MEKK1-induced apoptosis requires TRAIL death receptor activation and is inhibited by AKT/PKB through inhibition of MEKK1 cleavage.
MEK kinase 1 (MEKK1) induces apoptosis through the activation of caspases. The mechanism for MEKK1-induced apoptosis involves caspase-mediated cleavage of MEKK1, releasing a pro-apoptotic 91 kDa kinase fragment that serves to further amplify caspase activation in a feedback loop. Both cleavage of MEKK1 and increased expression of death receptor 4 (DR4, TRAILR1) and death receptor 5 (DR5, TRAILR2) occur following exposure of cells to genotoxins. Overexpression of kinase inactive MEKK1 inhibits MEKK1-mediated apoptosis and effectively blocks death receptor upregulation following etoposide treatment. Herein, we investigate the role of death receptor activation and the ability of AKT/PKB (AKT) to inhibit cell death in MEKK1-induced apoptosis. We show that by preventing DR4 and DR5 activation through expression of decoy receptor 1 (DcR1) and dominant negative FADD, we inhibit MEKK1-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, expression of 91 kDa MEKK1 increased DR4 and FAS mRNA and protein levels. MEKK1-induced apoptosis is amplified by blocking PI-3 kinase activation and overexpression of AKT blocked both MEKK1-induced apoptosis and caspase activation. AKT overexpression also prevented the cleavage of endogenous MEKK1 by genotoxins. AKT did not, however, block MEKK1-induced JNK activation, showing that regulation of the JNK pathway by MEKK1 is independent of its role in regulation of apoptosis. Thus, MEKK1-induced apoptosis requires TRAIL death receptor activation and is blocked by AKT through inhibition of MEKK1 cleavage.
Bild
Andrea H
AH
Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado, 2400 East Ninth Street, Denver, Colorado, CO 80262, USA.
Mendoza
Francisco J
FJ
Gibson
Erika M
EM
Huang
Mei
M
Villanueva
Jacylyn
J
Garrington
Timothy P
TP
Jove
Richard
R
Johnson
Gary L
GL
Gibson
Spencer B
SB
D017209:Apoptosis; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000502:physiology; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006801:Humans; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048728:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 1; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000502:physiology; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000502:physiology; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D053220:Receptors, TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000502:physiology*; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048728:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 1; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D053220:Receptors, TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D019014:fas Receptor; C105190:TNFRSF10A protein, human; C505639:TNFRSF10B protein, human; C494918:AKT1 protein, human; C482576:MAP3K1 protein, human; C505407:CASP3 protein, human