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PubMed2003

Modulation of endotoxin-induced endothelial activity by microtubule depolymerization.

BACKGROUND: Endotoxin not only activates the Toll-mediated signaling pathway within endothelial cells that leads to neutrophil migration but also causes the polymerization of microtubules. The potential role of this polymerization event, however, is unknown. METHODS: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells stimulated with endotoxin were pretreated with or without the microtubule depolymerizing agent colchicine. Toll-mediated signaling events and protein production were in turn investigated by Western blot, gel shift, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Finally, neutrophil adhesion was assayed fluorometrically under the various conditions. RESULTS: Endotoxin led to activation of the various Toll-mediated pathways, production of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and interleukin-8, and subsequent neutrophil adhesion. Pretreatment with colchicine led to selective inhibition of anti-dual phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2, anti-dual phosphorylated c-jun N-terminal kinase, and adaptor protein-1; selective enhancement of p38; and no effect on nuclear factor-kappaB. This selective modulation of intracellular signaling resulted in attenuated intercellular adhesion molecule-1, interleukin-8 and prostaglandin E2 production, but enhanced cyclooxygenase-2 expression. As a result, microtubule disruption led to a significant reduction in neutrophil adhesion. CONCLUSION: Microtubule formation is essential to optimal endotoxin-induced intracellular signaling through anti-dual phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2, anti-dual phosphorylated c-jun N-terminal kinase, and adaptor protein-1. Failure of these signaling events is associated with a marked reduction in the formation of a proadhesive phenotype that may prove to be beneficial in modulating neutrophil recruitment during sepsis.

Adaptor Protein Complex 1↗
PubMed1998

Src homology-2 domains protect phosphotyrosyl residues against enzymatic dephosphorylation.

The SH2 domain of c-Fgr (class 1A) has been expressed in E. coli as GST fusion protein and tested for its ability to prevent the dephosphorylation of a variety of phosphotyrosyl (poly)peptides by three distinct protein tyrosine phosphatases (TC-PTPase, YOP, and Low Mr PTPase). Dephosphorylation of HS1 protein and of a derived phosphopeptide, HS1 (388-402), exhibiting the motif selected by class 1A SH2 domains is inhibited in a dose dependent manner with full inhibition promoted by a 2- to 3-molar excess of GST/SH2 domain irrespective of either the nature or the amount of phosphatase used. The IC50 values for inhibition of these and other phosphotyrosyl substrates roughly correlates with their expected affinity for class 1A SH2 domain. Inhibition is partially reversed by the addition of D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate, which competes for the binding to the SH2 domains. Our data on one side show that additional mechanism(s) besides mere competition must assist PTPases to dissociate SH2-PTyr complexes and on the other suggest a role for SH2 domains in protecting phosphotyrosyl residues from premature dephosphorylation.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1999

p68 Sam is a substrate of the insulin receptor and associates with the SH2 domains of p85 PI3K.

The 68 kDa Src substrate associated during mitosis is an RNA binding protein with Src homology 2 and 3 domain binding sites. A role for Src associated in mitosis 68 as an adaptor protein in signaling transduction has been proposed in different systems such as T-cell receptors. In the present work, we have sought to assess the possible role of Src associated in mitosis 68 in insulin receptor signaling. We performed in vivo studies in HTC-IR cells and in vitro studies using recombinant Src associated in mitosis 68, purified insulin receptor and fusion proteins containing either the N-terminal or the C-terminal Src homology 2 domain of p85 phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase. We have found that Src associated in mitosis 68 is a substrate of the insulin receptor both in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, tyrosine-phosphorylated Src associated in mitosis 68 was found to associate with p85 phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase in response to insulin, as assessed by co-immunoprecipitation studies. Therefore, Src associated in mitosis 68 may be part of the signaling complexes of insulin receptor along with p85. In vitro studies demonstrate that Src associated in mitosis 68 associates with the Src homology 2 domains of p85 after tyrosine phosphorylation by the activated insulin receptor. Moreover, tyr-phosphorylated Src associated in mitosis 68 binds with a higher affinity to the N-terminal Src homology 2 domain of p85 compared to the C-terminal Src homology 2 domain of p85, suggesting a preferential association of Src associated in mitosis 68 with the N-terminal Src homology 2 domain of p85. This association may be important for the link of the signaling with RNA metabolism.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1998

The adaptor protein Crk connects multiple cellular stimuli to the JNK signaling pathway.

c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) are potently activated by a number of cellular stimuli. Small GTPases, in particular Rac, are responsible for initiating the activation of the JNK pathways. So far, the signals leading from extracellular stimuli to the activation of Rac have remained elusive. Recent studies have demonstrated that the Src homology 2 (SH2)- and Src homology 3 (SH3)-containing adaptor protein Crk is capable of activating JNK when ectopically expressed. We found here that transient expression of Crk induces JNK activation, and this activation was dependent on both the SH2- and SH3-domains of Crk. Expression of p130(Cas) (Cas), a major binding protein for the Crk SH2-domain, also induced JNK activation, which was blocked by the SH2-mutant of Crk. JNK activation by Cas and Crk was effectively blocked by a dominant-negative form of Rac, suggesting for a linear pathway from the Cas-Crk-complex to the Rac-JNK activation. Many of the stimuli that activate the Rac-JNK pathway enhance engagement of the Crk SH2-domain. JNK activation by these stimuli, such as epidermal growth factor, integrin ligand binding and v-Src, was efficiently blocked by dominant-negative mutants of Crk. A dominant-negative form of Cas in turn blocked the integrin-, but not epidermal growth factor - nor v-Src-mediated JNK activation. Together, these results demonstrate an important role for Crk in connecting multiple cellular stimuli to the Rac-JNK pathway, and a role for the Cas-Crk complex in integrin-mediated JNK activation.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1999

Augmentation of CTLA-4 expression by wortmannin: involvement of lysosomal sorting properties of CTLA-4.

CTLA-4 (CD152) is transiently induced on the cell surface of activated T cells and expression is limited at a low level. In this study, we investigated the possibility that phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI 3-K) and other related PI kinases associated with the cytoplasmic domain of CTLA-4 are involved in intracellular trafficking and sorting of CTLA-4 protein. Treatment with micromolar concentrations of wortmannin (WN) for >4 h enhanced both cell-surface and intracellular CTLA-4 without affecting its transcriptional activities in a murine mastocytoma cell line transfected with the human CTLA-4 gene and normal activated CD4(+) T cells. However, a more specific PI 3-K inhibitor, LY294002, failed to affect CTLA-4 expression, indicating that the action of WN is independent of conventional PI 3-K activities. WN down-regulated specific association of CTLA-4 with adaptor proteins and its endocytosis. The fact that lysosomotropic agents, ammonium chloride and monensin, enhanced CTLA-4 expression suggests that WN may also block lysosomal sorting and consequent degradation of CTLA-4. Co-localization of CTLA-4 and lysosome-associated membrane protein-1 detected by immunofluorescence microscopy indicates the actual lysosomal sorting of CTLA-4. Our data suggest the existence of WN-sensitive enzymes, which promote lysosomal sorting of CTLA-4. In addition to rapid endocytosis by clathrin-associated adaptor complex, a prompt sorting of CTLA-4 to lysosomes may be one of the regulatory mechanisms for managing CTLA-4 signals in intracellular trafficking pathways.

Abatacept↗
PubMed1996

Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor overexpression induces growth, abnormal development, and tumor formation in transgenic mouse livers.

To investigate the in vivo role of hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) in liver function, we generated transgenic mice using a mouse HGF/SF cDNA under the control of the mouse metallothionein gene promoter and 5'/3' flanking sequences. In adult HGF/SF transgenic mice, liver weight as a percentage of total body weight was at least twice that of wild-type mice. Comparison of transgenic and control liver morphology revealed dramatic heterogeneity in the size and appearance of hepatocytes as a distinctive feature of HGF/SF overexpression. Transgenic livers exhibited a significant increase in the number of small hepatocytes with a 2N DNA content, accounting for the observed increase in liver mass. The DNA labeling index of hepatocytes increased 11-fold at 4 weeks of age, when liver enlargement first became apparent, and was still elevated about 5-fold in adult HGF/SF transgenic mice. Moreover, hepatocytes isolated by perfusion of transgenic livers doubled every 2 days in culture, whereas little or no growth was observed with isolated control hepatocytes. The mechanistic basis of hepatocyte proliferation was elucidated as the chronic activation of the c-met proto-oncogene product. Met and substrates such as phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, Src homology and collagen-like, pp60c-src, focal adhesion kinase p125FAK, and paxillin were associated with tyrosine-phosphorylated complexes in a hepatocyte cell line established from the transgenic liver. This proliferative stimulus triggered the formation of hepatocellular adenomas and/or carcinomas in most transgenic mice > or = 1.5 years of age. Finally, the rate of transgenic mouse liver regeneration was increased 3-fold over control livers following partial hepatectomy.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed2002

Characterization of PDK2 activity against protein kinase B gamma.

Protein kinase B (PKB), also known as Akt, is a serine/threonine protein kinase controlled by insulin, various growth factors, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. Full activation of the PKB enzyme requires phosphorylation of a threonine in the activation loop and a serine in the C-terminal tail. PDK1 has clearly been shown to phosphorylate the threonine, but the mechanism leading to phosphorylation of the serine, the PDK2 site, is unclear. A yeast two-hybrid screen using full-length human PKBgamma identified protein kinase C (PKC) zeta, an atypical PKC, as an interactor with PKBgamma, an association requiring the pleckstrin homology domain of PKBgamma. Endogenous PKBgamma was shown to associate with endogenous PKCzeta both in cos-1 cells and in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, demonstrating a physiological interaction. Immunoprecipitates of PKCzeta, whether endogenous PKCzeta from insulin-stimulated 3T3-L1 adipocytes or overexpressed PKCzeta from cos-1 cells, phosphorylated S472 (the C-terminal serine phosphorylation site) of PKBgamma, in vitro. In vivo, overexpression of PKCzeta stimulated the phosphorylation of approximately 50% of the PKBgamma molecules, suggesting a physiologically meaningful effect. However, pure PKCzeta protein was incapable of phosphorylating S472 of PKBgamma. Antisense knockout studies and use of a PDK1 inhibitor showed that neither PKB autophosphorylation nor phosphorylation by PDK1 accounted for the S472 phosphorylation in PKCzeta immunoprecipitates. Staurosporine inhibited the PKCzeta activity but not the PDK2 activity in PKCzeta immunoprecipitates. Together these results indicate that an independent PDK2 activity exists that physically associates with PKCzeta and that PKCzeta, by binding PKBgamma, functions to deliver the PDK2 to a required location. PKCzeta thus functions as an adaptor, associating with a staurosporine-insensitive PDK2 enzyme that catalyzes the phosphorylation of S472 of PKBgamma. Because both PKCzeta and PKB have been proposed to be required for mediating a number of crucial insulin responses, formation of an active signaling complex containing PKCzeta, PKB, and PDK2 is an attractive mechanism for ensuring that all the critical sites on targets such as glycogen synthase kinase-3 are phosphorylated.

3-Phosphoinositide-Dependent Protein Kinases↗
PubMed2000

Syndapin isoforms participate in receptor-mediated endocytosis and actin organization.

