Epidermal growth factor-induced DNA synthesis. Key role for Src phosphorylation of the docking protein Gab2

We have previously demonstrated that phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) is necessary and sufficient to account for epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced mitogenesis in rat primary hepatocytes. A cytosolic Gab2-containing complex accounts for >80% of the total EGF-induced PI3-kinase activity (Kong, M., Mounier, C., Wu, J., and Posner, B. I. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 36035-36042), suggesting a key role for Gab2 in EGF-induced mitogenesis. Here, we demonstrate that PP1, a selective inhibitor of Src family kinases, blocks the EGF-induced Gab2 tyrosine phosphorylation without inhibiting EGF-induced phosphorylation of the EGF receptor, ErbB3, or Shc. We also show that Gab2 phosphorylation is increased in Csk knockout cells in which Src family kinases are constitutively activated. Furthermore, PP1 blocks Gab2-associated downstream events including EGF-induced PI3-kinase activation, Akt phosphorylation, and DNA synthesis. We demonstrate that Gab2 and Src are constitutively associated. Since this association involves the proline-rich sequences of Gab2, it probably involves the Src homology 3 domain of Src kinase. Mutation of the proline-rich sequences in Gab2 prevented EGF-induced Gab2 phosphorylation, PI3-kinase/Akt activation, and DNA synthesis, demonstrating that Gab2 phosphorylation is critical for EGF-induced mitogenesis and is not complemented by ErbB3 or Shc phosphorylation. We also found that overexpression of a Gab2 mutant lacking SHP2 binding sites increased EGF-induced Gab2 phosphorylation and the activation of PI3-kinase but blocked activation of MAPK. In addition, we demonstrated that the Src-induced response was down-regulated by Gab2-associated SHP2. In summary, our results have defined the role for Src activation in EGF-induced hepatic mitogenesis through the phosphorylation of Gab2 and the activation of the PI3-kinase cascade.     

c-Jun N-terminal kinase is necessary for platelet-derived growth factor-mediated chemotaxis in primary fibroblasts

c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) is a member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase family. It has become clear that JNK does not only have a role in induction of stress responses but also in processes such as cell movement. In this report we demonstrate that JNK activity is necessary for platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB-induced chemotaxis of primary foreskin fibroblasts and in other cell types. PDGF-BB stimulation was found to lead to activation of JNK with a maximum after 30 min. Inhibition of JNK reduced Ser178 phosphorylation of the focal adhesion component paxillin. Paxillin phosphorylation at this site has been shown to be involved in the dynamics of focal adhesions and consequently cell migration. Moreover, we observed localization of JNK to the actin-dense membrane ruffles induced by PDGF-BB stimulation both using immunofluorescence staining and green fluorescent protein-tagged JNK. This suggests a role for JNK at the leading edge of the cell compatible with a function in cell migration. Furthermore, we show that phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase), which has an established role in PDGF-stimulated cell migration, is necessary for PDGF-induced activation of JNK. In conclusion, JNK is a critical component downstream of PI 3-kinase that may be involved in PDGF-stimulated chemotaxis presumably by modulating the integrity of focal adhesions by phosphorylating its components.     

Role of Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase in Activation of Ras and Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase by Epidermal Growth Factor

The paradigm for activation of Ras and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase by extracellular stimuli via tyrosine kinases, Shc, Grb2, and Sos does not encompass an obvious role for phosphoinositide (PI) 3-kinase, and yet inhibitors of this lipid kinase family have been shown to block the ERK/MAP kinase signalling pathway under certain circumstances. Here we show that in COS cells activation of both endogenous ERK2 and Ras by low, but not high, concentrations of epidermal growth factor (EGF) is suppressed by PI 3-kinase inhibitors; since Ras activation is less susceptible than ERK2 activation, PI 3-kinase-sensitive events may occur both upstream of Ras and between Ras and ERK2. However, strong elevation of PI 3-kinase lipid product levels by expression of membrane-targeted p110alpha is by itself never sufficient to activate Ras or ERK2. PI 3-kinase inhibition does not affect EGF-induced receptor autophosphorylation or adapter protein phosphorylation or complex formation. The concentrations of EGF for which PI 3-kinase inhibitors block Ras activation induce formation of Shc-Grb2 complexes but not detectable EGF receptor phosphorylation and do not activate PI 3-kinase. The activation of Ras by low, but mitogenic, concentrations of EGF is therefore dependent on basal, rather than stimulated, PI 3-kinase activity; the inhibitory effects of LY294002 and wortmannin are due to their ability to reduce the activity of PI 3-kinase to below the level in a quiescent cell and reflect a permissive rather than an upstream regulatory role for PI 3-kinase in Ras activation in this system.     

Involvement of phosphoinositide 3-kinase in insulin- or IGF-1-induced membrane ruffling.

Insulin, IGF-1 or EGF induce membrane ruffling through their respective tyrosine kinase receptors. To elucidate the molecular link between receptor activation and membrane ruffling, we microinjected phosphorylated peptides containing YMXM motifs or a mutant 85 kDa subunit of phosphoinositide (PI) 3-kinase (delta p85) which lacks a binding site for the catalytic 110 kDa subunit of PI 3-kinase into the cytoplasm of human epidermoid carcinoma KB cells. Both inhibited the association of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) with PI 3-kinase in a cell-free system and also inhibited insulin- or IGF-1-induced, but not EGF-induced, membrane ruffling in KB cells. Microinjection of nonphosphorylated analogues, phosphorylated peptides containing the EYYE motif or wild-type 85 kDa subunit (Wp85), all of which did not inhibit the association of IRS-1 with PI 3-kinase in a cell-free system, did not inhibit membrane ruffling in KB cells. In addition, wortmannin, an inhibitor of PI 3-kinase activity, inhibited insulin- or IGF-1-induced membrane ruffling. These results suggest that the association of IRS-1 with PI 3-kinase followed by the activation of PI 3-kinase are required for insulin- or IGF-1-induced, but not for EGF-induced, membrane ruffling.     

Roles of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and Rac in the nuclear signaling by tumor necrosis factor-alpha in rat-2 fibroblasts.

We investigated the extent to which phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) and Rac, a member of the Rho family of small GTPases, are involved in the signaling cascade triggered by tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha leading to activation of c-fos serum response element (SRE) and c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK) in Rat-2 fibroblasts. Inhibition of PI 3-kinase by LY294002 or wortmannin, two specific PI 3-kinase antagonists, or co-transfection with a dominant negative mutant of PI 3-kinase dose-dependently blocked stimulation of c-fos SRE by TNF-alpha. Similarly, LY294002 significantly diminished TNF-alpha-induced activation of JNK, suggesting that nuclear signaling triggered by TNF-alpha is dependent on PI 3-kinase-mediated activation of both c-fos SRE and JNK. We also found nuclear signaling by TNF-alpha to be Rac-dependent, as demonstrated by the inhibitory effect of transient co-transfection with a dominant negative Rac mutant, RacN17. Our findings suggest that Rac is situated downstream of PI 3-kinase in the TNF-alpha signaling pathway to the nucleus, and we conclude that PI 3-kinase and Rac each plays a pivotal role in the nuclear signaling cascade triggered by TNF-alpha.     

Epidermal growth factor-induced phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activation and DNA synthesis. Identification of Grb2-associated binder 2 as the major mediator in rat hepatocytes

