Cited by 33Cancer Cells and MetastasisColorectal Cancer Treatments and StudiesPI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in cancer

AKT3 expression in mesenchymal colorectal cancer cells drives growth and is associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition

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Buikhuisen, Joyce Y., Gomez Barila, Patricia M., Torang, Arezo, Dekker, Daniëlle, de Jong, Joan H., Cameron, Kate, Vitale, Sara, Stassi, Giorgio +4 more·2021·Cancers

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous disease that can currently be subdivided into four distinct consensus molecular subtypes (CMS) based on gene expression profiling. The CMS4 subtype is marked by high expression of mesenchymal genes and is associated with a worse overall prognosis compared to other CMSs. Importantly, this subtype responds poorly to the standard therapies currently used to treat CRC. We set out to explore what regulatory signalling networks underlie the CMS4 phenotype of cancer cells, specifically, by analysing which kinases were more highly expressed in this subtype compared to others. We found AKT3 to be expressed in the cancer cell epithelium of CRC specimens, patient derived xenograft (PDX) models and in (primary) cell cultures representing CMS4. Importantly, chemical inhibition or knockout of this gene hampers outgrowth of this subtype, as AKT3 controls expression of the cell cycle regulator p27KIP1. Furthermore, high AKT3 expression was associated with high expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) genes, and this observation could be expanded to cell lines representing other carcinoma types. More importantly, this association allowed for the identification of CRC patients with a high propensity to metastasise and an associated poor prognosis. High AKT3 expression in the tumour epithelial compartment may thus be used as a surrogate marker for EMT and may allow for a selection of CRC patients that could benefit from AKT3-targeted therapy.

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Authors
Buikhuisen, J. Y., Gomez Barila, P. M., Torang, A., Dekker, D., de Jong, J. H., Cameron, K., Vitale, S., Stassi, G., van Hooff, S. R., Castro, M. A. A., Vermeulen, L., & Medema, J. P.
Affiliations
  • Oncode Institute (NL)
  • Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology, Center for Experimental Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  • Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (IT)
  • University of Palermo (IT)
  • Universidade Federal do Paraná (BR)
Corresponding author
Medema, Jan Paul
Venue
Cancers
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2021-02-14
Volume
13
Issue
4
Pages
801
ISSN
2072-6694 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3130651220
Cited by
33
References
69
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 5
FWCI
2.28
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cancers (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Pure Amsterdam UMC (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
  • IRIS UniPA (University of Palermo) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • KWF Kankerbestrijding (UVA2014-7245, 10150)
  • Oncode Institute (n/a)
  • AMC Graduate School (PhD Scholarship)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Cells and Metastasis
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Colorectal Cancer Treatments and Studies
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in cancer
Keywords
AKT3, colorectal cancer, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, p27, tumor growth, metastasis, prognosis, patient-derived xenografts

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