Ingeborg Hers

Akt signalling in health and disease.

Akt (also known as protein kinase B or PKB) comprises three closely related isoforms Akt1, Akt2 and Akt3 (or PKBα/β/γ respectively). We have a very good understanding of the mechanisms by which Akt isoforms are activated by growth factors and other extracellular stimuli as well as by oncogenic mutations in key upstream regulatory proteins including Ras, PI3-kinase subunits and PTEN. There are also an ever increasing number of Akt substrates being identified that play a role in the regulation of the diverse array of biological effects of activated Akt; this includes the regulation of cell proliferation, survival and metabolism. Dysregulation of Akt leads to diseases of major unmet medical need such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular and neurological diseases. As a result there has been substantial investment in the development of small molecular Akt inhibitors that act competitively with ATP or phospholipid binding, or allosterically. In this review we will briefly discuss our current understanding of how Akt isoforms are regulated, the substrate proteins they phosphorylate and how this integrates with the role of Akt in disease. We will furthermore discuss the types of Akt inhibitors that have been developed and are in clinical trials for human cancer, as well as speculate on potential on-target toxicities, such as disturbances of heart and vascular function, metabolism, memory and mood, which should be monitored very carefully during clinical trial.

The protein kinase C inhibitors bisindolylmaleimide I (GF 109203x) and IX (Ro 31-8220) are potent inhibitors of glycogen synthase kinase-3 activity

Here we report that the widely used protein kinase C inhibitors, bisindolylmaleimide I and IX, are potent inhibitors of glycogen synthase kinase‐3 (GSK‐3). Bisindolylmaleimide I and IX inhibited GSK‐3 in vitro, when assayed either in cell lysates (IC50 360 nM and 6.8 nM, respectively) or in GSK‐3β immunoprecipitates (IC50 170 nM and 2.8 nM, respectively) derived from rat epididymal adipocytes. Pretreatment of adipocytes with bisindolylmaleimide I (5 μM) and IX (2 μM) reduced GSK‐3 activity in total cell lysates, to 25.1±4.3% and 12.9±3.0% of control, respectively. By contrast, bisindolylmaleimide V (5 μM), which lacks the functional groups present on bisindolylmaleimide I and IX, had little apparent effect. We propose that bisindolylmaleimide I and IX can directly inhibit GSK‐3, and that this may explain some of the previously reported insulin‐like effects on glycogen synthase activity.

Protein kinase B phosphorylation of PIKfyve regulates the trafficking of GLUT4 vesicles

Insulin-stimulated glucose uptake involves the recruitment of the glucose transporter 4 isoform (GLUT4) from an intracellular location to the plasma membrane of fat and muscle cells. Although the activation of the PI3-kinase/protein kinase B (PKB) pathway is central to this effect of insulin, the key substrates for PKB that are involved require identification. Here we report that serine318 on the FYVE domain-containing PtdIns(3)P 5-kinase (PIKfyve) is a novel substrate for PKB, and show that phosphorylation stimulates the PtdIns(3)P 5-kinase activity of the enzyme. We also demonstrate that PIKfyve is phosphorylated on serine318 in intact cells in response to insulin, in a PI3-kinase-dependent manner, and that PIKfyve colocalises with a highly motile subpopulation of insulin-regulated aminopeptidase (IRAP)/GLUT4 vesicles. Finally, we demonstrate that overexpression of a PIKfyve[S318A] mutant in 3T3-L1 adipocytes enhances insulin-stimulated IRAP/GLUT4 vesicle translocation to the plasma membrane suggesting a role for PKB-dependent phosphorylation of PIKfyve in insulin-regulated IRAP/GLUT4 trafficking. The phosphorylation and activation of PIKfyve by PKB provides a novel signalling paradigm that may link plasma membrane-localised PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 signals via a protein kinase cascade to regulated PtdIns(3,5)P2 production, and thereby to the control of trafficking of other membrane cargos.

Role of protein kinase B in insulin-regulated glucose uptake.

The activation of protein kinase B (or Akt) plays a central role in the stimulation of glucose uptake by insulin. Currently, however, numerous questions remain unanswered regarding the role of this kinase in bringing about this effect. For example, we do not know precisely where in the GLUT4 trafficking pathway this kinase acts. Nor do we know which protein substrates are responsible for mediating the effects of protein kinase B, although two recently identified proteins (AS160 and PIKfyve) may play a role. This paper addresses these important questions by reviewing recent progress in the field.

Protein kinase C-mediated phosphorylation and activation of PDE3A regulate cAMP levels in human platelets.

The elevation of [cAMP]i is an important mechanism of platelet inhibition and is regulated by the opposing activity of adenylyl cyclase and phosphodiesterase (PDE). In this study, we demonstrate that a variety of platelet agonists, including thrombin, significantly enhance the activity of PDE3A in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. Stimulation of platelets with the PAR-1 agonist SFLLRN resulted in rapid and transient phosphorylation of PDE3A on Ser312, Ser428, Ser438, Ser465, and Ser492, in parallel with the PKC (protein kinase C) substrate, pleckstrin. Furthermore, phosphorylation and activation of PDE3A required the activation of PKC, but not of PI3K/PKB, mTOR/p70S6K, or ERK/RSK. Activation of PKC by phorbol esters also resulted in phosphorylation of the same PDE3A sites in a PKC-dependent, PKB-independent manner. This was further supported by the finding that IGF-1, which strongly activates PI3K/PKB, but not PKC, did not regulate PDE3A. Platelet activation also led to a PKC-dependent association between PDE3A and 14-3-3 proteins. In contrast, cAMP-elevating agents such as PGE1 and forskolin-induced phosphorylation of Ser312 and increased PDE3A activity, but did not stimulate 14-3-3 binding. Finally, complete antagonism of PGE1-evoked cAMP accumulation by thrombin required both Gi and PKC activation. Together, these results demonstrate that platelet activation stimulates PKC-dependent phosphorylation of PDE3A on Ser312, Ser428, Ser438, Ser465, and Ser492 leading to a subsequent increase in cAMP hydrolysis and 14-3-3 binding.

Dual Regulation of Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 (GSK3)α/β by Protein Kinase C (PKC)α and Akt Promotes Thrombin-mediated Integrin αIIbβ3 Activation and Granule Secretion in Platelets

Background: The constitutively active kinase GSK3β is a negative regulator of thrombin-stimulated platelet function. Results: Interfering with PKCα and Akt blocked thrombin-mediated GSK3α/β phosphorylation and reduced platelet function. Conclusion: PKCα and Akt phosphorylate GSK3α/β resulting in reduced GSK3α/β activity and increased thrombin-mediated platelet function. Significance: This study shows a novel mechanism by which GSK3α/β is regulated and contributes to platelet function. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 is a Ser/Thr kinase, tonically active in resting cells but inhibited by phosphorylation of an N-terminal Ser residue (Ser21 in GSK3α and Ser9 in GSK3β) in response to varied external stimuli. Recent work suggests that GSK3 functions as a negative regulator of platelet function, but how GSK3 is regulated in platelets has not been examined in detail. Here, we show that early thrombin-mediated GSK3 phosphorylation (0–30 s) was blocked by PKC inhibitors and largely absent in platelets from PKCα knock-out mice. In contrast, late (2–5 min) GSK3 phosphorylation was dependent on the PI3K/Akt pathway. Similarly, early thrombin-mediated inhibition of GSK3 activity was blocked in PKCα knock-out platelets, whereas the Akt inhibitor MK2206 reduced late thrombin-mediated GSK3 inhibition and largely prevented GSK3 inhibition in PKCα knock-out platelets. More importantly, GSK3 phosphorylation contributes to platelet function as knock-in mice where GSK3α Ser21 and GSK3β Ser9 were mutated to Ala showed a significant reduction in PAR4-mediated platelet aggregation, fibrinogen binding, and P-selectin expression, whereas the GSK3 inhibitor CHIR99021 enhanced these responses. Together, these results demonstrate that PKCα and Akt modulate platelet function by phosphorylating and inhibiting GSK3α/β, thereby relieving the negative effect of GSK3α/β on thrombin-mediated platelet activation.

Insulin/IGF-1 hybrid receptor expression on human platelets: consequences for the effect of insulin on platelet function.

Summary.  Objectives: As platelets express both insulin and insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) receptors, their subunits may randomly heterodimerize to form insulin/IGF‐1 receptor hybrids, which avidly bind IGF‐1, but not insulin. This study investigated the possibility that platelets express hybrid receptors, which may affect insulin action on platelet function. Methods: Platelets were incubated with insulin and IGF‐1. Expression and phosphorylation of insulin/IGF‐1 receptors was determined by western blotting of immunoprecipitates, and compared with platelet functional responses. Relative expression of insulin and IGF‐1 receptors was estimated by competitive ligand binding and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: We demonstrated the presence of insulin/IGF‐1 hybrid receptors on human platelets by detecting both insulin and IGF‐1 receptor β subunits in coimmunoprecipitation studies. Stimulation of platelets with insulin (1–100 nm) resulted in tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptors, but not of hybrid receptors. High insulin concentrations (50–100 nm) stimulated weak phosphorylation of IGF‐1 receptors and protein kinase B (Akt), and correlated with moderately increased aggregation and fibrinogen binding, whereas low insulin concentrations (1–10 nm) had no effect. In contrast, IGF‐1 (1–100 nm) induced strong phosphorylation of both hybrid and IGF‐1 receptors, and potentiated platelet aggregation and fibrinogen binding. Specific binding of [125I]IGF‐1 (1.08% ± 0.16%) was significantly higher than that of [125I]insulin (0.15% ± 0.03%). Accordingly, IGF‐1 receptor mRNA was more abundant than insulin receptor mRNA (IGF‐1 receptor/insulin receptor ratio 69 ± 3.8). Conclusions: Insulin has minimal effects on platelet function, which can be explained by the relatively low insulin receptor expression levels resulting in the majority of insulin receptor subunits being expressed as insulin/IGF‐1 hybrids.

Coordinated membrane ballooning and procoagulant-spreading in human platelets

Background— Platelets are central to the process of hemostasis, rapidly aggregating at sites of blood vessel injury and acting as coagulation nidus sites. On interaction with the subendothelial matrix, platelets are transformed into balloonlike structures as part of the hemostatic response. It remains unclear, however, how and why platelets generate these structures. We set out to determine the physiological relevance and cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying platelet membrane ballooning. Methods and Results— Using 4‐dimensional live‐cell imaging and electron microscopy, we show that human platelets adherent to collagen are transformed into phosphatidylserine‐exposing balloonlike structures with expansive macro/microvesiculate contact surfaces, by a process that we termed procoagulant spreading. We reveal that ballooning is mechanistically and structurally distinct from membrane blebbing and involves disruption to the platelet microtubule cytoskeleton and inflation through fluid entry. Unlike blebbing, procoagulant ballooning is irreversible and a consequence of Na+, Cl‐, and water entry. Furthermore, membrane ballooning correlated with microparticle generation. Inhibition of Na+, Cl‐, or water entry impaired ballooning, procoagulant spreading, and microparticle generation, and it also diminished local thrombin generation. Human Scott syndrome platelets, which lack expression of Ano‐6, also showed a marked reduction in membrane ballooning, consistent with a role for chloride entry in the process. Finally, the blockade of water entry by acetazolamide attenuated ballooning in vitro and markedly suppressed thrombus formation in vivo in a mouse model of thrombosis. Conclusions— Ballooning and procoagulant spreading of platelets are driven by fluid entry into the cells, and are important for the amplification of localized coagulation in thrombosis.

Identification of p122RhoGAP (Deleted in Liver Cancer-1) Serine 322 as a Substrate for Protein Kinase B and Ribosomal S6 Kinase in Insulin-stimulated Cells

Protein kinase B (PKB or Akt) plays an essential role in the actions of insulin, cytokines, and growth factors, although the substrates for PKB that are relevant to many of its actions require identification. In this study, we have reported the identification of p122RhoGAP, a GTPase-activating protein selective for RhoA and rodent homologue of the tumor suppressor deleted in liver cancer (DLC1) as a novel insulin-stimulated phosphoprotein in primary rat adipocytes. We have demonstrated that Ser-322 is phosphorylated upon insulin stimulation of intact cells and that this site is directly phosphorylated in vitro by PKB and ribosomal S6 kinase, members of the AGC (protein kinases A, G, and C) family of insulin-stimulated protein kinases. Furthermore, expression of constitutively active mutants of PKB or mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase (MEK) stimulates Ser-322 phosphorylation in intact cells, demonstrating that activation of the PKB or MEK pathway is sufficient for Ser-322 phosphorylation in vivo. Indeed, in primary adipocytes, insulin-stimulated Ser-322 phosphorylation was almost exclusively regulated by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/PKB pathway, whereas in immortalized cells, insulin-stimulated phosphorylation was predominantly regulated by the MEK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase/ribosomal S6 kinase pathway, with the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/PKB pathway playing a minor role. These results demonstrate that p122RhoGAP Ser-322 acts as an integrator of signal transduction in a manner dependent on the cellular context.

Munc13-4 is critical for thrombosis through regulating release of ADP from platelets.

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