Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling controls levels of hypoxia-inducible factor 1.

The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway has inherent oncogenic potential. It is up-regulated in diverse human cancers by either a gain of function in PI3K itself or in its downstream target Akt or by a loss of function in the negative regulator PTEN. However, the complete consequences of this up-regulation are not known. Here we show that insulin and epidermal growth factor or an inactivating mutation in the tumor suppressor PTEN specifically increase the protein levels of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) 1alpha but not of HIF-1beta in human cancer cell lines. This specific elevation of HIF-1alpha protein expression requires PI3K signaling. In the prostate carcinoma-derived cell lines PC-3 and DU145, insulin- and epidermal growth factor-induced expression of HIF-1alpha was inhibited by the PI3K-specific inhibitors LY294002 and wortmannin in a dose-dependent manner. HIF-1beta expression was not affected by these inhibitors. Introduction of wild-type PTEN into the PTEN-negative PC-3 cell line specifically inhibited the expression of HIF-1alpha but not that of HIF-1beta. In contrast to the HIF-1alpha protein, the level of HIF-1alpha mRNA was not significantly affected by PI3K signaling. Vascular endothelial growth factor reporter gene activity was induced by insulin in PC-3 cells and was inhibited by the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 and by the coexpression of a HIF-1 dominant negative construct. Vascular endothelial growth factor reporter gene activity was also inhibited by expression of a dominant negative PI3K construct and by the tumor suppressor PTEN.     

Regulation of pancreatic duct cell differentiation by phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase

We have previously demonstrated that the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling is essential for pancreatic regeneration after partial pancreatectomy in mice. In the present study, we examined a role of PI3K/Akt signaling for pancreatic duct cell differentiation into insulin-producing cells. Epithelial-like cells were isolated from mouse pancreas and confirmed to be positive for a duct cell marker cytokeratin-20 (CK-20) but negative for insulin. Incubation of these cells with epidermal growth factor, exhibited a gradual increase in Akt phosphorylation and expression of pancreatic duodenal homeobox-1 (PDX-1), a regulator of β-cell differentiation. Three weeks later, these CK-20-positive cells were noted to express insulin as determined by immunofluorescent double-staining. Akt phosphorylation, PDX-1 expression, and insulin production were effectively reduced by blocking the PI3K/Akt pathway using siRNA to the p85α regulatory subunit of PI3K. Our results demonstrate that PI3K/Akt activation has a critical role for pancreatic duct cell differentiation into insulin-producing cells.     

Focal adhesion kinase negatively regulates neuronal insulin resistance

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a non-receptor protein kinase, is known to be a phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway activator and thus widely implicated in regulation of cell survival and cancer. In recent years FAK has also been strongly implicated as a crucial regulator of insulin resistance in peripheral tissues like skeletal muscle and liver, where decrease in its expression/activity has been shown to lead to insulin resistance. However, in the present study we report an altogether different role of FAK in regulation of insulin/PI3K signaling in neurons, the post-mitotic cells. An aberrant increase in FAK tyrosine phosphorylation was observed in insulin resistant Neuro-2a (N2A) cells. Downregulation of FAK expression utilizing RNAi mediated gene silencing in insulin resistant N2A cells completely ameliorated the impaired insulin/PI3K signaling and glucose uptake. FAK silencing in primary cortical neurons also showed marked enhancement in glucose uptake. The results thus suggest that in neurons FAK acts as a negative regulator of insulin/PI3K signaling. Interestingly, the available literature also demonstrates cell-type specific functions of FAK in neurons. FAK that is well known for its cell survival effects has been shown to be involved in neurodegeneration. Along with these previous reports, present findings highlight a novel and critical role of FAK in neurons. Moreover, as this implicates differential regulation of insulin/PI3K pathway by FAK in peripheral tissues and neuronal cells, it strongly suggests precaution while considering FAK modulators as possible therapeutics.     

