Endocytosis in the context-dependent regulation of individual and collective cell properties.

Endocytosis allows cells to transport particles and molecules across the plasma membrane. In addition, it is involved in the termination of signalling through receptor downmodulation and degradation. This traditional outlook has been substantially modified in recent years by discoveries that endocytosis and subsequent trafficking routes have a profound impact on the positive regulation and propagation of signals, being key for the spatiotemporal regulation of signal transmission in cells. Accordingly, endocytosis and membrane trafficking regulate virtually every aspect of cell physiology and are frequently subverted in pathological conditions. Two key aspects of endocytic control over signalling are coming into focus: context-dependency and long-range effects. First, endocytic-regulated outputs are not stereotyped but heavily dependent on the cell-specific regulation of endocytic networks. Second, endocytic regulation has an impact not only on individual cells but also on the behaviour of cellular collectives. Herein, we will discuss recent advancements in these areas, highlighting how endocytic trafficking impacts complex cell properties, including cell polarity and collective cell migration, and the relevance of these mechanisms to disease, in particular cancer.

AMBRA1 regulates cyclin D to guard S-phase entry and genomic integrity.

Mammalian development, adult tissue homeostasis and the avoidance of severe diseases including cancer require a properly orchestrated cell cycle, as well as error-free genome maintenance. The key cell-fate decision to replicate the genome is controlled by two major signalling pathways that act in parallel-the MYC pathway and the cyclin D-cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)-retinoblastoma protein (RB) pathway1,2. Both MYC and the cyclin D-CDK-RB axis are commonly deregulated in cancer, and this is associated with increased genomic instability. The autophagic tumour-suppressor protein AMBRA1 has been linked to the control of cell proliferation, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here we show that AMBRA1 is an upstream master regulator of the transition from G1 to S phase and thereby prevents replication stress. Using a combination of cell and molecular approaches and in vivo models, we reveal that AMBRA1 regulates the abundance of D-type cyclins by mediating their degradation. Furthermore, by controlling the transition from G1 to S phase, AMBRA1 helps to maintain genomic integrity during DNA replication, which counteracts developmental abnormalities and tumour growth. Finally, we identify the CHK1 kinase as a potential therapeutic target in AMBRA1-deficient tumours. These results advance our understanding of the control of replication-phase entry and genomic integrity, and identify the AMBRA1-cyclin D pathway as a crucial cell-cycle-regulatory mechanism that is deeply interconnected with genomic stability in embryonic development and tumorigenesis.

Breast cancers as ecosystems: a metabolic perspective.

Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and one of the major causes of cancer death. Despite enormous progress in its management, both from the therapeutic and early diagnosis viewpoints, still around 700,000 patients succumb to the disease each year, worldwide. Late recurrency is the major problem in BC, with many patients developing distant metastases several years after the successful eradication of the primary tumor. This is linked to the phenomenon of metastatic dormancy, a still mysterious trait of the natural history of BC, and of several other types of cancer, by which metastatic cells remain dormant for long periods of time before becoming reactivated to initiate the clinical metastatic disease. In recent years, it has become clear that cancers are best understood if studied as ecosystems in which the impact of non-cancer-cell-autonomous events-dependent on complex interaction between the cancer and its environment, both local and systemic-plays a paramount role, probably as significant as the cell-autonomous alterations occurring in the cancer cell. In adopting this perspective, a metabolic vision of the cancer ecosystem is bound to improve our understanding of the natural history of cancer, across space and time. In BC, many metabolic pathways are coopted into the cancer ecosystem, to serve the anabolic and energy demands of the cancer. Their study is shedding new light on the most critical aspect of BC management, of metastatic dissemination, and that of the related phenomenon of dormancy and fostering the application of the knowledge to the development of metabolic therapies.

Endocytic trafficking of Rac is required for the spatial restriction of signaling in cell migration.

