5728

PTEN

10q23del|BZS|CWS1|DEC|GLM2|MHAM|MMAC1|PTEN1|TEP1;phosphatase and tensin homolog;PTEN;phosphatase and tensin homolog

MMAC1 phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10|mitochondrial PTENalpha|mitochondrial phosphatase and tensin protein alpha|mutated in multiple advanced cancers 1|phosphatase and tensin-like protein|phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate 3-

10q23.3

protein-coding

Germ-line mutations of LKB1 and PTEN tumor suppressor genes underlie the phenotypically related Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) and Cowden disease (CD), respectively. To analyze possible developmental roles of PTEN and LKB1, we have studied their mRNA expression during mouse embryonic development (E7-17.5) by in situ hybridization. Ubiquitous expression of both genes during early stages (E7-11) became more restricted in later embryonic development (E15-19) where LKB1 and PTEN showed prominent overlapping expression in e.g. gastrointestinal tract and lung. In contrast, LKB1 was selectively expressed at high levels in testis and PTEN was prominently expressed in skin epithelium and underlying mesenchyme. These results indicate that LKB1 and PTEN display largely overlapping expression patterns during embryonic development. Moreover, a high expression of these genes was observed in the tissues and organs affected in PJS and CD patients and in PTEN+/- mice.

PTEN is a recently identified tumor suppressor inactivated in a variety of cancers such as glioblastoma and endometrial and prostate carcinoma. It contains an amino-terminal phosphatase domain and acts as a phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate phosphatase antagonizing the activity of the phosphatidylinositol 3-OH kinase. PTEN also contains a carboxyl-terminal domain, and we addressed the role of this region that, analogous to the amino-terminal phosphatase domain, is the target of many mutations identified in tumors. expression of carboxyl-terminal mutants in PTEN-deficient glioblastoma cells permitted the anchorage-independent growth of the cells that otherwise was suppressed by wild-type PTEN. The stability of these mutants in cells was reduced because of rapid degradation. Although the carboxyl-terminal region contains regulatory PEST sequences and a PDZ-binding motif, these specific elements were dispensable for the tumor-suppressor function. The study of carboxyl-terminal point mutations affecting the stability of PTEN revealed that these were located in strongly predicted beta-strands. Surprisingly, the phosphatase activity of these mutants was affected in correlation with the degree of disruption of these structural elements. We conclude that the carboxyl-terminal region is essential for regulating PTEN stability and enzymatic activity and that mutations in this region are responsible for the reversion of the tumor-suppressor phenotype. We also propose that the molecular conformational changes induced by these mutations constitute the mechanism for PTEN inactivation.

The PTEN tumor suppressor is mutated in diverse human cancers and in hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes. PTEN is a phosphatase that can act on both polypeptide and phosphoinositide substrates in vitro. The PTEN structure reveals a phosphatase domain that is similar to protein phosphatases but has an enlarged active site important for the accommodation of the phosphoinositide substrate. The structure also reveals that PTEN has a C2 domain. The PTEN C2 domain binds phospholipid membranes in vitro, and mutation of basic residues that could mediate this reduces PTENs membrane affinity and its ability to suppress the growth of glioblastoma tumor cells. The phosphatase and C2 domains associate across an extensive interface, suggesting that the C2 domain may serve to productively position the catalytic domain on the membrane.

PTEN/MMAC is a phosphatase that is mutated in multiple human tumors. PTEN/MMAC dephosphorylates 3-phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol phosphates that activate AKT/protein kinase B (PKB) kinase activity. AKT/PKB is implicated in the inhibition of apoptosis, and cell lines and tumors with mutated PTEN/MMAC show increased AKT/PKB kinase activity and resistance to apoptosis. PTEN/MMAC contains a PDZ domain-binding site, and we show here that the phosphatase binds to a PDZ domain of membrane-associated guanylate kinase with inverted orientation (MAGI) 3, a novel inverted membrane-associated guanylate kinase that localizes to epithelial cell tight junctions. Importantly, MAGI3 and PTEN/MMAC cooperate to modulate the kinase activity of AKT/PKB. These data suggest that MAGI3 allows for the juxtaposition of PTEN/MMAC to phospholipid signaling pathways involved with cell survival.

PTEN is a tumor suppressor gene mutated in human cancers. Although many mutations target the phosphatase domain, others create a truncated protein lacking the C-terminal PDZ-binding motif or a protein that extends beyond the PDZ-binding motif. Using the yeast two-hybrid system, we isolated a membrane-associated guanylate kinase family protein with multiple PDZ domains [AIP-1 (atrophin interacting protein 1), renamed MAGI-2 (membrane associated guanylate kinase inverted-2)]. MAGI-2 contains eight potential protein-protein interaction domains and is localized to tight junctions in the membrane of epithelial cells. PTEN binds to MAGI-2 through an interaction between the PDZ-binding motif of PTEN and the second PDZ domain of MAGI-2. MAGI-2 enhances the ability of PTEN to suppress Akt activation. Furthermore, certain PTEN mutants have reduced stability, which is restored by adding the minimal PDZ-binding motif back to the truncated protein. We propose that MAGI-2 improves the efficiency of PTEN signaling through assembly of a multiprotein complex at the cell membrane.

A recently identified putative tumor-suppressor gene, PTEN, at 10q23 has been described as mutated or homozygously deleted in many different human tumors. To determine the role of the homozygous deletion of this PTEN gene in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), we screened two cell lines derived from the latter tissue and 28 tumor samples from patients with OSCC, using a differential display polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system and, direct DNA sequencing methods. All of the nine exons of the PTEN could be successfully amplified using DNA from tumor tissues and the cell lines using this system. DNA sequencing confirmed the accuracy of the PCR procedures. However, none of the samples, either from the cancer tissues or from the cell lines, showed homozygous deletion of PTEN. These data suggest that homozygous deletion of the PTEN gene is unlikely to be a feature of OSCCs.

Cardiac hypertrophy is a complex process involving the coordinated actions of many genes. In a high throughput screen designed to identify transcripts that are actively translated during cardiac hypertrophy, we identified a number of genes with established links to hypertrophy, including those coding for Sp3, c-Jun, annexin II, cathepsin B, and HB-EGF, thus showing the general utility of the screen. Focusing on a candidate transcript that has not been previously linked to hypertrophy, we found that protein levels of the tumor suppressor PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homologue on chromosome ten) were increased in the absence of increased messenger RNA levels. Increased PTEN expression by recombinant adenovirus in cultured neonatal rat primary cardiomyocytes caused cardiomyocyte apoptosis as evidenced by increased caspase-3 activity and cleaved poly(A)DP-ribose polymerase. expression of PTEN was also able to block growth factor signaling through the phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-triphosphate pathway. Surprisingly, expression of a catalytically inactive PTEN mutant led to cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, with increased protein synthesis, cell surface area, and atrial natriuretic factor expression. This hypertrophy was accompanied by an increase in Akt activity and improved cell viability in culture.

The PTEN gene encodes a lipid phosphatase that negatively regulates the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway and is inactivated in a wide variety of malignant neoplasms. High rates of loss of heterozygosity are observed at the 10q23.3 region containing the human PTEN gene in prostate cancer and other human malignancies, but the demonstrated rate of biallelic inactivation of the PTEN gene by mutation or homozygous deletion is significantly lower than the rate of loss of heterozygosity. The transgenic adenocarcinoma of mouse prostate model is a well characterized animal model of prostate cancer. Analysis of prostate cancer progression in transgenic adenocarcinoma of mouse prostate mice bred to Pten(+/-) heterozygous mice, coupled with analysis of the Pten gene and protein in the resulting tumors, reveals that haploinsufficiency of the Pten gene promotes the progression of prostate cancer in this model system. This observation provides a potential explanation for the discordance in rates of loss of heterozygosity at 10q23 and biallelic PTEN inactivation observed in prostate cancer and many human malignancies.

The mechanisms controlling neural stem cell proliferation are poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that the PTEN tumor suppressor plays an important role in regulating neural stem/progenitor cells in vivo and in vitro. Mice lacking PTEN exhibited enlarged, histoarchitecturally abnormal brains, which resulted from increased cell proliferation, decreased cell death, and enlarged cell size. Neurosphere cultures revealed a greater proliferation capacity for tripotent Pten-/- central nervous system stem/progenitor cells, which can be attributed, at least in part, to a shortened cell cycle. However, cell fate commitments of the progenitors were largely undisturbed. Our results suggest that PTEN negatively regulates neural stem cell proliferation.

Previous mutational analysis for BRCA gene mutations in sporadic ovarian cancer occurring in Chinese patients in Hong Kong identified six germline BRCA1 mutations and one germline BRCA2 mutation, six of which were novel (Khoo et al., 2000). Knowledge of BRCA gene mutations in the Chinese population is relatively scant. In this study, we focussed on whether any of these mutations could be recurrent in our Chinese population, making use of archival paraffin embedded tissue. A consecutive series of 214 ovarian cancer cases, half of Southern Chinese origin from Hong Kong whilst the other half of Northern Chinese origin from Beijing were used for the study. We identified one further novel mutation, 1081delG, in BRCA1. This was found to occur in two unrelated individuals with shared haplotype as revealed by allelotype analysis, thus demonstrating founder effect. Two other recurrent mutations were also identified, the 2371-2372delTG mutation in BRCA1 and the 3337C>T mutation in BRCA2 recurring in two and three unrelated individuals respectively, giving an overall prevalence 4.7% of recurrent BRCA mutations in ovarian cancer in the Southern Chinese population. Most importantly, all our recurrent mutation carriers were identified from Southern Chinese patients from Hong Kong whilst such mutations were absent in samples from the Northern Chinese. Our findings indicate possible heterogeneity in the BRCA genotype between Northern and Southern Chinese. The identification of a founder mutation and two recurrent mutations moreover, has important implications towards screening strategies for breast and ovarian cancer among Chinese of southern ancestral origin who are now dispersed throughout the world.

mutations of PTEN, a tumor suppressor gene located on chromosome 10, which encodes a protein-tyrosine and lipid-phosphatase, are prevalent in various human cancers, including glioblastoma. Despite extensive characterization of PTEN mutations in human cancers and a relatively good understanding of the molecular roles of PTEN in the control of cellular processes, little is known about modes of PTEN regulation. To understand the regulation of expression of the tumor suppressor gene PTEN, we isolated a 2212 bp fragment from the human BAC clone 46B12 DNA. The 3 end of this fragment starts at the Not I site of -745 relative to the first translation codon ATG (+1) and ends at the Sal I site of -2957 at the 5 end. Using classical 5RACE and primer extension techniques, nine start sites were observed between -817 and -984 upstream of the ATG start site. We located a 137 bp fragment (-958/-821) as the minimum promoter region using promoter deletion and luciferase assays. A 704 bp fragment (-33/-737) downstream of the 2212 bp fragment was also cloned. As indicated by luciferase assays, the data show that this region possesses no promoter function. Interestingly, a p53 binding sequence is located within the 599 bp fragment (-1344/-745), although p53 expression had a minimal effect on PTEN, demonstrating its insignificant role in PTEN gene expression.

With the use of RT-PCR (reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction), Northern blot analysis, and Western blot analysis, seven primary brain lymphomas were examined for the state of the MMACI tumor suppressor gene. Nucleotide analysis of RT-PCR clones revealed no abnormality in the MMAC1 coding sequence in each case. Although Northern blot revealed variation among cases in the signal intensities for MMAC1 mRNA, Western blot revealed a distinct MMAC1 protein band in all cases, suggesting that the actual MMAC1 expressions were similar. In Western blot analysis of phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt), which is regulated positively by PI3K (phosphoinositide-3 kinase) and negatively by MMAC1, all the lymphomas revealed an Akt band but not a p-Akt band, suggesting that the MMAC1 phosphatase activity was maintained in each case. These findings suggest that the MMAC1 gene is normal in its coding sequence, gene expression, and phosphatase activity in the lymphomas. Thus, unlike the p16 and p15 tumor suppressor genes, which are frequently deleted and inactivated in brain lymphoma and represent a striking contrast to systemic lymphoma, MMAC1 may not play an important role in carcinogenesis in this tumor, as in the systemic counterpart.

The tumor suppressor PTEN regulates cell migration, growth, and survival by removing the 3-phosphate of phosphoinositides. Exposure of purified PTEN or of cells to H(2)O(2) resulted in inactivation of PTEN in a time- and H(2)O(2) concentration-dependent manner. Analysis of various cysteine mutants, including mass spectrometry of tryptic peptides, indicated that the essential Cys(124) residue in the active site of PTEN specifically forms a disulfide with Cys(71) during oxidation by H(2)O(2). The reduction of H(2)O(2)-oxidized PTEN in cells appears to be mediated predominantly by thioredoxin. Thus, thioredoxin was more efficient than glutaredoxin, glutathione, or a 14-kDa thioredoxin-like protein with regard to the reduction of oxidized PTEN in vitro. Thioredoxin co-immunoprecipitated with PTEN from cell lysates; and incubation of cells with 2,4-dinitro-1-chlorobenzene (an inhibitor of thioredoxin reductase) delayed the reduction of oxidized PTEN, whereas incubation with buthioninesulfoximine (an inhibitor of glutathione biosynthesis) did not. These results suggest that the reversible inactivation of PTEN by H(2)O(2) might be important for the accumulation of 3-phosphorylated phosphoinositides and that the uncontrolled generation of H(2)O(2) associated with certain pathological conditions might contribute to cell proliferation by inhibiting PTEN function.

The tumor suppressor gene, MMAC/PTEN, has phosphatase, C2, and PDZ-binding domains as well as potential sites of regulation by phosphorylation, including tyrosine phosphorylation, which may contribute to its ability to modulate cell growth and viability. Several obvious and significant motifs were found in MMAC/PTEN, including most notably, a catalytic domain of tyrosine phosphatase (IHCxxGxxRS/T) and several potential tyrosine phosphorylation sites. To examine the functional significance of tyrosine phosphorylation of MMAC/PTEN, retroviral constructs were generated with mutations at two putative tyrosine phosphorylation sites (Y240A/Y240F and Y315A/Y315F). Stable expression of wild-type MMAC/PTEN in U251 human glioma cells (which do not normally produce a functional MMAC/PTEN gene product) resulted in a significant reduction of tumor growth in nude mice, decreased growth rate, saturation density, and colony formation in vitro, as well as dephosphorylation of D3-phosphorylated phosphatidylinositols (PtdIns) in vitro. mutation of Y240 or Y315 to either alanine or phenylalanine abrogated the ability of MMAC/PTEN to alter growth rate, saturation density, and colony formation in vitro. The ability of MMAC/PTEN to limit tumor growth in nude mice was markedly decreased but not abrogated by mutation of Y240 or Y315 to alanine. Thus, Y240 and Y315 are required for MMAC/PTEN to decrease tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. In contrast to wild-type MMAC/PTEN, mutant MMAC/PTEN containing Y240A or Y315A was unable to dephosphorylate D3-phosphorylated PtdIns in vitro. Thus, Y240A and Y315A are involved in the ability of MMAC/PTEN to dephosphorylate PtdIns and regulate tumor cell growth in vitro and in vivo.

The tumor suppressor gene PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted from chromosome 10) encodes a dual specific protein and phospholipid phosphatase that affects cell proliferation, apoptosis and migration. In our study, we examined protein expression of PTEN in renal carcinogenesis. PTEN protein levels were examined in 42 clear cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCC) and oncocytomas as well as in the corresponding normal renal tissue of the same patients using Western blot analysis. Cellular localization was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. PTEN was highly expressed in all investigated normal renal tissue specimens. Immunohistochemical analysis showed an almost exclusive staining of proximal tubulus epithelial cells known to be precursor cells of ccRCC. Within the proximal tubulus cells, PTEN exhibited a membrane predominant immunostaining pattern. In ccRCCs PTEN expression was markedly reduced to an average of less than 10% compared with normal tissue as evidenced by Western blot analysis (p < 0.001). The degree of reduction was similar in highly differentiated (G1) carcinomas and in less differentiated (G2-G4) carcinomas. These observations were reproduced by immunohistochemical studies, which revealed a loss of the characteristic membrane predominant immunostaining pattern in ccRCC. In contrast to the PTEN positive proximal tubulus epithelial cells, the distal tubulus epithelial cells, which are precursor cells of the benign oncocytomas, exhibited only a very weak PTEN expression. Compared with the distal tubulus epithelial cells, no downregulation of PTEN was seen in oncocytomas. We conclude that PTEN expression and PTEN membrane localization are lost during early renal cell carcinogenesis and may therefore be a valuable RCC tumor marker.

The PTEN tumor suppressor phosphatase directly counteracts the multiple functions of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase by removing phosphate from the D3 position of inositol phospholipids. Like many lymphomas and leukemias, the Jurkat T cell line lacks PTEN protein due to frame-shift mutations in both PTEN alleles and therefore survives in long-term cell culture. We report that PTEN reintroduced into Jurkat was highly phosphorylated on serines 380 and 385 in its C terminus, particularly the former site. Phosphate was also detected at Ser(380) in PTEN in untransformed human T cells. Treatments that reduced the levels of D3-phospholipids in the cells resulted in reduced phosphorylation and accelerated degradation of PTEN. In contrast, expression of inactive PTEN-C124G or coexpression of a constitutively active protein kinase B led to increased phosphorylation and slower degradation of PTEN. These results suggest that PTEN normally is subjected to a feedback mechanism of regulation aimed at maintaining homeostatic levels of D3-phosphoinositides, which are crucial for T cell survival and activation.

In this study, we characterize the function of the tumor suppressor gene PTEN in Jurkat T cells. We established stable clones of Jurkat T cells that inducibly express either wild-type or phosphatase-inactive PTEN. We show here that PTEN potently inhibited the growth and reduced the size of Jurkat cells. The growth-suppressive effect of PTEN was associated with its ability to induce apoptotic cell death with little or no effect on cell cycle. PTEN also rendered Jurkat cells more susceptible to apoptosis induced by various stimuli. Furthermore, PTEN expression led to a reduction in the level of 3-phosphorylated phospholipids and thus altered the activity and localization of Akt. Finally, coexpression of constitutively active Akt reversed the effects caused by PTEN. In summary, our results suggest that PTEN suppresses cell growth, promotes apoptosis, and decreases cell size by negatively regulating the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathway in Jurkat T cells.

Prostate cancer presents with a broad spectrum of biologic behavior, ranging from being an indolent, incidental finding to an aggressively invasive and metastatic disease. An improved understanding of the events involved in prostate cancer progression is critically important to its diagnosis and staging, as well as to the development of new therapies. Tumor progression, particularly in aggressive and malignant tumors, is associated with the induction of an angiogenic, gene-driven switch. In prostate cancer, one of the most powerful stimulators of angiogenesis is the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). VEGF transcription can be induced by hypoxia through activation of the PI3 kinase pathway and hypoxia-inducible factor alpha. MMAC/PTEN (henceforth referred to as PTEN) is a recently identified tumor suppressor gene residing on chromosome 10q23, which is frequently inactivated in a wide range of human tumors, including advanced prostate cancer. The goal of this study was to determine whether PTEN inhibits angiogenesis by modulating VEGF activity. Our results showed that reintroduction of the PTEN gene into human prostate PC-3 and LNCaP cells decreased VEGF secretion, which was accompanied by various biologic activities, including inhibited endothelial cell growth and migration. PTEN expression also down-regulated VEGF mRNA levels, as detected by RT-PCR analysis. Concomitant with lessened VEGF expression was the reduction of VEGF promoter activity in PTEN-expressing cells. Our findings suggest that PTEN modulates angiogenesis by regulating VEGF expression.

Germline mutations in the tumor-suppressor gene PTEN (MMAC1, TEP1) are found in Cowden syndrome, which predisposes to hamartomas, breast cancer, trichilemmomas, and thyroid tumors of follicular epithelium. PTEN has also been found to be somatically deleted, mutated, and/or silenced in various sporadically occurring cancers such as glioblastoma, breast cancer, kidney cancer, malignant melanoma, and endometrial cancer. Loss or reduction of PTEN protein expression as well as inappropriate subcellular compartmentalization is seen in non-medullary thyroid cancers. However, although allelic loss of the PTEN locus in 10q23.3 is frequently seen, this is not coupled with mutations in the PTEN gene. To approach further the frequency and mechanism behind PTEN silencing, we screened a panel of 87 sporadic thyroid tumors for PTEN mRNA expression, including 14 anaplastic carcinomas, 37 follicular carcinomas, 21 atypical adenomas, and 15 ordinary adenomas. Complete loss of PTEN mRNA expression was evident in six of the tumors, including four anaplastic carcinomas, one widely invasive carcinoma, and one ordinary adenoma. The transcriptional silencing of PTEN was significantly associated with the anaplastic subtype, suggesting that PTEN is involved in the carcinogenesis of highly malignant or late-stage thyroid cancers, whereas this particular mechanism appears to be of minor importance in differentiated follicular thyroid tumors. No association was observed between the expression, loss of heterozygosity, and mutation status in the 33 cases in which these parameters were compared. This indicates that PTEN silencing is a result of a wide variety of epigenetic and/or structural silencing mechanisms rather than a consequence of structural biallelic inactivation of the classical type. Furthermore, the high rate of alterations in the 10q23 region might indicate the presence of an as-yet unknown tumor-suppressor gene with an important role in the development of thyroid tumors.

A novel tumor suppressor gene, PTEN/MMAC1, located on chromosome band 10q23.3, encodes a 403-amino acid, dual-specificity protein phosphatase. The defects in this gene are responsible for the development of some advanced cancers. Inactivating alterations, including mutations and deletions, in the PTEN/MMAC1 gene have been identified in several types of human cancers and cancer cell lines. To clarify the participation of the PTEN/MMAC1 gene in advanced gastric carcinogenesis, we screened their frequency of mutations in primary advanced gastric adenocarcinoma tissues. cancer specimens and their corresponding normal tissues were obtained surgically from 60 patients with pathologically proven advanced gastric carcinoma at the Department of Surgery of Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital. All nine exons of the PTEN/MMAC1 gene were amplified using polymerase chain reaction and screened for mutations by single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis and followed by direct sequencing. After neutral polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, 17 patients (28.3%) showed an apparent electrophoretic mobility shift between the cancer and its paired normal tissue. These results from direct sequencing indicated that mutations consisted of eight cases (47.1%) of missense mutation, five silent mutations (29.4%), two nonsense mutations (11.8%), a 12-bp deletion (5.9%), and a mutation within the splice donor site of intron 6 (5.9%). The mutation hot spots at codons 45, 66, 82 and 204 in advanced gastric cancer have not been observed previously. Based on the present analysis, our study implicated that the mutations of the PTEN/MMAC1 gene do not occur at a significant rate in human advanced gastric carcinoma, but the rare clustered mutation site (exons 2-6) perhaps suggested that PTEN/MMAC1 might contribute to the gastric carcinogenesis and its progression.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate expression and significance of PTEN gene in primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Immunohistochemical peroxidase-conjugated streptavidin (SP) method was used to detect expression of PTEN gene in 120 cases of primary HCC and its adjacent tissue 10 cases of normal liver tissue. The relationship between expression of tumor suppressor gene of PTEN and the percentage of lymph node metastasis of HCC was analyzed. RESULTS: It was shown that PTEN gene was expressed in all 10 cases of normal liver tissues and paracancerous liver tissues. The staining was localized mainly in cytoplasm. expression of PTEN in 120 cases of HCC were as follows: 12.5% were negative, 17.5% were weak positive, and 70% were strong positive. At time of diagnosis, 33/120 (27.5%) presented lymph node metastasis. Lymph node metastases were present in 80% (12 out of 15) PTEN negative HCC, 57.14% (12 out of 21) PTEN weak positive HCC and only 10.71% (9 out of 84) PTEN intense positive HCC, (P<0.05). Therefore, PTEN tumor suppressor gene malfunction seems to be involved in metastasing capacity of HCC. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that PTEN gene was deleted or weakly expressed in primary hepatocellular carcinoma, which is probably related to its tumorigenesis.

PTEN phosphatase is one of the most commonly targeted tumor suppressors in human cancers and a key regulator of cell growth and apoptosis. We have found that PTEN is cleaved by caspase-3 at several target sites, located in unstructured regions within the C terminus of the molecule. Cleavage of PTEN was increased upon TNFalpha-cell treatment and was negatively regulated by phosphorylation of the C-terminal tail of PTEN by the protein kinase CK2. The proteolytic PTEN fragments displayed reduced protein stability, and their capability to interact with the PTEN interacting scaffolding protein S-SCAM/MAGI-2 was lost. Interestingly, S-SCAM/MAGI-2 was also cleaved by caspase-3. Our findings suggest the existence of a regulatory mechanism of protein stability and PTEN-protein interactions during apoptosis, executed by caspase-3 in a PTEN phosphorylation-regulated manner.

Cell attachment and the assembly of cytoskeletal and signaling complexes downstream of integrins are intimately linked and coordinated. Although many intracellular proteins have been implicated in these processes, a new paradigm is emerging from biochemical and genetic studies that implicates integrin-linked kinase (ILK) and its interacting proteins, such as CH-ILKBP (alpha-parvin), paxillin, and PINCH in coupling integrins to the actin cytoskeleton and signaling complexes. genetic studies in Drosophila, Caenorhabditis elegans, and mice point to an essential role of ILK as an adaptor protein in mediating integrin-dependent cell attachment and cytoskeletal organization. Here we demonstrate, using several different approaches, that inhibiting ILK kinase activity, or expression, results in the inhibition of cell attachment, cell migration, F-actin organization, and the specific cytoskeletal localization of CH-ILKBP and paxillin in human cells. We also demonstrate that the kinase activity of ILK is elevated in the cytoskeletal fraction and that the interaction of CH-ILKBP with ILK within the cytoskeleton stimulates ILK activity and downstream signaling to PKB/Akt and GSK-3. Interestingly, the interaction of CH-ILKBP with ILK is regulated by the Pi3 kinase pathway, because inhibition of Pi3 kinase activity by pharmacological inhibitors, or by the tumor suppressor PTEN, inhibits this interaction as well as cell attachment and signaling. These data demonstrate that the kinase and adaptor properties of ILK function together, in a Pi3 kinase-dependent manner, to regulate integrin-mediated cell attachment and signal transduction.

The murine Pten prostate cancer model described in this study recapitulates the disease progression seen in humans: initiation of prostate cancer with prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), followed by progression to invasive adenocarcinoma, and subsequent metastasis with defined kinetics. Furthermore, while Pten null prostate cancers regress after androgen ablation, they are capable of proliferating in the absence of androgen. Global assessment of molecular changes caused by homozygous Pten deletion identified key genes known to be relevant to human prostate cancer, including those "signature" genes associated with human cancer metastasis. This murine prostate cancer model provides a unique tool for both exploring the molecular mechanism underlying prostate cancer and for development of new targeted therapies.

This study was designed to investigate the role of PTEN in the progression of ovarian cancer. We performed mutation analysis and determined PTEN gene expression in tissue from both primary and relapsed cancers and in the corresponding occult metastases. Furthermore, p27Kip1 staining was conducted in order to explore a putative functional link. The study group comprised 112 tumor tissue specimens from 37 ovarian cancer patients. expression of both PTEN and p27Kip1 was determined by immunohistochemistry. The PTEN mutational spectrum was determined by PCR-based sequence analysis. Fifty-six per cent of the tumors were positive for PTEN expression and 75% were p27Kip1 positive. For both markers, tumor cells ranged from 0 to 90% positivity. In 55% (20/37) of the cases, PTEN expression in the primary tumor was consistent and in the corresponding advanced cancer tissues, whereas the remainder showed considerable variation. p27Kip1 was consistently expressed in 16 out of 37 cases (43%). No mutations were observed in the coding region of the PTEN gene. No correlation was observed between PTEN and p27Kip1 expression. Our data indicate that expression of PTEN, but not p27Kip1 (one of the major mediators of PTEN function) is unchanged during the progression of ovarian cancer. This study suggests that in ovarian cancer PTEN does not play a major role in disease progression and is not involved in the alteration of p27Kip1 expression.

The PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten) tumor suppressor gene affects multiple cellular processes including cell growth, proliferation, and cell migration by antagonizing phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). However, mechanisms by which PTEN expression is regulated have not been studied extensively. Similar to PTEN, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) affects a wide spectrum of diseases including inflammatory processes and cancer by acting as a mediator of apoptosis, inflammation, and immunity. In this study, we show that treatment of cancer cell lines with TNF-alpha decreases PTEN expression. In addition, overexpression of TNF-alpha downstream signaling targets, nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB)-inducing kinase (NIK) and p65 nuclear factor NF-kappaB, lowers PTEN expression, suggesting that TNF-alpha-induced down-regulation of PTEN is mediated through a TNF-alpha/NIK/NF-kappaB pathway. Down-regulation of PTEN by NIK/NF-kappaB results in activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway and augmentation of TNF-alpha-induced PI3K/Akt stimulation. Importantly, we demonstrate that this effect is associated with a lack of an inhibitor of kappaB (IkappaB)-alpha autoregulatory loop. Moreover, these findings suggest the interaction between PI3K/Akt and NF-kappaB via transcriptional regulation of PTEN and offer one possible explanation for increased tumorigenesis in systems in which NF-kappaB is chronically activated. In such a tumor system, these findings suggest a positive feedback loop whereby Akt activation of NF-kappaB further stimulates Akt via down-regulation of the PI3K inhibitor PTEN.

We were interested in the elucidation of the interaction between the heparan sulfate proteoglycan, perlecan, and PTEN in the regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) growth. We verified serum-stimulated DNA synthesis, and Akt and FAK phosphorylation were significantly reduced in SMCs overexpressing wild-type PTEN. Our previous studies showed perlecan is a potent inhibitor of serum-stimulated SMC growth. We report in the present study, compared with SMCs plated on fibronectin, serum-stimulated SMCs plated on perlecan exhibited increased PTEN activity, decreased FAK and Akt activities, and high levels of p27, consistent with SMC growth arrest. Adenoviral-mediated overexpression of constitutively active Akt reversed perlecan-induced SMC growth arrest while morpholino antisense-mediated loss of endogenous PTEN resulted in increased growth and phosphorylation of FAK and Akt of SMCs on perlecan. Immunohistochemical and Western analyses of balloon-injured rat carotid artery tissues showed a transient increase in phosphoPTEN (inactive) after injury, correlating to high rates of neointimal cell replication; phosphoPTEN was largely limited to actively replicating SMCs. Similarly, in the developing rat aorta, we found increased PTEN activity associated with increased perlecan deposition and decreased SMC replication rates. However, significantly decreased PTEN activity was detected in aortas of perlecan-deficient mouse embryos, consistent with SMC hyperplasia observed in these animals, compared with E17.5 heterozygous controls that produce abundant amounts of perlecan at this developmental time point. Our data show PTEN is a potent endogenously produced inhibitor of SMC growth and increased PTEN activity mediates perlecan-induced suppression of SMC proliferation.

PTEN, mutated in a variety of human cancers, is a dual specificity protein phosphatase and also possesses D3-phosphoinositide phosphatase activity on phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-tris-phosphate (PIP(3)), a product of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. This PIP(3) phosphatase activity of PTEN contributes to its tumor suppressor function by inhibition of Akt kinase, a direct target of PIP(3). We have recently shown that Akt regulates PDGF-induced DNA synthesis in mesangial cells. In this study, we demonstrate that expression of PTEN in mesangial cells inhibits PDGF-induced Akt activation leading to reduction in PDGF-induced DNA synthesis. As a potential mechanism, we show that PTEN inhibits PDGF-induced protein tyrosine phosphorylation with concomitant dephosphorylation and inactivation of tyrosine phosphorylated and activated PDGF receptor. Recombinant as well as immunopurified PTEN dephosphorylates autophosphorylated PDGF receptor in vitro. expression of phosphatase deficient mutant of PTEN does not dephosphorylate PDGF-induced tyrosine phosphorylated PDGF receptor. Rather its expression increases tyrosine phosphorylation of PDGF receptor. Furthermore, expression of PTEN attenuated PDGF-induced signal transduction including phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and Erk1/2 MAPK activities. Our data provide the first evidence that PTEN is physically associated with platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor and that PDGF causes its dissociation from the receptor. Finally, we show that both the C2 and tail domains of PTEN contribute to binding to the PDGF receptor. These data demonstrate a novel aspect of PTEN function where it acts as an effector for the PDGF receptor function and negatively regulates PDGF receptor activation.

PTEN is a tumor suppressor protein that dephosphorylates phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5 trisphosphate and antagonizes the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase signaling pathway. We show here that PTEN can also inhibit cell migration through its C2 domain, independent of its lipid phosphatase activity. This activity depends on the protein phosphatase activity of PTEN and on dephosphorylation at a single residue, threonine(383). The ability of PTEN to control cell migration through its C2 domain is likely to be an important feature of its tumor suppressor activity.

The mechanisms of neuronal differentiation in PC12 cells are still not completely understood. Here, we report that the tumor suppressor PTEN has a profound effect on differentiation by affecting several pathways involved in nerve growth factor (NGF) signaling. When overexpressed in PC12 cells, PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome ten) blocked neurite outgrowth induced by NGF. In addition, these cells failed to demonstrate the transient mitogenic response to NGF, as well as subsequent growth arrest. Consistent with these observations was a finding that PTEN significantly inhibits NGF-mediated activation of the members of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling pathways, crucial for these processes. While exploring possible mechanisms of PTEN effects on NGF signaling, we discovered a significant down-regulation of both high-affinity (TrkA) and low-affinity (p75) NGF receptors in PTEN-overexpressing clones. Subsequent microarray analysis of several independent clonal isolates revealed a myriad of neuronal genes to be affected by PTEN. All of these changes were validated by quantitative PCR. Of particular interest were the genes for the key enzymes of the dopamine synthesis pathway, receptors for different neurotransmitters, and neuron-specific cytoskeleton proteins, among others. Some, but not all effects could be reproduced by pharmacological inhibitors of PI3K and/or MAPK, suggesting that PTEN may influence some genes by mechanisms independent of these signaling pathways. Our findings may shed new light on the role of this tumor suppressor during normal brain development and suggest a previously uncharacterized mechanism of PTEN action in neuron-like cells.

Synovial sarcomas (SS) consistently show a characteristic chromosomal translocation, t(X;18)(p11;q11), which usually leads to the formation of 2 chimeric fusion transcripts, SYT-SSX1 and -SSX2. A recent multi-institutional retrospective study revealed that the SYT-SSX fusion type emerged as the only independent significant factor for overall survival in cases of SS. The aims of this study were; i). to investigate the frequency of PTEN gene alteration, ii). to evaluate whether the mutation status in various tumor suppressor genes (TSG) is responsible for the clinical and histologic heterogeneity in SS. Forty-nine cases of SS were examined for the presence of PTEN gene mutation by polymerase chain reaction - single-strand conformation polymorphism followed by DNA direct sequencing. The obtained data was combined with those of previously reported TSG mutations such as p53, adenomatous polyposis coli, and E-cadherin genes. Follow-up was available for 44 patients, and survival analysis was performed according to the mutation status of these TSG. PTEN mutations were detected in 7 cases (14.3%), and all of these were monophasic tumors. More than half of the mutations detected were located in exon 9, which has been shown to play a less important role in PTEN functioning, and the PTEN mutation was not associated with patients prognosis. mutations in these TSG other than silent mutations were detected in 20 out of 49 cases (40.8%), although the mutation status in TSG was not associated with overall survival rate in patients with SS. Secondary genetic alterations in these TSG seem to have a less important prognostic impact on patients with SS.

The multistep process of carcinogenesis implies the accumulation of multiple molecular defects. Alteration of tumor suppressor and metastasis suppressor genes are the important steps. Increasing experimental evidence indicates that decreased expression of tumor-metastasis/suppressor genes and gene products are involved in the progression of a variety of human malignancies. In the present study, we have extended this analysis to non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC). The expression and prognostic significance of the tumor suppressor gene PTEN and metastasis suppressor genes nm23-H1 and KAI-1 was evaluated in NSCLCs. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from 53 bronchogenic adenocarcinomas and 51 squamous cell carcinomas using monoclonal antibodies against PTEN, nm23H-1, and KAI-1 proteins. Immunohistochemical results were correlated with tumor stage, grade, lymph nodes positivity, metastasis, and patient survival. Significant co-expression of PTEN, nm23-H1 and KAI-1 was observed in NSCLC (P<.001 to .002). The immunohistochemical expression of these proteins was significantly higher in stages 1 and 2 compared with stages 3 and 4 (P=.04 for PTEN and KAI-1, P=.039 for nm23-H1). When all stages were considered together, loss of immunoreactivity for PTEN, nm23-H1 and KAI-1 was found in advanced NCSCLs (P=.015 for PTEN, P=.001 for KAI-1, P=.004 for nm23-H1), which is suggestive of co-downregulation of these proteins in the process of tumor progression. On multivariate analysis, negative staining for PTEN (P=.014), KAI-1 (P=.034), and nm23-H1 (a trend toward association for nm23-H1 reached near significance P=.08) correlated with disease-related death. Positive lymph node status was associated with negative immunostaining for PTEN (P=.007) but no correlation was observed for nm23-H1 and KAI-1. Loss of expression was linked to distant metastasis (P=.006 for PTEN, P=.002 for nm23H1, P=.001 for KAI-1). On multivariate analysis, co-downregulation of PTEN (P=.009), KAI-1 (P=.02), and nm23-H1 (P=.011) independently predicted shortened survival in NSCLC. Although NSCLC exhibits strong co-expression of PTEN, nm23-H1 and KAI-1, there is a loss of these proteins in high-stage tumors. Co-downregulation of PTEN, KAI-1, and nm23-H1 significantly correlates with distant metastasis and predicts shortened survival. Our study supports a role of these tumor suppressor and metastasis suppressor genes in the evolution and progression of NSCLC.

Defects in the PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10) tumor suppressor gene have been found in many human cancers including breast and prostate. Here we show that PTEN suppresses androgen receptor (AR) activity via a phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase/Akt-independent pathway in the early passage numbers prostate cancer LNCaP cells. We provide the direct links between PTEN and androgen/AR signaling by demonstrating that AR directly interacts with PTEN. The interaction between PTEN and AR inhibits the AR nuclear translocation and promotes the AR protein degradation that result in the suppression of AR transactivation and induction of apoptosis. The minimum interaction peptide within AR (amino acids 483-651) disrupts the interaction of PTEN with AR and reduces the PTEN effect on AR transactivation and apoptosis. genetic approaches using PTEN-null mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) further demonstrate that both AR expression and AR activity were much higher in PTEN-null MEFs than wild-type MEFs, and reintroducing PTEN into PTEN-null MEFs dramatically reduced AR protein levels and AR activity. Interestingly, we also found that PTEN could suppress AR activity via the phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase/Akt-dependent pathway in the higher passage number LNCaP cells, because restoration of Akt activity blocks the effect of PTEN on AR activity. Together, these contrasting PTEN effects on AR activity in the same prostate cancer cell line with different passage numbers suggest that PTEN, via distinct mechanisms, differentially regulates AR in various stages of prostate cancers.

The PI-3 kinase pathway is a major driving force for human cancer. One common way of stimulating the PI-3 kinase pathway occurs through inactivation of the PTEN tumor suppressor. The mechanisms of PTEN inactivation include mutation, epigenetic silencing and post-translational modification. Improved insight into the regulation of PTEN is leading to a richer understanding of the contribution of PTEN and the PI-3 kinase pathway to human tumors. Understanding the pathology of PI-3 kinase signaling in tumors improves knowledge of cancer etiology and provides novel therapeutic targets.

Studies on chemoprevention of colorectal cancer have generated increasing interest. The mechanisms involved in NSAIDs chemopreventive action are not fully elucidated. In this study, we examined in human colon cancer cells the effect of indomethacin and NS-398 (a pre-clinical selective COX-2 inhibitor) on expression of 96 genes of the EGF/PDGF signaling pathways essential for cell proliferation, migration, and survival. We found that indomethacin and NS-398 treatment significantly upregulated expression of the tumor suppressor gene, PTEN, the MAP kinase phosphatase-3, MKP-3, and the protein tyrosine phosphatase, SHP2. Additionally, NS-398 treatment increased expression of apoptotic genes such as BAD, STAT1, and CASP3. These results suggest that as a consequence of increased expression of phosphatases such as PTEN and the resulting dephosphorylation of kinases, NSAIDs can negatively regulate the EGF/PDGF pathways in colon cancer cells-a novel mechanism for NSAIDs chemopreventive actions.

