Deciphering the Role and Signaling Pathways of PKCα in Luminal A Breast Cancer Cells

Protein kinase C (PKC) comprises a family of highly related serine/threonine protein kinases involved in multiple signaling pathways, which control cell proliferation, survival, and differentiation. The role of PKC alpha in cancer has been studied for many years. However, it has been impossible to establish whether PKC alpha acts as an oncogene or a tumor suppressor. Here, we analyzed the importance of PKC alpha in cellular processes such as proliferation, migration, or apoptosis by inhibiting its gene expression in a luminal A breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). Differential expression analysis and phospho-kinase arrays of PKC alpha-KD vs. PKC alpha-WT MCF-7 cells identified an essential set of proteins and oncogenic kinases of the JAK/STAT and PI3K/AKT pathways that were down-regulated, whereas IGF1R, ERK1/2, and p53 were up-regulated. In addition, unexpected genes related to the interferon pathway appeared down-regulated, while PLC, ERBB4, or PDGFA displayed up-regulated. The integration of this information clearly showed us the usefulness of inhibiting a multifunctional kinase-like PKC alpha in the first step to control the tumor phenotype. Then allowing us to design a possible selection of specific inhibitors for the unexpected up-regulated pathways to further provide a second step of treatment to inhibit the proliferation and migration of MCF-7 cells. The results of this study suggest that PKC alpha plays an oncogenic role in this type of breast cancer model. In addition, it reveals the signaling mode of PKC alpha at both gene expression and kinase activation. In this way, a wide range of proteins can implement a new strategy to fine-tune the control of crucial functions in these cells and pave the way for designing targeted cancer therapies.

Automated summary

PKC comprises a family of serine/threonine protein kinases involved in multiple signaling pathways controlling cell proliferation, survival, and differentiation. Inhibition of PKC alpha gene expression in breast cancer cells identified a set of down-regulated proteins and oncogenic kinases, suggesting an oncogenic role for PKC alpha in this specific cancer model. The study also provides insights into the signaling mode of PKC alpha and suggests potential targeted cancer therapies.