AMP-activated protein kinase fortifies epithelial tight junctions during energetic stress via its effector GIV/Girdin

作者：Aznar Nicolas; Patel Arjun; Rohena Cristina C; Dunkel Ying; Joosen Linda P; Taupin Vanessa; Kufareva Irina; Farquhar Marilyn G; Ghosh Pradipta^*

来源：eLife, 2016, 5: e20795.

DOI：10.7554/eLife.20795

Loss of epithelial polarity impacts organ development and function; it is also oncogenic. AMPK, a key sensor of metabolic stress stabilizes cell-cell junctions and maintains epithelial polarity; its activation by Metformin protects the epithelial barrier against stress and suppresses tumorigenesis. How AMPK protects the epithelium remains unknown. Here, we identify GIV/Girdin as a novel effector of AMPK, whose phosphorylation at a single site is both necessary and sufficient for strengthening mammalian epithelial tight junctions and preserving cell polarity and barrier function in the face of energetic stress. Expression of an oncogenic mutant of GIV (cataloged in TCGA) that cannot be phosphorylated by AMPK increased anchorage-independent growth of tumor cells and helped these cells to evade the tumor-suppressive action of Metformin. This work defines a fundamental homeostatic mechanism by which the AMPK-GIV axis reinforces cell junctions against stress-induced collapse and also provides mechanistic insight into the tumor suppressive action of Metformin.

• 出版日期2016-11-4