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Updated: Dec 19, 2025

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DUSP4 is involved in the enhanced proliferation and survival of DUSP4-overexpressing cancer cells

Praphasawat Ratsada1, Naoki Hijiya1, Shinya Hidano2

  • 1Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Oita, Japan.

Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
|June 8, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Dual-specificity phosphatase 4 (DUSP4) normally suppresses tumors. However, high DUSP4 expression in some cancers drives proliferation by inhibiting apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, suggesting DUSP4 as a therapeutic target.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Dual-specificity phosphatase 4 (DUSP4), a MAP kinase phosphatase, is recognized as a tumor suppressor.
  • The role of high DUSP4 expression in specific cancers and its impact on carcinogenesis remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the functional significance of DUSP4 in cancer proliferation.
  • To explore the therapeutic potential of targeting DUSP4 in cancers with high DUSP4 expression.

Main Methods:

  • Downregulation of DUSP4 in cancer cell lines.
  • Expression microarray and pathway analyses.
  • CRISPR/Cas9 system for p53-deleted cell establishment.

Main Results:

  • DUSP4 downregulation suppressed cancer cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis and G2/M cell cycle arrest.
  • Downregulation of DUSP4 activated the p53 signaling pathway.
  • p53 deletion attenuated the cell growth suppressive effects of DUSP4 downregulation.

Conclusions:

  • Constitutive DUSP4 expression in cancer cells promotes proliferation by enabling escape from apoptosis and cell cycle arrest.
  • DUSP4 represents a potential novel therapeutic target for cancers exhibiting its overexpression.
Keywords:
ApoptosisCell cycle arrestDUSP4Proliferationp53 signaling pathway

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