The small GTPases, Rab5 and Rac, are essential for endocytosis and actin remodeling, respectively. Coordination of these processes is critical to achieve spatial restriction of intracellular signaling, which is essential for a variety of polarized functions. Here, we show that clathrin- and Rab5-mediated endocytosis are required for the activation of Rac induced by motogenic stimuli. Rac activation occurs on early endosomes, where the RacGEF Tiam1 is also recruited. Subsequent recycling of Rac to the plasma membrane ensures localized signaling, leading to the formation of actin-based migratory protrusions. Thus, membrane trafficking of Rac is required for the spatial resolution of Rac-dependent motogenic signals. We further demonstrate that a Rab5-to-Rac circuitry controls the morphology of motile mammalian tumor cells and primordial germinal cells during zebrafish development, suggesting that this circuitry is relevant for the regulation of migratory programs in various cells, in both in vitro settings and whole organisms.

Kinesin-2 Controls the Motility of RAB5 Endosomes and Their Association with the Spindle in Mitosis.

RAB5 is a small GTPase that belongs to the wide family of Rab proteins and localizes on early endosomes. In its active GTP-bound form, RAB5 recruits downstream effectors that, in turn, are responsible for distinct aspects of early endosome function, including their movement along microtubules. We previously reported that, at the onset of mitosis, RAB5positive vesicles cluster around the spindle poles and, during metaphase, move along spindle microtubules. RNAi-mediated depletion of the three RAB5 isoforms delays nuclear envelope breakdown at prophase and severely affects chromosome alignment and segregation. Here we show that depletion of the Kinesin-2 motor complex impairs long-range movement of RAB5 endosomes in interphase cells and prevents localization of these vesicles at the spindle during metaphase. Similarly to the effect caused by RAB5 depletion, functional ablation of Kinesin-2 delays nuclear envelope breakdown resulting in prolonged prophase. Altogether these findings suggest that endosomal transport at the onset of mitosis is required to control timing of nuclear envelope breakdown.

Tankyrase inhibition impairs directional migration and invasion of lung cancer cells by affecting microtubule dynamics and polarity signals.

BACKGROUND: Tankyrases are poly(adenosine diphosphate)-ribose polymerases that contribute to biological processes as diverse as modulation of Wnt signaling, telomere maintenance, vesicle trafficking, and microtubule-dependent spindle pole assembly during mitosis. At interphase, polarized reshaping of the microtubule network fosters oriented cell migration. This is attained by association of adenomatous polyposis coli with the plus end of microtubules at the cortex of cell membrane protrusions and microtubule-based centrosome reorientation towards the migrating front. RESULTS: Here we report a new function for tankyrases, namely, regulation of directional cell locomotion. Using a panel of lung cancer cell lines as a model system, we found that abrogation of tankyrase activity by two different, structurally unrelated small-molecule inhibitors (one introduced and characterized here for the first time) or by RNA interference-based genetic silencing weakened cell migration, invasion, and directional movement induced by the motogenic cytokine hepatocyte growth factor. Mechanistically, the anti-invasive outcome of tankyrase inhibition could be ascribed to sequential deterioration of the distinct events that govern cell directional sensing. In particular, tankyrase blockade negatively impacted (1) microtubule dynamic instability; (2) adenomatous polyposis coli plasma membrane targeting; and (3) centrosome reorientation. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, these findings uncover an unanticipated role for tankyrases in influencing at multiple levels the interphase dynamics of the microtubule network and the subcellular distribution of related polarity signals. These results encourage the further exploration of tankyrase inhibitors as therapeutic tools to oppose dissemination and metastasis of cancer cells.

Regulation of the microtubular cytoskeleton by Polycystin-1 favors focal adhesions turnover to modulate cell adhesion and migration.

BACKGROUND: Polycystin-1 (PC-1) is a large plasma membrane receptor, encoded by the PKD1 gene, which is mutated in most cases of Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD). The disease is characterized by renal cysts. The precise function of PC-1 remains elusive, although several studies suggest that it can regulate the cellular shape in response to external stimuli. We and others reported that PC-1 regulates the actin cytoskeleton and cell migration. RESULTS: Here we show that cells over-expressing PC-1 display enhanced adhesion rates to the substrate, while cells lacking PC-1 have a reduced capability to adhere. In search for the mechanism responsible for this new property of PC-1 we found that this receptor is able to regulate the stability of the microtubules, in addition to its capability to regulate the actin cytoskeleton. The two cytoskeletal components are acting in a coordinated fashion. Notably, we uncovered that PC-1 regulation of the microtubule cytoskeleton impacts on the turnover rates of focal adhesions in migrating cells and we link all these properties to the capability of PC-1 to regulate the activation state of Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK). CONCLUSIONS: In this study we show several new features of the PC-1 receptor in modulating microtubules and adhesion dynamics, which are essential for its capability to regulate migration.

