GRK3 is a poor prognosticator and serves as a therapeutic target in advanced gastric adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND: G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) is the most targeted protein family by the FDA-approved drugs. GPCR-kinase 3 (GRK3) is critical for GPCR signaling. Our genomic analysis showed that GRK3 expression correlated with poor prognosis of gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) patients. However, GRK3’s functions and clinical utility in GAC progression and metastases are unknown. METHODS: We studied GRK3 expression in normal, primary, and metastatic GAC tissues. We identified a novel GRK3 inhibitor, LD2, through a chemical-library screen. Through genetic and pharmacologic modulations of GRK3, a series of functional and molecular studies were performed in vitro and in vivo. Impact of GRK3 on YAP1 and its targets was determined. RESULTS: GRK3 was overexpressed in GAC tissues compared to normal and was even higher in peritoneal metastases. Overexpression (OE) of GRK3 was significantly associated with shorter survival. Upregulation of GRK3 in GAC cells increased cell invasion, colony formation, and proportion of ALDH1(+) cells, while its downregulation reduced these attributes. Further, LD2 potently and specifically inhibited GRK3, but not GRK2, a very similar kinase to GRK3. LD2 highly suppressed GAC cells’ malignant phenotypes in vitro. Mechanistically, GRK3 upregulated YAP1 in GAC tissues and its transcriptional downstream targets: SOX9, Birc5, Cyr61 and CTGF. Knockdown (KD) YAP1 rescued the phenotypes of GRK3 OE in GAC cells. GRK3 OE significantly increased tumor growth but LD2 inhibited tumor growth in the PDX model and dramatically suppressed peritoneal metastases induced by GRK3 OE. CONCLUSIONS: GRK3, a poor prognosticator for survival, conferred aggressive phenotype. Genetic silencing of GRK3 or its inhibitor LD2 blunted GRK3-conferred malignant attributes, suggesting GRK3 as a novel therapeutic target in advanced GAC. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-022-02463-6.