PTEN inhibits insulin-stimulated MEK/MAPK activation and cell growth by blocking IRS-1 phosphorylation and IRS-1/Grb-2/Sos complex formation in a breast cancer model.
The tumour suppressor gene PTEN encodes a dual-specificity phosphatase that recognizes protein substrates and phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-triphosphate. PTEN seems to play multiple roles in tumour suppression and the blockade of phosphoinositide-3-kinase signalling is important for its growth suppressive effects, although precise mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we show that PTEN plays a unique role in the insulin-signalling pathway in a breast cancer model. Ectopic expression of wild-type PTEN in MCF-7 epithelial breast cancer cells resulted in universal inhibition of Akt phosphorylation in response to stimulation by diverse growth factors and selective inhibition of MEK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation stimulated by insulin or insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). The latter was accompanied by a decrease in the phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) and the association of IRS-1 with Grb2/Sos, without affecting the phosphorylation status of the insulin receptor and Shc, nor Shc/Grb2 complex formation. The MEK inhibitor, PD980059, but not the PI3K inhibitor, wortmannin, abolished the effect of PTEN on insulin-stimulated cell growth. Without addition of insulin, wortmannin reduced PTEN-mediated growth suppression, whereas PD980059 had little effect, suggesting that PTEN suppresses insulin-stimulated cell growth by blocking the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Furthermore, PD980059 treatment led to the downregulation of cyclin D1 and the suppression of cell cycle progression. Our data suggest that PTEN blocks MAPK phosphorylation in response to insulin stimulation by inhibiting the phosphorylation of IRS-1 and IRS-1/Grb2/Sos complex formation, which leads to downregulation of cyclin D1, inhibition of cell cycle progression and suppression of cell growth.
Weng
L P
LP
Clinical Cancer Genetics Program, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Division of Human Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
Smith
W M
WM
Brown
J L
JL
Eng
C
C
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D033942:Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D051380:GRB2 Adaptor Protein; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D055504:Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011972:Receptor, Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D055765:Shc Signaling Adaptor Proteins; D000071425:Src Homology 2 Domain-Containing, Transforming Protein 1; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D033942:Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D051380:GRB2 Adaptor Protein; C495948:GRB2 protein, human; C526292:IRS1 protein, human; D007328:Insulin; D055504:Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011506:Proteins; C528024:SHC1 protein, human; D055765:Shc Signaling Adaptor Proteins; D000071425:Src Homology 2 Domain-Containing, Transforming Protein 1; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D011972:Receptor, Insulin; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; C494929:PTEN protein, human