The modular phosphorylation and activation of p70s6k

Translational homeostasis: eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E control of 4E-binding protein 1 and p70 S6 kinase activities

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) is the mRNA 5' cap binding protein, which plays an important role in the control of translation. The activity of eIF4E is regulated by a family of repressor proteins, the 4E-binding proteins (4E-BPs), whose binding to eIF4E is determined by their phosphorylation state. When hyperphosphorylated, 4E-BPs do not bind to eIF4E. Phosphorylation of the 4E-BPs is effected by the phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase signal transduction pathway and is inhibited by rapamycin through its binding to FRAP/mTOR (FK506 binding protein-rapamycin-associated protein or mammalian target of rapamycin). Phosphorylation of 4E-BPs can also be induced by protein synthesis inhibitors. These observations led to the proposal that FRAP/mTOR functions as a "sensor" of the translational apparatus (E. J. Brown and S. L. Schreiber, Cell 86:517-520, 1996). To test this model, we have employed the tetracycline-inducible system to increase eIF4E expression. Removal of tetracycline induced eIF4E expression up to fivefold over endogenous levels. Strikingly, upon induction of eIF4E, 4E-BP1 became dephosphorylated and the extent of dephosphorylation was proportional to the expression level of eIF4E. Dephosphorylation of p70(S6k) also occurred upon eIF4E induction. In contrast, the phosphorylation of Akt, an upstream effector of both p70(S6k) and 4E-BP phosphorylation, was not affected by eIF4E induction. We conclude that eIF4E engenders a negative feedback loop that targets a component of the PI 3-kinase signalling pathway which lies downstream of PI 3-kinase.

The role of STAT3 in granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-induced enhancement of neutrophilic differentiation of Me2SO-treated HL-60 cells. GM-CSF inhibits the nuclear translocation of tyrosine-phosphorylated STAT3

The role of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) on neutrophilic differentiation of Me2SO-treated HL-60 cells was studied. G-CSF augmented the functional maturation of Me2SO-treated HL-60 cells in terms of both O-2-generating ability and expression of the formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine receptor. G-CSF induced enhancement of cell growth in Me2SO-treated HL-60 cells. These results indicate that G-CSF is a potent enhancer for the differentiation and proliferation of Me2SO-treated HL-60 cells. G-CSF caused the activation of p70 S6 kinase but not mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase. On the other hand, G-CSF rapidly induced tyrosine phosphorylation of signal transducers and activators of transcription-3 (STAT3), but did not induce serine727 phosphorylation. From the analysis of confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy and differential centrifugation, it was clearly demonstrated that G-CSF induced nuclear translocation of tyrosine-phosphorylated STAT3. The G-CSF-dependent enhancement of neutrophilic differentiation in Me2SO-HL-60 cells was reversely inhibited by granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Notably, in the presence of GM-CSF, G-CSF induced the tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT3 but failed to induce the nuclear translocation of tyrosine-phosphorylated STAT3. GM-CSF induced activation of not only p70 S6 kinase, but also of MAP kinase. Furthermore, GM-CSF caused the rapid serine727 phosphorylation of STAT3, both in the presence and absence of G-CSF. PD98059, an MEK1 inhibitor, inhibited the G-CSF-dependent serine727 phosphorylation of STAT3 and blocked the inhibitory effect of GM-CSF on G-CSF-dependent nuclear translocation of STAT3. These results suggest that G-CSF-dependent nuclear translocation of STAT3 coordinates with the promotion of neutrophilic differentiation in Me2SO-treated HL-60 cells.

Rapamycin-sensitive phosphorylation of PKC on a carboxy-terminal site by an atypical PKC complex

BACKGROUND

The protein kinase C (PKC) family has been implicated in the control of many cellular functions. Although PKC isotypes are characterized by their allosteric activation, phosphorylation also plays a key role in controlling activity. In classical PKC isotypes, one of the three critical sites is a carboxy-terminal hydrophobic site also conserved in other AGC kinase subfamily members. Although this site is crucial to the control of this class of enzymes, the upstream kinase(s) has not been identified.

RESULTS

A membrane-associated kinase activity that phosphorylates the hydrophobic site in PKCalpha was detected. This activity was suppressed when cells were pretreated with the immunosuppresant drug rapamycin or the phosphoinositide (Pl) 3-kinase inhibitor LY294002. These pretreatments also blocked specifically the serum-induced phosphorylation of the hydrophobic site in PKCdelta in vivo. The most highly purified hydrophobic site kinase preparations ( approximately 10,000-fold) reacted with antibodies to PKCzeta/iota. Consistent with this, rapamycin and LY294002 reduced the recovery of PKCzeta from the membrane fraction of transfected cells. An activated mutant of PKCzeta, but not wild-type PKCzeta, induced phosphorylation of the PKCdelta hydrophobic site in a rapamycin-independent manner, whereas a kinase-dead PKCzeta mutant suppressed this serum-induced phosphorylation. The immunopurified, activated mutant of PKCzeta could phosphorylate the PKCdelta hydrophobic site in vitro, whereas wild-type PKCzeta could not.

CONCLUSIONS

PKCzeta is identified as a component of the upstream kinase responsible for the phosphorylation of the PKCdelta hydrophobic site in vitro and in vivo. PKCzeta can therefore control the phosphorylation of this PKCdelta site, antagonizing a rapamycin-sensitive pathway.

The PIK-related kinases intercept conventional signaling pathways

Early efforts to place the first cloned mammalian PIK-related kinase, FRAP, into a conventional membrane to nuclear pathway met with little success. More recent data suggest that members of the family of PIK-related kinases act as intracellular sensors that govern radial and horizontal pathways. These pathways can impinge upon classical membrane to nuclear pathways, as well as components of the cell-cycle machinery.

Suboptimal cross-linking of antigen receptor induces Syk-dependent activation of p70S6 kinase through protein kinase C and phosphoinositol 3-kinase

Ligation of the B cell antigen receptor (BCR) induces a cascade of signaling pathways that lead to clonal expansion, differentiation, or abortive activation-induced apoptosis of B lymphocytes. BCR-mediated cross-linking induces the rapid phosphorylation of protein tyrosine kinases. However, the pathways leading to the activation of downstream serine/threonine kinases such as mitogen-activated protein kinase, p90(Rsk), and p70S6 kinase (p70(S6k)) that mediate reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton, cell cycle progression, gene transcription, and protein synthesis have not been delineated. We recently demonstrated that cross-linking of BCR leads to activation of p70(S6k) in B lymphocytes. In this report, we demonstrate that multiple protein tyrosine kinase-dependent signal transduction pathways induced by BCR lead to the activation of p70(S6k). These distinct pathways exhibit different thresholds with respect to the extent of receptor cross-linking required for their activation. Activation of p70(S6k) by suboptimal doses of anti-Ig is Syk-dependent and is mediated by protein kinase C and phosphoinositol 3-kinase. Moreover, the activation of p70(S6k) results in phosphorylation of S6 protein which is important for ribosomal protein synthesis and may be coupled to BCR-induced protein and DNA synthesis in primary murine B cells.

Bradykinin-stimulated protein synthesis by myocytes is dependent on the MAP kinase pathway and p70(S6K)

Bradykinin (BK) has a direct hypertrophic effect on rat ventricular cardiomyocytes (VCM) as defined by an increase in protein synthesis and an increase in atrial natriuretic peptide mRNA and secretion. In the current study, we have examined the dependence of BK-induced protein synthesis on activation of 90-kDa ribosomal S6 kinase (p90(rsk)) and 70-kDa S6 kinase (p70(S6K)). Both of these kinases possess the ability to phosphorylate the ribosomal protein S6, which plays an important role in initiating mRNA translation. Stimulation of adult VCM with 10 microM BK increased p90(rsk) activity by 2.5 +/- 0.3-fold and increased p70(S6K) activity by 2.0 +/- 0.3-fold. p90(rsk) is a terminal kinase in the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway. Inhibition of MAP kinase kinase activation by Raf in the MAP kinase pathway with PD-098059 (25 microM) blocked BK-stimulated activation of p90(rsk) by 70% and unexpectedly blocked p70(S6K) by 72%. Rapamycin inhibited BK-stimulated p70(S6K) activity by 93% but had no effect on p90(rsk) activation by BK. Inhibition of the MAP kinase pathway and p70(S6K) with PD-098059 was paralleled by changes in protein synthesis. BK (10 microM) increased [3H]phenylalanine incorporation by 27 +/- 3 and 39 +/- 6% in cultured adult and neonatal VCM, respectively. Treatment with PD-098059 or rapamycin abolished the increase in protein synthesis stimulated by BK. These results suggest that 1) BK activates p70(S6K) and p90(rsk); 2) although both p70(S6K) and p90(rsk) have the potential to phosphorylate the ribosomal S6 protein, p70(S6K) and not p90(rsk) is the predominant kinase involved in increasing protein synthesis by BK; and 3) p70(S6K) activation is dependent on stimulation of the MAP kinase pathway at a point distal to Raf.

p70 S6 kinase is regulated by protein kinase Czeta and participates in a phosphoinositide 3-kinase-regulated signalling complex

p70 S6 kinase (p70S6K) is an important regulator of cell proliferation. Its activation by growth factor requires phosphorylation by various inputs on multiple sites. Data accumulated thus far support a model whereby p70S6K activation requires sequential phosphorylations at proline-directed residues in the putative autoinhibitory pseudosubstrate domain, as well as threonine 389. Threonine 229, a site in the catalytic loop is phosphorylated by phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK-1). Experimental evidence suggests that p70S6K activation requires a phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-K)-dependent signal(s). However, the intermediates between PI3-K and p70S6K remain unclear. Here, we have identified PI3-K-regulated atypical protein kinase C (PKC) isoform PKCzeta as an upstream regulator of p70S6K. In coexpression experiments, we found that a kinase-inactive PKCzeta mutant antagonized activation of p70S6K by epidermal growth factor, PDK-1, and activated Cdc42 and PI3-K. While overexpression of a constitutively active PKCzeta mutant (myristoylated PKCzeta [myr-PKCzeta]) only modestly activated p70S6K, this mutant cooperated with PDK-1 activation of p70S6K. PDK-1-induced activation of a C-terminal truncation mutant of p70S6K was also enhanced by myr-PKCzeta. Moreover, we have found that p70S6K can associate with both PDK-1 and PKCzeta in vivo in a growth factor-independent manner, while PDK-1 and PKCzeta can also associate with each other, suggesting the existence of a multimeric PI3-K signalling complex. This work provides evidence for a link between a phorbol ester-insensitive PKC isoform and p70S6K. The existence of a PI3-K-dependent signalling complex may enable efficient activation of p70S6K in cells.

The Croonian Lecture 1998. Identification of a protein kinase cascade of major importance in insulin signal transduction

Diabetes affects 3% of the European population and 140 million people worldwide, and is largely a disease of insulin resistance in which the tissues fail to respond to this hormone. This emphasizes the importance of understanding how insulin signals to the cell's interior. We have recently dissected a protein kinase cascade that is triggered by the formation of the insulin 'second messenger' phosphatidylinositide (3,4,5) trisphosphate (PtdIns (3,4,5)P3) and which appears to mediate many of the metabolic actions of this hormone. The first enzyme in the cascade is termed 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1 (PDK1), because it only activates protein kinase B (PKB), the next enzyme in the pathway, in the presence of PtdIns (3,4,5)P3. PKB then inactivates glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3). PDK1, PKB and GSK3 regulate many physiological events by phosphorylating a variety of intracellular proteins. In addition, PKB plays an important role in mediating protection against apoptosis by survival factors, such as insulin-like growth factor-1.

