Integrin-linked Kinase Inhibitor Research Articles

Icariin protects against acute graft-versus-host disease while preserving graft-versus-leukemia activity after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

BackgroundAcute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD), which is mainly mediated by allogeneic T cells, is a decisive factor in the success of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT). Prophylaxis for aGVHD in clinical patients is unsatisfactory, and there is still a huge unmet need for novel approaches. Icariin (ICA) shows potent anti-inflammatory activity and suppresses T cell-mediated immune responses. Thus, ICA is a potential drug for the prevention of aGVHD. However, there is no data assessing the impact of ICA on aGVHD after allo-HCT. PurposeThis study aimed to investigate the protective effect of ICA against aGVHD and its mechanisms. Moreover, the impact of ICA on the graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect and engraftment of donor hematopoietic and immune cells were assessed. MethodsDifferent murine models of allo-HCT were developed to study the influence of the ICA on GVHD and GVL effect. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the growth of leukemia cells, alterations in different immune cells, and apoptosis. Cell proliferation was determined using a CCK-8 assay. RNA sequencing and quantitative proteomic analysis were performed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms, which were further verified by polymerase chain reaction or functional experiments. ResultsDifferent concentrations of ICA exhibited opposite effects: low-concentration ICA promoted, while high concentrations suppressed the proliferation and function of T cells. A high dose of ICA administration during days +3 to +5 post-allo-HCT can alleviate murine aGVHD but does not affect the course of chronic GVHD (cGVHD), the GVL effect against both acute myeloid and lymphoblastic leukemia, or the recovery of donor hematological and immune cells. ICA extensively represses the expansion, function, and infiltration of donor alloreactive T cells, while preserving regulatory T cells (Tregs) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC). Quantitative proteomic analysis showed that downregulation of integrin-linked kinase (ILK) and lymphocyte cytosolic protein 2 (LCP2) expression was possibly associated with ICA-mediated aGVHD protective effects. Furthermore, an inhibitor of ILK, which can alleviate murine aGVHD administered early after allo-HCT. ConclusionThese findings suggest that the bioactivities of ICA are associated with its concentration and that ICA can effectively mitigate aGVHD without losing GVL activity or engraftment of donor hematopoietic and immune cells. Thus, ICA may be a promising drug for preventing aGVHD in clinical settings.

Integrin-Linked Kinase in the Development of Gastric Tumors Induced by Helicobacter pylori: Regulation and Prevention Potential.

Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is crucial in solid tumors by regulating the Hippo-Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP) pathway. This study aimed to uncover how Helicobacter pylori influences ILK levels and its role in regulating YAP during H. pylori-induced gastric cancer. GES-1 cells with stable Ilk knockdown and overexpression and a mouse carcinogenesis model for H. pylori infection were constructed. And ILK, the phosphorylated mammalian STE20-like protein kinase 1 (MST1), large tumor suppressor 1 (LATS1; S909, T1079), and YAP (S109, S127) were detected in cells, and mice by western blotting, as well as fluorescence intensity of YAP were assayed by immunofluorescence. YAP downstream genes Igfbp4 and Ctgf, the pathological changes and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), and nitric oxide (NO) levels in mice gastric tissues were detected by real-time PCR, H&E, and ELISA assays. In this study, stable Ilk knockdown cells exhibited significantly higher phosphorylated levels of MST1, LATS1, and YAP, as well as increased YAP in the nuclei of GES-1 cells. Conversely, cells with Ilk overexpression showed opposite results. H. pylori infection led to decreased ILK levels in gastric epithelial cells but increased ILK levels in gastric cancer cell lines (MGC803, SGC7901) and gastric cancer tissues in mice. Treatment with the ILK inhibitor OST-T315 elevated the phosphorylated MST, LATS1, and YAP levels, and inhibited the mRNA levels of Igfbp4 and Ctgf at 44, 48 week-aged mice. OST-T315 also reduced the release of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and NO, as well as the progression of gastric cancer caused by H. pylori and N-Nitroso-N-methylurea (NMU) treatment. Upon initiation of gastric tumorigenesis signals, H. pylori increases ILK levels and suppresses Hippo signaling, thereby promoting YAP activation and gastric cancer progression. ILK can serve as a potential prevention target to impede H. pylori-induced gastric cancer.

