Critical role of O-Linked β-N-acetylglucosamine transferase in prostate cancer invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis

J Biol Chem. 2012 Mar 30;287(14):11070-81. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M111.302547. Epub 2012 Jan 24.

Abstract

Cancer cells universally increase glucose and glutamine consumption, leading to the altered metabolic state known as the Warburg effect; one metabolic pathway, highly dependent on glucose and glutamine, is the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway. Increased flux through the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway leads to increases in the post-translational addition of O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) to various nuclear and cytosolic proteins. A number of these target proteins are implicated in cancer, and recently, O-GlcNAcylation was shown to play a role in breast cancer; however, O-GlcNAcylation in other cancers remains poorly defined. Here, we show that O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) is overexpressed in prostate cancer compared with normal prostate epithelium and that OGT protein and O-GlcNAc levels are elevated in prostate carcinoma cell lines. Reducing O-GlcNAcylation in PC3-ML cells was associated with reduced expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, and VEGF, resulting in inhibition of invasion and angiogenesis. OGT-mediated regulation of invasion and angiogenesis was dependent upon regulation of the oncogenic transcription factor FoxM1, a key regulator of invasion and angiogenesis, as reducing OGT expression led to increased FoxM1 protein degradation. Conversely, overexpression of a degradation-resistant FoxM1 mutant abrogated OGT RNAi-mediated effects on invasion, MMP levels, angiogenesis, and VEGF expression. Using a mouse model of metastasis, we found that reduction of OGT expression blocked bone metastasis. Altogether, these data suggest that as prostate cancer cells alter glucose and glutamine levels, O-GlcNAc modifications and OGT levels become elevated and are required for regulation of malignant properties, implicating OGT as a novel therapeutic target in the treatment of cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylglucosamine / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Bone Neoplasms / prevention & control
  • Bone Neoplasms / secondary
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27 / genetics
  • Forkhead Box Protein M1
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Male
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / genetics
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / genetics
  • Mice
  • Mutation
  • N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases / deficiency
  • N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases / genetics
  • N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases / metabolism*
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / enzymology*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / blood supply*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / enzymology
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / genetics
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Proteolysis
  • RNA Interference
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / genetics

Substances

  • FOXM1 protein, human
  • Forkhead Box Protein M1
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27
  • N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases
  • N-acetyllactosaminide beta-1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 2
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 9
  • Acetylglucosamine