The tumor suppressor PTEN plays an essential role in regulating signaling pathways involved in cell growth and apoptosis and is inactivated in a wide variety of tumors. In this study, we have identified a protein, referred to as PICT-1 (protein interacting with carboxyl terminus 1), that binds to the C terminus of PTEN and regulates its phosphorylation and turnover. Down-regulation of PICT-1 in MCF7 cells by RNA interference enhances the degradation of PTEN with a concomitant decrease in its phosphorylation. PTEN C-terminal tumor-associated mutants, which are highly susceptible to protein degradation, have lost the ability to bind to PICT-1 along with their reduced phosphorylation, suggesting that their rapid turnover results from impaired binding to PICT-1. Our results identify PICT-1 as a PTEN-interacting protein that promotes the phosphorylation and stability of PTEN. These findings suggest a novel molecular mechanism underlying the turnover of PTEN, which also provides an explanation for the loss of PTEN function due to C-terminal mutations.

OBJECTIVE: To detect the status of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosome 10 in prostate carcinoma and high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN). METHODS: Pure DNA was obtained from prostate neoplasms and normal tissues by tissue microdissection. LOH of chromosome 10 was detected by PCR based microsatellite polymorphism analysis technique using 20 pairs of microsatellite primers in 16 samples of prostate carcinoma and 14 samples of high grade PIN. RESULTS: There were different frequencies of LOH in different loci on chromosome 10, varying from 0 to 46.2%, mainly located at 10q23 and 10q24-q25 regions. Seven samples of high grade PIN had LOH detected on chromosome 10. CONCLUSION: There were high frequency of LOH regions on chromosome 10 of prostate carcinoma. The rate of LOH in high grade PIN was much lower than that in prostate carcinoma. PTEN and MXI1 were two candidate tumor suppressor genes on 10q23 and 10q24-q25. They may be potentially involved in the initiation and progression of prostate carcinoma.

Mechanisms of metastasis, the major complication of prostate cancer, are poorly understood. In this study, we define molecular mechanisms that may contribute to the highly invasive potential of prostate cancer cells. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), its receptors (VEGFRs), and alpha5beta1 integrin were expressed by prostate cancer cells in vitro and by prostate tumors in vivo, and their expression was elevated at sites of bone metastasis compared to original prostate tumor. VEGF, through interaction with its receptors, regulated adhesive and migratory properties of the cancer cells. Specifically, the highly metastatic prostate cancer cell subline LNCaP-C4-2 showed a decreased adhesive but an enhanced migratory response to fibronectin, a ligand for alpha5beta1 integrin, compared to its nonmetastatic counterpart. A similar pattern was also observed when bone sialoprotein was used as a ligand in migration assays. Increased migration of metastatic prostate cancer cells to fibronectin and bone sialoprotein was regulated by VEGF via VEGFR-2. tumor suppressor PTEN was involved in control of VEGF/VEGFR-2 stimulated prostate cancer cell adhesion as well as proliferation.

AIM: To investigate the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and mutation of tumor suppressor gene PTEN in gastric cancer and precancerous lesions. METHODS: Thirty cases of normal gastric mucosa, advanced and early stage gastric cancer, intestinal metaplasia, atrophic gastritis, and atypical hyperplasia were analyzed for PTEN LOH and mutations within the entire coding region of PTEN gene by PCR-SSCP denaturing PAGE gel electrophoresis, and PTEN mutation was detected by PCR-SSCP sequencing followed by silver staining. RESULTS: LOH rate found in respectively atrophic gastritis was 10% (3/30), intestinal metaplasia 10% (3/30), atypical hyperplasia 13.3% (4/30), early stage gastric cancer 20% (6/30), and advanced stage gastric cancer 33.3% (9/30), None of the precancerous lesions and early stage gastric cancer showed PTEN mutations, but 10% (3/30) of the advanced stage gastric cancers, which were all positive for LOH, showed PTEN mutation. CONCLUSION: LOH of PTEN gene appears in precancerous lesions, and PTEN mutations are restricted to advanced gastric cancer, LOH and mutation of PTEN gene are closely related to the infiltration and metastasis of gastric cancer.

PTEN/MMAC1/TEP1: (hereafter PTEN) is a tumor suppressor gene (located at 10q23) that is frequently mutated or deleted in sporadic human tumors. PTEN encodes a multifunctional phosphatase, which negatively regulates cell growth, migration and survival via the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT signalling pathway. Accordingly, Pten+/- mice develop various types of tumors including teratocarcinomas and teratomas. We have investigated PTEN expression in 60 bioptic specimens of germ cell tumors (32 seminomas, 22 embryonal carcinomas and six teratomas) and 22 intratubular germ cell neoplasias (ITGCN) adjacent to the tumors for PTEN protein and mRNA expression. In total, 10 testicular biopsies were used as controls. In the testis, PTEN was abundantly expressed in germ cells whereas it was virtually absent from 56% of seminomas as well as from 86% of embryonal carcinomas and virtually all teratomas. On the contrary, ITGCN intensely expressed PTEN, indicating that loss of PTEN expression is not an early event in testicular tumor development. The loss of PTEN expression occurs mainly at the RNA level as determined by in situ hybridization of cellular mRNA (17/22) but also it may involve some kind of post-transcriptional mechanisms in the remaining 25% of cases. Analysis of microsatellites D10S551, D10S541 and D10S1765 in GCTs (n=22) showed LOH at the PTEN locus at 10q23 in at least 36% of GCTs (three embryonal carcinoma, three seminoma, two teratoma); one seminoma and one embryonal (9%) carcinoma presented an inactivating mutation in the PTEN gene (2/22). Finally, we demonstrated that the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT pathway, which is regulated by the PTEN phosphatase, is crucial in regulating the proliferation of the NT2/D1 embryonal carcinoma cells, and that the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27(kip1) is a key downstream target of this pathway.

The phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) tumor suppressor is a multifunctional protein deregulated in many types of cancer. To date, a comprehensive documentation of PTEN interacting proteins has not been performed. The goal of our study was to characterize the PTEN interactome using affinity pull-down and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Wild-type PTEN cDNA was inserted into pTRC-His2 vector to create a 6-His tagged protein, which was expressed in Escherichia coli. Lysate from a human lymphoma cell line was used in pull-down assays, utilizing affinity for nickel-agarose beads. Bound proteins were eluted with imidazole, digested and analyzed on an LCQ DecaXP ion trap mass spectrometer. The nickel affinity pull-down efficiency was evaluated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot analysis. Acquired data were searched against the NCBI nr.fasta nonredundant protein database using the SEQUEST algorithm and screened using INTERACT and ProteinProphet. All experiments were performed in duplicate with 6-His-lacZ serving as control. A total of 79 proteins were identified in the wild-type 6-His-PTEN pull-down by MS/MS. We further validated a subset of the proteins present in the PTEN interactome by performing immunoprecipitation using an anti-PTEN antibody and establishing the presence of the proteins in the immunocomplex by Western blot analysis. A search of published PTEN interactions was also performed using Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, Human Protein Reference Database, the IntAct Project database, and PubMed. This in silico analysis confirmed 42 out of 79 (53%) of the proteins identified by MS/MS. The remaining 37 proteins represent probable PTEN interactions not previously documented in public databases or reported in the literature. These results highlight the value of combining both in vitro biochemical approaches with in silico analyses for a comprehensive study of protein-protein interactions.

Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) has been known to differentiate HL60 cells into neutrophil like cells. Here, we provide an evidence for the involvement of tumor suppressor PTEN, an antagonist of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) in the DMSO-induced differentiation of HL60 cells. DMSO upregulated PTEN with unaffecting the expression of PI3K. The upregulation of PTEN by DMSO lead to the decrease of Akt phosphorylation, a downstream of PI3K. The DMSO-induced upregulation of PTEN might be mediated by NF-kappaB activation, which was evidenced by the blockage of DMSO-induced PTEN upregulation with an NF-kappaB inhibitor, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC).

The phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) pathway, which regulates cell survival, is antagonized by the PTEN tumor suppressor. The regulation of PTEN is unclear. A genetic screen of Drosophila gain-of-function mutants identified DJ-1 as a suppressor of PTEN function. In mammalian cells, DJ-1 underexpression results in decreased phosphorylation of PKB/Akt, while DJ-1 overexpression leads to hyperphosphorylation of PKB/Akt and increased cell survival. In primary breast cancer samples, DJ-1 expression correlates negatively with PTEN immunoreactivity and positively with PKB/Akt hyperphosphorylation. In 19/23 primary non-small cell lung carcinoma samples, DJ-1 expression was increased compared to paired nonneoplastic lung tissue, and correlated positively with relapse incidence. DJ-1 is thus a key negative regulator of PTEN that may be a useful prognostic marker for cancer.

Fatty acid synthase (FAS), a key enzyme of the fatty acid biosynthetic pathway, has been shown to be overexpressed in various types of human cancer and is, therefore, considered to be an attractive target for anticancer therapy. However, the exact mechanism of overexpression of the FAS gene in tumor cells is not well understood. In this report, we demonstrate that the expression of the tumor suppressor gene PTEN has a significant inverse correlation with FAS expression in the case of prostate cancer in the clinical setting, and inhibition of the PTEN gene leads to the overexpression of FAS in vitro. We also found that the combination of the expression status of these two genes is a better prognostic marker than either gene alone. Furthermore, our results indicate that the specific inhibition of FAS gene by siRNA leads to apoptosis of prostate tumor cells, and inhibition of PI 3-kinase pathway synergizes with FAS siRNA to enhance tumor cell death. These results provide a strong rationale for exploring the therapeutic use of an inhibitor of the PTEN signaling pathway in conjunction with the FAS siRNA to inhibit prostate tumor growth.

The isoflavone genistein (GEN), a biologically active component of soy foods, is associated with reduced breast cancer risk in women who consume soy-rich diets. GEN has been reported to influence many biological processes, of which suppression of cell proliferation and stimulation of apoptosis are considered to be the major pathways underlying its inhibition of tumorigenesis. This study evaluated the mechanism by which diets containing GEN promote mammary epithelial cell death. We report that mammary glands of young adult female rats exposed from gestation day 4 to postnatal day 50, to AIN-93G diets containing as sole protein source, casein (CAS) supplemented with GEN, or soy protein isolate (SPI+) had increased apoptosis, relative to rats fed CAS diet devoid of GEN. Mammary gland proliferation was unaffected by diet. The increased apoptotic index in mammary glands of GEN and SPI+ rats was accompanied by increased levels of the tumor suppressor protein PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted in chromosome ten), albeit enhanced mammary expression of the pro-apoptotic p21, Bax and Bok genes was observed only in GEN-fed rats. GEN-induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells was concomitant with increased PTEN expression, and this was abrogated by PTEN siRNA. MCF-7 cells treated with serum from GEN- or SPI(+)-fed rats had increased apoptosis as well as increased levels of the PTEN transcript. PTEN siRNA attenuated the increased apoptotic response of MCF-7 cells to serum from rats fed SPI+ or GEN, although the inhibition to basal (CAS serum) apoptotic levels was achieved only for cells treated with GEN serum. Decreased p21 and Bok gene expression accompanied the inhibition of apoptosis by PTEN siRNA. Data implicate PTEN in the induction of apoptosis by GEN and suggest that the promotion of apoptosis leading to inhibition of tumorigenesis in vivo by diets containing GEN may also involve the distinct activities of yet unknown GEN metabolite(s) and/or other systemic factors induced by GEN.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of tumor suppressor PTEN in cardiac hypertrophy, the expression of PTEN mRNA and protein was analyzed in the tissue of left ventricle in abdominal aorta constricted-induced cardiac hypertrophic rats which treated with and without captopril. The expression of PTEN mRNA and protein in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocyte treated with AngII was studied. METHODS: SD rats were divided into control group, hypertrophy group and captopril group. The expression of PTEN in different groups at 2 and 4 weeks after operation as well as in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocyte treated with AngII was detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. The localization of PTEN in left ventricle and cultured cardiomyocyte was determined by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: (1) Compared with control group, the expressions of PTEN mRNA and protein in left ventricle of hypertrophy group as well as in cultured cardiomyocyte treated with AngII were reduced. (2) Compared with hypertrophy group, the expressions of PTEN mRNA and protein in left ventricle of captopril group were upregulated, which were similar to those of control group. (3) Positive immunohistochemical staining of PTEN was located in the nucleus of cardiomyocytes. CONCLUSION: PTEN may play a negative regulation role in the process of cardiac hypertrophy, and the role of PTEN may be closely related with renin-angiotensin system.

The neutral sphingolipid ceramide has been implicated in the apoptotic death of cells by a number of different mechanisms, including activation of protein kinase B (Akt) phosphatase. Here we present evidence that ceramide recruits the tumor suppressor PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted from chromosome 10) into membrane microdomains (rafts), where it could act to reduce the levels of polyphosphoinositides necessary for the activation of Akt. A PTEN construct with a red-fluorescent protein (RFP) tag was overexpressed in both a human cell line derived from oligodendroglioma (HOG) and a rat pheochromocytoma cell line (PC12) by means of an inducible promoter system (Tet-Off). Induction of PTEN by removal of doxycycline enhanced both capsase-3 and cell death with staurosporine, wortmannin, or C2-ceramide, whereas antisense PTEN had the reverse effect. Overexpression of PTEN also increased acid sphingomyelinase (ASMase) activity. PTEN normally has a generalized (cytosolic/membrane) distribution, but treatment with C2-ceramide translocated a fraction of the PTEN to the plasma membrane, showing a plasma membrane distribution similar to that observed for a prenylated green-fluorescent (GFP) construct. PTEN was then shown to translocate to the detergent-resistant membrane microdomain fraction (raft) of the plasma membrane. The colocalization of sphingomyelinases, ceramide, polyphosphoinositides, and PTEN in the raft fraction further suggests that the association of these lipids is critical for regulating cell death.

Germline mutations of the LKB1 (STK11) tumor suppressor gene lead to Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) and predisposition to cancer. LKB1 encodes a serine/threonine kinase generally inactivated in PJS patients. We identified the dual phosphatase and tumor suppressor protein PTEN as an LKB1-interacting protein. Several LKB1 point mutations associated with PJS disrupt the interaction with PTEN suggesting that the loss of this interaction might contribute to PJS. Although PTEN and LKB1 are predominantly cytoplasmic and nuclear, respectively, their interaction leads to a cytoplasmic relocalization of LKB1. In addition, we show that PTEN is a substrate of the kinase LKB1 in vitro. As PTEN is a dual phosphatase mutated in autosomal inherited disorders with phenotypes similar to those of PJS (Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome and Cowden disease), our study suggests a functional link between the proteins involved in different hamartomatous polyposis syndromes and emphasizes the central role played by LKB1 as a tumor suppressor in the small intestine.

Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN), a multifunctional tumor suppressor, has been shown to play a regulatory role in cell migration. Dictyostelium discoideum cells lacking PTEN exhibited impaired migration toward chemoattractant gradients. In the present study, we investigated the involvement of PTEN in chemotaxis of mammalian cells by examining PTEN-null Jurkat T cells. We observed that, in contrast to observations made in D discoideum, PTEN-null Jurkat T cells exhibited potent chemotactic responses to the chemokine stromal cell-derived factor 1alpha (SDF-1alpha), indicating that PTEN was not requisite for CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4)-mediated chemotaxis of Jurkat cells. Conversely, reconstitution of PTEN in Jurkat cells by using a tetracycline (Tet-on)-inducible expression system down-regulated CXCR4-mediated chemotaxis. Furthermore, we established the lipid phosphatase activity of PTEN as essential for its inhibitory effect on chemotaxis. In addition, using PTEN-expressing T-cell lines and primary T cells, we demonstrated that down-regulation of PTEN expression with vector-based small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) enhanced CXCR4-mediated chemotaxis. Based on these results, we conclude that PTEN expression negatively regulates chemotaxis of lymphoid mammalian cells via its lipid phosphatase activity. Our findings may account for the reported increase in metastatic activity of PTEN-null tumor cells.

The tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) is involved in cell proliferation, adhesion, and apoptosis. PTEN overexpression in mammary epithelium leads to reduced cell number and impaired differentiation and secretion. In contrast, overexpression of the proto-oncogene Wnt-1 in mammary epithelium leads to mammary hyperplasia and subsequently focal mammary tumors. To explore the possibility that PTEN intersects with Wnt-induced tumorigenesis, mice that ectopically express PTEN and Wnt-1 in mammary epithelium were generated. PTEN overexpression resulted in an 11% reduction of Wnt-1-induced tumors within a 12-month period and the onset of tumors was delayed from an average of 5.9 to 7.7 months. The rate of tumor growth, measured from 0.5 cm diameter until the tumors reached 1.0 cm diameter, was increased from 8.4 days in Wnt-1 mice to 17.7 days in Wnt-1 mice overexpressing PTEN. Here we show for the first time in vivo that overexpression of PTEN in the Wnt-1 transgenic mice resulted in a marked decrease in the insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I receptor levels leading to a reduced IGF-I-mediated mitogenesis. Moreover, the percentage of BrdUrd-positive epithelial nuclei was decreased by 48%. beta-Catenin immunoreactivity was significantly decreased and the percentage of signal transducer and activator of transcription 5a (stat5a)-positive mammary epithelial cells was increased by 2-fold in Wnt-1 mice overexpressing PTEN. The present study shows that PTEN can partially inhibit the Wnt-1-induced mammary tumorigenesis in early neoplastic stages by blocking the AKT pathway and by reducing the IGF-I receptor levels in mammary gland. This study identifies the PTEN as a therapeutic target for the treatment of mammary cancer and presumably other types of cancer.

Mammalian Notch-1 is part of an evolutionarily conserved family of transmembrane receptors best known for involvement in cell fate decisions. mutations that result in Notch-1 activation result in T-lineage oncogenesis. In other cell lineages, however, studies have indicated that cooperation with cellular signaling pathways, such as Ras, is necessary for Notch-mediated oncogenesis and in some settings, Notch-1 has been reported to function as a tumor suppressor. In order to test the hypothesis that the Notch-1 pathway exhibits cross-talk with Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK, the constitutively active cytoplasmic portion of Notch-1 was introduced into 293 HEK fibroblasts via retroviral transduction. ERK-1,-2 activation was markedly increased in cells expressing constitutively active Notch-1. These cells exhibited a more rounded morphology as compared to 293 cells transduced with an empty vector or parental 293 cells. These observations correlated with decreased total and phosphorylated focal adhesion kinase protein (FAK). Subsequent examination of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) revealed that total and phosphorylated PTEN protein was elevated in cells expressing constitutively active Notch-1. Loss of Akt phosphorylation was also observed in cells bearing activated Notch-1. Two potential binding sites for the Notch effector CBF-1 were identified in the human PTEN promoter sequence. A PTEN promoter luciferase reporter exhibited increased activity in the presence of Notch-1 signaling. These data indicate that Notch-1 can participate in cross-talk with other signaling pathways such as Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK through the regulation of the PTEN tumor suppressor.

The phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) tumor suppressor is a phosphatidylinositol D3-phosphatase that counteracts the effects of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and negatively regulates cell growth and survival. PTEN is itself regulated by phosphorylation on multiple serine and threonine residues in its C terminus. Previous work has implicated casein kinase 2 (CK2) as the kinase responsible for this phosphorylation. Here we showed that CK2 does not phosphorylate all sites in PTEN and that glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK3beta) also participates in PTEN phosphorylation. Although CK2 mainly phosphorylated PTEN at Ser-370 and Ser-385, GSK3beta phosphorylated Ser-362 and Thr-366. More importantly, prior phosphorylation of PTEN at Ser-370 by CK2 strongly increased its phosphorylation at Thr-366 by GSK3beta, suggesting that the two may synergize. Using RNA interference, we showed that GSK3 phosphorylates PTEN in intact cells. Finally, PTEN phosphorylation was affected by insulin-like growth factor in intact cells. We concluded that multiple kinases, including CK2 and GSK3beta, participate in PTEN phosphorylation and that GSK3beta may provide feedback regulation of PTEN.

