LIMK2 mediates resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs in neuroblastoma cells through regulation of drug-induced cell cycle arrest

PLoS One. 2013 Aug 21;8(8):e72850. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0072850. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Drug resistance is a major obstacle for the successful treatment of many malignancies, including neuroblastoma, the most common extracranial solid tumor in childhood. Therefore, current attempts to improve the survival of neuroblastoma patients, as well as those with other cancers, largely depend on strategies to counter cancer cell drug resistance; hence, it is critical to understand the molecular mechanisms that mediate resistance to chemotherapeutics. The levels of LIM-kinase 2 (LIMK2) are increased in neuroblastoma cells selected for their resistance to microtubule-targeted drugs, suggesting that LIMK2 might be a possible target to overcome drug resistance. Here, we report that depletion of LIMK2 sensitizes SHEP neuroblastoma cells to several microtubule-targeted drugs, and that this increased sensitivity correlates with enhanced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Furthermore, we show that LIMK2 modulates microtubule acetylation and the levels of tubulin Polymerization Promoting Protein 1 (TPPP1), suggesting that LIMK2 may participate in the mitotic block induced by microtubule-targeted drugs through regulation of the microtubule network. Moreover, LIMK2-depleted cells also show an increased sensitivity to certain DNA-damage agents, suggesting that LIMK2 might act as a general pro-survival factor. Our results highlight the exciting possibility of combining specific LIMK2 inhibitors with anticancer drugs in the treatment of multi-drug resistant cancers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylation
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cell Cycle / drug effects*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • DNA Damage
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Lim Kinases / physiology*
  • Microtubules / metabolism
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
  • Neuroblastoma / pathology*
  • Up-Regulation / drug effects

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • TPPP protein, human
  • LIMK2 protein, human
  • Lim Kinases

Grants and funding

This project was supported by The Kids’ Cancer Project and in part by the Victorian Government’s Operational Infrastructure support Program. OB was supported by a Fellowship from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.