CDK1 interacts with iASPP to regulate colorectal cancer cell proliferation through p53 pathway

// Wei Gan 1 , Hua Zhao 1 , Tiegang Li 1 , Kuijie Liu 1 and Jiangsheng Huang 2 1 Department of General Surgery, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan, China 2 Department of Minimally Invasive Surgery, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan, China Correspondence to: Kuijie Liu, email: liukuijie228@sohu.com Jiangsheng Huang, email: jiangsheng_huang@163.com Keywords: CDK1, iASPP, colorectal cancer, cell proliferation, p53 Received: March 15, 2017      Accepted: April 26, 2017      Published: May 11, 2017 ABSTRACT CDK1 (cyclin-dependent kinase 1) is a critical regulator of the G2-M checkpoint. CDK1 is considered a possible target for cancer treatment. In addition to CDK1, iASPP plays essential role in maintaining cancer cell proliferation. In the present study, we monitored the expression of CDK1 and iASPP at mRNA and protein levels in CRC tissues and cell lines; we also predicted that iASPP protein might interact with CDK1 protein. By performing GST pull-down assay and Co-IP assay, we confirmed the interaction of CDK1 and iASPP protein. In CRC cell lines, CDK1 interacted with iASPP to affect CRC cell proliferation and apoptosis; moreover, the p53 apoptosis pathway was involved in this progression. Taken together, we revealed that CDK1 and iASPP was up-regulated in CRC tissues and cell lines; CDK1 protein interacted with iASPP protein to affect CRC cell proliferation and apoptosis through the p53 apoptosis pathway. CDK1 and iASPP might serve as not only promising targets in CRC treatment, but also efficient prognostic markers. From the perspective of protein interactions, we provided a novel theoretical basis for targeted therapy of CRC.