Sprouty family proteins are novel regulators of growth factor actions. Human Sprouty 2 (hSPRY2) inhibits the proliferation of a number of different cell types. However, the mechanisms involved in the anti-proliferative actions of hSPRY2 remain to be elucidated. Here we have demonstrated that hSPRY2 increases the amount of the tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) and decreases its phosphorylation. The resultant increase in PTEN activity is reflected in decreased activation of Akt by epidermal growth factor and serum. Consistent with increased PTEN activity, in hSPRY2-expressing cells, the progression of cells from the G1 to S phase is decreased. By using PTEN null primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts and their isogenic controls as well as small interfering RNA against PTEN, we demonstrated that PTEN is necessary for hSPRY2 to inhibit Akt activation by epidermal growth factor as well as cell proliferation. Overall, we concluded that hSPRY2 mediates its anti-proliferative actions by altering PTEN content and activity.

PTEN, a tumor suppressor frequently inactivated in many human cancers, directly antagonizes the activity of phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase (PI3K) by dephosphorylating phosphoinositides. We show here that PTEN interacts directly with the NHERF1 and NHERF2 (Na+/H+ exchanger regulatory factor) homologous adaptor proteins through the PDZ motif of PTEN and the PDZ1 domain of NHERF1 or both PDZ domains of NHERF2. NHERFs were shown to interact directly with platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR), and we demonstrate the assembly of a ternary complex between PTEN, NHERFs and PDGFR. The activation of the PI3K pathway after PDGFR stimulation was prolonged in NHERF1(-/-) mouse embryonic fibroblasts as compared to wild-type cells, consistent with defective PTEN recruitment to PDGFR in the absence of NHERF1. Depletion of NHERF2 by small interfering RNA similarly increased PI3K signaling. Phenotypically, the loss of NHERF1 enhanced the PDGF-induced cytoskeletal rearrangements and chemotactic migration of the cells. These data indicate that, in normal cells, NHERF proteins recruit PTEN to PDGFR to restrict the activation of the PI3K.

The tumor suppressor function of PTEN is strongly linked to its ability to dephosphorylate phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5 trisphosphate and, thereby, control cell growth, survival, and migration. However, the mechanism of action of PTEN in living cells is largely unexplored. Here we use single-molecule TIRF microscopy in living cells to reveal that the enzyme binds to the membrane for a few hundred milliseconds, sufficient to degrade several phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5 trisphosphate molecules. Deletion of an N-terminal lipid-binding motif completely abrogates membrane interaction and in vivo function. Several mechanisms, including C-terminal tail phosphorylations, appear to hold PTEN in a constrained conformation that limits its rate of association with the membrane. The steady-state level of bound PTEN is highest at sites of retracting membrane, including the rear of highly polarized cells. The dynamic membrane association could be modulated temporally or spatially to alter PTEN activity in specific physiological situations and could have important implications for tumor suppressor function.

BACKGROUND: Endometrioid carcinoma and clear cell carcinoma of the ovary are associated to endometriosis. Somatic mutations of PTEN (10q23.3) are present in endometrial endometrioid carcinoma. Therefore, these mutations could be also present in ovarian tumors. Molecular studies show that solitary endometriotic cysts are monoclonal, have aneuploid DNA, have a loss of 9p,11q and 22q heterozygosity (LOH) and a higher cellular proliferation index of the epithelial component. AIM: To determine the cellular proliferation index using Ki 67, the immunohistochemical expression of PTEN and LOH in patients with ovarian endometriosis without atypia (EN), ovarian endometriosis with atypia (EA) and endometriosis with adjacent ovarian carcinoma (ET). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Paraffin embedded samples of 37 endometrioid and clear cell carcinomas of the ovary (CC/CE), 15 solitary ovarian EN and 15 ovarian EA, were studied. expression of Ki 67 and PTEN was measured by immunohistochemistry. LOH of 10q23.3 locus was measured by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Ki 67 was 5.5 and 2.3% in EA and EN, respectively (p <0.005). There was a histological correlation between EA and a higher cellular proliferation index. PTEN was negative in 5 of 15 EN, 9 of 15 EA and 30 of 37 CE/CC. There was a correlation between LOH and loss of PTEN protein in EN, EA and ET (60%). CONCLUSIONS: Negative expression on PTEN in EN; EA; ET and CE/CC is a manifestation of the inactivation of this gene. The mechanisms that cause this inactivation, must be elucidated.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Encoding phosphate and tensin homolog (PTEN) is a cancer suppressor gene and it has been assumed that gene mutation and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) occurs frequently in various types of carcinoma. However, the role of LOH of PTEN and its outcome variables in gastric cancer have not been well established. In the present study, we investigated the roles of PTEN, LOH and their outcomes. METHODS: Fresh frozen tumor samples from 119 gastric cancer patients with a primary diagnosis of gastric carcinoma were evaluated for LOH of PTEN using an automated sequencer. Results were compared with pathological parameters. The median follow-up period was 559 days. RESULTS: Loss of heterozygosity of PTEN was observed in 17.1% of patients (13/76) diagnosed with gastric cancer. No particular relationship was found with any clinicopathological factor. However, the prognosis of patients with LOH of PTEN was significantly poor. Multivariate analyses revealed that vascular invasion, invasion depth, LOH of PTEN, histology and lymph node metastasis were correlated with survival of the patient. CONCLUSIONS: Even though mutation of PTEN in gastric cancer has rarely been reported, according to our findings, LOH of PTEN frequently occurs in gastric cancers and is correlated with disease-related deaths. The LOH of PTEN is an independent prognostic factor and PTEN is a candidate as a haploinsufficient tumor suppressor in gastric cancers.

Diabetic nephropathy is characterized early in its course by glomerular hypertrophy and, importantly, mesangial hypertrophy, which correlate with eventual glomerulosclerosis. The mechanism of hypertrophy, however, is not known. gene disruption of the tumor suppressor PTEN, a negative regulator of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway, in fruit flies and mice demonstrated its role in size control in a cell-specific manner. Here, we investigated the mechanism of mesangial hypertrophy in response to high extracellular glucose. We link early renal hypertrophy with significant reduction in PTEN expression in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic kidney cortex and glomeruli, concomitant with activation of Akt. Similarly, exposure of mesangial cells to high concentrations of glucose also decreased PTEN expression and its phosphatase activity, resulting in increased Akt activity. expression of PTEN inhibited high-glucose-induced mesangial cell hypertrophy, and expression of dominant-negative PTEN was sufficient to induce hypertrophy. In diabetic nephropathy, the hypertrophic effect of hyperglycemia is thought to be mediated by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta). TGF-beta significantly reduced PTEN expression in mesangial cells, with a reduction in its phosphatase activity and an increase in Akt activation. PTEN and dominant-negative Akt attenuated TGF-beta-induced hypertrophy of mesangial cells. Finally, we show that inhibition of TGF-beta signal transduction blocks the effect of high glucose on PTEN downregulation. These data identify a novel mechanism placing PTEN as a key regulator of diabetic mesangial hypertrophy involving TGF-beta signaling.

Phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted from chromosome 10 (PTEN) seems to be an important tumor suppressor gene in melanoma. Because the PTEN gene is only infrequently deleted or mutated, and because the PTEN protein is low to absent in a significant number of melanomas, we investigated alternative methods of epigenetic silencing. We did quantitative positional methylation analysis (pyrosequencing) on 37 sera from melanoma patients and on 21 pairs of corresponding sera and melanoma specimens in addition to Taqman reverse transcription-PCR. We report significant positional PTEN promoter methylation in 62% of circulating DNA isolated from sera of patients with metastatic melanoma. The percentage of methylation of a selected CpG island in blood showed a correlation with methylation levels in the corresponding melanoma tissue. Moreover, high percentages of PTEN methylation were associated with low PTEN transcription levels. Using the demethylation agent 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine, reduced methylation and a corresponding increase in PTEN protein were observed in BLM melanoma cells, leading to reduced AKT activity in an in vitro kinase assay. In summary, epigenetic PTEN silencing seems to be a relevant mechanism of inactivating this tumor suppressor gene in melanoma that may promote melanoma development by derepression of the AKT pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of tumor suppressor gene PTEN in laryngeal carcinoma and study its clinical-pathological implication and its clinical significance. METHOD: The expression of PTEN was detected by immunohistochemistry SP(Streptavidin peroxidase) method in 68 cases of laryngeal carcinoma, 33 cases of adjacent normal laryngeal mucosa. RESULT: (1) There was 61.8% (42 of 68) of cases with expression of PTEN in the tumor tissues, and 100.0% of cases (33 of 33) with the expression of PTEN in the normal mucosa. The positive expression of PTEN in the laryngeal carcinoma gorp was remarkably lower than that in the control group. ( P <0.01). (2) The positive expression of PTEN in high and middle degree of differentiation group was significantly higher than that in low degree of differentiation(79.3% vs 48.7%). Tumors with lymph node metastases(55.0%) had less PTEN protein expression than those without metastasis(71.4%) (P <0.05). As for the PTEN expression between I + II stage and III + IV stage, the difference was significant (76.0% vs 53.5%)(P <0.05). The positive rates of PTEN decreased with clinical stage, the poor differentiation, deep invasion and lymph nodes metastasis ( P <0.05). PTEN protein expression had no relation to the patients age, sex, tumor size and location (P >0.05). CONCLUSION: PTEN gene plays an important role in the occurrence and development of laryngeal carcinoma. It is suggested that PTEN can be a useful marker for predicting invasion and metastasis ability of laryngeal carcinoma.

Focal cortical dysplasias (FCD) with Taylor-type balloon cells (FCD(IIb)) are frequently observed in biopsy specimens of patients with pharmacoresistant focal epilepsies. The molecular pathogenesis of FCD(IIb), which lack familial inheritance, is only poorly understood. Due to their highly differentiated, malformative nature and glioneuronal phenotype, FCD(IIb) share neuropathological characteristics with lesions observed in familial disorders such as cortical tubers present in patients with autosomal dominant tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), related to mutations in the TSC1 or TSC2 genes, and dysplastic gangliocytomas of the cerebellum found in Cowden disease. Current data have indicated distinct allelic variants of TSC1 to accumulate in FCD(IIb). TSC1 represents a tumor suppressor operating in the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/insulin pathway. The tumor-suppressor gene PTEN is mutated in Cowden disease. Like PTEN, also carboxyl-terminal modulator protein (CTMP) modulates PI3K-pathway signaling, both via inhibition of Akt/PKB, a kinase inactivating the TSC1/TSC2 complex. Here, we have analyzed alterations of Akt, PTEN and CTMP relevant for insulin signaling upstream of TSC1/TSC2 in FCD(IIb). Immunohistochemistry with antibodies against phosphorylated Akt (phospho-Akt; Ser 473) in FCD(IIb) (n=23) showed strong phospho-Akt expression in dysplastic FCD(IIb) components. We have further studied sequence alterations of PTEN (n=34 FCD(IIb)) and CTMP (n=20 FCD(IIb)) by laser microdissection/single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis. We observed a somatic mutation in an FCD(IIb), i.e., amino-acid exchange at nucleotide position 834 (PTEN cDNA, GenBank AH007803.1) in exon 8 with replacement of phenylalanine by leucine (F278L). We also found several silent polymorphisms of PTEN in exon 2 and exon 8 as well as silent and coding polymorphisms but no mutations in CTMP. No loss of heterozygosity in FCD(IIb) (n=6) at 10q23 was observed. To our knowledge, we here report on the first somatic mutation of a tumor-suppressor gene, i.e., PTEN, in FCD(IIb). However, our study also demonstrates that mutational alterations of PTEN and CTMP do not play major pathogenetic roles for activation of Akt in FCD(IIb). Future studies need to determine the origin of insulin pathway activation upstream of TSC1/TSC2 in FCD(IIb).

PTEN, encoding a lipid phosphatase, is a tumor suppressor gene and is mutated in various types of cancers. It is reported to regulate G1 to S phase transition of the cell cycle by influencing the expression, protein stability and subcellular location of cyclin D1. Here, we provide evidence that PTEN modulates the transcription and protein stability of cyclin D2. Targeted deletion of Pten in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) endowed cells with greater potential to overcome G1 arrest than wild-type MEFs and led to the elevated expression of cyclin D2, which was suppressed by the introduction of PTEN. We further defined a pathway involving GSK3beta and beta-catenin/TCF in PTEN-mediated suppression of cyclin D2 transcription. LiCl, an inhibitor of GSK3beta, abolished inhibitory effect of PTEN on cyclin D2 expression, and TCF members could directly bind to the promoter of cyclin D2 and regulate its transcription in a CREB-dependent manner. Our results indicate that the downregulation of cyclin D2 expression by PTEN is mediated by the GSK3beta/beta-catenin/TCF pathway in cooperation with CREB, and suggest a convergence from the PI-3 kinase/PTEN pathway and the Wnt pathway in modulation of cyclin D2 expression.

OBJECTIVE: To detect the expression of PTEN, PIP3 and cyclin D1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma and precancerous lesions and analyze their correlation. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry SP method was used to detect the expression of PTEN, PIP3 and cyclin D1 in 63 cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma, 29 cases of simple hyperplasia, 33 cases of dysplasia, and 25 cases of normal oral mucosa. RESULTS: The negative or low expression of PTEN in oral squamous cell carcinoma was 25%, which was remarkably lower than that in other groups. The positive expression of PIP3 in simple hyperplasia, dysplasia and oral squamous cell carcinoma was 66%, 64%, and 76% respectively, which were much higher than those in normal oral mucosa. The positive expression of cyclin D1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma was 49%, which was significantly higher than that in other groups. The negative correlation between PTEN with PIP3, cyclin D1 and the positive correlation between PIP3 and cyclin D1 were observed. CONCLUSIONS: PTEN may play a role in the oncogenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma, and PTEN may down-regulate the expression of PIP3, and then down-regulate the expression of cyclin D1, which leads to the suppression of cell growth.

Cystatin M is a potent endogenous inhibitor of lysosomal cysteine proteases. In breast carcinoma, cystatin M expression is frequently downregulated. It has been shown that cystatin M expression suppressed growth and migration of breast cancer cells. We examined the methylation status of the CpG island promoter of cystatin M in four breast cancer cell lines (MDAMB231, ZR75-1, MCF7 and T47D), in 40 primary breast carcinoma and in corresponding normal tissue probes by combined bisulphite restriction analysis. To investigate the effects of cystatin M expression on the growth of breast carcinoma, cystatin M was transfected in T47D. The cystatin M promoter was highly methylated in all four-breast cancer cell lines. Primary breast tumours were significantly more frequently methylated compared to normal tissue samples (60 vs 25%; P=0.006 Fishers exact test). Treatment of breast cancer cells with 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-CdR), reactivated the transcription of cystatin M. Transfection of breast carcinoma cells with cystatin M caused a 30% decrease in colony formation compared to control transfection (P=0.002). Our results show that cystatin M is frequently epigenetically inactivated during breast carcinogenesis and cystatin M expression suppresses the growth of breast carcinoma. These data suggest that cystatin M may encode a novel epigenetically inactivated candidate tumour suppressor gene.

Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), deleted on chromosome 10, is a potent tumor suppressor. PTEN expression is reduced in advanced bladder cancer and reduction correlates with disease stage. To gain insights into the function of PTEN in human bladder cancer by identifying its binding partners, we developed a novel IPTG inducible PTEN expression system and evaluated this system in the PTEN null UMUC-3 human bladder cancer xenograft model. In this model, induction of PTEN in vivo resulted in reduced tumor growth. We used mass spectrometry to identify PTEN interaction partners in these cells, which identified known interaction partners major vault protein (MVP) and paxillin as well as a novel interaction partner, TRK fused gene (TFG). In conclusion, using a biologically relevant model system to dissect PTEN tumor suppressor function in human bladder cancer, we identified three molecules important for many cellular functions in complex with PTEN.

The recruitment and activation of neutrophils at infected tissues is essential for host defense against invading microorganisms. However, excessive neutrophil recruitment or activation can also damage the surrounding tissues and cause unwanted inflammation. Hence, the responsiveness of neutrophils needs to be tightly regulated. In this study, we have investigated the functional role of tumor suppressor PTEN in neutrophils by using a mouse line in which PTEN is disrupted only in myeloid-derived cells. Chemoattractant-stimulated PTEN(-/-) neutrophils displayed significantly higher Akt phosphorylation and actin polymerization. A larger fraction of these neutrophils displayed membrane ruffles in response to chemoattractant stimulation. In addition, chemoattractant-induced transwell migration and superoxide production were also augmented. Single-cell chemotaxis assays showed that PTEN(-/-) neutrophils have a small (yet statistically significant) defect in directionality. However, these neutrophils also showed an increase in cell speed. As a result, overall chemotaxis, which depends on speed and directionality, was not affected. Consistent with the increased responsiveness of PTEN(-/-) neutrophils, the in vivo recruitment of these cells to the inflamed peritoneal cavity was significantly enhanced. Thus, as a physiologic-negative regulator, PTEN should be a promising therapeutic target for modulating neutrophil functions in various infectious and inflammatory diseases.

Alzheimers Disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid plaques consisting of beta-amyloid (Abeta) peptides and neurofibrillary tangles consisting of hyperphosphorylated tau protein. Abeta is proteolytically derived from its precursor protein through cleavages by beta-secretase and gamma-secretase complex comprising presenilins (PS, PS1/PS2), nicastrin, APH-1 and PEN-2. PS1 is also known to activate the PI3K/Akt cell survival pathway in a gamma-secretase-independent manner. The tumor suppressor PTEN, which antagonizes the PI3K/Akt pathway, has increasingly been recognized to play a key role in neural functions and its level found reduced in AD brains. Here, we demonstrate that the protein level of PTEN is dramatically reduced in cultured cells and embryonic tissues deficient in PS, and in the cortical neurons of PS1/PS2 conditional double knockout mice. Restoration of PS in PS-deficient cells reverses the reduction of PTEN. Regulation of PTEN by PS is independent of the PS/gamma-secretase activity since impaired gamma-secretase by the gamma-secretase inhibitor treatment or due to nicastrin deficiency has little effect on the protein level of PTEN. Our data suggest an important role for PS in signaling pathways involving PI3K/Akt and PTEN that are crucial for physiological functions and the pathogenesis of multiple diseases.

