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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2020.06.17.157131

Phosphorylation of pericyte FAK-Y861 affects tumour cell apoptosis and tumour blood vessel regression

Lees, D.·Reynolds, L.·Pedrosa, R.·Roy-Luzarraga, M.·Hodivala-Dilke, K.
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Abstract

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase that is overexpressed in many cancer types and in vivo studies have shown that vascular endothelial cell FAK expression and FAK-phosphorylation at tyrosine (Y) 397, and subsequently FAK-Y861, are important in tumour angiogenesis. Pericytes also play a vital role in regulating tumour blood vessel stabilisation, but the involvement of pericyte FAK-Y397 and FAK-Y861 phosphorylation in tumour blood vessels is unknown. Using Pdgfr{beta}Cre+;FAKWT/WT, Pdgfr{beta}Cre+;FAKY397F/Y397F and Pdgfr{beta}Cre+;FAKY861F/Y861F mice, our data demonstrate that tumour growth, tumour blood vessel density, blood vessel perfusion and pericyte coverage were affected only in late stage tumours in Pdgfr{beta}Cre+;FAKY861F/Y861F but not Pdgfr{beta}Cre+;FAKY397F/Y397F mice. Further examination indicates a dual role for pericyte FAK-Y861 phosphorylation in the regulation of tumour vessel regression and also in the control of a pericyte derived pericrine signals that influence apoptosis in cancer cells. Overall this study identifies the role of pericyte FAK-Y861 in the regulation of tumour vessel regression and tumour growth control and that non-phosphorylatable FAK-Y861F in pericytes reduces tumour growth and blood vessel density.

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Lees, D., Reynolds, L., Pedrosa, R., Roy-Luzarraga, M., Hodivala-Dilke, K.. 2020-06-18. Phosphorylation of pericyte FAK-Y861 affects tumour cell apoptosis and tumour blood vessel regression. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.06.17.157131

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