title: Cell-type-specific activation of PAK2 by transforming growth factor beta independent of Smad2 and Smad3.
abstract: Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) causes growth arrest in epithelial cells and proliferation and morphological transformation in fibroblasts. Despite the ability of TGF-beta to induce various cellular phenotypes, few discernible differences in TGF-beta signaling between cell types have been reported, with the only well-characterized pathway (the Smad cascade) seemingly under identical control. We determined that TGF-beta receptor signaling activates the STE20 homolog PAK2 in mammalian cells. PAK2 activation occurs in fibroblast but not epithelial cell cultures and is independent of Smad2 and/or Smad3. Furthermore, we show that TGF-beta-stimulated PAK2 activity is regulated by Rac1 and Cdc42 and dominant negative PAK2 or morpholino antisense oligonucleotides to PAK2 prevent the morphological alteration observed following TGF-beta addition. Thus, PAK2 represents a novel Smad-independent pathway that differentiates TGF-beta signaling in fibroblast (growth-stimulated) and epithelial cell (growth-inhibited) cultures.
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thoracic Diseases Research Unit, and Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
authors: Mark C
authors: MC
authors: Wilkes
authors: Stephen J
authors: SJ
authors: Murphy
authors: Nandor
authors: N
authors: Garamszegi
authors: Edward B
authors: EB
authors: Leof
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division; D002460:Cell Line; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D010641:Phenotype; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000077293:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051899:Smad2 Protein; D051900:Smad3 Protein; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000494:pharmacology*; D054462:p21-Activated Kinases; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C497782:SMAD2 protein, human; C497790:SMAD3 protein, human; D051899:Smad2 Protein; D051900:Smad3 Protein; D015534:Trans-Activators; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; C515907:PAK2 protein, human; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D054462:p21-Activated Kinases; D000077293:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins