title: Activation of mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway contributes to tumor cell survival in anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma.
abstract: Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) frequently carries the t(2;5)(p23;q35) resulting in aberrant expression of chimeric nucleophosmin-ALK. Previously, nucleophosmin-ALK has been shown to activate phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and its downstream effector, the serine/threonine kinase AKT. In this study, we hypothesized that the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, which functions downstream of AKT, mediates the oncogenic effects of activated PI3K/AKT in ALK+ ALCL. Here, we provide evidence that mTOR signaling phosphoproteins, including mTOR, eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein-1, p70S6K, and ribosomal protein S6, are highly phosphorylated in ALK+ ALCL cell lines and tumors. We also show that AKT activation contributes to mTOR phosphorylation, at least in part, as forced expression of constitutively active AKT by myristoylated AKT adenovirus results in increased phosphorylation of mTOR and its downstream effectors. Conversely, inhibition of AKT expression or activity results in decreased mTOR phosphorylation. In addition, pharmacologic inhibition of PI3K/AKT down-regulates the activation of the mTOR signaling pathway. We also show that inhibition of mTOR with rapamycin, as well as silencing mTOR gene product expression using mTOR-specific small interfering RNA, decreased phosphorylation of mTOR signaling proteins and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in ALK+ ALCL cells. Cell cycle arrest was associated with modulation of G(1)-S-phase regulators, including the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21(waf1) and p27(kip1). Apoptosis following inhibition of mTOR expression or function was associated with down-regulation of antiapoptotic proteins, including c-FLIP, MCL-1, and BCL-2. These findings suggest that the mTOR pathway contributes to nucleophosmin-ALK/PI3K/AKT-mediated tumorigenesis and that inhibition of mTOR represents a potential therapeutic strategy in ALK+ ALCL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematopathology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vega
authors.forename: L Jeffrey
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.forename: Vasiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Leventaki
authors.forename: Coralyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Atwell
authors.forename: Jeong Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cho-Vega
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Francois-Xavier
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Claret
authors.forename: George Z
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Rassidakis
mesh_terms: D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D002867:Chromones / Q000494:pharmacology; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006801:Humans; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009025:Morpholines / Q000494:pharmacology; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D015398:Signal Transduction; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000494:pharmacology; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D002867:Chromones; D009025:Morpholines; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D011494:Protein Kinases; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D020123:Sirolimus; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; C085911:2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one; C546842:MTOR protein, human; C000626173:ALK protein, human