Integrin-linked kinase-frizzled 7 interaction maintains cancer stem cells to drive platinum resistance in ovarian cancer

BackgroundPlatinum-based chemotherapy regimens are a mainstay in the management of ovarian cancer (OC), but emergence of chemoresistance poses a significant clinical challenge. The persistence of ovarian cancer stem cells (OCSCs) at the end of primary treatment contributes to disease recurrence. Here, we hypothesized that the extracellular matrix protects CSCs during chemotherapy and supports their tumorigenic functions by activating integrin-linked kinase (ILK), a key enzyme in drug resistance.MethodsTCGA datasets and OC models were investigated using an integrated proteomic and gene expression analysis and examined ILK for correlations with chemoresistance pathways and clinical outcomes. Canonical Wnt pathway components, pro-survival signaling, and stemness were examined using OC models. To investigate the role of ILK in the OCSC-phenotype, a novel pharmacological inhibitor of ILK in combination with carboplatin was utilized in vitro and in vivo OC models.ResultsIn response to increased fibronectin secretion and integrin β1 clustering, aberrant ILK activation supported the OCSC phenotype, contributing to OC spheroid proliferation and reduced response to platinum treatment. Complexes formed by ILK with the Wnt receptor frizzled 7 (Fzd7) were detected in tumors and correlated with metastatic progression. Moreover, TCGA datasets confirmed that combined expression of ILK and Fzd7 in high grade serous ovarian tumors is correlated with reduced response to chemotherapy and poor patient outcomes. Mechanistically, interaction of ILK with Fzd7 increased the response to Wnt ligands, thereby amplifying the stemness-associated Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Notably, preclinical studies showed that the novel ILK inhibitor compound 22 (cpd-22) alone disrupted ILK interaction with Fzd7 and CSC proliferation as spheroids. Furthermore, when combined with carboplatin, this disruption led to sustained AKT inhibition, apoptotic damage in OCSCs and reduced tumorigenicity in mice.ConclusionsThis “outside-in” signaling mechanism is potentially actionable, and combined targeting of ILK-Fzd7 may lead to new therapeutic approaches to eradicate OCSCs and improve patient outcomes.

Abstract 1392: Neutrophil extracellular trap (NET)-induced pancreatic tumor metastasis requires integrin-linked kinase (ILK) signaling

Abstract Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are an important contributor to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and facilitate metastasis of solid cancers. NETs have been shown to stimulate breast and colon cancer cell metastasis through a mechanism potentially involving an interaction between integrin-linked kinase (ILK) and the cell surface receptor coiled-coil domain containing protein 25 (CCDC25). Here, we have interrogated whether ILK is required for NET-induced metastasis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), an inflammation-driven tumor that is difficult to treat. Evaluation of the circulating neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in the blood samples of patients presenting with metastatic PDAC showed that a higher baseline NLR is associated with significantly shorter overall patient survival. Western blot and immunofluorescence analyses demonstrated that human PDAC cell lines, patient-derived xenograft cells, cells derived from the KPCY genetic model of PDAC and patient-derived organoids co-express CCDC25 and ILK. Co-immunoprecipitation analyses showed that CCDC25 and ILK associate in both mouse and human PDAC cells, and that exposure of the cells to NETs results in an increased amount of ILK associated with CCDC25. Exposure of human and KPCY mouse PDAC cells to NETs increases phosphorylation of GSK3-β and ERK, increases activation of Rac1 and Cdc42 and upregulates markers of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), including ZEB1 and Snail, in a time and concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, time-lapse imaging using Incucyte-based wounding assays showed that exposure to NETs induces pseudopodia-like protrusions, migration and invasion by these cells. RNAi-mediated suppression of ILK expression or inhibition of ILK activity using a highly selective inhibitor of ILK, QLT-0267, significantly inhibits the NET-induced increase in GSK3-β phosphorylation, Rac1/Cdc42 activation, migration and invasion of PDAC cells. In vivo, co-localization of CCDC25 and ILK is observed in tumors and metastases from KPCY mouse and MIA PaCa-2 human PDAC xenograft models stained by multispectral immunofluorescence and analyzed by confocal microscopy. Tumors and metastases show the presence of infiltrating neutrophils and NETs as indicated by staining for myeloperoxidase and citrullinated histone H3. Importantly, doxycycline-inducible shRNA-mediated suppression of ILK expression by luciferase-positive PDAC cells following injection of these cells through the tail vein of mice administered LPS intranasally results in a significant reduction in metastasis as measured by bioluminescence-based imaging, compared to control animals. Collectively, these data identify NET-induced ILK signaling as an important contributor to PDAC progression and suggest the potential for targeting this axis to prevent PDAC progression and metastasis. Citation Format: Paul C. McDonald, Shannon J. Awrey, Hossein Tavakoli, Rebekah Carroll, Zachary J. Gerbec, Joanna M. Karasinska, David F. Schaeffer, Daniel J. Renouf, Shoukat Dedhar. Neutrophil extracellular trap (NET)-induced pancreatic tumor metastasis requires integrin-linked kinase (ILK) signaling [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 1392.

ILK inhibition reduces osteophyte formation through suppression of osteogenesis in BMSCs via Akt/GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway.

Osteophyte development is a common characteristic of inflammatory skeletal diseases. Elevated osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) participates in pathological osteogenesis. Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) positively regulates the osteoblastic differentiation of osteoprogenitors, but whether the ILK blockage prevents osteophytes and its potential mechanism is still unknown. Furthermore, the low-dose tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) promotes osteogenic differentiation, but a lack of study reports on the relationship between this cytokine and ILK. OSU-T315 is a small ILK inhibitor, which was used to determine the effect of ILK inhibition on osteogenesis and osteophyte formation. The osteogenesis of BMSCs was evaluated using Alizarin red S staining, alkaline phosphatase, collagen type I alpha 2 chain, and bone gamma-carboxyglutamate protein. The expression and phosphorylation of protein were assessed through western blot. Immunofluorescence was employed to display the distribution of β-catenin. microCT, hematoxylin-eosin, and safranin O/fast green staining were utilized to observe the osteophyte formation in collagen antibody-induced arthritis mice. We found that ILK blockage significantly declined calcium deposition and osteoblastic markers in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, it lowered osteogenesis in the TNF-α-induced inflammatory microenvironment by diminishing the effect of ILK and inactivating the Akt/ GSK-3β/ β-catenin pathway. Nuclear β-catenin was descended by OSU-T315 as well. Finally, the ILK suppression restrained osteophyte formation but not inflammation in vivo. ILK inhibition lowered osteogenesis in TNF-α-related inflammatory conditions by deactivating the Akt/ GSK-3β/ β-catenin pathway. This may be a potential strategy to alleviate osteophyte development in addition to anti-inflammatory treatment.

Inhibition of Integrin-Associated Kinases FAK and ILK on the In Vitro Model of Skin Wound Healing.

Dermal fibroblasts are essential cells of skin tissue responsible for its normal functioning. In skin wounds, the differentiation of resident fibroblasts into myofibroblasts occurs, which is accompanied by the rearrangement of actin cytoskeleton with the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin. This transformation is a prerequisite for a successful wound healing. At the same time, different studies indicate that extracellular matrix may be involved in regulation of this process. Since the connection between cells and matrix is provided by transmembrane integrin receptors, this work was aimed at studying the dynamics of signaling pathways associated with integrins on an in vitro model of wound healing using human skin fibroblasts. It was shown that the healing of simulated wound was accompanied by a change in the level of integrins as well as integrin-associated kinases ILK (integrin-linked kinase) and FAK (focal adhesion kinase). Pharmacological inhibition of ILK and FAK caused the suppression of p38 and Akt which proteins are involved in regulation of the actin cytoskeleton. Moreover, it resulted in an inefficient wound closure in vitro. The results of this study support the involvement of integrin-associated kinases in regulation of fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition during wound healing.

Glutaredoxin 2 protects lens epithelial cells from epithelial-mesenchymal transition by suppressing mitochondrial oxidative stress-related upregulation of integrin-linked kinase

Glutaredoxin 2 (Grx2), a mitochondrial glutathione-dependent oxidoreductase, is crucial for maintaining redox homeostasis and cellular functions in the lens. The oxidative stress-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of lens epithelial cells (LECs) is related to posterior capsule opacification. In this study, we investigated the effects of Grx2 on oxidative stress-induced EMT in LECs during posterior capsule opacification. We found that Grx2 expression was substantially decreased during the EMT of LECs and in a mouse model of cataract surgery. Deletion of Grx2 aggravated the generation of reactive oxygen species, including those that are mitochondria-derived, and promoted the proliferation and EMT of the LECs. This was reversed by Grx2 overexpression. In vivo, proteomic liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed that integrin-linked kinase (ILK) was significantly upregulated in the lens posterior capsule of a Grx2 knockout (KO) mouse model. Compared with that of the wild-type group, the expression of ILK and EMT markers was increased in the Grx2 KO group which was reversed in the Grx2 knock-in group. Inhibition of ILK partially blocked Grx2 knockdown-induced EMT and prevented the increased phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3β and the nuclear translocation of β-catenin in the Grx2 KO group. Finally, inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway partially blocked the Grx2 knockdown-induced EMT. In conclusion, we demonstrated that Grx2 protects LECs from oxidative stress-related EMT by regulating the ILK/Akt/GSK-3β axis.

Upregulation of integrin‑linked kinase enhances tumor progression in gemcitabine‑resistant pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer (PaCa) tends to be resistant to chemotherapy and is associated with a very poor prognosis. It has been previously reported by the authors that integrin‑linked kinase (ILK) is a prognostic factor in PaCa. ILK expression was examined in a newly established gemcitabine (Gem)‑resistant (Gem‑R) PaCa cell line and it was demonstrated that ILK expression was upregulated compared with that in Gem‑sensitive (Gem‑S) cells. In the present study, the effects of increased ILK expression in Gem‑R PaCa cells were evaluated and it was examined whether compound22 (Cpd22), an ILK inhibitor, exerted antitumor effects not only in Gem‑S cells but also in Gem‑R cells. Reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting revealed that ILK expression was higher in Gem‑R PaCa cells than in Gem‑S PaCa cells. Cpd22 inhibited the growth of PaCa cells in a concentration‑dependent manner. Cpd22 also inhibited the growth of Gem‑R PaCa cells. The invasive and angiogenic potential of Gem‑R PaCa cells was enhanced compared with that in Gem‑S cells; however, ILK small interfering RNA and Cpd22 treatment suppressed this enhancement of invasive potential compared with that in Gem‑S cells. The addition of Cpd22 to Gem also improved the sensitivity of Gem‑R cell lines to Gem. Furthermore, enhanced Akt signaling was associated with increased malignancy in Gem‑R cell lines. In conclusion, ILK was upregulated with resistance and may be involved in tumor angiogenesis, invasive potential, and chemotherapy resistance, which were all suppressed by Cpd22 treatment. Thus, Cpd22 may be a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of PaCa.

Combination Effects of Integrin-linked Kinase and Abelson Kinase Inhibition on Aberrant Mitosis and Cell Death in Glioblastoma Cells.

In cancer cells, inhibition of integrin-linked kinase (ILK) increases centrosome declustering causing mitotic arrest and cell death. Yet, not all cancer cells are susceptible to anti-ILK treatment alone. We investigate a combination drug strategy targeting ILK and another oncogenic kinase, Abelson kinase (ABL). Drug-concentration viability assays (i.e., MTT assays) indicate that ILK and ABL inhibitors in combination decreased the viability of glioblastoma cells over the ILK drug QLT-0267 alone. Combination strategies also increased aberrant mitoses and cell death over QLT-0267 alone. This was evident from an increase in mitotic arrest, apoptosis and a sub-G1 peak following FAC analysis. In vitro, ILK and ABL localized to the centrosome and the putative ILK kinase domain was important for this localization. Increased levels of cytosolic ABL are associated with its transformative abilities. ILK inhibitor effects on survival correlated with its ability to decrease cytosolic ABL levels and inhibit ABL's localization to mitotic centrosomes in glioblastoma cells. ILK inhibitor effects on ABL's centrosomal localization were reversed by the proteasomal inhibitor MG132 (a drug that inhibits ABL degradation). These results indicate that ILK regulates ABL at mitotic centrosomes and that combination treatments targeting ILK and ABL are more effective then QLT-0267 alone at decreasing the survival of dividing glioblastoma cells.

Negative regulation of type I interferon signaling by integrin-linked kinase permits dengue virus replication.

Dengue virus (DENV) infection can induce life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome in infected patients. DENV is a threat to global health due to its growing numbers and incidence of infection in the last 50 years. During infection, DENV expresses ten structural and nonstructural proteins modulating cell responses to benefit viral replication. However, the lack of knowledge regarding the cellular proteins and their functions in enhancing DENV pathogenesis impedes the development of antiviral drugs and therapies against fatal DENV infection. Here, we identified that integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is a novel enhancing factor for DENV infection by suppressing type I interferon (IFN) responses. Mechanistically, ILK binds DENV NS1 and NS3, activates Akt and Erk, and induces NF-κB-driven suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) expression. Elevated SOCS3 in DENV-infected cells inhibits phosphorylation of STAT1/2 and expression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). Inhibiting ILK, Akt, or Erk activation abrogates SOCS3 expression. In DENV-infected mice, the treatment of an ILK inhibitor significantly reduces viral loads in the brains, disease severity, and mortality rate. Collectively, our results show that ILK is a potential therapeutic target against DENV infection.

Tissue transglutaminase activates integrin-linked kinase and β-catenin in ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the most lethal gynecological cancer. OC cells have high proliferative capacity, are invasive, resist apoptosis, and tumors often display rearrangement of extracellular matrix (ECM) components, contributing to accelerated tumor progression. The multifunctional protein tissue transglutaminase (TG2) is known to be secreted in the tumor microenvironment, where it interacts with fibronectin (FN) and the cell surface receptor integrin β1. However, the mechanistic role of TG2 in cancer cell proliferation is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that TG2 directly interacts with and facilitates the phosphorylation and activation of the integrin effector protein integrin-linked kinase (ILK) at Ser246. We show that TG2 and p-Ser246-ILK form a complex that is detectable in patient-derived OC primary cells grown on FN-coated slides. In addition, we show that coexpression of TGM2 and ILK correlates with poor clinical outcome. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that TG2-mediated ILK activation causes phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3α/β, allowing β-catenin nuclear translocation and transcriptional activity. Furthermore, inhibition of TG2 and ILK using small molecules, neutralizing antibodies, or shRNA-mediated knockdown blocks cell adhesion to the FN matrix, as well as the Wnt receptor response to the Wnt-3A ligand, and ultimately, cell adhesion, growth, and migration. In conclusion, we demonstrate that TG2 directly interacts with and activates ILK in OC cells and tumors and define a new mechanism that links ECM cues with β-catenin signaling in OC. These results suggest a central role of TG2–FN–integrin clusters in ECM rearrangement and indicate that downstream effector ILK may represent a potential new therapeutic target in OC.

Descifrando el mecanismo de inhibición de una pseudoquinasa: la quinasa ligada a integrinas y el cpd22

According to World Health Organization (WHO) cancer is one of top non- infectious death causes worldwide. In this context, as such the searching of new potent and safe anticancer drugs is a hot point for pharmacy industry and academic investigation. Despite protein kinases have been one of the most explored anticancer targets, its evolutionary degenerated parents, pseudokinases, have attracted the attention of scientific community during the last decade. Integrin Linked Kinase (ILK) is a member of the human pseudokinome that has been claimed and validated as a prommissing target for neoplastic diseases. The only well-known ILK inhibitor, CPD22, has probed its activity in phenotypic assays, however very few knowledge regarding its mechanism of action at molecular level is available. Using chemoinformatic and molecular modelling techniques we were able to elucidate if this molecule is able to bind to ILK and how. Additionally, our model explains the SAR raised from the optimization campaign, and SPR experiments have probed, by first time, that this molecule binds to ILK, thus supporting the hypothesis of inhibition by direct binding and the computational model as well.

Abstract 161: Regulation of Abl at mitotic centrosomes and survival by ILK in glioblastoma cells

Abstract Many cancer cells possess supernumerary centrosomes, having more than one centrosome at each pole during mitosis which can lead to aberrant mitotic division and cell death. To prevent this fate, cancer cells cluster their centrosomes at two poles during division to divide in a pseudobipolar manner. As the presence of supernumerary centrosomes is rare in normal cells, targeting the declustering of supernumerary centrosomes in cancer cells is a promising strategy for cancer treatment. Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is an oncogenic protein and chemotherapeutic target shown to be found at the centrosome where it has a role in facilitating centrosome clustering. Inhibition of ILK, via an anti-ILK chemotherapeutic drug QLT-0267, has been shown to increase centrosome declustering causing mitotic arrest and cell death. However, not all cancers cells are susceptible to anti-ILK treatment alone. Therefore, we investigate a combination treatment strategy targeting ILK and another oncogenic kinase, Abelson kinase (Abl). Both ILK and Abl are involved in cancer cell survival, regulated by the same signalling pathways and share common binding partners that occur at the centrosome and are critical for mitosis. The ILK inhibitor QLT-0267 induced a significant sub-G1 peak following propidium iodide FACS analysis and an increase in MTT labelling, indicating that QLT-0267 significantly decreased survival in glioblastoma cell lines. These effects were augmented in the presence of imatinib, an Abl inhibitor. Moreover, QLT-0267 and imatinib, in combination, significantly increased mitotically arrested cells over the ILK inhibitor alone. Increased levels of cytosolic Abl have been associated with its transformative abilities. The ILK inhibitor effects on survival correlated with its ability to decrease cytosolic Abl levels and inhibited Abl’s localization to mitotic centrosomes in dividing glioblastoma cells. These effects were reversed by the proteasomal inhibitor MG132 (a drug that inhibits the degradation of Abl). Together these results indicate that combination treatment with QLT-0267 and imatinib are more effective then QLT-0267 alone at decreasing successful mitoses and survival in glioblastoma cells. Future studies will unravel the relationship between these oncogenic kinases at centrosomes and its effect on cancer cell cycle progression and survival. Citation Format: Jonathan Dresselhuis, Maddisen Brown, Nicole Robinson, Jacqueline Tan, Michael E. Cox, Julia Mills. Regulation of Abl at mitotic centrosomes and survival by ILK in glioblastoma cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 161.