Syndapin I (SdpI) interacts with proteins involved in endocytosis and actin dynamics and was therefore proposed to be a molecular link between the machineries for synaptic vesicle recycling and cytoskeletal organization. We here report the identification and characterization of SdpII, a ubiquitously expressed isoform of the brain-specific SdpI. Certain splice variants of rat SdpII in other species were named FAP52 and PACSIN 2. SdpII binds dynamin I, synaptojanin, synapsin I, and the neural Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (N-WASP), a stimulator of Arp2/3 induced actin filament nucleation. In neuroendocrine cells, SdpII colocalizes with dynamin, consistent with a role for syndapin in dynamin-mediated endocytic processes. The src homology 3 (SH3) domain of SdpI and -II inhibited receptor-mediated internalization of transferrin, demonstrating syndapin involvement in endocytosis in vivo. Overexpression of full-length syndapins, but not the NH(2)-terminal part or the SH3 domains alone, had a strong effect on cortical actin organization and induced filopodia. This syndapin overexpression phenotype appears to be mediated by the Arp2/3 complex at the cell periphery because it was completely suppressed by coexpression of a cytosolic COOH-terminal fragment of N-WASP. Consistent with a role in actin dynamics, syndapins localized to sites of high actin turnover, such as filopodia tips and lamellipodia. Our results strongly suggest that syndapins link endocytosis and actin dynamics.

Actins↗
PubMed2004

The mouse "tool box" for meiotic studies.

Besides availability, there are numerous advantages to using mice for meiotic studies: (1) techniques exist for enriching the population of spermatocytes at particular meiotic stages; (2) spermatogenesis in mice is highly synchronized and testis sections afford a highly accurate method of staging meiotic events; (3) knock-out mice provide a rich source of meiotic mutants. Coupled with antibody localization techniques these tools, singularly and in combination, provide multiple means of temporally and physically dissecting meiosis.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Akt participation in the Wnt signaling pathway through Dishevelled.

Inactivation of glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK3beta) and the resulting stabilization of free beta-catenin are critical steps in the activation of Wnt target genes. While Akt regulates GSK3alpha/beta in the phosphatidylinositide 3-OH kinase signaling pathway, its role in Wnt signaling is unknown. Here we report that expression of Wnt or Dishevelled (Dvl) increased Akt activity. Activated Akt bound to the Axin-GSK3beta complex in the presence of Dvl, phosphorylated GSK3beta and increased free beta-catenin levels. Furthermore, in Wnt-overexpressing PC12 cells, dominant-negative Akt decreased free beta-catenin and derepressed nerve growth factor-induced differentiation. Therefore, Akt acts in association with Dvl as an important regulator of the Wnt signaling pathway.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed2006

The association of Tap42 phosphatase complexes with TORC1: another level of regulation in Tor signaling.

In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, rapamycin has been known to induce a rapid dephosphorylation of many downstream targets of Tor. The key components mediating this dephosphorylation process are the Tap42-associated phosphatases, which become active upon rapamycin treatment. However, the mechanism by which rapamycin rapidly activates phosphatases is unclear. A recent report has provided evidence demonstrating a physical association of the Tap42-phosphatase complexes with TORC1, which is sensitive to rapamycin treatment or nutrient starvation. This association adds another level of regulation in Tor signaling, and explains why rapamycin or nutrient availability is able to initiate a rapid and robust response in the cell.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1996

Mechanism of clathrin basket dissociation: separate functions of protein domains of the DnaJ homologue auxilin.

