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Selective anticancer activity of a hexapeptide with sequence homology to a non-kinase domain of Cyclin Dependent Kinase 4

Selective anticancer activity of a hexapeptide with sequence homology to a non-kinase domain of Cyclin Dependent Kinase 4
Selective anticancer activity of a hexapeptide with sequence homology to a non-kinase domain of Cyclin Dependent Kinase 4
Background: cyclin-dependent kinases 2, 4 and 6 (Cdk2, Cdk4, Cdk6) are closely structurally homologous proteins which are classically understood to control the transition from the G1 to the S-phases of the cell cycle by combining with their appropriate cyclin D or cyclin E partners to form kinase-active holoenzymes. Deregulation of Cdk4 is widespread in human cancer, CDK4 gene knockout is highly protective against chemical and oncogene-mediated epithelial carcinogenesis, despite the continued presence of CDK2 and CDK6; and overexpresssion of Cdk4 promotes skin carcinogenesis. Surprisingly, however, Cdk4 kinase inhibitors have not yet fulfilled their expectation as 'blockbuster' anticancer agents. Resistance to inhibition of Cdk4 kinase in some cases could potentially be due to a non-kinase activity, as recently reported with epidermal growth factor receptor.

Results: a search for a potential functional site of non-kinase activity present in Cdk4 but not Cdk2 or Cdk6 revealed a previously-unidentified loop on the outside of the C'-terminal non-kinase domain of Cdk4, containing a central amino-acid sequence, Pro-Arg-Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro (PRGPRP). An isolated hexapeptide with this sequence and its cyclic amphiphilic congeners are selectively lethal at high doses to a wide range of human cancer cell lines whilst sparing normal diploid keratinocytes and fibroblasts. Treated cancer cells do not exhibit the wide variability of dose response typically seen with other anticancer agents. Cancer cell killing by PRGPRP, in a cyclic amphiphilic cassette, requires cells to be in cycle but does not perturb cell cycle distribution and is accompanied by altered relative Cdk4/Cdk1 expression and selective decrease in ATP levels. Morphological features of apoptosis are absent and cancer cell death does not appear to involve autophagy.

Conclusion: these findings suggest a potential new paradigm for the development of broad-spectrum cancer specific therapeutics with a companion diagnostic biomarker and a putative functional site for kinase-unrelated activities of Cdk4.
72-[54pp]
Warenius, Hilmar M.
85499e9b-657b-4df2-9045-a660b24a6c95
Kilburn, Jeremy D.
e64ded70-825a-40ec-816b-c4605e007e7a
Essex, Jon W.
1f409cfe-6ba4-42e2-a0ab-a931826314b5
Maurer, Richard I.
c6411cf3-e909-4b11-b31f-999a89bb3dfa
Blaydes, Jeremy P.
e957f999-fd91-4f77-ad62-5b4ef069b15b
Agarwala, Usha
d2b7061a-361c-4978-8ecd-24d869eb5153
Seabra, Laurence A.
bf5cd4a9-aea1-4178-915a-041f40c4dc9c
Warenius, Hilmar M.
85499e9b-657b-4df2-9045-a660b24a6c95
Kilburn, Jeremy D.
e64ded70-825a-40ec-816b-c4605e007e7a
Essex, Jon W.
1f409cfe-6ba4-42e2-a0ab-a931826314b5
Maurer, Richard I.
c6411cf3-e909-4b11-b31f-999a89bb3dfa
Blaydes, Jeremy P.
e957f999-fd91-4f77-ad62-5b4ef069b15b
Agarwala, Usha
d2b7061a-361c-4978-8ecd-24d869eb5153
Seabra, Laurence A.
bf5cd4a9-aea1-4178-915a-041f40c4dc9c

Warenius, Hilmar M., Kilburn, Jeremy D., Essex, Jon W., Maurer, Richard I., Blaydes, Jeremy P., Agarwala, Usha and Seabra, Laurence A. (2011) Selective anticancer activity of a hexapeptide with sequence homology to a non-kinase domain of Cyclin Dependent Kinase 4. Molecular Cancer, 10 (1), 72-[54pp]. (doi:10.1186/1476-4598-10-72). (PMID:21668989)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background: cyclin-dependent kinases 2, 4 and 6 (Cdk2, Cdk4, Cdk6) are closely structurally homologous proteins which are classically understood to control the transition from the G1 to the S-phases of the cell cycle by combining with their appropriate cyclin D or cyclin E partners to form kinase-active holoenzymes. Deregulation of Cdk4 is widespread in human cancer, CDK4 gene knockout is highly protective against chemical and oncogene-mediated epithelial carcinogenesis, despite the continued presence of CDK2 and CDK6; and overexpresssion of Cdk4 promotes skin carcinogenesis. Surprisingly, however, Cdk4 kinase inhibitors have not yet fulfilled their expectation as 'blockbuster' anticancer agents. Resistance to inhibition of Cdk4 kinase in some cases could potentially be due to a non-kinase activity, as recently reported with epidermal growth factor receptor.

Results: a search for a potential functional site of non-kinase activity present in Cdk4 but not Cdk2 or Cdk6 revealed a previously-unidentified loop on the outside of the C'-terminal non-kinase domain of Cdk4, containing a central amino-acid sequence, Pro-Arg-Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro (PRGPRP). An isolated hexapeptide with this sequence and its cyclic amphiphilic congeners are selectively lethal at high doses to a wide range of human cancer cell lines whilst sparing normal diploid keratinocytes and fibroblasts. Treated cancer cells do not exhibit the wide variability of dose response typically seen with other anticancer agents. Cancer cell killing by PRGPRP, in a cyclic amphiphilic cassette, requires cells to be in cycle but does not perturb cell cycle distribution and is accompanied by altered relative Cdk4/Cdk1 expression and selective decrease in ATP levels. Morphological features of apoptosis are absent and cancer cell death does not appear to involve autophagy.

Conclusion: these findings suggest a potential new paradigm for the development of broad-spectrum cancer specific therapeutics with a companion diagnostic biomarker and a putative functional site for kinase-unrelated activities of Cdk4.

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Published date: 13 June 2011

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 190851
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/190851
PURE UUID: 6b83dd16-0009-4cb3-8875-fc2c89aaf2a6
ORCID for Jon W. Essex: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-2639-2746
ORCID for Jeremy P. Blaydes: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-8525-0209

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Date deposited: 16 Jun 2011 07:30
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:07

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Contributors

Author: Hilmar M. Warenius
Author: Jeremy D. Kilburn
Author: Jon W. Essex ORCID iD
Author: Richard I. Maurer
Author: Usha Agarwala
Author: Laurence A. Seabra

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