beta 1 integrin regulates fibroblast viability during collagen matrix contraction through a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt/protein kinase B signaling pathway.
Integrins regulate cell viability through their interaction with the extracellular matrix. Integrins can sense mechanical forces arising from the matrix and convert these stimuli to chemical signals capable of modulating intracellular signal transduction. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway is a major regulator of cell survival. It is not known, however, whether integrins, acting as mechanoreceptors, regulate cell survival via the PI3K/Akt pathway. Here, we show that in response to a matrix-derived mechanical stimulus, beta1 integrin regulated cell viability by regulating Akt activity in a PI3K-dependent fashion. To accomplish this, we employed fibroblasts cultured in collagen gels. During contraction of collagen matrices, fibroblasts underwent apoptosis. We demonstrate that ligation of beta1 integrin with anti-beta1 integrin antibodies protected fibroblasts from apoptosis. The nature of the survival signal activated by beta1 integrin engagement with antibody was mediated by PI3K acting through Akt/protein kinase B. We show that Akt phosphorylation decreased during collagen contraction and that this decrease correlated precisely with the onset of fibroblast apoptosis. Fibroblasts transfected with constitutively active PI3K displayed increased Akt phosphorylation and were protected from anoikis and collagen gel contraction-induced apoptosis. Our data identify a novel role for beta1 integrin in regulating fibroblast viability through a PI3K/Akt/protein kinase B signaling pathway in response to a matrix-derived mechanical stimulus.
Tian
Bin
B
Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
Lessan
Khashayar
K
Kahm
Judy
J
Kleidon
Jill
J
Henke
Craig
C
D000906:Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000502:physiology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D019012:Integrin beta1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D007700:Kinetics; D008168:Lung; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D014162:Transfection
D000906:Antibodies; D003094:Collagen; D019012:Integrin beta1; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C494918:AKT1 protein, human