Protein tyrosine phosphatase UBASH3B is overexpressed in triple-negative breast cancer and promotes invasion and metastasis

ST Lee, M Feng, Y Wei, Z Li, Y Qiao… - Proceedings of the …, 2013 - National Acad Sciences
ST Lee, M Feng, Y Wei, Z Li, Y Qiao, P Guan, X Jiang, CH Wong, K Huynh, J Wang, J Li
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2013National Acad Sciences
Efforts to improve the clinical outcome of highly aggressive triple-negative breast cancer
(TNBC) have been hindered by the lack of effective targeted therapies. Thus, it is important
to identify the specific gene targets/pathways driving the invasive phenotype to develop
more effective therapeutics. Here we show that ubiquitin-associated and SH3 domain-
containing B (UBASH3B), a protein tyrosine phosphatase, is overexpressed in TNBC, where
it supports malignant growth, invasion, and metastasis largely through modulating epidermal …
Efforts to improve the clinical outcome of highly aggressive triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) have been hindered by the lack of effective targeted therapies. Thus, it is important to identify the specific gene targets/pathways driving the invasive phenotype to develop more effective therapeutics. Here we show that ubiquitin-associated and SH3 domain-containing B (UBASH3B), a protein tyrosine phosphatase, is overexpressed in TNBC, where it supports malignant growth, invasion, and metastasis largely through modulating epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). We also show that UBASH3B is a functional target of anti-invasive microRNA200a (miR200a) that is down-regulated in TNBC. Importantly, the oncogenic potential of UBASH3B is dependent on its tyrosine phosphatase activity, which targets CBL ubiquitin ligase for dephosphorylation and inactivation, leading to EGFR up-regulation. Thus, UBASH3B may function as a crucial node in bridging multiple invasion-promoting pathways, thereby providing a potential therapeutic target for TNBC.
National Acad Sciences