Deficiency in SPOP-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of TIAM1 promotes gastric cancer progression

It was well known that SPOP is highly mutated in various cancers especially the prostate cancer and SPOP mutation dramatically impaired its tumor suppressive function. However, the detailed role and underlying mechanisms of SPOP in regulating the growth of gastric cancer is not fully studied. Here, we found that Cullin3SPOP promoted the ubiquitination and degradation of TIAM1 protein in gastric cancer setting. Gastric cancer and prostate cancer derived SPOP mutation failed to suppress the proliferation, migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells partially due to the elevated level of TIAM1 protein. Notably, SPOP protein were negatively associated with TIAM1 protein in human gastric cancer tissue specimens. In conclusion, our results elucidate a molecular mechanism by which SPOP regulates the stability of TIAM1, and further demonstrate that SPOP inhibits the progression of gastric cancer by promoting the ubiquitination and degradation of TIAM1 protein. •High expression of TIAM1 promotes the biological behavior of gastric cancer.•Cullin3SPOP promoted the ubiquitination and degradation of TIAM1 protein in gastric cancer.•Gastric cancer and prostate cancer derived SPOP mutations cannot suppress tumorigenesis of gastric cancer.•SPOP inhibits tumorigenesis of gastric cancer partially through TIAM1 protein.•SPOP protein were negatively correlated with TIAM1 protein in human gastric cancer tissue