TOPK inhibits autophagy by phosphorylating ULK1 and promotes glioma resistance to TMZ.

ULK1, the upper-most protein of the ULK1 complex, is emerging as a crucial node in autophagy induction. However, the regulation of ULK1 is not fully understood. In this study, we identified TOPK (T-LAK cell-originated protein kinase), an oncokinase, as a novel upstream kinase to phosphorylate ULK1. We found that TOPK could directly bind with and phosphorylate ULK1 at Ser469, Ser495, and Ser533. The phosphorylation of ULK1 at Ser469, Ser495, and Ser533 by TOPK decreased the activity and stability of ULK1. In addition, we want to examine the initiation of autophagy because the reduction activity of ULK1 reduces the occurrence of autophagy. We demonstrated that TOPK could inhibit the initiation and progression of autophagy in glioma cells. Furthermore, TOPK inhibition increased the sensitivity of glioma cells to temozolomide (TMZ). This discovery provides insight into the problem of TMZ-resistance in GBM treatment.