Target of rapamycin (TOR): balancing the opposing forces of protein synthesis and degradation

Mitogenic and nutritional signals must be integrated for a cell to grow. The target of rapamycin (TOR) is emerging as an effector for signals which indicate to the cell whether the external environment is conducive for growth. Use of the immunosuppressant rapamycin, a bacterial macrolide, has been instructive in identifying potential signaling components downstream of TOR, leading to the observation that both protein synthesis and turnover are under TOR control. The central issues concerning TOR are the identification of the proliferative and anti-proliferative signals which mediate its function and the mechanisms by which these signals are transduced to downstream molecules.

Identification of kinase-phosphatase signaling modules composed of p70 S6 kinase-protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) and p21-activated kinase-PP2A

A growing body of evidence indicates that regulation of protein-serine/threonine phosphatase 2A (PP2A) involves its association with other cellular and viral proteins in multiprotein complexes. PP2A-containing protein complexes may exist that contribute to PP2A's important regulatory role in many cellular processes. To identify such protein complexes, PP2A was partially purified from rat brain soluble extracts following treatment with a reversible cross-linker to stabilize large molecular size forms of PP2A. Compared with native (uncross-linked) PP2A, cross-linked PP2A revealed an enrichment of p70 S6 kinase and two p21-activated kinases (PAK1 and PAK3) in the PP2A complex, indicating these kinases may associate with PP2A. The existence of protein kinase-PP2A complexes in rat brain soluble extracts was further substantiated by the following results: 1) independent immunoprecipitation of the kinases revealed that PP2A co-precipitated with p70 S6 kinase and the two PAK isoforms; 2) glutathione S-transferase fusion proteins of p70 S6 kinase and PAK3 each isolated PP2A; and 3) PAK3 and p70 S6 kinase bound to microcystin-Sepharose (an affinity resin for PP2A-PP1). Cumulatively, these findings provide evidence for association of PP2A with p70 S6 kinase, PAK1, and PAK3 in the context of the cellular environment. Moreover, together with the recent reports describing associations of PP2A with Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IV (Westphal, R. S., Anderson, K. A., Means, A. R., and Wadzinski, B. E. (1998) Science 280, 1258-1261) and casein kinase IIalpha (Heriche, J. K., Lebrin, F., Rabilloud, T., Leroy, D., Chambaz, E. M., and Goldberg, Y. (1997) Science 276, 952-955), the present data provide compelling evidence for the existence of protein kinase-PP2A signaling modules as a new paradigm for the control of various intracellular signaling cascades.

Distinct signal transduction pathways are utilized during the tube formation and survival phases of in vitro angiogenesis

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones, occurs during development, wound healing and cancer and involves stages that orchestrate a network of cooperative interactions. Peptide growth factors and extracellular matrix (ECM) components are two major groups of angiogenesis mediators. Among the different ECM proteins, collagens have been well-associated with in vivo angiogenesis. Using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) grown in 3-D collagen gels we show that: (1) HUVEC do not survive well in 3-D collagen gels due to rapid induction of apoptosis. (2) VEGF, a potent in vivo angiogenic factor, fails to induce tube formation. (3) PMA was effective in inducing tube formation and survival in HUVEC dispersed in 3-D collagen gels, activating MAP kinase, phosphoinositide 3-OH kinase (PI-3-kinase) and Akt/PKB (protein kinase B) pathways. (4) VEGF was effective in preventing PMA-induced tube-like structure regression after PMA-withdrawal by (5) activating the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK), rather than the Akt/PKB, signaling pathway.

Cloning and characterization of p70(S6K beta) defines a novel family of p70 S6 kinases

The human cDNA encoding a novel protein serine/threonine kinase most closely related to p70 S6 kinase was isolated from the human erythroleukemia cDNA library and termed p70(S6Kbeta). p70(S6Kbeta) has 67% amino acid identity in overall sequence with human p70(S6K), and the potential phosphorylation sites of p70(S6K) are conserved in p70(S6Kbeta). Northern blot analysis identified two major transcripts of p70(S6Kbeta) that are ubiquitously expressed in human adult tissues. Similar to p70(S6K), p70(S6Kbeta) was activated by serum stimulation, and the serum-induced activation was inhibited by wortmannin and rapamycin. These findings suggest that p70(S6Kbeta) is an isoform of p70(S6K) with similar regulatory mechanisms.

The role of PI 3-kinase in insulin action

This review focuses on the recent advances made in our understanding of the mechanism by which insulin induces the activation of PI 3-kinase(s) whose role is to generate 3-phosphoinositide lipids which are the second messenger of the insulin signalling pathway. The mechanism by which these signalling molecules induce the activation of downstream signalling pathways leading to the activation of protein kinase B (PKB, also known as Akt) and other kinases is also discussed. PKB is likely to be a major mediator of many of the physiological responses of a cell to insulin and likely physiological cellular targets of this enzyme are highlighted.

The TOR nutrient signalling pathway phosphorylates NPR1 and inhibits turnover of the tryptophan permease

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae targets of rapamycin, TOR1 and TOR2, signal activation of cell growth in response to nutrient availability. Loss of TOR or rapamycin treatment causes yeast cells to arrest growth in early G1 and to express several other physiological properties of starved (G0) cells. As part of this starvation response, high affinity amino acid permeases such as the tryptophan permease TAT2 are targeted to the vacuole and degraded. Here we show that the TOR signalling pathway phosphorylates the Ser/Thr kinase NPR1 and thereby inhibits the starvation-induced turnover of TAT2. Overexpression of NPR1 inhibits growth and induces the degradation of TAT2, whereas loss of NPR1 confers resistance to rapamycin and to FK506, an inhibitor of amino acid import. NPR1 is controlled by TOR and the type 2A phosphatase-associated protein TAP42. First, overexpression of NPR1 is toxic only when TOR function is reduced. Secondly, NPR1 is rapidly dephosphorylated in the absence of TOR. Thirdly, NPR1 dephosphorylation does not occur in a rapamycin-resistant tap42 mutant. Thus, the TOR nutrient signalling pathway also controls growth by inhibiting a stationary phase (G0) programme. The control of NPR1 by TOR is analogous to the control of p70 s6 kinase and 4E-BP1 by mTOR in mammalian cells.

Disruption of the p70(s6k)/p85(s6k) gene reveals a small mouse phenotype and a new functional S6 kinase

Recent studies have shown that the p70(s6k)/p85(s6k) signaling pathway plays a critical role in cell growth by modulating the translation of a family of mRNAs termed 5'TOPs, which encode components of the protein synthetic apparatus. Here we demonstrate that homozygous disruption of the p70(s6k)/p85(s6k) gene does not affect viability or fertility of mice, but that it has a significant effect on animal growth, especially during embryogenesis. Surprisingly, S6 phosphorylation in liver or in fibroblasts from p70(s6k)/p85(s6k)-deficient mice proceeds normally in response to mitogen stimulation. Furthermore, serum-induced S6 phosphorylation and translational up-regulation of 5'TOP mRNAs were equally sensitive to the inhibitory effects of rapamycin in mouse embryo fibroblasts derived from p70(s6k)/p85(s6k)-deficient and wild-type mice. A search of public databases identified a novel p70(s6k)/p85(s6k) homolog which contains the same regulatory motifs and phosphorylation sites known to control kinase activity. This newly identified gene product, termed S6K2, is ubiquitously expressed and displays both mitogen-dependent and rapamycin-sensitive S6 kinase activity. More striking, in p70(s6k)/p85(s6k)-deficient mice, the S6K2 gene is up-regulated in all tissues examined, especially in thymus, a main target of rapamycin action. The finding of a new S6 kinase gene, which can partly compensate for p70(s6k)/p85(s6k) function, underscores the importance of S6K function in cell growth.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel p70 S6 kinase, p70 S6 kinase beta containing a proline-rich region

A novel ribosomal S6 kinase, termed p70 S6 kinase beta (p70beta), which has a highly conserved amino acid sequence compared with that of p70/p85 S6 kinase (p70alpha) within the catalytic, kinase extension, and autoinhibitory pseudosubstrate domains, was identified. However, the amino acid sequence of p70beta differs from that of p70alpha in the noncatalytic amino-terminal region and in the carboxyl-terminal tail, which contains a proline-rich region. The majority of the regulatory phosphorylation sites identified in p70alpha are conserved in p70beta. Two isoforms of p70beta, referred to as beta1 (495 amino acids) and beta2 (482 amino acids), could be expressed from the single gene either by alternative mRNA splicing or by the use of alternative start codons. Here we report the characterization of p70beta2. Similarly to p70alpha, the catalytic activity of p70beta toward ribosomal protein S6 could be rapidly activated by serum, insulin, and phorbol ester in transiently transfected cells. The p70beta kinase was found to be significantly less sensitive to wortmannin and rapamycin than p70alpha. These results indicate that p70beta has the potential to participate in the regulation of protein synthesis and the cell cycle.

Glycogen synthase kinase 3beta and extracellular signal-regulated kinase inactivate heat shock transcription factor 1 by facilitating the disappearance of transcriptionally active granules after heat shock

Heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF-1) activates the transcription of heat shock genes in eukaryotes. Under normal physiological growth conditions, HSF-1 is a monomer. Its transcriptional activity is repressed by constitutive phosphorylation. Upon activation, HSF-1 forms trimers, acquires DNA binding activity, increases transcriptional activity, and appears as punctate granules in the nucleus. In this study, using bromouridine incorporation and confocal laser microscopy, we demonstrated that newly synthesized pre-mRNAs colocalize to the HSF-1 punctate granules after heat shock, suggesting that these granules are sites of transcription. We further present evidence that glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK-3beta) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase mitogen-activated protein kinase (ERK MAPK) participate in the down regulation of HSF-1 transcriptional activity. Transient increases in the expression of GSK-3beta facilitate the disappearance of HSF-1 punctate granules and reduce hsp-70 transcription after heat shock. We have also shown that ERK is the priming kinase for GSK-3beta. Taken together, these results indicate that GSK-3beta and ERK MAPK facilitate the inactivation of activated HSF-1 after heat shock by dispersing HSF-1 from the sites of transcription.

Posttranscriptional control of adipocyte differentiation through activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase

Differentiation of adipocytes is an important aspect of energy homeostasis. Although the transcriptional regulation of adipocyte differentiation is relatively well characterized, the subsequent molecular events remain unclear. The activity of phosphoinositide (PI) 3-kinase precipitated with antibodies to phosphotyrosine has now been shown to increase transiently during adipocyte differentiation of 3T3-F442A and of 3T3-L1 cells. PI 3-kinase activity precipitated with antibodies to insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) and association of subunits of PI 3-kinase with IRS1 were also increased at this stage of differentiation, suggesting that IRS1 contributes to PI 3-kinase activation. Inhibition of the activation of PI 3-kinase by expression of dominant negative mutant subunits of the enzyme prevented adipogenesis, as assessed by lipid accumulation and expression of key adipocyte proteins such as GLUT4, adipsin, and aP2, suggesting that PI 3-kinase activation is essential for adipocyte differentiation. However, these mutant proteins did not affect either the expression of the transcription factor PPARgamma at the mRNA or protein level or the increase in the abundance of mRNAs encoding the adipocyte marker proteins. These results demonstrate that adipocyte differentiation is regulated at the posttranscriptional level and that activation of PI 3-kinase is required for this regulation.

