G protein γ subunit 7 induces autophagy and inhibits cell division

// Juanjuan Liu 1, 2 , Xinmiao Ji 1 , Zhiyuan Li 1 , Xingxing Yang 1 , Wenchao Wang 1 , Xin Zhang 1 1 High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, P. R. China 2 University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, P. R. China Correspondence to: Xin Zhang, e-mail: xinzhang@hmfl.ac.cn Keywords: GNG7 (G protein γ subunit 7), autophagy, cell death, cell division, actin Received: January 13, 2016      Accepted: February 28, 2016      Published: April 02, 2016 ABSTRACT GNG7 (G protein γ subunit 7), a subunit of heterotrimeric G protein, is ubiquitously expressed in multiple tissues but is down-regulated in various cancers. Its expression could reduce tumor volume in mice but the mechanism was not clear. Here we show that GNG7 overexpression inhibits cell proliferation and increases cell death. GNG7 level is cell cycle-dependent and it regulates actin cytoskeleton and cell division. In addition, GNG7 is an autophagy inducer, which is the first reported Gγ protein involved in autophagy. GNG7 knockdown reduces Rapamycin and starvation-induced autophagy. Further analysis reveals that GNG7 inhibits MTOR in cells, a central regulator for autophagy and cell proliferation. In conclusion, GNG7 inhibits MTOR pathway to induce autophagy and cell death, inhibits cell division by regulating actin cytoskeleton. These combined effects lead to the antitumor capacity of GNG7.