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PubMedDate not supplied

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase signalling pathways in tumor progression, invasion and angiogenesis.

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: The PI3 kinase signalling pathway is now accepted as being at least as important as the ras-MAP kinase pathway in cell survival and proliferation, and hence its potential role in cancer is of great interest. The purpose of this review is briefly to examine evidence for an involvement of PI3K in human cancers, discuss the mechanisms by which its activation promotes tumor progression, and consider its utility as a novel target for anticancer therapy. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: A Medline review of recent literature concerning the role of PI3 kinase in tumor progression--mechanisms of action and clinical implications. RESULTS: Evidence is presented that misregulation of the PI3 kinase pathway is a feature of many common cancers, either by loss of the suppressor protein PTEN, or by constitutive activation of PI3 kinase isoforms or downstream elements such as AKT and mTOR. This activation potentiates not only cell survival and proliferation, but also cytoskeletal deformability and motility; key elements in tumor invasion. In addition the PI3K pathway is implicated in many aspects of angiogenesis, including upregulation of angiogenic cytokines due to tumor hypoxia or oncogene activation and endothelial cell responses to them. These cytokines signal though receptors such as VEGF-R, FGF-R and Tie-2 and potentiate processes essential for neoangiogenesis including cell proliferation, migration, differentiation into tubules and "invasion" of these capillary sprouts into extracellular matrix (ECM). CONCLUSIONS: A more complete understanding of the role of the PI3 kinase pathway in cancer will lead the way to the development of more potent and selective inhibitors which should be a useful adjunct to conventional therapies, potentially interfering with tumor progression at several pivotal points; in particular cell survival, invasion and angiogenesis.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Survival signaling by Notch1: mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)-dependent inhibition of p53.

Notch signaling is believed to promote cell survival in general. However, the mechanism is not clearly understood. Here, we show that cells expressing intracellular domain of human Notch1 (NIC-1) are chemoresistant in a wild-type p53-dependent manner. NIC-1 inhibited p53 by inhibiting its activating phosphorylations at Ser(15), Ser(20), and Ser(392) as well as nuclear localization. In addition, we found that inhibition of p53 by NIC-1 mainly occurs through mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) using phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt/protein kinase B (PKB) pathway as the mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin treatment abrogated NIC-1 inhibition of p53 and reversed the chemoresistance. Consistent with this, rapamycin failed to reverse NIC-1-induced chemoresistance in cells expressing rapamycin-resistant mTOR. Further, ectopic expression of eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E), a translational regulator that acts downstream of mTOR, inhibited p53-induced apoptosis and conferred protection against p53-mediated cytotoxicity to similar extent as that of NIC-1 overexpression but was not reversed by rapamycin, which indicates that eIF4E is the major target of mTOR in Notch1-mediated survival signaling. Finally, we show that MCF7 (breast cancer) and MOLT4 (T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia) cells having aberrant Notch1 signaling are chemoresistant, which can be reversed by both PI3K and mTOR inhibitors. These results establish that Notch1 signaling confers chemoresistance by inhibiting p53 pathway through mTOR-dependent PI3K-Akt/PKB pathway and imply that p53 status perhaps is an important determinant in combination therapeutic strategies, which use mTOR inhibitors and chemotherapy.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1995

Two signaling pathways can lead to Fas ligand expression in CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte clones.

As shown previously, a given cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) clone (KB5.C20) could be induced to express the Fas ligand (FasL) by either T cell receptor (TCR) engagement or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)/ionomycin stimulation. In contrast, another CTL clone (BM3.3) has now been found to exert Fas-based cytotoxicity only after TCR engagement, but not after PMA/ionomycin stimulation. This suggested the existence of a PMA-insensitive, antigen-induced pathway leading to FasL expression. The inability of PMA to promote Fas-based cytotoxicity in BM3.3 cells was correlated with a defect in expression of the classical protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms alpha and beta I. In KB5.C20 cells depleted of PMA-sensitive PKC isoforms and thus no longer responsive to PMA, Fas-based cytotoxicity could still be induced via the TCR/CD3 pathway. On the other hand, a requirement for phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) selectively in this TCR/CD3-induced pathway was demonstrated by specific inhibition with wortmannin. These results suggest that FasL expression when induced via the TCR/CD3 involves PI3K, and when induced by PMA/ionomycin requires the expression of PMA-sensitive PKC isoforms absent in clone BM3.3. Additional data suggest that in neither case was NF-kappa B activation implicated in FasL expression.

Androstadienes↗
PubMed2004

Angiotensin II stimulates phosphorylation of 4E-binding protein 1 and p70 S6 kinase in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells.

AIM: To examine the regulatory effects of angiotensin II (Ang II) on the phosphorylation of 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) and p70 S6 kinase in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC), and the contribution of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB) signaling pathway in this process. METHODS: VSMC obtained from rat thoracic aortas were cultured. The phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 and p70 S6 kinase was detected by immunoblotting. RESULTS: Ang II significantly increased the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 and p70 S6 kinase, with the peaks occurring at, respectively, 10 min and 30 min, after stimulation with Ang II. The stimulatory effect of Ang II on 4E-BP1 and p70 S6 kinase phosphorylation was abrogated by Ang II type 1 receptor (A(T1) receptor) antagonist losartan, and suppressed by PI3K inhibitor LY294002 in a concentration-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: Ang II treatment of VSMC induces the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 and p70 S6 kinase via A(T1) receptor, and PI3K signaling pathway is involved in this process.

Angiotensin II↗
PubMed1999

Protein kinase A-dependent and -independent signaling pathways contribute to cyclic AMP-stimulated proliferation.

The effects of cyclic AMP (cAMP) on cell proliferation are cell type specific. Although the growth-inhibitory effects of cAMP have been well studied, much less is known regarding how cAMP stimulates proliferation. We report that cAMP stimulates proliferation through both protein kinase A (PKA)-dependent and PKA-independent signaling pathways and that phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) is required for cAMP-stimulated mitogenesis. In cells where cAMP is a mitogen, cAMP-elevating agents stimulate membrane ruffling, Akt phosphorylation, and p70 ribosomal S6 protein kinase (p70s6k) activity. cAMP effects on ruffle formation and Akt were PKA independent but sensitive to wortmannin. In contrast, cAMP-stimulated p70s6k activity was repressed by PKA inhibitors but not by wortmannin or microinjection of the N-terminal SH2 domain of the p85 regulatory subunit of PI3K, indicating that p70s6k and Akt can be regulated independently. Microinjection of highly specific inhibitors of PI3K or Rac1, or treatment with the p70s6k inhibitor rapamycin, impaired cAMP-stimulated DNA synthesis, demonstrating that PKA-dependent and -independent pathways contribute to cAMP-mediated mitogenesis. Direct elevation of PI3K activity through microinjection of an antibody that stimulates PI3K activity or stable expression of membrane-localized p110 was sufficient to confer hormone-independent DNA synthesis when accompanied by elevations in p70s6k activity. These findings indicate that multiple pathways contribute to cAMP-stimulated mitogenesis, only some of which are PKA dependent. Furthermore, they demonstrate that the ability of cAMP to stimulate both p70s6k- and PI3K-dependent pathways is an important facet of cAMP-regulated cell cycle progression.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed2005

Chronic inhibition of cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase 5A prevents and reverses cardiac hypertrophy.

Sustained cardiac pressure overload induces hypertrophy and pathological remodeling, frequently leading to heart failure. Genetically engineered hyperstimulation of guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) synthesis counters this response. Here, we show that blocking the intrinsic catabolism of cGMP with an oral phosphodiesterase-5A (PDE5A) inhibitor (sildenafil) suppresses chamber and myocyte hypertrophy, and improves in vivo heart function in mice exposed to chronic pressure overload induced by transverse aortic constriction. Sildenafil also reverses pre-established hypertrophy induced by pressure load while restoring chamber function to normal. cGMP catabolism by PDE5A increases in pressure-loaded hearts, leading to activation of cGMP-dependent protein kinase with inhibition of PDE5A. PDE5A inhibition deactivates multiple hypertrophy signaling pathways triggered by pressure load (the calcineurin/NFAT, phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt, and ERK1/2 signaling pathways). But it does not suppress hypertrophy induced by overexpression of calcineurin in vitro or Akt in vivo, suggesting upstream targeting of these pathways. PDE5A inhibition may provide a new treatment strategy for cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling.

3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases↗
PubMed2004

MIP-1alpha induces differential MAP kinase activation and IkappaB gene expression in human B lymphocytes.

The chemokine macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha (MIP-1alpha) stimulates migration of B cells and affects B cell immunoglobulin production. However, the molecular mechanisms by which MIP-1alpha modulates these biologic effects have not been completely defined. Previously, we demonstrated that treatment of B cells with MIP-1alpha induced the transcription factor, nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB, to bind to DNA, concomitant with the degradation of IkappaBalpha, a cytoplasmic inhibitor of NF-kappaB activation. Here, we report that MIP-1alpha treatment of tonsil B cells induced IkappaB gene expression that was dependent on MIP-1alpha-mediated activation of a pathway(s) involving NF-kappaB and phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K). The NF-kappaB pathway is understood to be controlled in an autoregulatory fashion, so expression of IkappaB is thought to provide a means by which B cells modulate this pathway after stimulation with MIP-1alpha. Although the idea of NF-kappaB autoregulation is not novel, this is the first report to suggest the regulation of B cell gene expression by MIP-1alpha. In addition, we observed the activation of Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 mitogenic-activated protein kinase (MAPK), but not extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) in response to MIP-1alpha. Although p38 and NF-kappaB activity were both necessary for B cell migration, IkappaB gene expression was not affected by p38 inhibition, suggesting that p38 is involved in a separate MIP-1alpha-mediated signal transduction pathway.

B-Lymphocytes↗
PubMed2003

Downregulation of uPA inhibits migration and PI3k/Akt signaling in glioblastoma cells.

The ability of glioma cells to migrate great distances from a primary tumor mass is the primary cause of tumor recurrence. The urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) is a serine protease that can initiate proteolytic cascades, which result in remodeling of extracellular matrix and basement membrane, allowing cells to move across and through these barriers. The binding between uPA and its receptor uPAR also mediates several signaling events that seem to contribute to the evolution of a migratory phenotype. In this study, we determined how the downregulation of uPA affects the signaling pathways leading to cell migration. Stably transfecting human glioblastoma cells with antisense uPA decreased the amount of cell-bound uPA and disrupted actin cytoskeleton formation and cell migration. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3k) and Akt signaling pathway has been suggested to mediate migration in various cancer cells. The antisense-uPA clones also had less phosphorylated PI3k and Akt than control cells, a finding associated with decreased cell migration, G2/M-phase arrest, and decreased clonogenic survival. Decreased activation of PI3k and the antiapoptotic factor Akt was not sufficient to induce apoptosis in the antisense-uPA clones, but staurosporine sensitized them to apoptosis to a greater extent than control cells. These results indicate that PI3k/Akt pathway is involved in the signaling cascade required to induce cell migration and that uPA has a direct role in regulating migration.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed2003

Metformin modulates insulin post-receptor signaling transduction in chronically insulin-treated Hep G2 cells.

AIM: To study the effect of chronic insulin treatment on insulin post-receptor signaling transduction and whether the effects of metformin are transmitted throughout the cascade of insulin signaling intermediates in a human hepatoma cell line (Hep G2). METHODS: Hep G2 cells were incubated in serum free media containing either insulin 100 nmol/L or insulin 100 nmol/L plus different concentrations (0.01-10 mmol/L) of metformin for 16 h and then were stimulated with insulin 100 nmol/L for 1 min. RESULTS: Chronic treatment of insulin 100 nmol/L induced a significant reduction in the phosphorylation and protein expression of IR?, IRS1 and IRS2, which therefore resulted in a downregulation of association of PI3K with IRS. Therapeutic concentrations (0.01-0.1 mmol/L) of metformin prevented the changes induced by chronic insulin treatment in these post-receptor components of insulin signaling pathway. Tyrosine phosphorylation of IR?, IRS1, and IRS2 was increased by 2.7 fold (P < 0.01), 6.8 fold (P < 0.01), and 2.3 fold (P <0.01) of chronically insulin-treated cells alone, respectively, after metformin 0.1 mmol/L was added. The association of p85 with IRS1 and IRS2 was also increased from 34 % to 86 % (P <0.01) and from 30 % to 92 % (P <0.01), respectively. In contrast, metformin in pharmacological concentration (1-10 mmol/L) further inhibited tyrosine phosphorylation of IR?, IRS1, IRS2 and the interaction of PI3K with IRS. The association of IRS1 with p85 was further decreased by 58 % (P >0.05) and of IRS2 by 30 % (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: Chronic insulin exposure of Hep G2 cells induces the downregulation of insulin signal transduction via PI3K pathway. The effect of metformin on insulin signaling transduction represent a primary mechanism of metformin action in insulin resistant state.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗
PubMed2004

