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Suppression of p160ROCK bypasses cell cycle arrest after Aurora-A/STK15 depletion

Jian Du1, Gregory J Hannon

  • 1Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|June 5, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Aurora-A and p160ROCK kinases are involved in cell cycle progression. Suppressing Aurora-A causes cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, while also suppressing p160ROCK rescues these effects, suggesting a common pathway.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Aurora-A (serine/threonine kinase 15) is a centrosomal kinase crucial for genomic stability and cell cycle regulation.
  • Aberrant Aurora-A expression and activity are linked to genomic instability, centrosome duplication errors, and cellular transformation.
  • Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) pathways are implicated in various cellular processes, including cell division.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the interaction between Aurora-A and p160ROCK.
  • To elucidate the roles of Aurora-A and p160ROCK in regulating the G2/M cell cycle transition and mitotic spindle formation.
  • To determine if Aurora-A and p160ROCK function within a common genetic pathway.

Main Methods:

  • Small interfering RNA (siRNA) and RNA interference (RNAi) were used to suppress Aurora-A and p160ROCK expression in HeLa cells.
  • Protein complex formation was assessed.
  • Mitotic spindle organization, cell cycle progression (G2/M arrest), ploidy (tetraploid and aneuploid cell accumulation), and apoptosis were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • p160ROCK was found to associate with Aurora-A in a protein complex.
  • Suppression of Aurora-A led to defective mitotic spindle formation, G2/M cell cycle arrest, tetraploid cell accumulation, and apoptosis.
  • Simultaneous suppression of p160ROCK rescued abnormal spindle formation, released G2/M arrest, alleviated apoptosis, and increased aneuploid cell accumulation.

Conclusions:

  • Aurora-A and p160ROCK function in a shared genetic pathway that governs G2/M phase progression.
  • This pathway appears to monitor and promote cell cycle progression through mitosis.
  • The interplay between Aurora-A and p160ROCK is critical for maintaining genomic integrity and preventing aberrant cell division.

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