Phosphoinositide 3-kinase P110α Research Articles

The Hypoglycemic Activities and Underlying Mechanisms of Two Saponins-Rich Components from Fried Ziziphus jujuba Mill. Kernel.

Dried Ziziphus jujuba Mill. kernel is a potential natural source of nutraceutical and therapeutic agents in China. Recent researches have shown that the saponins of dried Z. jujuba Mill. kernel (SZJs: SZJ-1 and SZJ-2) have various biological effects. However, the hypoglycemic activities and underlying mechanisms of SZJs remain obscure. In the current study, two saponins SZJ-1 and SZJ-2 mainly composed of betulinic acid, spinosin, jujuboside A, and jujuboside B are extracted and is olated from dried Z. jujuba Mill. kernel. The SZJ-1 and SZJ-2 could significantly inhibit the activities of digestion enzymes α-glucosidase and α-amylases. The hypoglycemic ability of SZJ-1 and SZJ-2 is further investigated and the results show that SZJ-1 and SZJ-2 can improve the hyperglycemic by increasing the glucose consumption, improving the superoxide dismutase (SOD), hexokinase (HK), pyruvate kinase (PK) activities, and decrease the MDA content of insulin resistant HepG2 cells. Furthermore, SZJ-1 and SZJ-2 can activate the phosphorated adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase α (p-AMPK), phosphoinositide 3-kinase p110α (PI3K-p110α), and phosphorated glycogen synthase kinase-3β (Ser9) (p-GSK3β). These resultsindicating that the SZJ-1 and SZJ-2 might improve the insulin resistant symptoms by improving the energy metabolic level and increasing the glycogen synthase activity of HepG2 cells.

Characterisation of a cyclic peptide that binds to the RAS binding domain of phosphoinositide 3-kinase p110α

P110α is a member of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) enzyme family that functions downstream of RAS. RAS proteins contribute to the activation of p110α by interacting directly with its RAS binding domain (RBD), resulting in the promotion of many cellular functions such as cell growth, proliferation and survival. Previous work from our lab has highlighted the importance of the p110α/RAS interaction in tumour initiation and growth. Here we report the discovery and characterisation of a cyclic peptide inhibitor (cyclo-CRVLIR) that interacts with the p110α-RBD and blocks its interaction with KRAS. cyclo-CRVLIR was discovered by screening a “split-intein cyclisation of peptides and proteins” (SICLOPPS) cyclic peptide library. The primary cyclic peptide hit from the screen initially showed a weak affinity for the p110α-RBD (Kd about 360 µM). However, two rounds of amino acid substitution led to cyclo-CRVLIR, with an improved affinity for p110α-RBD in the low µM (Kd 3 µM). We show that cyclo-CRVLIR binds selectively to the p110α-RBD but not to KRAS or the structurally-related RAF-RBD. Further, using biophysical, biochemical and cellular assays, we show that cyclo-CRVLIR effectively blocks the p110α/KRAS interaction in a dose dependent manner and reduces phospho-AKT levels in several oncogenic KRAS cell lines.

Dietary supplementation of clinically utilized PI3K p110α inhibitor extends the lifespan of male and female mice.

Diminished insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 signaling extends the lifespan of invertebrates1-4; however, whether it is a feasible longevity target in mammals is less clear5-12. Clinically utilized therapeutics that target this pathway, such as small-molecule inhibitors of phosphoinositide 3-kinase p110α (PI3Ki), provide a translatable approach to studying the impact of these pathways on aging. Here, we provide evidence that dietary supplementation with the PI3Ki alpelisib from middle age extends the median and maximal lifespan of mice, an effect that was more pronounced in females. While long-term PI3Ki treatment was well tolerated and led to greater strength and balance, negative impacts on common human aging markers, including reductions in bone mass and mild hyperglycemia, were also evident. These results suggest that while pharmacological suppression of insulin receptor (IR)/insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGFR) targets could represent a promising approach to delaying some aspects of aging, caution should be taken in translation to humans.

The Pro-Fibrotic Response to Lens Injury Is Signaled in a PI3K Isoform-Specific Manner.