Inhibition of RNA polymerase III transcription by a ribosome-associated kinase activity

Ribosomes prepared from somatic tissue of Xenopus laevis inhibit transcription by RNA polymerase III. This observation parallels an earlier report that a high speed fraction from activated egg extract, which is enrichedin ribosomes, inhibits RNA polymerase III activityand destabilizes putative transcription complexes assembled on oocyte 5S rRNA genes. Transcription of somatic- and oocyte-type 5S rRNA genes and a tRNA gene are all repressed in the present experiments. We find that 5S rRNA genes incubated in S150 extract prepared from immature oocytes exhibit an extensive DNase I protection pattern that is nearly identical to that of the ternary complex of TFIIIA and TFIIIC bound to a somatic 5S rRNA gene. The complexes formed in this extract are stable at concentrations of ribosomes that completely repress transcription, indicating that formation of the TFIII(A+C) complex is not the target of inhibition. Ribosomes taken through a high salt treatment no longer repress transcription of class III genes, establishing that the inhibition is due to an associated factor and not the particle itself. The inhibitory activity released from ribosomes is inactivated by treatment with proteinase K, but not micrococcal nuclease. Preincubation of ribosomes with a general protein kinase inhibitor, 6-dimethylaminopurine, eliminates repression of transcription. Western blot analysis demonstrates that p34(cdc2), which is known to mediate repression of transcription by RNA polymerase III, is present in these preparations of ribosomes and can be released from the particles upon extraction with high salt. These results establish that a kinase activity, possibly p34(cdc2), is the actual agent responsible for the observed inhibition of transcription by ribosomes.

Atypical protein kinase Clambda binds and regulates p70 S6 kinase

p70 S6 kinase (p70 S6K) has been implicated in the regulation of cell cycle progression. However, the mechanism of its activation is not fully understood. In the present work, evidence is provided that an atypical protein kinase C (PKC) isotype, PKClambda, is indispensable, but not sufficient, for the activation of p70 S6K. Both the regulatory and kinase domains of PKClambda associate directly with p70 S6K. Overexpression of the kinase domain without kinase activity or the regulatory domain of PKClambda results in the suppression of the serum-induced activation of p70 S6K. In addition, two types of dominant-negative mutants of PKClambda, as well as a kinase-deficient mutant of p70 S6K, suppress serum-induced DNA synthesis and E2F activation. The overexpresion of the active form of PKClambda, however, fails to activate p70 S6K. These results suggest that PKClambda is a mediator in the regulation of p70 S6K activity and plays an important role in cell cycle progression.

Temporal activation of p70 S6 kinase and Akt1 by insulin: PI 3-kinase-dependent and -independent mechanisms

Several studies have suggested that activation of p70 ribosomal S6 kinase (p70 S6 kinase) by insulin may be mediated by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase)-Akt pathway. However, by temporal analysis of the activation of each kinase in L6 muscle cells, we report that the activation of the two serine/threonine kinases (Akt and p70 S6 kinase) can be dissociated. Insulin stimulated p70 S6 kinase in intact cells in two phases. The first phase (5 min) of stimulation was fully inhibited by wortmannin (IC50 = 20 nM) and LY-294002 (full inhibition at 5 microM). After this early inhibition, p70 S6 kinase was gradually stimulated by insulin in the presence of 100 nM wortmannin. After 30 min, the stimulation was 65% of the maximum attained in the absence of wortmannin. The IC50 of wortmannin for inhibition of this second phase was approximately 150 nM. In contrast, activation of Akt1 by insulin was completely inhibited by 100 nM wortmannin at all time points investigated. Inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase kinase with PD-098059 (10 microM) or treatment with the protein kinase C inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide (10 microM) had no effect on the late phase of insulin stimulation of p70 S6 kinase. We have previously shown that GLUT-1 protein synthesis in these cells is stimulated by insulin via the mTOR-p70 S6 kinase pathway, based on its sensitivity to rapamycin. We therefore investigated whether the signals leading to GLUT-1 synthesis correlated with the early or late phase of stimulation of p70 S6 kinase. GLUT-1 synthesis was not inhibited by wortmannin (100 nM). In summary, insulin activates p70 ribosomal S6 kinase in L6 muscle cells by two mechanisms, one dependent on and one independent of the activation of PI 3-kinase. In addition, activation of Akt1 is fully inhibited by wortmannin, suggesting that Akt1 does not participate in the late activation of p70 S6 kinase. Wortmannin-sensitive PI 3-kinases and Akt1 are not required for insulin stimulation of GLUT-1 protein biosynthesis.

Differential activation of p70 and p85 S6 kinase isoforms during cardiac hypertrophy in the adult mammal

An adult feline right ventricular pressure overload (RVPO) model was used to examine the two S6 kinase (S6K) isoforms, p70(S6K) and p85(S6K), that are involved in translational and transcriptional activation. Biochemical and confocal microscopy analyses at the level of the cardiocyte revealed that p70(S6K) is present predominantly in the cytosol, substantially activated in 1-h RVPO (>12 fold), and phosphorylated in the pseudosubstrate domain at the Ser-411, Thr-421, and Ser-424 sites. p85(S6K), which was localized exclusively in the nucleus, showed activation subsequent to p70(S6K), with a sustained increase in phosphorylation for up to 48 h of RVPO at equivalent sites of p70(S6K), Thr-421 and Ser-424, but not at Ser-411. Neither isoform translocated between the cytosol and the nucleus. Further studies to determine potential upstream elements of S6K activation revealed: (i) similar time course of activation for protein kinase C isoforms (alpha, gamma, and epsilon) and c-Raf, (ii) absence of accompanying phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activation, (iii) activation of c-Src subsequent to p70(S6K), and (iv) similar changes in adult cardiocytes after treatment with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. Thus, these studies suggest that a protein kinase C-mediated pathway couples pressure overload to growth induction via differential activation of S6K isoforms in cardiac hypertrophy.

