Sphingosine simultaneously inhibits nuclear import and activates PP2A by binding importins and PPP2R1A

Sphingosine and constrained analogs like FTY720 and SH-BC-893 restrain tumor growth through incompletely defined mechanisms that include protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) activation. Here we show that these compounds directly bind not only the PP2A scaffolding subunit PPP2R1A, but also the structurally related karyopherins importin-β1 (KPNB1), transportin-1 (TNPO1), importin-5 (IPO5), and importin-7 (IPO7). Binding to sphingosine-like molecules triggers reversible unfolding of these target proteins, resulting in activation of PP2A and inhibition of importins. Although sphingosine engages these proteins, ceramide does not, suggesting that these two endogenous tumor-suppressive sphingolipids work through distinct mechanisms. Simultaneous PP2A activation and importin inhibition reduces nuclear levels of proteins that drive cancer progression and therapeutic resistance such as JUN, YAP, MYC, androgen receptor, hnRNPA1, and NF-κB under conditions where compounds that target PP2A or KPNB1 individually are inactive. These findings provide new insights into sphingolipid biology and highlight a possible path toward cancer therapeutics that could overcome drug resistance.