Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Sushi domain-containing protein 4 binds to epithelial growth factor receptor and initiates autophagy in an EGFR phosphorylation independent manner

Papadakos, Konstantinos S LU orcid ; Ekström, Alexander LU ; Slipek, Piotr LU ; Skourti, Eleni LU ; Reid, Steven LU ; Pietras, Kristian LU orcid and Blom, Anna M LU orcid (2022) In Journal of Experimental and Clinical Cancer Research 41(1). p.363-363
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Sushi domain-containing protein 4 (SUSD4) is a recently discovered protein with unknown cellular functions. We previously revealed that SUSD4 can act as complement inhibitor and as a potential tumor suppressor.

METHODS: In a syngeneic mouse model of breast cancer, tumors expressing SUSD4 had a smaller volume compared with the corresponding mock control tumors. Additionally, data from three different expression databases and online analysis tools confirm that for breast cancer patients, high mRNA expression of SUSD4 in the tumor tissue correlates with a better prognosis. In vitro experiments utilized triple-negative breast cancer cell lines (BT-20 and MDA-MB-468) stably expressing SUSD4. Moreover, we established a cell... (More)

BACKGROUND: Sushi domain-containing protein 4 (SUSD4) is a recently discovered protein with unknown cellular functions. We previously revealed that SUSD4 can act as complement inhibitor and as a potential tumor suppressor.

METHODS: In a syngeneic mouse model of breast cancer, tumors expressing SUSD4 had a smaller volume compared with the corresponding mock control tumors. Additionally, data from three different expression databases and online analysis tools confirm that for breast cancer patients, high mRNA expression of SUSD4 in the tumor tissue correlates with a better prognosis. In vitro experiments utilized triple-negative breast cancer cell lines (BT-20 and MDA-MB-468) stably expressing SUSD4. Moreover, we established a cell line based on BT-20 in which the gene for EGFR was knocked out with the CRISPR-Cas9 method.

RESULTS: We discovered that the Epithelial Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) interacts with SUSD4. Furthermore, triple-negative breast cancer cell lines stably expressing SUSD4 had higher autophagic flux. The initiation of autophagy required the expression of EGFR but not phosphorylation of the receptor. Expression of SUSD4 in the breast cancer cells led to activation of the tumor suppressor LKB1 and consequently to the activation of AMPKα1. Finally, autophagy was initiated after stimulation of the ULK1, Atg14 and Beclin-1 axis in SUSD4 expressing cells.

CONCLUSIONS: In this study we provide novel insight into the molecular mechanism of action whereby SUSD4 acts as an EGFR inhibitor without affecting the phosphorylation of the receptor and may potentially influence the recycling of EGFR to the plasma membrane.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Humans, Animals, Mice, Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms/metabolism, Phosphorylation, ErbB Receptors/genetics, Receptors, Growth Factor/metabolism, Autophagy, Cell Line, Tumor
in
Journal of Experimental and Clinical Cancer Research
volume
41
issue
1
pages
363 - 363
publisher
BioMed Central (BMC)
external identifiers
  • scopus:85145035724
  • pmid:36578014
ISSN
1756-9966
DOI
10.1186/s13046-022-02565-1
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
© 2022. The Author(s).
id
a7ae1d19-dd37-4960-b710-77e2389c9740
date added to LUP
2024-02-12 17:48:08
date last changed
2024-04-14 17:55:46
@article{a7ae1d19-dd37-4960-b710-77e2389c9740,
  abstract     = {{<p>BACKGROUND: Sushi domain-containing protein 4 (SUSD4) is a recently discovered protein with unknown cellular functions. We previously revealed that SUSD4 can act as complement inhibitor and as a potential tumor suppressor.</p><p>METHODS: In a syngeneic mouse model of breast cancer, tumors expressing SUSD4 had a smaller volume compared with the corresponding mock control tumors. Additionally, data from three different expression databases and online analysis tools confirm that for breast cancer patients, high mRNA expression of SUSD4 in the tumor tissue correlates with a better prognosis. In vitro experiments utilized triple-negative breast cancer cell lines (BT-20 and MDA-MB-468) stably expressing SUSD4. Moreover, we established a cell line based on BT-20 in which the gene for EGFR was knocked out with the CRISPR-Cas9 method.</p><p>RESULTS: We discovered that the Epithelial Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) interacts with SUSD4. Furthermore, triple-negative breast cancer cell lines stably expressing SUSD4 had higher autophagic flux. The initiation of autophagy required the expression of EGFR but not phosphorylation of the receptor. Expression of SUSD4 in the breast cancer cells led to activation of the tumor suppressor LKB1 and consequently to the activation of AMPKα1. Finally, autophagy was initiated after stimulation of the ULK1, Atg14 and Beclin-1 axis in SUSD4 expressing cells.</p><p>CONCLUSIONS: In this study we provide novel insight into the molecular mechanism of action whereby SUSD4 acts as an EGFR inhibitor without affecting the phosphorylation of the receptor and may potentially influence the recycling of EGFR to the plasma membrane.</p>}},
  author       = {{Papadakos, Konstantinos S and Ekström, Alexander and Slipek, Piotr and Skourti, Eleni and Reid, Steven and Pietras, Kristian and Blom, Anna M}},
  issn         = {{1756-9966}},
  keywords     = {{Humans; Animals; Mice; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms/metabolism; Phosphorylation; ErbB Receptors/genetics; Receptors, Growth Factor/metabolism; Autophagy; Cell Line, Tumor}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{363--363}},
  publisher    = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
  series       = {{Journal of Experimental and Clinical Cancer Research}},
  title        = {{Sushi domain-containing protein 4 binds to epithelial growth factor receptor and initiates autophagy in an EGFR phosphorylation independent manner}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13046-022-02565-1}},
  doi          = {{10.1186/s13046-022-02565-1}},
  volume       = {{41}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}