title: IL-2 activation of a PI3K-dependent STAT3 serine phosphorylation pathway in primary human T cells.
abstract: Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is the major growth factor of activated T lymphocytes. By inducing cell cycle progression and protection from apoptosis in these cells, IL-2 is involved in the successful execution of an immune response. Upon binding its receptor, IL-2 activates a variety of signal transduction pathways, including the Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and Janus kinase (JAK)/STAT cascades. In addition, activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and several of its downstream targets has also been shown. However, the coupling of STAT3 serine phosphorylation to PI3K in response to IL-2 has yet to be shown in either T cell lines or primary human T cells. This report shows that the PI3K inhibitors LY294002 and wortmannin block activation of MEK and ERK by IL-2 in primary human T cells. Moreover, these inhibitors significantly reduce IL-2-triggered STAT3 serine phosphorylation without affecting STAT5 serine phosphorylation. Analysis of the effects of these inhibitors on cell cycle progression and apoptosis strongly suggests that PI3K-mediated events, which includes STAT3 activation, are involved in IL-2-mediated cell proliferation but not cell survival. Finally, results presented illustrate that in primary human T cells, activation of Akt is insufficient for IL-2-induced anti-apoptosis. Thus, these results demonstrate that IL-2 stimulates PI3K-dependent events that correlate with cell cycle progression, but not anti-apoptosis, in activated primary human T cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Molecular Biology Institute, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182-4614, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.forename: Forest
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rohwer
authors.forename: Kathleen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: McGuire
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / Q000378:metabolism; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D012694:Serine / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007376:Interleukin-2; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras); D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D012694:Serine; D015534:Trans-Activators; C494086:STAT3 protein, human; C494918:AKT1 protein, human; C501009:HRAS protein, human