scholarly journals Cell-Type-Specific Activation of PAK2 by Transforming Growth Factor β Independent of Smad2 and Smad3

2003 ◽  
Vol 23 (23) ◽  
pp. 8878-8889 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark C. Wilkes ◽  
Stephen J. Murphy ◽  
Nandor Garamszegi ◽  
Edward B. Leof

ABSTRACT Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) causes growth arrest in epithelial cells and proliferation and morphological transformation in fibroblasts. Despite the ability of TGF-β to induce various cellular phenotypes, few discernible differences in TGF-β signaling between cell types have been reported, with the only well-characterized pathway (the Smad cascade) seemingly under identical control. We determined that TGF-β receptor signaling activates the STE20 homolog PAK2 in mammalian cells. PAK2 activation occurs in fibroblast but not epithelial cell cultures and is independent of Smad2 and/or Smad3. Furthermore, we show that TGF-β-stimulated PAK2 activity is regulated by Rac1 and Cdc42 and dominant negative PAK2 or morpholino antisense oligonucleotides to PAK2 prevent the morphological alteration observed following TGF-β addition. Thus, PAK2 represents a novel Smad-independent pathway that differentiates TGF-β signaling in fibroblast (growth-stimulated) and epithelial cell (growth-inhibited) cultures.

2001 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 3328-3339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Incheol Shin ◽  
Andrei V. Bakin ◽  
Ulrich Rodeck ◽  
Anne Brunet ◽  
Carlos L. Arteaga

The Forkhead family of transcription factors participates in the induction of death-related genes. In NMuMG and 4T1 mammary epithelial cells, transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) induced phosphorylation and cytoplasmic retention of the Forkhead factor FKHRL1, while reducing FHKRL1-dependent transcriptional activity. TGFβ-induced FKHRL1 phosphorylation and nuclear exclusion were inhibited by LY294002, an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase. A triple mutant of FKHRL1, in which all three Akt phosphorylation sites have been mutated (TM-FKHRL1), did not translocate to the cytoplasm in response to TGFβ. In HaCaT keratinocytes, expression of dominant-negative Akt prevented TGFβ-induced 1) reduction of Forkhead-dependent transcription, 2) FKHRL1 phosphorylation, and 3) nuclear exclusion of FKRHL1. Forced expression of either wild-type (WT) or TM-FKHRL1, but not a FKHRL1 mutant with deletion of the transactivation domain, resulted in NMuMG mammary cell apoptosis. Evidence of nuclear fragmentation colocalized to cells with expression of WT- or TM-FKHRL1. The apoptotic effect of WT-FKHRL1 but not TM-FKHRL1 was prevented by exogenous TGFβ. Serum starvation-induced apoptosis was also inhibited by TGFβ in NMuMG and HaCaT cells. Finally, dominant-negative Akt abrogated the antiapoptotic effect of TGFβ. Taken together, these data suggest that TGFβ may play a role in epithelial cell survival via Akt-dependent regulation of FKHRL1.


2004 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 2546-2559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua P. Frederick ◽  
Nicole T. Liberati ◽  
David S. Waddell ◽  
Yigong Shi ◽  
Xiao-Fan Wang

ABSTRACT Smad proteins are the most well-characterized intracellular effectors of the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signal. The ability of the Smads to act as transcriptional activators via TGF-β-induced recruitment to Smad binding elements (SBE) within the promoters of TGF-β target genes has been firmly established. However, the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms involved in TGF-β-mediated transcriptional repression are only recently being uncovered. The proto-oncogene c-myc is repressed by TGF-β, and this repression is required for the manifestation of the TGF-β cytostatic program in specific cell types. We have shown that Smad3 is required for both TGF-β-induced repression of c-myc and subsequent growth arrest in keratinocytes. The transcriptional repression of c-myc is dependent on direct Smad3 binding to a novel Smad binding site, termed a repressive Smad binding element (RSBE), within the TGF-β inhibitory element (TIE) of the c-myc promoter. The c-myc TIE is a composite element, comprised of an overlapping RSBE and a consensus E2F site, that is capable of binding at least Smad3, Smad4, E2F-4, and p107. The RSBE is distinct from the previously defined SBE and may partially dictate, in conjunction with the promoter context of the overlapping E2F site, whether the Smad3-containing complex actively represses, as opposed to transactivates, the c-myc promoter.


2020 ◽  
Vol 217 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolaos G. Frangogiannis

TGF-β is extensively implicated in the pathogenesis of fibrosis. In fibrotic lesions, spatially restricted generation of bioactive TGF-β from latent stores requires the cooperation of proteases, integrins, and specialized extracellular matrix molecules. Although fibroblasts are major targets of TGF-β, some fibrogenic actions may reflect activation of other cell types, including macrophages, epithelial cells, and vascular cells. TGF-β–driven fibrosis is mediated through Smad-dependent or non-Smad pathways and is modulated by coreceptors and by interacting networks. This review discusses the role of TGF-β in fibrosis, highlighting mechanisms of TGF-β activation and signaling, the cellular targets of TGF-β actions, and the challenges of therapeutic translation.


Biomolecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1666
Author(s):  
Xueke Shi ◽  
Christian D. Young ◽  
Hongmei Zhou ◽  
Xiao-Jing Wang

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling is essential in embryo development and maintaining normal homeostasis. Extensive evidence shows that TGF-β activation acts on several cell types, including epithelial cells, fibroblasts, and immune cells, to form a pro-fibrotic environment, ultimately leading to fibrotic diseases. TGF-β is stored in the matrix in a latent form; once activated, it promotes a fibroblast to myofibroblast transition and regulates extracellular matrix (ECM) formation and remodeling in fibrosis. TGF-β signaling can also promote cancer progression through its effects on the tumor microenvironment. In cancer, TGF-β contributes to the generation of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) that have different molecular and cellular properties from activated or fibrotic fibroblasts. CAFs promote tumor progression and chronic tumor fibrosis via TGF-β signaling. Fibrosis and CAF-mediated cancer progression share several common traits and are closely related. In this review, we consider how TGF-β promotes fibrosis and CAF-mediated cancer progression. We also discuss recent evidence suggesting TGF-β inhibition as a defense against fibrotic disorders or CAF-mediated cancer progression to highlight the potential implications of TGF-β-targeted therapies for fibrosis and cancer.


1998 ◽  
Vol 95 (16) ◽  
pp. 9506-9511 ◽  
Author(s):  
James N. Topper ◽  
Maria R. DiChiara ◽  
Jonathan D. Brown ◽  
Amy J. Williams ◽  
Dean Falb ◽  
...  

The transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily of growth factors and cytokines has been implicated in a variety of physiological and developmental processes within the cardiovascular system. Smad proteins are a recently described family of intracellular signaling proteins that transduce signals in response to TGF-β superfamily ligands. We demonstrate by both a mammalian two-hybrid and a biochemical approach that human Smad2 and Smad4, two essential Smad proteins involved in mediating TGF-β transcriptional responses in endothelial and other cell types, can functionally interact with the transcriptional coactivator CREB binding protein (CBP). This interaction is specific in that it requires ligand (TGF-β) activation and is mediated by the transcriptional activation domains of the Smad proteins. A closely related, but distinct endothelial-expressed Smad protein, Smad7, which does not activate transcription in endothelial cells, does not interact with CBP. Furthermore, Smad2,4–CBP interactions involve the COOH terminus of CBP, a region that interacts with other regulated transcription factors such as certain signal transduction and transcription proteins and nuclear receptors. Smad–CBP interactions are required for Smad-dependent TGF-β-induced transcriptional responses in endothelial cells, as evidenced by inhibition with overexpressed 12S E1A protein and reversal of this inhibition with exogenous CBP. This report demonstrates a functional interaction between Smad proteins and an essential component of the mammalian transcriptional apparatus (CBP) and extends our insight into how Smad proteins may regulate transcriptional responses in many cell types. Thus, functional Smad–coactivator interactions may be an important locus of signal integration in endothelial cells.


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