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Key Points Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a non-receptor protein tyrosine kinase that drives tumour growth and metastasis through kinase-dependent and kinase-independent pathways. FAK promotes metastasis by regulating processes involved in tumour cell motility and invasion, including control of focal adhesion and cytoskeletal dynamics, as well as the regulation of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) surface expression. Tumour growth is enhanced through pro-proliferative and anti-apoptotic functions of FAK. FAK is connected to cancer stem cell and progenitor cell maintenance through kinase-dependent and kinase-independent functions. FAK signals contribute to the malignant outgrowth of these cells. FAK favours tumour progression via the regulation of signalling pathways within cells of the tumour microenvironment, such as endothelial cells, haematopoietic cells, platelets, macrophages and fibroblasts. FAK activity promotes endothelial cell migration, proliferation and survival, and it stimulates tumour angiogenesis. FAK-mediated regulation of endothelial cell permeability can influence tumour metastasis. FAK expression and activity in tumour and endothelial cells is frequently upregulated and correlated with a poor patient prognosis. Several molecules that target FAK kinase activity or its kinase-independent scaffolding function are under investigation in preclinical trials. Promising drug candidates in Phase I or II clinical trials are small molecule ATP-competitive inhibitors. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) can promote tumour growth and metastasis through various kinase-dependent and kinase-independent pathways. This Review discusses the roles of FAK in tumour cells and cells of the microenvironment, as well as the progress that is being made in the clinical development of FAK inhibitors. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a cytoplasmic protein tyrosine kinase that is overexpressed and activated in several advanced-stage solid cancers. FAK promotes tumour progression and metastasis through effects on cancer cells, as well as stromal cells of the tumour microenvironment. The kinase-dependent and kinase-independent functions of FAK control cell movement, invasion, survival, gene expression and cancer stem cell self-renewal. Small molecule FAK inhibitors decrease tumour growth and metastasis in several preclinical models and have initial clinical activity in patients with limited adverse events. In this Review, we discuss FAK signalling effects on both tumour and stromal cell biology that provide rationale and support for future therapeutic opportunities.

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is both a non-receptor tyrosine kinase and an adaptor protein that primarily regulates adhesion signalling and cell migration, but FAK can also promote cell survival in response to stress. FAK is commonly overexpressed in cancer and is considered a high-value druggable target, with multiple FAK inhibitors currently in development. Evidence suggests that in the clinical setting, FAK targeting will be most effective in combination with other agents so as to reverse failure of chemotherapies or targeted therapies and enhance efficacy of immune-based treatments of solid tumours. Here, we discuss the recent preclinical evidence that implicates FAK in anticancer therapeutic resistance, leading to the view that FAK inhibitors will have their greatest utility as combination therapies in selected patient populations.Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is overexpressed in many cancers and is involved in a multitude of oncogenic processes and resistance mechanisms. This Review discusses the rationale and preclinical evidence for FAK-based combination therapies and strategies for future development.

Extracellular matrix proteins are associated with metabolically healthy adipose tissue and regulate inflammation, fibrosis, angiogenesis, and subsequent metabolic deterioration. In this study, we demonstrated that transforming growth factor-beta (TGFBI), an extracellular matrix (ECM) component, plays an important role in adipose metabolism and browning during high-fat diet-induced obesity. TGFBI KO mice were resistant to adipose tissue hypertrophy, liver steatosis, and insulin resistance. Furthermore, adipose tissue from TGFBI KO mice contained a large population of CD11b + and CD206 + M2 macrophages, which possibly control adipokine secretion through paracrine mechanisms. Mechanistically, we showed that inhibiting TGFBI-stimulated release of adipsin by Notch-1-dependent signaling resulted in adipocyte browning. TGFBI was physiologically bound to Notch-1 and stimulated its activation in adipocytes. Our findings revealed a novel protective effect of TGFBI deficiency in obesity that is realized via the activation of the Notch-1 signaling pathway. Fat metabolism: protecting against obesity-related metabolic disorders Studying a protein called TGFBI, which regulates adipose expansion, may help the development of new approaches to protect against obesity and related metabolic disorders such as type II diabetes. White adipose tissue (body fat) stores energy, and brown adipose tissue generates heat. Promoting “browning” of adipose tissue may help protect against obesity. Proteins that influence adipose microenvironment can be involved in metabolic diseases, so Seul Gi Lee and Ju-Ock Nam at Kyungpook National University, Taeg Kyu Kwon at Keimyung University, both in Daegu, South Korea, and co-workers investigated how TGFBI affects adipose metabolism in a mouse model. Deleting TGFBI in mice promoted the transformation of white adipose tissue to brown, protecting mice against weight gain and increase in adipose tissue. These results offer insights into potential therapies for obesity and related disorders via TGFBI regulation.

Key Points In 1992, focal adhesion kinase (FAK) was identified as a substrate for viral Src and as a highly tyrosine-phosphorylated protein that localized to cell adhesion sites known as focal contacts. Since then, FAK has been shown to have a key role in both normal and tumour cell migration downstream of growth factor- and integrin- receptors. It is the formation of a FAK–Src signalling complex that is an initial and important event required for maximal FAK activation and cell migration. FAK can be activated through intermolecular and intramolecular mechanisms, and tyrosine-phosphorylated FAK promotes interactions with various Src-homology (SH)2- and SH3-containing proteins. These proteins allow FAK activation to be connected to several signalling pathways such as the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade and small GTPases such as Rac and Rho. Phosphorylation of the C-terminal domain of FAK might control its localization to focal contacts by altering the binding of paxillin. FAK functions as a signalling-protein scaffold for the assembly and subsequent maturation of focal contacts. FAK–Src kinase activity contributes to these events by promoting signalling that leads to the phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol lipids. FAK–Src also functions to promote the disassembly of focal contacts, in part by activating intracellular proteases such as calpain and extracellular matrix metalloproteinases. New findings also link FAK–Src signalling to the regulation of cadherin-mediated cell–cell contacts. In cell protrusions of migrating cells, coordinated changes in actin and microtubule structures are regulated by FAK signalling to Rho-family GTPases. FAK binds to and can phosphorylate GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) and guanine nucleotide-exchange factors (GEFs) for Rho, and neuronal Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome protein (N-WASP), and can exert control over actin crosslinking by phosphorylating α-actinin. The receptor-proximal position of FAK facilitates its role as an integrator of biochemical signals and mechanical forces that are experienced by moving cells. It is in this unique signalling position that FAK can regulate cytoskeletal or cell adhesion site dynamics and thereby control cell motility. A central question in cell biology is how membrane-spanning receptors transmit extracellular signals inside cells to modulate cell adhesion and motility. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a crucial signalling component that is activated by numerous stimuli and functions as a biosensor or integrator to control cell motility. Through multifaceted and diverse molecular connections, FAK can influence the cytoskeleton, structures of cell adhesion sites and membrane protrusions to regulate cell movement.

How adhesive forces are transduced and integrated into biochemical signals at focal adhesions (FAs) is poorly understood. Using cells adhering to deformable micropillar arrays, we demonstrate that traction force and FAK localization as well as traction force and Y397-FAK phosphorylation are linearly coupled at individual FAs on stiff, but not soft, substrates. Similarly, FAK phosphorylation increases linearly with external forces applied to FAs using magnetic beads. This mechanosignaling coupling requires actomyosin contractility, talin-FAK binding, and full-length vinculin that binds talin and actin. Using an in vitro 3D biomimetic wound healing model, we show that force-FAK signaling coupling coordinates cell migration and tissue-scale forces to promote microtissue repair. A simple kinetic binding model of talin-FAK interactions under force can recapitulate the experimental observations. This study provides insights on how talin and vinculin convert forces into FAK signaling events regulating cell migration and tissue repair. How adhesive forces are transduced and integrated into biochemical signals at focal adhesions (FAs) is poorly understood. Here authors show that force- FAK signaling coupling coordinates cell migration and tissue-scale forces to promote microtissue repair.