In an attempt to clarify the role of phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) in muscle insulin resistance, we investigated the effect of PTEN on phosphoinositide 3 (PI3)-kinase/Akt related insulin signaling pathway in skeletal muscle-like C2C12 cells damaged by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha). C2C12 cells cultured with TNFalpha (10 ng/ml) for 1 h displayed a marked decrease of insulin-stimulated 2-[14C]-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) uptake in parallel with an elevation of PTEN mRNA and protein levels. However, pretreatment of PTEN antisense oligonucleotide (AS) (1 micromol/l for 3 days) for specific inhibition of PTEN expression in C2C12 cells abolished the TNFalpha-induced changes in 2-DG uptake. Similar pretreatment with PTEN AS, but not with sense oligonucleotide (1 micromol/l for 3 days), eliminated the ability of TNFalpha to impair insulin-stimulated signals including p85 regulatory subunit of PI3-kinase expression and the degree of Akt serine phosphorylation as well as protein expression in glucose transporter subtype 4. Data taken from cultured C2C12 cells emphasize the negative regulatory of muscle PI3-kinase/Akt signaling pathways as the major substrate of PTEN but also support the concept that PTEN contributes to the development of insulin resistance in skeletal muscle.

pathway-specific therapy is the future of cancer management. The oncogenic phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway is frequently activated in solid tumors; however, currently, no reliable test for PI3K pathway activation exists for human tumors. Taking advantage of the observation that loss of PTEN, the negative regulator of PI3K, results in robust activation of this pathway, we developed and validated a microarray gene expression signature for immunohistochemistry (IHC)-detectable PTEN loss in breast cancer (BC). The most significant signature gene was PTEN itself, indicating that PTEN mRNA levels are the primary determinant of PTEN protein levels in BC. Some PTEN IHC-positive BCs exhibited the signature of PTEN loss, which was associated to moderately reduced PTEN mRNA levels cooperating with specific types of PIK3CA mutations and/or amplification of HER2. This demonstrates that the signature is more sensitive than PTEN IHC for identifying tumors with pathway activation. In independent data sets of breast, prostate, and bladder carcinoma, prediction of pathway activity by the signature correlated significantly to poor patient outcome. Stathmin, encoded by the signature gene STMN1, was an accurate IHC marker of the signature and had prognostic significance in BC. Stathmin was also pathway-pharmacodynamic in vitro and in vivo. Thus, the signature or its components such as stathmin may be clinically useful tests for stratification of patients for anti-PI3K pathway therapy and monitoring therapeutic efficacy. This study indicates that aberrant PI3K pathway signaling is strongly associated with metastasis and poor survival across carcinoma types, highlighting the enormous potential impact on patient survival that pathway inhibition could achieve.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) and retinoic acid receptors (RARs) have been a focus in chemotherapy for human cancers. The tumor suppressor PTEN plays a pivotal role in the growth of human cancer cells. We investigated whether costimulation of PPARgamma and RAR could synergistically up-regulate PTEN in human leukemia cells and consequently potentiate the inhibition of growth and cell cycle progression of these cells. We found that overexpression of PTEN with the adenoviral vector Ad/PTEN caused growth arrest at the G1 phase of the cell cycle of HL-60 cells. HL-60 cells treated with either a PPARgamma ligand (ciglitazone) or a RAR ligand (all-trans retinoic acid [ATRA]) up-regulated PTEN in HL-60 cells. The 2 compounds in combination showed synergistic effects on PTEN expression at the protein and messenger RNA levels. Moreover, the combination of ciglitazone and ATRA synergistically reduced cell growth rates and cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase. Our results suggest that, PPARgamma and RAR play an important role in controlling the growth of leukemia cells via the up-regulation of PTEN.

Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) is rarely mutated in pancreatic cancers, but its regulation by transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta might mediate growth suppression and other oncogenic actions. Here, we examined the role of TGFbeta and the effects of oncogenic K-RAS/ERK upon PTEN expression in the absence of SMAD4. We utilized two SMAD4-null pancreatic cell lines, CAPAN-1 (K-RAS mutant) and BxPc-3 (WT-K-RAS), both of which express TGFbeta surface receptors. Cells were treated with TGFbeta1 and separated into cytosolic/nuclear fractions for western blotting with phospho-SMAD2, SMAD 2, 4 phospho-ATP-dependent tyrosine kinases (Akt), Akt and PTEN antibodies. PTEN mRNA levels were assessed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. The MEK1 inhibitor, PD98059, was used to block the downstream action of oncogenic K-RAS/ERK, as was a dominant-negative (DN) K-RAS construct. TGFbeta increased phospho-SMAD2 in both cytosolic and nuclear fractions. PD98059 treatment further increased phospho-SMAD2 in the nucleus of both pancreatic cell lines, and DN-K-RAS further improved SMAD translocation in K-RAS mutant CAPAN cells. TGFbeta treatment significantly suppressed PTEN protein levels concomitant with activation of Akt by 48 h through transcriptional reduction of PTEN mRNA that was evident by 6 h. TGFbeta-induced PTEN suppression was reversed by PD98059 and DN-K-RAS compared with treatments without TGFbeta. TGFbeta-induced PTEN expression was inversely related to cellular proliferation. Thus, oncogenic K-RAS/ERK in pancreatic adenocarcinoma facilitates TGFbeta-induced transcriptional down-regulation of the tumor suppressor PTEN in a SMAD4-independent manner and could constitute a signaling switch mechanism from growth suppression to growth promotion in pancreatic cancers.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: microRNAs (miRNAs) are short noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression negatively. Although a role for aberrant miRNA expression in cancer has been postulated, the pathophysiologic role and relevance of aberrantly expressed miRNA to tumor biology has not been established. METHODS: We evaluated the expression of miRNA in human hepatocellular cancer (HCC) by expression profiling, and defined a target gene and biologically functional effect of an up-regulated miRNA. RESULTS: miR-21 was noted to be highly overexpressed in HCC tumors and cell lines in expression profiling studies using a miRNA microarray. Inhibition of miR-21 in cultured HCC cells increased expression of the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) tumor suppressor, and decreased tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. In contrast-enhanced miR-21 expression by transfection with precursor miR-21 increased tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Moreover, an increase in cell migration was observed in normal human hepatocytes transfected with precursor miR-21. PTEN was shown to be a direct target of miR-21, and to contribute to miR-21 effects on cell invasion. Modulation of miR-21 altered focal adhesion kinase phosphorylation and expression of matrix metalloproteases 2 and 9, both downstream mediators of PTEN involved in cell migration and invasion. CONCLUSIONS: Aberrant expression of miR-21 can contribute to HCC growth and spread by modulating PTEN expression and PTEN-dependent pathways involved in mediating phenotypic characteristics of cancer cells such as cell growth, migration, and invasion.

Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in the 10q23 chromosomal region was analyzed in 18 tissue samples from Korean hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. LOH at the phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted from chromosome 10 (PTEN) region (D10S215, AFMa086wg9 and D10S541) was found in 8 of the 18 (44.4%) HCCs. LOH (20%) and microsatellite instability (26.7%) were also frequently found at the D10S2177 locus, which is located on the telomere side of the PTEN region. LOH was found in other loci, such as AFM280we1 and D10S2281. The presence of LOH in regions other than the PTEN region on chromosome 10q23 suggested the presence of additional tumor suppressor gene(s). PTEN mutation was found in only a subset of HCCs: A single base insertion at the end of the 5-end splice signal (AG-GUAAGUU) in intron 5 and a silent mutation in exon 6 (codon 188, CTG-Val to CTA). Our data collectively suggest that the genetic alterations of chromosome 10q23, including the PTEN gene, could be important in hepatocarcinogenesis in the Korean population.

Mycosis fungoides (MF) exhibits a variety of underlying molecular defects. Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) is a technique used to detect chromosomal imbalances in neoplastic disorders using archival tissue. We analyzed skin biopsies of MF in different stages for the presence of LOH at specific loci to evaluate underlying genetic aberrations involved in MF and its progression. Twenty-five skin biopsies (15 plaque stage and 10 tumor stage) from 19 patients were evaluated. LOH was examined at 1p22 (D1S2766), 9p21 [IFNA, p15 (D9S1748), p16 (D9S171)], 10q23 [PTEN (D10S185, D10S541, D10S2491)], and 17p13 [p53 (TP53)]. Abnormal lymphocytes were microdissected from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections. Sixteen of the 25 (64%) specimens evaluated had at least one abnormal LOH locus and LOH was identified in 7 of 15 (47%) plaque and in 9 of 10 (90%) tumor stage lesions, respectively. All 3 patients with sequential biopsies (plaque followed by tumor lesions) had additional LOH abnormalities in tumor specimens compared with plaque stage lesions. LOH most frequently involved chromosome 10, including 7 of 10 (70%) tumor stage lesions. Loss of multiple alleles was only identified in tumor stage cases, with 3 tumors undergoing allelic losses at 3 separate loci. Our results suggest that LOH studies are a robust method for evaluating genetic abnormalities in MF. Tumor stage lesions manifest increasing allelic losses compared with plaque stage. Further, in this series, several loci associated with the tumor suppressor gene PTEN on chromosome 10 appear to be associated with progression from plaque to tumor stage.

PTEN is a tumor suppressor gene mutated in many human cancers. We generated a bronchioalveolar epithelium-specific null mutation of Pten in mice [SP-C-rtTA/(tetO)(7)-Cre/Pten(flox/flox) (SOPten(flox/flox)) mice] that was under the control of doxycycline. Ninety percent of SOPten(flox/flox) mice that received doxycycline in utero [SOPten(flox/flox)(E10-16) mice] died of hypoxia soon after birth. Surviving SOPten(flox/flox)(E10-16) mice and mice that received doxycycline postnatally [SOPten(flox/flox)(P21-27) mice] developed spontaneous lung adenocarcinomas. Urethane treatment accelerated number and size of lung tumors developing in SOPten(flox/flox) mice of both ages. Histological and biochemical examinations of the lungs of SOPten(flox/flox)(E10-16) mice revealed hyperplasia of bronchioalveolar epithelial cells and myofibroblast precursors, enlarged alveolar epithelial cells, and impaired production of surfactant proteins. Numbers of bronchioalveolar stem cells (BASCs), putative initiators of lung adenocarcinomas, were increased. Lungs of SOPten(flox/flox)(E10-16) mice showed increased expression of Spry2, which inhibits the maturation of alveolar epithelial cells. Levels of Akt, c-Myc, Bcl-2, and Shh were also elevated in SOPten(flox/flox)(E10-16) and SOPten(flox/flox)(P21-27) lungs. Furthermore, K-ras was frequently mutated in adenocarcinomas observed in SOPten(flox/flox)(P21-27) lungs. These results indicate that Pten is essential for both normal lung morphogenesis and the prevention of lung carcinogenesis, possibly because this tumor suppressor is required for BASC homeostasis.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: tumor suppressor gene PTEN could not only inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells, but also inhibit their metastasis. However, the mechanism is still unclear. This study was to investigate the effects of PTEN gene on the proliferation and metastasis of human breast cancer ZR-75-1 cells, and explore the mechanisms. METHODS: Wild-type PTEN (wt-PTEN) plasmid and phosphatase-defective PTEN (G129R-PTEN) plasmid were transfected into ZR-75-1 cells by liposome, respectively. Cell proliferation was detected by MTT assay. Transfected cells were selected by puromycin. The expression of PTEN protein was detected by Western blot. Cell adhesion and invasion were tested by adhesion test and invasion test. RESULTS: The proliferation inhibition rate was significantly higher in wt-PTEN-transfected ZR-75-1 cells than in untransfected cells and G129R-PTEN-transfected cells (42.7% vs. 0% and 2.7%, P<0.01); there was no significant difference between untransfected cells and G129R-PTEN-transfected cells(P>0.05). The proliferation inhibition of ZR-75-1 cells was enhanced along with the increase of culture time and concentration of wt-PTEN. wt-PTEN also induced cell apoptosis. PTEN protein was expressed efficiently in the cells transfected with either wt-PTEN or G129R-PTEN. The inhibition rates of adhesion and invasion were significantly higher in wt-PTEN-transfected cells than in G129R-PTEN-transfected cells (65.7% vs. 8.8%, 70.4% vs. 6.9%, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Wild-type PTEN gene with dual-specific phosphatase activity can inhibit the proliferation and metastasis of ZR-75-1 cells.

Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is a tumor suppressor gene located at human chromosome 10q23, might play an important role in cell proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis of cancer cells. In this study, the eukaryotic expression vectors pBP-wt-PTEN (containing a wild-type PTEN gene) and pBP-G129R-PTEN (containing a mutant PTEN gene) were used to transfect breast cancer ZR-75-1 cells. After transfection, ZR-75-1 cells expressing PTEN were obtained and tested. The blue exclusion assay showed the growth rate of the cells transfected with pBP-wt-PTEN was significantly lower than that of the control cells transfected with pBP-G129R-PTEN. Analysis of the cell cycle by flow cytometry showed that the progression from the G(1) to the S phase was arrested in cells expressing wild-type PTEN. Some typical morphological changes of apoptosis were also observed in cells transfected with pBP-wt-PTEN, but not in those transfected with pBP-G129R-PTEN. This study shows that overexpression of PTEN in ZR-75-1 cells leads to cell growth arrest and apoptosis.

The MYC/MAX/MAD network of transcriptional regulators controls distinct aspects of cell physiology, including cell proliferation and apoptosis. Within the network MAD proteins antagonize the functions of MYC oncoproteins, and the latter are deregulated in the majority of human cancers. While MYC sensitizes cells to proapoptotic signals, the transcriptional repressor MAD1 inhibits apoptosis in response to a broad range of stimuli, including oncoproteins. The molecular targets of MAD1 that mediate inhibition of apoptosis are not known. Here we describe the phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) tumor suppressor gene as a target of MAD1. By binding to the proximal promoter region, MAD1 downregulated PTEN expression. PTEN functions as a lipid phosphatase that regulates the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT pathway. Indeed MAD1-dependent repression of PTEN led to activation of AKT and subsequent stimulation of the antiapoptotic NF-kappaB pathway. Interfering with AKT function affected the control of Fas-induced apoptosis by MAD1. In addition, knockdown of PTEN using small interfering RNA (siRNA) or the lack of PTEN rendered cells insensitive to inhibition of apoptosis by MAD1. These findings identify the PTEN gene as a target of the MYC-antagonist MAD1 and provide a molecular framework critical for the ability of MAD1 to inhibit apoptosis.

The tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) plays distinct growth-regulatory roles in the cytoplasm and nucleus. It has been shown to be preferentially localized to the nucleus in differentiated or resting cells, and to the cytoplasm in advanced tumor cells. Thus, the regulation of PTENs subcellular localization seems to be critical to its tumor-suppressing functions. In this study, we showed that activation of the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) pathway triggers PTENs cell cycle-dependent chromosome region maintenance 1-mediated nuclear export, as PTEN was predominantly expressed in the cytoplasm of TSC2(-/-) mouse embryo fibroblasts or activated Akt mutant-transfected NIH3T3 cells. In contrast, dominant-negative mutants of Akt and pharmacologic inhibitors of PI3K, mTOR, and S6K1, but not of MEK, suppressed the nuclear export of PTEN during the G(1)-S transition. The nuclear-cytoplasmic trafficking of exogenous PTEN is likewise regulated by the PI3K cascade in PTEN-null U251MG cells. The nuclear export of PTEN could also be blocked by short interfering RNA to S6K1/2. In addition, PTEN interacts with both S6K1 and S6K2. Taken together, our findings strongly indicate that activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR/S6K cascade, specifically S6K1/2, is pivotal in regulating the subcellular localization of PTEN. This scenario exemplifies a reciprocal regulation between PI3K and PTEN that defines a novel negative-feedback loop in cell cycle progression.

Basal-like breast cancer (BBC) is a subtype of breast cancer with poor prognosis. Inherited mutations of BRCA1, a cancer susceptibility gene involved in double-strand DNA break (DSB) repair, lead to breast cancers that are nearly always of the BBC subtype; however, the precise molecular lesions and oncogenic consequences of BRCA1 dysfunction are poorly understood. Here we show that heterozygous inactivation of the tumor suppressor gene Pten leads to the formation of basal-like mammary tumors in mice, and that loss of PTEN expression is significantly associated with the BBC subtype in human sporadic and BRCA1-associated hereditary breast cancers. In addition, we identify frequent gross PTEN mutations, involving intragenic chromosome breaks, inversions, deletions and micro copy number aberrations, specifically in BRCA1-deficient tumors. These data provide an example of a specific and recurrent oncogenic consequence of BRCA1-dependent dysfunction in DNA repair and provide insight into the pathogenesis of BBC with therapeutic implications. These findings also argue that obtaining an accurate census of genes mutated in cancer will require a systematic examination for gross gene rearrangements, particularly in tumors with deficient DSB repair.

OBJECT: Despite recent advances in cancer immunotherapy, cellular mechanisms controlling expression of tumor-associated antigens are poorly understood. mutations in cancer cells, such as loss of PTEN, may increase expression of tumor-associated antigens. The authors investigated the relationship between PTEN status and the expression of a glioma-associated antigen, adenosine diphosphate-ribosylation factor 4-like (ARF4L) protein. METHODS: Human glioma cell lines with confirmed PTEN status were examined by Northern blot analysis and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Western blot analysis was used to measure ARF4L protein levels across multiple cell lines. RESULTS: The loss of PTEN was shown to lead to increased levels of ARF4L protein but no change in transcript levels. Cell lines with serial mutations, including activation of Ras and Akt pathways, also demonstrated increased levels of ARF4L protein, which decreased after treatment with rapamycin. The ARF4L transcript preferentially localized to the polysomal compartment after PTEN loss in glioma or activation of Akt in human astrocytes. CONCLUSIONS: expression of ARF4L is controlled by the activated Akt/mTOR pathway, which is a downstream effect of the loss of PTEN function. mutations leading to oncogenesis may impact the regulation and expression of tumor specific antigens. Screening of mutation status in glioma may be helpful in selecting patients for immunotherapy trials in the future.

To study the function of mitochondrial PTEN in mediation of cellular apoptosis, the adenoviral recombinant of Mito-PTEN, which contains CoxVII (subunit VII of Cytochrome C Oxidase) gene in N-terminus, were generated. Using CoxV II-PTEN-EYFPN1 as a template, Cox VII-PTEN was cloned into the shuttle vector pAdTrack-CMV with the restriction endonuclease sites Xho I and Xba I . The shuttle plasmid was linearize with Pme I and co-transformed with adenoviral backbone vector pAdeasy-1 into E. coli BJ5183. Following selection and identification, the positive recombinant plasmids were transformed into E. coli Dalpha for propagation. To package the adenoviruses, recombinant plasmid candidate was linearize using Pac I and transfected into HEK-293A cells with Lipofectamine 2000. Through freeze-thaw-vortex cycles, recombinant viral particles were collected and harvested, and utilized to infect 293A cells for further amplification. The method of TCID50 was employed to determine virus titers. With green fluorescent protein (GFP) as marker, the efficiency of transfection and infection was monitored by fluorescence microscopy, and the apoptosis of A431 cells after infection of Mito-PTEN-Ad was analyzed by flow cytometry. Adenoviral recombinant of Mito-PTEN was packaged successfully with the TCID50 as 10 pfu/mL and the expressed protein was detected by western blot. In addition, it has been demonstrated that Mito-PTEN promoted apoptosis of A431 cells. Take together, the successful generation of adenoviral recombinant of Mito-PTEN, which could induce apoptosis in A431 cells, sets up a basis for further functional studies of mitochondrial PTEN and provides us a potential tool for cancer treatment in future.

(1)Pten (phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten), a tumor suppressor, is a phosphatase with a variety of substrate specificities. Its function as a negative regulator of the class I phosphatidyl-inositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway antagonizes insulin-dependent cell signaling. The targeted deletion of Pten in mouse liver leads to insulin hypersensitivity and the upregulation of the phosphatidyl-inositol 3-kinase/Akt signaling pathway. In this study, we investigated the effects of Pten deficiency on autophagy, a major cellular degradative system responsible for the turnover of cell constituents. The autophagic degradation of [(14)C-leucine-labeled proteins of hepatocytes isolated from Pten-deficient livers was strongly inhibited, compared with that of control hepatocytes. However, no significant difference was found in the levels of the Atg12-Atg5 conjugate and LC3-II, the lipidated form of LC3, an intrinsic autophagosomal membrane marker, between control and Pten-deficient livers. Electron microscopic analyses showed that numerous autophagic vacuoles (autophagosomes plus autolysosomes) were present in the livers of control mice that had been starved for 48 hours, whereas they were markedly reduced in Pten-deficient livers under the same conditions. In vivo administration of leupeptin to control livers caused the inhibition of autophagic proteolysis, resulting in the accumulation of autolysosomes. These autolysosomes could be separated as a denser autolysosomal fraction from other cell membranes by Percoll density gradient centrifugation. In leupeptin-administered mutant livers, however, the accumulation of denser autolysosomes was reduced substantially. Collectively, we conclude that enhanced insulin signaling in Pten deficiency suppresses autophagy at the formation and maturation steps of autophagosomes, without inhibiting ATG conjugation reactions.

Genistein is a phytoestrogen that has been reported to suppress the AKT signaling pathway in several malignancies. However, the molecular mechanism of genistein action is not known. We tested the hypothesis that genistein activates expression of several aberrantly silenced tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) that have unmethylated promoters such as PTEN, CYLD, p53 and FOXO3a. We report here that genistein activates TSGs through remodeling of the heterochromatic domains at promoters in prostate cancer cells by modulating histone H3-Lysine 9 (H3-K9) methylation and deacetylation. Genistein activation involved demethylation and acetylation of H3-K9 at the PTEN and the CYLD promoter, while acetylation of H3-K9 at the p53 and the FOXO3a promoter occurred through reduction of endogenous SIRT1 activity. There was a decrease of SIRT1 expression and accumulation of SIRT1 in the cytoplasm from the nucleus. Increased expression of these TSGs was also reciprocally related to attenuation of phosphorylated-AKT and NF-kappaB binding activity in prostate cancer cells. This is the first report describing a novel epigenetic pathway that activates TSGs by modulating either histone H3-Lysine 9 (H3-K9) methylation or deacetylation at gene promoters leading to inhibition of the AKT signaling pathway. These findings strengthen the understanding of how genistein may be chemoprotective in prostate cancer.

