Purinergic Receptor-mediated Rapid Depletion of Nuclear Phosphorylated Akt Depends on Pleckstrin Homology Domain Leucine-rich Repeat Phosphatase,Calcineurin, Protein Phosphatase 2A,and PTEN Phosphatases

Akt is an important oncoprotein, and data suggest a critical role for nuclear Akt in cancer development. We have previously described a rapid (3–5 min) and P2X7-dependent depletion of nuclear phosphorylated Akt (pAkt) and effects on downstream targets, and here we studied mechanisms behind the pAkt depletion. We show that cholesterol-lowering drugs, statins, or extracellular ATP, induced a complex and coordinated response in insulin-stimulated A549 cells leading to depletion of nuclear pAkt. It involved protein/lipid phosphatases PTEN, pleckstrin homology domain leucine-rich repeat phosphatase (PHLPP1 and -2), protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), and calcineurin. We employed immunocytology, immunoprecipitation, and proximity ligation assay techniques and show that PHLPP and calcineurin translocated to the nucleus and formed complexes with Akt within 3 min. Also PTEN translocated to the nucleus and then co-localized with pAkt close to the nuclear membrane. An inhibitor of the scaffolding immunophilin FK506-binding protein 51 (FKBP51) and calcineurin, FK506, prevented depletion of nuclear pAkt. Furthermore, okadaic acid, an inhibitor of PP2A, prevented the nuclear pAkt depletion. Chemical inhibition and siRNA indicated that PHLPP, PP2A, and PTEN were required for a robust depletion of nuclear pAkt, and in prostate cancer cells lacking PTEN, transfection of PTEN restored the statin-induced pAkt depletion. The activation of protein and lipid phosphatases was paralleled by a rapid proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) translocation to the nucleus, a PCNA-p21^cip1 complex formation, and cyclin D1 degradation. We conclude that these effects reflect a signaling pathway for rapid depletion of pAkt that may stop the cell cycle.     

Statins and ATP regulate nuclear pAkt via the P2X7 purinergic receptor in epithelial cells

Many studies have documented P2X7 receptor functions in cells of mesenchymal origin. P2X7 is also expressed in epithelial cells and its role in these cells remains largely unknown. Our data indicate that P2X7 regulate nuclear pAkt in epithelial cells. We show that low concentration of atorvastatin, a drug inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase and cholesterol metabolism, or the natural agonist extracellular ATP rapidly decreased the level of insulin-induced phosphorylated Akt in the nucleus. This effect was seen within minutes and was inhibited by P2X7 inhibitors. Experiments employing P2X7 siRNA and HEK293 cells heterologously expressing P2X7 and in vivo experiments further supported an involvement of P2X7. These data indicate that extracellular ATP and statins via the P2X7 receptor modulate insulin-induced Akt signaling in epithelial cells.     

Kinetic analysis of [35S]dATP alpha S interaction with P2y(1) nucleotide receptor

The kinetics of 2'-deoxyadenosine-5'-O-(1-thiotriphosphate) ([(35)S]dATP alpha S) interaction with membrane fragments of transfected astrocytoma 1321N1 cells, expressing human P2Y(1) receptors, and the same wild-type cells, not expressing P2Y receptors were studied. Binding of this radioligand was observed with both types of membranes, but sites showing slow on-rate were found only on the transfected cells. These "slow" binding sites behaved as a kinetically homogeneous population and their interaction with the radioligand was shown to occur in two steps, R+A(K(A))<==>RA(k(i))<==>(k(-i))(RA), including the relatively slow isomerization of the complex RA into (RA). Evidence was obtained to assign the isomerized ("slow") binding sites on the transfected cells as P2Y(1) receptor sites, differentiated from other binding sites of non-receptor origin by kinetic analysis, and characterised by the kinetic parameters K(A)=59 +/- 19 nM, k(i)=(9.0 +/- 0.8)10(-3)s(-1) and k(-i)=(3.9 +/- 0.7)10(-3)s(-1). [(35)S]dATP alpha S binding, with kinetic criteria, can be of value for differentiation of the receptor sites from non-receptor sites and thus provides solid basis for radioligand assay of P2Y(1) receptors.     

Influence of atropine on carbachol dual effect on Ca2+ mobilization in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells.

The muscarinic receptor stimulated mobilisation of calcium ions in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells was measured as a function on carbachol and atropine concentrations. The combined application of this pair of muscarinic agonist and antagonist yielded a set of bell-shaped dose-response curves. In the presence of atropine the cell responses were smaller and the up-going phase of these relationships was shifted towards higher agonist concentration, while the down-going phase of these curves was not influenced by the antagonist. These results pointed to a similar mechanism of the receptor inhibition at high carbachol (agonist) concentrations and by atropine (antagonist).