The signaling inputs that function to integrate biochemical and mechanical cues from the extracellular environment to alter the wound-repair outcome to a fibrotic response remain poorly understood. Here, using a clinically relevant post-cataract surgery wound healing/fibrosis model, we investigated the role of Phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) class I isoforms as potential signaling integrators to promote the proliferation, emergence and persistence of collagen I-producing alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA+) myofibroblasts that cause organ fibrosis. Using PI3K isoform specific small molecule inhibitors, our studies revealed a requisite role for PI3K p110α in signaling the CD44+ mesenchymal leader cell population that we previously identified as resident immune cells to produce and organize a fibronectin-EDA rich provisional matrix and transition to collagen I-producing αSMA+ myofibroblasts. While the PI3K effector Akt was alone insufficient to regulate myofibroblast differentiation, our studies revealed a role for Rac, another potential PI3K effector, in this process. Our studies further uncovered a critical role for PI3K p110α in signaling the proliferation of CD44+ leader cells, which is important to the emergence and expansion of myofibroblasts. Thus, these studies identify activation of PI3K p110α as a critical signaling input following wounding to the development and progression of fibrotic disease.

Cardiac PI3K p110α attenuation delays aging and extends lifespan.

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) is a key component of the insulin signaling pathway that controls cellular me-tabolism and growth. Loss-of-function mutations in PI3K signaling and other downstream effectors of the insulin signaling pathway extend the lifespan of various model organisms. However, the pro-longevity effect appears to be sex-specific and young mice with reduced PI3K signaling have increased risk of cardiac disease. Hence, it remains elusive as to whether PI3K inhibition is a valid strategy to delay aging and extend healthspan in humans. We recently demonstrated that reduced PI3K activity in cardiomyocytes delays cardiac growth, causing subnormal contractility and cardiopulmonary functional capacity, as well as increased risk of mortality at young age. In stark contrast, in aged mice, experi-mental attenuation of PI3K signaling reduced the age-dependent decline in cardiac function and extended maximal lifespan, suggesting a biphasic effect of PI3K on cardiac health and survival. The cardiac anti-aging effects of reduced PI3K activity coincided with enhanced oxida-tive phosphorylation and required increased autophagic flux. In humans, explanted failing hearts showed in-creased PI3K signaling, as indicated by increased phos-phorylation of the serine/threonine-protein kinase AKT. Hence, late-life cardiac-specific targeting of PI3K might have a therapeutic potential in cardiac aging and related diseases.

PI3-Kinase p110α Deficiency Modulates T Cell Homeostasis and Function and Attenuates Experimental Allergic Encephalitis in Mature Mice.

Class I phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K) are involved in the development of normal and autoimmune responses, including Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE), a mouse model for human multiple sclerosis (MS). Here, the role of the ubiquitously expressed class IA PI3K p110α catalytic subunits in EAE has been analyzed using a model of Cre/flox mediated T cell specific deletion of p110α catalytic chain (p110αΔT). Comparison of two month-old (young) and six month-old (mature) p110αΔT mice and their wild type (WT) counterparts indicated loss of spleen CD4+ T cells that increased with age, indicating a role of p110α in their homeostasis. In contrast, CD4+ T regulatory (Treg) cells were enhanced in mature p110αΔT mice when compared to WT mice. Since Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein (MOG) peptide-induced EAE is dependent on, or mediated by CD4+ T cells and CD4+ T cell-derived cytokines and controlled by Treg cells, development of EAE in young and mature WT or p110αΔT mice was analyzed. EAE clinical symptoms and disease scores in six month p110αΔT mice were significantly lower than those of mature WT, or young WT and p110αΔT mice. Furthermore, ex vivo antigen activation of lymph node cells from MOG immunized mature p110αΔT mice induced significantly lower levels of IFN-γ and IL-17A than young p110αΔT or young and mature WT mice. Other cytokines including IL-2, IL-10 or TNF-α showed no significant differences between p110αΔT and WT mature mice. Our data show a lower incidence of MOG-induced EAE in mature p110αΔT mice linked to altered T cell homeostasis and lower secretion of inflammatory cytokines.

