Purpose: Aberrant nuclear activation and phosphorylation of the canonical NF-κB subunit RELA/p65 at Serine-536 by inhibitor κB kinase is prevalent in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), but the role of other kinases in NF-κB activation has not been well defined. Here, we investigated the prevalence and function of p65-Ser276 phosphorylation by protein kinase A (PKA) in the malignant phenotype and gene transactivation, and studied p65-Ser276 as a potential target for therapy. Experimental Design: Phospho and total p65 protein expression and localization were determined in HNSCC tissue array and in cell lines. The effects of the PKA inhibitor H-89 on NF-κB activation, downstream gene expression, cell proliferation and cell cycle were examined. Knockdown of PKA by specific siRNA confirmed the specificity. Results: NF-κB p65 phosphorylated at Ser276 was prevalent in HNSCC and adjacent dysplastic mucosa, but localized to the cytoplasm in normal mucosa. In HNSCC lines, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) significantly increased, whereas H-89 inhibited constitutive and TNF-α-induced nuclear p65 (Ser276) phosphorylation, and significantly suppressed NF-κB and target gene IL-8 reporter activity. Knockdown of PKA by small interfering RNA inhibited NF-κB, IL-8, and BCL-XL reporter gene activities. H-89 suppressed cell proliferation, induced cell death, and blocked the cell cycle in G 1 -S phase. Consistent with its biological effects, H-89 down-modulated expression of NF-κB-related genes Cyclin D1, BCL2, BCL-XL, COX2, IL-8, and VEGF, as well as induced cell cycle inhibitor p21
CIP1/WAF1, while suppressing proliferative marker Ki67. NF-κB is a signal transcription factor that has emerged as an important modulator of altered gene expression programs and malignant phenotype in the development and progression of cancer. We reported previously that NF-κB is aberrantly activated and promotes altered expression of multiple genes important in the malignant phenotype of human and murine head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC; ref. 1, 2). The canonical mechanism for NF-κB nuclear translocation and activation involves the phosphorylation and subsequent degradation of its cytoplasmic inhibitor κB (IκB) by a trimeric inhibitor-κ B kinase α/β/γ complex in response to a wide range of stimuli such as oncogenic viruses, carcinogens, growth factors, and cytokines. Degradation of IκB results in the liberation of the p65-p50 heterodimer for its translocation to the nucleus where it transactivates target genes (3). The classical pathway of activation of NF-κB by physical dissociation of p65-p50 subunits from IκBα and subsequent nuclear translocation has been well studied (4, 5), but the differential dynamics of NF-κB transactivation following the phosphorylation of p65 at various sites is increasingly being appreciated. There is evidence that inhibitor-κ B kinase and various other kinases induce phosphorylation of p65 at Ser 536, a posttranslational modification critical for the transactivation of NF-κB in response to var...