Isoprenylcysteine carboxylmethyltransferase is critical for malignant transformation and tumor maintenance by all RAS isoforms

Oncogene. 2017 Jul 6;36(27):3934-3942. doi: 10.1038/onc.2016.508. Epub 2017 Feb 13.

Abstract

Despite extensive effort, there has been limited progress in the development of direct RAS inhibitors. Targeting isoprenylcysteine carboxylmethyltransferase (ICMT), a unique enzyme of RAS post-translational modification, represents a promising strategy to inhibit RAS function. However, there lacks direct genetic evidence on the role of ICMT in RAS-driven human cancer initiation and maintenance. Using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, we have created Icmt loss-of-function isogenic cell lines for both RAS-transformed human mammary epithelial cells (HME1) and human cancer cell lines MiaPaca-2 and MDA-MB-231 containing naturally occurring mutant KRAS. In both in vitro and in vivo tumorigenesis studies, Icmt loss-of-function abolishes the tumor initiation ability of all major isoforms of mutant RAS in HME1 cells, and the tumor maintenance capacity of MiaPaca-2 and MDA-MB-231 cells, establishing the critical role of ICMT in RAS-driven cancers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / pharmacology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Mice, SCID
  • Mutation, Missense
  • Protein Isoforms / genetics
  • Protein Isoforms / metabolism
  • Protein Methyltransferases / physiology*
  • Tamoxifen / pharmacology
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
  • ras Proteins / genetics*
  • ras Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal
  • Protein Isoforms
  • Tamoxifen
  • Protein Methyltransferases
  • protein-S-isoprenylcysteine O-methyltransferase
  • ras Proteins