Patients with von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease develop tumors in a range of tissues, but existing mouse models of Vhlh mutation have failed to reproduce these lesions. Epididymal cystadenomas arise frequently in VHL patients, but VHL mutation alone is believed to be insufficient for tumor formation, implying a requirement for cooperating mutations in epididymal pathogenesis. Here we show that epididymal cystadenomas from VHL patients frequently also lack expression of the PTEN tumor suppressor and display activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway signaling. Strikingly, while conditional inactivation of either Vhlh or Pten in epithelia of the mouse genital tract fails to produce a tumor phenotype, their combined deletion causes benign genital tract tumors with regions of squamous metaplasia and cystadenoma. The latter are histologically identical to lesions found in VHL patients. Importantly, these lesions are characterized by expansion of basal stem cells, high levels of expression and activity of HIF1alpha and HIF2alpha, and dysregulation of PI3K signaling. Our studies suggest a model for cooperative tumor suppression in which inactivation of PTEN facilitates epididymal cystadenoma genesis initiated by loss of VHL.

To study the expression and significance of pten gene in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), RT-PCR and Western blot were respectively applied to detect pten mRNA and PTEN protein in Jurkat cells (as negative control), in bone marrow nucleated cells of 35 patients with MDS, 45 patients with AML and 20 normal control. The results showed that pten mRNA expression could not be detected in Jurkat cells, and the positive rate in MDS patients (77.1%) was significantly lower than that in normal control group (90.0%) (p > 0.05), while significant difference was found between AML patients and normal control (60.0% vs 90.0%, p < 0.05); the positive rate in MDS-RAEB patients (70.0%) was lower than that in MDS-RCMD (86.7%); positive rate in de novo and relapsed AML patients (53.3%) was lower than that in AML patients in CR (73.3%), but statistics tests did not show significant difference (p > 0.05). The results of relative expression level of pten mRNA in all groups indicated that both relative expression levels in MDS patients and AML patients were definitely lower than that in normal control group (p < 0.005); the relative expression level in MDS-RAEB patients was lower than that in MDS-RCMD patients (p < 0.05); and in de novo and relapsed AML patients was obviously lower than that in AML patients in CR (p < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference between MDS and AML patients (p > 0.05). The positive rate of PTEN protein expression in both MDS (65.7%) and AML (54.8%) patients were lower than that in normal control (90.0%) (p < 0.05), and there was no significant difference when comparing MDS-RCMD patients (80.0%) with MDS-RAEB patients (55.0%) (p > 0.05), but positive rate of PTEN protein expression in de novo and relapsed AML patients (44.4%) was significantly lower than that in AML patients in CR (73.3%) (p < 0.05). It is concluded that the complete loss of pten mRNA in MDS and AML is uncommon, but the relative expression level in both diseases is significantly lower than that in normal people. The positive rates of PTEN protein expression in both MDS and AML patients are lower, compared with normal people, but are not in accordance with the expression of pten mRNA. The abnormalities of pten gene expression may be involved in the pathogenesis of MDS and AML.

Although Ras is a potent oncogene, its tumorigenicity depends on cellular context and cooperative events. tumor suppressor PTEN is the most important negative regulator of the cell-survival signaling pathway initiated by phosphoinositide 3-OH kinase. Previously, we established various NIH/3T3 cells expressing H-Ras mutant proteins. This report shows that expression of PTEN is suppressed by the oncogenic H-Ras at its protein and transcript levels as well as by oncogenic K- and N-Ras. This activity of oncogenic Ras is mediated by Raf-1/Erk/MEK signaling pathway. In our previous reports, FAK Y(861) phosphorylation is higher in H-Ras transformed NIH/3T3 cells. In this report, level of FAK pY(861) was examined in Ras mutant cell lines. By generating wild-type PTEN, lipid phosphatase-deficient PTEN and activity-inert PTEN-inducible cell lines in the background of oncogenic H-Ras stable expression in NIH/3T3 cells, we show level of FAK pY(861) is decreased by protein phosphatase activity of PTEN.

Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is a regulator of phosphoinositide 3-kinase signaling and an important tumor suppressor mutated/deleted in human cancers. PTEN deletion in the liver leads to insulin resistance, steatosis, inflammation, and cancer. We recently demonstrated that unsaturated fatty acids trigger steatosis by down-regulating PTEN expression in hepatocytes via activation of a mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) complex, but the molecular mechanisms implicated in this process are still unknown. Here, we investigated potential genetic and epigenetic mechanisms activated by fatty acids leading to PTEN down-regulation. Our results indicate that unsaturated fatty acids down-regulate PTEN messenger RNA expression in hepatocytes through mechanisms unrelated to methylation of the PTEN promoter, histone deacetylase activities, or repression of the PTEN promoter activity. In contrast, unsaturated fatty acids up-regulate the expression of microRNA-21, which binds to PTEN messenger RNA 3-untranslated region and induces its degradation. The promoter activity of microRNA-21 was increased by mTOR/NF-kappaB activation. Consistent with these data, microRNA-21 expression was increased in the livers of rats fed high-fat diets and in human liver biopsies of obese patients having diminished PTEN expression and steatosis. CONCLUSION: Unsaturated fatty acids inhibit PTEN expression in hepatocytes by up-regulating microRNA-21 synthesis via an mTOR/NF-kappaB-dependent mechanism. Aberrant up-regulation of microRNA-21 expression by excessive circulating levels of fatty acids exemplify a novel regulatory mechanism by which fatty acids affect PTEN expression and trigger liver disorders.

Loss of the PTEN tumor suppressor is a common occurrence in human prostate cancer, particularly in advanced disease. In keeping with its role as a pivotal upstream regulator of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling pathway, experimentally-induced deletion of Pten in the murine prostate invariably results in neoplasia. However, and unlike humans where prostate tumorigenesis likely evolves over decades, disease progression in the constitutively Pten deficient mouse prostate is relatively rapid, culminating in invasive cancer within several weeks post-puberty. Given that the prostate undergoes rapid androgen-dependent growth at puberty, and that Pten excisions during this time might be especially tumorigenic, we hypothesized that delaying prostate-specific Pten deletions until immediately after puberty might alter the pace of tumorigenesis. To this end we generated mice with a tamoxifen-inducible Cre recombinase transgene enabling temporal control over prostate-specific gene alterations. This line was then interbred with mice carrying floxed Pten alleles. Despite evidence of increased Akt/mTOR/S6K axis activity at early time points in Pten-deficient epithelial cells, excisions induced in the post-pubertal (6 wk-old) prostate yielded gradual acquisition of a range of lesions. These progressed from pre-malignant changes (nuclear atypia, focal hyperplasia) and low grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) at 16-20 wks post-tamoxifen exposure, to overtly malignant lesions by approximately 1 yr of age, characterized by high-grade PIN and microinvasive carcinoma. In contrast, when Pten excisions were triggered in the pre-pubertal (2 week-old) prostate, neoplasia evolved over a more abbreviated time-frame, with a spectrum of premalignant lesions, as well as overt PIN and microinvasive carcinoma by 10-12 wks post-tamoxifen exposure. These results indicate that the developmental stage at which Pten deletions are induced dictates the pace of PIN development.

Malignant astrocytomas are infiltrative and incurable brain tumors. Despite profound therapeutic implications, the identity of the cell (or cells) of origin has not been rigorously determined. We previously reported mouse models based on conditional inactivation of the human astrocytoma-relevant tumor suppressors p53, Nf1, and Pten, wherein through somatic loss of heterozygosity, mutant mice develop tumors with 100% penetrance. In the present study, we show that tumor suppressor inactivation in neural stem/progenitor cells is both necessary and sufficient to induce astrocytoma formation. We demonstrate in vivo that transformed cells and their progeny undergo infiltration and multilineage differentiation during tumorigenesis. tumor suppressor heterozygous neural stem/progenitor cultures from presymptomatic mice show aberrant growth advantage and altered differentiation, thus identifying a pretumorigenic cell population.

The PI 3-phosphatase PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10), one of the most important tumor suppressors, must associate with the plasma membrane to maintain appropriate steady-state levels of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-triphosphate. Yet the mechanism of membrane binding has received little attention and the key determinants that regulate localization, a phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP(2)) binding motif and a cluster of phosphorylated C-terminal residues, were not included in the crystal structure. We report that membrane binding requires PIP(2) and show that phosphorylation regulates an intramolecular interaction. A truncated version of the enzyme, PTEN(1-351), bound strongly to the membrane, an effect that was reversed by co-expression of the remainder of the molecule, PTEN(352-403). The separate fragments associated in vitro, an interaction dependent on phosphorylation of the C-terminal cluster, a portion of the PIP(2) binding motif, integrity of the phosphatase domain, and the CBR3 loop. Our investigation provides direct evidence for a model in which PTEN switches between open and closed states and phosphorylation favors the closed conformation, thereby regulating localization and function. Small molecules targeting these interactions could potentially serve as therapeutic agents in antagonizing Ras or PI3K-driven tumors. The study also stresses the importance of determining the structure of the native enzyme.

Coordinated regulation of PI3-kinase (PI3K) and the tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) plays a pivotal role in various cell functions. PTEN is deficient in many cancer cells, including Jurkat human leukemia. Here, we demonstrate that the status of PTEN determines cellular susceptibility to oxidative stress through antioxidant-responsive element (ARE)-mediated transcription of detoxification genes. We found that ferritin H transcription was robustly induced in tert-butylhydroquinone (t-BHQ)-treated Jurkat cells via an ARE, and it was due to PTEN deficiency. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that p300/CREB-binding protein (CBP) histone acetyltransferases and Nrf2 recruitment to the ARE and Bach1 release were blocked by the PI3K inhibitor LY294002, along with the partial inhibition of Nrf2 nuclear accumulation. Furthermore, acetylations of histone H3 Lys9 and Lys18, and deacetylation of Lys14 were associated with the PI3K-dependent ARE activation. Consistently, PTEN restoration in Jurkat cells inhibited t-BHQ-mediated expression of ferritin H and another ARE-regulated gene NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1. Conversely, PTEN knockdown in K562 cells enhanced the response to t-BHQ. The PTEN status under t-BHQ treatment affected hydrogen peroxide-mediated caspase-3 cleavage. The PI3K-dependent ferritin H induction was observed by treatment with other ARE-activating agents ethoxyquin and hemin. Collectively, the status of PTEN determines chromatin modifications leading to ARE activation.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a highly lethal brain tumor for which little treatment is available. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway is thought to play a crucial role in GBM pathogenesis, initiating the early stages of tumor development, sustaining tumor growth, promoting infiltration, and mediating resistance to therapy. The importance of this pathway is highlighted in the fact that EGFR is mutationally activated in over 50% of GBM tumors. Consistent with this, we show here that concomitant activation of wild-type and/or mutant (vIII) EGFR and ablation of Ink4A/Arf and PTEN tumor suppressor gene function in the adult mouse central nervous system generates a fully penetrant, rapid-onset high-grade malignant glioma phenotype with prominent pathological and molecular resemblance to GBM in humans. Studies of the activation of signaling events in these GBM tumor cells revealed notable differences between wild-type and vIII EGFR-expressing cells. We show that wild-type EGF receptor signals through its canonical pathways, whereas tumors arising from expression of mutant EGFR(vIII) do not use these same pathways. Our findings provide critical insights into the role of mutant EGFR signaling function in GBM tumor biology and set the stage for testing of targeted therapeutic agents in the preclinical models described herein.

In response to genotoxic stress, p53 induces the tumor suppressors maspin and PTEN. Here we demonstrate that in response to limited oxygen conditions PTEN and p53 work in tandem to induce maspin in glioblastoma cells. In response to hypoxia a portion of PTEN migrates to the nucleus and complexes with p53, while cytoplasmic PTEN prevents Mdm2 nuclear localization by attenuating Akt signaling. Subcellular distribution of PTEN in the cytoplasm or nucleus protects p53 from inactivation and degradation. The presence of nuclear PTEN and p53 coordinates the induction of maspin and p21 (both p53 gene targets) in response to hypoxia. Altering the expression of PTEN and/or p53 attenuated maspin gene induction under hypoxic conditions. Furthermore, implanting U87 (PTEN null) and PTEN reconstituted U87 cells (U87PTEN) in mice we observed by immunohistochemistry and western blot that Maspin was only detectable in cells with PTEN. The integration of PTEN and p53 into a common pathway for the induction of another tumor suppressor, Maspin, constitutes a tumor suppressor network of PTEN/p53/Mapsin that is operational under limited oxygen conditions.

tumor suppressor gene PTEN is important in the initiation and progression of human prostate carcinoma, whereas the role of TP53 remains controversial. Since Pten/Trp53 double conditional knockout mice show earlier onset and fast progression of prostate cancer when compared to Pten knockout mice, we asked whether heterozygosity of these two tumor suppressor genes was sufficient to accelerate prostatic tumorigenesis. To answer this question we examined prostatic lesion progression of Pten/Trp53 double heterozygous mice and a series of controls such as Pten heterozygous, Pten conditional knockout, Trp53 heterozygous and Trp53 knockout mice. Tissue recombination of adult prostatic epithelium coupled with embryonic rat seminal vesicle mesenchyme was used as a tool to stimulate prostatic epithelial proliferation. In our study, high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) was found with high frequency at 8 weeks post-tissue recombination transplantation. PIN lesions in Pten/Trp53 double heterozygous mice were more severe than those seen in Pten heterozygous alone. Furthermore, morphologic features attributable to Pten or Trp53 loss appeared to be enhanced in double heterozygous tissues. LOH analysis of Pten and Trp53 in genomic DNA collected from high-grade PIN lesions in Pten heterozygous and Pten/Trp53 double heterozygous mice showed an intact wild-type allele for both genes in all samples examined. In conclusion, simultaneous heterozygosity of Pten and Trp53 accelerates prostatic tumorigenesis in this mouse model of prostate cancer independently of loss of heterozygosity of either gene.

Neutropenia and related infections are the most important dose-limiting toxicities in anticancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In this study, we explored a new strategy for augmenting host defense in neutropenia-related pneumonia. Phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate (PtdIns(3,4,5)P(3)) signaling in neutrophils was elevated by depleting PTEN, a phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphatase that hydrolyzes PtdIns(3,4,5)P(3). In myeloid-specific PTEN knockout mice, significantly more neutrophils were recruited to the inflamed lungs during neutropenia-associated pneumonia. Using an adoptive transfer technique, we demonstrated that this enhancement could be caused directly by PTEN depletion in neutrophils. In addition, disruption of PTEN increased the recruitment of macrophages and elevated proinflammatory cytokines/chemokine levels in the inflamed lungs, which could also be responsible for the enhanced neutrophil recruitment. Depleting PTEN also significantly delayed apoptosis and enhanced the bacteria-killing capability of the recruited neutrophils. Finally, we provide direct evidence that enhancement of neutrophil function by elevating PtdIns(3,4,5)P(3) signaling can alleviate pneumonia-associated lung damage and decrease pneumonia-elicited mortality. Collectively, these results not only provide insight into the mechanism of action of PTEN and PtdIns(3,4,5)P(3) signaling pathway in modulating neutrophil function during lung infection and inflammation, but they also establish PTEN and related pathways as potential therapeutic targets for treating neutropenia-associated pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: Following a fibrogenic stimulus, the hepatic stellate cell (HSC) transforms from a quiescent to an activated cell type associated with increased proliferation, collagen and smooth muscle alpha-actin (alphaSMA) expression. Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog Deleted on Chromosome Ten (PTEN), a tumor suppressor phosphatase, has been shown to play a role in several nonmalignant diseases. Here, we investigated the role of PTEN during HSC activation. METHODS: Rat HSCs 2 days after isolation were transduced with adenoviruses expressing either the wild-type (WT) or a dominant negative form of PTEN, and culture-associated activation of HSCs, including morphological changes, expression of alphaSMA and alpha1(I) collagen, and cell proliferation, were evaluated. Apoptosis of HSCs was detected by measuring activity of caspase 3/7. Phosphorylation status of Akt, p70(S6K), and Erk was detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: Overexpression of WT-PTEN inhibited phenotypic changes were associated with HSC activation, including morphological changes, expression of alphaSMA and alpha1(I) collagen, and HSC proliferation, including cyclin D1 expression. WT-PTEN expression also induced apoptosis in HSCs with increased caspase 3/7 activity. expression of WT-PTEN also caused decreased activation of Akt, p70(S6K), and Erk signaling pathways. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these findings show that PTEN represents an important negative regulator for transactivation of HSCs. This may have important implications for the design of therapeutic strategies to prevent the progression of liver fibrosis.

Loss of function at the Pten tumor-suppressor locus is a common genetic modification found in human prostate cancer. While recent in vivo and in vitro data support an important role of aberrant ErbB-2 signaling to clinically relevant prostate target genes, such as cyclin D1, the role of Pten in ErbB-2-induced prostate epithelial proliferation is not well understood. In the Pten-deficient prostate cancer cell line, LNCaP, restoration of Pten was able to inhibit ErbB-2- and heregulin-induced cell cycle progression, as well as cyclin D1 protein levels and promoter activity. Previously, we established that probasin-driven ErbB-2 transgenic mice presented with high-grade prostate intraepithelial neoplasia and increased nuclear cyclin D1 levels. We show that mono-allelic loss of pten in the probasin-driven-ErbB-2 model resulted in increased nuclear cyclin D1 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen levels and decreased disease latency compared to either individual genetic model and, unlike the probasin-driven-ErbB-2 mice, progression to adenocarcinoma. Activated 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1 was observed during cancer initiation combined with the activation of p70S6K (phospho-T389) and inactivation of the 4E-binding protein-1 (phosphorylated on T37/46) and was primarily restricted to those cases of prostate cancer that had progressed to adenocarcinoma. Activation of mTOR was not seen. Our data demonstrates that Pten functions downstream of ErbB-2 to restrict prostate epithelial transformation by blocking full activation of the PDK1 signaling cascade.

Phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP(3)) is a second messenger that is involved in a number of cell activities including cell growth, proliferation, and motility. PIP(3) is produced by PI3K and regulated by PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10) and SHIP lipid phosphatases. Evidence from our experiments shows that enhanced PIP(3) production results in elevated neutrophil recruitment under inflammatory conditions. However, the mechanism of this elevation is not well understood. We used intravital video microscopy to investigate neutrophil recruitment in the cremaster venules of wild-type and PTEN knockout (KO) mice. Neutrophil transmigration was augmented in PTEN KO mice 4 h after TNF-alpha intrascrotal injection. PTEN KO neutrophils also showed significantly enhanced transmigration 2 h after MIP-2 intrascrotal injection, an effect that dramatically decreased when PI3K or Src kinase inhibitor treatments preceded MIP-2 stimulation. Similarly, fMLP superfusion of the cremaster muscle lead to enhanced emigration in PTEN KO mice. The observed elevation in neutrophil emigration was likely caused by increased speed of crawling, crossing the venular wall, and migrating through the muscular tissue in PTEN KO mice because the effect of PTEN depletion on neutrophil rolling or adhesion was minimal. Interestingly, chemoattractant-induced release of gelatinase and elastase was also elevated in PTEN null neutrophils, providing a potential mechanism for the enhanced neutrophil migration in the PTEN KO mice. Collectively, these results demonstrate that PTEN deletion in neutrophils enhances their invasivity and recruitment to inflamed sites more likely by raising the cell physical capability to cross the vascular and tissue barriers.

Prostate tumorigenesis is associated with loss of PTEN gene expression. We and others have recently reported that PTEN is regulated by Notch-1 signaling. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that alterations of the Notch-1 signaling pathway are present in human prostate adenocarcinoma and that Notch-1 signaling regulates PTEN gene expression in prostate cells. Prostate adenocarcinoma cases were examined by immunohistochemistry for ligand cleaved (activated) Notch-1 protein. Tumor foci exhibited little cleaved Notch-1 protein, but expression was observed in benign tissue. Both tumor and benign tissue expressed total (uncleaved) Notch-1. Reduced Hey-1 expression was seen in tumor foci but not in benign tissue, confirming loss of Notch-1 signaling in prostate adenocarcinoma. Retroviral expression of constitutively active Notch-1 in human prostate tumor cell lines resulted in increased PTEN gene expression. Incubation of prostate cell lines with the Notch-1 ligand, Delta, resulted in increased PTEN expression indicating that endogenous Notch-1 regulates PTEN gene expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation demonstrated that CBF-1 was bound to the PTEN promoter. These data collectively indicate that defects in Notch-1 signaling may play a role in human prostate tumor formation in part via a mechanism that involves regulation of the PTEN tumor suppressor gene.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to identify novel regulatory mechanisms controlling the growth and proliferation of cholesteatoma. Specifically, the potential role of microRNAs, regulators of protein translation, was studied in cholesteatoma. STUDY DESIGN: This study represents a molecular biologic investigation characterizing and comparing microRNA and protein expression in cholesteatoma and normal postauricular skin. METHODS: Cholesteatoma and normal skin were taken from patients at the time of surgery. Tissue was processed for RNA and protein extraction. Real-time reverse-transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was used to assess levels of human microRNAs, reverse-transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was used to confirm the presence of upstream regulators, and Western blot analyses were used to assess levels of downstream target proteins. RESULTS: Among the microRNAs investigated, human microRNA-21 (hsa-miR-21) showed a 4.4-fold higher expression in cholesteatoma as compared with normal skin (p = 0.0011). The downstream targets of hsa-miR-21, PTEN and programmed cell death 4, were found to be greatly reduced in 3 of 4 cholesteatoma samples. Proposed upstream regulators of hsa-miR-21 expression (CD14, interleukin 6R, gp130, and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) were present in all cholesteatoma tissues. CONCLUSION: microRNAs represent powerful regulators of protein translation, and their dysregulation has been implicated in many neoplastic diseases. This study specifically identified up-regulation of hsa-miR-21 concurrent with down-regulation of potent tumor suppressor proteins PTEN and programmed cell death 4. These proteins control aspects of apoptosis, proliferation, invasion, and migration. The results of this study were used to develop a model for cholesteatoma proliferation through microRNA dysregulation. This model can serve as a template for further study into potential RNA-based therapies for the treatment of cholesteatoma.

OBJECTIVES: The contribution of overexpressed microRNA-21 and -221 (miR-21 and miR-221) to the malignant phenotype was determined by inhibiting these miRNAs using antisense oligonucleotides. METHODS: The effects of antisense to miR-21 and miR-221 on cell proliferation, cell cycle arrest, induction of apoptosis, combinatorial effects with gemcitabine, and effects on target protein levels were studied. RESULTS: Low nanomolar concentrations of both antisense oligonucleotides reduced proliferation of pancreatic cancer cell lines. Reduced proliferation was less pronounced in the normal ductal epithelial cell line human pancreatic Nestin-expressing cell or in pancreatic cancer cell lines exposed to an irrelevant control oligonucleotide. Inhibition of miR-21 and miR-221 increased the amount of apoptosis in HS766T cells by 3- to 6-fold compared with the control oligonucleotide. HS766T cells exposed to miR-21 antisense resulted in cell cycle arrest (G1 phase). Protein levels of tumor suppressor targets of the miRNAs were increased by antisense to miR-21 (PTEN and RECK) and miR-221 (p27). Antisense to miR-21 and miR-221 sensitized the effects of gemcitabine, and the antisense-gemcitabine combinations were synergistic at high fraction affected. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate that antisense to miR-21 and miR-221 results in significant cell killing under various conditions and that antisense oligonucleotides targeted to miRNA represents a potential new therapy for pancreatic cancer.

In normal T cell progenitors, phosphoinositide-dependent kinase l (PDK1)-mediated phosphorylation and activation of protein kinase B (PKB) is essential for the phosphorylation and inactivation of Foxo family transcription factors, and also controls T cell growth and proliferation. The current study has characterized the role of PDK1 in the pathology caused by deletion of the tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN). PDK1 is shown to be essential for lymphomagenesis caused by deletion of PTEN in T cell progenitors. However, PTEN deletion bypasses the normal PDK1-controlled signaling pathways that determine thymocyte growth and proliferation. PDK1 does have important functions in PTEN-null thymocytes, notably to control the PKB-Foxo signaling axis and to direct the repertoire of adhesion and chemokine receptors expressed by PTEN-null T cells. The results thus provide two novel insights concerning pathological signaling caused by PTEN loss in lymphocytes. First, PTEN deletion bypasses the normal PDK1-controlled metabolic checkpoints that determine cell growth and proliferation. Second, PDK1 determines the cohort of chemokine and adhesion receptors expressed by PTEN-null cells, thereby controlling their migratory capacity.

The clarification of mechanisms that negatively regulate the invasive behavior of human glioma cells is of great importance in order to find new methods of treatment. In this study, we have focused on the negative regulation of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)-induced migration in glioma cells. Using small interference RNA and dominant-negative gene strategies in addition to pharmacological tools, we found that isoproterenol (ISO) and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) negatively but differently regulate the LPA-induced migration. ISO-induced suppression of the migration of glioma cells occurs via beta(2)-adrenergic receptor/cAMP/Epac/Rap1B/inhibition of Rac, whereas S1P has been shown to suppress the migration of the cells through S1P(2) receptor/Rho-mediated down-regulation of Rac1. The expression of tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) is required for the inhibitory ISO-induced and Rap1B-mediated actions on the migration, Rac1 activation, and Akt activation in response to LPA. Thus, the PTEN-mediated down-regulation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity may be involved in the regulation of Rap1B-dependent inhibition of Rac1 activity. These findings suggest that there are at least two distinct inhibitory pathways, which are mediated by the S1P(2) receptor and beta(2)-adrenergic receptor, to control the migratory, hence invasive, behavior of glioma cells.

The polycomb group protein B lymphoma Mo-MLV insertion region 1 homolog (Bmi-1) is dysregulated in various cancers, and its upregulation strongly correlates with an invasive phenotype and poor prognosis in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinomas. However, the underlying mechanism of Bmi-1-mediated invasiveness remains unknown. In the current study, we found that upregulation of Bmi-1 induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and enhanced the motility and invasiveness of human nasopharyngeal epithelial cells, whereas silencing endogenous Bmi-1 expression reversed EMT and reduced motility. Furthermore, upregulation of Bmi-1 led to the stabilization of Snail, a transcriptional repressor associated with EMT, via modulation of PI3K/Akt/GSK-3beta signaling. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that Bmi-1 transcriptionally downregulated expression of the tumor suppressor PTEN in tumor cells through direct association with the PTEN locus. This in vitro analysis was consistent with the statistical inverse correlation detected between Bmi-1 and PTEN expression in a cohort of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma biopsies. Moreover, ablation of PTEN expression partially rescued the migratory/invasive phenotype of Bmi-1-silenced cells, indicating that PTEN might be a major mediator of Bmi-1-induced EMT. Our results provide functional and mechanistic links between the oncoprotein Bmi-1 and the tumor suppressor PTEN in the development and progression of cancer.

Lung and liver cancers are among the most deadly types of cancer. Despite improvements in treatment over the past few decades, patient survival remains poor, underlining the need for development of targeted therapies. microRNAs represent a class of small RNAs frequently deregulated in human malignancies. We now report that miR-221&222 are overexpressed in aggressive non-small cell lung cancer and hepatocarcinoma cells, as compared with less invasive and/or normal lung and liver cells. We show that miR-221&222, by targeting PTEN and TIMP3 tumor suppressors, induce TRAIL resistance and enhance cellular migration through the activation of the AKT pathway and metallopeptidases. Finally, we demonstrate that the MET oncogene is involved in miR-221&222 activation through the c-Jun transcription factor.

The tumor suppressor gene phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is inactivated in many human cancers. However, it is unknown whether PTEN functions as a tumor suppressor in human Philadelphia chromosome-positive leukemia that includes chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) and is induced by the BCR-ABL oncogene. By using our mouse model of BCR-ABL-induced leukemias, we show that Pten is down-regulated by BCR-ABL in leukemia stem cells in CML and that PTEN deletion causes acceleration of CML development. In addition, overexpression of PTEN delays the development of CML and B-ALL and prolongs survival of leukemia mice. PTEN suppresses leukemia stem cells and induces cell-cycle arrest of leukemia cells. Moreover, PTEN suppresses B-ALL development through regulating its downstream gene Akt1. These results demonstrate a critical role of PTEN in BCR-ABL-induced leukemias and suggest a potential strategy for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive leukemia.

Promoter hypermethylation mediated by DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) is the main reason for epigenetic inactivation of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs). Previous studies showed that DNMT1 and DNMT3B play an important role in CpG island methylation in tumorigenesis. Little is known about the role of DNMT3A in this process, especially in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the present study, increased DNMT3A expression in 3 out of 6 HCC cell lines and 16/25 (64%) HCC tissues implied that DNMT3A is involved in hepatocellular carcinogenesis. Depletion of DNMT3A in HCC cell line SMMC-7721 inhibited cell proliferation and decreased the colony formation (about 65%). Microarray data revealed that 153 genes were upregulated in DNMT3A knockdown cells and that almost 71% (109/153) of them contain CpG islands in their 5 region. 13 of them including PTEN, a crucial tumor suppressor gene in HCC, are genes involved in cell cycle and cell proliferation. Demethylation of PTEN promoter was observed in DNMT3A-depleted cells implying that DNMT3A silenced PTEN via DNA methylation. These results provide insights into the mechanisms of DNMT3A to regulate TSGs by an epigenetic approach in HCC.

The aim of this study was to clarify the participation of PTEN mutation in gastric carcinogenesis and its impact on PI3K/AKT pathway. All nine exons of PTEN were screened for mutations by direct sequencing in 144 patients with pathologically proven gastric carcinoma and their corresponding normal mucosae, followed by Western blotting to detect the changes in PI3K/AKT pathway. Direct sequencing indicated there were 27 cases with mutations among 144 patients consisting of 15 cases (55.6%) of missense mutation, nine nonsense mutations (33.3%), two 1-bp deletion (7.4%), and a mutation within intron 6 (3.7%). The mutation hot spots at codons 36, 75, 232 and 393 had not been observed previously, and the mutation sites in exons 3, 5, 6 and 8 were not found, suggesting that there might be some unique characteristic of PTEN inactivation mechanism in the Shanghai population. The PTEN mutation rate was significantly higher at pTMN stages III and IV than that at stages I and II (P<0.005), and it was higher in poorly differentiated gastric cancer than in well or moderately differentiated types (P<0.05). PTEN and E-cadherin protein expression in gastric cancer was significantly down-regulated comparing with that in paracancerous tissues, while the PI3K, AKT, MMP-2, MMP-9 and NF-kappaBp65 protein were overexpressed in cancer tissues. Our results implicated that the mutations of PTEN did not occur at a significant rate in gastric carcinoma in Shanghai, but might play a role in tumorigenesis. The mutation status of PTEN was significantly relevant to pTNM staging and degree of cell differentiation, hinting that PTEN might be a prognostic biomarker of gastric cancer. The decreased expression of PTEN and E-cadherin, together with the overexpression of PI3K, AKT, MMP-2, MMP-9 and NF-kappaBp65, contributed cooperatively to the accelerated progress of gastric cancer.

Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae was reversibly oxidized by hydrogen peroxide and reduced by cellular reductants. Reduction of hPTEN was delayed in each of S. cerevisiae gsh1Delta and gsh2Delta mutants. expression of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase Gsh1 in the gsh1Delta mutant rescued regeneration rate of hPTEN. Oxidized hPTEN was reduced by glutathione in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Glutathionylated PTEN was detected. Incubation of 293T cells with BSO and knockdown expression of GCLc in HeLa cells by siRNA resulted in the delay of reduction of oxidized PTEN. Also, in HeLa cells transfected with GCLc siRNA, stimulation with epidermal growth factor resulted in the increase of oxidized PTEN and phosphorylation of Akt. These results suggest that the reduction of oxidized hPTEN is mediated by glutathione.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a severe brain malignancy with limited treatment and dismal prognosis. The tumor suppressor PTEN, a major inhibitor of the phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway, is frequently deleted in GBM tumors. PTEN antagonizes PI3K by dephosphorylating PI3K phosphoinositide substrates at the plasma membrane. The PTEN binding adapter protein NHERF1/EBP50 is overexpressed in GBM but its effects on tumorigenesis have yet to be determined. Here, we show that NHERF1 is localized to the plasma membrane in normal astrocytes and to the cytoplasm of GBM tumor cells. This cytoplasmic shift paralleled an altered membrane distribution of wild-type PTEN with consecutive Akt activation. Membrane re-targeting of NHERF1 in GBM cells recruited PTEN to the membrane and suppressed Akt activation and cell proliferation. Conversely, NHERF1 depletion in GBM cells with membrane-localized NHERF1 increased cell proliferation and Akt activation. Our findings define a tumor suppressor role for NHERF1 at the plasma membrane, and reveal a novel mechanism for PI3K/Akt activation through PTEN inactivation caused by a loss of membrane-localized NHERF1.

The ability of glioma cells to escape the immune system remains a significant barrier to successful immunotherapy. Here we demonstrate that loss of the PTEN tumor suppressor gene, with associated activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, leads to a human glioma phenotype that induces autologous T-cell apoptosis upon contact. The PTEN status of pathologically confirmed glioblastoma specimens was defined, and primary cultures established after surgical resection of tumor from 26 patients. Autologous T-cells were isolated from these patients, and after T-cell activation was induced, these cells were co-cultured with matched autologous glioma cells, either alone, or after treatment with one of three inhibitors of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. When co-cultured with autologous T-cells, PTEN wild-type tumor cells induced apoptosis in a minimal number of activated T-cells (6-12% of T-cells), whereas tumors with PTEN loss induced much more profound levels of T-cell apoptosis (42-56% of T-cells). Prior treatment of PTEN-deficient tumor cells with specific inhibitors of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway diminished T-cell apoptosis to levels seen after co-culture with wild-type PTEN tumor cells, suggesting that PTEN loss confers this immunoresistant phenotype through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. These results suggest that PTEN-deficient glioblastoma patients are suboptimal candidates for immunotherapy. In addition, our results raise the possibility of combining T-cell based immunotherapy protocols with clinical inhibitors of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.

The inositol phosphatases phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) and Src homology 2 domain-containing inositol phosphatase (SHIP) negatively regulate phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)-mediated growth, survival, and proliferation of hematopoietic cells. Although deletion of PTEN in mouse T cells results in lethal T cell lymphomas, we find that animals lacking PTEN or SHIP in B cells show no evidence of malignancy. However, concomitant deletion of PTEN and SHIP (bPTEN/SHIP(-/-)) results in spontaneous and lethal mature B cell neoplasms consistent with marginal zone lymphoma or, less frequently, follicular or centroblastic lymphoma. bPTEN/SHIP(-/-) B cells exhibit enhanced survival and express more MCL1 and less Bim. These cells also express low amounts of p27(kip1) and high amounts of cyclin D3 and thus appear poised to undergo proliferative expansion. Unlike normal B cells, bPTEN/SHIP(-/-) B cells proliferate to the prosurvival factor B cell activating factor (BAFF). Interestingly, although BAFF availability may promote lymphoma progression, we demonstrate that BAFF is not required for the expansion of transferred bPTEN/SHIP(-/-) B cells. This study reveals that PTEN and SHIP act cooperatively to suppress B cell lymphoma and provides the first direct evidence that SHIP is a tumor suppressor. As such, assessment of both PTEN and SHIP function are relevant to understanding the etiology of human B cell malignancies that exhibit augmented activation of the PI3K pathway.

PTEN, a phosphoinositide-3-phosphatase, serves dual roles as a tumor suppressor and regulator of cellular anabolic/catabolic metabolism. Adaptation of a redox-sensitive cysteinyl thiol in PTEN for signal transduction by hydrogen peroxide may have superimposed a vulnerability to other mediators of oxidative stress and inflammation, especially reactive carbonyl species, which are commonly occurring by-products of arachidonic acid peroxidation. Using MCF7 and HEK-293 cells, we report that several reactive aldehydes and ketones, e.g. electrophilic alpha,beta-enals (acrolein, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal) and alpha,beta-enones (prostaglandin A(2), Delta12-prostaglandin J(2) and 15-deoxy-Delta-12,14-prostaglandin J(2)) covalently modify and inactivate cellular PTEN, with ensuing activation of PKB/Akt kinase; phosphorylation of Akt substrates; increased cell proliferation; and increased nuclear beta-catenin signaling. Alkylation of PTEN by alpha,beta-enals/enones and interference with its restraint of cellular PKB/Akt signaling may accentuate hyperplastic and neoplastic disorders associated with chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, or aging.

Pten deficiency depletes hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) but expands leukemia-initiating cells, and the mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin, blocks these effects. Understanding the opposite effects of mTOR activation on HSCs versus leukemia-initiating cells could improve antileukemia therapies. We found that the depletion of Pten-deficient HSCs was not caused by oxidative stress and could not be blocked by N-acetyl-cysteine. Instead, Pten deletion induced, and rapamycin attenuated, the expression of p16(Ink4a) and p53 in HSCs, and p19(Arf) and p53 in other hematopoietic cells. p53 suppressed leukemogenesis and promoted HSC depletion after Pten deletion. p16(Ink4a) also promoted HSC depletion but had a limited role suppressing leukemogenesis. p19(Arf) strongly suppressed leukemogenesis but did not deplete HSCs. Secondary mutations attenuated this tumor suppressor response in some leukemias that arose after Pten deletion. mTOR activation therefore depletes HSCs by a tumor suppressor response that is attenuated by secondary mutations in leukemogenic clones.

Ovarian cancer, especially epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), which accounts for 90% of ovarian cancer, continues to be the leading cause of death among gynecological malignancies. However, the factors associated with its malignant biological behavior are still poorly understood. Accumulating evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs), regulating diverse biological processes, may play an important role in tumorigenesis and development. miR-21 has been frequently observed to be aberrantly overexpressed in various tumors. Using real-time PCR, we confirmed that miR-21 was significantly overexpressed in human EOC tissues and cell lines. The overexpression of miR-21 correlated with histological differentiation, clinicopathological stage, and lymph node metastasis, and we showed that knockdown of miR-21 by an inhibitor caused a significant reduction in cell proliferation and decrease in cell migration and invasion abilities. Furthermore, we demonstrated that knockdown of miR-21 significantly increased the expression of PTEN, a known tumor suppressor in ovarian cancer. Collectively, our findings suggest miR-21 may be important in the initiation and progression of EOC as an oncomiR, likely through regulating PTEN.

Airway remodeling in asthma is characterized by increased airway smooth muscle (ASM) mass, accompanied by cell migration. It is well known that the proliferation and migration of ASM cells (ASMCs) play a key role in airway remodeling, but the precise mechanism modulating these cellular events remains unclear. One of the genes most likely to be involved in this process is the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) gene, whose deletion from chromosome 10 can inhibit the proliferation and migration of many cell types. In this study, we investigated the effects of PTEN on human ASMCs. The cells were infected with recombinant adenovirus containing wild-type PTEN cDNA (Ad-PTEN), and the results were compared with those from the uninfected cells and those infected with the GFP-labeled adenovirus vector. Cell proliferation was measured using the MTT method. Cell migration was determined by wound-healing and transwell assays. The expressions of PTEN, phospho-Akt, Akt, phospho-ERK1/2, ERK1/2, phospho-focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and FAK, were examined by Western blot analysis. The results show that PTEN is expressed endogenously in ASMCs, and that Ad-PTEN inhibits the proliferation and migration of these cells. In addition, the Ad-PTEN treatment decreased the phosphorylation of Akt and FAK but not that of ERK1/2. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that PTEN overexpression inhibits the proliferation and migration of human ASMCs by down-regulating the activity of the Akt and FAK signaling pathways.

