Nuclear FAK promotes cell proliferation and survival through FERM-enhanced p53 degradation

Mol Cell. 2008 Jan 18;29(1):9-22. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2007.11.031.

Abstract

FAK is known as an integrin- and growth factor-associated tyrosine kinase promoting cell motility. Here we show that, during mouse development, FAK inactivation results in p53- and p21-dependent mesodermal cell growth arrest. Reconstitution of primary FAK-/-p21-/- fibroblasts revealed that FAK, in a kinase-independent manner, facilitates p53 turnover via enhanced Mdm2-dependent p53 ubiquitination. p53 inactivation by FAK required FAK FERM F1 lobe binding to p53, FERM F2 lobe-mediated nuclear localization, and FERM F3 lobe for connections to Mdm2 and proteasomal degradation. Staurosporine or loss of cell adhesion enhanced FERM-dependent FAK nuclear accumulation. In primary human cells, FAK knockdown raised p53-p21 levels and slowed cell proliferation but did not cause apoptosis. Notably, FAK knockdown plus cisplatin triggered p53-dependent cell apoptosis, which was rescued by either full-length FAK or FAK FERM re-expression. These studies define a scaffolding role for nuclear FAK in facilitating cell survival through enhanced p53 degradation under conditions of cellular stress.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Division / physiology
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Cell Survival / physiology
  • Cisplatin / pharmacology
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 / deficiency
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 / genetics
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21 / physiology
  • Embryonic Development / genetics
  • Embryonic Development / physiology
  • Fibroblasts / cytology
  • Fibroblasts / drug effects
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Focal Adhesion Kinase 1 / chemistry
  • Focal Adhesion Kinase 1 / deficiency
  • Focal Adhesion Kinase 1 / genetics
  • Focal Adhesion Kinase 1 / physiology*
  • Mesoderm / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex / metabolism
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Staurosporine / pharmacology
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / metabolism*
  • Ubiquitin / metabolism
  • Ubiquitination

Substances

  • CDKN1A protein, human
  • Cdkn1a protein, mouse
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
  • Ubiquitin
  • Focal Adhesion Kinase 1
  • PTK2 protein, human
  • Ptk2 protein, mouse
  • Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex
  • Staurosporine
  • Cisplatin