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase regulates early differentiation in human laryngeal keratinocytes

Summary Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling regulates a variety of cellular functions, including proliferation, gene expression, and differentiation. Infection of laryngeal epithelial cells by human papillomaviruses causes recurrent respiratory papillomas, benign tumors characterized by an altered pattern of differentiation. Papilloma cells overexpress the EGFR and have constitutively active extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and enhanced phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) activity, but overexpression of the lipid phosphatase PTEN (Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog) reduces activation of Akt by PI3K. We hypothesized that the altered differentiation of papillomas reflects these changes in signaling from the EGFR-ERK and PI3K-Akt pathways and that one or both of these pathways is required for the normal differentiation process in mucosal epithelium. Inhibiting either the enzymatic activity or the synthesis of PI3K in uninfected laryngeal cells blocked expression of keratin-13 (K13), a protein induced during normal differentiation. In contrast, inhibiting activation of ERK had minimal effect. Using ribonucleic acid interference to reduce protein levels of integrinlinked kinase 1 or phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1, intermediates in the activation of Akt by PI3K, or reducing levels of Akt-1 itself did not inhibit K13 expression by normal laryngeal keratinocytes. We conclude that PI3K activation is an important regulator of expression of K13, a marker for the normal differntiation process in human mucosal keratinocytes, that this function does not require activation of Akt-1, and that the failure to express K13 in papilloma cells is not because of reduction in activated Akt.     

The Role of PTEN in Chronic Growth Hormone-Induced Hepatic Insulin Resistance

Chronic growth hormone (GH) therapy has been shown to cause insulin resistance, but the mechanism remains unknown. PTEN, a tumor suppressor gene, is a major negative regulator of insulin signaling. In this study, we explored the effect of chronic GH on insulin signaling in the context of PTEN function. Balb/c healthy mice were given recombinant human or bovine GH intraperitoneally for 3 weeks. We found that phosphorylation of Akt was significantly decreased in chronic GH group and the expression of PTEN was significantly increased. We further examined this effect in the streptozotocin-induced Type I diabetic mouse model, in which endogenous insulin secretion was disrupted. Insulin/PI3K/Akt signaling was impaired. However, different from the observation in healthy mice, the expression of PTEN did not increase. Similarly, PTEN expression did not significantly increase in chronic GH-treated mice with hypoinsulinemia induced by prolonged fasting. We conducted in-vitro experiments in HepG2 cells to validate our in-vivo findings. Long-term exposure to GH caused similar resistance of insulin/PI3K/Akt signaling in HepG2 cells; and over-expression of PTEN enhanced the impairment of insulin signaling. On the other hand, disabling the PTEN gene by transfecting the mutant PTEN construct C124S or siPTEN, disrupted the chronic GH induced insulin resistance. Our data demonstrate that PTEN plays an important role in chronic-GH-induced insulin resistance. These findings may have implication in other pathological insulin resistance.     

Stem cell factor/c-Kit interactions regulate human islet-epithelial cluster proliferation and differentiation

Stem cell factor (SCF), a progenitor cell growth factor, binds to and activates the c-Kit receptor tyrosine kinase, which is critical for early stem cell differentiation in haematopoiesis and gametogenesis. Nothing is known regarding these interactions during islet development in the human fetal pancreas. The present study was to investigate whether an increase in c-Kit receptor activity in isolated human fetal islet-epithelial clusters, by giving exogenous SCF, would promote beta-cell development. In the intact fetal pancreas, SCF and c-Kit were observed co-localizing with cytokeratin 19 in both ductal and newly forming islet cells. Islet cells isolated from 14 to 16 weeks fetal pancreata were cultured with SCF (50 ng/ml) or vehicle for 48 h. We observed an increase in the number of c-Kit-, pancreatic and duodenal homeobox gene 1- (PDX-1-), insulin- and glucagon-expressing cells in the SCF-treated group (PDX-1 and insulin, p < 0.05). PDX-1 and c-Kit mRNA levels were also up-regulated in the SCF group (PDX-1, p < 0.05), with no change in preproinsulin or proglucagon gene expression. Co-localization of insulin with PDX-1 or c-Kit was observed frequently in SCF-treated cultures. A significantly (p < 0.05) greater proliferative capacity of islet-epithelial clusters was found in the SCF group in parallel with increased (p < 0.02) phosphorylation of Akt in a phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)-dependent manner. Our results demonstrate that SCF/c-Kit interactions are likely to be involved in mediating islet cell differentiation and proliferation during human fetal pancreatic development, and that phosphorylated Akt may have a role downstream of SCF/c-Kit signaling.     