Abstract 995: Tissue transglutaminase regulates integrin-linked kinase and beta-catenin signaling in ovarian cancer cells

Abstract Ovarian cancer (OC) is the most lethal gynecological cancer characterized by an enhanced migratory capacity, invasiveness, elevated resistance to apoptosis, and rearrangement of extra-cellular matrix (ECM) components. In OC, the interaction between fibronectin (FN) and the β1 integrins activates the adaptor protein integrin linked kinase (ILK) that acts as central hub integrating the mechanical forces with the activation of various signaling pathways, leading to cell survival, proliferation, and migration. ILK overexpression was correlated with OC progression and its functional inhibition blocked tumorigenicity by inactivation of glycogen synthase kinase-3α/β (GSK-3α/β) and the β-catenin-TCF/LEF1 transcriptional activity, thus pointing towards the direct involvement of ILK as a modulator of the crosstalk between ECM and the canonical Wnt signaling. However, the connection between integrins and β-catenin remains poorly understood. The multifunctional protein tissue transglutaminase (TG2) with enzymatic and scaffold functions is an important molecule secreted in the tumor microenvironment where it modulates oncogenic signaling by interacting with FN and integrins. Previously, we demonstrated that TG2/FN/β1 integrin clusters regulated β-catenin activation, correlating with OC progression. Here, we investigated whether TG2-FN interaction is essential to activate the integrin-ILK axis, thereby stabilizing β-catenin. First, we demonstrate that TG2-expressing OC cells plated on FN matrix increase the pool of active p-ILKSer246. Confocal microscopy shows that TG2 co-localizes with p-ILKSer246 in OC cells and that the presence of FN matrices is instrumental in the formation of active TG2/p-ILKSer246 clusters. Further, proximity ligation assay analysis reveals that each protein of the ternary TG2/FN/β1 integrin complex actively engages with p-ILKSer246 in primary ovarian tumor cells, supporting the functional relevance of TG2-mediated outside in transduction signals in vivo. Second, we show that TG2-mediated ILK activation mechanistically amplifies the response of OC cells to Wnt-3A treatment, leading to the inhibitory phosphorylation of the GSK-3α/β at Ser21/9, which in turn allows β-catenin nuclear translocation and transcriptional activity. Finally, we evaluate whether the TG2-ILK complex has functional outcomes. In the presence of an active TG2/p-ILKSer246 axis, Wnt-3a treatment efficiently increases proliferation and migration in OC cells compared to control, whereas the inhibitory anti-TG2 blocking antibody (clone 4G3) directed against the FN-binding domain of TG2 and ILK inhibition by the small molecule cpd-22 drastically reduce the Wnt-3A impact on the OC cell proliferative and migratory capacity. In sum, here we demonstrate that TG2 directly activates ILK and define a new mechanism which links ECM cues with β-catenin signaling in OC. Citation Format: Salvatore Condello, Rula Atwani, Daniela Matei. Tissue transglutaminase regulates integrin-linked kinase and beta-catenin signaling in ovarian cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 995.

Integrin-Linked Kinase Reduces H3K9 Trimethylation to Enhance Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Replication.

Histone modifications control the lytic gene expression of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). The heterochromatin mark, trimethylation of histone H3 on lysine (K) 9 (H3K9me3), is detected on HSV-1 genomes at early phases of infection to repress viral gene transcription. However, the components and mechanisms involved in the process are mostly unknown. Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is activated by PI3K to phosphorylate Akt and promote several RNA virus infections. Akt has been shown to enhance HSV-1 infection, suggesting a pro-viral role of ILK in HSV-1 infection that has not been addressed before. Here, we reveal that ILK enhances HSV-1 replication in an Akt-independent manner. ILK reduces the accumulation of H3K9me3 on viral promoters and replication compartments. Notably, ILK reduces H3K9me3 in a manner independent of ICP0. Instead, we show an increased binding of H3K9 methyltransferase SUV39H1 and corepressor TRIM28 on viral promoters in ILK knockdown cells. Knocking down SUV39H1 or TRIM28 increases HSV-1 lytic gene transcription in ILK knockdown cells. These results show that ILK antagonizes SVU39H1- and TRIM28-mediated repression on lytic gene transcription. We further demonstrate that ILK knockdown reduces TRIM28 phosphorylation on serine 473 and 824 in HSV-1-infected cells, suggesting that ILK facilitates TRIM28 phosphorylation to abrogate its inhibition on lytic gene transcription. OSU-T315, an ILK inhibitor, suppresses HSV-1 replication in cells and mice. In conclusion, we demonstrate that ILK decreases H3K9me3 on HSV-1 DNA by reducing SUV39H1 and TRIM28 binding. Moreover, our results suggest that targeting ILK could be a broad-spectrum antiviral strategy for DNA and RNA virus infections, especially for DNA viruses controlled by histone modifications.

α-Catulin promotes cancer stemness by antagonizing WWP1-mediated KLF5 degradation in lung cancer.