Auxilin was recently identified as cofactor for hsc70 in the uncoating of clathrin-coated vesicles (Ungewickell, E., H. Ungewickell, S.E. Holstein, R. Lindner, K. Prasad, W. Barouch, B. Martin, L.E. Greene, and E. Eisenberg. 1995. Nature (Lond.). 378: 632-635). By constructing different glutathione-S-transferase (GST)-auxilin fragments, we show here that cooperation of auxilin's J domain (segment 813-910) with an adjoining clathrin binding domain (segment 547-814) suffices to dissociate clathrin baskets in the presence of hsc70 and ATP. When the two domains are expressed as separate GST fusion proteins, the cofactor activity is lost, even though both retain their respective functions. The clathrin binding domain binds to triskelia like intact auxilin with a maximum stoichiometry of 3 and concomitantly promotes their assembly into regular baskets. A fragment containing auxilin's J domain associates in an ATP-dependent reaction with hsc70 to form a complex with a half-life of 8 min at 25 degrees C. When the clathrin binding domain and the J domain are recombined via dimerization of their GST moieties, cofactor activity is partially recovered. The interaction between auxilin's J domain and hsc70 causes rapid hydrolysis of bound ATP. Release of inorganic phosphate appears to be correlated with the disintegration of the complex between auxilin's J domain and hsc70. We infer that the metastable complex composed of auxilin, hsc70, ADP, and P(i) contains an activated form of hsc70, primed to engage clathrin that is brought into apposition with it by the DnaJ homologue auxilin.

Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport↗
PubMed2000

p67 isoform of mouse disabled 2 protein acts as a transcriptional activator during the differentiation of F9 cells.

The mouse disabled 2 (mDab2) gene is a mouse homologue of the Drosophila disabled gene and is alternatively spliced to form two isoforms, p96 and p67. Although p96 has been known to regulate the Ras-Sos G-protein signal transduction pathway by interacting with Grb2, little is known about the biological function of p67. Recent studies have shown that the expression of mDab2 is markedly up-regulated during the retinoic acid (RA)-induced differentiation of F9 cells, suggesting another role for mDab2 in cell differentiation [Cho, Lee and Park (1999) Mol. Cells 9, 179-184). In the present study, we first elucidated the biological function of p67 isoform of mDab2 and identified its binding partner. Unlike p96, p67 largely resides in RA-treated F9 cell nuclei. In this system, p67 interacts with mouse androgen-receptor interacting protein 3, termed the mDab2 interacting protein, which acts as a transcriptional co-regulator. By using a fusion protein with a heterologous DNA-binding domain (GAL4), we showed that p67 had an intrinsic transcriptional activation function. These results suggest that mDab2 p67 may function as a transcriptional co-factor for certain complexes of transcriptional regulatory elements involved in the RA-induced differentiation of F9 cells.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed2004

Regulation mechanism of selective atresia in porcine follicles: regulation of granulosa cell apoptosis during atresia.