PTEN expression causes feedback upregulation of insulin receptor substrate 2

PTEN is a tumor suppressor that antagonizes phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) by dephosphorylating the D3 position of phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-triphosphate (PtdIns-3,4,5-P3). Given the importance of PTEN in regulating PtdIns-3,4,5-P3 levels, we used Affymetrix GeneChip arrays to identify genes regulated by PTEN. PTEN expression rapidly reduced the activity of Akt, which was followed by a G(1) arrest and eventually apoptosis. The gene encoding insulin receptor substrate 2 (IRS-2), a mediator of insulin signaling, was found to be the most induced gene at all time points. A PI3K-specific inhibitor, LY294002, also upregulated IRS-2, providing evidence that it was the suppression of the PI3K pathway that was responsible for the message upregulation. In addition, PTEN, LY294002, and rapamycin, an inhibitor of mammalian target of rapamycin, caused a reduction in the molecular weight of IRS-2 and an increase in the association of IRS-2 with PI3K. Apparently, PTEN inhibits a negative regulator of IRS-2 to upregulate the IRS-2-PI3K interaction. These studies suggest that PtdIns-3,4,5-P3 levels regulate the specific activity and amount of IRS-2 available for insulin signaling.     

Insulin stimulates osteoblast proliferation and differentiation through ERK and PI3K in MG‐63 cells

Insulin has been proposed to be an anabolic agent in bone, but the mechanisms underlying insulin effects on osteoblast differentiation are still not clear. To explore the mechanisms of action of insulin on osteoblast growth and differentiation, human osteoblastic cell line‐MG‐63 was used and stimulated by insulin in the presence or absence of ERK inhibitor PD98059, PI3‐K inhibitor LY294002, or inhibitor PD98059 + LY294002. The results showed that insulin positively regulated the expression of its receptor. Insulin stimulated the proliferation of MG‐63 cells in a time‐ and dose‐dependent manner and blockade of both MAPK and PI3K pathways could inhibit the cell proliferation. In addition, ALP activity, the secretion of type I collagen, OC gene expression, and mineralized nodule formation were increased in the insulin treated group, whereas these indicators were decreased after treatment with blocking agents. However, treatment with PI3‐K inhibitor LY294002 significantly reversed the down‐regulation of Runx2 expression and treatment with ERK inhibitor PD98059 remarkably decreased up‐regulation of Osx and IGF‐1 expression after insulin treatment. Therefore, the data obtained from this study suggested that insulin promoted osteoblast proliferation and differentiation through MAPK and PI3K pathway in MG‐63 cells. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Regulation of Id2 gene expression by the insulin-like growth factor I receptor requires signaling by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase

The Id proteins play an important role in proliferation, differentiation, and tumor development. We report here that Id gene expression can be regulated by the insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF-IR), a receptor that also participates in the regulation of cellular proliferation and differentiation. Specifically, we found that the IGF-IR activated by its ligand was a strong inducer of Id2 gene expression in 32D murine hemopoietic cells. This activation was not simply the result of cellular proliferation, as Id2 gene expression was higher in 32D cells stimulated by IGF-I than in cells exponentially growing in interleukin-3. The up-regulation of Id2 gene expression was largely dependent on the presence of insulin receptor substrate-1, a major substrate of the IGF-IR and a potent activator of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway. The role of PI3K activity in the up-regulation of Id2 gene expression by the IGF-IR was confirmed by different methods and in different cell types. In 32D cells, the up-regulation of Id2 gene expression by the PI3K pathway correlated with interleukin-3 independence and inhibition of differentiation.     

