PP2 protects from keratin mutation–associated liver injury and filament disruption via SRC kinase inhibition in male but not female mice

Background and Aims: Hepatocyte keratin polypeptides 8/18 (K8/K18) are unique among intermediate filaments proteins (IFs) in that their mutation predisposes to, rather than causes, human disease. Mice that overexpress human K18 R90C manifest disrupted hepatocyte keratin filaments with hyperphosphorylated keratins and predisposition to Fas‐induced liver injury. We hypothesized that high‐throughput screening will identify compounds that protect the liver from mutation‐triggered predisposition to injury. Approach and Results: Using A549 cells transduced with a lentivirus K18 construct and high‐throughput screening, we identified the SRC‐family tyrosine kinases inhibitor, PP2, as a compound that reverses keratin filament disruption and protects from apoptotic cell death caused by K18 R90C mutation at this highly conserved arginine. PP2 also ameliorated Fas‐induced apoptosis and liver injury in male but not female K18 R90C mice. The PP2 male selectivity is due to its lower turnover in male versus female livers. Knockdown of SRC but not another kinase target of PP2, protein tyrosine kinase 6, in A549 cells abrogated the hepatoprotective effect of PP2. Phosphoproteomic analysis and validation showed that the protective effect of PP2 associates with Ser/Thr but not Tyr keratin hypophosphorylation, and differs from the sex‐independent effect of the Ser/Thr kinase inhibitor PKC412. Inhibition of RAF kinase, a downstream target of SRC, by vemurafenib had a similar protective effect to PP2 in A549 cells and male K18 R90C mice. Conclusions: PP2 protects, in a male‐selective manner, keratin mutation‐induced mouse liver injury by inhibiting SRC‐triggered downstream Ser/Thr phosphorylation of K8/K18, which is phenocopied by RAF kinase inhibitor vemurafenib. The PP2/vemurafenib‐associated findings, and their unique mechanisms of action, further support the potential role of select kinase inhibition as therapeutic opportunities for keratin and other IF‐associated human diseases.