[PDF][PDF] WWC proteins mediate LATS1/2 activation by Hippo kinases and imply a tumor suppression strategy

S Qi, Y Zhu, X Liu, P Li, Y Wang, Y Zeng, A Yu, Y Wang… - Molecular Cell, 2022 - cell.com
S Qi, Y Zhu, X Liu, P Li, Y Wang, Y Zeng, A Yu, Y Wang, Z Sha, Z Zhong, R Zhu, H Yuan…
Molecular Cell, 2022cell.com
Summary YAP and TAZ (YAP/TAZ), two major effectors of the Hippo signaling pathway, are
frequently activated in human cancers. The activity of YAP/TAZ is strictly repressed upon
phosphorylation by LATS1/2 tumor suppressors. However, it is unclear how LATS1/2 are
precisely regulated by upstream factors such as Hippo kinases MST1/2. Here, we show that
WWC proteins (WWC1/2/3) directly interact with LATS1/2 and SAV1, and SAV1, in turn,
brings in MST1/2 to phosphorylate and activate LATS1/2. Hence, WWC1/2/3 play an …
Summary
YAP and TAZ (YAP/TAZ), two major effectors of the Hippo signaling pathway, are frequently activated in human cancers. The activity of YAP/TAZ is strictly repressed upon phosphorylation by LATS1/2 tumor suppressors. However, it is unclear how LATS1/2 are precisely regulated by upstream factors such as Hippo kinases MST1/2. Here, we show that WWC proteins (WWC1/2/3) directly interact with LATS1/2 and SAV1, and SAV1, in turn, brings in MST1/2 to phosphorylate and activate LATS1/2. Hence, WWC1/2/3 play an organizer role in a signaling module that mediates LATS1/2 activation by MST1/2. Moreover, we have defined a minimum protein interaction interface on WWC1/2/3 that is sufficient to activate LATS1/2 in a robust and specific manner. The corresponding minigene, dubbed as SuperHippo, can effectively suppress tumorigenesis in multiple tumor models. Our study has uncovered a molecular mechanism underlying LATS1/2 regulation and provides a strategy for treating diverse malignancies related to Hippo pathway dysregulation.
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