title: Ethanol impairs insulin-stimulated neuronal survival in the developing brain: role of PTEN phosphatase.
abstract: Gestational exposure to ethanol causes fetal alcohol syndrome, which is associated with cerebellar hypoplasia. Previous in vitro studies demonstrated ethanol-impaired neuronal survival with reduced signaling through the insulin receptor (IRbeta). We examined insulin signaling in an experimental rat model of chronic gestational exposure to ethanol in which the pups exhibited striking cerebellar hypoplasia with increased apoptosis. Immunoprecipitation and Western blot analyses detected reduced levels of tyrosyl-phosphorylated IRbeta, tyrosyl-phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), and p85-associated IRS-1 but no alterations in IRbeta, IRS-1, or p85 protein expression in cerebellar tissue from ethanol-exposed pups. In addition, ethanol exposure significantly reduced the levels of total phosphoinositol 3-kinase, Akt kinase, phospho-BAD (inactive), and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and increased the levels of glycogen synthase kinase-3 activity, activated BAD, phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted in chromosome 10 (PTEN) protein, and PTEN phosphatase activity in cerebellar tissue. Cerebellar neurons isolated from ethanol-exposed pups had reduced levels of insulin-stimulated phosphoinositol 3-kinase and Akt kinase activities and reduced insulin inhibition of PTEN and glycogen synthase kinase-3 activity. The results demonstrate that cerebellar hypoplasia produced by chronic gestational exposure to ethanol is associated with impaired survival signaling through insulin-regulated pathways, including failure to suppress PTEN function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Pathology, Rhode Island Hospital, Brown Medical School, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, USA.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Jong Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Yeon
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Geoffrey
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tison
authors.forename: Guo Jun
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wands
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de la Monte
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D055504:Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D011972:Receptor, Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C526292:IRS1 protein, human; D007328:Insulin; D055504:Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins; C526296:Irs1 protein, rat; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D000431:Ethanol; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D011972:Receptor, Insulin; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; C494929:PTEN protein, human