Inactivation Of TSC2 Research Articles

Generation of metastatic variants of Eker renal carcinoma cell lines for experimental investigation of renal cancer metastasis.

We and others have demonstrated that a mutation in Tsc2 is the rate‐limiting step for renal carcinogenesis in the Eker rat model. Although inactivation of Tsc2 results in development of renal tumors, it is not sufficient for metastatic renal cell carcinomas (RCs) in the Eker rat. To investigate the additional genetic event(s) necessary for cancer metastasis, we have established highly metastatic S‐Lk9d‐SLM cell lines from a non‐metastatic RC cell line (Lk9dL) by co‐implantation with a foreign body (gelatin sponge). Since these cell lines were remarkably different in metastatic performance (all and none, respectively) despite having the same genetic background, they should be useful experimental tools to investigate metastasis‐promoting events in renal carcinogenesis.

IKKβ suppression of TSC1 function links the mTOR pathway with insulin resistance

The proinflammatory cytokine TNFalpha is one of the factors that links obesity-derived chronic inflammation with insulin resistance. Activation of mTOR signaling pathway has been found to suppress insulin sensitivity through serine phosphorylation and the inhibition of IRS1 by mTOR and its downstream effector, S6K1. It remains elusive that whether the mTOR pathway has a role in TNFalpha-mediated insulin resistance. In the present study, we demonstrated that TNFalpha-IKKbeta-mediated inactivation of TSC1 resulted in increasing phosphorylation of IRS1 serine 307 and serine 636/639, impaired insulin-induced glucose uptake, tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS1, and the association between IRS1 and PI3K p85. Furthermore, a higher expression of pIKKbeta (S181), pTSC1(S511), and pS6(S240/244) was found in livers obtained from both C57BL/6J mice on a high-fat diet and B6.V-Lepob/J mice. Collectively, dysregulation of the TSC1/ TSC2/mTOR signaling pathway by IKKbeta is a common molecular switch for both cancer pathogenesis and diet- and obesity-induced insulin resistance.