BRAFV600E negatively regulates the AKT pathway in melanoma cell lines.

Cross-feedback activation of MAPK and AKT pathways is implicated as a resistance mechanism for cancer therapeutic agents targeting either RAF/MEK or PI3K/AKT/mTOR. It is thus important to have a better understanding of the molecular resistance mechanisms to improve patient survival benefit from thes...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Brenden Chen, Christine Tardell, Brian Higgins, Kathryn Packman, John F Boylan, Huifeng Niu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2012-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/22880048/?tool=EBI
_version_ 1818400085790162944
author Brenden Chen
Christine Tardell
Brian Higgins
Kathryn Packman
John F Boylan
Huifeng Niu
author_facet Brenden Chen
Christine Tardell
Brian Higgins
Kathryn Packman
John F Boylan
Huifeng Niu
author_sort Brenden Chen
collection DOAJ
description Cross-feedback activation of MAPK and AKT pathways is implicated as a resistance mechanism for cancer therapeutic agents targeting either RAF/MEK or PI3K/AKT/mTOR. It is thus important to have a better understanding of the molecular resistance mechanisms to improve patient survival benefit from these agents. Here we show that BRAFV600E is a negative regulator of the AKT pathway. Expression of BRAFV600E in NIH3T3 cells significantly suppresses MEK inhibitor (RG7167) or mTORC1 inhibitor (rapamycin) induced AKT phosphorylation (pAKT) and downstream signal activation. Treatment-induced pAKT elevation is found in BRAF wild type melanoma cells but not in a subset of melanoma cell lines harboring BRAFV600E. Knock-down of BRAFV600E in these melanoma cells elevates basal pAKT and downstream signals, whereas knock-down of CRAF, MEK1/2 or ERK1/2 or treatment with a BRAF inhibitor have no impact on pAKT. Mechanistically, we show that BRAFV600E interacts with rictor complex (mTORC2) and regulates pAKT through mTORC2. BRAFV600E is identified in mTORC2 after immunoprecipitation of rictor. Knock-down of rictor abrogates BRAFV600E depletion induced pAKT. Knock-down of BRAFV600E enhances cellular enzyme activity of mTORC2. Aberrant activation of AKT pathway by PTEN loss appears to override the negative impact of BRAFV600E on pAKT. Taken together, our findings suggest that in a subset of BRAFV600E melanoma cells, BRAFV600E negatively regulates AKT pathway in a rictor-dependent, MEK/ERK and BRAF kinase-independent manner. Our study reveals a novel molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of feedback loops between the MAPK and AKT pathways.
first_indexed 2024-12-14T07:30:58Z
format Article
id doaj.art-f977105d31fa4f8f9f44e379c7007545
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1932-6203
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-14T07:30:58Z
publishDate 2012-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj.art-f977105d31fa4f8f9f44e379c70075452022-12-21T23:11:22ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032012-01-0178e4259810.1371/journal.pone.0042598BRAFV600E negatively regulates the AKT pathway in melanoma cell lines.Brenden ChenChristine TardellBrian HigginsKathryn PackmanJohn F BoylanHuifeng NiuCross-feedback activation of MAPK and AKT pathways is implicated as a resistance mechanism for cancer therapeutic agents targeting either RAF/MEK or PI3K/AKT/mTOR. It is thus important to have a better understanding of the molecular resistance mechanisms to improve patient survival benefit from these agents. Here we show that BRAFV600E is a negative regulator of the AKT pathway. Expression of BRAFV600E in NIH3T3 cells significantly suppresses MEK inhibitor (RG7167) or mTORC1 inhibitor (rapamycin) induced AKT phosphorylation (pAKT) and downstream signal activation. Treatment-induced pAKT elevation is found in BRAF wild type melanoma cells but not in a subset of melanoma cell lines harboring BRAFV600E. Knock-down of BRAFV600E in these melanoma cells elevates basal pAKT and downstream signals, whereas knock-down of CRAF, MEK1/2 or ERK1/2 or treatment with a BRAF inhibitor have no impact on pAKT. Mechanistically, we show that BRAFV600E interacts with rictor complex (mTORC2) and regulates pAKT through mTORC2. BRAFV600E is identified in mTORC2 after immunoprecipitation of rictor. Knock-down of rictor abrogates BRAFV600E depletion induced pAKT. Knock-down of BRAFV600E enhances cellular enzyme activity of mTORC2. Aberrant activation of AKT pathway by PTEN loss appears to override the negative impact of BRAFV600E on pAKT. Taken together, our findings suggest that in a subset of BRAFV600E melanoma cells, BRAFV600E negatively regulates AKT pathway in a rictor-dependent, MEK/ERK and BRAF kinase-independent manner. Our study reveals a novel molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of feedback loops between the MAPK and AKT pathways.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/22880048/?tool=EBI
spellingShingle Brenden Chen
Christine Tardell
Brian Higgins
Kathryn Packman
John F Boylan
Huifeng Niu
BRAFV600E negatively regulates the AKT pathway in melanoma cell lines.
PLoS ONE
title BRAFV600E negatively regulates the AKT pathway in melanoma cell lines.
title_full BRAFV600E negatively regulates the AKT pathway in melanoma cell lines.
title_fullStr BRAFV600E negatively regulates the AKT pathway in melanoma cell lines.
title_full_unstemmed BRAFV600E negatively regulates the AKT pathway in melanoma cell lines.
title_short BRAFV600E negatively regulates the AKT pathway in melanoma cell lines.
title_sort brafv600e negatively regulates the akt pathway in melanoma cell lines
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/22880048/?tool=EBI
work_keys_str_mv AT brendenchen brafv600enegativelyregulatestheaktpathwayinmelanomacelllines
AT christinetardell brafv600enegativelyregulatestheaktpathwayinmelanomacelllines
AT brianhiggins brafv600enegativelyregulatestheaktpathwayinmelanomacelllines
AT kathrynpackman brafv600enegativelyregulatestheaktpathwayinmelanomacelllines
AT johnfboylan brafv600enegativelyregulatestheaktpathwayinmelanomacelllines
AT huifengniu brafv600enegativelyregulatestheaktpathwayinmelanomacelllines