A Novel Function of ADP-Ribosylation Factor 1 in Prostate Cancer Cell Proliferation through Activating the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Pathway
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Abstract
The enhanced activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) Raf-MEK-ERK1/2 pathway directly correlates with the growth, androgen-independence, and poor prognosis of prostate cancer. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we have demonstrated that ADP-ribosylation factor 1 (ARF1), a Ras-like small GTPase, was highly expressed in human prostate cancer cells and tissues. In addition, ARF1 was markedly activated in prostate cancer cells. More interestingly, oncogenic G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) strongly activated ARF1 and the activation was mediated through Gβγ subunits. These data indicate that GPCRs and heterotrimeric G proteins are the upstream activators of ARF1 in prostate cancer cells. Next, we determined the role of ARF1 in the MAPK activation and proliferation in prostate cancer cells. Lentiviral-mediated overexpression of ARF1 remarkably enhanced, whereas shRNA-mediated depletion of ARF1 dramatically reduced ERK1/2 activation in prostate cancer cells. In addition, disruption of both the Golgi localization of ARF1 and the Golgi structure substantially attenuated ERK1/2 activation in prostate cancer cells. In parallel with their effects on the MAPK activation, ARF1 overexpression greatly enhanced and ARF1 knockdown inhibited the proliferation of prostate cancer cells. These data suggest that ARF1, by its ability to activate the MAPK pathway likely at the Golgi, controls prostate cancer cell proliferation. We then investigated the consequence of pharmacologically inhibiting ARF1 activation. Small molecule inhibitors including brefeldin A, golgicide A, and Exo2 that specifically target Golgi-localized ARF1 markedly reduced both ERK1/2 activation and proliferation in prostate cancer cells. These results further indicate an important role of ARF1 activation in regulating the MAPK pathway and prostate cancer cell proliferation. Altogether, our data suggest a possible GPCR-G-ARF1-MAPK signaling pathway, which may be responsible for the hyperactivation of the MAPK ERK1/2 in prostate cancer and contributes to prostate cancer progression. Our results also imply a novel approach for prostate cancer therapy by targeting ARF1 activation