Towards an understanding of isoform specificity in phosphoinositide 3-kinase signalling in lymphocytes.

The PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase) signalling pathway promotes proliferation and transformation in many cell types. This is particularly well illustrated by studies of primary lymphocytes and their leukaemic counterparts. PI3K activation is required for proliferation of T cells and B cells, and certain oncogenes cause leukaemia in part by promoting PI3K signalling. Genetic manipulation of this pathway, together with biochemical studies in primary lymphocytes, has begun to shed light on the molecular mechanisms by which PI3K contributes to the proliferation of normal and transformed lymphocytes. In particular, targeted gene disruption in mice has allowed the identification of specific isoforms of PI3K that are required for distinct cellular responses. Continued investigation of isoform specificity in PI3K signalling, as well as the characterization of critical downstream targets of PI3K signalling, may reveal strategies for the therapeutic control of immune responses and leukaemia.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

[Cell biology of hyalocytes].

There is a group of cells, called hyalocytes, in the cortical vitreous. Although hyalocytes were discovered more than a hundred years ago, the molecular and cellular biological characteristics of hyalocytes have yet to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated various aspects of hyalocytes and, also performed triamcinolone acetonide (TA)-assisted vitrectomy to remove the hyalocytes for diabetic macular edema. Immunohistochemical analysis of rat eyes showed that 90% of hyalocytes were negative for ED1 but positive for ED2, indicating that hyalocyte is a tissue macrophage. Chimeric mice were created by transplanting bone marrow from green fluorescent protein (GFP)-transgenic mice into irradiated wild-type mice, showing the origin of hyalocyte to be bone marrow cells. Bovine hyalocytes were cultured successfully. The proliferation of hyalocytes was significantly enhanced by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) and inhibited by transforming growth factor(TGF)-beta. Among these, PDGF-BB stimulated the proliferation most potently through the MEK 1 pathway. Hyalocyte migration assessed by double chamber assay was also stimulated by PDGF-BB and it was mediated by the PI3K and p38 MAPK pathways. Cellular contraction of hyalocyte was significantly enhanced by PDGF-BB and TGF-beta through Rho kinase, p44/42 MAPK, and protein kinase C pathways, as measured by collagen gel contraction assay. Next, the relationship between the vitreous cavity(VC) and the immune system was studied after intravitreous inoculation with ovalbumin (OVA). Injection of OVA into the VC of C 57 BL/6 mice resulted in suppressed systemic cell-mediated immunity to OVA as determined by the ear swelling assay. This aberrant immune responsiveness following VC injection of OVA was termed VC-associated immune deviation or VCAID. The phenomenon of VCAID was mediated by intravitreous antigen-presenting cells. The histological study of chimeric mice showed these cells to be intravitreous residential cells, namely hyalocytes. VCAID was abolished by intravitreous inflammation such as experimental autoimmune uveitis. Finally, TA-assisted vitrectomy for diabetic macular edema was performed to remove cortical vitreous, because it contained many hyalocytes which could secrete inflammatory cytokines including VEGF. Although the number of treated eyes was limited, the surgical results have been favorable so far. The investigation of hyalocytes would open a new avenue for better understanding and development of treatment for various vitreo-retinal diseases.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

PKN3 is required for malignant prostate cell growth downstream of activated PI 3-kinase.

Chronic activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/PTEN signal transduction pathway contributes to metastatic cell growth, but up to now effectors mediating this response are poorly defined. By simulating chronic activation of PI3K signaling experimentally, combined with three-dimensional (3D) culture conditions and gene expression profiling, we aimed to identify novel effectors that contribute to malignant cell growth. Using this approach we identified and validated PKN3, a barely characterized protein kinase C-related molecule, as a novel effector mediating malignant cell growth downstream of activated PI3K. PKN3 is required for invasive prostate cell growth as assessed by 3D cell culture assays and in an orthotopic mouse tumor model by inducible expression of short hairpin RNA (shRNA). We demonstrate that PKN3 is regulated by PI3K at both the expression level and the catalytic activity level. Therefore, PKN3 might represent a preferred target for therapeutic intervention in cancers that lack tumor suppressor PTEN function or depend on chronic activation of PI3K.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Fatty acid-induced insulin resistance: decreased muscle PI3K activation but unchanged Akt phosphorylation.

The mechanisms by which elevated plasma nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) levels induce skeletal muscle insulin resistance remain unclear. A NEFA-induced defect in the activation of PI3K, which plays a key role in insulin's stimulation of glucose transport, has been invoked. We sought to examine the effects of elevated plasma NEFA (approximately 1 mmol/liter) on muscle PI3K activity, insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 (important for activation of PI3K), and Akt, which is downstream of PI3K and activated by phosphorylation on serine and threonine in a PI3K-dependent manner. Ten normal men [age, 37 +/- 9 yr (mean +/- SD); body mass index, 25.2 +/- 3.8 kg/m(2)] underwent two 5-h hyperinsulinemic (80 mU/m(2) x min) euglycemic clamps with basal and end of clamp biopsies of the vastus lateralis muscle. Plasma NEFAs were increased in one study by infusion of 20% Intralipid (1 ml/min) and heparin (900 U/h) throughout and for 2.5 h beforehand. Skeletal muscle protein levels were quantified by Western blotting. Elevated plasma NEFA reduced whole-body insulin-stimulated glucose disposal by 24% (42.1 +/- 4.0 vs. 54.8 +/- 3.6 micromol/kg x min; P < 0.001). Basal muscle IRS-1 was the same in the two studies. IRS-1 levels decreased by 40% in the control glucose clamps (P < 0.005), but did not change during the Intralipid study. Total tyrosine phosphorylated IRS-1 increased by 29% during the control clamps (P < 0.05), but by only 18% (NS) during the Intralipid studies. Total levels of p85alpha subunit of PI3K and Akt were not influenced by plasma NEFA levels either in the basal state or during the glucose clamps. The insulin-induced increase in IRS-1-associated PI3K activity was impaired by elevated NEFA, so that activity at the end of the clamps with Intralipid was 35% lower than in the control clamps (P < 0.05). The percentage reduction in PI3K activation correlated with the reduction in insulin-stimulated glucose disappearance rate that was induced by elevated NEFA (r = 0.70; P < 0.05). Basal P-ser- and P-thr-Akt levels were very low and unaffected by NEFA levels. The glucose clamps resulted in a marked increase in P-ser and P-thr Akt levels. Despite the decrease in PI3K in the Intralipid study, no defect in Akt phosphorylation was found. In summary, NEFA-induced insulin resistance is associated with an impairment of IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation and IRS-1-associated PI3K activation. Down-regulation of IRS-1 levels is also impaired. The NEFA-induced defect in muscle glucose uptake appears to be a consequence of a defect in the insulin-signaling pathway leading to impaired PI3K activation. This in turn may lead to impaired glucose transport through an Akt-independent pathway because Akt phosphorylation was unaffected by elevated NEFA levels.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Requirement for the PI3K/Akt pathway in MEK1-mediated growth and prevention of apoptosis: identification of an Achilles heel in leukemia.