Background: The cytoskeletal linker protein α-Catulin has been shown to be important for tumor progression in various cancers. However, its role in the regulation of cancer stemness remains unclear.Methods: Phenotypic effects of α-Catulin on the cancer stem cell (CSC)-like properties and metastasis were examined by in vitro sphere formation assay, migration assay, invasion assay, and in vivo xenografted animal models. Yeast two-hybrid assay, co-immunoprecipitation assay, and cycloheximide chase assay were performed to confirm the effect of α-Catulin on the WWP1-mediated degradation of KLF5. CPTAC and TCGA database were analyzed to determine the clinical association of α-Catulin, KLF5, and stemness-associated signatures in lung adenocarcinoma.Results: We report that α-Catulin increases cancer stem-like properties in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The expression of α-Catulin is elevated in tumor spheres compared to sphere-derived adherent cells and promotes the acquisition of cancer stemness characteristics in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, the interaction of α-Catulin and the C-terminal region of Kruppel-like transcription factor KLF5 results in the inhibition of WWP1-mediated degradation of KLF5. Accordingly, increased protein expression of KLF5 is observed in clinical specimens of lung adenocarcinoma with high expression of α-Catulin compared to specimens with low α-Catulin-expression. Knockdown of KLF5 abrogates α-Catulin-driven cancer stemness. α-Catulin is known to interact with integrin-linked kinase (ILK). Notably, an ILK inhibitor disrupts the α-Catulin-KLF5 interaction, promotes the degradation of KLF5, and decreases α-Catulin-driven cancer stemness. Importantly, we identify a CTNNAL1/ILK/KLF5 three-gene signature for predicting poor overall survival in patients with lung adenocarcinoma.Conclusions: These findings reveal a molecular basis of α-Catulin-enhanced KLF5 signaling and highlight a role for α-Catulin in promoting cancer stemness.

Effects of integrin-linked kinase on protein kinase b, glycogen synthase kinase-3β, and β-catenin molecules in ovarian cancer cells.

Objective(s):This study examines the impact of integrin-linked kinase (ILK), protein kinase B (AKT), glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), and β-catenin signal molecules in SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells adhered to fibronectin. Materials and Methods:Expression levels of α4, αv, β1, and β6 integrin subunits known as the fibronectin ligand were investigated with the flow cytometry technique. The effects of ILK, AKT, GSK-3β, and β-catenin on the binding of SKOV-3 cells to fibronectin were examined by using the Real-Time Cellular Analysis (RTCA) method. Additionally, the interaction of these proteins was investigated by using Western blot analysis. Results:The results show that the expression levels of integrin subunits were ranked as αv (67.8%), followed by α4 (48.55%), β6 (32.05%), and β1 (31%) on SKOV-3 cells. RTCA results showed that ILK (10 µM Cpd22), GSK-3β (50 μM GSK-3β inhibitor-XI), AKT (35 µM FPA 124), and β-catenin (50 μM cardamonin) inhibitors decreased significantly (P<0.01) binding to fibronectin at 24 hr. Western studies in SKOV-3 cells adhered to fibronectin have shown that in inhibition of ILK, AKT expression was strongly inhibited, whereas, in the inhibition of AKT, ILK expression was strongly inhibited. Furthermore, the expression of β-catenin is partially reduced in inhibition of these two molecules. In β-catenin inhibition, AKT and ILK expressions are also strongly inhibited.Conclusion:ILK, AKT, GSK-3β, and β-catenin were found to be fundamental molecules in binding of SKOV-3 cells to fibronectin. ILK and AKT affect strongly the level of expression of each other, and both also affect the signal path of β-catenin.

A Potential Role for Integrin-Linked Kinase in Colorectal Cancer Growth and Progression via Regulating Senescence and Immunity.

Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) has been implicated as a molecular driver and mediator in both inflammation and tumorigenesis of the colon. ILK functions as an adaptor and mediator protein linking the extracellular matrix with downstream signaling pathways. ILK is broadly expressed in many human tissues and cells. It is also overexpressed in many cancers, including colorectal cancer (CRC). Inflammation, as evidenced by inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), is one of the highest risk factors for initiating CRC. This has led to the hypothesis that targeting ILK therapeutically could have potential in CRC, as it regulates different cellular processes associated with CRC development and progression as well as inflammation in the colon. A number of studies have indicated an ILK function in senescence, a cellular process that arrests the cell cycle while maintaining active metabolism and transcription. Senescent cells produce different secretions collectively known as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). The SASP secretions influence infiltration of different immune cells, either positively for clearing senescent cells or negatively for promoting tumor growth, reflecting the dual role of senescence in cancer. However, a role for ILK in senescence and immunity in CRC remains to be determined. In this review, we discuss the possible role for ILK in senescence and immunity, paying particular attention to the relevance of ILK in CRC. We also examine how activating Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and their agonists in CRC could trigger immune responses against cancer, as a combination therapy with ILK inhibition.

Nongenomic Thyroxine‐Induced Relaxation of Rat Skeletal Muscle Arteries Is Mediated by Integrin αvβ3, Integrin‐Linked Kinase, ERK1/2 and ROCK

Thyroid hormones (TH) can decrease total peripheral resistance by changing vascular tone. They induce genomic effects which are necessarily associated with the change in gene expression and nongenomic effects which could involve a wide spectrum of molecular pathways resulting in relatively rapid vasodilation (within several minutes). The mechanisms behind the nongenomic vasorelaxation are poorly understood and may differ among the vascular beds. Skeletal muscles resistance arteries are important contributors to the total peripheral resistance. Therefore, in this study, we tested the hypothesis that both TH (T3 and T4) induce rapid nongenomic dilation of rat skeletal muscle arteries. Gastrocnemius feed (sural) arteries from Wistar rats (m=300-450 g) were mounted in wire myograph to record their responses in isometric mode. We discovered that T4 (10 microM) induced more prominent relaxation than T3 (10 microM) in arteries preconstricted by methoxamine (α1-adrenoceptor agonist): to 37.7±6.6% and 67.9±11.8 % from contraction level in control, respectively. Preincubation with T4 (10 microM) was also more effective in depressing contractile responses to methoxamine than preincubation with T3 (10 microM). T3-induced relaxation disappeared after endothelium removal, while T4-induced relaxation did not depend on the presence of endothelium. Further, we studied the mechanisms of the more prominent nongenomic effect of T4 in details. The effect of T4 in endothelium-denuded arteries was abolished by tetrac (3 microM), the competitive inhibitor of integrin αvβ3. Integrin αvβ3 may mediate the extracellular matrix signalling by activation of associated kinases like Src-kinase, integrin-linked kinase (ILK) or ERK1/2. Src-kinase inhibitor PP2 (10 microM) did not affect T4-induced relaxation. However, in the presence of ILK inhibitor compound 22 (10 microM) or ERK1/2 inhibitor U0126 (10 microM), the effect of T4 was absent. One of the downstream targets of ILK could be RhoA-activated kinase (ROCK) which potentiates smooth muscle contraction by inhibiting myosin light chain phosphatase through MYPT1 phosphorylation. ROCK inhibitor Y27632 (3 microM) decreased the effect of T4. The results of functional studies were supported by Western blot data. Preincubation with T4 (10 microM) reduced the contents of phosphorylated MYPT1 (Thr850) and MLC2 (Ser19) in endothelium-denuded arterial samples, the effect of T4 was not observed in the presence of ILK inhibitor compound 22. To conclude, T3 induces endothelium-dependent rapid nongenomic relaxation of rat sural arteries. The rapid relaxing effect of T4 is more powerful and, unlike T3, endothelium-independent. The molecular pathway of T4-induced relaxation of smooth muscle includes suppression of extracellular matrix signalling via integrin αvβ3 and downstream kinases ILK, ERK 1/2 and ROCK with subsequent decrease of MYPT1 (Thr850) and MLC2 (Ser19) phosphorylation.

Development of a system combining comprehensive genotyping and organoid cultures for identifying and testing genotype-oriented personalised medicine for pancreatobiliary cancers

BackgroundPancreatobiliary cancer is a highly aggressive tumour with a dismal prognosis. Personalised medicine represents a promising and effective therapeutic approach for this intractable disease. In this study, we aimed to establish a system for identifying and testing genotype-oriented targeted drugs for pancreatobiliary cancers by combining exome sequencing and organoid culture of primary tumours. MethodsTumour cells isolated from resected tumours were subjected to organoid cultures based on published protocols with modifications. Exome sequencing was performed on the primary tumours. Histopathological and molecular features of the primary tumours were validated in the corresponding organoids. Genotype-oriented candidate targeted drugs were identified from exome sequencing, and their efficacies were tested in the organoids. ResultsOrganoid cultures succeeded in 30 of 54 (55.6%) cases. Six primary cancers of the biliary tract and gall bladder were subjected to exome sequencing, which revealed a variety of somatic mutations of genes involved in signalling pathways, epigenetic modifiers, genome maintenance and metabolic enzymes. Most of the organoids of these 6 cases showed identical histopathological features and genomic aberrations as those of the primary tumours. Some of the aberrations were candidates for targeted therapies. Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) was one such candidate target, and an ILK inhibitor was confirmed to suppress proliferation of patient-derived organoids. ConclusionsBy combining exome sequencing and organoid culture, our model enabled to identify genotype-oriented targets for personalised medicine and to test efficacies of candidate targeted drugs in the organoids. The current proof-of-concept approach could increase therapeutic opportunities for patients with pancreatobiliary cancers.