In previous work we showed that the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase), not the mitogen-activated protein kinase, pathway is necessary and sufficient to account for insulin- and epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced DNA synthesis in rat hepatocytes. Here, using a dominant-negative p85, we confirmed the key role of EGF-induced PI3-kinase activation and sought to identify the mechanism by which this is effected. Our results show that EGF activates PI3-kinase with a time course similar to that of the association of p85 with three principal phosphotyrosine proteins (i. e. PY180, PY105, and PY52). We demonstrated that each formed a distinct p85-associated complex. PY180 and PY52 each constituted about 10% of EGF-activated PI3-kinase, whereas PY105 was responsible for 80%. PY105 associated with Grb2 and SHP-2, and although it behaved like Gab1, none of the latter was detected in rat liver. We therefore cloned a cDNA from rat liver, which was found to be 95% homologous to the mouse Grb2-associated binder 2 (Gab2) cDNA sequence. Using a specific Gab2 antibody, we demonstrated its expression in and association with p85, SHP-2, and Grb2 upon EGF treatment of rat hepatocytes. Gab2 accounted for most if not all of the PY105 species, since immunoprecipitation of Gab2 with specific antibodies demonstrated parallel immunodepletion of Gab2 and PY105 from the residual supernatants. We also found that the PI3-kinase activity associated with Gab2 was totally abolished by dominant negative p85. Thus, Gab2 appears to be the principal EGF-induced PY protein recruiting and activating PI3-kinase and mitogenesis.     

Insulin activates caspase-3 by a phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase-dependent pathway

Activation of the caspase proteases by c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK1) has been proposed as a mechanism of apoptotic cell death. Here we report that insulin activates caspase-3 by a pathway requiring phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase (PI3-kinase). JNK1 assays demonstrated that insulin treatment of myeloma cells induced 3-fold activation of JNK1. Inhibition of PI3-kinase with wortmannin and LY294002 blocked insulin-dependent activation of JNK1. Caspase assays demonstrated that insulin increased caspase-3 activity 3-fold and that inhibition of PI3-kinase blocked this effect. Cell death was doubled by insulin and was due to a 3-fold increase in apoptosis of cells in the G1/G0 phase of the cell cycle. Inhibition of PI3-kinase completely blocked this effect. Finally, inhibition of caspase-3 with benzyloxycarbonyl-Asp-2,6-dichlorobenzoyloxymethylketone blocked cell death due to insulin. Taken together, these findings indicate that insulin activates caspase-3 by a PI3-kinase-dependent pathway resulting in increased apoptosis and cell death.     

Early phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway activation limits poliovirus-induced JNK-mediated cell death

Poliovirus (PV)-induced apoptosis seems to play a major role in tissue injury in the central nervous system (CNS). We have previously shown that this process involves PV-induced Bax-dependent mitochondrial dysfunction mediated by early JNK activation in IMR5 neuroblastoma cells. We showed here that PV simultaneously activates the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt survival signaling pathway in these cells, limiting the extent of JNK activation and thereby cell death. JNK inhibition is associated with PI3K-dependent negative regulation of the apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1, which acts upstream from JNK in PV-infected IMR5 cells. In poliomyelitis, this survival pathway may limit the spread of PV-induced damage in the CNS.     

PI3K is required for insulin-stimulated but not EGF-stimulated ERK1/2 activation

The Ras/Raf/extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) signaling pathway is known to cross-talk with other signaling pathways, including phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway. However, the role of PI3K in ERK-1/2 activation induced by tyrosine kinase receptors was not fully understood. Here, we report that two structurally distinct PI3K inhibitors, wortmannin and LY294002, inhibited insulin-induced activation of ERK1/2 but had no effect on EGF-induced activation of ERK1/2 in hepatocellular carcinoma BEL-7402 and SMMC-7721 cells, breast cancer MCF-7 cells, and prostate cancer LNCaP cells. Although protein kinase C could act as a mediator between PI3K and ERK1/2, protein kinase C inhibitor chelerythrine chloride did not inhibit insulin-induced ERK1/2 activation. Both insulin- and EGF-induced ERK1/2 activation are strictly dependent on Ras activation, however, wortmannin only inhibited insulin-induced, but not EGF-induced Ras activation. These results indicate that PI3K plays different roles in the activation of Ras/ERK1/2 signaling by insulin and EGF, and that insulin-stimulated, but not EGF-stimulated, ERK1/2 and Akt signalings diverge at PI3K.     

Protein kinase C modulates negatively the hepatocyte growth factor-induced migration, integrin expression and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activation

Previously, we reported that, in hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-induced HepG2 cells, protein kinase C (PKC) decreased the duration of intensive Erk1/Erk2 MAP kinase activation. This study shows that the inhibition of PKC enhanced significantly the HGF-induced integrin expression. Beside the prolonged activation of Erk1/Erk2, the activity of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3K) was required for growth factor-induced integrin expression. PI 3-kinase was activated to a higher extent in response to HGF than to epidermal growth factor (EGF), though the activation was transient in both cases. In EGF-induced cells, PI 3K activation was terminated by the loss of phosphotyrosine docking sites for PI 3K. To the contrary, the decrease of PI 3K activation, which followed the HGF-induced increase was not accompanied by the loss of phosphotyrosine docking sites and was prevented by the inhibition of PKC. The negative modulator effects of PKC on integrin expression and PI 3-kinase activation correlated with its ability to limit the HGF-induced motogen response.     

Lipopolysaccharide-induced c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase activation in human neutrophils: role of phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase and Syk-mediated pathways

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (neutrophils) respond to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) through the up-regulation of several pro-inflammatory mediators. We have recently shown that LPS-stimulated neutrophils express monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), an AP-1-dependent gene, suggesting that LPS activates the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway in neutrophils. Previously, we have shown the activation of p38 MAPK, but not JNK, in suspended neutrophils stimulated with LPS but have recently shown activation of JNK by TNF-alpha in an adherent neutrophil system. We show here that exposure to LPS activates JNK in non-suspended neutrophils and that LPS-induced MCP-1 expression, but not tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) or interleukin-8 (IL-8), is dependent on JNK activation. In addition, LPS stimulation of non-suspended neutrophils activates Syk and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). Inhibition of Syk with piceatannol or PI3K with wortmannin inhibited LPS-induced JNK activation and decreased MCP-1 expression after exposure to LPS, suggesting that both Syk and PI3K reside in a signaling pathway leading to LPS-induced JNK activation in neutrophils. This Syk- and PI3K-dependent pathway leading to JNK activation after LPS exposure in non-suspended neutrophils is specific for JNK, because inhibition of neither Syk nor PI3K decreased p38 activation after LPS stimulation. Furthermore we show that PI3K inhibition decreased LPS-induced Syk activation suggesting that PI3K resides upstream of Syk in this pathway. Finally, we show that Syk associates with Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) upon LPS stimulation further implicating Syk in the LPS-induced signaling pathway in neutrophils. Overall our data suggests that LPS induces JNK activation only in non-suspended neutrophils, which proceeds through Syk- and PI3K-dependent pathways, and that JNK activation is important for LPS-induced MCP-1 expression but not for TNF-alpha or IL-8 expression.     

Gab2 tyrosine phosphorylation by a pleckstrin homology domain-independent mechanism: role in epidermal growth factor-induced mitogenesis

In primary rat hepatocyte cultures, activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase is both necessary and sufficient to account for epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced DNA synthesis. In these cells, three major p85-containing complexes were formed after EGF treatment: ErbB3-p85, Shc-p85, and a multimeric Gab2-Grb2-SHP2-p85, which accounted for more than 80% of total EGF-induced PI3K activity (Kong, M., C. Mounier, J. Wu, and B. I. Posner, J Biol Chem, 2000, 275:36035-36042). More recently, we found that EGF-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of endogenous Gab2 is essential for EGF-induced DNA synthesis in rat hepatocytes. Here we show that, after EGF treatment, ErbB3-p85 and Shc-p85 complexes were localized to plasma membrane and endosomes, whereas the multimeric Gab2-Grb2-SHP2-p85 complex was formed rapidly (peak at 30 sec) and exclusively in cytosol. Western blotting of subcellular fractions from intact liver and immunofluorescence analyses in cultured hepatocytes demonstrated that EGF did not promote the association of cytosolic Gab2 with cell membranes. These observations prompted us to evaluate the role of the PH domain of Gab2 in regulating its function. Overexpression of the PH domain of Gab2 did not affect EGF-induced Gab2 phosphorylation, PI3K activation, and DNA synthesis. Overexpressed Gab2 lacking the PH domain (DeltaPHGab2) was comparable to wild-type Gab2 in respect to EGF-induced tyrosine phosphorylation, recruitment of p85, and DNA synthesis. In summary, after EGF stimulation, ErbB3, Shc, and Gab2 are differentially compartmentalized in rat liver, where they associate with and activate PI3K. Our data demonstrate that Gab2 mediates EGF-induced PI3K activation and DNA synthesis in a PH domain-independent manner.     

Angiopoietin-1 attenuates H2O2-induced SEK1/JNK phosphorylation through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway in vascular endothelial cells

Oxidative stress activates various signal transduction pathways, including Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and its substrates, that induce apoptosis. We reported here the role of angiopoietin-1 (Ang1), which is a prosurvival factor in endothelial cells, during endothelial cell damage induced by oxidative stress. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) increased apoptosis of endothelial cells through JNK activation, whereas Ang1 inhibited H2O2-induced apoptosis and concomitant JNK phosphorylation. The inhibition of H2O2-induced JNK phosphorylation was reversed by inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase and dominant-negative Akt, and constitutively active-Akt attenuated JNK phosphorylation without Ang1. These data suggested that Ang1-dependent Akt phosphorylation through PI 3-kinase leads to the inhibition of JNK phosphorylation. H2O2-induced phosphorylation of SAPK/Erk kinase (SEK1) at Thr261, which is an upstream regulator of JNK, was also attenuated by Ang1-dependent activation of the PI 3-kinase/Akt pathway. In addition, Ang1 induced SEK1 phosphorylation at Ser80, suggesting the existence of an additional signal transduction pathway through which Ang1 attenuates JNK phosphorylation. These results demonstrated that Ang1 attenuates H2O2-induced SEK1/JNK phosphorylation through the PI 3-kinase/Akt pathway and inhibits the apoptosis of endothelial cells to oxidative stress.     

The IL-1 receptor accessory protein is essential for PI 3-kinase recruitment and activation

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) binds to its type I receptors (IL-1R), which in complex with IL-1R accessory protein (IL-1R AcP) induces various intracellular signaling events. We report here that IL-1 triggers the recruitment of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) to a signaling complex and induces its lipid kinase activity in a biphasic manner. This IL-1-induced complex consists of IL-1R, IL-1R AcP, PI 3-kinase, and the IL-1-receptor-associated kinase (IRAK). Deletion of the C-terminus 27 amino acids of IL-1R AcP resulted in a mutant, CDelta27, that could not recruit PI 3-kinase to the signalsome nor stimulate PI3-kinase activity. Moreover, CDelta27 functioned as a dominant-negative mutant that inhibited IL-1-induced PI 3-kinase and NFkappaB activation. CDelta27, however, had no effect on IL-1-dependent activation of the Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), indicating that distinct regions of IL-1R AcP mediate the activation of PI 3-kinase and JNK. Thus, our results identified a functional region in the IL-1R AcP required for the recruitment and activation of PI 3-kinase.     

Protein kinase B/Akt activates c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase by increasing NO production in response to shear stress.

Laminar shear stress activates c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK) by the mechanisms involving both nitric oxide (NO) and phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). Because protein kinase B (Akt), a downstream effector of PI3K, has been shown to phosphorylate and activate endothelial NO synthase, we hypothesized that Akt regulates shear-dependent activation of JNK by stimulating NO production. Here, we examined the role of Akt in shear-dependent NO production and JNK activation by expressing a dominant negative Akt mutant (Akt(AA)) and a constitutively active mutant (Akt(Myr)) in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC). As expected, pretreatment of BAEC with the PI3K inhibitor (wortmannin) prevented shear-dependent stimulation of Akt and NO production. Transient expression of Akt(AA) in BAEC by using a recombinant adenoviral construct inhibited the shear-dependent stimulation of NO production and JNK activation. However, transient expression of Akt(Myr) by using a recombinant adenoviral construct did not induce JNK activation. This is consistent with our previous finding that NO is required, but not sufficient on its own, to activate JNK in response to shear stress. These results and our previous findings strongly suggest that shear stress triggers activation of PI3K, Akt, and endothelial NO synthase, leading to production of NO, which (along with O(2-), which is also produced by shear) activates Ras-JNK pathway. The regulation of Akt, NO, and JNK by shear stress is likely to play a critical role in its antiatherogenic effects.     

Specific epidermal growth factor receptor autophosphorylation sites promote mouse colon epithelial cell chemotaxis and restitution

Upon ligand binding, epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (R) autophosphorylates on COOH-terminal tyrosines, generating docking sites for signaling partners that stimulate proliferation, restitution, and chemotaxis. Specificity for individual EGFR tyrosines in cellular responses has been hypothesized but not well documented. Here we tested the requirement for particular tyrosines, and associated downstream pathways, in mouse colon epithelial cell chemotactic migration. We compared these requirements to those for the phenotypically distinct restitution (wound healing) migration. Wild-type, Y992/1173F, Y1045F, Y1068F, and Y1086F EGFR constructs were expressed in EGFR(-/-) cells; EGF-induced chemotaxis or restitution were determined by Boyden chamber or modified scratch wound assay, respectively. Pharmacological inhibitors of p38, phospholipase C (PLC), Src, MEK, JNK/SAPK, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase), and protein kinase C (PKC) were used to block EGF-stimulated signaling. Pathway activation was determined by immunoblot analysis. Unlike wild-type EGFR, Y992/1173F and Y1086F EGFR did not stimulate colon epithelial cell chemotaxis toward EGF; Y1045F and Y1068F EGFR partially stimulated chemotaxis. Only wild-type EGFR promoted colonocyte restitution. Inhibition of p38, PLC, and Src, or Grb2 knockdown, blocked chemotaxis; JNK, PI 3-kinase, and PKC inhibitors or c-Cbl knockdown blocked restitution but not chemotaxis. All four EGFR mutants stimulated downstream signaling in response to EGF, but Y992/1173F EGFR was partially defective in PLCγ activation whereas both Y1068F and Y1086F EGFR failed to activate Src. We conclude that specific EGFR tyrosines play key roles in determining cellular responses to ligand. Chemotaxis and restitution, which have different migration phenotypes and physiological consequences, have overlapping but not identical EGFR signaling requirements.     

Activation of Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Is Sufficient for Cell Cycle Entry and Promotes Cellular Changes Characteristic of Oncogenic Transformation

Using a new inducible form of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) we have found that PI 3-kinase activation has the following effects on cell growth and proliferation. (i) Activation of PI 3-kinase was sufficient to promote entry into S phase of the cell cycle within several hours. This was shown by activation of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (Cdk4) and Cdk2 and by the induction of DNA synthesis. (ii) PI 3-kinase activation alone was not, however, sufficient to provide for progression through the entire cell cycle. Instead, prolonged activation of PI 3-kinase in the absence of serum stimulation resulted in apoptosis. It is possible that the cells undergo apoptosis because the PI 3-kinase-induced entry into the cell cycle is abnormal. For example, we found that the cyclin E-Cdk2 complex, which normally disappears after entry into S phase of the cell cycle, fails to be downregulated following induction by PI 3-kinase. (iii) Finally, we found that prolonged activation of PI 3-kinase in the presence of serum resulted in cellular changes that resemble those associated with oncogenic transformation. The cells reached high densities, were irregular and refractile in appearance, and formed colonies in soft agar. In contrast, neither PI 3-kinase nor serum stimulation alone could induce these changes. Our results suggest that activation of PI 3-kinase promotes anchorage-independent cell growth and entry into the cell cycle but does not abrogate the growth factor requirement for cell proliferation.