表皮生长因子对胰岛素-PI3K信号通路的影响及机制

目的:研究表皮生长因子(epidermal growthf actor,EGF)对胰岛素-磷脂酰肌醇3-激酶(PI3K)信号通路的影响及其可能涉及的机制.方法:肝癌细胞系Hep G2用含10%胎牛血清的DMEM培养.细胞刺激试验前过夜血清饥饿,EGF和胰岛素刺激不同的时间,裂解细胞后提取蛋白,Western blot检测相关信号蛋白水平.结果:胰岛素可以导致肝癌细胞系蛋白激酶B(Akt)的磷酸化.当EGF短时间刺激后,胰岛素对PI3K信号通路的调节没有受到明显的影响.当EGF刺激4 h后,胰岛素对Akt的激活效应受到抑制,而当Hep G2细胞转染质粒磷酸酶域突变型质粒p Sv EGFP-PTEN C124S或PI3K调节亚基的p85 N末端缺失序列p50后,EGF预先刺激产生的对Akt的抑制效应消失.结论:EGF和胰岛素的相互作用对肝癌细胞PI3K-Akt信号通路具有抑制效应,其抑制机制涉及到PTEN和调节亚基p85.当两基因突变后,这种抑制作用则消失.     

微小RNA-206促进神经细胞凋亡参与阿尔茨海默病的机制研究

目的探究微小RNA-206(miR-206)通过调节脑源性神经营养因子(BDNF)及磷脂酰肌醇3激酶(PI3K)/蛋白激酶B(Akt)通路,促进神经元凋亡参与阿尔茨海默病(AD)的机制。方法将大鼠海马神经细胞分为对照组、AD组、miR-206抑制剂组(抑制剂组)、抑制剂+siBDNF组和siBDNF组(n=3),除对照组外,其他4组建立AD模型,抑制剂组和抑制剂+siBDNF组通过转染miR-206抑制剂质粒以抑制miR-206,抑制剂+siBDNF组和siBDNF组转染BDNF质粒沉默BDNF。在转染48 h后,检测miR-206、BDNF mRNA和蛋白表达水平。结果 AD组miR-206、细胞凋亡率、Thr231/tau-5及Ser404/tau-5水平明显高于对照组和抑制剂组,BDNF mRNA和蛋白表达、细胞活力、磷酸化PI3K/PI3K及磷酸化Akt/Akt表达明显明显低于对照组和抑制剂组(P0.05)。siBDNF组细胞活力、BDNF mRNA和蛋白表达、磷酸化PI3K/PI3K、磷酸化Akt/Akt表达明显低于AD组,miR-206、细胞凋亡率、Thr231/tau-5、Ser404/tau-5蛋白表达明显高于AD组(P0.05)。抑制剂+siBDNF组miR-206、细胞凋亡率、Thr231/tau-5和Ser404/tau-5蛋白水平明显高于抑制剂组[(1.79±0.18)vs(1.20±0.14),(14.37±1.72)%vs(6.84±0.48)%,(1.40±0.15)vs(0.89±0.09),(2.45±0.26)vs(1.12±0.12),P0.05],细胞活力、BDNF mRNA和蛋白表达、磷酸化PI3K/PI3K和磷酸化Akt/Akt表达明显明显低于抑制剂组(P0.05)。结论下调miR-206表达,会通过促进BNDF的水平激活PI3K/Akt通路,并提高AD模型细胞活力,抑制凋亡,这可能是治疗AD的新思路。     

化瘀解毒方含药血清体外抑制A549肿瘤细胞作用及其机制

目的研究化瘀解毒方提取物抗人肺癌A549细胞增殖、迁移、侵袭的作用及机制。方法培养人肺癌A549细胞株,利用MTT法分析肿瘤细胞增殖抑制率,利用Transwell细胞培养系统检测细胞迁移、侵袭作用,采用实时荧光定量PCR法检测化瘀解毒方提取物对磷脂酰肌醇3-激酶(PI3K),3-磷酸肌醇依赖性蛋白激酶(PDK)1和蛋白激酶B(Akt)mRNA的表达,进一步采用免疫印迹检测PI3K/Akt信号通路中蛋白及其磷酸化水平。结果化瘀解毒方提取物呈浓度依赖性抑制体外人肺癌A549肿瘤细胞增殖、迁移和侵袭,与生理盐水组相比,差异均有统计学意义(P0.05)。化瘀解毒方含药血清和阳性对照药环磷酰胺对PI3K,PDK1和Akt总蛋白水平无影响。然而,化瘀解毒方含药血清显著抑制A549细胞中Akt蛋白的磷酸化水平。结论化瘀解毒方含药血清抑制A549细胞增殖、黏附、迁移和侵袭与抑制Akt蛋白的磷酸化有关,其作用机制可能与抑制PI3K/Akt通路有关。     

