Nuclear FAK promotes cell proliferation and survival through FERM-enhanced p53 degradation.

Article Details

Citation

Lim ST, Chen XL, Lim Y, Hanson DA, Vo TT, Howerton K, Larocque N, Fisher SJ, Schlaepfer DD, Ilic D

Nuclear FAK promotes cell proliferation and survival through FERM-enhanced p53 degradation.

Mol Cell. 2008 Jan 18;29(1):9-22. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2007.11.031.

PubMed ID
18206965 [ View in PubMed
]
Abstract

FAK is known as an integrin- and growth factor-associated tyrosine kinase promoting cell motility. Here we show that, during mouse development, FAK inactivation results in p53- and p21-dependent mesodermal cell growth arrest. Reconstitution of primary FAK-/-p21-/- fibroblasts revealed that FAK, in a kinase-independent manner, facilitates p53 turnover via enhanced Mdm2-dependent p53 ubiquitination. p53 inactivation by FAK required FAK FERM F1 lobe binding to p53, FERM F2 lobe-mediated nuclear localization, and FERM F3 lobe for connections to Mdm2 and proteasomal degradation. Staurosporine or loss of cell adhesion enhanced FERM-dependent FAK nuclear accumulation. In primary human cells, FAK knockdown raised p53-p21 levels and slowed cell proliferation but did not cause apoptosis. Notably, FAK knockdown plus cisplatin triggered p53-dependent cell apoptosis, which was rescued by either full-length FAK or FAK FERM re-expression. These studies define a scaffolding role for nuclear FAK in facilitating cell survival through enhanced p53 degradation under conditions of cellular stress.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Polypeptides
NameUniProt ID
Focal adhesion kinase 1Q05397Details
Cellular tumor antigen p53P04637Details