1. Academic Validation
  2. ARF6 Is an Actionable Node that Orchestrates Oncogenic GNAQ Signaling in Uveal Melanoma

ARF6 Is an Actionable Node that Orchestrates Oncogenic GNAQ Signaling in Uveal Melanoma

  • Cancer Cell. 2016 Jun 13;29(6):889-904. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2016.04.015.
Jae Hyuk Yoo 1 Dallas S Shi 2 Allie H Grossmann 3 Lise K Sorensen 4 ZongZhong Tong 5 Tara M Mleynek 4 Aaron Rogers 6 Weiquan Zhu 7 Jackson R Richards 1 Jacob M Winter 4 Jie Zhu 8 Christine Dunn 9 Ashok Bajji 10 Mark Shenderovich 11 Alan L Mueller 9 Scott E Woodman 12 J William Harbour 13 Kirk R Thomas 14 Shannon J Odelberg 15 Kirill Ostanin 16 Dean Y Li 17
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Medicine, Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Utah, 15 North 2030 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
  • 2 Department of Medicine, Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Utah, 15 North 2030 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
  • 3 Department of Medicine, Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Utah, 15 North 2030 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; ARUP Laboratories, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
  • 4 Department of Medicine, Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Utah, 15 North 2030 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
  • 5 Navigen Inc., 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA; Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu 610072, China.
  • 6 Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
  • 7 Department of Medicine, Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Utah, 15 North 2030 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
  • 8 Department of Ophthalmology and Shiley Eye Institute, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
  • 9 Navigen Inc., 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA.
  • 10 Navigen Inc., 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA; VioGen Biosciences LLC, Salt Lake City, UT 84119, USA.
  • 11 Navigen Inc., 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA; Mol3D Research LLC, Salt Lake City, UT 84124, USA.
  • 12 Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, Department of Systems Biology, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA.
  • 13 Ocular Oncology Service, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
  • 14 Department of Medicine, Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Utah, 15 North 2030 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
  • 15 Department of Medicine, Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Utah, 15 North 2030 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
  • 16 Navigen Inc., 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA. Electronic address: kostanin@nvgn.com.
  • 17 Department of Medicine, Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Utah, 15 North 2030 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; ARUP Laboratories, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu 610072, China; Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Cardiology, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA. Electronic address: dean.li@u2m2.utah.edu.
Abstract

Activating mutations in Gαq proteins, which form the α subunit of certain heterotrimeric G proteins, drive uveal melanoma oncogenesis by triggering multiple downstream signaling pathways, including PLC/PKC, Rho/Rac, and YAP. Here we show that the small GTPase ARF6 acts as a proximal node of oncogenic Gαq signaling to induce all of these downstream pathways as well as β-catenin signaling. ARF6 activates these diverse pathways through a common mechanism: the trafficking of GNAQ and β-catenin from the plasma membrane to cytoplasmic vesicles and the nucleus, respectively. Blocking ARF6 with a small-molecule inhibitor reduces uveal melanoma cell proliferation and tumorigenesis in a mouse model, confirming the functional relevance of this pathway and suggesting a therapeutic strategy for Gα-mediated diseases.

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