Cell-Cycle Regulation Accounts for Variability in Ki-67 Expression Levels

• Published in: Cancer research (Chicago, Ill.) Vol. 77; no. 10; pp. 2722 - 2734
• Main Authors: Sobecki, Michal, Mrouj, Karim, Colinge, Jacques, Gerbe, François, Jay, Philippe, Krasinska, Liliana, Dulic, Vjekoslav, Fisher, Daniel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Association for Cancer Research, Inc 15.05.2017; American Association for Cancer Research
• Subjects: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Biomarkers; Cancer; Cell cycle; Cell Cycle - genetics; Cell growth; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell proliferation; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Cell Proliferation - genetics; Cell Survival - genetics; Cluster Analysis; Colon; Cyclin-dependent kinase 4; Female; Gene Expression; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Gene Regulatory Networks; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Intestinal Mucosa - metabolism; Intestinal Mucosa - pathology; Intestine; Ki-67 Antigen - genetics; Ki-67 Antigen - metabolism; Life Sciences; Mice; Mice, Knockout; Mitosis; mRNA; Proteasomes; Rodents; Tumor cell lines; Tumors; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
• ISSN: 0008-5472; 1538-7445; 1538-7445
• DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-16-0707

The cell proliferation antigen Ki-67 is widely used in cancer histopathology, but estimations of Ki-67 expression levels are inconsistent and understanding of its regulation is limited. Here we show that cell-cycle regulation underlies variable Ki-67 expression in all situations analyzed, including nontransformed human cells, normal mouse intestinal epithelia and adenomas, human cancer cell lines with or without drug treatments, and human breast and colon cancers. In normal cells, Ki-67 was a late marker of cell-cycle entry; Ki-67 mRNA oscillated with highest levels in G2 while protein levels increased throughout the cell cycle, peaking in mitosis. Inhibition of CDK4/CDK6 revealed proteasome-mediated Ki-67 degradation in G1. After cell-cycle exit, low-level Ki-67 expression persisted but was undetectable in fully quiescent differentiated cells or senescent cells. CDK4/CDK6 inhibition in vitro and in tumors in mice caused G1 cell-cycle arrest and eliminated Ki-67 mRNA in RB1-positive cells but had no effect in RB1-negative cells, which continued to proliferate and express Ki-67. Thus, Ki-67 expression varies due to cell-cycle regulation, but it remains a reliable readout for effects of CDK4/CDK6 inhibitors on cell proliferation. Cancer Res; 77(10); 2722–34. ©2017 AACR.