Download MendeleyThe CNNM-binding interface drives PRL-3-dependent tumor progression in de novo cancer models.
Jolly, J.T., Felisbino, K., Mahbub, L., Al-Hamaly, M.A., Jin, M., Smith, C.N., Kozlov, G., Gehring, K., Blackburn, J.S.(2026) iScience 29: 117338-117338
- PubMed: 42699321 Search on PubMedSearch on PubMed Central
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2026.117338
- Primary Citation Related Structures:
9YBI - PubMed Abstract:
Phosphatase of regenerating liver 3 (PRL-3) is a cancer-associated protein linked to tumor progression, metastasis, and poor patient outcomes, but the mechanism underlying its oncogenic activity remains unresolved. PRL-3 functions both as a phosphatase and as a binding partner of CNNM magnesium transporters, raising the question of which activity drives cancer progression. Here, we combine structure-guided separation-of-function mutants with biochemical and structural analyses, de novo zebrafish models of rhabdomyosarcoma and T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and complementary human cancer cell assays to distinguish these mechanisms. PRL-3 wild type and the phosphatase-deficient, CNNM-binding-competent C104D mutant enhanced magnesium retention, stress tolerance, tumor-associated cell behaviors, tumor growth, and leukemia progression, whereas the CNNM-binding-deficient R138E mutant did not. These findings identify the CNNM-binding interface as a central mechanistic requirement for PRL-3-driven malignancy and suggest that therapeutic strategies focused solely on catalytic inhibition may not fully suppress its oncogenic functions.
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
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