Colorectal cancer cells require glycogen synthase kinase-3ß for sustaining mitosis via translocated promoter region (TPR)-dynein interaction.

Glycogen synthase kinase (GSK) 3ß, which mediates fundamental cellular signaling pathways, has emerged as a potential therapeutic target for many types of cancer including colorectal cancer (CRC). During mitosis, GSK3ß localizes in mitotic spindles and centrosomes, however its function is largely unknown. We previously demonstrated that translocated promoter region (TPR, a nuclear pore component) and dynein (a molecular motor) cooperatively contribute to mitotic spindle formation. Such knowledge encouraged us to investigate putative functional interactions among GSK3ß, TPR, and dynein in the mitotic machinery of CRC cells. Here, we show that inhibition of GSK3ß attenuated proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase, and increased apoptosis of CRC cells. Morphologically, GSK3ß inhibition disrupted chromosome segregation, mitotic spindle assembly, and centrosome maturation during mitosis, ultimately resulting in mitotic cell death. These changes in CRC cells were associated with decreased expression of TPR and dynein, as well as disruption of their functional colocalization with GSK3ß in mitotic spindles and centrosomes. Clinically, we showed that TPR expression was increased in CRC databases and primary tumors of CRC patients. Furthermore, TPR expression in SW480 cells xenografted into mice was reduced following treatment with GSK3ß inhibitors. Together, these results indicate that GSK3ß sustains steady mitotic processes for proliferation of CRC cells via interaction with TPR and dynein, thereby suggesting that the therapeutic effect of GSK3ß inhibition depends on induction of mitotic catastrophe in CRC cells.