Geranylgeranyltransferase I inhibitors target RalB to inhibit anchorage-dependent growth and induce apoptosis and RalA to inhibit anchorage-independent growth

Mol Cell Biol. 2007 Nov;27(22):8003-14. doi: 10.1128/MCB.00057-07. Epub 2007 Sep 17.

Abstract

Geranylgeranyltransferase I inhibitors (GGTIs) are presently undergoing advanced preclinical studies and have been shown to disrupt oncogenic and tumor survival pathways, to inhibit anchorage-dependent and -independent growth, and to induce apoptosis. However, the geranylgeranylated proteins that are targeted by GGTIs to induce these effects are not known. Here we provide evidence that the Ras-like small GTPases RalA and RalB are exclusively geranylgeranylated and that inhibition of their geranylgeranylation mediates, at least in part, the effects of GGTIs on anchorage-dependent and -independent growth and tumor apoptosis. To this end, we have created the corresponding carboxyl-terminal mutants that are exclusively farnesylated and verified that they retain the subcellular localization and signaling activities of the wild-type geranylgeranylated proteins and that Ral GTPases do not undergo alternative prenylation in response to GGTI treatment. By expressing farnesylated, GGTI-resistant RalA and RalB in Cos7 cells and human pancreatic MiaPaCa2 cancer cells followed by GGTI-2417 treatment, we demonstrated that farnesylated RalB, but not RalA, confers resistance to the proapoptotic and anti-anchorage-dependent growth effects of GGTI-2417. Conversely, farnesylated RalA but not RalB expression renders MiaPaCa2 cells less sensitive to inhibition of anchorage-independent growth. Furthermore, farnesylated RalB, but not RalA, inhibits the ability of GGTI-2417 to suppress survivin and induce p27(Kip1) protein levels. We conclude that RalA and RalB are important, functionally distinct targets for GGTI-mediated tumor apoptosis and growth inhibition.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Alkyl and Aryl Transferases* / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Alkyl and Aryl Transferases* / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / physiology*
  • Cell Adhesion / physiology*
  • Cell Line
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / metabolism
  • Humans
  • In Situ Nick-End Labeling
  • Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / genetics
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / metabolism
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / genetics
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / metabolism
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism
  • Protein Isoforms / genetics
  • Protein Isoforms / metabolism*
  • Protein Prenylation
  • Survivin
  • ral GTP-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • ral GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • BIRC5 protein, human
  • CDKN1B protein, human
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Protein Isoforms
  • Ralb protein, human
  • Survivin
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27
  • Alkyl and Aryl Transferases
  • geranylgeranyltransferase type-I
  • RALA protein, human
  • ral GTP-Binding Proteins