Li Fu

Publications (2)14.61 Total impact

• Article: Activation of the ATM-Snail pathway promotes breast cancer metastasis.

  Mianen Sun, Xiaojing Guo, Xiaolong Qian, Haibo Wang, Chunying Yang, Kathryn L Brinkman, Monica Serrano-Gonzalez, Richard S Jope, Binhua Zhou, David A Engler, Ming Zhan, Stephen T C Wong, Li Fu, Bo Xu
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  ABSTRACT: The DNA damage response (DDR) is critical for the maintenance of genetic stability and serves as an anti-cancer barrier during early tumorigenesis. However, the role of the DDR in tumor progression and metastasis is less known. Here, we demonstrate that the ATM kinase, one of the critical DDR elements, is hyperactive in late stage breast tumor tissues with lymph-node metastasis and this hyperactivity correlates with elevated expression of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition marker, Snail. At the molecular level, we demonstrate that ATM regulates Snail stabilization by phosphorylation on Serine-100. Using mass spectrometry, we identified HSP90 as a critical binding protein of Snail in response to DNA damage. HSP90 binds to and stabilizes phosphorylated Snail. We further provide in vitro and in vivo evidence that activation of ATM-mediated Snail phosphorylation promotes tumor invasion and metastasis. Finally, we demonstrate that Snail Serine-100 phosphorylation is elevated in breast cancer tissues with lymph-node metastasis, indicating clinical significance of the ATM-Snail pathway. Together, our findings provide strong evidence that the ATM-Snail pathway promotes tumor metastasis, highlighting a previously undescribed role of the DDR in tumor invasion and metastasis.
  Journal of Molecular Cell Biology 08/2012; 4(5):304-15.
• Article: Aurora-B mediated ATM serine 1403 phosphorylation is required for mitotic ATM activation and the spindle checkpoint.

  Chunying Yang, Xi Tang, Xiaojing Guo, Yohei Niikura, Katsumi Kitagawa, Kemi Cui, Stephen T C Wong, Li Fu, Bo Xu
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  ABSTRACT: The ATM kinase plays a critical role in the maintenance of genetic stability. ATM is activated in response to DNA damage and is essential for cell-cycle checkpoints. Here, we report that ATM is activated in mitosis in the absence of DNA damage. We demonstrate that mitotic ATM activation is dependent on the Aurora-B kinase and that Aurora-B phosphorylates ATM on serine 1403. This phosphorylation event is required for mitotic ATM activation. Further, we show that loss of ATM function results in shortened mitotic timing and a defective spindle checkpoint, and that abrogation of ATM Ser1403 phosphorylation leads to this spindle checkpoint defect. We also demonstrate that mitotically activated ATM phosphorylates Bub1, a critical kinetochore protein, on Ser314. ATM-mediated Bub1 Ser314 phosphorylation is required for Bub1 activity and is essential for the activation of the spindle checkpoint. Collectively, our data highlight mechanisms of a critical function of ATM in mitosis.
  Molecular cell 11/2011; 44(4):597-608. · 14.61 Impact Factor