The Raf/MEK/ERK kinase cascade plays a critical role in transducing growth signals from activated cell surface receptors. Using DeltaMEK1:ER, a conditionally active form of MEK1 which responds to either beta-estradiol or the estrogen receptor antagonist 4 hydroxy-tamoxifen (4HT), we previously documented the ability of this dual specificity protein kinase to abrogate the cytokine-dependency of human (TF-1) and murine (FDC-P1 and FL5.12) hematopoietic cells lines. Here we demonstrate the ability of DeltaMEK1:ER to activate the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/p70 ribosomal S6 kinase (p70(S6K)) pathway and the importance of this pathway in MEK1-mediated prevention of apoptosis. MEK1-responsive cells can be maintained long term in the presence of beta-estradiol, 4HT or IL-3. Removal of hormone led to the rapid cessation of cell proliferation and the induction of apoptosis in a manner similar to cytokine deprivation of the parental cells. Stimulation of DeltaMEK1:ER by 4HT resulted in ERK, PI3K, Akt and p70(S6K) activation. Treatment with PI3K, Akt and p70(S6K) inhibitors prevented MEK-responsive growth. Furthermore, the apoptotic effects of PI3K/Akt/p70(S6K) inhibitors could be enhanced by cotreatment with MEK inhibitors. Use of a PI3K inhibitor and a constitutively active form of Akt, [DeltaAkt(Myr(+))], indicated that activation of PI3K was necessary for MEK1-responsive growth and survival as activation of Akt alone was unable to compensate for the loss of PI3K activity. Cells transduced by MEK or MEK+Akt displayed different sensitivities to signal transduction inhibitors, which targeted these pathways. These results indicate a requirement for the activation of the PI3K pathway during MEK-mediated transformation of certain hematopoietic cells. These experiments provide important clues as to why the identification of mutant signaling pathways may be the Achilles heel of leukemic cell growth. Leukemia treatment targeting multiple signal transduction pathways may be more efficacious than therapy aimed at inhibiting a single pathway.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Selective involvement of the PI3K/PKB/bad pathway in retinal cell death.

The phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB)/Bad signal transduction pathway is engaged in the control of apoptosis in many different cell types, particularly through phosphorylation of the Bcl-2 family protein Bad. We examined the involvement of this pathway in the control of programmed cell death in the retina of developing rats. PKB is constitutively phosphorylated in retinal tissue in vitro, whereas Bad was dephosphorylated both in Ser112 and Ser136. Cell death induced by either the PI3K inhibitor LY294002, or the general kinase inhibitor 2-aminopurine, were followed by PKB dephosphorylation, but PKB was not modulated during cell death induced by the protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin. Treatment of retinal tissue cultures with forskolin, which increases intracellular levels of cAMP, partially blocked apoptosis induced by both anisomycin and 2-aminopurine, but not by LY294002, whereas forskolin invariably induced phosphorylation of Bad on both Ser112 and Ser136. The data suggest that Bad may be engaged in survival pathways in the immature retina, but pathways other than PI3K/PKB/Bad, and phosphorylation sites other than Ser112 and Ser136 in the Bad protein control cell survival in retinal tissue.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Vascular endothelial growth factor-mediated induction of manganese superoxide dismutase occurs through redox-dependent regulation of forkhead and IkappaB/NF-kappaB.

The mitochondrial antioxidant manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) plays a critical cytoprotective role against oxidative stress. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was shown previously to induce expression of Mn-SOD in endothelial cells by a NADPH oxidase-dependent mechanism. The goal of the current study was to determine the transcriptional mechanisms underlying this phenomenon. VEGF resulted in protein kinase C-dependent phosphorylation of IkappaB and subsequent translocation of p65 NF-kappaB into the nucleus. Overexpression of constitutively active IkappaB blocked VEGF stimulation of Mn-SOD. In transient transfection assays, VEGF increased Mn-SOD promoter activity, an effect that was dependent on a second intronic NF-kappaB consensus motif. In contrast, VEGF-mediated induction of Mn-SOD was enhanced by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002 and by dominant negative Akt and was decreased by constitutively active Akt. Overexpression of a constitutively active (phosphorylation-resistant) form of FKHRL1 (TMFKHRL1) resulted in increased Mn-SOD expression, suggesting that the negative effect of PI3K-Akt involves attenuation of forkhead activity. In co-transfection assays, the Mn-SOD promoter was transactivated by TMFKHRL1. Flavoenzyme inhibitor, diphenyleneiodonium (DPI), and antisense oligonucleotides against p47phox (AS-p47phox) inhibited VEGF stimulation of IkappaB/NF-kappaB and forkhead phosphorylation, supporting a role for NADPH oxidase activity in both signaling pathways. Like VEGF, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) activated the PI3K-Akt-forkhead pathway. However, HGF-PI3K-Akt-forkhead signaling was insensitive to diphenyleneiodonium and AS-p47phox. Moreover, HGF failed to induce phosphorylation of IkappaB/NF-kappaB or nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB and had no effect on Mn-SOD expression. Together, these data suggest that VEGF is uniquely coupled to Mn-SOD expression through growth factor-specific reactive oxygen species (ROS)-sensitive positive (protein kinase C-NF-kappaB) and negative (PI3K-Akt-forkhead) signaling pathways.

Active Transport, Cell Nucleus↗
PubMed2004

Tumor-promoting phorbol esters and activated Ras inactivate the tuberous sclerosis tumor suppressor complex via p90 ribosomal S6 kinase.

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic disorder caused by mutations in either of the two tumor suppressor genes TSC1 or TSC2, which encode hamartin and tuberin, respectively. Tuberin and hamartin form a complex that inhibits signaling by the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a critical nutrient sensor and regulator of cell growth and proliferation. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inactivates the tumor suppressor complex and enhances mTOR signaling by means of phosphorylation of tuberin by Akt. Importantly, cellular transformation mediated by phorbol esters and Ras isoforms that poorly activate PI3K promote tumorigenesis in the absence of Akt activation. In this study, we show that phorbol esters and activated Ras also induce the phosphorylation of tuberin and collaborates with the nutrient-sensing pathway to regulate mTOR effectors, such as p70 ribosomal S6 kinase 1 (S6K1). The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-activated kinase, p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK) 1, was found to interact with and phosphorylate tuberin at a regulatory site, Ser-1798, located at the evolutionarily conserved C terminus of tuberin. RSK1 phosphorylation of Ser-1798 inhibits the tumor suppressor function of the tuberin/hamartin complex, resulting in increased mTOR signaling to S6K1. Together, our data unveil a regulatory mechanism by which the Ras/MAPK and PI3K pathways converge on the tumor suppressor tuberin to inhibit its function.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2004

K-ras gene mutation enhances motility of immortalized airway cells and lung adenocarcinoma cells via Akt activation: possible contribution to non-invasive expansion of lung adenocarcinoma.

Point mutations of the K-ras gene, which are found in 10 to 30% of lung adenocarcinomas, are regarded as being an early event during the carcinogenesis. Autonomous vigorous motility of neoplastic cells, as well as growth and survival advantages, are considered to be necessary for cancer development and progression. The present study describes the contributions of the K-ras gene mutation and its downstream pathway via phosphatidylinositol 3-OH kinase (PI3K)-Akt to the cell motility in an immortalized human peripheral airway epithelial cell (HPL1D) and lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549, H820, TKB6, and TKB14). We have also evaluated the relationship between pathological events and the K-ras-Akt pathway using surgically resected lung tumors. The HPL1D cells transfected with the mutated K-ras gene (HPL-V12) showed a significant increase in cell motility compared to those transfected with empty vector (HPL-E) or wild-type K-ras gene (HPL-K). The enhanced motility in the HPL-V12 cells was markedly reduced by either treatment with inhibitors of ras, PI3K, and/or MEK, or by transfection with the dominant-negative mutant Akt (dnAkt). The lung adenocarcinoma cells bearing the K-ras gene mutation (A549 and H820) showed consistently higher levels of cell motilities than those without the mutation (TKB6 and TKB14), and the motility of A549 and H820 cells were significantly inhibited by dnAkt transfection. These results suggest that the K-ras gene mutation could enhance the motility of neoplastic cells through a pathway involving PI3K-Akt. Actually, among the surgically resected lung tumors, the adenocarcinomas with the K-ras gene mutation tended to show a higher frequency and intensity of immunoreactivity for phosphorylated Akt (p-ser473Akt) than those without the mutation, supporting the in vitro observation that the mutated K-ras can activate the PI3K-Akt pathway. Immunoreactivity for p-ser473Akt was also seen in the pre-malignant and early lesions at a frequency similar to that in the advanced lung adenocarcinomas,. No correlation was seen between p-ser473Akt immunoreactivity and lymphatic/organ metastasis or prognosis. These results taken together suggest that the K-ras-Akt pathway might facilitate the motility of neoplastic cells during the early period of carcinogenesis in lung adenocarcinomas, and may contribute to their non-invasive expansion along the alveolar septa, rather than invasion or metastasis.

Adenocarcinoma↗