Salt-Inducible Kinase 2 Couples Ovarian Cancer Cell Metabolism with Survival at the Adipocyte-Rich Metastatic Niche

Cancer Cell. 2016 Aug 8;30(2):273-289. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2016.06.020. Epub 2016 Jul 28.

Abstract

The adipocyte-rich microenvironment forms a niche for ovarian cancer metastasis, but the mechanisms driving this process are incompletely understood. Here we show that salt-inducible kinase 2 (SIK2) is overexpressed in adipocyte-rich metastatic deposits compared with ovarian primary lesions. Overexpression of SIK2 in ovarian cancer cells promotes abdominal metastasis while SIK2 depletion prevents metastasis in vivo. Importantly, adipocytes induce calcium-dependent activation and autophosphorylation of SIK2. Activated SIK2 plays a dual role in augmenting AMPK-induced phosphorylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase and in activating the PI3K/AKT pathway through p85α-S154 phosphorylation. These findings identify SIK2 at the apex of the adipocyte-induced signaling cascades in cancer cells and make a compelling case for targeting SIK2 for therapy in ovarian cancer.

MeSH terms

  • AMP-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase / metabolism
  • Adipocytes / enzymology
  • Adipocytes / metabolism
  • Adipocytes / pathology
  • Animals
  • Female
  • Heterografts
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Nude
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Oncogene Protein v-akt / metabolism
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / enzymology
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / metabolism
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • salt-inducible kinase-2, human
  • Oncogene Protein v-akt
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • AMP-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase