The p85alpha regulatory subunit of class IA phosphoinositide 3-kinase regulates beta-selection in thymocyte development

We examined the role of class IA PI3K in pre-TCR controlled beta-selection and TCR-controlled positive/negative selection in thymic development. Using mice deficient for p85alpha, a major regulatory subunit of the class IA PI3K family, the role of class IA PI3K in beta-selection was examined by injection of anti-CD3epsilon mAb into p85alpha(-/-)Rag-2(-/-) mice, which mimics pre-TCR signals. Transition of CD4(-)CD8(-) double-negative (DN) to CD4(+)CD8(+) double-positive (DP) thymocytes triggered by anti-CD3epsilon mAb was significantly impaired in p85alpha(-/-)Rag-2(-/-) compared with p85alpha(+/-)Rag-2(-/-) mice. Furthermore, DP cell numbers were lower in p85alpha(-/-)DO11.10/Rag-2(-/-) TCR-transgenic mice than in DO11.10/Rag-2(-/-) mice. In addition, inhibition by IC87114 of the major class IA PI3K catalytic subunit expressed in lymphocytes, p110delta, blocked transition of DN to DP cells in embryonic day 14.5 fetal thymic organ culture without affecting cell viability. In the absence of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10, where class IA PI3K signals would be amplified, the DN to DP transition was accelerated. In contrast, neither positive nor negative selection in Rag-2(-/-)TCR-transgenic mice was perturbed by the lack of p85alpha. These findings establish an important function of class IA PI3K in the pre-TCR-controlled developmental transition of DN to DP thymocytes.     

Positive and negative roles of p85 alpha and p85 beta regulatory subunits of phosphoinositide 3-kinase in insulin signaling

Class IA phosphoinositide (PI) 3-kinase is composed of a p110 catalytic subunit and a p85 regulatory subunit and plays a pivotal role in insulin signaling. To explore the physiological roles of two major regulatory isoforms, p85 alpha and p85 beta, we have established brown adipose cell lines with disruption of the Pik3r1 or Pik3r2 gene. Pik3r1-/- (p85 alpha-/-) cells show a 70% reduction of p85 protein and a parallel reduction of p110. These cells have a 50% decrease in PI 3-kinase activity and a 30% decrease in Akt activity, leading to decreased insulin-induced glucose uptake and anti-apoptosis. Pik3r2-/- (p85 beta-/-) cells show a 25% reduction of p85 protein but normal levels of p85-p110 and PI 3-kinase activity, supporting the fact that p85 is more abundant than p110 in wild type. p85 beta-/- cells, however, exhibit significantly increased insulin-induced Akt activation, leading to increased anti-apoptosis. Reconstitution experiments suggest that the discrepancy between PI 3-kinase activity and Akt activity is at least in part due to the p85-dependent negative regulation of downstream signaling of PI 3-kinase. Indeed, both p85 alpha-/- cells and p85 beta-/- cells exhibit significantly increased insulin-induced glycogen synthase activation. p85 alpha-/- cells show decreased insulin-stimulated Jun N-terminal kinase activity, which is restored by expression of p85 alpha, p85 beta, or a p85 mutant that does not bind to p110, indicating the existence of p85-dependent, but PI 3-kinase-independent, signaling pathway. Furthermore, a reduction of p85 beta specifically increases insulin receptor substrate-2 phosphorylation. Thus, p85 alpha and p85 beta modulate PI 3-kinase-dependent signaling by multiple mechanisms and transmit signals independent of PI 3-kinase activation.     

The tyrosine phosphatase CD148 interacts with the p85 regulatory subunit of phosphoinositide 3-kinase

CD148 is a transmembrane tyrosine phosphatase that has been implicated in the regulation of cell growth and transformation. However, the signalling mechanisms of CD148 are incompletely understood. To identify the specific intracellular molecules involved in CD148 signalling, we carried out a modified yeast two-hybrid screening assay. Using the substrate-trapping mutant form of CD148 (CD148 D/A) as bait, we recovered the p85 regulatory subunit of PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase). CD148 D/A, but not catalytically active CD148, interacted with p85 in a phosphorylation-dependent manner in vitro and in intact cells. Growth factor receptor and PI3K activity were also trapped by CD148 D/A via p85 from pervanadate-treated cell lysates. CD148 prominently and specifically dephosphorylated p85 in vitro. Co-expression of CD148 reduced p85 phosphorylation induced by active Src, and attenuated the increases in PI3K activity, yet CD148 did not alter the basal PI3K activity. Finally, CD148 knock-down by siRNA (short interfering RNA) increased PI3K activity on serum stimulation. Taken together, these results demonstrate that CD148 may interact with and dephosphorylate p85 when it is phosphorylated and modulate the magnitude of PI3K activity.     

Intermolecular interactions of the p85alpha regulatory subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase

The regulatory subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, p85, contains a number of well defined domains involved in protein-protein interactions, including an SH3 domain and two SH2 domains. In order to investigate in detail the nature of the interactions of these domains with each other and with other binding partners, a series of deletion and point mutants was constructed, and their binding characteristics and apparent molecular masses under native conditions were analyzed. The SH3 domain and the first proline-rich motif bound each other, and variants of p85 containing the SH3 and BH domains and the first proline-rich motif were dimeric. Analysis of the apparent molecular mass of the deletion mutants indicated that each of these domains contributed residues to the dimerization interface, and competition experiments revealed that there were intermolecular SH3 domain-proline-rich motif interactions and BH-BH domain interactions mediating dimerization of p85alpha both in vitro and in vivo. Binding of SH2 domain ligands did not affect the dimeric state of p85alpha. Recently, roles for the p85 subunit have been postulated that do not involve the catalytic subunit, and if p85 exists on its own we propose that it would be dimeric.     

The p85 regulatory subunit controls sequential activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase by Tyr kinases and Ras

Class IA phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) is a heterodimer composed of a p85 regulatory and a p110 catalytic subunit that regulates a variety of cell responses, including cell division and survival. PI3K is activated following Tyr kinase stimulation and by Ras. We found that the C-terminal region of p85, including the C-Src homology 2 (C-SH2) domain and part of the inter-SH2 region, protects the p110 catalytic subunit from Ras-induced activation. Although the p110 activity associated with a C-terminal p85 deletion mutant increased significantly in the presence of an active form of Ras, purified wild type p85-p110 was only slightly stimulated by active Ras. Nonetheless, incubation of purified p85-p110 with Tyr-phosphorylated peptides, which mimic the activated platelet-derived growth factor receptor, restored Ras-induced p85-p110 activation. In conclusion, p85 inhibits p110 activation by Ras; this blockage is released by Tyr kinase stimulation, showing that the classical mechanism of class IA PI3K stimulation mediated by Tyr kinases also regulates Ras-induced PI3K activation.     

Mechanism of constitutive phosphoinositide 3-kinase activation by oncogenic mutants of the p85 regulatory subunit

p85/p110 phosphoinositide 3-kinases regulate multiple cell functions and are frequently mutated in human cancer. The p85 regulatory subunit stabilizes and inhibits the p110 catalytic subunit. The minimal fragment of p85 capable of regulating p110 is the N-terminal SH2 domain linked to the coiled-coil iSH2 domain (referred to as p85ni). We have previously proposed that the conformationally rigid iSH2 domain tethers p110 to p85, facilitating regulatory interactions between p110 and the p85 nSH2 domain. In an oncogenic mutant of murine p85, truncation at residue 571 leads to constitutively increased phosphoinositide 3-kinase activity, which has been proposed to result from either loss of an inhibitory Ser-608 autophosphorylation site or altered interactions with cellular regulatory factors. We have examined this mutant (referred to as p65) in vitro and find that p65 binds but does not inhibit p110, leading to constitutive p110 activity. This activated phenotype is observed with recombinant proteins in the absence of cellular factors. Importantly, this effect is also produced by truncating p85ni at residue 571. Thus, the phenotype is not because of loss of the Ser-608 inhibitory autophosphorylation site, which is not present in p85ni. To determine the structural basis for the phenotype of p65, we used a broadly applicable spin label/NMR approach to define the positioning of the nSH2 domain relative to the iSH2 domain. We found that one face of the nSH2 domain packs against the 581-593 region of the iSH2 domain. The loss of this interaction in the truncated p65 would remove the orienting constraints on the nSH2 domain, leading to a loss of p110 regulation by the nSH2. Based on these findings, we propose a general model for oncogenic mutants of p85 and p110 in which disruption of nSH2-p110 regulatory contacts leads to constitutive p110 activity.     

Interaction of the retinal insulin receptor beta-subunit with the p85 subunit of phosphoinositide 3-kinase

Recently, we have shown that phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) in retina is regulated in vivo through light activation of the insulin receptor beta-subunit. In this study, we have cloned the 41 kDa cytoplasmic region of the retinal insulin receptor (IRbeta) and used the two-hybrid assay of protein-protein interaction in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to demonstrate the interaction between the p85 subunit of PI3K and the cytoplasmic region of IRbeta. Under conditions where IRbeta autophosphorylates, substitution of Y1322F and M1325P in IRbeta resulted in the abolition of p85 binding to the IRbeta, confirming that the p85 subunit of PI3K binds to Y1322. The binding site for p85 on IRbeta was also confirmed in the yeast three-hybrid system. Using the C-terminal region of IRbeta (amino acids 1293-1343 encompassing the YHTM motif) as bait and supplying an exogenous tyrosine kinase gene to yeast cells, we determined that the IRbeta-pYTHM motif interacts with p85. We also used retinal organ cultures to demonstrate insulin activation of the insulin receptor and subsequent binding of p85, measured through GST pull-down assays with p85 fusion proteins. Further, the Y960F mutant insulin receptor, which does not bind IRS-1, is capable of bringing down PI3K activity from retina lysates. On the other hand, in response to insulin, IRS-2 is able to interact with the p85 subunit of PI3K in the retina. These results suggest that multiple signaling pathways could regulate the PI3K activity and subsequent activation of Akt in the retina.     

The p85 regulatory subunit of phosphoinositide 3-kinase down-regulates IRS-1 signaling via the formation of a sequestration complex

Phosphoinositide (PI) 3-kinase is required for most insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) 1-dependent cellular responses. The p85 regulatory subunit of PI 3-kinase is required to mediate the insulin-dependent recruitment of PI 3-kinase to the plasma membrane, yet mice with reduced p85 expression have increased insulin sensitivity. To further understand the role of p85, we examined IGF-1-dependent translocation of p85alpha by using a green fluorescence protein (GFP)-tagged p85alpha (EGFP-p85alpha). In response to IGF-1, but not to PDGF signaling, EGFP-p85alpha translocates to discrete foci in the cell. These foci contain the insulin receptor substrate (IRS) 1 adaptor molecule, and their formation requires the binding of p85 to IRS-1. Surprisingly, monomeric p85 is preferentially localized to these foci compared with the p85-p110 dimer, and these foci are not sites of phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate production. Ultrastructural analysis reveals that p85-IRS-1 foci are cytosolic protein complexes devoid of membrane. These results suggest a mechanism of signal down-regulation of IRS-1 that is mediated by monomeric p85 through the formation of a sequestration complex between p85 and IRS-1.     

The IREM-1 (CD300f) inhibitory receptor associates with the p85alpha subunit of phosphoinositide 3-kinase

The immune receptor expressed by myeloid cell 1 (IREM-1) (CD300f) inhibitory receptor displays five cytoplasmic tyrosine residues, two of them (Y205 and Y249) fit with ITIMs, whereas Y236 and Y263 constitute putative binding sites for PI3K. In the present study, immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that both the p85alpha subunit of PI3K and Src homology region 2 domain-containing phosphatase-1 could be recruited by IREM-1 in transfected cells as well as in the U937 monocytic leukemia cells, which constitutively express the receptor. By assaying the ability of different IREM-1 mutants to regulate the secretion of beta-hexosaminidase induced via FcRepsilonI in rat basophilic leukemia cells, both Y205 and Y249 appeared crucial for IREM-1-mediated inhibition. Remarkably, engagement of an IREM-1 mutant (Y(205,249,284)F), which did not recruit Src homology region 2 domain-containing phosphatase-1 and lost its inhibitory function, induced rat basophilic leukemia cell degranulation. This effect was dependent on the recruitment of PI3K, requiring the integrity of Y236 and Y263, and was blocked by PI3K inhibitors (i.e., wortmannin and LY-294002). Altogether, these data reveal a putative functional duality of the IREM-1 myeloid cell receptor.     

p50alpha/p55alpha phosphoinositide 3-kinase knockout mice exhibit enhanced insulin sensitivity

Class Ia phosphoinositide (PI) 3-kinases are heterodimers composed of a regulatory and a catalytic subunit and are essential for the metabolic actions of insulin. In addition to p85alpha and p85beta, insulin-sensitive tissues such as fat, muscle, and liver express the splice variants of the pik3r1 gene, p50alpha and p55alpha. To define the role of these variants, we have created mice with a deletion of p50alpha and p55alpha by using homologous recombination. These mice are viable, grow normally, and maintain normal blood glucose levels but have lower fasting insulin levels. Results of an insulin tolerance test indicate that p50alpha/p55alpha knockout mice have enhanced insulin sensitivity in vivo, and there is an increase in insulin-stimulated glucose transport in isolated extensor digitorum longus muscle tissues and adipocytes. In muscle, loss of p50alpha/p55alpha results in reduced levels of insulin-stimulated insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) and phosphotyrosine-associated PI 3-kinase but enhanced levels of IRS-2-associated PI 3-kinase and Akt activation, whereas in adipocytes levels of both insulin-stimulated PI 3-kinase and Akt are unchanged. Despite this, adipocytes of the knockout mice are smaller and have increased glucose uptake with altered glucose metabolic pathways. When treated with gold thioglucose, p50alpha/p55alpha knockout mice become hyperphagic like their wild-type littermates. However, they accumulate less fat and become mildly less hyperglycemic and markedly less hyperinsulinemic. Taken together, these data indicate that p50alpha and p55alpha play an important role in insulin signaling and action, especially in lipid and glucose metabolism.     

Altered signaling and cell cycle regulation in embryonal stem cells with a disruption of the gene for phosphoinositide 3-kinase regulatory subunit p85alpha

The p85alpha regulatory subunit of class I(A) phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K) is derived from the Pik3r1 gene, which also yields alternatively spliced variants p50alpha and p55alpha. It has been proposed that excess monomeric p85 competes with functional PI3K p85-p110 heterodimers. We examined embryonic stem (ES) cells with heterozygous and homozygous disruptions in the Pik3r gene and found that wild type ES cells express virtually no monomeric p85alpha. Although, IGF-1-stimulated PI3K activity associated with insulin receptor substrates was unaltered in all cell lines, p85alpha-null ES cells showed diminished protein kinase B activation despite increased PI3K activity associated with the p85beta subunit. Furthermore, p85alpha-null cells demonstrated growth retardation, increased frequency of apoptosis, and altered cell cycle regulation with a G(0)/G(1) cell cycle arrest and up-regulation of p27(KIP), whereas signaling through CREB and MAPK was enhanced. These phenotypes were reversed by re-expression of p85alpha via adenoviral gene transfer. Surprisingly, all ES cell lines could be differentiated into adipocytes. In these differentiated ES cells, however, compensatory p85beta signaling was lost in p85alpha-null cells while increased signaling by CREB and MAPK was still observed. Thus, loss of p85alpha in ES cells induced alterations in IGF-1 signaling and regulation of apoptosis and cell cycle but no defects in differentiation. However, differentiated ES cells partially lost their ability for compensatory signaling at the level of PI3K, which may explain some of the defects observed in mice with homozygous deletion of the Pik3r1 gene.     

Assigning functional domains within the p101 regulatory subunit of phosphoinositide 3-kinase gamma

Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase (PI3K) gamma is a lipid kinase that is regulated by G-protein-coupled receptors. It plays a crucial role in inflammatory and allergic processes. Activation of PI3Kgamma is primarily mediated by Gbetagamma subunits. The regulatory p101 subunit of PI3Kgamma binds to Gbetagamma and, thereby, recruits the catalytic p110gamma subunit to the plasma membrane. Despite its crucial role in the activation of PI3Kgamma, the structural organization of p101 is still largely elusive. Employing fluorescence resonance energy transfer measurements, coimmunoprecipitation and colocalization studies with p101 deletion mutants, we show here that distinct regions within the p101 primary structure are responsible for interaction with p110gamma and Gbetagamma. The p110gamma binding site is confined to the N terminus, whereas binding to Gbetagamma is mediated by a C-terminal domain of p101. These domains appear to be highly conserved among various species ranging from Xenopus to men. In addition to establishing a domain structure for p101, our results point to the existence of a previously unknown, p101-related regulatory subunit for PI3Kgamma.     

The N-terminal 24 amino acids of the p55 gamma regulatory subunit of phosphoinositide 3-kinase binds Rb and induces cell cycle arrest

Although phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) is essential for cell cycle progression, the molecular mechanisms that regulate its diverse biological effects are poorly understood. We demonstrate here that Rb, a key regulator of cell cycle progression, associates with p55 kDa (p55alpha and p55gamma) regulatory subunits of PI 3-kinase in vivo and in vitro. Both confocal microscopy and biochemical analysis demonstrated the presence of p55gamma in the nucleus. The 24-amino-acid N-terminal end of p55gamma, which is unique among PI 3-kinase regulatory subunits, was sufficient to bind Rb. Addition of serum or growth factors to quiescent cells triggered the dissociation of Rb from p55. Ectopic expression of the 24-amino-acid N-terminal end of p55gamma inhibited cell cycle progression, as evidenced by induction of cell growth arrest at the G0/G1 phase, inhibition of DNA synthesis, inhibition of cyclin D and cyclin E promoter activity, and changes in the expression of cell cycle-related proteins. The inhibitory effects of the N-terminal end of p55gamma on cell cycle progression depended on the presence of functional Rb. These data demonstrate for the first time an association of p55gamma with Rb and show that modification of this association can lead to cell cycle arrest.     

The role of phosphoinositide 3-kinase C2alpha in insulin signaling

The members of the class II phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) family can be activated by several stimuli, indicating that these enzymes can regulate many intracellular processes. Nevertheless, to date, there has been no definitive identification of their in vivo product, their mechanism(s) of activation, or their precise intracellular roles. By metabolic labeling, we here identify phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate as the sole in vivo product of the insulin-dependent activation of PI3K-C2alpha, confirming the emerging role of such a phosphoinositide in signaling. We demonstrate that activation of PI3K-C2alpha involves its recruitment to the plasma membrane and that activation is mediated by the GTPase TC10. This is the first report showing a membrane targeting-mediated mechanism of activation for PI3K-C2alpha and that a small GTP-binding protein can activate a class II PI3K isoform. We also demonstrate that PI3K-C2alpha contributes to maximal insulin-induced translocation of the glucose transporter GLUT4 to the plasma membrane and subsequent glucose uptake, definitely assessing the role of this enzyme in insulin signaling.     

p84, a new Gbetagamma-activated regulatory subunit of the type IB phosphoinositide 3-kinase p110gamma

A variety of genetic and inhibitor studies have shown that phosphoinositide 3-kinase gamma (PI3Kgamma) plays an essential role in a number of physiological responses, including neutrophil chemotaxis, mast cell degranulation, and cardiac function []. PI3Kgamma is currently thought to be composed of a p110gamma catalytic subunit and a single regulatory subunit, p101. The binding of p110gamma to p101 dramatically increases the activation of the complex by Gbetagamma subunits and, hence, is thought to be critical for the coupling of PI3Kgamma to G protein coupled receptors []. Here, we characterize a new regulatory subunit for PI3Kgamma. p84 is present in human, mouse, chicken, frog, and fugu genomes and is located beside the p101 locus. It is broadly expressed in cells of the murine immune system. Both recombinant and endogenous p84 bind p110gamma specifically and with high affinity. Binding of p84 to p110gamma substantially increases the ability of Gbetagamma to stimulate phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate (PtdIns(3,4,5)P(3)) production both in vitro and in vivo. However, the p84/p110gamma heterodimer is approximately 4-fold less sensitive to Gbetagammas than p101/p110gamma. Endogenous murine p84 expression is substantially reduced in the absence of p110gamma expression. We conclude that p110gamma has two potential regulatory subunits in vivo, p84 and p101.     

Crystal structure of the C-terminal SH2 domain of the p85alpha regulatory subunit of phosphoinositide 3-kinase: an SH2 domain mimicking its own substrate.