The classic "two-hit" model of tumor-suppressor inactivation, originally established by mathematical modeling of cancer incidence, implies that tumorigenesis requires complete loss of function of tumor-suppressor genes. Although this is true in some tumor types, the exact nature of tumor-suppressor deregulation varies depending on tissue type, stage of cancer development, nature of coexisting molecular lesions, and environmental factors. Emerging evidence has indicated the functional importance of PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog) dosage during tumor development. Among the key regulators of PTEN dosage are a number of noncoding RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs) and pseudogenes, which regulate PTEN abundance at the posttranscriptional level. Various studies have revealed the essential roles of these PTEN-targeting noncoding RNAs during tumor development, thus providing a paradigm to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the dosage-dependent effects of key oncogenes and tumor suppressors.

The transcription factor EGR1 is a tumor suppressor gene that is downregulated in many cancer types. Clinically, loss of EGR1 translates to increased tumor transformation and subsequent patient morbidity and mortality. In synovial sarcoma, the SS18-SSX fusion protein represses EGR1 expression through a direct association with the EGR1 promoter. However, the mechanism through which EGR1 becomes downregulated in other tumor types is unclear. Here, we report that EGR1 is regulated by microRNA (miR)-183 in multiple tumor types including synovial sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), and colon cancer. Using an integrative network analysis, we identified that miR-183 is significantly overexpressed in these tumor types as well as in corresponding tumor cell lines. Bioinformatic analyses suggested that miR-183 could target EGR1 mRNA and this specific interaction was validated in vitro. miR-183 knockdown in synovial sarcoma, RMS, and colon cancer cell lines revealed deregulation of a miRNA network composed of miR-183-EGR1-PTEN in these tumors. Integrated miRNA- and mRNA-based genomic analyses indicated that miR-183 is an important contributor to cell migration in these tumor types and this result was functionally validated to be occurring via an EGR1-based mechanism. In conclusion, our findings have significant implications in the mechanisms underlying EGR1 regulation in cancers. miR-183 has a potential oncogenic role through the regulation of 2 tumor suppressor genes, EGR1 and PTEN, and the deregulation of this fundamental miRNA regulatory network may be central to many tumor types.

BACKGROUND: It has been demonstrated that the deletion, mutation, hypermethylation and subcellular location of the tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) are closely correlated with carcinogenesis, progression and prognosis of malignancy. Both mutation and the microsatellite instability of the PTEN gene influence regulation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. This study investigated whether loss of nuclear PTEN is correlated with chemosensitivity, clinicopathological parameters and survival. METHODS: Intracellular levels of PTEN of multiple cell lines of colorectal carcinoma (CRC) were evaluated by Western blotting and immunocytochemistry. The chemosensitivity of cell lines with various expression levels of PTEN was evaluated using 5-flurouracil (5-FU), oxaliplatin and irinotecan (CPT), and clinical significance was evaluated by immunohistochemical analysis of 133 CRC specimens. RESULTS: Colon cancer cell lines HT-29, LoVo and SW480 differed in expression of PTEN, with high, moderate and low levels, respectively. HT-29 and LoVo PTEN expression was suppressed by a low concentration of 5-FU and oxaliplatin; however, SW480 was insensitive to these chemotherapeutic agents. Nuclear PTEN was overexpressed in most (>80%) normal colon mucosa samples, but the incidence significantly decreased (89.2% --> 53.4%) in the CRC group. PTEN in the nucleus was negatively correlated with tumor size and vascular invasion in CRC, and CRC patients with negative PTEN expression in the nucleus exhibited poor survival. CONCLUSION: Cell lines with a high expression of PTEN are sensitive to chemotherapy with 5-FU and oxaliplatin. Nuclear PTEN expression gradually decreases after malignant transformation, and loss of PTEN expression in the nucleus is associated with tumor progression and poor clinical outcome in CRC.

Human PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10; a phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphatase) expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae was oxidized in a time- and H(2)O(2)-concentration-dependent manner. Oxidized hPTEN was reduced by cellular reductants as in human cells. The reduction rate of oxidized hPTEN was monitored in S. cerevisiae mutants in which the genes involved in redox homeostasis had been disrupted. Reduction of hPTEN was delayed in each of S. cerevisiae grx5Delta and ycp4Delta mutants. expression of Grx5 and Ycp4 in each of the mutants rescued the reduction rate of oxidized hPTEN. Furthermore, an in vitro assay revealed that the human Grx5/GSH system efficiently catalyzed the reduction of oxidized hPTEN. These results suggest that the reduction of oxidized hPTEN is regulated by Grx5 and Ycp4.

PTEN is a tumor suppressor gene localized to human chromosome 10q23.31, a genomic region frequently lost in glioblastoma and prostate cancer. The fact that PTEN encodes a lipid phosphatase with specificity towards phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-triphosphate renders it a gate-keeper of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway. Numerous physiological processes have been ascribed to this evolutionarily conserved molecule including proliferation, cell size determination, survival, differentiation, and cell fate specification. Indeed, mutation in PTEN gene is the genetic cause of Cowden Syndrome. Structurally, the 54-kilodalton protein is composed of two major functional domains crucial for catalytic and membrane binding functions. Additional regulatory regions in both amino- and carboxyl-termini further dictate its structural integrity, catalytic activity, and subcellular localization. Extensive characterization of PTEN primary coding sequence has revealed a multitude of post-translational modifications that fine-tune its biochemical properties. These include phosphorylation, ubiquitination, redox modifications, and acetylation. This article aims to provide an in-depth review of the diverse post-translational modifications of PTEN, focusing on their biological relevance in both normal and cancer cells. The potential applications to cancer therapy by modulating the post-translational modifications of PTEN will also be discussed.

During brain development, cAMP induces morphological changes and inhibits growth effects in several cell types. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the growth inhibition remain unknown. tumor suppressor protein phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) is a lipid phosphatase that inhibits the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway. The phosphorylation of Akt, which is one of the key molecules downstream of PI3K, inhibits apoptosis. In this study, we investigated the role of PTEN in cAMP-mediated growth inhibition. B92 rat glial cells were treated with 2 different cAMP stimulatory agents, a phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor and a beta-adrenoceptor agonist. Both cAMP stimulatory agents induced marked morphological changes in the cells, decreased cell number, decreased Akt phosphorylation, activated PTEN, cleaved caspase-3, and induced the condensation and fragmentation of nuclei. These results indicate that the cAMP stimulatory agents induced apoptosis. Protein phosphatase inhibitor prevented cAMP-induced dephosphorylation of PTEN and Akt. In addition, cAMP analogs and Epac-selective agonists affected PTEN and Akt activities. These results suggested that cAMP-induced apoptosis may be mediated by PTEN activation and Akt inhibition through protein phosphatase in B92 cells. Our results provide new insight into the role of PTEN in cAMP-induced apoptosis in glial cells.

Following DNA damage, human cells undergo arrests in the G(1) and G(2) phases of the cell cycle and a simultaneous arrest in cell size. We previously demonstrated that the cell size arrest can be uncoupled from the cell cycle arrest by mutational inactivation of the PTEN tumor suppressor gene. Here we show that the cell size checkpoint is inducible by DNA-damaging chemotherapeutic agents as well as by ionizing radiation and is effectively regulated by PTEN but not by its oncogenic counterpart, PIK3CA. mutational analysis of PTEN and pharmacological inhibition of Akt revealed that modulation of Akt phosphorylation is unnecessary for cell size checkpoint control. To discover putative PTEN regulators and/or effectors involved in size checkpoint control, we employed a novel endogenous epitope tagging (EET) approach, which revealed that endogenous PTEN interacts at the membrane with an actin-remodeling complex that includes actin, gelsolin, and EPLIN. Pharmacological inhibition of actin remodeling in PTEN(+/+) cells recapitulated the lack of size checkpoint control seen in PTEN(-/-) cells. Taken together, these results provide further support for the existence of a DNA damage-inducible size checkpoint that is regulated by a major tumor suppressor, and they provide a novel Akt-independent mechanism by which PTEN controls cell size.

BACKGROUND: Endometrial carcinoma is a common neoplasm associated with the female genital tract with considerable morbidity. Endometrial hyperplasias have been widely regarded as precursor lesions. It is of importance to the pathologist to identify the subset of hyperplasias or the associated factor which could be a possible forerunner of malignancy. Phospho tensin gene (PTEN) has gained importance as one of the factors responsible. AIM: To determine the variability in PTEN expression patterns in different types of endometrial hyperplasias. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: The study was undertaken on samples received at the Department of Pathology from 2005 to 2007. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred samples with 76 showing hyperplasias of different types formed the core "study group" with simple hyperplasia without atypia predominating. The rest belonged to the control groups. PTEN intensity and percentage positivity, variability in patterns of glandular and stromal expression, the number and type of PTEN null glands in different types of hyperplasia were evaluated. Statistical analyses used were Fishers exact test based on Monte Carlo test and chi-square test. RESULTS: Complex hyperplasia was associated with a reduction in number of strongly PTEN positive glands, with an increase in null glands, seen in clusters. Co-existing atypia was associated with the weakest staining and in fewer glands. CONCLUSIONS: PTEN expression in endometrial hyperplasias can be used as an early warning of heightened cancer risk and a potential target for preventive treatment. However, extensive research is needed along this line to conclusively establish its effectiveness.

Loss of the tumor suppressor Pten (phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10) is thought to mediate the majority of prostate cancers, but the molecular mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we demonstrate that Pten-depleted cells suffer from mitotic stress and that nuclear function of Pten, but not its phosphatase activity, is required to reverse this stress phenotype. Further, depletion of Pten results in elevated expression of Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1), a critical regulator of the cell cycle. We show that overexpression of Plk1 correlates with genetic inactivation of Pten during prostate neoplasia formation. Significantly, we find that elevated Plk1 is critical for Pten-depleted cells to adapt to mitotic stress for survival and that reintroduction of wild-type Pten into Pten-null prostate cancer cells reduces the survival dependence on Plk1. We further show that Plk1 confers the tumorigenic competence of Pten-deleted prostate cancer cells in a mouse xenograft model. These findings identify a role of Plk1 in facilitating loss of Pten-induced prostate cancer formation, which suggests that Plk1 might be a promising target for prostate cancer patients with inactivating Pten mutations.

Here, we demonstrate that protein-coding RNA transcripts can crosstalk by competing for common microRNAs, with microRNA response elements as the foundation of this interaction. We have termed such RNA transcripts as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs). We tested this hypothesis in the context of PTEN, a key tumor suppressor whose abundance determines critical outcomes in tumorigenesis. By a combined computational and experimental approach, we identified and validated endogenous protein-coding transcripts that regulate PTEN, antagonize PI3K/AKT signaling, and possess growth- and tumor-suppressive properties. Notably, we also show that these genes display concordant expression patterns with PTEN and copy number loss in cancers. Our study presents a road map for the prediction and validation of ceRNA activity and networks and thus imparts a trans-regulatory function to protein-coding mRNAs.

Despite its prevalence, the molecular basis of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) remains poorly understood. Here, we identify the developmental transcription factor Grhl3 as a potent tumor suppressor of SCC in mice, and demonstrate that targeting of Grhl3 by a miR-21-dependent proto-oncogenic network underpins SCC in humans. Deletion of Grhl3 in adult epidermis evokes loss of expression of PTEN, a direct GRHL3 target, resulting in aggressive SCC induced by activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. Restoration of Pten expression completely abrogates SCC formation. Reduced levels of GRHL3 and PTEN are evident in human skin, and head and neck SCC, associated with increased expression of miR-21, which targets both tumor suppressors. Our data define the GRHL3-PTEN axis as a critical tumor suppressor pathway in SCC.

Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) have long been thought to play a role in tumor suppression due to their ability to antagonize the growth promoting protein tyrosine kinases. Recently, a candidate tumor suppressor from 10q23, termed P-TEN, was isolated, and sequence homology was demonstrated with members of the PTP family, as well as the cytoskeletal protein tensin. Here we show that recombinant P-TEN dephosphorylated protein and peptide substrates phosphorylated on serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues, indicating that P-TEN is a dual-specificity phosphatase. In addition, P-TEN exhibited a high degree of substrate specificity, showing selectivity for extremely acidic substrates in vitro. Furthermore, we demonstrate that mutations in P-TEN, identified from primary tumors, tumor cells lines, and a patient with Bannayan-Zonana syndrome, resulted in the ablation of phosphatase activity, demonstrating that enzymatic activity of P-TEN is necessary for its ability to function as a tumor suppressor.

Integration of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA into the host cell genome is an important step in cervical carcinogenesis. In tumour cells with integrated HPV DNA, transcription of viral oncogenes E6 and E7 continues into the flanking cellular sequences thereby producing viral-cellular fusion transcripts. Analysis of cellular sequences flanking the integrated HPV68 DNA in the cervical carcinoma cell line ME180 revealed homozygosity of the mutant allele in ME180 cells. We speculated that this could indicate the existence of a cellular tumour suppressor gene in the integration region. We report here the identification of a novel human gene, named APM-1, which is co-transcribed with the HPV68 E6 and E7 genes and is present in the 3-cellular part of the ME180 viral-cellular fusion transcripts. The APM-1 gene encodes a protein with a BTB/POZ domain and four zinc fingers, and is located at chromosome 18q21. APM-1 transcripts are detected in normal cervical keratinocytes, but not in the majority of cervical carcinoma cell lines analysed. The APM-1 gene caused a reduction of clonal cell growth in vitro of HeLa and CaSki tumour cells. These characteristics make APM-1, the first novel human gene identified in a HPV integration region, a likely candidate for the postulated tumour suppressor gene.

Phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PtdIns(3,4,5)P3) is a key molecule involved in cell growth signaling. We demonstrated that overexpression of PTEN, a putative tumor suppressor, reduced insulin-induced PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 production in human 293 cells without effecting insulin-induced phosphoinositide 3-kinase activation. Further, transfection of the catalytically inactive mutant of PTEN (C124S) caused PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 accumulation in the absence of insulin stimulation. Purified recombinant PTEN catalyzed dephosphorylation of PtdIns(3,4,5)P3, specifically at position 3 on the inositol ring. PTEN also exhibited 3-phosphatase activity toward inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate. Our results raise the possibility that PTEN acts in vivo as a phosphoinositide 3-phosphatase by regulating PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 levels. As expected, the C124S mutant of PTEN was incapable of catalyzing dephosphorylation of PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 consistent with the mechanism observed in protein-tyrosine phosphatase-catalyzed reactions.

The tumor suppressor PTEN is a phosphatase with sequence similarity to the cytoskeletal protein tensin. Here the cellular roles of PTEN were investigated. Overexpression of PTEN inhibited cell migration, whereas antisense PTEN enhanced migration. Integrin-mediated cell spreading and the formation of focal adhesions were down-regulated by wild-type PTEN but not by PTEN with an inactive phosphatase domain. PTEN interacted with the focal adhesion kinase FAK and reduced its tyrosine phosphorylation. Overexpression of FAK partially antagonized the effects of PTEN. Thus, PTEN phosphatase may function as a tumor suppressor by negatively regulating cell interactions with the extracellular matrix.

mutation and deletion of the PTEN tumor suppressor gene occurs in about 40% of endometrial carcinomas. The purpose of this study was to determine whether PTEN mutations also are present in endometrial hyperplasias, which are premalignant precursors of invasive endometrial adenocarcinomas. Genomic DNA from 51 endometrial hyperplasias was extracted from paraffin blocks, and PCR was used to amplify the nine exons of the PTEN gene. These products were screened using single-strand conformation analysis, and variant bands were sequenced. Somatic mutations in the PTEN gene were seen in 10 of 51 cases (20%), and two mutations were found in one case. An identical 4-bp deletion in exon 8 was seen in three cases, and 8 of 11 PTEN mutations predicted truncated protein products. There was no higher frequency of PTEN mutations in endometrial hyperplasias with atypia (6 of 32; 19%) relative to those without atypia (4 of 19; 21%). These data suggest that inactivation of the PTEN tumor suppressor gene is an early event in the development of some endometrial cancers.

PTEN is a tumor suppressor with sequence homology to protein tyrosine phosphatases and the cytoskeletal protein tensin. mPTEN-mutant mouse embryos display regions of increased proliferation. In contrast, mPTEN-deficient immortalized mouse embryonic fibroblasts exhibit decreased sensitivity to cell death in response to a number of apoptotic stimuli, accompanied by constitutively elevated activity and phosphorylation of protein kinase B/Akt, a crucial regulator of cell survival. expression of exogenous PTEN in mutant cells restores both their sensitivity to agonist-induced apoptosis and normal pattern of PKB/Akt phosphorylation. Furthermore, PTEN negatively regulates intracellular levels of phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5) trisphosphate in cells and dephosphorylates it in vitro. Our results show that PTEN may exert its role as a tumor suppressor by negatively regulating the PI3K/PKB/Akt signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Germ-line and sporadic mutations in the tumor suppressor gene PTEN (also known as MMAC or TEP1), which encodes a dual-specificity phosphatase, cause a variety of cancers such as Cowden disease, glioblastoma, endometrial carcinoma and prostatic cancer. PTEN is widely expressed, and Cowden disease consistently affects various organ systems, suggesting that the PTEN protein must have an important, although as yet poorly understood, function in cellular physiology. RESULTS: Homozygous mutant mice lacking exons 3-5 of the PTEN gene (mPTEN3-5) had severely expanded and abnormally patterned cephalic and caudal regions at day 8.5 of gestation. Embryonic death occurred by day 9.5 and was associated with defective chorio-allantoic development. Heterozygous mPTEN3-5 mice had an increased incidence of tumors, especially T-cell lymphomas; gamma-irradiation reduced the time lapse of tumor formation. DNA analysis of these tumors revealed the deletion of the mPTEN gene due to loss of heterozygosity of the wild-type allele. Tumors associated with loss of heterozygosity in mPTEN showed elevated phosphorylation of protein kinase B (PKB, also known as Akt kinase), thus providing a functional connection between mPTEN and a murine proto-oncogene (c-Akt) involved in the development of lymphomas. CONCLUSIONS: The mPTEN gene is fundamental for embryonic development in mice, as mPTEN3-5 mutant embryos died by day 9.5 of gestation, with patterning defects in cephalic and caudal regions and defective placentation. Heterozygous mice developed lymphomas associated with loss of heterozygosity of the wild-type mPTEN allele, and tumor appearance was accelerated by gamma-irradiation. These lymphomas had high levels of activated Akt/PKB, the protein product of a murine proto-oncogene with anti-apoptotic function, associated with thymic lymphomas. This suggests that tumors associated with mPTEN loss of heterozygosity may arise as a consequence of an acquired survival advantage. We provide direct evidence of the role of mPTEN as a tumor suppressor gene in mice, and establish the mPTEN mutant mouse as an experimental model for investigating the role of PTEN in cancer progression.

PTEN/MMAC1 is a major new tumor suppressor gene that encodes a dual-specificity phosphatase with sequence similarity to the cytoskeletal protein tensin. Recently, we reported that PTEN dephosphorylates focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and inhibits cell migration, spreading, and focal adhesion formation. Here, the effects of PTEN on cell invasion, migration, and growth as well as the involvement of FAK and p130 Crk-associated substrate (p130Cas) were investigated in U87MG glioblastoma cells missing PTEN. Cell invasion, migration, and growth were down-regulated by expression of phosphatase-active forms of PTEN but not by PTEN with an inactive phosphatase domain; these effects were correlated with decreased tyrosine phosphorylation levels of FAK and p130Cas. Overexpression of FAK concomitant with PTEN resulted in increased total tyrosine phosphorylation levels of FAK and p130Cas and effectively antagonized the effects of PTEN on cell invasion and migration and partially on cell growth. Overexpression of p130Cas increased total tyrosine phosphorylation levels of p130Cas without affecting those of FAK; however, although p130Cas could reverse PTEN inhibition of cell invasion and migration, it did not rescue cell growth in U87MG cells. In contrast to FAK, p130Cas could not be shown to interact with PTEN in cells, and it was not dephosphorylated directly by PTEN in vitro. These results suggest important roles of PTEN in the phenotype of tumor progression, and that the effects of PTEN on cell invasion, migration, and growth are mediated by distinct downstream pathways that diverge at the level of FAK.