Downregulation of Choline Kinase-Alpha Enhances Autophagy in Tamoxifen-Resistant Breast Cancer Cells

Choline kinase-alpha (Chk-alpha) and autophagy have gained much attention, as they relate to the drug-resistance of breast cancer. Here, we explored the potential connection between Chk-alpha and autophagy in the mechanisms driving to tamoxifen (TAM) resistance, in estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer cells (BCCs). Human BCC lines (MCF-7 and TAM-resistant MCF-7 (MCF-7/TAM) cells) were used. Chk-alpha expression and activity was suppressed by the transduction of shRNA (shChk-alpha) with lentivirus and treatment with CK37, a Chk-alpha inhibitor. MCF-7/TAM cells had higher Chk-alpha expression and phosphocholine levels than MCF-7 cells. A specific downregulation of Chk-alpha by the transduction of shChk-alpha exhibited a significant decrease in phosphocholine levels in MCF-7 and MCF-7/TAM cells. The autophagy-related protein, cleaved microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3) and autophagosome-like structures were significantly increased in shChk-alpha-transduced or CK37-treated MCF-7 and MCF-7/TAM cells. The downregulation of Chk-alpha attenuated the phosphorylation of AKT, ERK1/2, and mTOR in both MCF-7 and MCF-7/TAM cells. In MCF-7 cells, the downregulation of Chk-alpha resulted in an induction of autophagy, a decreased proliferation ability and an activation of caspase-3. In MCF-7/TAM cells, despite a significant decrease in proliferation ability and an increase in the percentage of cells in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle, the downregulation of Chk-alpha did not induced caspase-dependent cell death and further enhanced autophagy and G0/G1 phase arrest. An autophagy inhibitor, methyladenine (3-MA) induced death and attenuated the level of elevated LC3 in MCF7/TAM cells. Elucidating the interplay between choline metabolism and autophagy will provide unique opportunities to identify new therapeutic targets and develop novel treatment strategies that preferentially target TAM-resistance.