Abstract
The current paradigm holds that the inhibition of Rho guanosine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), the enzymes that stimulate Rho GTPases, can be a valuable therapeutic strategy to treat Rho-dependent tumors. However, formal validation of this idea using in vivo models is still missing. In this context, it is worth remembering that many Rho GEFs can mediate both catalysis-dependent and independent responses, thus raising the possibility that the inhibition of their catalytic activities might not be sufficient per se to block tumorigenic processes. On the other hand, the inhibition of these enzymes can trigger collateral side effects that could preclude the practical implementation of anti-GEF therapies. To address those issues, we have generated mouse models to mimic the effect of the systemic application of an inhibitor for the catalytic activity of the Rho GEF Vav2 at the organismal level. Our results indicate that lowering the catalytic activity of Vav2 below specific thresholds is sufficient to block skin tumor initiation, promotion, and progression. They also reveal that the negative side effects typically induced by the loss of Vav2 can be bypassed depending on the overall level of Vav2 inhibition achieved in vivo. These data underscore the pros and cons of anti-Rho GEF therapies for cancer treatment. They also support the idea that Vav2 could represent a viable drug target.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 50 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $5.18 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bustelo XR. RHO GTPases in cancer: known facts, open questions, and therapeutic challenges. Biochem Soc Trans. 2018;46:741–60.
Vigil D, Cherfils J, Rossman KL, Der CJ. Ras superfamily GEFs and GAPs: validated and tractable targets for cancer therapy? Nat Rev Cancer. 2010;10:842–57.
Rossman KL, Der CJ, Sondek J. GEF means go: turning on RHO GTPases with guanine nucleotide-exchange factors. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2005;6:167–80.
Cullis J, Meiri D, Sandi MJ, Radulovich N, Kent OA, Medrano M, et al. The RhoGEF GEF-H1 is required for oncogenic RAS signaling via KSR-1. Cancer Cell. 2014;25:181–95.
Fine B, Hodakoski C, Koujak S, Su T, Saal LH, Maurer M, et al. Activation of the PI3K pathway in cancer through inhibition of PTEN by exchange factor P-REX2a. Science. 2009;325:1261–5.
Heidary Arash E, Song KM, Song S, Shiban A, Attisano L. Arhgef7 promotes activation of the Hippo pathway core kinase Lats. EMBO J. 2014;33:2997–3011.
Robles-Valero J, Lorenzo-Martin LF, Fernandez-Pisonero I, Bustelo XR. Rho guanosine nucleotide exchange factors are not such bad guys after all in cancer. Small GTPases. 2018:1–7.https://doi.org/10.1080/21541248.2018.1423851.
Lyons LS, Burnstein KL. Vav3, a Rho GTPase guanine nucleotide exchange factor, increases during progression to androgen independence in prostate cancer cells and potentiates androgen receptor transcriptional activity. Mol Endocrinol. 2006;20:1061–72.
Khanna N, Fang Y, Yoon MS, Chen J. XPLN is an endogenous inhibitor of mTORC2. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2013;110:15979–84.
Robles-Valero J, Lorenzo-Martin LF, Menacho-Marquez M, Fernandez-Pisonero I, Abad A, Camos M, et al. A paradoxical tumor-suppressor role for the Rac1 exchange factor Vav1 in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Cancer Cell. 2017;32:608–23. e609
Zandvakili I, Lin Y, Morris JC, Zheng Y. Rho GTPases: anti- or pro-neoplastic targets? Oncogene. 2017;36:3213–22.
Svensmark JH, Brakebusch C. Rho GTPases in cancer: friend or foe? Oncogene. 2019;38:7447–56.
Rodriguez-Fdez S, Bustelo XR. The Vav GEF family: an evolutionary and functional perspective. Cells. 2019;8:465–86.
Bustelo XR. Vav family exchange factors: an integrated regulatory and functional view. Small GTPases. 2014;5:9.
Menacho-Marquez M, Garcia-Escudero R, Ojeda V, Abad A, Delgado P, Costa C, et al. The Rho exchange factors Vav2 and Vav3 favor skin tumor initiation and promotion by engaging extracellular signaling loops. PLoS Biol. 2013;11:e1001615.
Citterio C, Menacho-Marquez M, Garcia-Escudero R, Larive RM, Barreiro O, Sanchez-Madrid F, et al. The Rho exchange factors Vav2 and Vav3 control a lung metastasis-specific transcriptional program in breast cancer cells. Sci Signal. 2012;5:ra71.
Lorenzo-Martin LF, Citterio C, Menacho-Marquez M, Conde J, Larive RM, Rodriguez-Fdez S, et al. Vav proteins maintain epithelial traits in breast cancer cells using miR-200c-dependent and independent mechanisms. Oncogene. 2019;38:209–27.
Ruggiero C, Doghman-Bouguerra M, Sbiera S, Sbiera I, Parsons M, Ragazzon B, et al. Dosage-dependent regulation of VAV2 expression by steroidogenic factor-1 drives adrenocortical carcinoma cell invasion. Sci Signal. 2017;10:eaal2464.
Sauzeau V, Jerkic M, Lopez-Novoa JM, Bustelo XR. Loss of Vav2 proto-oncogene causes tachycardia and cardiovascular disease in mice. Mol Biol Cell. 2007;18:943–52.
Sauzeau V, Sevilla MA, Montero MJ, Bustelo XR. The Rho/Rac exchange factor Vav2 controls nitric oxide-dependent responses in mouse vascular smooth muscle cells. J Clin Investig. 2010;120:315–30.
Fujikawa K, Iwata T, Inoue K, Akahori M, Kadotani H, Fukaya M, et al. VAV2 and VAV3 as candidate disease genes for spontaneous glaucoma in mice and humans. PLoS ONE. 2010;5:e9050.
Rapley J, Tybulewicz VL, Rittinger K. Crucial structural role for the PH and C1 domains of the Vav1 exchange factor. EMBO Rep. 2008;9:655–61.
Chrencik JE, Brooun A, Zhang H, Mathews II, Hura GL, Foster SA, et al. Structural basis of guanine nucleotide exchange mediated by the T-cell essential Vav1. J Mol Biol. 2008;380:828–43.
Worthylake DK, Rossman KL, Sondek J. Crystal structure of Rac1 in complex with the guanine nucleotide exchange region of Tiam1. Nature. 2000;408:682–8.
Liu X, Wang H, Eberstadt M, Schnuchel A, Olejniczak ET, Meadows RP, et al. NMR structure and mutagenesis of the N-terminal Dbl homology domain of the nucleotide exchange factor Trio. Cell. 1998;95:269–77.
Bustelo XR, Sauzeau V, Berenjeno IM. GTP-binding proteins of the Rho/Rac family: regulation, effectors and functions in vivo. Bioessays. 2007;29:356–70.
Coso OA, Chiariello M, Yu JC, Teramoto H, Crespo P, Xu N, et al. The small GTP-binding proteins Rac1 and Cdc42 regulate the activity of the JNK/SAPK signaling pathway. Cell. 1995;81:1137–46.
Crespo P, Bustelo XR, Aaronson DS, Coso OA, Lopez-Barahona M, Barbacid M, et al. Rac-1 dependent stimulation of the JNK/SAPK signaling pathway by Vav. Oncogene. 1996;13:455–60.
Hill CS, Wynne J, Treisman R. The Rho family GTPases RhoA, Rac1, and CDC42Hs regulate transcriptional activation by SRF. Cell. 1995;81:1159–70.
Schuebel KE, Movilla N, Rosa JL, Bustelo XR. Phosphorylation-dependent and constitutive activation of Rho proteins by wild-type and oncogenic Vav-2. EMBO J. 1998;17:6608–21.
Wang Z, Pedersen E, Basse A, Lefever T, Peyrollier K, Kapoor S, et al. Rac1 is crucial for Ras-dependent skin tumor formation by controlling Pak1-Mek-Erk hyperactivation and hyperproliferation in vivo. Oncogene. 2010;29:3362–73.
