title: Cell size reduction induced by inhibition of the mTOR/S6K-signaling pathway protects Jurkat cells from apoptosis.
abstract: In Jurkat cells, the decreased cell growth rate associated with a long-lasting deactivation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/p70 ribosomal S6 kinase (S6K)-signaling pathway generates a cell population of progressively reduced cellular mass and size. When promoted by rapamycin as prototype inhibitor, the mTOR deactivation-dependent cell size reduction was associated with slowed, but not suppressed, proliferation. Small-size cells were significantly protected from apoptosis induced by Fas/Apo-1 death-receptor activation (as shown by reduced procaspase cleavage and decreased catalytic activity of relevant caspases) or by stress signals-dependent mitochondrial perturbation (as shown by reduced cleavage of caspase-2, lower dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential and decreased release of cytochorome c and apoptosis-inducing factor from mitochondria). Protection faded when reactivation of the mTOR/S6K pathway promoted the cell recovery to normal size. These results suggest that cells induced to reduce their mass by the mTOR deactivation-dependent inhibition of cell growth become more resilient to lethal assaults by curbing the cell's suicidal response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Division of Molecular Pathology and Immunology. University of Parma, Parma 43100, Italy. claudia.fumarola@unipr.it
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fumarola
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: La Monica
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Alfieri
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Borra
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Guidotti
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000502:physiology; D048429:Cell Size; D002867:Chromones / Q000494:pharmacology; D003574:Cytochrome c Group / Q000378:metabolism; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D019169:Jurkat Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D007930:Leucine / Q000378:metabolism; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009025:Morpholines / Q000494:pharmacology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D038762:Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 70-kDa / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000494:pharmacology; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
chemical_list: D002867:Chromones; D003574:Cytochrome c Group; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D009025:Morpholines; C085911:2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one; D011494:Protein Kinases; C546842:MTOR protein, human; D038762:Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 70-kDa; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; D007930:Leucine; D020123:Sirolimus