Therapeutic inhibition of SGK1 suppresses colorectal cancer.

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Thus, the development of new therapeutic targets for CRC treatment is urgently needed. SGK1 is involved in various cellular activities, and its dysregulation can result in multiple cancers. However, little is known about its roles and associated molecular mechanisms in CRC. In present study, we found that SGK1 was highly expressed in tumor tissues compared with peri-tumor samples from CRC patients. In vitro experiments revealed that SGK1 overexpression promoted colonic tumor cell proliferation and migration and inhibited cell apoptosis induced by 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), while SGK1 shRNA and inhibitors showed the inverse effects. Using CRC xenograft mice models, we demonstrated that knockdown or therapeutic inhibition of SGK1 repressed tumor cell proliferation and tumor growth. Moreover, SGK1 inhibitors increased p27 expression and promoted p27 nuclear accumulation in colorectal cancer cells, and p27 siRNAs could attenuate the repression of CRC cell proliferation induced by SGK1 inhibitors. Collectively, SGK1 promotes colorectal cancer development via regulation of CRC cell proliferation, migration and survival. Inhibition of SGK1 represents a novel strategy for the treatment of CRC.

• Authors: Xuchun Liang, Chunling Lan, Guanming Jiao, Wencheng Fu, Xuesha Long, Yu An, Kejin Wang, Jinzhe Zhou, Ting Chen, Yongqin Li, Jiahong Xu, Qi Huang, Bin Xu, Junjie Xiao
• Journal: Experimental & molecular medicine (Exp Mol Med) Vol. 49 Issue 11 Pg. e399 (11 24 2017) ISSN: 2092-6413 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 29170478 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Immediate-Early Proteins
• Protein Kinase Inhibitors
• RNA, Messenger
• Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
• serum-glucocorticoid regulated kinase
• Fluorouracil

Topics

• Animals
• Antineoplastic Agents (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Apoptosis
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cell Movement
• Cell Proliferation
• Colorectal Neoplasms (drug therapy, genetics, metabolism, pathology)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Female
• Fluorouracil (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Gene Expression
• Humans
• Immediate-Early Proteins (antagonists & inhibitors, genetics, metabolism)
• Male
• Mice
• Neoplasm Staging
• Protein Kinase Inhibitors (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases (antagonists & inhibitors, genetics, metabolism)
• RNA, Messenger (genetics, metabolism)
• Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays