title: Rac1 protects epithelial cells against anoikis.
abstract: Rho family members play a critical role in malignant transformation. Anchorage-independent growth and the ability to avoid apoptosis caused by loss of anchorage (anoikis) are important features of transformed cells. Here we show that constitutive activation of Rac1 inhibits anoikis in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) epithelial cells. Constitutively active Rac1-V12 decreases DNA fragmentation and caspase activity by 50% in MDCK cells kept in suspension. In addition, expression of Rac1-V12 in MDCK cells in suspension conditions causes an increase in the number of surviving cells. We also investigated the signaling pathways that are activated by Rac1 to stimulate cell survival. We show that expression of Rac1-V12 in MDCK cells in suspension stimulates a number of signaling cascades that have been implicated in the control of cell survival, including the p42/44 ERK, p38, protein kinase B, and nuclear factor kappaB pathways. Using specific chemical or protein inhibitors of these respective pathways, we show that Rac1-mediated cell survival strongly depends on phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity and that activation of ERK, p38, and NF-kappaB are largely dispensable for Rac1 survival signaling. In conclusion, these studies demonstrate that Rac1 can suppress apoptosis in epithelial cells in anchorage-independent conditions and suggest a potential role for Rac1-mediated survival signaling in cell transformation.
authors.affiliation: Picower Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York 11030, USA.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Coniglio
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Jou
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Symons
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D023102:Anoikis; D017209:Apoptosis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival; D002867:Chromones / Q000494:pharmacology; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D004285:Dogs; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008156:Luciferases / Q000378:metabolism; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D009025:Morpholines / Q000494:pharmacology; D009154:Mutation; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013997:Time Factors; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020169:Caspases; D002867:Chromones; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007093:Imidazoles; D008156:Luciferases; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D009025:Morpholines; D016328:NF-kappa B; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D011725:Pyridines; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein; C085911:2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one; C093642:SB 203580