Important role of the LKB1–AMPK pathway in suppressing tumorigenesis in PTEN-deficient mice

2008 ◽  
Vol 412 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xu Huang ◽  
Stephan Wullschleger ◽  
Natalia Shpiro ◽  
Victoria A. McGuire ◽  
Kei Sakamoto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Growth ◽  
Anticancer Agents ◽  
Human Cancer ◽  
Energy Levels ◽  
Mammalian Target Of Rapamycin ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Tumour Suppressor ◽  
Target Of Rapamycin ◽  
Tumour Development ◽  
Ampk Pathway

The LKB1 tumour suppressor phosphorylates and activates AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) when cellular energy levels are low, thereby suppressing growth through multiple pathways, including inhibiting the mTORC1 (mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1) kinase that is activated in the majority of human cancers. Blood glucose-lowering Type 2 diabetes drugs also induce LKB1 to activate AMPK, indicating that these compounds could be used to suppress growth of tumour cells. In the present study, we investigated the importance of the LKB1–AMPK pathway in regulating tumorigenesis in mice resulting from deficiency of the PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10) tumour suppressor, which drives cell growth through overactivation of the Akt and mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) kinases. We demonstrate that inhibition of AMPK resulting from a hypomorphic mutation that decreases LKB1 expression does not lead to tumorigenesis on its own, but markedly accelerates tumour development in PTEN+/− mice. In contrast, activating the AMPK pathway by administration of metformin, phenformin or A-769662 to PTEN+/− mice significantly delayed tumour onset. We demonstrate that LKB1 is required for activators of AMPK to inhibit mTORC1 signalling as well as cell growth in PTEN-deficient cells. Our findings highlight, using an animal model relevant to understanding human cancer, the vital role that the LKB1–AMPK pathway plays in suppressing tumorigenesis resulting from loss of the PTEN tumour suppressor. They also suggest that pharmacological inhibition of LKB1 and/or AMPK would be undesirable, at least for the treatment of cancers in which the mTORC1 pathway is activated. Most importantly, our results demonstrate the potential of AMPK activators, such as clinically approved metformin, as anticancer agents, which will suppress tumour development by triggering a physiological signalling pathway that potently inhibits cell growth.

scholarly journals Bnip3 Mediates the Hypoxia-induced Inhibition on Mammalian Target of Rapamycin by Interacting with Rheb

2007 ◽  
Vol 282 (49) ◽  
pp. 35803-35813 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Li ◽  
Yian Wang ◽  
Eunjung Kim ◽  
Peter Beemiller ◽  
Cun-Yu Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Growth ◽  
Energy Levels ◽  
Mammalian Target Of Rapamycin ◽  
Small Gtpase ◽  
Mtor Pathway ◽  
Target Of Rapamycin ◽  
Intracellular Signals ◽  
Central Controller ◽  
Wide Range

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a central controller of cell growth, and it regulates translation, cell size, cell viability, and cell morphology. mTOR integrates a wide range of extracellular and intracellular signals, including growth factors, nutrients, energy levels, and stress conditions. Rheb, a Ras-related small GTPase, is a key upstream activator of mTOR. In this study, we found that Bnip3, a hypoxia-inducible Bcl-2 homology 3 domain-containing protein, directly binds Rheb and inhibits the mTOR pathway. Bnip3 decreases Rheb GTP levels in a manner depending on the binding to Rheb and the presence of the N-terminal domain. Both knockdown and overexpression experiments show that Bnip3 plays an important role in mTOR inactivation in response to hypoxia. Moreover, Bnip3 inhibits cell growth in vivo by suppressing the mTOR pathway. These observations demonstrate that Bnip3 mediates the inhibition of the mTOR pathway in response to hypoxia.

scholarly journals Crosstalk of the Caspase Family and Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Signaling

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 817
Author(s):  
Junfang Yan ◽  
Yi Xie ◽  
Jing Si ◽  
Lu Gan ◽  
Hongyan Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Growth ◽  
Cell Survival ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Cellular Stress ◽  
Mammalian Target Of Rapamycin ◽  
Mtor Signaling ◽  
Target Of Rapamycin ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Caspase Family ◽  
Mediate Cell

Cell can integrate the caspase family and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling in response to cellular stress triggered by environment. It is necessary here to elucidate the direct response and interaction mechanism between the two signaling pathways in regulating cell survival and determining cell fate under cellular stress. Members of the caspase family are crucial regulators of inflammation, endoplasmic reticulum stress response and apoptosis. mTOR signaling is known to mediate cell growth, nutrition and metabolism. For instance, over-nutrition can cause the hyperactivation of mTOR signaling, which is associated with diabetes. Nutrition deprivation can inhibit mTOR signaling via SH3 domain-binding protein 4. It is striking that Ras GTPase-activating protein 1 is found to mediate cell survival in a caspase-dependent manner against increasing cellular stress, which describes a new model of apoptosis. The components of mTOR signaling-raptor can be cleaved by caspases to control cell growth. In addition, mTOR is identified to coordinate the defense process of the immune system by suppressing the vitality of caspase-1 or regulating other interferon regulatory factors. The present review discusses the roles of the caspase family or mTOR pathway against cellular stress and generalizes their interplay mechanism in cell fate determination.

scholarly journals Ku-0063794 is a specific inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)

2009 ◽  
Vol 421 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan M. García-Martínez ◽  
Jennifer Moran ◽  
Rosemary G. Clarke ◽  
Alex Gray ◽  
Sabina C. Cosulich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Cell Growth ◽  
Mammalian Target Of Rapamycin ◽  
Specific Inhibitor ◽  
Initiation Factor ◽  
Target Of Rapamycin ◽  
S6 Kinase ◽  
Class 1 ◽  
Hydrophobic Motif ◽  
Ribosomal S6 Kinase

mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) stimulates cell growth by phosphorylating and promoting activation of AGC (protein kinase A/protein kinase G/protein kinase C) family kinases such as Akt (protein kinase B), S6K (p70 ribosomal S6 kinase) and SGK (serum and glucocorticoid protein kinase). mTORC1 (mTOR complex-1) phosphorylates the hydrophobic motif of S6K, whereas mTORC2 phosphorylates the hydrophobic motif of Akt and SGK. In the present paper we describe the small molecule Ku-0063794, which inhibits both mTORC1 and mTORC2 with an IC50 of ∼10 nM, but does not suppress the activity of 76 other protein kinases or seven lipid kinases, including Class 1 PI3Ks (phosphoinositide 3-kinases) at 1000-fold higher concentrations. Ku-0063794 is cell permeant, suppresses activation and hydrophobic motif phosphorylation of Akt, S6K and SGK, but not RSK (ribosomal S6 kinase), an AGC kinase not regulated by mTOR. Ku-0063794 also inhibited phosphorylation of the T-loop Thr308 residue of Akt phosphorylated by PDK1 (3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1). We interpret this as implying phosphorylation of Ser473 promotes phosphorylation of Thr308 and/or induces a conformational change that protects Thr308 from dephosphorylation. In contrast, Ku-0063794 does not affect Thr308 phosphorylation in fibroblasts lacking essential mTORC2 subunits, suggesting that signalling processes have adapted to enable Thr308 phosphorylation to occur in the absence of Ser473 phosphorylation. We found that Ku-0063794 induced a much greater dephosphorylation of the mTORC1 substrate 4E-BP1 (eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1) than rapamycin, even in mTORC2-deficient cells, suggesting a form of mTOR distinct from mTORC1, or mTORC2 phosphorylates 4E-BP1. Ku-0063794 also suppressed cell growth and induced a G1-cell-cycle arrest. Our results indicate that Ku-0063794 will be useful in delineating the physiological roles of mTOR and may have utility in treatment of cancers in which this pathway is inappropriately activated.

scholarly journals Rag proteins regulate amino-acid-induced mTORC1 signalling

2009 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 289-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasemin Sancak ◽  
David M. Sabatini
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Cell Growth ◽  
Mammalian Target Of Rapamycin ◽  
Target Of Rapamycin ◽  
Master Regulator ◽  
Growth And Survival ◽  
Field Identification ◽  
Rag Proteins ◽  
Cell Growth And Survival

The serum- and nutrient-sensitive protein kinase mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) is a master regulator of cell growth and survival. The mechanisms through which nutrients regulate mTOR have been one of the major unanswered questions in the mTOR field. Identification of the Rag (Ras-related GTPase) family of GTPases as mediators of amino acid signalling to mTOR is an important step towards our understanding of this mechanism.

The kinase triad, AMPK, mTORC1 and ULK1, maintains energy and nutrient homoeostasis

2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 939-943 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine A. Dunlop ◽  
Andrew R. Tee
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Cell Growth ◽  
Protein Kinases ◽  
Mammalian Target Of Rapamycin ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Protein Translation ◽  
Cellular Growth ◽  
Target Of Rapamycin ◽  
Amp Activated Protein Kinase ◽  
Rate Limiting

In order for cells to divide in a proficient manner, they must first double their biomass, which is considered to be the main rate-limiting phase of cell proliferation. Cell growth requires an abundance of energy and biosynthetic precursors such as lipids and amino acids. Consequently, the energy and nutrient status of the cell is acutely monitored and carefully maintained. mTORC1 [mammalian (or mechanistic) target of rapamycin complex 1] is often considered to be the master regulator of cell growth that enhances cellular biomass through up-regulation of protein translation. In order for cells to control cellular homoeostasis during growth, there is close signalling interplay between mTORC1 and two other protein kinases, AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) and ULK1 (Unc-51-like kinase 1). This kinase triad collectively senses the energy and nutrient status of the cell and appropriately dictates whether the cell will actively favour energy- and amino-acid-consuming anabolic processes such as cellular growth, or energy- and amino-acid-generating catabolic processes such as autophagy. The present review discusses important feedback mechanisms between these three homoeostatic protein kinases that orchestrate cell growth and autophagy, with a particular focus on the mTORC1 component raptor (regulatory associated protein of mammalian target of rapamycin), as well as the autophagy-initiating kinase ULK1.

scholarly journals Recent Advances in the Development of PI3K/mTOR-Based Anticancer Agents: A Mini Review

Folia Medica ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-14
Author(s):  
Ishan Panchal ◽  
Archana Navale ◽  
Ashish Shah ◽  
Sandip Badeliya ◽  
Rati Tripathi
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Anticancer Agents ◽  
Mammalian Target Of Rapamycin ◽  
The Body ◽  
Target Of Rapamycin ◽  
Selective Inhibitors ◽  
Intensive Research ◽  
Recent Advances ◽  
Comprehensive Information ◽  
Abnormal Cells

Cancer refers to the group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. It spreads throughout the body which makes this disease one of the huge global threats to mankind. Intensive research over the years has established deregulation of mam-malian target of rapamycin pathway in cancer. This has led to the development of mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors. Several inhibitors of the mammalian target of rapamycin are under preclinical and early clinical trials. Researchers have investigated a series of furoquinoline, phenyl sulphonylureas, 4-acrylamido-quinoline, pyrazolochalcones, imidazole [4,5-b] pyridine, thienopyrimidine, aminopyrimidin scaffolds in the last three years. This review provides comprehensive information and critical discussions on designing of novel selective inhibitors of mammalian target of rapamycin with superior activity in the treatment of cancer. 

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