mu-Opioid receptor activates signaling pathways implicated in cell survival and translational control

The mu-opioid receptor mediates the analgesic and addictive properties of morphine. Despite the clinical importance of this G-protein-coupled receptor and many years of pharmacological research, few intracellular signaling mechanisms triggered by morphine and other mu-opioid agonists have been described. We report that mu-opioid agonists stimulate three different effectors of a phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-dependent signaling cascade. By using a cell line stably transfected with the mu-opioid receptor cDNA, we show that the specific agonist [D-Ala2,N-Me-Phe4,Gly5-ol]enkephalin (DAMGO) stimulates the activity of Akt, a serine/threonine protein kinase implicated in protecting neurons from apoptosis. Activation of Akt by DAMGO correlates with its phosphorylation at serine 473. The selective PI3K inhibitors wortmannin and LY294002 blocked phosphorylation of this site, previously shown to be necessary for Akt enzymatic activity. DAMGO also stimulates the phosphorylation of two other downstream effectors of PI3K, the p70 S6 kinase and the repressors of mRNA translation, 4E-BP1 and 4E-BP2. Upon mu-opioid receptor stimulation, p70 S6 kinase is activated and phosphorylated at threonine 389 and at threonine 421/serine 424. Phosphorylation of p70 S6 kinase and 4E-BP1 is also repressed by PI3K inhibitors as well as by rapamycin, the selective inhibitor of FRAP/mTOR. Consistent with these findings, DAMGO-stimulated phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 impairs its ability to bind the translation initiation factor eIF-4E. These results demonstrate that the mu-opioid receptor activates signaling pathways associated with neuronal survival and translational control, two processes implicated in neuronal development and synaptic plasticity.

ErbB-1 and ErbB-2 acquire distinct signaling properties dependent upon their dimerization partner

The different epidermal growth factor (EGF)-related peptides elicit a diverse array of biological responses as the result of their ability to activate distinct subsets of ErbB receptor dimers, leading to the recruitment of different intracellular signaling networks. To specifically examine dimerization-dependent modulation of receptor signaling, we constructed NIH 3T3 cell lines expressing ErbB-1 and ErbB-2 singly and in pairwise combinations with each other ErbB family member. This model system allowed the comparison of EGF-activated ErbB-1 with ErbB-1 activated by Neu differentiation factor (NDF)-induced heterodimerization with ErbB-4. In both cases, ErbB-1 coupled to the adaptor protein Shc, but only when activated by EGF was it able to interact with Grb2. Compared to the rapid internalization of EGF-activated ErbB-1, NDF-activated ErbB-1 showed delayed internalization characteristics. Furthermore, the p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol kinase (PI3-K) associated with EGF-activated ErbB-1 in a biphasic manner, whereas association with ErbB-1 transactivated by ErbB-4 was monophasic. The signaling properties of ErbB-2 following heterodimerization with the other ErbB receptors or homodimerization induced by point mutation or monoclonal antibody treatment were also analyzed. ErbB-2 binding to peptides containing the Src homology 2 domain of Grb2 or p85 and the phosphotyrosine binding domain of Shc varied according to the mode of receptor activation. Finally, tryptic phosphopeptide mapping of both ErbB-1 and ErbB-2 revealed that receptor phosphorylation is dependent on the dimerization partner. Differential receptor phosphorylation may, therefore, be the basis for the differences in the signaling properties observed.

Requirement of the serine-threonine kinase Akt for heat treatment-induced activation of p70 S6 kinase

p70 S6 kinase plays an important role in growth factor-induced translational control and in cell cycle progression. Although the mechanism of p70 S6 kinase regulation is not fully understood, phosphorylation of serine and threonine residues of the enzyme is essential for its activation. The possible role of the serine-threonine kinase Akt in the activation of p70 S6 kinase induced by exposure of cells to heat has now been investigated. Overexpression of a mutant Akt1 (Akt-AA) in which the phosphorylation sites (Thr308 and Ser473) targeted by growth factors are replaced by alanine was shown to exert a dominant negative effect on Akt activation induced by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) or by heat treatment in CHO cells. Akt-AA also inhibited p70 S6 kinase activation induced by these stimuli. However, Akt-AA had no effect on the activation of p70 S6 kinase induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate, which did not stimulate Akt activity in these cells. These data suggest that Akt is required for heat treatment-induced activation of p70 S6 kinase.

Requirement for activation of the serine-threonine kinase Akt (protein kinase B) in insulin stimulation of protein synthesis but not of glucose transport

A wide variety of biological activities including the major metabolic actions of insulin is regulated by phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase. However, the downstream effectors of the various signaling pathways that emanate from PI 3-kinase remain unclear. Akt (protein kinase B), a serine-threonine kinase with a pleckstrin homology domain, is thought to be one such downstream effector. A mutant Akt (Akt-AA) in which the phosphorylation sites (Thr308 and Ser473) targeted by growth factors are replaced by alanine has now been shown to lack protein kinase activity and, when overexpressed in CHO cells or 3T3-L1 adipocytes with the use of an adenovirus vector, to inhibit insulin-induced activation of endogenous Akt. Akt-AA thus acts in a dominant negative manner in intact cells. Insulin-stimulated protein synthesis, which is sensitive to wortmannin, a pharmacological inhibitor of PI 3-kinase, was abolished by overexpression of Akt-AA without an effect on amino acid transport into the cells, suggesting that Akt is required for insulin-stimulated protein synthesis. Insulin activation of p70 S6 kinase was inhibited by approximately 75% in CHO cells and approximately 30% in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, whereas insulin-induced activation of endogenous Akt was inhibited by 80 to 95%, by expression of Akt-AA. Thus, Akt activity appears to be required, at least in part, for insulin stimulation of p70 S6 kinase. However, insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in both CHO cells and 3T3-L1 adipocytes was not affected by overexpression of Akt-AA, suggesting that Akt is not required for this effect of insulin. These data indicate that Akt acts as a downstream effector in some, but not all, of the signaling pathways downstream of PI 3-kinase.

Phosphorylation sites in the autoinhibitory domain participate in p70(s6k) activation loop phosphorylation

Here we have employed p70(s6k) truncation and point mutants to elucidate the role played by the carboxyl-terminal autoinhibitory domain S/TP phosphorylation sites in kinase activation. Earlier studies showed that truncation of the p70(s6k) amino terminus severely impaired kinase activation but that this effect was reversed by deleting the carboxyl terminus, which in parallel led to deregulation of Thr229 phosphorylation in the activation loop (Dennis, P. B., Pullen, N., Kozma, S. C., and Thomas, G. (1996) Mol. Cell. Biol. 16, 6242-6251). In this study, substitution of acidic residues for the four autoinhibitory domain S/TP sites mimics the carboxyl-terminal deletion largely by rescuing kinase activation caused by the amino-terminal truncation. However, these mutations do not deregulate Thr229 phosphorylation, suggesting the involvement of another regulatory element in the intact kinase. This element appears to be Thr389 phosphorylation, because substitution of an acidic residue at this position in the p70(s6k) variant containing the S/TP mutations leads to a large increase in basal Thr229 phosphorylation and kinase activity. In contrast, an alanine substitution at Thr389 blocks both responses. Consistent with these data, we show that a mutant harboring the acidic S/TP and Thr389 substitutions is an excellent in vitro substrate for the newly identified Thr229 kinase, phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 (Pullen, N., Dennis, P. B., Andjelkovic, M., Dufner, A., Kozma, S., Hemmings, B. A., and Thomas, G. (1998) Science 279, 707-710), whereas phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 poorly utilizes the two p70(s6k) variants that have only one set of mutations. These findings indicate that phosphorylation of the S/TP sites, in cooperation with Thr389 phosphorylation, controls Thr229 phosphorylation through an intrasteric mechanism.

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) receptor-insulin receptor substrate complexes in the uterus. Altered signaling response to estradiol in the IGF-1(m/m) mouse

Some of the actions of estradiol occur through stimulation of growth factor pathways in target organs. Tyrosine-phosphorylated (Tyr(P)) insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) and the insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 are found in the uterus of mice treated with estradiol. Immunoprecipitates of uterine Tyr(P) IRS-1 contained both p85, the regulatory subunit of phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase, and PI 3-kinase catalytic activity. Estradiol also stimulated binding of IRS-1 and PI 3-kinase to the IGF-1R. Depletion of IRS-1 from uterine extracts reduced PI 3-kinase associated with the receptor, which suggests that binding of the enzyme to IGF-1R occurs primarily in a complex that also contains IRS-1. Following treatment with estradiol, formation of Tyr(P) IGF-1R, Tyr(P) IRS-1, and the p85.IRS-1 complex was very weak in the uterus of IGF-1(m/m) mice, which are severely deficient in IGF-1. This indicated that most, if not all, of the estradiol-stimulated Tyr phosphorylation of uterine IRS-1 originates from ligand activation of IGF-1R kinase. IRS-2 was also Tyr-phosphorylated in the normal uterus and bound more IGF-1R and p85 in response to estradiol; however, a marked decrease in levels of uterine IRS-2 occurred 12-24 h after treatment with estradiol. Since IRS-2 was present in IGF-1R precipitates and a recombinant form of IGF-1 (long R3 IGF-1) stimulated formation of Tyr(P) IRS-2, hormonal activation of this docking protein probably occurs through the IGF-1R. In summary, our findings show that estrogen activation of uterine IGF-1R kinase results in enhanced binding of p85 (PI 3-kinase) to IRS-1 and IRS-2. The formation of one or both of these complexes may be important for the potent mitogenic action of this steroid. That estradiol stimulated a decrease of IRS-2, but not of IRS-1, suggests that these docking proteins have different roles in hormone-induced signaling in the uterus.

Translation control: connecting mitogens and the ribosome

The identification of 3-phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1) as one of the elusive 70 kDa S6 kinase kinases has filled a gap in the signaling pathway by which extracellular receptors regulate translation. Will it cause us to reconsider the relationships between previously identified members of the pathway?

Signaling through CD5 activates a pathway involving phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, Vav, and Rac1 in human mature T lymphocytes

CD5 acts as a coreceptor on T lymphocytes and plays an important role in T-cell signaling and T-cell-B-cell interactions. Costimulation of T lymphocytes with anti-CD5 antibodies results in an increase of the intracellular Ca2+ levels, and subsequently in the activation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent (CaM) kinase type IV. In the present study, we have characterized the initial signaling pathway induced by anti-CD5 costimulation. The activation of phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase through tyrosine phosphorylation of its p85 subunit is a proximal event in the CD5-signaling pathway and leads to the activation of the lipid kinase activity of the p110 subunit. The PI 3-kinase inhibitors wortmannin and LY294002 inhibit the CD5-induced response as assessed in interleukin-2 (IL-2) secretion experiments. The expression of an inactivated Rac1 mutant (Rac1.N17) in T lymphocytes transfected with an IL-2 promoter-driven reporter construct also abrogates the response to CD5 costimulation, while the expression of a constitutively active Rac1 mutant (Rac1-V12) completely replaces the CD5 costimulatory signal. The Rac1-specific guanine nucleotide exchange factor Vav is heavily phosphorylated on tyrosine residues upon CD5 costimulation, which is a prerequisite for its activation. A role for Vav in the CD5-induced signaling pathway is further supported by the findings that the expression of a dominant negative Vav mutant (Vav-C) completely abolishes the response to CD5 costimulation while the expression of a constitutively active Vav mutant [Vav(delta1-65)] makes the CD5 costimulation signal superfluous. Wortmannin is unable to block the Vav(delta1-65)- or Rac1.V12-induced signals, indicating that both Vav and Rac1 function downstream from PI 3-kinase. Vav and Rac1 both act upstream from the CD5-induced activation of CaM kinase IV, since KN-62, an inhibitor of CaM kinases, and a dominant negative CaM kinase IV mutant block the Vav(delta1-65)-and Rac1.V12-mediated signals. We propose a model for the CD5-induced signaling pathway in which the PI 3-kinase lipid products, together with tyrosine phosphorylation, activate Vav, resulting in the activation of Rac1 by the Vav-mediated exchange of GDP for GTP.

Mechanism of activation and function of protein kinase B

The past year has seen significant advances in our understanding of how protein kinase B (PKB) is activated and of the central role it plays in insulin signalling and in mediating the protective effects of survival factors against apoptosis. The highlights include the discovery of a protein kinase required for the 3-phosphoinositide-dependent activation of PKB and the identification of several physiological substrates for PKB.

Phosphorylation and activation of p70s6k by PDK1

Activation of the protein p70s6k by mitogens leads to increased translation of a family of messenger RNAs that encode essential components of the protein synthetic apparatus. Activation of the kinase requires hierarchical phosphorylation at multiple sites, culminating in the phosphorylation of the threonine in position 229 (Thr229), in the catalytic domain. The homologous site in protein kinase B (PKB), Thr308, has been shown to be phosphorylated by the phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase PDK1. A regulatory link between p70s6k and PKB was demonstrated, as PDK1 was found to selectively phosphorylate p70s6k at Thr229. More importantly, PDK1 activated p70s6k in vitro and in vivo, whereas the catalytically inactive PDK1 blocked insulin-induced activation of p70s6k.

TOR signalling and control of cell growth

TOR, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, p70s6k, and 4E-BP1 have recently emerged as components of a major signalling pathway that is dedicated to protein translation and thus to cell growth. This pathway appears to be conserved, at least in part, in yeast, slime molds, plants, flies, and mammals. TOR and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase control p70s6k and 4E-BP1, which, in turn, directly control the translation initiation machinery.

The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21cip1 mediates the growth inhibitory effect of phorbol esters in human venous endothelial cells

Long-term application of the phorbol ester phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) inhibits the proliferation of human venous endothelial cells. The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21cip1 is a potential candidate mediating the PDBu-induced delayed entry of the cells into S-phase (by approximately 10 h when compared with cells stimulated with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)). Levels of p21cip1 (protein and mRNA) rapidly rise (within approximately 2 h) in endothelial cells treated with the active isomer beta-PDBu, but not with alpha-PDBu; this effect is blocked by the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-1 (Mek1) inhibitor PD098059 and by the protein kinase C (PKC) antagonists GF109203X and rottlerin (selective for PKC-delta), but not Gö 6976 (selective for Ca2+-dependent PKC isoforms). Rapamycin blocks the PDBu-induced accumulation of p21cip1 (but not of the cognate mRNA), indicating an action of PKC on p21(cip1) mRNA translation. If endothelial cells are recruited into the cell cycle by bFGF, p21cip1 mRNA and protein levels rise initially (within 2 h) and decline subsequently such that p21cip1 drops to a minimum prior to the initiation of DNA synthesis (i.e. after approximately 12 h). In bFGF-stimulated cells, changes in p21cip1 mRNA and protein are strictly linked. In contrast, the levels of p21cip1 mRNA decline substantially (>10 h) before the protein decreases in PDBu-stimulated cells. Thus, PKC (presumably PKC-delta) regulates the amounts of p21cip1 in endothelial cells at the level of mRNA accumulation and translation, leading to a rapid and robust induction; following persistent PKC activation, p21(cip1) remains elevated despite reduced mRNA levels, indicating an enhanced stability of the protein. The bFGF-mediated increase in p21cip1 is blocked by the Mek1 inhibitor, but not by GF109203X; hence, in endothelial cells, induction of p21cip1 by PKC- and growth factor-dependent signaling is achieved by distinct pathways that converge and require activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade. The beta-PDBu-induced delayed S-phase entry and drop in p21cip1 are reversed if GF109203X is added 4 h after beta-PDBu to prevent persistent PKC activation. These observations indicate a cause and effect relation between sustained p21cip1 elevations and the delay in S-phase entry induced by beta-PDBu.

Dual requirement for a newly identified phosphorylation site in p70s6k

The activation of p70s6k is associated with multiple phosphorylations at two sets of sites. The first set, S411, S418, T421, and S424, reside within the autoinhibitory domain, and each contains a hydrophobic residue at -2 and a proline at +1. The second set of sites, T229 (in the catalytic domain) and T389 and S404 (in the linker region), are rapamycin sensitive and flanked by bulky aromatic residues. Here we describe the identification and mutational analysis of three new phosphorylation sites, T367, S371, and T447, all of which have a recognition motif similar to that of the first set of sites. A mutation of T367 or T447 to either alanine or glutamic acid had no apparent effect on p70s6k activity, whereas similar mutations of S371 abolished kinase activity. Of these three sites and their surrounding motifs, only S371 is conserved in p70s6k homologs from Drosophila melanogaster, Arabidopsis thaliana, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, as well as many members of the protein kinase C family. Serum stimulation increased S371 phosphorylation; unlike the situation for specific members of the protein kinase C family, where the homologous site is regulated by autophosphorylation, S371 phosphorylation is regulated by an external mechanism. Phosphopeptide analysis of S371 mutants further revealed that the loss of activity in these variants was paralleled by a block in serum-induced T389 phosphorylation, a phosphorylation site previously shown to be essential for kinase activity. Nevertheless, the substitution of an acidic residue at T389, which mimics phosphorylation at this site, did not rescue mutant p70s6k activity, indicating that S371 phosphorylation plays an independent role in regulating intrinsic kinase activity.