Phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 (PDK1) is a
serine/threonine protein kinase that phosphorylates members of the conserved AGC
kinase superfamily, including AKT and
protein kinase C (PKC), and is implicated in important cellular processes including survival, metabolism and
tumorigenesis. In large cohorts of
nevi and
melanoma samples, PDK1 expression was significantly higher in primary
melanoma, compared with
nevi, and was further increased in metastatic
melanoma. PDK1 expression suffices for its activity, owing to auto-activation, or elevated phosphorylation by
phosphoinositide 3'-OH-kinase (PI3K). Selective inactivation of Pdk1 in the melanocytes of Braf(V600E)::Pten(-/-) or Braf(V600E)::Cdkn2a(-/-)::Pten(-/-) mice delayed the development of pigmented lesions and
melanoma induced by systemic or local administration of
4-hydroxytamoxifen.
Melanoma invasion and
metastasis were significantly reduced or completely prevented by Pdk1 deletion. Administration of the PDK1 inhibitor
GSK2334470 (PDKi) effectively delayed melanomagenesis and
metastasis in Braf(V600E)::Pten(-/-) mice. Pdk1(-/-)
melanomas exhibit a marked decrease in the activity of AKT,
P70S6K and PKC. Notably, PDKi was as effective in inhibiting AGC
kinases and colony forming efficiency of
melanoma with Pten wild-type (WT) genotypes. Gene expression analyses identified Pdk1-dependent changes in FOXO3a-regulated genes, and inhibition of FOXO3a restored proliferation and colony formation of Pdk1(-/-)
melanoma cells. Our studies provide direct genetic evidence for the importance of PDK1, in part through FOXO3a-dependent pathway, in
melanoma development and progression.