Doublecortin undergo nucleocytoplasmic transport via the RanGTPase signaling to promote glioma progression

Nuclear translocation of several oncogenic proteins have previously been reported, but neither the translocation of doublecortin (DCX) nor the mechanism involved has been studied. DCX is a neuronal microtubule-associated protein (MAP) that is crucial for adult neurogenesis and neuronal migration and has been associated with poor prognosis in gliomas.

Collectively, this study highlights a remarkable phenomenon in glioma, hence revealing potential glioma dependencies on DCX expression, which is amenable to targeted therapy. Video abstract.

We probed DCX expression in different grades of glioma tissues and conventional cells via western blotting. Then we analyzed the expression pattern in the Oncomine cancer profiling database. Confocal Immunofluorescence was used to detect DCX expression in the cellular compartments, while subcellular fractionation was probed via western blotting. Pulse shape height analysis was utilized to verify DCX localization in a larger population of cells. Co-immunoprecipitation was used in detecting DCX-import receptors interactions. To probe for DCX functions, stable cells expressing high DCX expression or knockdown were generated using CRISPR-Cas9 viral transfection, while plasmid site-directed mutant constructs were used to validate putative nuclear localization sequence (NLS) predicted via conventional algorithms and comparison with classical NLSs. in-silico modeling was performed to validate DCX interactions with import receptors via the selected putative NLS. Effects of DCX high expression, knockdown, mutation, and/or deletion of putative NLS sites were probed via Boyden's invasion assay and wound healing migration assays, and viability was detected by CCK8 assays in-vitro, while xenograft tumor model was performed in nude mice.

DCX undergoes nucleocytoplasmic movement via the RanGTPase signaling pathway with an NLS located on the N-terminus between serine47-tyrosine70. This translocation could be stimulated by MARK's phosphorylation of the serine 47 residue flanking the NLS due to aberrant expression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). High expression and nuclear accumulation of DCX improve invasive glioma abilities in-vitro and in-vivo. Moreover, knocking down or blocking DCX nuclear import attenuates invasiveness and proliferation of glioma cells.