The binding properties of Src homology-2 (SH2) domains to phosphotyrosine (pY)-containing peptides have been studied in recent years with the elucidation of a large number of crystal and solution structures. Taken together, these structures suggest a general mode of binding of pY-containing peptides, explain the specificities of different SH2 domains, and may be used to design inhibitors of pY binding by SH2 domain-containing proteins. We now report the crystal structure to 1.8 A resolution of the C-terminal SH2 domain (C-SH2) of the P85alpha regulatory subunit of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3 K). Surprisingly, the carboxylate group of Asp2 from a neighbouring molecule occupies the phosphotyrosine binding site and interacts with Arg18 (alphaA2) and Arg36 (betaB5), in a similar manner to the phosphotyrosine-protein interactions seen in structures of other SH2 domains complexed with pY peptides. It is the first example of a non-phosphate-containing, non-aromatic mimetic of phosphotyrosine binding to SH2 domains, and this could have implications for the design of substrate analogues and inhibitors. Overall, the crystal structure closely resembles the solution structure, but a number of loops which demonstrate mobility in solution are well defined by the crystal packing. C-SH2 has adopted a binding conformation reminiscent of the ligand bound N-terminal SH2 domain of PI3K, apparently induced by the substrate mimicking of a neighbouring molecule in the crystal.     

Positive and negative regulation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase-dependent signaling pathways by three different gene products of the p85alpha regulatory subunit

Phosphoinositide (PI) 3-kinase is a key mediator of insulin-dependent metabolic actions, including stimulation of glucose transport and glycogen synthesis. The gene for the p85alpha regulatory subunit yields three splicing variants, p85alpha, AS53/p55alpha, and p50alpha. All three have (i) a C-terminal structure consisting of two Src homology 2 domains flanking the p110 catalytic subunit-binding domain and (ii) a unique N-terminal region of 304, 34, and 6 amino acids, respectively. To determine if these regulatory subunits differ in their effects on enzyme activity and signal transduction from insulin receptor substrate (IRS) proteins under physiological conditions, we expressed each regulatory subunit in fully differentiated L6 myotubes using adenovirus-mediated gene transfer with or without coexpression of the p110alpha catalytic subunit. PI 3-kinase activity associated with p50alpha was greater than that associated with p85alpha or AS53. Increasing the level of p85alpha or AS53, but not p50alpha, inhibited both phosphotyrosine-associated and p110-associated PI 3-kinase activities. Expression of a p85alpha mutant lacking the p110-binding site (Deltap85) also inhibited phosphotyrosine-associated PI 3-kinase activity but not p110-associated activity. Insulin stimulation of two kinases downstream from PI-3 kinase, Akt and p70 S6 kinase (p70(S6K)), was decreased in cells expressing p85alpha or AS53 but not in cells expressing p50alpha. Similar inhibition of PI 3-kinase, Akt, and p70(S6K) was observed, even when p110alpha was coexpressed with p85alpha or AS53. Expression of p110alpha alone dramatically increased glucose transport but decreased glycogen synthase activity. This effect was reduced when p110alpha was coexpressed with any of the three regulatory subunits. Thus, the three different isoforms of regulatory subunit can relay the signal from IRS proteins to the p110 catalytic subunit with different efficiencies. They also negatively modulate the PI 3-kinase catalytic activity but to different extents, dependent on the unique N-terminal structure of each isoform. These data also suggest the existence of a mechanism by which regulatory subunits modulate the PI 3-kinase-mediated signals, independent of the kinase activity, possibly through subcellular localization of the catalytic subunit or interaction with additional signaling molecules.     

Effects of oncogenic p110alpha subunit mutations on the lipid kinase activity of phosphoinositide 3-kinase

The PIK3CA gene, encoding the p110alpha catalytic subunit of Class IA PI3Ks (phosphoinositide 3-kinases), is frequently mutated in many human tumours. The three most common tumour-derived alleles of p110alpha, H1047R, E542K and E545K, were shown to potently activate PI3K signalling in human epithelial cells. In the present study, we examine the biochemical activity of the recombinantly purified PI3K oncogenic mutants. The kinetic characterizations of the wt (wild-type) and the three 'hot spot' PI3K mutants show that the mutants all have approx. 2-fold increase in lipid kinase activities. Interestingly, the phosphorylated IRS-1 (insulin receptor substrate-1) protein shows activation of the lipid kinase activity for the wt and H1047R but not E542K and E545K PI3Kalpha, suggesting that these mutations represent different mechanisms of lipid kinase activation and hence transforming activity in cancer cells.