Actin in membrane trafficking.

Actin cytoskeleton remodeling provides the forces required for a variety of cellular processes based on membrane dynamics, such as endocytosis, exocytosis, and vesicular trafficking at the Golgi. All these events are coordinated by networks of associated proteins, and some of them are functionally connected with cell migration. The site and the duration of actin polymerization, in connection with vesicle budding and fusion, are tightly controlled by both small GTPases and the large GTPase dynamin. Recent advances in the understanding of the mechanisms coupling actin dynamics with membrane trafficking at the cell surface have been brought by the combined studies of actin polymerizing factors and of the endocytic/exocytic machinery.

Small GTPase Rab5 participates in chromosome congression and regulates localization of the centromere-associated protein CENP-F to kinetochores.

Rab5 is a small GTPase known to regulate vesicular trafficking during interphase. Here, we show that Rab5 also plays an unexpected role during mitotic progression. RNAi-mediated silencing of Rab5 caused defects in chromosome congression and extensive prometaphase delay, and it correlated with a severe reduction in the localization of the centromere-associated protein CENP-F to kinetochores. CENP-F is a component of the nuclear matrix required for chromosome congression that, at mitotic entry, localizes to the nuclear envelope and assembles on kinetochores, contributing to the establishment of kinetochore microtubule interactions. We found that Rab5 forms a complex with a subset of CENP-F in mitotic cells and regulates the kinetics of release of CENP-F from the nuclear envelope and its accumulation on kinetochores. Simultaneous depletion of both Rab5 and CENP-F recapitulated the mitotic defects caused by silencing of either Rab5 or CENP-F alone, indicating epistatic roles for these two proteins in the pathway that orchestrates chromosome congression. These results reveal the involvement of Rab5 in the proper execution of mitotic programs whose deregulation can undermine chromosomal stability.

A PET-Surrogate Signature for the Interrogation of the Metabolic Status of Breast Cancers.

Metabolic alterations in cancers can be exploited for diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic purposes. This is exemplified by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), an imaging tool that relies on enhanced glucose uptake by tumors for diagnosis and staging. By performing transcriptomic analysis of breast cancer (BC) samples from patients stratified by FDG-PET, a 54-gene signature (PETsign) is identified that recapitulates FDG uptake. PETsign is independently prognostic of clinical outcome in luminal BCs, the most common and heterogeneous BC molecular subtype, which requires improved stratification criteria to guide therapeutic decision-making. The prognostic power of PETsign is stable across independent BC cohorts and disease stages including the earliest BC stage, arguing that PETsign is an ab initio metabolic signature. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of BC cells reveals that PETsign predicts enhanced glycolytic dependence and reduced reliance on fatty acid oxidation. Moreover, coamplification of PETsign genes occurs frequently in BC arguing for their causal role in pathogenesis. CXCL8 and EGFR signaling pathways feature strongly in PETsign, and their activation in BC cells causes a shift toward a glycolytic phenotype. Thus, PETsign serves as a molecular surrogate for FDG-PET that could inform clinical management strategies for BC patients.

TBC1 domain-containing proteins are frequently involved in triple-negative breast cancers in connection with the induction of a glycolytic phenotype.

