title: Polycystin-1 induces resistance to apoptosis through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt signaling pathway.
abstract: Polycystin-1 (PC-1), the PKD1 gene product, is a large receptor whose expression in renal epithelial cells results in resistance to apoptosis and tubulogenesis, a model consistent with the phenotype observed in patients. This study links PC-1 expression to a signaling pathway that is known to be both antiapoptotic and important for normal tubulogenesis. This study found that PC-1 expression results in phosphorylation of Akt and downstream effectors and that phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) inhibitors prevent this process. In addition, it is shown that dominant negative Akt can revert PC-1-induced protection from apoptosis. Furthermore, it was observed that increased PI3-K beta activity in PC-1-expressing MDCK cells seems to be dependent on both tyrosine-kinase activity and heterotrimeric G proteins. It also was found that PC-1-induced tubulogenesis is inhibited by PI3-K inhibitors. Taken together, these data suggest that the PI3-K/Akt cascade may be a central modulator of PC-1 function and that its deregulation might be important in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.
authors.affiliation: Dulbecco Telethon Institute at Dibit, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Manila
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boca
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Distefano
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Anil K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Bhunia
authors.forename: Gregory G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Germino
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boletta
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005920:Glomerular Mesangium / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015398:Signal Transduction; D050396:TRPP Cation Channels / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D050396:TRPP Cation Channels