No abstract

Endosomal trafficking is regulated by the recruitment of effector proteins to phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate [PtdIns(3)P] on early endosomes. At the plasma membrane, phosphatidylinositol-(3,4)-bisphosphate [PtdIns(3,4)P2] binds the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain-containing proteins Akt and TAPP1. Type Iα inositol polyphosphate 4-phosphatase (4-phosphatase) dephosphorylates PtdIns(3,4)P2, forming PtdIns(3)P, but its subcellular localization is unknown. We report here in quiescent cells, the 4-phosphatase colocalized with early and recycling endosomes. On growth factor stimulation, 4-phosphatase endosomal localization persisted, but in addition the 4-phosphatase localized at the plasma membrane. Overexpression of the 4-phosphatase in serum-stimulated cells increased cellular PtdIns(3)P levels and prevented wortmannin-induced endosomal dilatation. Furthermore, mouse embryonic fibroblasts from homozygous Weeble mice, which have a mutation in the type I 4-phosphatase, exhibited dilated early endosomes. 4-Phosphatase translocation to the plasma membrane upon growth factor stimulation inhibited the recruitment of the TAPP1 PH domain. The 4-phosphatase contains C2 domains, which bound PtdIns(3,4)P2, and C2-domain-deletion mutants lost PtdIns(3,4)P2 4-phosphatase activity, did not localize to endosomes or inhibit TAPP1 PH domain membrane recruitment. The 4-phosphatase therefore both generates and terminates phosphoinositide 3-kinase signals at distinct subcellular locations.

The spatial activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) signaling at the axon growth cone generates phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5 trisphosphate (PtdIns(3,4,5)P3), which localizes and facilitates Akt activation and stimulates GSK-3beta inactivation, promoting microtubule polymerization and axon elongation. However, the molecular mechanisms that govern the spatial down-regulation of PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 signaling at the growth cone remain undetermined. The inositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatases (5-phosphatase) hydrolyze the 5-position phosphate from phosphatidylinositol 4,5 bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P2) and/or PtdIns(3,4,5)P3. We demonstrate here that PIPP, an uncharacterized 5-phosphatase, hydrolyzes PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 forming PtdIns(3,4)P2, decreasing Ser473-Akt phosphorylation. PIPP is expressed in PC12 cells, localizing to the plasma membrane of undifferentiated cells and the neurite shaft and growth cone of NGF-differentiated neurites. Overexpression of wild-type, but not catalytically inactive PIPP, in PC12 cells inhibited neurite elongation. Targeted depletion of PIPP using RNA interference (RNAi) resulted in enhanced neurite differentiation, associated with neurite hyperelongation. Inhibition of PI3-kinase activity prevented neurite hyperelongation in PIPP-deficient cells. PIPP targeted-depletion resulted in increased phospho-Ser473-Akt and phospho-Ser9-GSK-3beta, specifically at the neurite growth cone, and accumulation of PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 at this site, associated with enhanced microtubule polymerization in the neurite shaft. PIPP therefore inhibits PI3-kinase-dependent neurite elongation in PC12 cells, via regulation of the spatial distribution of phospho-Ser473-Akt and phospho-Ser9-GSK-3beta signaling.

PIK3CA, the gene coding for the p110α subunit of phosphoinositide 3-kinase, is frequently mutated in a variety of human tumors including breast cancers. To better understand the role of mutant PIK3CA in the initiation and/or progression of breast cancer, we have generated mice with a conditional knock-in of the common activating mutation, Pik3caH1047R, into one allele of the endogenous gene in the mammary gland. These mice developed a ductal anaplasia and hyperplasia by 6 weeks of age characterized by multi-layering of the epithelial lining of the mammary ducts and expansion of the luminal progenitor (Lin−; CD29lo; CD24+; CD61+) cell population. The Pik3caH1047R expressing mice eventually develop mammary tumors with 100% penetrance but with a long latency (>12 months). This is significantly longer than has been reported for transgenic models where expression of the mutant Pik3ca is driven by an exogenous promoter. Histological analysis of the tumors formed revealed predominantly ERα-positive fibroadenomas, carcinosarcomas and sarcomas. In vitro induction of Pik3caH1047R in immortalized mammary epithelial cells also resulted in tumor formation when injected into the mammary fat pad of immunodeficient recipient mice. This novel model, which reproduces the scenario of a heterozygous somatic mutation occurring in the endogenous PIK3CA gene, will thus be a valuable tool for investigating the role of Pik3caH1047R mutation in mammary tumorigenesis both in vivo and in vitro.

Akt is a crucial phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI(3)K) effector that regulates cell proliferation and survival. PI(3)K-generated signals, PtdIns(3,4,5)P 3 and PtdIns(3,4)P 2 , direct Akt plasma membrane engagement. Pathological Akt plasma membrane association promotes oncogenesis. PtdIns(3,4)P 2 is degraded by inositol polyphosphate 4-phosphatase-1 (4-ptase-1) forming PtdIns(3)P; however, the role of 4-ptase-1 in regulating the activation and function of Akt is unclear. In mouse embryonic fibroblasts lacking 4-ptase-1 ( À/À MEFs), the Akt-pleckstrin homology (PH) domain was constitutively membrane-associated both in serum-starved and agonist-stimulated cells, in contrast to þ / þ MEFs, in which it was detected only at the plasma membrane following serum stimulation. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulation resulted in increased Ser 473 and Thr 308 -Akt phosphorylation and activation of Akt-dependent signalling in À/À MEFs, relative to þ / þ MEFs. Significantly, loss of 4-ptase-1 resulted in increased cell proliferation and decreased apoptosis. SV40-transformed À/À MEFs showed increased anchorage-independent cell growth and formed tumours in nude mice. This study provides the first evidence, to our knowledge, that 4-ptase-1 controls the activation of Akt and thereby cell proliferation, survival and tumorigenesis.