Role of reactive oxygen species and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase in cardiomyocyte differentiation of embryonic stem cells

Cardiotypic development in embryonic stem cell-derived embryoid bodies may be regulated by reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS were generated by a NADPH oxidase-like enzyme which was transiently expressed during the time course of embryoid body development. Incubation with either H(2)O(2) or menadione enhanced cardiomyogenesis, whereas the radical scavengers trolox, pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate and N-acetylcysteine exerted inhibitory effects. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI-3-kinase) inhibitors LY294002 and wortmannin abolished cardiac commitment and downregulated ROS in embryoid bodies. Coadministration of LY294002 with prooxidants resumed cardiomyocyte differentiation, indicating a role for PI-3-kinase in the regulation of the intracellular redox state.     

Expression of constitutively active phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibits activation of caspase 3 and apoptosis of cardiac muscle cells

Apoptosis of cardiac muscle cells contributes to the development of cardiomyopathy. Recent studies showed that insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) inhibits apoptosis of cardiac muscle cells and improves myocardial function in experimental heart failure. This study was carried out to elucidate the role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) in the anti-apoptotic actions of IGF-I in cardiomyocytes and to explore whether expression of constitutively active PI 3-kinase can inhibit apoptosis in cardiomyocytes. Apoptosis of primary cardiomyocytes was induced by doxorubicin treatment and serum withdrawal. Transduction of cardiomyocytes with constitutively active PI 3-kinase specifically lead to serine phosphorylation of Akt, whereas phosphorylation of IGF-I receptor, IRS1/2 and p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase were not increased. In the cardiomyocytes transduced with constitutively active PI 3-kinase, activation of the pro-apoptotic caspase 3 was attenuated and fragmentation of DNA was reduced. Preincubating cells with PI 3-kinase inhibitor LY294002 was associated with loss of anti-apoptotic actions of IGF-I and PI 3-kinase. Neither IGF-I nor constitutively active PI 3-kinase lead to serine phosphorylation of Bad, suggesting that the anti-apoptotic effects of PI 3-kinase are not mediated through Bad phosphorylation in cardiac muscle cells. To determine whether activation of caspase 3 is sufficient to induce apoptosis in cardiomyocytes, an engineered TAT-caspase 3 protein was introduced to cardiomyocytes. Significant reduction of cell viability occurred in the cardiomyocytes transduced with active caspase 3, indicating that activation of caspase 3 is sufficient to cause cardiomyocyte death. These findings indicate the existence of an IGF-I receptor-PI 3-kinase-caspase 3 pathway in cardiomyocytes that plays an important role in the anti-apoptotic actions of IGF-I in heart. Moreover, these data suggest that modulation of PI 3-kinase activities may represent a potential therapeutic strategy to counteract the occurrence of apoptosis in cardiomyopathy.     

磷脂酰肌醇3激酶抑制剂LY294002对缺血缺氧心肌细胞的作用研究

目的:明确P13K/Akt信号通路在缺血缺氧心肌细胞损害中的作用。方法:建立心肌细胞缺血缺氧模型,施加磷脂酰肌醇3激酶抑制剂LY294002干预,观察心肌细胞活力、培养液中乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)含量及碘化丙啶(PI)染色阳性细胞比例的变化。结果:模拟缺血缺氧后细胞活力下降,LDH及PI染色阳性细胞比例显著增加。LY294002干预复合缺血缺氧后,细胞活力急剧下降,LDH含量及PI染色阳性细胞比例进一步显著增加(P<0.01)。结论:应用LY294002加重了缺血缺氧对心肌细胞的损伤效应,提示PI3K/Akt通路参与了缺血缺氧心肌细胞的内源性保护反应,减轻了缺血缺氧损害。     

Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase activation and atypical protein kinase C zeta phosphorylation characterize the DMSO signalling in erythroleukemia cells

Here we provide evidence for a role of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI-3-kinase) and for its product phosphatidylinositol-3,4, 5-triphosphate (PI3,4,5P3) in the occurrence of the metabolic differentiation state induced by DMSO in murine Friend erythroleukemia cells. Of note, the activation of PI-3-kinase correlated with the modulation of the activation of another enzyme, the atypical protein kinase C zeta (aPKC zeta). In particular, the expression of PI-3-kinase was substantially unaffected by DMSO treatment while its phosphorylation and the production of PI3,4,5P3 was strongly increased within 24 h of DMSO. Such a result was paralleled by an evident phosphorylation of a PKC zeta. Treatment of the cells with the two unrelated PI-3-kinase inhibitors wortmannin and LY 294002 impaired the recovery of the number of differentiated cells, therefore indicating that PI-3-kinase might be involved in the induction of erythroid differentiation, possibly engaging a protein kinase C zeta as downstream effector.     

Inhibition of adipose differentiation by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitors

Phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase plays an important role in various cellular signaling mechanisms in several cell systems. The role of PI 3-kinase in adipose differentiation was investigated. For this purpose, we examined the effect of specific inhibitors of PI 3-kinase on the differentiation of two adipogenic cell lines, 1246 and 3T3-L1. The results show that two structurally different inhibitors of PI 3-kinase, i.e., LY294002 and wortmannin, blocked adipose differentiation in a time and dose-dependent fashion. The results from time- course studies indicated that PI 3-kinase activity is most important in the early phase (day 4 to day 6) of the differentiation program. The effect of PI 3-kinase inhibitor on the expression of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) γ, a master regulator in adipogenesis induced during the differentiation process, was also examined. LY294002 significantly inhibited the induction of PPARγ mRNA expression. During the initiation phase of adipogenesis (day 4 to day 6), the expression of PPARγ was induced and LY294002 blocked the increase of expression of PPARγ mRNA. The inhibition of expression of PPARγ may provide a molecular mechanism for the action of PI 3-kinase inhibitors on adipose differentiation. J Cell Physiol 178:9–16, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Ca~(2+)信号在肿瘤坏死因子-α诱导心肌肥大PI3-K信号途径中的作用

目的:研究Ca2+信号在肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)诱导心肌细胞肥大PI3-K信号途径中的作用。方法:Lowry法测心肌细胞蛋白含量;计算机图像分析系统测心肌细胞体积;[3H]-亮氨酸掺入法测心肌细胞蛋白合成;Till阳离子测定系统观察胞内[Ca2+]i瞬变。结果:①TNF-α(100μg/L)明显诱导心肌细胞蛋白含量、蛋白合成及体积的增加,PI3-K特异性抑制剂LY294002(50μmol/L)明显抑制TNF-α诱导的心肌肥大,但对正常心肌细胞生长无影响。L型Ca2+通道阻断剂verapamil(1μmol/L)对TNF-α诱导的心肌肥大无明显影响。②TNF-α引起心肌细胞内钙离子浓度([Ca2+]i)瞬间变化幅度增高,LY294002明显降低TNF-α诱导的上述改变,L型Ca2+通道阻断剂verapamil(1μmol/L)对TNF-α引起的变化无明显影响。结论:PI3-K可能通过引起心肌细胞[Ca2+]i升高参与TNF-α诱导的心肌细胞肥大,但与L型Ca2+通道无关。     

胰岛素样生长因子1（IGF-I）通过PI-3K/Akt途径对结肠癌细胞凋亡的影响

目的：探讨胰岛素样生长因子-1（IGF-I）通过磷酯酰肌醇3-激酶/蛋白激酶B（PI-3K/Akt）信号通路对结肠癌细胞株SW480凋亡率的影响及其凋亡抑制蛋白survivin表达水平的变化。方法：培养结肠癌SW480细胞株,实验分成三组：未加IGF-I空白组、IGF-I刺激组、IGF-I＋LY294002阻断组,检测阻断剂LY294002是否阻断PI-3K/Akt通路（Western Blot检测三组P-Akt表达情况）;Western Blot及免疫荧光观察三组survivin蛋白表达变化;MTT法检测细胞增殖活性,流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡情况。结果：Western blot结果显示LY294002可抑制IGF-I诱导的p-Akt的表达（P〈0.05）;阻断IGF-I诱导的PI-3K/Akt通路后MTT显示结肠癌细胞SW480增殖抑制率升高（P〈0.05）,流式细胞术分析显示凋亡率明显上升（P〈0.05）;Western blot及免疫荧光结果显示LY294002可抑制IGF-I诱导的survivin的表达（P〈0.05）。结论：IGF-I可通过PI-3K/Akt通路诱导survivin表达,从而抑制结肠癌细胞SW480的凋亡。     

Pharmacologic inhibition of MEK and PI-3K converges on the mTOR/S6 pathway to decelerate cellular senescence

Inhibition of mTOR by rapamycin prevents cellular senescence. Here we investigated the effects of MEK and PI-3K on cellular senescence. Unlike LY294002 (PI-3K inhibitor), both U0126 and PD98059 (MEK inhibitors) did not significantly decrease beta-Gal staining in aging human fibroblasts and fibrosarcoma cells. However, using a sensitive, functional method, we identified that not only LY294002 but also U0126 prevented irreversible loss of proliferative potential associated with cellular senescence. At concentrations that blocked S6 phosphorylation, rapamycin, U0126 and LY294002 equally prevented senescence. Furthermore, there was no additive effect by combining of rapamycin with either U0126 or LY294002. Taken together this suggests that (a) simultaneous activation of PI-3K and MEK is required to ensure cellular senescence and (b) U0126 and LY294002 suppresses senescence via the rapamycin-sensitive pathway.     

抑制NHE1活性对干细胞向心肌分化的影响

Na /H 交换蛋白1(NHE1)在心肌细胞发育过程中发挥重要的调节功能.为深入探索NHEl活性对干细胞向心肌分化过程中产生的影响,采用二甲基亚砜(DMSO)诱导P19干细胞向心肌细胞分化,同时在培养液中添加NHE1抑制荆EMD87580,对诱导后形成的类胚体进行检测.通过细胞形态观察、免疫组织化学染色及检测心肌特异表达基因等方法证明,经诱导形成的类胚体贴壁生长后,会向心肌细胞分化并出现跳动细胞团.而经过抑制剂处理的P19干细胞尽管能够形成类胚体且贴壁培养后细胞仍具有增殖活力,细胞团周边也较整齐,但未出现向心肌细胞分化的现象.这一结果表明,抑制NHE1的活性,能够影响P19干细胞向心肌细胞的分化作用.     

Scalable producing embryoid bodies by rotary cell culture system and constructing engineered cardiac tissue with ES-derived cardiomyocytes in vitro

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are of significant interest either as an in vitro model recapitulating early embryonic development or as a renewable source of therapeutically useful cells. ES cells aggregation is important for embryoid bodies (EBs) formation and the subsequent generation of ES cell derivatives. This study was conducted to describe scalable production of EBs by the rotary cell culture system (RCCS, STLV type) and estimate the feasibility of constructing engineered cardiac tissue (ECT). In comparison with suspension culture in a Petri dish, the efficiency of the dynamic process was analyzed with respect to the yield of EB formation and their cardiomyocyte differentiation. Cardiomyocyte differentiation was evaluated by immunohistochemical analysis. After the elementary enrichment by gradient percoll, ES cell-derived cardiomyocytes were applied to construct ECT. Cell gross morphology, spatial distribution, and ultrastructure were evaluated by using histological analysis, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Results showed that EB efficiencies in STLV were nearly 1.5-2.0 times higher than that of liquid suspension cultures, and cardiomyocyte differentiation of EBs progressed in a normal course after the dynamic cultivation in STLV. Additionally, the differentiated cultures could be enriched elementarily by gradient percoll. Once cast into the collagen strand, cells grew well and became more matured in Petri dishes. Synchronous contraction of the cell cluster was observed on the surface of the ECT, and cell connection was also established. It was the first report to have beating ES-derived cardiomyocytes on a 3-D collagen scaffold, which might provide a promising model for physiological and pharmacological studies and tissue replacement therapy.     

NHERF2 increases platelet-derived growth factor-induced proliferation through PI-3-kinase/Akt-, ERK-, and Src family kinase-dependent pathway

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) has multiple functions including inhibition of apoptosis and promotion of cell proliferation. In this study, we show that Na(+)/H(+) exchanger regulatory factor 2 (NHERF2) binds to the carboxyl-terminal PDZ domain-binding motif of the PDGF receptor through a PDZ domain-mediated interaction, and evaluate the consequence on PDGF-induced proliferation. Stable transfection with NHERF2 increased the PDGF-induced phosphorylation of ERK and Akt in Rat1 embryonic fibroblasts. The phosphorylation of Akt was blocked by pretreatment with LY294002, a PI-3-kinase inhibitor, in both Rat1/NHERF2 and Rat1/vector cells. In Rat1/vector cells, PDGF-induced phosphorylation of ERK was completely inhibited by pretreatment with PD98059, a MEK inhibitor. In contrast, the NHERF2-dependent increase of ERK phosphorylation was not affected by pretreatment with PD98059 in Rat1/NHERF2 cells. Thus, the NHERF2-dependent increase of ERK phosphorylation occurs in a MEK-independent fashion. Pretreatment with PP2, a specific inhibitor of Src family tyrosine kinase, completely blocked the NHERF2-dependent increase of the phosphorylation of ERK and Akt, suggesting that NHERF2 up-regulates Erk phosphorylation through a Src family kinase-dependent pathway. Consistent with these results, the PDGF-induced thymidine incorporation was increased in Rat1/NHERF2 cells, and the NHERF2-dependent increase of thymidine incorporation was prevented by treatment with LY294002 and PP2 but not with PD98059. These results suggest that NHERF2 stimulates PDGF-induced proliferation by increasing PI-3-kinase/Akt, MEKindependent ERK, and Src family kinase-mediated signaling pathways.     

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase regulates crosstalk between Trk A tyrosine kinase and p75(NTR)-dependent sphingolipid signaling pathways

The mechanism of crosstalk between signaling pathways coupled to the Trk A and p75(NTR) neurotrophin receptors in PC12 cells was examined. In response to nerve growth factor (NGF), Trk A activation inhibited p75(NTR)-dependent sphingomyelin (SM) hydrolysis. The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) inhibitor, LY294002, reversed this inhibition suggesting that Trk A activation of PI 3-kinase is necessary to inhibit sphingolipid signaling by p75(NTR). In contrast, SM hydrolysis induced by neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), which did not activate PI-3 kinase, was uneffected by LY294002. However, transient expression of a constituitively active PI 3-kinase inhibited p75(NTR)-dependent SM hydrolysis by both NGF and NT-3. Intriguingly, NGF induced an association of activated PI 3-kinase with acid sphingomyelinase (SMase). This interaction localized to caveolae-related domains and correlated with a 50% decrease in immunoprecipitated acid SMase activity. NGF-stimulated PI 3-kinase activity was necessary for inhibition of acid SMase but was not required for ligand-induced association of the p85 subunit of PI 3-kinase with the phospholipase. Finally, this interaction was specific for NGF since EGF did not induce an association of PI 3-kinase with acid SMase. In summary, our data suggest that PI 3-kinase regulates the inhibitory crosstalk between Trk A tyrosine kinase and p75(NTR)-dependent sphingolipid signaling pathways and that this interaction localizes to caveolae-related domains.     

Assessment of the ultrastructural and proliferative properties of human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes

Assessment of early ultrastructural development and cell-cycle regulation in human cardiac tissue is significantly hampered by the lack of a suitable in vitro model. Here we describe the possible utilization of human embryonic stem cell (ES) lines for investigation of these processes. With the use of the embryoid body (EB) differentiation system, human ES cell-derived cardiomyocytes at different developmental stages were isolated and their histomorphometric, ultrastructural, and proliferative properties were characterized. Histomorphometric analysis revealed an increase in cell length, area, and length-to-width ratio in late-stage EBs (>35 days) compared with early (10-21 days) and intermediate (21-35 days) stages. This was coupled with a progressive ultrastructural development from an irregular myofibrillar distribution to an organized sarcomeric pattern. Cardiomyocyte proliferation, assessed by double labeling with cardiac-specific antibodies and either [3H]thymidine incorporation or Ki-67 immunolabeling, demonstrated a gradual withdrawal from cell cycle. Hence, the percentage of positively stained nuclei in early-stage cardiomyocytes ([3H]thymidine: 60 +/- 10%, Ki-67: 54 +/- 23%) decreased to 36 +/- 7% and 9 +/- 16% in intermediate-stage EBs and to <1% in late-stage cardiomyocytes. In conclusion, a reproducible temporal pattern of early cardiomyocyte proliferation, cell-cycle withdrawal, and ultrastructural maturation was noted in this model. Establishment of this unique in vitro surrogate system may allow to examine the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes and to assess interventions aiming to modify these properties. Moreover, the detailed characterization of the ES cell-derived cardiomyocyte may be crucial for the development of future cell replacement strategies aiming to regenerate functional myocardium.     

GTPases and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase are critical for insulin-like growth factor-I-mediated Schwann cell motility

Previously, we reported insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) promotes motility and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activation in neuronal cells. In the current study, we examined the role of IGF-I in Schwann cell (SC) motility. IGF-I increases SC process extension and motility. In parallel, IGF-I activates IGF-I receptor, insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), phosphatidylinositol 3 (PI-3)-kinase, and FAK. LY294002, a PI-3 kinase inhibitor, blocks IGF-I-induced motility and FAK phosphorylation. The Rho family of GTPases is important in the regulation of the cytoskeleton. Overexpression of constitutively active Leu-61 Cdc42 and Val-12 Rac1 enhances SC motility which is unaffected by LY294002. In parallel, stable transfection of SC with dominant negative Asn-17 Rac1 blocks IGF-I-mediated SC motility and FAK phosphorylation, implying Rac is an upstream regulator of FAK. Collectively our results suggest that IGF-I regulates SC motility by reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton via the downstream activation of a PI-3 kinase, small GTPase, and FAK pathway.     

Up-regulation of endothelial nitric-oxide synthase promoter by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase gamma /Janus kinase 2/MEK-1-dependent pathway

Our recent study indicates that lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) enhances Sp1 binding and Sp1-dependent endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) promoter activity via the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase 1 (MEK-1) signaling pathway (Cieslik, K., Lee, C.-M., Tang, J.-L., and Wu, K. K. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 34669-34675). To identify upstream signaling molecules, we transfected human endothelial cells with dominant negative and active mutants of Ras and evaluated their effects on eNOS promoter activity. Neither mutant altered the basal or LPC-induced eNOS promoter function. By contrast, a dominant negative mutant of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase gamma (PI-3Kgamma) blocked the promoter activity induced by LPC. Wortmannin and LY 294002 had a similar effect. AG-490, a selective inhibitor of Janus kinase 2 (Jak2), also reduced the LPC-induced Sp1 binding and eNOS promoter activity to the basal level. LPC induced Jak2 phosphorylation, which was abolished by LY 294002 and the dominant negative mutant of PI-3Kgamma. LY 294002 and AG-490 abrogated MEK-1 phosphorylation induced by LPC but had no effect on Raf-1. These results indicate that PI-3Kgamma and Jak2 are essential for LPC-induced eNOS promoter activity. This signaling pathway was sensitive to pertussis toxin, suggesting the involvement of a G(i) protein in PI-3Kgamma activation. These results indicate that LPC enhances Sp1-dependent eNOS promoter activity by a pertussis toxin-sensitive, Ras-independent novel pathway, PI-3Kgamma/Jak2/MEK-1/ERK1/2.