title: The survival function of the Bcr-Abl oncogene is mediated by Bad-dependent and -independent pathways: roles for phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and Raf.
abstract: The Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase constitutively activates cytokine signal transduction pathways that stimulate growth and prevent apoptosis in hematopoietic cells. The antiapoptotic action of interleukin-3 (IL-3) has been linked to a signaling pathway which inactivates the proapoptotic protein Bad by phosphorylation through kinases such as Akt and Raf. Here we report also that expression of Bcr-Abl leads to phosphorylation of Bad in hematopoietic cells. Bad phosphorylation induced by Bcr-Abl is kinase dependent, requires phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase), and mitochondrial targeting of Raf, and occurs independently of Erk. The ability of Bcr-Abl to confer cytokine-independent survival to hematopoietic cells was compromised by inhibitors of PI3-kinase, as well as by a dominant negative form of Raf targeted to the mitochondria. Furthermore, when the capacity of Bcr-Abl to phosphorylate Bad was completely blocked by dominant negative Raf, a subpopulation of cells remained viable, providing evidence for Bad-independent survival pathways. This alternative survival pathway remained PI3-kinase dependent. Finally, Bcr-Abl, but not IL-3, inhibited the proapoptotic activity of overexpressed Bad. We conclude that the antiapoptotic function of Bcr-Abl is mediated through pathways involving PI3-kinase and Raf and that survival can occur in the absence of Bad phosphorylation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, 90095-1678, USA.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Neshat
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Raitano
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Sawyers
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival; D016313:Genes, abl; D006801:Humans; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000494:pharmacology; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D019908:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051025:bcl-Associated Death Protein
chemical_list: C494819:BAD protein, human; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D007377:Interleukin-3; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D051025:bcl-Associated Death Protein; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D019908:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases