Tumor-promoting phorbol esters and activated Ras inactivate the tuberous sclerosis tumor suppressor complex via p90 ribosomal S6 kinase.
Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic disorder caused by mutations in either of the two tumor suppressor genes TSC1 or TSC2, which encode hamartin and tuberin, respectively. Tuberin and hamartin form a complex that inhibits signaling by the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a critical nutrient sensor and regulator of cell growth and proliferation. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inactivates the tumor suppressor complex and enhances mTOR signaling by means of phosphorylation of tuberin by Akt. Importantly, cellular transformation mediated by phorbol esters and Ras isoforms that poorly activate PI3K promote tumorigenesis in the absence of Akt activation. In this study, we show that phorbol esters and activated Ras also induce the phosphorylation of tuberin and collaborates with the nutrient-sensing pathway to regulate mTOR effectors, such as p70 ribosomal S6 kinase 1 (S6K1). The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-activated kinase, p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK) 1, was found to interact with and phosphorylate tuberin at a regulatory site, Ser-1798, located at the evolutionarily conserved C terminus of tuberin. RSK1 phosphorylation of Ser-1798 inhibits the tumor suppressor function of the tuberin/hamartin complex, resulting in increased mTOR signaling to S6K1. Together, our data unveil a regulatory mechanism by which the Ras/MAPK and PI3K pathways converge on the tumor suppressor tuberin to inhibit its function.
Roux
Philippe P
PP
Department of Cell Biology and Taplin Biological Mass Spectrometry Facility, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Ballif
Bryan A
BA
Anjum
Rana
R
Gygi
Steven P
SP
Blenis
John
J
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006801:Humans; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D015689:Oncogene Protein p21(ras) / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D010768:Phosphoserine / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011506:Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D038744:Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 90-kDa / Q000378:metabolism*; D012694:Serine / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014402:Tuberous Sclerosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000077004:Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 1 Protein; D000077005:Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2 Protein; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism
D015689:Oncogene Protein p21(ras); D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D010768:Phosphoserine; D011494:Protein Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011506:Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D038744:Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 90-kDa; D012694:Serine; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; D000077004:Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 1 Protein; D000077005:Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2 Protein; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; C000624650:TSC1 protein, human; C000624653:TSC2 protein, human; C016658:phorbolol myristate acetate; C546842:MTOR protein, human; C494918:AKT1 protein, human; C069329:RPS6KA1 protein, human