Combination of mTOR and EGFR Kinase Inhibitors Blocks mTORC1 and mTORC2 Kinase Activity and Suppresses the Progression of Colorectal Carcinoma

Mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 and 2 (mTORC1/2) are overactive in colorectal carcinomas; however, the first generation of mTOR inhibitors such as rapamycin have failed to show clinical benefits in treating colorectal carcinoma in part due to their effects only on mTORC1. The second generation of mTOR inhibitors such as PP242 targets mTOR kinase; thus, they are capable of inhibiting both mTORC1 and mTORC2. To examine the therapeutic potential of the mTOR kinase inhibitors, we treated a panel of colorectal carcinoma cell lines with PP242. Western blotting showed that the PP242 inhibition of mTORC2-mediated AKT phosphorylation at Ser 473 (AKT^S473) was transient only in the first few hours of the PP242 treatment. Receptor tyrosine kinase arrays further revealed that PP242 treatment increased the phosphorylated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) at Tyr 1068 (EGFR^T1068). The parallel increase of AKT^S473 and EGFR^T1068 in the cells following PP242 treatment raised the possibility that EGFR phosphorylation might contribute to the PP242 incomplete inhibition of mTORC2. To test this notion, we showed that the combination of PP242 with erlotinib, an EGFR small molecule inhibitor, blocked both mTORC1 and mTORC2 kinase activity. In addition, we showed that the combination treatment inhibited colony formation, blocked cell growth and induced apoptotic cell death. A systemic administration of PP242 and erlotinib resulted in the progression suppression of colorectal carcinoma xenografts in mice. This study suggests that the combination of mTOR kinase and EGFR inhibitors may provide an effective treatment of colorectal carcinoma.     

Cryptococcus neoformans Phosphoinositide-Dependent Kinase 1 (PDK1) Ortholog Is Required for Stress Tolerance and Survival in Murine Phagocytes

Cryptococcus neoformans PKH2-01 and PKH2-02 are orthologous to mammalian PDK1 kinase genes. Although orthologs of these kinases have been extensively studied in S. cerevisiae, little is known about their function in pathogenic fungi. In this study, we show that PKH2-02 but not PKH2-01 is required for C. neoformans to tolerate cell wall, oxidative, nitrosative, and antifungal drug stress. Deletion of PKH2-02 leads to decreased basal levels of Pkc1 activity and, consequently, reduced activation of the cell wall integrity mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway in response to cell wall, oxidative, and nitrosative stress. PKH2-02 function also is required for tolerance of fluconazole and amphotericin B, two important drugs for the treatment of cryptococcosis. Furthermore, OSU-03012, an inhibitor of human PDK1, is synergistic and fungicidal in combination with fluconazole. Using a Galleria mellonella model of low-temperature cryptococcosis, we found that PKH2-02 is also required for virulence in a temperature-independent manner. Consistent with the hypersensitivity of the pkh2-02Δ mutant to oxidative and nitrosative stress, this mutant shows decreased survival in murine phagocytes compared to that of wild-type (WT) cells. In addition, we show that deletion of PKH2-02 affects the interaction between C. neoformans and phagocytes by decreasing its ability to suppress production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and reactive oxygen species. Taken together, our studies demonstrate that Pkh2-02-mediated signaling in C. neoformans is crucial for stress tolerance, host-pathogen interactions, and both temperature-dependent and -independent virulence.     

Defective Autophagy and mTORC1 Signaling in Myotubularin Null Mice

Autophagy is a vesicular trafficking pathway that regulates the degradation of aggregated proteins and damaged organelles. Initiation of autophagy requires several multiprotein signaling complexes, such as the ULK1 kinase complex and the Vps34 lipid kinase complex, which generates phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate [PtdIns(3)P] on the forming autophagosomal membrane. Alterations in autophagy have been reported for various diseases, including myopathies. Here we show that skeletal muscle autophagy is compromised in mice deficient in the X-linked myotubular myopathy (XLMTM)-associated PtdIns(3)P phosphatase myotubularin (MTM1). Mtm1-deficient muscle displays several cellular abnormalities, including a profound increase in ubiquitin aggregates and abnormal mitochondria. Further, we show that Mtm1 deficiency is accompanied by activation of mTORC1 signaling, which persists even following starvation. In vivo pharmacological inhibition of mTOR is sufficient to normalize aberrant autophagy and improve muscle phenotypes in Mtm1 null mice. These results suggest that aberrant mTORC1 signaling and impaired autophagy are consequences of the loss of Mtm1 and may play a primary role in disease pathogenesis.     

Differential dependence of hypoxia-inducible factors 1 alpha and 2 alpha on mTORC1 and mTORC2

Constitutive expression of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) has been implicated in several proliferative disorders. Constitutive expression of HIF1 alpha and HIF2 alpha has been linked to a number of human cancers, especially renal cell carcinoma (RCC), in which HIF2 alpha expression is the more important contributor. Expression of HIF1 alpha is dependent on the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and is sensitive to rapamycin. In contrast, there have been no reports linking HIF2 alpha expression with mTOR. mTOR exists in two complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2, which are differentially sensitive to rapamycin. We report here that although there are clear differences in the sensitivity of HIF1 alpha and HIF2 alpha to rapamycin, both HIF1 alpha and HIF2 alpha expression is dependent on mTOR. HIF1 alpha expression was dependent on both Raptor (a constituent of mTORC1) and Rictor (a constitutive of mTORC2). In contrast, HIF2 alpha was dependent only on the mTORC2 constituent Rictor. These data indicate that although HIF1 alpha is dependent on both mTORC1 and mTORC2, HIF2 alpha is dependent only on mTORC2. We also examined the dependence of HIF alpha expression on the mTORC2 substrate Akt, which exists as three different isoforms, Akt1, Akt2, and Akt3. Interestingly, the expression of HIF2 alpha was dependent on Akt2, whereas that of HIF1 alpha was dependent on Akt3. Because HIF2 alpha is apparently more critical in RCC, this study underscores the importance of targeting mTORC2 and perhaps Akt2 signaling in RCC and other proliferative disorders in which HIF2 alpha has been implicated.     

Hypercholesterolemia is associated with hyperactive cardiac mTORC1 and mTORC2 signaling

Nutritional excess and hyperlipidemia increase the heart’s susceptibility to ischemic injury. Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) controls the cellular response to nutritional status and may play a role in ischemic injury. To explore the effect of hypercholesterolemia on cardiac mTOR signaling, we assessed mTOR signaling in hypercholesterolemic swine (HC) that are also susceptible to increased cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury. Yucatan pigs were fed a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet for 4 weeks to induce hypercholesterolemia, and mTOR signaling was measured by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence in the non-ischemic left ventricular area. Total myocardial mTOR and raptor levels were markedly increased in the HC group compared to the normocholesterolemic group, and directly correlated with serum cholesterol levels. mTOR exhibited intense perinuclear staining in myocytes only in the HC group. Hypercholesterolemia was associated with hyperactive signaling upstream and downstream of both mTOR complexes, including myocardial Akt, S6K1, 4EBP1, S6, and PKC-alpha, increased levels of cardiac hypertrophy markers, and a trend toward lower levels of myocardial autophagy. Hypercholesterolemia can now be added to the growing list of conditions associated with aberrant mTOR signaling. Hypercholesterolemia produces a unique profile of alterations in cardiac mTOR signaling, which is a potential target in cardiac diseases associated with hypercholesterolemia and nutritional excess.     

心脏特异表达Calponin 1转基因小鼠的心脏功能分析

目的建立心脏特异表达Calponin 1转基因小鼠,研究Calponin 1对心脏发育及心肌病的调节作用。方法利用心脏特异启动子α-MHC构建转基因表达载体,显微注射法建立Calponin 1转基因小鼠,PCR法鉴定转基因小鼠的基因型,Western Blot检测Calponin 1在心脏组织中的表达,心脏超声检测转基因小鼠的心脏结构和功能,HE染色和Masson染色检测转基因小鼠心脏的病理改变。结果 Calponin 1在野生型小鼠心脏中有表达,在扩张型心肌病小鼠的心脏组织表达降低。通过显微注射法,建立了2个心脏组织Calponin 1基因高表达的转基因小鼠系。与野生型小鼠相比,Calponin 1转基因小鼠收缩期左室内径（LVID,systolic）增加28%（P〈0.01,n=12）,舒张期左室内径（LVID,diastolic）增加16.2%（P〈0.01,n=12）,收缩期左室后壁厚度（LVPW,systolic）减小15.7%（P〈0.01,n=12）,舒张期左室后壁厚度（LVPW,diastolic）减小21%（P〈0.01,n=12）,射血分数（ejection fraction,EF）降低11.5%（P〈0.01,n=12）,短轴内径缩短率（fraction shortening,FS）降低14.6%（P〈0.05,n=12）。转基因小鼠心脏组织病理H＆E染色和Masson染色显示,转基因小鼠心室扩张,心肌细胞不均匀肥大,细胞间隙变大,心肌间质纤维增多。结论 Calponin 1在心脏特异过表达引起转基因小鼠心脏左室内径增加,收缩期容积和舒张期容积显著增大,心室壁变薄,射血分数及短轴缩短率降低等扩张性心肌病表型,推测Calponin 1是参与心肌病病理发生的基因之一。     

