Lymphocyte homeostasis requires coordination of metabolic processes with cellular energetic and biosynthetic demands but mechanisms that regulate T-cell metabolism are uncertain. We show that interleukin-7 (IL-7) is a key regulator of glucose uptake in T lymphocytes. To determine how IL-7 affects glucose uptake, we analyzed IL-7 signaling mechanisms and regulation of the glucose transporter, Glut1. The IL-7 receptor (IL-7R) stimulated glucose uptake and cell-surface localization of Glut1 in a manner that required IL-7R Y449, which promoted rapid signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) activation and a delayed yet sustained activation of Akt. Each pathway was necessary for IL-7 to promote glucose uptake, as Akt1 ؊/؊ T cells or PI3-kinase inhibition and RNAi of STAT5 led to defective glucose uptake in response to IL-7. STAT5 and Akt acted in a linear pathway, with STAT5-mediated transcription leading to Akt activation, which was necessary for STAT5 and IL-7 to promote glucose uptake and prevent cell death. Importantly, IL-7 required glucose uptake to promote cell survival. These data demonstrate that IL-7 promotes glucose uptake via a novel signaling mechanism in which STAT5 transcriptional activity promotes Akt activation to regulate Glut1 trafficking and glucose uptake that is critical for IL-7 to prevent T-cell death and maintain homeostasis. IntroductionT-cell homeostasis is necessary to maintain immune responsiveness and depends on balanced cell proliferation and elimination. 1 The availability of cell extrinsic growth factors is central for this balance [2][3][4][5] and regulation of metabolism may be a critical component of the influence of extrinsic signals on T-cell fate. Glucose metabolism in particular has been shown to be regulated by cytokines, [5][6][7] antigen receptor activation and costimulation, [8][9][10] and developmental cues such as Notch signaling. 11 In the absence of such signals, glycolytic flux decreases to a level that no longer sustains cell viability and proapoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins become activated, eliciting cell death. 4,12,13 A key step in regulation of glucose metabolism is uptake of glucose through facilitative glucose transporters. In immune cells, Glut1 is the primary glucose transporter, yet little is understood about its role or means of regulation.The cytokine interleukin-7 (IL-7) can promote glycolysis 6 and plays a unique role in T-cell development, survival, and establishment of immunologic memory. In development, thymocytes fail to differentiate in humans and mice deficient for IL-7 or IL-7 signals. 1 Likewise, mature T cells require IL-7 for survival in the periphery 14 and generation of T-cell memory is impaired in IL-7-deficient hosts. 15 Regulation of cell survival is an important mechanism of IL-7 to promote thymocyte development and peripheral T-cell homeostasis. However, transgenic expression of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 16 or deficiency of the proapoptotic proteins Bim 17 or Bax 18 fails to fully rescue IL-7 deficiency, indicating...

Glucose uptake and utilization are growth factor-stimulated processes that are frequently upregulated in cancer cells and that correlate with enhanced cell survival. The mechanism of metabolic protection from apoptosis, however, has been unclear. Here we identify a novel signaling pathway initiated by glucose catabolism that inhibited apoptotic death of growth factor-deprived cells. We show that increased glucose metabolism protected cells against the proapoptotic Bcl-2 family protein Bim and attenuated degradation of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family protein Mcl-1. Maintenance of Mcl-1 was critical for this protection, as glucose metabolism failed to protect Mcl-1-deficient cells from apoptosis. Increased glucose metabolism stabilized Mcl-1 in both cell lines and primary lymphocytes via inhibitory phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase 3␣ and 3␤ (GSK-3␣/␤), which otherwise promoted Mcl-1 degradation. While a number of kinases can phosphorylate and inhibit GSK-3␣/␤, we provide evidence that protein kinase C may be stimulated by glucose-induced alterations in diacylglycerol levels or distribution to phosphorylate GSK-3␣/␤, maintain Mcl-1 levels, and inhibit cell death. These data provide a novel nutrient-sensitive mechanism linking glucose metabolism and Bcl-2 family proteins via GSK-3 that may promote survival of cells with high rates of glucose utilization, such as growth factor-stimulated or cancerous cells.

Rationale: Enhanced proliferation and impaired apoptosis of pulmonary arterial vascular smooth muscle cells (PAVSMCs) are key pathophysiologic components of pulmonary vascular remodeling in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).Objectives: To determine the role and therapeutic relevance of HIPPO signaling in PAVSMC proliferation/apoptosis imbalance in PAH.Methods: Primary distal PAVSMCs, lung tissue sections from unused donor (control) and idiopathic PAH lungs, and rat and mouse models of SU5416/hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (PH) were used. Immunohistochemical, immunocytochemical, and immunoblot analyses and transfection, infection, DNA synthesis, apoptosis, migration, cell count, and protein activity assays were performed in this study. Measurements and Main Results:Immunohistochemical and immunoblot analyses demonstrated that the HIPPO central component large tumor suppressor 1 (LATS1) is inactivated in small remodeled pulmonary arteries (PAs) and distal PAVSMCs in idiopathic PAH. Molecular-and pharmacology-based analyses revealed that LATS1 inactivation and consequent up-regulation of its reciprocal effector Yes-associated protein (Yap) were required for activation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)-Akt, accumulation of HIF1a, Notch3 intracellular domain and b-catenin, deficiency of proapoptotic Bim, increased proliferation, and survival of human PAH PAVSMCs. LATS1 inactivation and up-regulation of Yap increased production and secretion of fibronectin that upregulated integrin-linked kinase 1 (ILK1). ILK1 supported LATS1 inactivation, and its inhibition reactivated LATS1, down-regulated Yap, suppressed proliferation, and promoted apoptosis in PAH, but not control PAVSMCs. PAVSM in small remodeled PAs from rats and mice with SU5416/hypoxia-induced PH showed downregulation of LATS1 and overexpression of ILK1. Treatment of mice with selective ILK inhibitor Cpd22 at Days 22-35 of SU5416/hypoxia exposure restored LATS1 signaling and reduced established pulmonary vascular remodeling and PH.Conclusions: These data report inactivation of HIPPO/LATS1, self-supported via Yap-fibronectin-ILK1 signaling loop, as a novel mechanism of self-sustaining proliferation and apoptosis resistance of PAVSMCs in PAH and suggest a new potential target for therapeutic intervention.

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