CDK8 is a colorectal cancer oncogene that regulates beta-catenin activity.

Abstract

Aberrant activation of the canonical WNT/beta-catenin pathway occurs in almost all colorectal cancers and contributes to their growth, invasion and survival. Although dysregulated beta-catenin activity drives colon tumorigenesis, further genetic perturbations are required to elaborate full malignant transformation. To identify genes that both modulate beta-catenin activity and are essential for colon cancer cell proliferation, we conducted two loss-of-function screens in human colon cancer cells and compared genes identified in these screens with an analysis of copy number alterations in colon cancer specimens. One of these genes, CDK8, which encodes a member of the mediator complex, is located at 13q12.13, a region of recurrent copy number gain in a substantial fraction of colon cancers. Here we show that the suppression of CDK8 expression inhibits proliferation in colon cancer cells characterized by high levels of CDK8 and beta-catenin hyperactivity. CDK8 kinase activity was necessary for beta-catenin-driven transformation and for expression of several beta-catenin transcriptional targets. Together these observations suggest that therapeutic interventions targeting CDK8 may confer a clinical benefit in beta-catenin-driven malignancies.

• Authors: Ron Firestein, Adam J Bass, So Young Kim, Ian F Dunn, Serena J Silver, Isil Guney, Ellen Freed, Azra H Ligon, Natalie Vena, Shuji Ogino, Milan G Chheda, Pablo Tamayo, Stephen Finn, Yashaswi Shrestha, Jesse S Boehm, Supriya Jain, Emeric Bojarski, Craig Mermel, Jordi Barretina, Jennifer A Chan, Jose Baselga, Josep Tabernero, David E Root, Charles S Fuchs, Massimo Loda, Ramesh A Shivdasani, Matthew Meyerson, William C Hahn
• Journal: Nature (Nature) Vol. 455 Issue 7212 Pg. 547-51 (Sep 25 2008) ISSN: 1476-4687 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 18794900 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Oncogene Proteins
• beta Catenin
• CDK8 protein, human
• Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 8
• Cyclin-Dependent Kinases

Topics

• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cell Proliferation
• Cell Transformation, Neoplastic
• Colorectal Neoplasms (genetics, metabolism, pathology)
• Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 8
• Cyclin-Dependent Kinases (deficiency, genetics, metabolism)
• Gene Dosage
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
• Humans
• Oncogene Proteins (deficiency, genetics, metabolism)
• Oncogenes
• RNA Interference
• Transcription, Genetic
• beta Catenin (metabolism)