低密度脂蛋白受体相关蛋白2结合蛋白在心脏特异转基因小鼠中引起的心脏功能代偿

目的建立心脏特异表达的低密度脂蛋白受体相关蛋白2结合蛋白(Lrp2bp)转基因小鼠,研究该基因在心肌病发病中的作用。方法克隆鼠源Lrp2bp基因入α-MHC启动子下游,构建a-MHC-Lrp2bp表达载体,显微注射法建立Lrp2bp转基因小鼠。PCR鉴定转基因首建鼠的基因型。Westernblotting鉴定Lrp2bp在心脏中的表达,心脏超声检测转基因鼠及野生型小鼠心脏结构和功能,透射电镜观察心肌细胞的超微结构改变。结果得到了4个Lrp2bp转基因品系,其中3个品系心脏Lrp2bp蛋白表达量与同龄野生型鼠相比明显增加。1M龄转基因小鼠与同窝阴性对照小鼠相比,心壁变厚,心腔变大,射血分数和短轴缩短率下降。结论心脏特异表达的Lrp2bp基因能引起心肌肥厚表型,可能是参与心肌代偿性肥厚的基因之一。     

Rac1 regulates the activity of mTORC1 and mTORC2 and controls cellular size

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that exists in two separate complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2, that function to control cell size and growth in response to growth factors, nutrients, and cellular energy levels. Low molecular weight GTP-binding proteins of the Rheb and Rag families are key regulators of the mTORC1 complex, but regulation of mTORC2 is poorly understood. Here, we report that Rac1, a member of the Rho family of GTPases, is a critical regulator of both mTORC1 and mTORC2 in response to growth-factor stimulation. Deletion of Rac1 in primary cells using an inducible-Cre/Lox approach inhibits basal and growth-factor activation of both mTORC1 and mTORC2. Rac1 appears to bind directly to mTOR and to mediate mTORC1 and mTORC2 localization at specific membranes. Binding of Rac1 to mTOR does not depend on the GTP-bound state of Rac1, but on the integrity of its C-terminal domain. This function of Rac1 provides a means to regulate mTORC1 and mTORC2 simultaneously.     

KU0063794, a Dual mTORC1 and mTORC2 Inhibitor,Reduces Neural Tissue Damage and Locomotor Impairment After Spinal Cord Injury in Mice

Autophagy is an intracellular catabolic mechanism for the degradation of cytoplasmic constituents in the autophagosomal–lysosomal pathway. This mechanism plays an important role in homeostasis and it is defective in certain diseases. Preceding studies have revealed that autophagy is developing as an important moderator of pathological responses associated to spinal cord injury (SCI) and plays a crucial role in secondary injury initiating a progressive degeneration of the spinal cord. Thus, based on this evidence in this study, we used two different selective inhibitors of mTOR activity to explore the functional role of autophagy in an in vivo model of SCI as well as to determine whether the autophagic process is involved in spinal cord tissue damage. We treated animals with a novel synthetic inhibitor temsirolimus and with a dual mTORC1 and mTORC2 inhibitor KU0063794 matched all with the well-known inhibitor of mTOR the rapamycin. Our results demonstrated that mTOR inhibitors could regulate the neuroinflammation associated to SCI and the results that we obtained evidently demonstrated that rapamycin and temsirolimus significantly diminished the expression of iNOS, COX2, GFAP, and re-established nNOS levels, but the administration of KU0063794 is able to blunt the neuroinflammation better than rapamycin and temsirolimus. In addition, neuronal loss and cell mortality in the spinal cord after injury were considerably reduced in the KU0063794-treated mice. Accordingly, taken together our results denote that the administration of KU0063794 produced a neuroprotective function at the lesion site following SCI, representing a novel therapeutic approach after SCI.     

Pravastatin and Sarpogrelate Synergistically Ameliorate Atherosclerosis in LDLr-Knockout Mice

Pravastatin is a lipid-lowering agent that attenuates atherosclerosis. However, the multifactorial pathogenesis of atherosclerosis requires other drugs with different anti-atherogenic mechanisms. We chose sarpogrelate as an anti-platelet agent and a novel component of a complex drug with pravastatin due to its high potential but little information on its beneficial effects on atherosclerosis. Low-density lipoprotein receptor-knockout mice were fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet and treated with pravastatin alone, sarpogrelate alone, or a combination of both drugs. Although sarpogrelate alone did not significantly reduce atherosclerotic plaque areas, co-treatment with pravastatin significantly decreased aortic lesions compared to those of the pravastatin alone treated group. The combined therapy was markedly more effective than that of the single therapies in terms of foam cell formation, smooth muscle cell proliferation, and inflammatory cytokine levels. These results suggest that pravastatin and sarpogrelate combined therapy may provide a new therapeutic strategy for treating atherosclerosis.     

