Abstract 1224: Repression of cancer cell senescence by PKCι

Abstract

Abstract Senescence is an irreversible growth arrest phenotype adopted by cells that has a key role in protecting organisms from cancer. There is now considerable interest in therapeutic strategies that reactivate this process to control the growth of cancer cells. Protein kinase C iota (PKCι) is a member of the atypical protein kinase C family and an important downstream mediator in the phosphoinositide pathway. PKCι expression was found to be upregulated in a subset of breast cancers and breast cancer cell lines. Introduction of mutant, oncogenic PIK3CA, but not wild-type PIK3CA, into breast mammary epithelial cells increased both the expression and activation of PKCι. In breast cancer cell lines overexpressing PKCι, depletion of PKCι increased the number of senescent cells, as assessed by senescence-associated β-galactosidase, morphology and bromodeoxyuridine incorporation. This phenomenon was not restricted to breast cancer cells, as it was also seen in glioblastoma cells. Senescence induction did not require p53, p16 or Arf and was not associated with activation of the DNA damage response. Depletion of PKCι had no effect on senescence in normal mammary epithelial cell lines. We conclude that PKCι is overexpressed in a subset of cancers where it functions to suppress premature senescence. This function appears to be restricted to cancer cells and inhibition of PKCι may therefore be an effective way to selectively activate premature senescence in cancer cells. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1224. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1224