Role of AMPK and Akt in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Lung Colonization

Authors

Jeremy Johnson, University of KentuckyFollow
Zeta Chow, University of KentuckyFollow
Eun Young Lee, University of KentuckyFollow
Heidi L. Weiss, University of KentuckyFollow
B. Mark Evers, University of KentuckyFollow
Piotr G. Rychahou, University of KentuckyFollow

Abstract

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive disease with a 5-y relative survival rate of 11% after distant metastasis. To survive the metastatic cascade, tumor cells remodel their signaling pathways by regulating energy production and upregulating survival pathways. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and Akt regulate energy homeostasis and survival, however, the individual or synergistic role of AMPK and Akt isoforms during lung colonization by TNBC cells is unknown. The purpose of this study was to establish whether targeting Akt, AMPKα or both Akt and AMPKα isoforms in circulating cancer cells can suppress TNBC lung colonization. Transient silencing of Akt1 or Akt2 dramatically decreased metastatic colonization of lungs by inducing apoptosis or inhibiting invasion, respectively. Importantly, transient pharmacologic inhibition of Akt activity with MK-2206 or AZD5363 inhibitors did not prevent colonization of lung tissue by TNBC cells. Knockdown of AMPKα1, AMPKα2, or AMPKα1/2 also had no effect on metastatic colonization of lungs. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that transient decrease in AMPK isoforms expression alone or in combination with Akt1 in circulating tumor cells does not synergistically reduce TNBC metastatic lung colonization. Our results also provide evidence that Akt1 and Akt2 expression serve as a bottleneck that can challenge colonization of lungs by TNBC cells.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-8-2021

Notes/Citation Information

Published in Neoplasia, v. 23, issue 4.

© 2021 The Authors

This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neo.2021.03.005

Funding Information

This research was funded by National Institutes of Health grant R01 CA195573 (to BME), P30 CA177558, T32 CA160003 (for ZC), and Daphne's Legacy Breast Cancer Research Funds.

Repository Citation

Johnson, Jeremy; Chow, Zeta; Lee, Eun Young; Weiss, Heidi L.; Evers, B. Mark; and Rychahou, Piotr G., "Role of AMPK and Akt in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Lung Colonization" (2021). Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Faculty Publications. 42.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/pathology_facpub/42