posted on 2017-07-18, 15:21authored byCatríona M. Dowling, Sheri L. Hayes, James L. Phelan, Mary Clare Cathcart, Stephen P. Finn, Brian Mehigan, Paul McCormick, Calvin J. Coffey, Jacintha O'Sullivan, Patrick A. Kiely
Despite extensive efforts, Protein Kinase Cs (PKCs) have proven to be an
intractable target in cancer therapies. Traditionally it was accepted that PKCs act as
tumour promoters, however new research suggests that PKCs may play an important
role in the suppression of cancer. A challenge in targeting PKCs is the limited data
available in patient samples. One of the PKC isozymes, PKC gamma, is thought to be
present only in the brain and has been largely neglected in the context of cancer.
Analysis of gene expression levels of PKC gamma in patient matched normal and
colon cancer tissue samples revealed an up-regulation of the gene in the cancer tissue
of 54% of the patients examined. Mechanistically we demonstrate that a reduction
in the levels of PKC gamma in the colon cancer cells inhibits cell migration and foci
formation. Further to this, we observe an increase in cell adhesion and proliferation
following the reduction of PKC gamma levels in the cell. Thus, PKC gamma plays a key
role in colon cancer; making it an important isozyme that needs to be reconsidered
in the context of cancer therapies.