Angiomotin decreases lung cancer progression by sequestering oncogenic YAP/TAZ and decreasing Cyr61 expression

Oncogene. 2015 Jul 30;34(31):4056-68. doi: 10.1038/onc.2014.333. Epub 2014 Nov 10.

Abstract

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide, with metastasis underlying majority of related deaths. Angiomotin (AMOT), a scaffold protein, has been shown to interact with oncogenic Yes-associated protein/transcriptional co-activator with a PDZ-binding motif (YAP/TAZ) proteins, suggesting a potential role in tumor progression. However, the functional role of AMOT in lung cancer remains unknown. This study aimed to identify the patho-physiological characteristics of AMOT in lung cancer progression. Results revealed that AMOT expression was significantly decreased in clinical lung cancer specimens. Knockdown of AMOT in a low metastatic CL1-0 lung cancer cell line initiated cancer proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. The trigger of cancer progression caused by AMOT loss was transduced by decreased cytoplasmic sequestration and increased nuclear translocation of oncogenic co-activators YAP/TAZ, leading to increased expression of the growth factor, Cyr61. Tumor promotion by AMOT knockdown was reversed when YAP/TAZ or Cyr61 was absent. Further, AMOT knockdown increased the growth and spread of Lewis lung carcinoma in vivo. These findings suggest that AMOT is a crucial suppressor of lung cancer metastasis and highlight its critical role as a tumor suppressor and its potential as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for lung cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acyltransferases
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / metabolism*
  • Adenocarcinoma / genetics
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology*
  • Adenocarcinoma of Lung
  • Angiomotins
  • Animals
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / metabolism
  • Cysteine-Rich Protein 61 / genetics*
  • Cysteine-Rich Protein 61 / metabolism
  • Disease Progression
  • Down-Regulation / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / metabolism
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / physiology*
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Membrane Proteins / physiology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Nude
  • Microfilament Proteins / metabolism
  • Microfilament Proteins / physiology*
  • Phosphoproteins / metabolism*
  • Protein Binding
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • YAP-Signaling Proteins

Substances

  • AMOT protein, human
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Amot protein, mouse
  • Angiomotins
  • CCN1 protein, mouse
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Cysteine-Rich Protein 61
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Phosphoproteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • YAP-Signaling Proteins
  • Yap1 protein, mouse
  • Acyltransferases
  • tafazzin protein, mouse