A novel p70 S6 kinase-microRNA biogenesis axis mediates multicellular spheroid formation in ovarian cancer progression

// Sophia So Ngo Lam 1 , Carman Ka Man Ip 1 , Abby Sin Chi Mak 1 , Alice Sze Tsai Wong 1 1 School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Correspondence to: Alice Sze Tsai Wong, e-mail: awong1@hku.hk Keywords: p70 S6 kinase, microRNA biogenesis, multicellular spheroid formation, ovarian cancer Received: January 06, 2016 Accepted: April 26, 2016 Published: May 13, 2016 ABSTRACT Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death of all gynecologic tumors, associated with widespread peritoneal dissemination and malignant ascites. Key to this is the ability to form multicellular spheroids (MCS); however, the tumor-specific factors that regulate MCS formation are unclear. p70 S6 kinase (p70 S6K ), which is a downstream effector of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt, is frequently constitutively active in ovarian carcinoma. Here we identify p70 S6K as a vital regulator of MCS formation. We also uncover a new mechanism of p70 S6K function as a component of the microRNA biogenesis machinery in this process. We show that p70 S6K phosphorylates, and inhibits the interaction of tristetraprolin (TTP) and Dicer that promotes the expression of a subset of miRNAs, including the maturation of miR-145. Twist and Sox9 are two divergent targets of miR-145, thereby enhancing N-cadherin, but not other cadherin, expression and MCS formation. Activating miR-145 suppresses ovarian tumor growth and metastasis in an orthotopic xenograft mouse model. Meta-analysis in the Oncomine database reveals that high p70 S6K and low TTP levels are associated with ovarian tumor progression. These results define a critical link between p70 S6K , miRNA maturation, and MCS formation that may underlie poor clinical outcome of ovarian cancer patients for developing novel therapeutic strategies.