Garcia-Mariscal A, Li H, Pedersen E, Peyrollier K, Ryan KM, Stanley A, et al. Loss of RhoA promotes skin tumor formation and invasion by upregulation of RhoB. Oncogene. 2018;37:847–60.
Abel EL, Angel JM, Kiguchi K, DiGiovanni J. Multi-stage chemical carcinogenesis in mouse skin: fundamentals and applications. Nat Protoc. 2009;4:1350–62.
Luch A. Nature and nurture—lessons from chemical carcinogenesis. Nat Rev Cancer. 2005;5:113–25.
Fabbiano S, Menacho-Marquez M, Sevilla MA, Albarran-Juarez J, Zheng Y, Offermanns S, et al. Genetic dissection of the Vav2-Rac1 signaling axis in vascular smooth muscle cells. Mol Cell Biol. 2014;34:4404–19.
Amado-Azevedo J, Valent ET, Van Nieuw, Amerongen GP. Regulation of the endothelial barrier function: a filum granum of cellular forces, Rho-GTPase signaling and microenvironment. Cell Tissue Res. 2014;355:557–76.
Garrett TA, Van Buul JD, Burridge K. VEGF-induced Rac1 activation in endothelial cells is regulated by the guanine nucleotide exchange factor Vav2. Exp Cell Res. 2007;313:3285–97.
Gavard J, Gutkind JS. VEGF controls endothelial-cell permeability by promoting the beta-arrestin-dependent endocytosis of VE-cadherin. Nat Cell Biol. 2006;8:1223–34.
Hunter SG, Zhuang G, Brantley-Sieders D, Swat W, Cowan CW, Chen J. Essential role of Vav family guanine nucleotide exchange factors in EphA receptor-mediated angiogenesis. Mol Cell Biol. 2006;26:4830–42.
Thomas EK, Cancelas JA, Chae HD, Cox AD, Keller PJ, Perrotti D, et al. Rac guanosine triphosphatases represent integrating molecular therapeutic targets for BCR-ABL-induced myeloproliferative disease. Cancer Cell. 2007;12:467–78.
Dutting S, Heidenreich J, Cherpokova D, Amin E, Zhang SC, Ahmadian MR, et al. Critical off-target effects of the widely used Rac1 inhibitors NSC23766 and EHT1864 in mouse platelets. J Thromb Haemost. 2015;13:827–38.
Malliri A, van der Kammen RA, Clark K, van der Valk M, Michiels F, Collard JG. Mice deficient in the Rac activator Tiam1 are resistant to Ras-induced skin tumours. Nature. 2002;417:867–71.
Malliri A, Rygiel TP, van der Kammen RA, Song JY, Engers R, Hurlstone AF, et al. The rac activator Tiam1 is a Wnt-responsive gene that modifies intestinal tumor development. J Biol Chem. 2006;281:543–8.
Kawasaki Y, Tsuji S, Muroya K, Furukawa S, Shibata Y, Okuno M, et al. The adenomatous polyposis coli-associated exchange factors Asef and Asef2 are required for adenoma formation in Apc(Min/+)mice. EMBO Rep. 2009;10:1355–62.
Zugaza JL, Lopez-Lago MA, Caloca MJ, Dosil M, Movilla N, Bustelo XR. Structural determinants for the biological activity of Vav proteins. J Biol Chem. 2002;277:45377–92.
Movilla N, Bustelo XR. Biological and regulatory properties of Vav-3, a new member of the Vav family of oncoproteins. Mol Cell Biol. 1999;19:7870–85.
Bouquier N, Fromont S, Zeeh JC, Auziol C, Larrousse P, Robert B, et al. Aptamer-derived peptides as potent inhibitors of the oncogenic RhoGEF Tgat. Chem Biol. 2009;16:391–400.
Niebel B, Wosnitza CI, Famulok M. RNA-aptamers that modulate the RhoGEF activity of Tiam1. Bioorg Med Chem. 2013;21:6239–46.
