Jonathan A. Deane

Role of phosphoinositide 3-kinase regulatory isoforms in development and actin rearrangement.

ABSTRACT Class Ia phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are heterodimers of p110 catalytic and p85 regulatory subunits that mediate a variety of cellular responses to growth and differentiation factors. Although embryonic development is not impaired in mice lacking all isoforms of the p85α gene (p85α−/− p55α−/− p50α−/−) or in mice lacking the p85β gene (p85β−/−) (D. A. Fruman, F. Mauvais-Jarvis, D. A. Pollard, C. M. Yballe, D. Brazil, R. T. Bronson, C. R. Kahn, and L. C. Cantley, Nat Genet. 26:379-382, 2000; K. Ueki, C. M. Yballe, S. M. Brachmann, D. Vicent, J. M. Watt, C. R. Kahn, and L. C. Cantley, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99:419-424, 2002), we show here that loss of both genes results in lethality at embryonic day 12.5 (E12.5). The phenotypes of these embryos, including subepidermal blebs flanking the neural tube at E8 and bleeding into the blebs during the turning process, are similar to defects observed in platelet-derived growth factor receptor α null (PDGFRα−/−) mice (P. Soriano, Development 124:2691-2700, 1997), suggesting that PI3K is an essential mediator of PDGFRα signaling at this developmental stage. p85α−/− p55α+/+ p50α+/+ p85β−/− mice had similar but less severe defects, indicating that p85α and p85β have a critical and redundant function in development. Mouse embryo fibroblasts deficient in all p85α and p85β gene products (p85α−/− p55α−/− p50α−/− p85β−/−) are defective in PDGF-induced membrane ruffling. Overexpression of the Rac-specific GDP-GTP exchange factor Vav2 or reintroduction of p85α or p85β rescues the membrane ruffling defect. Surprisingly, reintroduction of p50α also restored PDGF-dependent membrane ruffling. These results indicate that class Ia PI3K is critical for PDGF-dependent actin rearrangement but that the SH3 domain and the Rho/Rac/Cdc42-interacting domain of p85, which lacks p50α, are not required for this response.

Enhanced T Cell Proliferation in Mice Lacking the p85β Subunit of Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase activation is important for lymphocyte proliferation and survival. Disrupting the gene that encodes the major phosphoinositide 3-kinase regulatory isoform p85α impairs B cell development and proliferation. However, T cell functions are intact in the absence of p85α. In this study, we test the hypothesis that the related isoform p85β is an essential regulatory subunit for T cell signaling. Unexpectedly, T cells lacking p85β showed a marked increase in proliferation and decreased death when stimulated with anti-CD3 plus IL-2. Both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells completed more cell divisions. Transcriptional profiling revealed reduced levels of caspase-6 mRNA in p85β-deficient T cells, which was paralleled by reduced caspase-6 enzyme activity. Increased T cell accumulation was also observed in vivo following infection of p85β-deficient mice with mouse hepatitis virus. Together, these results suggest a unique role for p85β in limiting T cell expansion.

Sjögren's syndrome-like disease in mice with T cells lacking class 1A phosphoinositide-3-kinase

Sjögrens syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disease that is characterized by infiltration of exocrine tissues, resulting in xerostomia (dry mouth) and keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eyes). Here, we show that mice with T cell-specific loss of class IA phosphoinositide 3-kinase function develop organ-specific autoimmunity that resembles the human disease SS. Most mutant mice aged 3–8 months develop corneal opacity and eye lesions due to irritation and constant scratching. These mice display cardinal signs of primary SS such as marked lymphocytic infiltration of the lacrimal glands, antinuclear antibodies in the serum, and elevated titer of anti-SS-A antibody, in the absence of kidney pathology. Immunofluorescence studies show the presence of numerous CD4+ T cells with a smaller number of CD8+ T cells and B cells in the lacrimal glands. CD4+ T cells from these mice exhibit aberrant differentiation in vitro. These results indicate that aberrant T cells with impaired class IA phosphoinositide 3-kinase signaling can lead to organ-specific autoimmunity. In addition, the mouse model described here represents a tool to study the pathogenesis and treatment of SS.

Class IA Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase Modulates Basal Lymphocyte Motility in the Lymph Node

Recruitment of PI3K to the cell membrane is an indispensable step in normal lymphocyte proliferation and activation. In this study we identify PI3K as an important signaling molecule for maintaining basal T and B lymphocyte motility and homing in the intact lymph node. Pharmacological inhibition of PI3K catalytic isoforms exerted broad effects on basal lymphocyte motility, including changes in homing kinetics, localization of B cells within the lymph node, and reduced cell velocities. Lymphocytes deficient in either or both of the class IA PI3K regulatory subunits p85α and p85β also exhibited reduced velocities, with the magnitude of reduction depending upon both cell type and isoform specificity. B cells deficient in p85α exhibited gross morphological abnormalities that were not evident in cells treated with a PI3K inhibitor. Our results show, for the first time, that class IA PI3Ks play an important role in regulating basal lymphocyte motility and that p85α regulatory subunit expression is required to maintain B cell morphology in a manner independent of PI3K catalytic function. Moreover, we demonstrate distinct roles for catalytic domain function and class IA PI3K regulatory domain activity in lymphocyte motility, homing, and homeostatic localization of mature resting B cells.