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HapA protease targets PAR-1/2 to modulate ERK signalling and reduce cancer cell viability
Centro de Investigación del Cáncer, CSIC and Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.
Centro de Investigación del Cáncer, CSIC and Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.
Centro de Investigación del Cáncer, CSIC and Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.
Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR). Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine).ORCID iD: 0000-0002-0103-0696
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2025 (English)In: Cell Death Discovery, E-ISSN 2058-7716, Vol. 11, no 1, article id 415Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Recent studies reveal that Vibrio cholerae secretes virulence factors impacting host cell viability, though their effects on cancer cells remain unclear. However, the bacterial components and mechanisms influencing cancer cells remain largely unknown. This study investigated the effects of V. cholerae mutants lacking secreted proteins on carcinoma cells. We identified the hemagglutinin zinc-metalloprotease HapA as the main factor reducing cancer cell viability. HapA cleaves protease-activated receptors 1 and 2 on epithelial cancer cells at unique sites, unlike human proteases. This cleavage triggers an early and transient activation of the kinases MEK and ERK. Transient MEK and ERK activation initiates caspase 7, leading to apoptosis and reduced viability in epithelial cancer cells. Our findings underscore the significance of human protease-activated receptors as targets for bacterial protease HapA. Furthermore, we demonstrate that selective cleavage of PAR-1/2 by HapA adjusts MEK-ERK signalling dynamics, suggesting potential new avenues for the development of novel anticancer therapies. Understanding how pathogens like V. cholerae interact with cancer cells sheds light on potential mechanisms underlying cancer progression and suggests new therapeutic targets for cancer treatment.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Springer Nature, 2025. Vol. 11, no 1, article id 415
National Category
Cell and Molecular Biology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-243945DOI: 10.1038/s41420-025-02691-7Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105014751659OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-243945DiVA, id: diva2:1996191
Funder
Swedish Research Council, 2018-02914Swedish Research Council, 2022-00981Swedish Cancer Society, 2020-711Swedish Cancer Society, 23 2821 PjUmeå UniversityAvailable from: 2025-09-09 Created: 2025-09-09 Last updated: 2026-01-29Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Modulation of cancer cell signaling by haemagglutinin protease HapA from Vibrio cholerae
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Modulation of cancer cell signaling by haemagglutinin protease HapA from Vibrio cholerae
2026 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Vibrio cholerae releases outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) that package virulence factors, yet how vesicular deliveryreshapes host responses, particularly in cancer cells, remains incompletely defined. This thesis characterises the role of OMVs-associated virulence factors in regulating cellular signalling in epithelial cells. Furthermore, the thesis aims toaddress the antitumour activities of the V. cholerae zinc metalloprotease haemagglutinin protease A (HapA), with emphasison how OMV association modulates potency and mechanism. Using intestinal epithelial monolayers, 3D spheroids, and intestinal organoids, we demonstrate that V. cholerae OMVs canassociated with the epithelial cell membrane and are rapidly internalized through various endocytic mechanisms into theintracellular compartments. The OMV-associated HapA causes disruption of tight- and adherens-junction proteins inpolarized Caco-2 cells, and intestinal organoids. Moreover, the OMV-associated HapA compromises barrier integrity moreefficiently than the purified enzyme. OMV-associated HapA is internalised by epithelial cells via endocytosis. The HapA then selectively degraded tight- and adherens-junction proteins, including claudin, ZO-1, and β-catenin, resulting in loss ofepithelial cohesion. Importantly, compare to the soluble protein, OMV-associated HapA was biologically more active indisruption of epithelial cells.To assess effects on carcinoma cells, we analysed V. cholerae secretome mutants and identified HapA as the principal factorreducing epithelial cancer cell viability. Mechanistically, HapA cleaves protease-activated receptors PAR1 and PAR2 atnoncanonical sites distinct from human proteases, eliciting an early, transient MEK–ERK activation that culminates incaspase-7–dependent apoptosis. We further uncover a PAR-independent mechanism in colorectal carcinoma cells whereby HapA directly uses β-catenin as asubstrate, attenuating Wnt/β-catenin signalling, downregulating Axin2 and Cyclin D1, suppressing tumor cell proliferation,and enforcing G0/G1 arrest. Collectively, these studies define dual antitumour mechanisms for HapA: PAR1/2 reprogramming of MEK–ERK dynamicsand direct attenuation of β-catenin signalling. The findings also establish OMVs as a potent vehicle that enhance proteaseefficacy at epithelial and tumour interfaces. This work highlights therapeutically relevant host–pathogen interactions andsupports the exploration of OMV-based delivery or protease-targeted strategies in cancer therapy.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Umeå: Umeå University, 2026. p. 101
Series
Umeå University medical dissertations, ISSN 0346-6612 ; 2405
Keywords
Outer membrane vesicles, Haemagglutinin protease A, 3D Spheroids, Intestinal organoids, endocytosis, tight and adherens junctions, Wnt/β-catenin signalling, Receptor PAR1 and PAR2, MEK–ERK activation, apoptosis
National Category
Medical Biotechnology (Focus on Cell Biology, (incl. Stem Cell Biology), Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry or Biopharmacy) Microbiology in the Medical Area
Research subject
Medical Cell Biology; Microbiology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-249184 (URN)978-91-8070-903-3 (ISBN)978-91-8070-904-0 (ISBN)
Public defence
2026-02-27, Sal 921, 1D, Hörsal B. Floor 9, Norrlands Universitetssjukhus, Umeå, 13:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Funder
Swedish Research Council, 2018-02914Swedish Research Council, 2022-00981The Kempe FoundationsSwedish Cancer Society, 2020-711
Note

Link to participate via Zoom: https://umu.zoom.us/j/65197188730, password: 651 9718 8730

Available from: 2026-02-06 Created: 2026-01-29 Last updated: 2026-02-02Bibliographically approved

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Toh, EricBaryalai, PalwashaWai, Sun Nyunt

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Toh, EricBaryalai, PalwashaWai, Sun Nyunt
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Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS)Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR)Department of Molecular Biology (Faculty of Medicine)
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Cell Death Discovery
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