丙型肝炎病毒非结构蛋白5A影响p53抑制肝癌细胞甲胎蛋白表达的分子机制

目的了解丙型肝炎病毒(HCV)非结构蛋白5A(NS5A)对p53抑制甲胎蛋白(AFP)基因表达的影响及分子机制。方法采用质粒转染技术及微粒体酶免疫法观察p53蛋白对Huh7肝癌细胞AFP表达的抑制作用及HCV NS5A对其抑制作用的影响;蛋白印迹实验观察HCV NS5A对p53蛋白表达的影响;谷胱甘肽转移酶沉淀实验鉴定HCV NS5A与p53蛋白能否相互作用形成复合物。结果转染pRc/CMV空质粒的Huh7细胞上清液AFP浓度为(14 322±2412)ng/ml,转染pCNS5A质粒的Huh7细胞上清液的AFP 浓度为(13 843±3218)ng/ml,两组问t=1.42,P>0.05;转染pC53-NS3质粒的Huh7细胞上清液的AFP 浓度为(10 241±1326)ng/ml,与上述两组比较,t值分别为2.41及2.38,P值均<0.05;pCNS5A和pC53- NS3共转染者AFP浓度为(14 582±1238)ng/ml,与pC53-NS3单独转染组比较,t=3.12,P<0.01; pCNS5A和pC53-NS3共转染者和pC53-NS3单独转染者Huh7细胞p53蛋白表达无变化。在谷胱甘肽转移酶沉淀实验中,加入谷胱甘肽-p53融合蛋白后出现HCV NS5A蛋白条带,而仅加入谷光甘肽者则未出现此条带。结论p53蛋白能抑制Huh7细胞AFP的表达,HCV NS5A能减轻p53蛋白对AFP表达的抑制作用。HCV NS5A不影响p53蛋白的表达但能与p53蛋白结合形成复合物是使p53功能失活的分子机制。     

NIRF基因通过PI3K/Akt信号通路诱导人肺癌细胞凋亡

目的探究NIRF基因对人肺癌细胞凋亡的影响以及机制研究。方法使用重组质粒siRNANIRF(siRNA-NIRF组)和空载体(siRNA-NC组)转染人肺癌细胞A549,以未转染细胞为对照(Control组),免疫印迹试验(Western blot)检测转染效果;噻唑蓝(MTT)检测转染细胞增殖情况,使用流式细胞术检测转染细胞凋亡状况,蛋白免疫印迹(Western blot)检测细胞中蛋白激酶B(Akt)、磷酸化Akt(p-Akt)、磷脂酰肌醇-3激酶(PI3K)、磷酸化PI3K(p-PI3K)蛋白的表达量。结果转染重组质粒siRNA-NIRF后,细胞中NIRF蛋白的表达量显著低于对照组(P0.05);与对照组相比,siRNA-NIRF组细胞的存活率显著降低(P0.05),凋亡率显著增高(P0.05),siRNA-NC组无明显差异(P0.05);与对照组相比,siRNA-NIRF组和siRNA-NC细胞中Akt、PI3K蛋白的含量无明显变化(P0.05),但siRNA-NIRF组细胞中p-Akt和p-PI3K的含量显著低于对照组(P0.05)。结论干扰NIRF基因可抑制肺癌细胞A549增殖,促进其凋亡,其作用机制是影响PI3K/Akt信号通路的关键因子的表达量。     

丙型肝炎病毒非结构蛋白5A对干扰素α-2b诱导的信号传导和转录激活因子1磷酸化及核转移的影响

目的探讨丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）非结构蛋白5A（NS5A）对干扰素α-2b诱导的Janus激酶-信号传导和转录激活子（JAK—STAT）信号传导途径中STAT1磷酸化及核转移的影响。方法用表达HCVNS5A的质粒（pCNS5A）转染Huh7细胞，应用免疫细胞化学技术检测HCVNS5A的表达，用免疫荧光和Western blot方法检测HCVNS5A对干扰素α-2b诱导的STAT1磷酸化和核转移的影响。结果转染了pCNS5A的Huh7细胞质可见HCVNS5A蛋白的表达；以干扰素α-2b诱导30min后，STAT1磷酸化及核转移在转染了表达HCVNS5A的质粒组比转染空白载体pRC／CMV组及未转染组减少，而未转染组及转染空白载体pRC／CMV组间无明显差别。结论表达HCVNS5A的质粒pCNS5A成功转染至Huh7细胞；HCV NS5A减弱干扰素α-2b诱导的STAT1的磷酸化及核转移，提示NS5A影响干扰素α-2b的JAKSTAT信号传导途径可能是HCV干扰素抵抗的机制之一。     

非小细胞肺癌中PI3K/Akt信号通路通过Cdh1调控Skp2表达的机制研究

目的探讨非小细胞肺癌（NSCLC）中Cdc20同源蛋白1（Cdh1）参与磷脂酰肌醇三羟基激酶（PI3K）/Akt信号通路对S期激酶相关蛋白2（Skp2）表达调控的机制。方法体外培养NSCLC细胞系A549、LK2和H460,LY294002特异性阻断PI3K/Akt信号通路后,Western blot检测Skp2、Cdh1及p-Akt蛋白表达的变化,免疫荧光（IF）检测Cdh1在NSCLC中的定位变化。结果 LY294002处理后,与对照组相比3种细胞中Skp2蛋白表达和Akt磷酸化水平均降低（P〈0.01）,Cdh1在3种细胞的核内表达均增多。结论 NSCLC中PI3K/Akt信号通路抑制剂LY294002使Skp2蛋白表达下调与Cdh1由细胞质向细胞核转位有关。     

PI3K/Akt信号通路在HIV感染中的研究进展

[摘要]　磷脂酰肌醇3-激酶（phosphoinositide 3-kinase, PI3K）/蛋白激酶B（protein kinase B, PKB,普遍写作Akt）信号通路参与调控多种细胞功能，与多种疾病的发生密切相关。PI3K/Akt信号通路在HIV感染过程中也发挥重要作用，包括调节T细胞、线粒体功能，促进HIV复制，再激活潜伏HIV以及维持病毒储存库。因此，探索PI3K/Akt信号通路在HIV感染中的作用机制具有重要意义，针对PI3K/Akt的靶向治疗可能在抗HIV中发挥关键作用。本文对PI3K/Akt信号通路与HIV感染的相关研究进行综述，旨在为HIV的治疗提供新的思路与靶点。     

磷脂酰肌醇-3-激酶/丝-苏氨酸蛋白激酶在帕妥珠单抗耐药机制中的作用

目的探讨磷脂酰肌醇-3-激酶/丝-苏氨酸蛋白激酶(PI3K/Akt)在帕妥珠单抗耐药机制中的作用。方法建立人乳腺癌细胞株Hs578T耐帕妥珠单抗的耐药亚株Hs-Her,(FISH)法分析耐药细胞株Her表型;MTT法检测帕妥珠单抗对Hs578T和Hs-Her细胞增殖的抑制情况;流式细胞术检测帕妥珠单抗干预后细胞凋亡情况;PI3K/Akt抑制剂干预细胞后Western印迹检测细胞P-Akt蛋白表达情况。结果本实验建立的耐药亚株Hs-Her基因表达FISH检测呈强阳性;0.1~100 mg/L浓度帕妥珠单抗干预72 h后,Hs578T和Hs-Her细胞体外增殖均受到抑制,且随帕妥珠单抗浓度的增加而提升,其中Hs578T的IC50值明显低于Hs-Her(P<0.01);10 mg/L的帕妥珠单抗干预后Hs578T细胞凋亡率明显高于Hs-Her细胞(P<0.01)。预先经PI3K/Akt抑制剂处理后再加入帕妥珠单抗,Hs578T和Hs-Her细胞均发生明显凋亡,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。Western印迹检测显示,帕妥珠单抗可有效抑制Hs578T细胞Akt蛋白磷酸化,却无法抑制Hs-Her细胞Akt蛋白磷酸化;PI3K/Akt信号通路抑制剂可同时抑制Hs578T和Hs-Her细胞的Akt蛋白磷酸化。结论帕妥珠单抗耐药细胞Hs-Her存在Akt蛋白磷酸化,PI3K/Akt抑制剂可明显抑制帕妥珠单抗耐药细胞Akt蛋白磷酸化;PI3K/Akt信号通路与帕妥珠单抗耐药性存在明确相关性。     

HepG2细胞中HCV NS5A蛋白对HCV IRES启动蛋白翻译的影响

目的探讨HepG2细胞中HCV非结构蛋白5A（NS5A）对HCV IRES启动蛋白翻译的影响，以了解HCV的复制调控机制。方法将构建的表达双荧光素酶的双顺反子载体pCMV-Rluc-IRES-Fluc和含HCV NS5A基因的表达质粒pcDNA-NS5A共转染HepG2细胞，用双荧光素酶检测系统检测虫荧光素酶的表达水平，细胞免疫荧光技术检测HCV-NS5A蛋白的表达，RT-PCR检测虫荧光素酶基因mRNA水平，并与相应对照做比较，以观察HCV NS5A对HCV IRES介导虫荧光素酶翻译水平的影响。结果转染pcDNA-NS5A的HepG2细胞中虫荧光素酶活性明显高于转染pCDNA3．I-3flag的对照组，并存在剂量依赖关系；而RT-PCR虫荧光素酶基因mRNA水平在两组间差异无统计学意义。转染pcDNA-NS5A的HepG2细胞质中可见HCV NS5A蛋白的表达。结论HCV NS5A蛋白对HCV IRES介导虫荧光素酶的翻译有正调节作用，并存在剂量依赖关系．     

Influenza A virus NS1 protein binds p85beta and activates phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase signaling

Influenza A virus NS1 is a multifunctional protein, and in virus-infected cells NS1 modulates a number of host-cell processes by interacting with cellular factors. Here, we report that NS1 binds directly to p85beta, a regulatory subunit of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K), but not to the related p85alpha subunit. Activation of PI3K in influenza virus-infected cells depended on genome replication, and showed kinetics that correlated with NS1 expression. Additionally, it was found that expression of NS1 alone was sufficient to constitutively activate PI3K, causing the phosphorylation of a downstream mediator of PI3K signal transduction, Akt. Mutational analysis of a potential SH2-binding motif within NS1 indicated that the highly conserved tyrosine at residue 89 is important for both the interaction with p85beta, and the activation of PI3K. A mutant influenza virus (A/Udorn/72) expressing NS1 with the Y89F amino acid substitution exhibited a small-plaque phenotype, and grew more slowly in tissue culture than WT virus. These data suggest that activation of PI3K signaling in influenza A virus-infected cells is important for efficient virus replication.     

Structural insights into phosphoinositide 3-kinase activation by the influenza A virus NS1 protein

Seasonal epidemics and periodic worldwide pandemics caused by influenza A viruses are of continuous concern. The viral nonstructural (NS1) protein is a multifunctional virulence factor that antagonizes several host innate immune defenses during infection. NS1 also directly stimulates class IA phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling, an essential cell survival pathway commonly mutated in human cancers. Here, we present a 2.3-Å resolution crystal structure of the NS1 effector domain in complex with the inter-SH2 (coiled-coil) domain of p85β, a regulatory subunit of PI3K. Our data emphasize the remarkable isoform specificity of this interaction, and provide insights into the mechanism by which NS1 activates the PI3K (p85β:p110) holoenzyme. A model of the NS1:PI3K heterotrimeric complex reveals that NS1 uses the coiled-coil as a structural tether to sterically prevent normal inhibitory contacts between the N-terminal SH2 domain of p85β and the p110 catalytic subunit. Furthermore, in this model, NS1 makes extensive contacts with the C2/kinase domains of p110, and a small acidic α-helix of NS1 sits adjacent to the highly basic activation loop of the enzyme. During infection, a recombinant influenza A virus expressing NS1 with charge-disruption mutations in this acidic α-helix is unable to stimulate the production of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate or the phosphorylation of Akt. Despite this, the charge-disruption mutations in NS1 do not affect its ability to interact with the p85β inter-SH2 domain in vitro. Overall, these data suggest that both direct binding of NS1 to p85β (resulting in repositioning of the N-terminal SH2 domain) and possible NS1:p110 contacts contribute to PI3K activation.     

