Deregulation of DUSP activity in EGFR-mutant lung cancer cell lines contributes to sustained ERK1/2 signaling

Joel S. Britson, Frederick Barton, Justin M. Balko, Esther P. Black

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

23 Scopus citations

Abstract

Lung cancers demonstrate loss of cellular signaling control pathways. EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer cell lines constitutively express active ERK1/2 and require ERK activity for survival. DUSP4 is a negative regulator of ERK activity and is up-regulated in EGFR-mutant lung cancer cell lines relative to K-ras mutant cells. Both DUSP4 and family member, DUSP1, can bind ERK in vitro. However, only DUSP1 has detectable binding to ERK in vivo in cell lines of either genotype. Depletion of DUSP4 in EGFR-mutant cells unexpectedly results in loss of pERK whereas loss of DUSP4 in K-ras mutant cells predictably yields increased pERK. These data support a role for DUSP4, and perhaps DUSP1, as a positive activator of ERK in EGFR-mutant lung cancer cell lines independent of the ability to bind to ERK.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)849-854
Number of pages6
JournalBiochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
Volume390
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 18 2009

Keywords

  • MAPK
  • Phosphatase
  • Signal transduction

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biophysics
  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

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