kinases
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases