Abstract
Transglutaminase 2 (TG2) expression is required for epidermal squamous cell carcinoma cancer stem cell survival. However, the molecular signaling mechanisms triggered by TG2 that mediate this survival action are not well understood. Here we show that TG2 is constitutively expressed in ECS cells, where it interacts with α6/β4 integrin to stimulate FAK and Src signaling, leading to PI3K activation of phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1). PDK1 inhibits Hippo signaling, leading to enhanced nuclear accumulation of YAP1, which interacted with and stabilized ΔNp63α to enhance epidermal squamous cell carcinoma spheroid formation, invasion, and migration. Overall, these findings suggest that constitutive TG2 expression results in stabilization of ΔNp63α, leading to maintenance of cancer stem cell properties and enhanced tumor formation. Cancer Res; 76(24); 7265-76. ©2016 AACR.