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is a lethal malignancy characterized by an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment containing few tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and an insensitivity to checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapies. Gains in the PTK2 gene encoding focal adhesion kinase (FAK) at Chr8 q24.3 occur in ∼70% of HGSOC tumors, and elevated FAK messenger RNA (mRNA) levels are associated with poor patient survival. Herein, we show that active FAK, phosphorylated at tyrosine-576 within catalytic domain, is significantly increased in late-stage HGSOC tumors. Active FAK costained with CD155, a checkpoint receptor ligand for TIGIT (T cell immunoreceptor with immunoglobulin and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif domains), in HGSOC tumors and a selective association between FAK and TIGIT checkpoint ligands were supported by patient transcriptomic database analysis. HGSOC tumors with high FAK expression were associated with low CD3 mRNA levels. Accordingly, late-stage tumors showed elevated active FAK staining and significantly lower levels of CD3+ TILs. Using the KMF ( K _ ras , M _ yc , F _ AK ) syngeneic ovarian tumor model containing spontaneous PTK2 (FAK) gene gains, the effects of tumor intrinsic genetic or oral small molecule FAK inhibitior (FAKi; VS-4718) were evaluated in vivo. Blocking FAK activity decreased tumor burden, suppressed ascites KMF-associated CD155 levels, and increased peritoneal TILs. The combination of FAKi with blocking TIGIT antibody (1B4) maintained elevated TIL levels and reduced TIGIT+ T regulatory cell levels, prolonged host survival, increased CXCL13 levels, and led to the formation of omental tertiary lymphoid structures. Collectively, our studies support FAK and TIGIT targeting as a rationale immunotherapy combination for HGSOC.

Efficient cell movement requires the dynamic regulation of focal adhesion (FA) formation and turnover. FAs are integrin-associated sites of cell attachment and establish linkages to the cellular actin cytoskeleton. Cells without focal adhesion kinase (FAK), an integrin-activated tyrosine kinase, exhibit defects in FA turnover and cell motility. Cortactin is an actin binding adaptor protein that can influence FA dynamics. FAK and cortactin interact, but the cellular role of this complex remains unclear. Using FAK-null fibroblasts stably reconstituted with green fluorescent protein (GFP) tagged FAK constructs, we find that FAK activity and FAK C-terminal proline-rich region 2 (PRR2) and PRR3 are required for FA turnover and cell motility. Cortactin binds directly to FAK PRR2 and PRR3 sites via its SH3 domain and cortactin expression is important in promoting FA turnover and GFP-FAK release from FAs. FAK-cortactin binding is negatively-regulated by FAK activity and associated with cortactin tyrosine phosphorylation. FAK directly phosphorylates cortactin at Y421 and Y466 and over-expression of cortactin Y421, Y466, and Y482 mutated to phenylalanine (3YF) prevented FAK-enhanced FA turnover and cell motility. However, phospho-mimetic cortactin mutated to glutamic acid (3YE) did not affect FA dynamics and did not rescue FA turnover defects in cells with inhibited FAK activity or with PRR2-mutated FAK that does not bind cortactin. Our results support a model whereby FAK-mediated FA remodeling may occur through the formation of a FAK-cortactin signaling complex. This involves a cycle of cortactin binding to FAK, cortactin tyrosine phosphorylation, and subsequent cortactin-FAK dissociation accompanied by FA turnover and cell movement.

Aberrant activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling plays an unequivocal role in colorectal cancer, but identification of effective Wnt inhibitors for use in cancer remains a tremendous challenge. New insights into the regulation of this pathway could reveal new therapeutic point of intervention, therefore are greatly needed. Here we report a novel FAK/PYK2/GSK3βY216/β-catenin regulation axis: FAK and PYK2, elevated in adenomas in APCmin/+ mice and in human colorectal cancer tissues, functioned redundantly to promote the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by phosphorylating GSK3βY216 to reinforce pathway output—β-catenin accumulation and intestinal tumorigenesis. We previously showed that Wnt-induced β-catenin accumulation requires Wnt-induced GSK3β/β-TrCP interaction; the current study revealed that phosphorylation of GSK3βY216 was a molecular determinant of GSK3β recruitment of β-TrCP. Pharmacological inhibition of FAK/PYK2 suppressed adenoma formation in APCmin/+ mice accompanied with reduced intestinal levels of phospho-GSK3βY216 and β-catenin, indicating that FAK/PYK2/GSK3βY216 axis is critical for the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in APC driven intestinal tumorigenesis. The cells in our body communicate with each other to coordinate many essential processes, including cell division and the formation of tissues and organs. The Wnt signaling pathway is crucial for cell communication across all animal species, but activating this pathway at the wrong time can cause cancer to develop. As part of the investigation into treatments for colon and other intestinal cancers, researchers have tried to identify drugs that inhibit Wnt signaling. This search would be easier if we understood more about how the Wnt signaling pathway is controlled. When the protein GSK3 is active, it can switch the Wnt signaling pathway ‘off’, and inactivating GSK3 can turn the Wnt signaling pathway ‘on’. Enzymes known as kinases can inactivate GKS3 by adding a phosphate group to it, in a process known as phosphorylation. It was unknown which kinases phosphorylate GSK3, and whether this affects how cancerous tumors develop in the colon. Gao, Chen et al. analyzed cells taken from human and mice and observed that two kinases called PYK2 and FAK phosphorylate one form of GSK3, known as GSK3β. Furthermore, both kinases are required to inactivate GSK3β completely, and so turn on the Wnt signaling pathway. During the early stages of colon cancer, cells first develop into polyps, which subsequently become cancerous. Gao, Chen et al. treated mice that had genetic mutations that made them susceptible to colon cancer with a chemical compound that inhibits both FAK and PYK2. These mice grew fewer polyps than untreated mice, and the polyps that did grow tended to be smaller. Tissue samples taken from humans in the early stages of colon cancer—as the polyps progress towards becoming cancerous—had high levels of FAK, PYK2 and phosphorylated GSK3β. Overall, this suggests that drugs that simultaneously inhibit FAK and PYK2 may be an effective treatment for colon cancer, although further studies will be needed to confirm this.

Autophagy, particularly with BECN1, has paradoxically been highlighted as tumor promoting in Ras-driven cancers, but potentially tumor suppressing in breast and ovarian cancers. However, studying the specific role of BECN1 at the genetic level is complicated due to its genomic proximity to BRCA1 on both human (chromosome 17) and murine (chromosome 11) genomes. In human breast and ovarian cancers, the monoallelic deletion of these genes is often co-occurring. To investigate the potential tumor suppressor roles of two of the most commonly deleted autophagy genes in ovarian cancer, BECN1 and MAP1LC3B were knocked-down in atypical (BECN1+/+ and MAP1LC3B+/+) ovarian cancer cells. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography mass-spectrometry metabolomics revealed reduced levels of acetyl-CoA which corresponded with elevated levels of glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids. Migration rates of ovarian cancer cells were increased upon autophagy gene knockdown. Genomic instability was increased, resulting in copy-number alteration patterns which mimicked high grade serous ovarian cancer. We further investigated the causal role of Becn1 haploinsufficiency for oncogenesis in a MISIIR SV40 large T antigen driven spontaneous ovarian cancer mouse model. Tumors were evident earlier among the Becn1+/- mice, and this correlated with an increase in copy-number alterations per chromosome in the Becn1+/- tumors. The results support monoallelic loss of BECN1 as permissive for tumor initiation and potentiating for genomic instability in ovarian cancer.

Several studies have suggested that extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and the microenvironment are tightly associated with adipogenesis and adipose angiogenesis. In the present study, we demonstrated that transforming growth factor-beta induced (TGFBI) suppresses angiogenesis stimulated by adipocyte-conditioned medium (Ad-CM), both in vitro and in vivo. TGFBI knockout (KO) mice exhibited increased numbers of blood vessels in adipose tissue, and blood vessels from these mice showed enhanced infiltration into Matrigel containing Ad-CM. The treatment of Ad-CM-stimulated SVEC-10 endothelial cells with TGFBI protein reduced migration and tube-forming activity. TGFBI protein suppressed the activation of the Src and extracellular signaling-related kinase signaling pathways of these SVEC-10 endothelial cells. Our findings indicated that TGFBI inhibited adipose angiogenesis by suppressing the activation of Src and ERK signaling pathways, possibly because of the stimulation of the angiogenic activity of endothelial cells.