title: Modulation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase signaling pathway alters host response to sepsis, inflammation, and ischemia/reperfusion injury.
abstract: The phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are a conserved family of signal transduction enzymes that are involved in regulating cellular activation, inflammatory responses, chemotaxis, and apoptosis. We have discovered that a carbohydrate ligand, glucan, will stimulate the endogenous PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. This article reviews the current data on the role of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway as a negative feedback mechanism or compensatory regulator of septic and inflammatory responses. Of greater importance, the data reviewed in this article suggest that modulation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway can reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with septic and I/R injury. Thus, manipulation of the endogenous PI3K/Akt signaling pathway may represent a new and novel therapeutic approach to management of important diseases.
authors: Department of Surgery, James H. Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN 37614, USA. williamd@estu.edu
authors: David L
authors: DL
authors: Williams
authors: Tammy
authors: T
authors: Ozment-Skelton
authors: Chaunfu
authors: C
authors: Li