Metabolic plasticity is a hallmark of cancer, and metabolic alterations represent a promising therapeutic target. Since cellular metabolism is controlled by membrane traffic at multiple levels, we investigated the involvement of TBC1 domain-containing proteins (TBC1Ds) in the regulation of cancer metabolism. These proteins are characterized by the presence of a RAB-GAP domain, the TBC1 domain, and typically function as attenuators of RABs, the master switches of membrane traffic. However, a number of TBC1Ds harbor mutations in their catalytic residues, predicting biological functions different from direct regulation of RAB activities. Herein, we report that several genes encoding for TBC1Ds are expressed at higher levels in triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) vs. other subtypes of breast cancers (BC), and predict prognosis. Orthogonal transcriptomics/metabolomics analysis revealed that the expression of prognostic TBC1Ds correlates with elevated glycolytic metabolism in BC cell lines. In-depth investigations of the three top hits from the previous analyses (TBC1D31, TBC1D22B and TBC1D7) revealed that their elevated expression is causal in determining a glycolytic phenotype in TNBC cell lines. We further showed that the impact of TBC1D7 on glycolytic metabolism of BC cells is independent of its known participation in the TSC1/TSC2 complex and consequent downregulation of mTORC1 activity. Since TBC1D7 behaves as an independent prognostic biomarker in TNBC, it could be used to distinguish good prognosis patients who could be spared aggressive therapy from those with a poor prognosis who might benefit from anti-glycolytic targeted therapies. Together, our results highlight how TBC1Ds connect disease aggressiveness with metabolic alterations in TNBC. Given the high level of heterogeneity among this BC subtype, TBC1Ds could represent important tools in predicting prognosis and guiding therapy decision-making.

A tripartite organelle platform links growth factor receptor signaling to mitochondrial metabolism.

One open question in the biology of growth factor receptors is how a quantitative input (i.e., ligand concentration) is decoded by the cell to produce specific response(s). Here, we show that an EGFR endocytic mechanism, non-clathrin endocytosis (NCE), which is activated only at high ligand concentrations and targets receptor to degradation, requires a tripartite organelle platform involving the plasma membrane (PM), endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria. At these contact sites, EGFR-dependent, ER-generated Ca2+ oscillations are sensed by mitochondria, leading to increased metabolism and ATP production. Locally released ATP is required for cortical actin remodeling and EGFR-NCE vesicle fission. The same biochemical circuitry is also needed for an effector function of EGFR, i.e., collective motility. The multiorganelle signaling platform herein described mediates direct communication between EGFR signaling and mitochondrial metabolism, and is predicted to have a broad impact on cell physiology as it is activated by another growth factor receptor, HGFR/MET.

Role of Varp, a Rab21 exchange factor and TI-VAMP/VAMP7 partner, in neurite growth.

The vesicular soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) tetanus neurotoxin-insensitive vesicle-associated membrane protein (TI-VAMP/VAMP7) was previously shown to mediate an exocytic pathway involved in neurite growth, but its regulation is still largely unknown. Here we show that TI-VAMP interacts with the Vps9 domain and ankyrin-repeat-containing protein (Varp), a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) of the small GTPase Rab21, through a specific domain herein called the interacting domain (ID). Varp, TI-VAMP and Rab21 co-localize in the perinuclear region of differentiating hippocampal neurons and transiently in transport vesicles in the shaft of neurites. Silencing the expression of Varp by RNA interference or expressing ID or a form of Varp deprived of its Vps9 domain impairs neurite growth. Furthermore, the mutant form of Rab21, defective in GTP hydrolysis, enhances neurite growth. We conclude that Varp is a positive regulator of neurite growth through both its GEF activity and its interaction with TI-VAMP.

Endocytosis and cancer: an 'insider' network with dangerous liaisons.

From the signaling point of view, endocytosis has long been regarded as a major mechanism of attenuation, through the degradation of signaling receptors and, in some cases, of their ligands. This outlook has changed, over the past decade, as it has become clear that signaling persists in the endocytic route, and that intracellular endocytic stations (the 'signaling endosomes') actually contribute to the sorting of signals in space and time. Endocytosis-mediated recycling of receptors and of signaling molecules to specific regions of the plasma membrane is also coming into focus as a major mechanism in the execution of spatially restricted functions, such as cell motility. In addition, emerging evidence connects endocytosis as a whole, or individual endocytic proteins, to complex cellular programs, such as the control of the cell cycle, mitosis, apoptosis and cell fate determination. Thus, endocytosis seems to be deeply ingrained into the cell regulation blueprint and its subversion is predicted to play an important role in human diseases: first and foremost, cancer.

Rab5 is a signalling GTPase involved in actin remodelling by receptor tyrosine kinases.

Rab5 is a small GTPase involved in the control of intracellular trafficking, both at the level of receptor endocytosis and endosomal dynamics. The finding that Rab5 can be activated by receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) raised the question of whether it also participates in effector pathways emanating from these receptors. Here we show that Rab5 is indispensable for a form of RTK-induced actin remodelling, called circular ruffling. Three independent signals, originating from Rab5, phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase and Rac, respectively, are simultaneously required for the induction of circular ruffles. Rab5 signals to the actin cytoskeleton through RN-tre, a previously identified Rab5-specific GTPase-activating protein (GAP). Here we demonstrate that RN-tre has the dual function of Rab5-GAP and Rab5 effector. We also show that RN-tre is critical for macropinocytosis, a process previously connected to the formation of circular ruffles. Finally, RN-tre interacts with both F-actin and actinin-4, an F-actin bundling protein. We propose that RN-tre establishes a three-pronged connection with Rab5, F-actin and actinin-4. This may aid crosslinking of actin fibres into actin networks at the plasma membrane. Thus, we have shown that Rab5 is a signalling GTPase and have elucidated the major molecular elements of its downstream pathway.

KRAS-Driven Metabolic Rewiring Reveals Novel Actionable Targets in Cancer.

Tumors driven by mutant KRAS are among the most aggressive and refractory to treatment. Unfortunately, despite the efforts, targeting alterations of this GTPase, either directly or by acting on the downstream signaling cascades, has been, so far, largely unsuccessful. However, recently, novel therapeutic opportunities are emerging based on the effect that this oncogenic lesion exerts in rewiring the cancer cell metabolism. Cancer cells that become dependent on KRAS-driven metabolic adaptations are sensitive to the inhibition of these metabolic routes, revealing novel therapeutic windows of intervention. In general, mutant KRAS fosters tumor growth by shifting cancer cell metabolism toward anabolic pathways. Depending on the tumor, KRAS-driven metabolic rewiring occurs by up-regulating rate-limiting enzymes involved in amino acid, fatty acid, or nucleotide biosynthesis, and by stimulating scavenging pathways such as macropinocytosis and autophagy, which, in turn, provide building blocks to the anabolic routes, also maintaining the energy levels and the cell redox potential (1). This review will discuss the most recent findings on mutant KRAS metabolic reliance in tumor models of pancreatic and non-small-cell lung cancer, also highlighting the role that these metabolic adaptations play in resistance to target therapy. The effects of constitutive KRAS activation in glycolysis elevation, amino acids metabolism reprogramming, fatty acid turnover, and nucleotide biosynthesis will be discussed also in the context of different genetic landscapes.

Selective autophagy maintains centrosome integrity and accurate mitosis by turnover of centriolar satellites.

The centrosome is the master orchestrator of mitotic spindle formation and chromosome segregation in animal cells. Centrosome abnormalities are frequently observed in cancer, but little is known of their origin and about pathways affecting centrosome homeostasis. Here we show that autophagy preserves centrosome organization and stability through selective turnover of centriolar satellite components, a process we termed doryphagy. Autophagy targets the satellite organizer PCM1 by interacting with GABARAPs via a C-terminal LIR motif. Accordingly, autophagy deficiency results in accumulation of large abnormal centriolar satellites and a resultant dysregulation of centrosome composition. These alterations have critical impact on centrosome stability and lead to mitotic centrosome fragmentation and unbalanced chromosome segregation. Our findings identify doryphagy as an important centrosome-regulating pathway and bring mechanistic insights to the link between autophagy dysfunction and chromosomal instability. In addition, we highlight the vital role of centriolar satellites in maintaining centrosome integrity.

Emerging functions of the EGFR in cancer.

The physiological function of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is to regulate epithelial tissue development and homeostasis. In pathological settings, mostly in lung and breast cancer and in glioblastoma, the EGFR is a driver of tumorigenesis. Inappropriate activation of the EGFR in cancer mainly results from amplification and point mutations at the genomic locus, but transcriptional upregulation or ligand overproduction due to autocrine/paracrine mechanisms has also been described. Moreover, the EGFR is increasingly recognized as a biomarker of resistance in tumors, as its amplification or secondary mutations have been found to arise under drug pressure. This evidence, in addition to the prominent function that this receptor plays in normal epithelia, has prompted intense investigations into the role of the EGFR both at physiological and at pathological level. Despite the large body of knowledge obtained over the last two decades, previously unrecognized (herein defined as 'noncanonical') functions of the EGFR are currently emerging. Here, we will initially review the canonical ligand-induced EGFR signaling pathway, with particular emphasis to its regulation by endocytosis and subversion in human tumors. We will then focus on the most recent advances in uncovering noncanonical EGFR functions in stress-induced trafficking, autophagy, and energy metabolism, with a perspective on future therapeutic applications.

Sema4C/PlexinB2 signaling controls breast cancer cell growth, hormonal dependence and tumorigenic potential.

Semaphorin 4C (Sema4C) expression in human breast cancers correlates with poor disease outcome. Surprisingly, upon knock-down of Sema4C or its receptor PlexinB2 in diverse mammary carcinoma cells (but not their normal counterparts), we observed dramatic growth inhibition associated with impairment of G2/M phase transition, cytokinesis defects and the onset of cell senescence. Mechanistically, we demonstrated a Sema4C/PlexinB2/LARG-dependent signaling cascade that is required to maintain critical RhoA-GTP levels in cancer cells. Interestingly, we also found that Sema4C upregulation in luminal-type breast cancer cells drives a dramatic phenotypic change, with disassembly of polarity complexes, mitotic spindle misorientation, cell-cell dissociation and increased migration and invasiveness. We found that this signaling cascade is dependent on the PlexinB2 effectors ErbB2 and RhoA-dependent kinases. Moreover, Sema4C-overexpressing luminal breast cancer cells upregulated the transcription factors Snail, Slug and SOX-2, and formed estrogen-independent metastatic tumors in mice. In sum, our data indicate that Sema4C/PlexinB2 signaling is essential for the growth of breast carcinoma cells, featuring a novel potential therapeutic target. In addition, elevated Sema4C expression enables indolent luminal-type tumors to become resistant to estrogen deprivation, invasive and metastatic in vivo, which could account for its association with a subset of human breast cancers with poor prognosis.

High USP6NL Levels in Breast Cancer Sustain Chronic AKT Phosphorylation and GLUT1 Stability Fueling Aerobic Glycolysis.

USP6NL, also named RN-tre, is a GTPase-activating protein involved in control of endocytosis and signal transduction. Here we report that USP6NL is overexpressed in breast cancer, mainly of the basal-like/integrative cluster 10 subtype. Increased USP6NL levels were accompanied by gene amplification and were associated with worse prognosis in the METABRIC dataset, retaining prognostic value in multivariable analysis. High levels of USP6NL in breast cancer cells delayed endocytosis and degradation of the EGFR, causing chronic AKT (protein kinase B) activation. In turn, AKT stabilized the glucose transporter GLUT1 at the plasma membrane, increasing aerobic glycolysis. In agreement, elevated USP6NL sensitized breast cancer cells to glucose deprivation, indicating that their glycolytic capacity relies on this protein. Depletion of USP6NL accelerated EGFR/AKT downregulation and GLUT1 degradation, impairing cell proliferation exclusively in breast cancer cells that harbored increased levels of USP6NL. Overall, these findings argue that USP6NL overexpression generates a metabolic rewiring that is essential to foster the glycolytic demand of breast cancer cells and promote their proliferation.Significance: USP6NL overexpression leads to glycolysis addiction of breast cancer cells and presents a point of metabolic vulnerability for therapeutic targeting in a subset of aggressive basal-like breast tumors.Graphical Abstract: http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/canres/78/13/3432/F1.large.jpg Cancer Res; 78(13); 3432-44. ©2018 AACR.