More than 99% of follicles undergo a degenerative process known as "atresia", in mammalian ovaries, and only a few follicles ovulate during ovarian follicular development. We have investigated the molecular mechanism of selective follicular atresia in mammalian ovaries, and have reported that follicular selection dominantly depends on granulosa cell apoptosis. However, we have little knowledge of the molecular mechanisms that control apoptotic cell death in granulosa cells during follicle selection. To date, at least five cell death ligand-receptor systems [tumor necrosis factor (TNF)alpha and receptors, Fas (also called APO-1/CD95) ligand and receptors, TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL; also called APO-2) and receptors, APO-3 ligand and receptors, and PFG-5 ligand and receptors] have been reported in granulosa cells of porcine ovaries. Some cell death ligand-receptor systems have "decoy" receptors, which act as inhibitors of cell death ligand-induced apoptosis in granulosa cells. Moreover, we showed that the porcine granulosa cell is a type II apoptotic cell, which has the mitochondrion-dependent apoptosis-signaling pathway. Briefly, the cell death receptor-mediated apoptosis signaling pathway in granulosa cells has been suggested to be as follows. (1) A cell death ligand binds to the extracellular domain of a cell death receptor, which contains an intracellular death domain (DD). (2) The intracellular DD of the cell death receptor interacts with the DD of the adaptor protein (Fas-associated death domain: FADD) through a homophilic DD interaction. (3) FADD activates an initiator caspase (procaspase-8; also called FLICE), which is a bipartite molecule, containing an N-terminal death effector domain (DED) and a C-terminal DD. (4) Procaspase-8 begins auto-proteolytic cleavage and activation. (5) The auto-activated caspase-8 cleaves Bid protein. (6) The truncated Bid releases cytochrome c from mitochondrion. (7) Cytochrome c and ATP-dependent oligimerization of apoptotic protease-activating factor-1 (Apaf-1) allows recruitment of procaspase-9 into the apoptosome complex. Activation of procaspase-9 is mediated by means of a conformational change. (8) The activated caspase-9 cleaves downstream effector caspases (caspase-3). (9) Finally, apoptosis is induced. Recently, we found two intracellular inhibitor proteins [cellular FLICE-like inhibitory protein short form (cFLIPS) and long form (cFLIPL)], which were strongly expressed in granulosa cells, and they may act as anti-apoptotic/survival factors. Further in vivo and in vitro studies will elucidate the largely unknown molecular mechanisms, e. g. which cell death ligand-receptor system is the dominant factor controlling the granulosa cell apoptosis of selective follicular atresia in mammalian ovaries. If we could elucidate the molecular mechanism of granulosa cell apoptosis (follicular selection), we could accurately diagnose the healthy ovulating follicles and precisely evaluate the oocyte quality. We hope that the mechanism will be clarified and lead to an integrated understanding of the regulation mechanism.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Identification of shc as the primary protein binding to the tyrosine-phosphorylated beta 3 subunit of alpha IIbbeta 3 during outside-in integrin platelet signaling.

Outside-in signaling mediated by the integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3) (GPIIbIIIa) is critical to platelet function and has been shown to involve the phosphorylation of tyrosine residues on the cytoplasmic tail of beta(3). To identify proteins that bind directly to phosphorylated beta(3), we utilized an affinity column consisting of a peptide modeled on the tyrosine-phosphorylated cytoplasmic domain of beta(3). Tandem mass spectrometric sequencing and immunoblotting demonstrated that Shc was the primary protein binding to phosphorylated beta(3). To determine the involvement of Shc in outside-in alpha(IIb)beta(3) signaling, the phosphorylation of Shc during platelet aggregation was examined; transient Shc phosphorylation was observed when thrombin-stimulated platelets were allowed to aggregate or when aggregation was induced by an LIBS (ligand-induced binding site) antibody, D3. Moreover, Shc was co-immunoprecipitated with tyrosine-phosphorylated beta(3) in detergent lysates of aggregated platelets. Using purified, recombinant protein, it was found that the binding of Shc to monophosphorylated (C-terminal tyrosine) and diphosphorylated beta(3) peptides was direct, demonstrating Shc recognition motifs on phospho-beta(3). Aggregation-induced Shc phosphorylation was also observed to be robust in platelets from wild-type mice, but not in those from mice expressing (Y747F,Y759F) beta(3), which are defective in outside-in alpha(IIb)beta(3) signaling. Thus, Shc is the primary downstream signaling partner of beta(3) in its tyrosine phosphorylation outside-in signaling pathway.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed2001

Exiting the endoplasmic reticulum.

The movement of nascent proteins from sites of synthesis to final cellular or extracellular destinations involves their transport through a distinct series of vesicular compartments. Vesicle biogenesis is regulated by specific proteins and co-factors that control distinct steps including budding, transport, docking, and fusion with target membranes. Budding requires assembly of a coat protein complex on the membrane, membrane deformation and the subsequent cleavage of the nascent vesicle from donor membrane. Coat proteins may also mediate vesicle interactions with the cytoskeleton or insulate the vesicles from fusion with unwanted compartments. Three classes of cytoplasmic coats have been identified. (1) Clathrin, interacting with different adaptor proteins, participates in endocytosis, lysosome biogenesis and as yet unidentified vesicular transport processes that arise in the trans-Golgi region of cells [reviewed in (Kreis, T.E., Lowe, M., Pepperkok, R., 1995. COPs regulating membrane traffic. Ann. Rev. Cell. Dev. Biol. 11, 677--706.)]. (2) The COPI coatomer is involved in retrograde traffic within the Golgi and from the cis-Golgi region to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). It may also participate in anterograde transport from the ER [reviewed in (Aridor, M., Balch, W.E., 1999. Integration of endoplasmic reticulum signaling in health and disease. Nature 5, 745--751.)]. (3) COPII coats mediate anterograde transport of cargo out of the ER [Barlowe, C., Orci, L., Yeung, T., Hosobuchi, M., Hamamoto, S., Salama, N., Rexach, M.F., Ravazazola, M., Amherdt, M., Schekman, R., 1994. COPII: a membrane coat formed by sec proteins that drive vesicle budding from the endoplasmic reticulum. Cell 77, 895--907; Scales, S.J., Gomez, M., Kreis, T.E., 2000. Coat proteins regulating membrane traffic. Int. Rev. Cytol. 195, 67--144.]. The COPII coat is required for budding from the ER and ER to Golgi trafficking. Further, COPII proteins also participate in cargo selection and concentrate some nascent proteins in the budding vesicle. Recent studies have shown that human disease may result from mutations that affect proteins in COPII vesicles.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Phosphorylation and regulation of Akt/PKB by the rictor-mTOR complex.

Deregulation of Akt/protein kinase B (PKB) is implicated in the pathogenesis of cancer and diabetes. Akt/PKB activation requires the phosphorylation of Thr308 in the activation loop by the phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1) and Ser473 within the carboxyl-terminal hydrophobic motif by an unknown kinase. We show that in Drosophila and human cells the target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase and its associated protein rictor are necessary for Ser473 phosphorylation and that a reduction in rictor or mammalian TOR (mTOR) expression inhibited an Akt/PKB effector. The rictor-mTOR complex directly phosphorylated Akt/PKB on Ser473 in vitro and facilitated Thr308 phosphorylation by PDK1. Rictor-mTOR may serve as a drug target in tumors that have lost the expression of PTEN, a tumor suppressor that opposes Akt/PKB activation.

3-Phosphoinositide-Dependent Protein Kinases↗
PubMed2006

The added value of PMS2 immunostaining in the diagnosis of hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer.

Identification and characterization of the genetic background in patients with the hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) syndrome is important since control programmes can in a cost-effective manner prevent cancer development in high-risk individuals. HNPCC is caused by germline mismatch repair (MMR) gene mutations and the genetic analysis of HNPCC therefore includes assessment of microsatellite instability (MSI) and immunohistochemical MMR protein expression in the tumor tissue. MSI is found in >95% of the HNPCC-associated tumors and immunostaining using antibodies against the MMR proteins MLH1, MSH2, and MSH6 has been found to correctly pinpoint the affected gene in about 90% of the cases. The PMS2 antibody was the most recently developed and we have in a clinical material assessed the added value of PMS2 immunostaining in 213 patients with suspected hereditary colorectal cancer. All 119 MSS tumors showed retained expression for all four antibodies and PMS2 did thus not identify any underlying MMR defect in these cases. However, PMS2 immunostaining contributed to the characterization of the MMR defect in a subset of the MSI tumors. Concomitant loss of MLH1 and PMS2, which functionally interact in the MutLalpha complex, was found in 98% of the tumors from patients with germline MLH1 mutations. Among the 12 MSI-high tumors with retained expression of MLH1, MSH2 and MSH6, 8 tumors showed loss of PMS2 staining, and mutations in MLH1 were identified in 2 and mutations in PMS2 in 3 of these individuals. In summary, isolated loss of PMS2 was found in 8% of the MSI-high tumors in our series, including 8/12 previously unexplained MSI-high tumors, in which mutations either in MLH1 or in PMS2 were identified in five cases.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