FAK loss reduces BRAFV600E-induced ERK phosphorylation to promote intestinal stemness and cecal tumor formation

Autor: Chenxi Gao, Huaibin Ge, Shih-Fan Kuan, Chunhui Cai, Xinghua Lu, Farzad Esni, Robert E Schoen, Jing H Wang, Edward Chu, Jing Hu
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: eLife, Vol 13 (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2050-084X
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.94605
Popis: BRAFV600E mutation is a driver mutation in the serrated pathway to colorectal cancers. BRAFV600E drives tumorigenesis through constitutive downstream extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation, but high-intensity ERK activation can also trigger tumor suppression. Whether and how oncogenic ERK signaling can be intrinsically adjusted to a ‘just-right’ level optimal for tumorigenesis remains undetermined. In this study, we found that FAK (Focal adhesion kinase) expression was reduced in BRAFV600E-mutant adenomas/polyps in mice and patients. In Vil1-Cre;BRAFLSL-V600E/+;Ptk2fl/fl mice, Fak deletion maximized BRAFV600E’s oncogenic activity and increased cecal tumor incidence to 100%. Mechanistically, our results showed that Fak loss, without jeopardizing BRAFV600E-induced ERK pathway transcriptional output, reduced EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor)-dependent ERK phosphorylation. Reduction in ERK phosphorylation increased the level of Lgr4, promoting intestinal stemness and cecal tumor formation. Our findings show that a ‘just-right’ ERK signaling optimal for BRAFV600E-induced cecal tumor formation can be achieved via Fak loss-mediated downregulation of ERK phosphorylation.
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