Centrosome Amplification in Cancer Disrupts Autophagy and Sensitizes to Autophagy Inhibition
Year: 2019
Type: article
Abstract: Centrosome amplification (CA), or a numerical increase in centrosomes, is common in human cancers, particularly those with high-risk features. We have discovered that cells with CA have an increased burden of autophagy, a catabolic process whereby autophagosomes engulf damaged organelles and proteins and deliver these contents to the lysosome for degradation and subsequent recycling. Cells with CA demonstrate an accumulation of autophagosomes. We evaluated the alternative hypotheses that CA alters autophagy by modulating microtubule networks and impairing trafficking versus altering lysosome clustering and organization versus chromosome missegregation-induced proteotoxic stress. Using LC3 reporter assays and autophagosome tracking experiments, we demonstrate that CA causes an accumulation of autophagosomes by interfering with autophagosome trafficking. To establish whether this was a druggable weakness, we tested autophagy inhibitors in our cell models of CA. Cells with CA are sensitized to chemical and genetic autophagy inhibition. Taken together, our results suggest that autophagy is disrupted by CA and sensitizes cells to inhibition of autophagy. These findings suggest a novel precision medicine strategy, whereby CA increases reliance on autophagy and serves as a biomarker for autophagy inhibitors in high-risk cancers. IMPLICATIONS: Our study suggests that CA could be used as a predictive biomarker for treatment with autophagy inhibitors.
Source: Molecular Cancer Research
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: Separation of late mitotic functions of polo-like kinase 1 with chemical genetics, G4004214011, Institutional Clinical and Translational Science Award, Identifying causes and consequences of centrosome amplification in cancer, Institutional Clinical and Translational Science Award, Integrated Training For Physician-Scientists, Mechanisms of cellular clearance in the retinal pigment epithelium, University of Wisconsin Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Cancer Center Support Grant, UW Comprehensive Cancer Center Support, NRSA Training Core
OpenAlex ID: W2979617270