Verma R, Mohl D, Deshaies RJ. Harnessing the power of proteolysis for targeted protein inactivation. Mol Cell. 2020;77:446–60.
Dotto GP, Rustgi AK. Squamous cell cancers: a unified perspective on biology and genetics. Cancer Cell. 2016;29:622–37.
Que SKT, Zwald FO, Schmults CD. Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: Incidence, risk factors, diagnosis, and staging. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2018;78:237–47.
Huang Y, Zhao J, Mao G, Lee GS, Zhang J, Bi L, et al. Identification of novel genetic variants predisposing to familial oral squamous cell carcinomas. Cell Discov. 2019;5:57.
Doody GM, Bell SE, Vigorito E, Clayton E, McAdam S, Tooze R, et al. Signal transduction through Vav-2 participates in humoral immune responses and B cell maturation. Nat Immunol. 2001;2:542–7.
Sauzeau V, Sevilla MA, Rivas-Elena JV, de Alava E, Montero MJ, Lopez-Novoa JM, et al. Vav3 proto-oncogene deficiency leads to sympathetic hyperactivity and cardiovascular dysfunction. Nat Med. 2006;12:841–5.
Barreira M, Fabbiano S, Couceiro JR, Torreira E, Martinez-Torrecuadrada JL, Montoya G, et al. The C-terminal SH3 domain contributes to the intramolecular inhibition of Vav family proteins. Sci Signal. 2014;7:ra35.
Acknowledgements
We thank M. Blazquez for lab work and CIC facilities’ personnel for technical assistance. XRB is supported by grants from Worldwide Cancer Research (14-1248), the Castilla-León Government (CSI252P18, CLC-2017-01), the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MSI) (RTI2018-096481-B-I00), and the Spanish Association against Cancer (GC16173472GARC). XRB’s institution is supported by the Programa de Apoyo a Planes Estratégicos de Investigación de Estructuras de Investigación de Excelencia of the Castilla-León autonomous government (CLC-2017-01). SF, SR-F, and LFL-M contracts have been supported by funding from the MSI (SF, BES-2010-031386; SR-F, BES-2013-063573), the Spanish Ministry of Universities (LFL-M, FPU13/02923), and the CLC-2017-01 grant (SR-F and LFL-M). JR-V has been supported by the CIBERONC and, currently, by the Spanish Association against Cancer. Both Spanish and Castilla-León government-associated funding is partially supported by the European Regional Development Fund.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
LFL-M participated in all the experiments shown in Figs. 3, 4b–e, in data analyses, and in artwork design. SF carried out the experiments shown in Figs. 1, 4a–e, analyzed the data, and contributed to artwork design. SR-F carried out the experiments shown in Figs. 2c–f, 4f, g, analyzed the data, and contributed to artwork design. AA helped in mouse work (crosses, genotyping, carcinogenesis experiments). MCG-M carried out the histopathological analyses of tumors. MD contributed to data analysis and paper writing. MC and JR-V contributed to the characterization of different phenotypic parameters of Vav2L332A mice. XRB conceived the work, analyzed data, wrote the paper, and performed the final editing of figures.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Ethical approval
Animal work was done according to protocols approved by the Bioethics committee of Salamanca University.
Additional information
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary information
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lorenzo-Martín, L.F., Rodríguez-Fdez, S., Fabbiano, S. et al. Vav2 pharmaco-mimetic mice reveal the therapeutic value and caveats of the catalytic inactivation of a Rho exchange factor. Oncogene 39, 5098–5111 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41388-020-1353-x
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41388-020-1353-x
This article is cited by
-
The Rho guanosine nucleotide exchange factors Vav2 and Vav3 modulate epidermal stem cell function
Oncogene (2022)
-
Vav2 catalysis-dependent pathways contribute to skeletal muscle growth and metabolic homeostasis
Nature Communications (2020)
-
VAV2 signaling promotes regenerative proliferation in both cutaneous and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Nature Communications (2020)