Insulin activates CCAAT/enhancer binding proteins and proinflammatory gene expression through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway in vascular smooth muscle cells

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) is a key molecule mediating signals of insulin in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). To examine the effect of chronic activation of PI3K on the gene expression of VSMCs, membrane-targeted p110CAAX, a catalytic subunit of PI3K, was overexpressed in rat VSMCs by adenovirus-mediated gene transfer. Similar to insulin's effects, cells overexpressing p110CAAX exhibited a 10- to 15-fold increase in monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) mRNA expression as compared with the control cells. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay analysis showed that the overexpression of p110CAAX activated neither the NF-kappaB binding nor the activator protein (AP-1) binding activities. We found that two CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) binding sites located between 2.6 and 3.6 kb upstream of the MCP-1 gene were responsible for the induction by p110CAAX. The overexpression of C/EBP-beta and C/EBP-delta but not C/EBP-alpha caused 6- to 8-fold induction of MCP-1 promoter activity. Consistently, the overexpression of p110CAAX as well as insulin induced mRNA expression and nuclear expression of C/EBP-beta and C/EBP-delta in VSMCs. These results clearly indicate that the activation of PI3K induced proinflammatory gene expression through activating C/EBP-beta and C/EBP-delta but not NF-kappaB, which may explain the proinflammatory effect of insulin in the insulin-resistant state.     

Osteoclast differentiation gene expression profiling reveals chemokine CCL4 mediates RANKL‐induced osteoclast migration and invasion via PI3K pathway

The migration of osteoclasts (OCs) from circulation and bone marrow into bone surface plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of some bone resorptive diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis. To date, how the migration of OCs remains unclear. We investigated gene expression profiling in osteoclastic differentiation of bone marrow–derived macrophages (BMMs) into OCs by microarray analysis. We identified 387 genes overexpressed in osteoclastic differentiation of BMMs. Among them, chemokine CCL4 showed a robust up‐regulation signal. High expression of CCL4 was validated in primary BMMs and OC precursor cell line RAW264.7 during differentiation into OCs. The CCL4 neutralization decreased RANKL‐induced OC precursor cell migration and invasion in Matrigel‐coated transwell membranes assay and in vitro wound healing assay. However, CCL4 inhibition did not affect OCs differentiation and differentiation associated gene expression. The CCL4 inhibition promoted the PI3K phosphorylation at 45 to 60 minutes after RANKL stimulation in RAW264.7. This study indicated that chemokine CCL4 is an important regulator for OCs migration via PI3K pathway, providing a novel therapy target for bone resorptive diseases.     

Regulation of proteins involved in insulin signaling pathways in differentiating human adipocytes

In the present study we have examined the proteins involved in the insulin signaling cascade during and after differentiation of human adipocyte precursor cells and their correlation with glucose uptake. The differentiation of human adipocytes was characterized by a two- to threefold stimulation of glucose transport in response to insulin and a marked increase protein expression for the insulin receptor, IRS-1, GLUT-4, PI 3-kinase, and PKB, with respect to undifferentiated cells. In contrast, there were small changes in the protein expression of IRS-2, and no changes in PKC zeta and MAP kinases, although basal MAP kinase activity and GLUT-1 protein were reduced during differentiation. In conclusion, there are quantitative differences in the regulation of IRS-1 and other proteins during differentiation which may contribute to more efficient insulin signaling leading to glucose uptake in mature fat cells. Alterations in this pattern may reflect or contribute to an insulin-resistant state.     

Insulin promotes rat retinal neuronal cell survival in a p70S6K-dependent manner

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of the ribosomal protein S6 protein kinase (p70S6K), a protein synthesis regulator, in promoting retinal neuronal cell survival. Differentiated R28 rat retinal neuronal cells were used as an experimental model. Cells were maintained in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium supplemented with 10% newborn calf serum, and during the period of experimentation were exposed either to the absence or presence of 10 nm insulin. Insulin treatment induced p70S6K, mTOR, and Akt phosphorylation, effects that were completely prevented by the PI3K inhibitor, LY294002. Insulin-induced phosphorylation of p70S6K and mTOR was prevented by the mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin. Apoptosis, induced by serum deprivation and evaluated by Hoechst staining, was inhibited by insulin treatment in R28 cells, but not in L6 muscle cells. This effect of insulin was also largely prevented by rapamycin. Inhibition of p70S6K activity by exogenous expression of a dominant negative mutant of p70S6K prevented insulin-induced cell survival, whereas, overexpression of wild type p70S6K or expression of a rapamycin resistant form of the kinase enhanced the effect of insulin on survival. Enhanced cell survival under the latter condition was accompanied by increased p70S6K activity and phosphorylation. Rapamycin did not inhibit insulin induced p70S6K phosphorylation and activity in cells transfected with the rapamycin-resistant mutant. Together, these results suggest that p70S6K plays a key role in insulin stimulated retinal neuronal cell survival.     

Down-regulation of human<Emphasis Type="Italic">NDR</Emphasis> gene in megakaryocytic differentiation of erythroleukemia K562 cells

To study the control of hematopoietic cell differentiation, a human negative differentiation regulator (NDR) gene was identified by the comparative analysis of differentially expressed genes in hemato-lymphoid tissues.NDR is expressed preferentially in the adult bone marrow, fetal liver and testis. Immunocytochemistry with anti-NDR antiserum showed the presence of NDR in human erythroleukemia K562 cell line and CD34⁺ cells sorted from the umbilical cord blood. When fused to the green fluorescent protein (GFP), NDR was directed to the nucleus of mouse 3T3 and K562 cells. Fusion protein with a deletion from residues 7 to 87 was detected in the cytoplasm. NDR appeared not to affect the proliferation of K562 cells when overly expressed. However, its expression was down-regulated during megakaryocytic differentiation of K562 cells induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Down-regulation of NDR correlated well with up-regulation of megakaryocytic markers, CD41 and CD61. Overexpression of the nuclear NDR-GFP in K562 cells inhibited the expression of CD41 and CD61 in megakaryocytic differentiation. Treatment of K562 cells with GF-109203X (GFX), an antagonist of the protein kinase C (PKC), blocked NDR down-regulation, up-regulated expression of CD41/CD61 and TPA-induced megakaryocytic differentiation. These results suggest a novel function of nuclear NDR protein in regulating hematopoietic cell development.     

小分子化合物体外诱导肝上皮样干细胞-WB细胞表达PDX1

目的：近年来干细胞治疗糖尿病一直是国内外研究人员关注的焦点,而肝细胞向胰岛样细胞转变也是热点之一。本实验应用小分子化合物在体外诱导WB-F344大鼠来源肝上皮样干细胞（简写WB细胞）表达胰腺内分泌前体细胞基因PDX1,建立一种体外诱导WB细胞分化为胰腺内分泌前体细胞的实验方法。方法：选用5-AZA TSA,RA,ITS等小分子化合物,分两步法直接诱导WB细胞分化为表达PDX1的胰腺内分泌前体细胞,用含有不同浓度5-AZA分化培养基诱导WB分化,摸索诱导分化的最佳条件。观察细胞形态变化,RT-PCR及实时定量PCR检测部分基因表达情况,免疫荧光检测PDX1的表达。结果：5AZA 5 uM处理2 d,TSA 1 d,RA联合ITS诱导7天,诱导的WB细胞表达PDX1较1-4 uM 5-AZA诱导强,并表达胰腺内分泌前体细胞的相关基因,NGN3,Neurod,NKX2.2,WB表达的Nestin仍持续表达,Insulin1有少量表达。WB表达的肝干细胞基因如ALB,AFP大量下调,标志分化的基因C/EBP下调。结论：5-AZA,TSA,RA,ITS等小分子化合物能够诱导肝上皮样细胞WB表达PDX1,并且这种诱导分化的细胞具有胰腺内分泌前体细胞特征。本实验进一步证明在体外微环境中,肝干细胞能向胰腺内分泌细胞转化,而肝细胞增极强,为将来干细胞治疗糖尿病提供充足的细胞来源