title: Sphingosine kinase-1 enhances endothelial cell survival through a PECAM-1-dependent activation of PI-3K/Akt and regulation of Bcl-2 family members.
abstract: Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), the bioactive product of sphingosine kinase (SK) activation, is a survival factor for endothelial cells. The mechanism of SK-mediated survival was investigated in endothelial cells with moderately raised intracellular SK activity. Overexpression of SK mediated survival primarily through the activation of the phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase (PI-3K)/protein kinase B (Akt/PKB) pathway and an associated up-regulation of the antiapoptotic protein B cell lymphoma gene 2 (Bcl-2) and down-regulation of the proapoptotic protein bisindolylmaleimide (Bcl-2 interacting mediator of cell death; Bim). In addition there was an up-regulation and dephosphorylation of the junctional molecule platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1), which was obligatory for activation of the PI-3K/Akt pathway, for SK-induced cell survival, and for the changes in the apoptosis-related proteins. Thus, raised intracellular SK activity induced a molecule involved in cell-cell interactions to augment cell survival through a PI-3K/Akt-dependent pathway. This is distinct from the activation of both PI-3K/Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways seen with exogenously added S1P. Cells overexpressing SK showed enhanced survival under conditions of serum deprivation and absence of attachment to extracellular matrix, suggesting a role for SK in the regulation of vascular phenomena that occur under conditions of stress, such as angiogenesis and survival in unattached states, as would be required for a circulating endothelial cell.
authors.affiliation: Hanson Institute, Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
authors.forename: Vidya
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Limaye
authors.forename: Xiaochun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.forename: Pu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Berndt
authors.forename: Mathew A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Vadas
authors.forename: Jennifer R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Gamble
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free / Q000494:pharmacology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006801:Humans; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017853:Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology; D000099157:Sphingosine Kinase
chemical_list: D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D017853:Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor); D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D000099157:Sphingosine Kinase; C494918:AKT1 protein, human