Protease-activated receptors (PARs) in cancer: Novel biased signaling and targets for therapy.

Despite the fact that G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) mediate numerous physiological processes and represent targets for therapeutics for a vast array of diseases, their role in tumor biology is under appreciated. Protease-activated receptors (PARs) form a family which belongs to GPCR class A. PAR1&2 emerge with a central role in epithelial malignancies. Although the part of PAR1&2 in cancer is on the rise, their underlying signaling events are poorly understood. We review hereby past, present, and future cancer-associated PAR biology. Mainly, their role in physiological (placenta-cytotophobalst) and patho-physiological invasion processes. The identification and characterization of signal pleckstrin homology (PH)-domain-binding motifs established critical sites for breast cancer growth in PAR1&2. Among the proteins found to harbor important PH-domains and are involved in PAR biology are Akt/PKB as also Etk/Bmx and Vav3. A point mutation in PAR2, H349A, but not R352A, abrogated PH-protein association and is sufficient to markedly reduce PAR2-instigated breast tumor growth in vivo as also placental extravillous trophoblast (EVT) invasion in vitro is markedly reduced. Similarly, the PAR1 mutant hPar1-7A, which is unable to bind PH-domain, inhibits mammary tumors and EVT invasion, endowing these motifs with physiological significance and underscoring the importance of these previously unknown PAR1 and PAR2 PH-domain-binding motifs in both pathological and physiological invasion processes.

PH motifs in PAR1&2 endow breast cancer growth.

Although emerging roles of protease-activated receptor1&2 (PAR1&2) in cancer are recognized, their underlying signalling events are poorly understood. Here we show signal-binding motifs in PAR1&2 that are critical for breast cancer growth. This occurs via the association of the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain with Akt/PKB as a key signalling event of PARs. Other PH-domain signal-proteins such as Etk/Bmx and Vav3 also associate with PAR1 and PAR2 through their PH domains. PAR1 and PAR2 bind with priority to Etk/Bmx. A point mutation in PAR2, H349A, but not in R352A, abrogates PH-protein association and is sufficient to markedly reduce PAR2-instigated breast tumour growth in vivo and placental extravillous trophoblast (EVT) invasion in vitro. Similarly, the PAR1 mutant hPar1-7A, which is unable to bind the PH domain, reduces mammary tumours and EVT invasion, endowing these motifs with physiological significance and underscoring the importance of these previously unknown PAR1 and PAR2 PH-domain-binding motifs in both pathological and physiological invasion processes.