Acute ethanol exposure inhibits insulin signaling in the liver

Chronic ethanol consumption may produce hepatic injury and impair the ability of the liver to regenerate principally through its action on insulin signaling. These effects are mediated by insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) via the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal regulated kinase (MAPK/Erk) pathway and by survival signals through phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (Akt). Because a protein phosphatase, phosphatase tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN), has been reported to block insulin signaling through PI3K, we explored acute ethanol effects on signaling in the context of PTEN function. We measured upstream components of the insulin signal transduction pathway and Akt phosphorylation as an indicator of signaling through PI3K, including the generation of survival signals via glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK3beta) and Bcl-2-associated death promoter (BAD). In addition, the physical association between PTEN and PI3K regulatory (p85alpha) and catalytic (p110alpha) subunits was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. In Huh-7 cells, there was no effect of acute ethanol exposure on tyrosyl phosphorylation of the insulin receptor, IRS-1, and the association of IRS-1 with PI3K. However, Akt phosphorylation was impaired. The association of PTEN with the PI3K p85alpha subunit was substantially increased and led to the inhibition of downstream insulin-mediated survival signals through Akt, GSK3beta, and BAD; the ethanol effect was reversed by PTEN knockdown with small interfering RNA. These results were confirmed in the liver. Conclusion: Short-term ethanol exposure rapidly attenuates insulin signaling. The major cellular mechanism involves the increased association of PTEN with the PI3K p85alpha subunit, which results in reduced phospho-Akt formation and impaired downstream survival signaling. These findings may have relevance to acute toxic effects of ethanol on the liver.     

Interactive effects of insulin-like growth factor-1 and beta-estradiol on endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity in rat aortic endothelial cells

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and beta-estradiol (E2) have vasodilatory effects, in part, through stimulation of vascular nitric oxide (NO) production. However, their interactive effects on endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and NO production have not been previously studied in endothelial cells (EC). Employing rat aortic EC (RAEC), the effects of acute (20 and 30 minutes) and prolonged (4 hours) stimulation with 100 nmol/L IGF-1 and 1 nmol/L E2 (alone or in combination) were assessed with respect to protein levels and enzymatic activities for phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and serine/threonine kinase Akt (Akt), enzymes involved in eNOS activation. Exposure to IGF-1 for 30 minutes or E2 for 20 minutes increased insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) association with the regulatory (p85) subunit of PI3K, enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of p85, and increased PI3K activity. Combined treatment had a greater effect on p85 phosphorylation and PI3K activity then either agonist alone. Moreover, IGF-1 and E2 enhanced Akt Ser(473) phosphorylation, with the effect of IGF-1 being much greater. Acute expose to both E2 (20 minutes) and IGF-1 (30 minutes) were associated with an increase in eNOS activity. Prolonged exposure (4 hours) to either IGF-1 or E2 increased expression of the p85 subunit as well as eNOS activity. Pretreatment with PI3K antagonist wortmannin (WT) prevented this increase in eNOS activity. The results suggest that IGF-1 and E2 may interact through PI3K/Akt-related pathways to increase eNOS activity.     

Heme-oxygenase-1-induced protection against hypoxia/reoxygenation is dependent on biliverdin reductase and its interaction with PI3K/Akt pathway

Heme-oxygenase-1 (HO-1), a stress-inducible protein, is an important cytoprotective agent against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. However, the role of downstream mediators involved in HO-1-induced cytoprotection is not clear. In the current study we investigated the role of biliverdin reductase, an enzyme involved in the conversion of HO-1-derived biliverdin into bilirubin and the PI3K/Akt pathway in mediating the cytoprotective effects of HO-1 against hypoxia and reoxygenation (H/R) injury in vitro and in vivo. H9c2 cardiomyocytes were transfected with a plasmid expressing HO-1 or LacZ and exposed to 24 h of hypoxia followed by 12 h of reoxygenation. At the end of reoxygenation, reactive oxygen species generation was determined using CM-H(2)DCFDA dye and apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL, caspase activity and Bad phosphorylation. p85 and Akt phosphorylation were determined using cell-based ELISA and phospho-specific antibodies, respectively. HO-1 overexpression increased phosphorylation of the regulatory subunit of the PI3K (p85alpha) and downstream effector Akt in H9c2 cells, leading to decreased ROS and apoptosis. Furthermore, cardiac expression of HO-1 increased basal phosphorylated Akt levels and decreased infarct size in response to LAD ligation and release induced I/R injury. Conversely, PI3K inhibition reversed the effects of HO-1 on Akt phosphorylation, cell death and infarct size. In addition, knockdown of biliverdin reductase (BVR) expression with siRNA attenuated HO-1-induced Akt phosphorylation and increased H/R-induced apoptosis of H9c2 cells. Co-immunoprecipitation revealed protein-protein interaction between BVR and the phosphorylated p85 subunit of the PI3 kinase. Taken together, these results suggest that the enzyme biliverdin reductase plays an important role in mediating cytoprotective effects of HO-1. This effect is mediated, at least in part, via interaction with and activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway.     

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.     

Glucose-potentiated chemotaxis in human vascular smooth muscle is dependent on cross-talk between the PI3K and MAPK signaling pathways

Atheroma formation involves the movement of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) into the subendothelial space. The aim of this study was to determine the involvement of PI3K and MAPK pathways and the importance of cross-talk between these pathways, in glucose-potentiated VSMC chemotaxis to serum factors. VSMC chemotaxis occurred in a serum gradient in 25 mmol/L glucose (but not in 5 mmol/L glucose) in association with increased phosphorylation (activation) of Akt and ERK1/2 in PI3K and MAPK pathways, respectively. Inhibitors of these pathways blocked chemotaxis, as did an mTOR inhibitor. VSMC expressed all class IA PI3K isoforms, but microinjection experiments demonstrated that only the p110beta isoform was involved in chemotaxis. ERK1/2 phosphorylation was reduced not only by MAPK pathway inhibitors but also by PI3K and mTOR inhibitors; when PI3K was inhibited, ERK phosphorylation could be induced by microinjected activated Akt, indicating important cross-talk between the PI3K and ERK1/2 pathways. Glucose-potentiated phosphorylation of molecules in the p38 and JNK MAPK pathways inhibited these pathways but did not affect chemotaxis. The statin, mevinolin, blocked chemotaxis through its effects on the MAPK pathway. Mevinolin-inhibited chemotaxis was restored by farnesylpyrophosphate but not by geranylgeranylpyrophosphate; in the absence of mevinolin, inhibition of farnesyltransferase reduced ERK phosphorylation and blocked chemotaxis, indicating a role for the Ras family of GTPases (MAPK pathway) under these conditions. In conclusion, glucose sensitizes VSMC to serum, inducing chemotaxis via pathways involving p110beta-PI3K, Akt, mTOR, and ERK1/2 MAPK. Cross-talk between the PI3K and MAPK pathways is necessary for VSMC chemotaxis under these conditions.     

Persistent activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase causes insulin resistance due to accelerated insulin-induced insulin receptor substrate-1 degradation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

