Phosphorylation of RAB7 by TBK1/IKK Regulates Innate Immune Signaling in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a heterogeneous disease enriched for mutations in PTEN and dysregulation of innate immune signaling. Here, we demonstrate that Rab7, a recently identified substrate of PTEN phosphatase activity, is also a substrate of the innate immune signaling kinases TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1)/I kappa B kinase epsilon (IKK epsilon) on the same serine-72 (S72) site. An unbiased search for novel TBK1/IKK epsilon substrates using stable isotope labeling with amino acids in cell culture phosphoproteomic analysis identified Rab7-S72 as a top hit. PTEN-null TNBC cells expressing a phosphomimetic version of Rab7-S72 exhibited diffuse cytosolic Rab7 localization and enhanced innate immune signaling, in contrast to a kinase-resistant version, which localized to active puncta that promote lysosomal-mediated stimulator of interferon genes (STING) degradation. Thus, convergence of PTEN loss and TBK1/IKK epsilon activation on Rab7-S72 phosphorylation limited STING turnover and increased downstream production of IRF3 targets including CXCLIO, CCL5, and IEN beta. Consistent with this data, PTEN-null TNBC tumors expressed higher levels of STING, and PTEN-null TNBC cell lines were hyperresponsive to STING agonists. Together, these findings begin to uncover how innate immune signaling is dysregulated downstream of TBK1/IKK epsilon in a subset of TNBCs and reveals previously unrecognized cross-talk with STING recycling that may have implications for STING agonism in the clinic. Significance: These findings identify Rab7 as a substrate for TBK1 for regulation of innate immune signaling, thereby providing important insight for strategies aimed at manipulating the immune response to enhance therapeutic efficacy in TNBC.