WIF-1心脏特异表达转基因小鼠心脏功能分析

目的建立心脏特异表达WIF-1转基因小鼠,研究该基因在心脏中表达对小鼠心脏发育,形态和功能维持中的作用。方法RT-PCR法克隆人WIF-1基因,把WIF-1基因插入α-MHC启动子下游,构建转基因表达载体,通过显微注射法建立转WIF-1C57BL/6J小鼠。并利用特异引物PCR法鉴定转基因小鼠的基因表型,RT-PCR和Westernblot检测基因表达水平,超声检测不同月龄WIF-1转基因小鼠心脏结构及功能变化。结果建立了2个系的心脏特异表达WIF-1转基因小鼠。心脏超声检查证实,WIF-1转基因小鼠与对照小鼠比较,左心室重量减小,舒张期左室内径和容积变小,每搏输出量和心输出量减小。结论WIF-1基因是心脏功能的负调控因子。     

Active-Site Inhibitors of mTOR Target Rapamycin-Resistant Outputs of mTORC1 and mTORC2

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) regulates cell growth and survival by integrating nutrient and hormonal signals. These signaling functions are distributed between at least two distinct mTOR protein complexes: mTORC1 and mTORC2. mTORC1 is sensitive to the selective inhibitor rapamycin and activated by growth factor stimulation via the canonical phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)→Akt→mTOR pathway. Activated mTORC1 kinase up-regulates protein synthesis by phosphorylating key regulators of mRNA translation. By contrast, mTORC2 is resistant to rapamycin. Genetic studies have suggested that mTORC2 may phosphorylate Akt at S473, one of two phosphorylation sites required for Akt activation; this has been controversial, in part because RNA interference and gene knockouts produce distinct Akt phospho-isoforms. The central role of mTOR in controlling key cellular growth and survival pathways has sparked interest in discovering mTOR inhibitors that bind to the ATP site and therefore target both mTORC2 and mTORC1. We investigated mTOR signaling in cells and animals with two novel and specific mTOR kinase domain inhibitors (TORKinibs). Unlike rapamycin, these TORKinibs (PP242 and PP30) inhibit mTORC2, and we use them to show that pharmacological inhibition of mTOR blocks the phosphorylation of Akt at S473 and prevents its full activation. Furthermore, we show that TORKinibs inhibit proliferation of primary cells more completely than rapamycin. Surprisingly, we find that mTORC2 is not the basis for this enhanced activity, and we show that the TORKinib PP242 is a more effective mTORC1 inhibitor than rapamycin. Importantly, at the molecular level, PP242 inhibits cap-dependent translation under conditions in which rapamycin has no effect. Our findings identify new functional features of mTORC1 that are resistant to rapamycin but are effectively targeted by TORKinibs. These potent new pharmacological agents complement rapamycin in the study of mTOR and its role in normal physiology and human disease.     

mTORC1- and mTORC2-interacting proteins keep their multifunctional partners focused

The mammalian target of rapamycin, best known as mTOR, is a phylogenetically conserved serine/threonine kinase that controls life-defining cellular processes such as growth, metabolism, survival, and migration under the influence of multiple interacting proteins. Historically, the cellular activities blocked by rapamycin in mammalian cells were considered the only events controlled by mTOR. However, this paradigm changed with the discovery of two signaling complexes differentially sensitive to rapamycin, whose catalytic component is mTOR. The one sensitive to rapamycin, known as mTORC1, promotes protein synthesis in response to growth factors and nutrients via the phosphorylation of p70S6K and 4EBP1; while the other, known as mTORC2, promotes cell migration and survival via the activation of Rho GTPases and the phosphorylation of AKT, respectively. Although mTORC2 kinase activity is not inhibited by rapamycin, hours of incubation with this antibiotic can impede the assembly of this signaling complex. The direct mechanism by which mTORC2 leads to cell migration depends on its interaction with P-Rex1, a Rac-specific guanine nucleotide exchange factor, while additional indirect pathways involve the intervention of PKC or AKT, multifunctional ubiquitous serine/threonine kinases that activate effectors of cell migration upon being phosphorylated by mTORC2 in response to chemotactic signals. These mTORC2 effectors are altered in metastatic cancer. Numerous clinical trials are testing mTOR inhibitors as potential antineoplasic drugs. Here, we briefly review the actions of mTOR with emphasis on the controlling role of mTORC1 and mTORC2-interacting proteins and highlight the mechanisms linked to cell migration.