Recently, we have reported that the overexpression of a membrane-targeted phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase (p110CAAX) stimulated p70S6 kinase, Akt, glucose transport, and Ras activation in the absence of insulin but inhibited insulin-stimulated glycogen synthase activation and MAP kinase phosphorylation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. To investigate the mechanism of p110CAAX-induced cellular insulin resistance, we have now studied the effect of p110CAAX on insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 protein. Overexpression of p110CAAX alone decreased IRS-1 protein levels to 63+/-10% of control values. Insulin treatment led to an IRS-1 gel mobility shift (most likely caused by serine/threonine phosphorylation), with subsequent IRS-1 degradation. Moreover, insulin-induced IRS-1 degradation was enhanced by expression of p110CAAX (61+/-16% vs. 13+/-15% at 20 min, and 80+/-8% vs. 41+/-12% at 60 min, after insulin stimulation with or without p110CAAX expression, respectively). In accordance with the decreased IRS-1 protein, the insulin-stimulated association between IRS-1 and the p85 subunit of PI 3-kinase was also decreased in the p110CAAX-expressing cells, and IRS-1-associated PI 3-kinase activity was decreased despite the fact that total PI 3-kinase activity was increased. Five hours of wortmannin pretreatment inhibited both serine/threonine phosphorylation and degradation of IRS-1 protein. These results indicate that insulin treatment leads to serine/threonine phosphorylation of IRS-1, with subsequent IRS-1 degradation, through a PI 3-kinase-sensitive mechanism. Consistent with this, activated PI 3-kinase phosphorylates IRS-1 on serine/threonine residues, leading to IRS- 1 degradation. The similar finding was observed in IRS-2 as well as IRS-1. These results may also explain the cellular insulin-resistant state induced by chronic p110CAAX expression.     

Calpain interacts with class IA phosphoinositide 3-kinases regulating their stability and signaling activity

Class IA phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are signaling enzymes with key roles in the regulation of essential cellular functions and disease, including cancer. Accordingly, their activity is tightly controlled in cells to maintain homeostasis. The formation of multiprotein complexes is a ubiquitous mechanism to regulate enzyme activity but the contribution of protein-protein interactions to the regulation of PI3K signaling is not fully understood. We designed an affinity purification quantitative mass spectrometry strategy to identify proteins interacting dynamically with PI3K in response to pathway activation, with the view that such binding partners may have a functional role in pathway regulation. Our study reveals that calpain small subunit 1 interacts with PI3K and that the association between these proteins is lower in cells stimulated with serum compared to starved cells. Calpain and PI3K activity assays confirmed these results, thus demonstrating that active calpain heterodimers associate dynamically with PI3K. In addition, calpains were found to cleave PI3K proteins in vitro (resulting in a reduction of PI3K lipid kinase activity) and to regulate endogenous PI3K protein levels in vivo. Further investigations revealed that calpains have a role in the negative regulation of PI3K/Akt pathway activity (as measured by Akt and ribosomal S6 phosphorylation) and that their inhibition promotes cell survival during serum starvation. These results indicate that the interaction between calpain and PI3K is a novel mechanism for the regulation of class IA PI3K stability and activity.     

Aging is associated with decreased pancreatic acinar cell regeneration and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt activation

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The effects of aging on pancreatic acinar cell proliferation have not been clearly defined. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-mediated phosphorylation of Akt is a critical step for proliferation of various cell types and insulin secretion from pancreatic endocrine cells; however, its role in acinar cell proliferation is not known. The purpose of this study was to (1) delineate the effects of aging on pancreatic regeneration after partial pancreatectomy (Px) and (2) define the involvement of the PI3K/Akt pathway in pancreatic regeneration. METHODS: Following partial Px, pancreatic regeneration and activation of the PI3K pathway were compared in young and aged mice. Activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway was evaluated by Akt phosphorylation (pAkt). The role of the PI3K pathway in pancreatic regeneration after partial Px was assessed by effects of a pharmacologic PI3K inhibitor wortmannin or small interfering RNA (siRNA) to the p85alpha regulatory subunit. To confirm further the critical role of the PI3K/Akt pathway in pancreatic acinar cell proliferation, IGF-1-mediated cell proliferation was determined in cultured acinar cells pretreated with wortmannin or p85alpha siRNA. RESULTS: Pancreatic regeneration and pAkt expression after partial Px were significantly decreased with aging. Treatment with wortmannin or p85alpha siRNA reduced pancreatic regeneration after partial Px. The IGF-1-mediated cell proliferation in vitro was completely blocked by wortmannin or p85alpha siRNA but not by the MEK/ERK inhibitor PD98059. CONCLUSIONS: PI3K/Akt activation plays a critical role in the regeneration of pancreatic acini after resection. Furthermore, pancreatic regeneration is markedly attenuated in the aged pancreas most likely because of decreased PI3K/Akt activation.