Class III phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase controls epithelial integrity through endosomal LKB1 regulation

Nat Cell Biol. 2017 Dec;19(12):1412-1423. doi: 10.1038/ncb3631. Epub 2017 Oct 30.

Abstract

The molecular mechanisms underlying the interdependence between intracellular trafficking and epithelial cell polarity are poorly understood. Here we show that inactivation of class III phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase (CIII-PI3K), which produces phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate (PtdIns3P) on endosomes, disrupts epithelial organization. This is caused by dysregulation of endosomally localized Liver Kinase B1 (LKB1, also known as STK11), which shows delocalized and increased activity accompanied by dysplasia-like growth and invasive behaviour of cells provoked by JNK pathway activation. CIII-PI3K inactivation cooperates with RasV12 to promote tumour growth in vivo in an LKB1-dependent manner. Strikingly, co-depletion of LKB1 reverts these phenotypes and restores epithelial integrity. The endosomal, but not autophagic, function of CIII-PI3K controls polarity. We identify the CIII-PI3K effector, WD repeat and FYVE domain-containing 2 (WDFY2), as an LKB1 regulator in Drosophila tissues and human organoids. Thus, we define a CIII-PI3K-regulated endosomal signalling platform from which LKB1 directs epithelial polarity, the dysregulation of which endows LKB1 with tumour-promoting properties.

MeSH terms

  • AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Caco-2 Cells
  • Cell Movement
  • Cell Polarity
  • Class III Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / metabolism*
  • Drosophila Proteins / metabolism*
  • Drosophila melanogaster / genetics
  • Drosophila melanogaster / metabolism
  • Endocytosis
  • Endosomes / metabolism*
  • Epithelium / metabolism
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Genes, Insect
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / metabolism
  • Organoids / metabolism
  • Protein Kinases / metabolism*
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • WDFY2 protein, human
  • Protein Kinases
  • Class III Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
  • LKB1 protein, Drosophila
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • STK11 protein, human
  • AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases