RESUMO
The PTEN tumor suppressor controls cell death and survival by regulating functions of various molecular targets. While the role of PTEN lipid-phosphatase activity on PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 and inhibition of PI3K pathway is well characterized, the biological relevance of PTEN protein-phosphatase activity remains undefined. Here, using knockin (KI) mice harboring cancer-associated and functionally relevant missense mutations, we show that although loss of PTEN lipid-phosphatase function cooperates with oncogenic PI3K to promote rapid mammary tumorigenesis, the additional loss of PTEN protein-phosphatase activity triggered an extensive cell death response evident in early and advanced mammary tumors. Omics and drug-targeting studies revealed that PI3Ks act to reduce glucocorticoid receptor (GR) levels, which are rescued by loss of PTEN protein-phosphatase activity to restrain cell survival. Thus, we find that the dual regulation of GR by PI3K and PTEN functions as a rheostat that can be exploited for the treatment of PTEN loss-driven cancers.
Assuntos
Neoplasias Mamárias Animais/metabolismo , Neoplasias Mamárias Animais/patologia , PTEN Fosfo-Hidrolase/metabolismo , Receptores de Glucocorticoides/metabolismo , Animais , Carcinogênese , Morte Celular , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Proliferação de Células , Dexametasona/farmacologia , Feminino , Humanos , Isoenzimas/metabolismo , Camundongos , Modelos Biológicos , Mutação/genética , Organoides/patologia , PTEN Fosfo-Hidrolase/genética , Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinases/genética , Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinases/metabolismo , Fosforilação , Estabilidade Proteica , Proteoma/metabolismo , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-akt/metabolismoRESUMO
Gastrointestinal epithelial cells provide a selective barrier that segregates the host immune system from luminal microorganisms, thereby contributing directly to the regulation of homeostasis. We have shown that from early embryonic development Bcl-G, a Bcl-2 protein family member with unknown function, was highly expressed in gastrointestinal epithelial cells. While Bcl-G was dispensable for normal growth and development in mice, the loss of Bcl-G resulted in accelerated progression of colitis-associated cancer. A label-free quantitative proteomics approach revealed that Bcl-G may contribute to the stability of a mucin network, which when disrupted, is linked to colon tumorigenesis. Consistent with this, we observed a significant reduction in Bcl-G expression in human colorectal tumors. Our study identifies an unappreciated role for Bcl-G in colon cancer.