Caspase-8 association with the focal adhesion complex promotes tumor cell migration and metastasis

S Barbero, A Mielgo, V Torres, T Teitz, DJ Shields… - Cancer research, 2009 - AACR
S Barbero, A Mielgo, V Torres, T Teitz, DJ Shields, D Mikolon, M Bogyo, D Barila, JM Lahti…
Cancer research, 2009AACR
Caspase-8 is a proapoptotic protease that suppresses neuroblastoma metastasis by
inducing programmed cell death. Paradoxically, caspase-8 can also promote cell migration
among nonapoptotic cells; here, we show that caspase-8 can promote metastasis when
apoptosis is compromised. Migration is enhanced by caspase-8 recruitment to the cellular
migration machinery following integrin ligation. Caspase-8 catalytic activity is not required
for caspase-8–enhanced cell migration; rather, caspase-8 interacts with a multiprotein …
Abstract
Caspase-8 is a proapoptotic protease that suppresses neuroblastoma metastasis by inducing programmed cell death. Paradoxically, caspase-8 can also promote cell migration among nonapoptotic cells; here, we show that caspase-8 can promote metastasis when apoptosis is compromised. Migration is enhanced by caspase-8 recruitment to the cellular migration machinery following integrin ligation. Caspase-8 catalytic activity is not required for caspase-8–enhanced cell migration; rather, caspase-8 interacts with a multiprotein complex that can include focal adhesion kinase and calpain 2 (CPN2), enhancing cleavage of focal adhesion substrates and cell migration. Caspase-8 association with CPN2/calpastatin disrupts calpastatin-mediated inhibition of CPN2. In vivo, knockdown of either caspase-8 or CPN2 disrupts metastasis among apoptosis-resistant tumors. This unexpected molecular collaboration provides an explanation for the continued or elevated expression of caspase-8 observed in many tumors. [Cancer Res 2009;69(9):3755–63]
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