TY - JOUR TI - Rpl24Bst mutation suppresses colorectal cancer by promoting eEF2 phosphorylation via eEF2K AU - Knight, John RP AU - Vlahov, Nikola AU - Gay, David M AU - Ridgway, Rachel A AU - Faller, William James AU - Proud, Christopher AU - Mallucci, Giovanna R AU - von der Haar, Tobias AU - Smales, Christopher Mark AU - Willis, Anne E AU - Sansom, Owen J A2 - Frame, Margaret C A2 - Ron, David A2 - Li, Vivian SW VL - 10 PY - 2021 DA - 2021/12/13 SP - e69729 C1 - eLife 2021;10:e69729 DO - 10.7554/eLife.69729 UR - https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.69729 AB - Increased protein synthesis supports the rapid cell proliferation associated with cancer. The Rpl24Bst mutant mouse reduces the expression of the ribosomal protein RPL24 and has been used to suppress translation and limit tumorigenesis in multiple mouse models of cancer. Here, we show that Rpl24Bst also suppresses tumorigenesis and proliferation in a model of colorectal cancer (CRC) with two common patient mutations, Apc and Kras. In contrast to previous reports, Rpl24Bst mutation has no effect on ribosomal subunit abundance but suppresses translation elongation through phosphorylation of eEF2, reducing protein synthesis by 40% in tumour cells. Ablating eEF2 phosphorylation in Rpl24Bst mutant mice by inactivating its kinase, eEF2K, completely restores the rates of elongation and protein synthesis. Furthermore, eEF2K activity is required for the Rpl24Bst mutant to suppress tumorigenesis. This work demonstrates that elevation of eEF2 phosphorylation is an effective means to suppress colorectal tumorigenesis with two driver mutations. This positions translation elongation as a therapeutic target in CRC, as well as in other cancers where the Rpl24Bst mutation has a tumour suppressive effect in mouse models. KW - translation KW - protein sythesis KW - intestinal cancer KW - in vivo models KW - RPL24 KW - eEF2K JF - eLife SN - 2050-084X PB - eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd ER -