Essential role for the p110δ isoform in phosphoinositide 3-kinase activation and cell proliferation in acute myeloid leukemia

AbstractThe phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway has been shown to be frequently activated in blast cells from patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and to contribute to survival and proliferation of these cells. Of the 8 distinct mammalian isoforms of PI3K, it is the class I PI3Ks (p110α, p110β, p110γ, and p110δ) that are responsible for Akt activation. It is not known which PI3K isoform is critical in AML. Here we show that the p110δ isoform of PI3K is consistently expressed at a high level in blast cells from AML, in contrast to the other class I isoforms, the expression of which was very variable among patients. IC87114, a p110δ-selective inhibitor, suppressed both constitutive and Flt-3–stimulated Akt activation in blasts to the same extent as Ly294002, an inhibitor of all PI3K isoforms. Moreover, IC87114 inhibited AML cell proliferation without affecting the proliferation of normal hematopoietic progenitor cells. These observations identify p110δ as a potential therapeutic target in AML.

Gene therapy targeting cardiac phosphoinositide 3-kinase (p110α) attenuates cardiac remodeling in type 2 diabetes.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy is a distinct form of heart disease that represents a major cause of death and disability in diabetic patients, particularly, the more prevalent type 2 diabetes patient population. In the current study, we investigated whether administration of recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors carrying a constitutively active phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)(p110α) construct (rAAV6-caPI3K) at a clinically relevant time point attenuates diabetic cardiomyopathy in a preclinical type 2 diabetes (T2D) model. T2D was induced by a combination of a high-fat diet (42% energy intake from lipid) and low-dose streptozotocin (three consecutive intraperitoneal injections of 55 mg/kg body wt), and confirmed by increased body weight, mild hyperglycemia, and impaired glucose tolerance (all P < 0.05 vs. nondiabetic mice). After 18 wk of untreated diabetes, impaired left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction was evident, as confirmed by reduced fractional shortening and velocity of circumferential fiber shortening (Vcfc, all P < 0.01 vs. baseline measurement). A single tail vein injection of rAAV6-caPI3K gene therapy (2×1011vector genomes) was then administered. Mice were followed for an additional 8 wk before end point. A single injection of cardiac targeted rAAV6-caPI3K attenuated diabetes-induced cardiac remodeling by limiting cardiac fibrosis (reduced interstitial and perivascular collagen deposition, P < 0.01 vs. T2D mice) and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy (reduced cardiomyocyte size and Nppa gene expression, P < 0.001 and P < 0.05 vs. T2D mice, respectively). The diabetes-induced LV systolic dysfunction was reversed with rAAV6-caPI3K, as demonstrated by improved fractional shortening and velocity of circumferential fiber shortening (all P < 0.05 vs pre-AAV measurement). This cardioprotection occurred in combination with reduced LV reactive oxygen species (P < 0.05 vs. T2D mice) and an associated decrease in markers of endoplasmic reticulum stress (reduced Grp94 and Chop, all P < 0.05 vs. T2D mice). Together, our findings demonstrate that a cardiac-selective increase in PI3K(p110α), via rAAV6-caPI3K, attenuates T2D-induced diabetic cardiomyopathy, providing proof of concept for potential translation to the clinic.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Diabetes remains a major cause of death and disability worldwide (and its resultant heart failure burden), despite current care. The lack of existing management of heart failure in the context of the poorer prognosis of concomitant diabetes represents an unmet clinical need. In the present study, we now demonstrate that delayed intervention with PI3K gene therapy (rAAV6-caPI3K), administered as a single dose in mice with preexisting type 2 diabetes, attenuates several characteristics of diabetic cardiomyopathy, including diabetes-induced impairments in cardiac remodeling, oxidative stress, and function. Our discovery here contributes to the previous body of work, suggesting the cardioprotective effects of PI3K(p110α) could be a novel therapeutic approach to reduce the progression to heart failure and death in diabetes-affected patients.

Abstract P4-10-04: Clinical outcomes of alpelisib in hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-negative advanced breast cancer by next-generation sequencing-detected PIK3CA alteration status and phosphatase and tensin homolog loss: Biomarker analysis from the SOLAR-1 study

Introduction: Hyperactivation of the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) pathway is a frequent event in human cancers and can be a result of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) loss, activation of receptor tyrosine kinases, or alterations in PI3K isoforms. About 40% of hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-negative (HER2-) breast cancers harbor alterations in the PIK3CA gene, which encodes the alpha subunit of PI3K (p110α). Mutations in PIK3CA can cause PI3K pathway hyperactivation, which may contribute to endocrine resistance. Alpelisib (ALP) is an α-selective PI3K inhibitor that, in combination with fulvestrant (FUL), demonstrated improved median progression-free survival (PFS) vs placebo (PBO) + FUL (11.0 vs 5.7 mo, respectively; hazard ratio [HR] 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.50-0.85; P Methods: SOLAR-1 is a phase 3, randomized, double-blind study of ALP 300 mg (or PBO) once daily + FUL 500 mg every 28 days + Cycle 1 Day 15 in men and postmenopausal women with HR+, HER2- ABC. Retrospectively, PIK3CA alterations (mutations and amplifications) were assessed by NGS and PTEN levels were assessed by immunohistochemistry. PTEN loss was defined based on an H-score Results: Of 572 pts in SOLAR-1, 341 (60%) had a PIK3CA mutation in tumor tissue by PCR, valid NGS results were available for 404 (71%), and PTEN levels were available for 401 (70%). Of the pts with available PTEN results, 34 (8%) had PTEN loss. PFS results and HRs, by PIK3CA alteration status as detected by NGS and PTEN status, are shown in the Table. In pts whose tumors had any PIK3CA alteration (n=239), which included a small group of pts with alterations not detectable by the PCR-based test used for screening in SOLAR-1 (n=31), mPFS was improved in the ALP + FUL vs PBO + FUL arms. In the small group of pts (n=19) whose tumors had PTEN loss but no PIK3CA alteration, ALP showed an improved mPFS and favorable HR vs the placebo arm. In pts whose tumors had multiple alterations (n=44), HR and mPFS benefits of ALP were observed, albeit with wide 95% CIs. Conclusions: These data demonstrate the efficacy of ALP in pts whose tumors harbor PIK3CA alterations as detected by NGS, including alterations that were not detectable by the PCR-based test used in SOLAR-1. Additional analyses suggest that ALP is also effective in pts with single and multiple PIK3CA mutations and in those whose tumors do not harbor a PIK3CA alteration but do have PTEN loss; however, low patient numbers in the PTEN loss subgroups may limit conclusions. Citation Format: Dejan Juric, Fabrice Andre, Christian F. Singer, Joohyuk Sohn, Mario Campone, Sibylle Loibl, Pierfranco Conte, Hiroji Iwata, Eva Ciruelos, Ingrid A. Mayer, Albert Reising, Chong Ma, Michelle Miller, Naveen Babbar, Hope S. Rugo. Clinical outcomes of alpelisib in hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-negative advanced breast cancer by next-generation sequencing-detected PIK3CA alteration status and phosphatase and tensin homolog loss: Biomarker analysis from the SOLAR-1 study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-10-04.

Fetal and trophoblast PI3K p110α have distinct roles in regulating resource supply to the growing fetus in mice.

Studies suggest that placental nutrient supply adapts according to fetal demands. However, signaling events underlying placental adaptations remain unknown. Here we demonstrate that phosphoinositide 3-kinase p110α in the fetus and the trophoblast interplay to regulate placental nutrient supply and fetal growth. Complete loss of fetal p110α caused embryonic death, whilst heterozygous loss resulted in fetal growth restriction and impaired placental formation and nutrient transport. Loss of trophoblast p110α resulted in viable fetuses, abnormal placental development and a failure of the placenta to transport sufficient nutrients to match fetal demands for growth. Using RNA-seq we identified genes downstream of p110α in the trophoblast that are important in adapting placental phenotype. Using CRISPR/Cas9 we showed loss of p110α differentially affects gene expression in trophoblast and embryonic stem cells. Our findings reveal important, but distinct roles for p110α in the different compartments of the conceptus, which control fetal resource acquisition and growth.

Expression of Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase p110α and p110β Subunits and PIK3CA Mutation in Patients With Advanced Gastric Carcinoma.

Activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) is pivotal for the activity of the oncogenic PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. This study assessed the expression of 2 PI3K isoform proteins, p110α and p110β, and PIK3CA mutational status in advanced gastric carcinoma (AGC) and their correlation with clinicopathologic factors. Tissue microarray blocks were generated from 99 AGCs and immunohistochemically stained for p110α and p110β. Analysis of mutations in the PIK3CA gene, which encodes p110α, was performed using the PNAClamp PIK3CA Mutation Detection kit. Of the 99 tumors, positivity was seen in 62 (62.6%) for p110α and 97 (98.0%) for p110β with variable intensity and extent of staining. The median H-scores were 40 (range: 0 to 300) for p110α and 180 (range: 0 to 300) for p110β. Isoform p110α was more highly expressed in tumors with a lower pathologic T stage (P=0.035) and TNM stage (P=0.165), while p110β was not significantly associated with clinicopathologic factors. Samples with high p110α expression had a trend toward longer overall survival (OS) although it was not statistically significant (P=0.271), whereas high p110β expression correlated with shorter OS (P=0.016). In addition, p110β was an independent factor for poor prognosis in multivariate analysis for OS. Eight (8.1%) samples had PIK3CA mutations in exon 9. Mutational status at this locus was not significantly correlated with clinicopathologic factors. These results imply that p110β could have a more important role in the progression and aggressiveness of AGC than p110α and has potential as a prognostic biomarker in patients with AGC.

Profiling of phosphoinositide molecular species in human and mouse platelets identifies new species increasing following stimulation

Phosphoinositides are bioactive lipids essential in the regulation of cell signaling as well as cytoskeleton and membrane dynamics. Their metabolism is highly active in blood platelets where they play a critical role during activation, at least through two well identified pathways involving phospholipase C and phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K). Here, using a sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method recently developed, we monitored for the first time the profiling of phosphatidylinositol (PI), PIP, PIP2 and PIP3 molecular species (fatty-acyl profiles) in human and mouse platelets during the course of stimulation by thrombin and collagen-related peptide. Furthermore, using class IA PI3K p110α or p110β deficient mouse platelets and a pharmacological inhibitor, we show the crucial role of p110β and the more subtle role of p110α in the production of PIP3 molecular species following stimulation. This comprehensive platelet phosphoinositides profiling provides important resources for future studies and reveals new information on phosphoinositides biology, similarities and differences in mouse and human platelets and unexpected dramatic increase in low-abundance molecular species of PIP2 during stimulation, opening new perspectives in phosphoinositide signaling in platelets.

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase p110α negatively regulates thrombopoietin-mediated platelet activation and thrombus formation

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) plays an important role in platelet function and contributes to platelet hyperreactivity induced by elevated levels of circulating peptide hormones, including thrombopoietin (TPO). Previous work established an important role for the PI3K isoform; p110β in platelet function, however the role of p110α is still largely unexplored. Here we sought to investigate the role of p110α in TPO-mediated hyperactivity by using a conditional p110α knockout (KO) murine model in conjunction with platelet functional assays. We found that TPO-mediated enhancement of collagen-related peptide (CRP-XL)-induced platelet aggregation and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) secretion were significantly increased in p110α KO platelets. Furthermore, TPO-mediated enhancement of thrombus formation by p110α KO platelets was elevated over wild-type (WT) platelets, suggesting that p110α negatively regulates TPO-mediated priming of platelet function. The enhancements were not due to increased flow through the PI3K pathway as phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PI(3,4,5)P3) formation and phosphorylation of Akt and glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) were comparable between WT and p110α KO platelets. In contrast, extracellular responsive kinase (ERK) phosphorylation and thromboxane (TxA2) formation were significantly enhanced in p110α KO platelets, both of which were blocked by the MEK inhibitor PD184352, whereas the p38 MAPK inhibitor VX-702 and p110α inhibitor PIK-75 had no effect. Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) blocked the enhancement of thrombus formation by TPO in both WT and p110α KO mice. Together, these results demonstrate that p110α negatively regulates TPO-mediated enhancement of platelet function by restricting ERK phosphorylation and TxA2 synthesis in a manner independent of its kinase activity.

A PI3K p110α-selective inhibitor enhances the efficacy of anti-HER2/neu antibody therapy against breast cancer in mice

ABSTRACTCombination therapies with phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors and trastuzumab (anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor [HER]2/neu antibody) are effective against HER2+ breast cancer. Isoform-selective PI3K inhibitors elicit anti-tumor immune responses that are distinct from those induced by inhibitors of class I PI3K isoforms (pan-PI3K inhibitors). The present study investigated the therapeutic effect and potential for stimulating anti-tumor immunity of combined therapy with an anti-HER2/neu antibody and pan-PI3K inhibitor (GDC-0941) or a PI3K p110α isoform-selective inhibitor (A66) in mouse models of breast cancer. The anti-neu antibody inhibited tumor growth and enhanced anti-tumor immunity in HER2/neu+ breast cancer TUBO models, whereas GDC-0941 or A66 alone did not. Anti-neu antibody and PI3K inhibitor synergistically promoted anti-tumor immunity by increasing functional T cell production. In the presence of the anti-neu antibody, A66 was more effective than GDC-0941 at increasing the fraction of CD4+, CD8+, and IFN-γ+CD8+ T cells in the tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte population. Detection of IFN-γ levels by enzyme-linked immunospot assay showed that the numbers of tumor-specific T cells against neu and non-neu tumor antigens were increased by combined PI3K inhibitor plus anti-neu antibody treatment, with A66 exhibiting more potent effects than GDC-0941. In a TUBO (neu+) and TUBO-P2J (neu−) mixed tumor model representing immunohistochemistry 2+ tumors, A66 suppressed tumor growth and prolonged survival to a greater extent than GDC-0941 when combined with anti-neu antibody. These results demonstrate that a PI3K p110α-isoform-selective inhibitor is an effective adjunct to trastuzumab in the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer.

Over-expression of MEOX2 promotes apoptosis through inhibiting the PI3K/Akt pathway in laryngeal cancer cells.

The early-stage diagnosis and treatment for the recurrence of larynx carcinoma needs further investigation. Mesenchyme homeobox 2 (MEOX2) was speculated as a novel suppressor gene in larynx carcinoma in our study, the molecular mechanism was studied. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blot were used to detect mRNA and protein levels of MEOX2 in laryngeal cancer tissues and cells (Hep-2, TU212, AMC-NH-8 and TU686 cells), and also apoptosis and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase (Akt) related factors in TU212 cells transfected with MEOX2. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) assay and Annexin-Ⅴ/PI staining assay were conducted to determine cell viability and apoptosis rates respectively.46 patients with larynx carcinoma were involved in this study. The expression of MEOX2 was lower in larynx carcinoma tissues than normal tissues, correlated with clinical stages, differentiated degrees, and survival times. The expression of MEOX2 was the lowest among those laryngeal cancer cells, and was chosen to be transfected with MEOX2 in the following study. Over-expression of MEOX2 inhibited cell viability and promoted apoptosis of TU212 cells, via increasing the expression levels of Caspase-3, and decreasing levels of C-Myc, XIAP, PI3K p110α, PI3K p110β, PI3K class III and p-Akt. In summary, the expression levels of MEOX2 were inhibited in larynx carcinoma than normal tissues, correlated with the progression of the cancer. Over-expression of MEOX2 in laryngeal cancer cells inhibited cell viability and promoted apoptosis, via regulating apoptosis and PI3K/Akt pathway related factors. It would provide evidence for MEOX2 to be used as a therapeutical gene in larynx carcinoma.

Clinical significance and mechanism of upregulation of PI3Kp110α in non-small cell lung carcinoma

Objective: To investigate the clinical significance and mechanism of upregulation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase p110α(PI3Kp110α)in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Methods: Expressions of PI3Kp110α and other components in PI3K signaling pathway (including phospho-Akt (p-Akt, Ser 473), MET, ROS1, HER-2, ALK, total EGFR and mutant EGFR) and p53 (the transcription factor of PIK3CA) mutation in NSCLC were detected by immunohistochemistry. The relationships between PI3Kp110α expression and clinicopathological characteristics, expressions of other proteins in PI3K pathway and p53 mutation were analyzed. Results: In 170 NSCLC patients, 72 cases (42.4%) showed lower expression and 98 cases (57.6%) showed higher expression of PI3Kp110α. Upregulation of PI3Kp110α was not significantly associated with gender, age, T stage and pathologic grade (P>0.05). While upregulation of PI3Kp110α was significantly associated with smoking status of patients, pathologic classification, N stage, TNM stage and Ki-67 index (P<0.05). Expression of PI3Kp110α was positively correlated with expressions of MET (P<0.05) and mutant EGFR (P=0.018), while not significantly related with expressions of p-Akt(Ser473), HER-2, ALK, ROS1, total EGFR or p53 mutation (P>0.05). Conclusions: Upregulation of PI3Kp110α is closely related with tumorigenesis of non-smoking lung adenocarcinoma. MET overexpression and EGFR mutation may be crucial to upregulate expression of PI3Kp110α in NSCLC. Overexpression of PI3Kp110α may inhibit tumor cell proliferation in NSCLC through a different pathway other than classical PI3K pathway. Upregulation of PI3Kp110α may predict favorable prognosis of NSCLC patients.

N-substituted hydroxynaphthalene imino-oxindole derivatives as new class of PI3-kinase inhibitor and breast cancer drug: Molecular validation and structure-activity relationship studies.

N-substituted hydroxynaphthalene imino-oxindole derivatives (5a-g) were emerged as the inhibitors of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), which is a crucial regulator of apoptosis or programmed cell death. Electron donor-/acceptor-substituted indole-imine (5a-g) was achieved, and the structures were elucidated by FTIR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and HRMS. Inhibition potency of PI3Ks was assessed by competitive ELISA. Subsequently, an anticancer activity against breast cancer (MCF-7) cell lines was evaluated. In both activities, compounds 5c, 5d and 5f showed most potent activities. Percentage inhibition for anticancer activity was 78.22±1.02 (5c) and 78.98±1.08 (5f), and the IC50 was 2.02±0.92μm (5c) and 1.98±0.18μm (5f). Compounds 5a and 5g were found inactive for both activities, and rest all showed a moderate activity. To get more insight into the binding mode and inhibitor binding affinity, 5a-g were docked into the active site of PI3Ks p110α (PDB ID: 2ENQ). Results suggested that the hydrophobic interactions in the binding pockets of PI3Ks conquered affinity of the most favourable binding ligands (5c and 5f: inhibitory constant (ki )=102.4 and 128.23nm). The SAR studies demonstrate the efficiency of 5a-g as the PI3Ks precise inhibitors with the impending to treat various cancers.

Insulin-like growth factor-1 activates different catalytic subunits p110 of PI3K in a cell-type-dependent manner to induce lipogenesis-dependent epithelial-mesenchymal transition through the regulation of ADAM10 and ADAM17.

The activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) is critical for the induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by growth factors, including insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). The activation of intracellular lipogenesis provides proliferative and survival signals for cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the connection between lipogenesis-related EMT processes and IGF-1-mediated PI3K p110 isoform activation in primary (SW480 cells) and metastatic (SW620) colon carcinoma cells. We also examined the underlying signaling pathway that promotes fatty acid synthesis in IGF-1-activated colon cancer cells. IGF-1 stimulation upregulated the expression of lipogenic enzymes as well as the activation of Nardilysin (N-arginine dibasic convertase, NRD1) and its downstream targets, a disintegrin and metalloproteases 10 (ADAM10) and ADAM17. The upregulation of the Lyn/Syk-mediated PI3K p110δ isoform in SW480 cells and the Lyn-dependent PI3K p110α isoform in SW620 cells triggered fatty acid production and cell motility in IGF-1-activated colon cancer cells. Pharmacological inhibition with A66 (PI3K p110α specific inhibitor) and CAL-101 (PI3K p110δ specific inhibitor) efficiently inhibited EMT in colon cancer cells by blocking the NRD1/ADAM family protein signaling pathway. Gene silencing of NRD1 and ADAM family proteins attenuated the generation of intracellular fatty acid and the migratory activity of colon cancer cells. Our results suggest that the different isoforms of the PI3K p110 subunit could be therapeutic targets for primary and metastatic colon cancer and that regulation of the NRD1/ADAM signaling pathway controls lipogenesis-mediated EMT in IGF-1-stimulated colon cancer cells.

Cardiac Remodelling and Inflammation Associated with Diabetic Cardiomyopathy is Mitigated by Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase P110α Gene Delivery

Cardiac Remodelling and Inflammation Associated with Diabetic Cardiomyopathy is Mitigated by Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase P110α Gene Delivery

PI3 Kinase p110 Delta Is Required for Leukemic Cell Survival and Self-Renewal in t(8;21) Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with t(8;21) comprises about 10% of adult AML cases, and is the most frequent genetic alteration in pediatric AML. In t(8;21) AML, the AML1-ETO transcription factor fusion dysregulates transcription in hematopoietic cells, interfering with apoptosis and differentiation, and leading to enhanced self-renewal. The phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway is frequently overactivated in AML, representing a promising target in AML. However, PI3K also plays important roles in normal hematopoiesis. Hematopoietic cells express four catalytic subunits of Class I PI3K (p110α, p110β, p110γ, and p110δ). Previous studies have demonstrated that these isoforms have redundant roles in normal hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), but play specific roles in some genetic subtypes of AML. Therefore, inhibiting individual PI3K isoforms in AML may allow for therapeutic targeting of this pathway with lower toxicity. In fact, isoform-selective PI3K inhibitors are already in clinical development, and the p110δ-selective inhibitor idelalisib is approved by the FDA for lymphoid malignancies.To determine whether t(8;21) AML cells are dependent upon specific PI3K isoforms, we performed proliferation and apoptosis assays in Kasumi-1 cells, a t(8;21) human AML cell line, with PI3K inhibitors: pictilisib (GDC0941, a pan-PI3K inhibitor), buparlisib (BKM120, a pan-PI3K inhibitor), alpelisib (BYL719, a p110α-selective inhibitor), idelalisib (GS1101,a p110δ-selective isoform inhibitor) and KIN193 or TGX221 (p110β-selective inhibitors). We observed a decrease in proliferation and in Akt/mTOR signaling with the pan-PI3K inhibitors and alpelisib. The pan-PI3K inhibitors, alpelisib, and idelalisib also induced apoptosis in Kasumi-1 cells. In addition, we observed an increase in myeloid differentiation of Kasumi-1 cells with buparlisib or idelalisib. The splice isoform AML1-ETO9a is found in patients with t(8;21) AML, induces AML in mice when introduced into hematopoietic cells by retroviral transduction, and confers serial replating in methylcellulose (Yan et al, Nature Medicine 2006). To investigate the role of p110δ in leukemogenesis genetically, we harvested bone marrow cells from mice with a germline deletion of pik3cd, which encodes p110δ, and transduced them with a retrovirus expressing AML1-ETO9a. To study the ability of AML1-ETO9a leukemic cells to self-renew after p110δ deletion, we performed serial replating assays in methylcellulose.We found that, while AML1-ETO9a confers self-renewal activity to wild-type (WT) cells past round 8 of serial replating, p110δ-/- cells gradually lost self-renewal activity, and were unable to replate past round 4. Consistent with our genetic data, we found that the p110δ-selective inhibitor idelalisib or the pan-PI3K/mTOR inhibitor dactolisib (BEZ-235) can significantly reduce serial replating by AML1-ETO9a cells. To determine whether p110δ is also important for the initiation and progression of AML1-ETO AML in vivo, we transduced ckit-enriched bone marrow cells from WT or p110δ-/- mice with AML1-ETO9a-GFP retrovirus, and injected 200,000 GFP-sorted cells into lethally irradiated C57 Bl/6 recipient mice. During an interim analysis of this ongoing experiment, we have observed lower white cell counts in recipients of p110δ-/- cells compared with controls, suggesting a decrease in disease burden of AML1-ETO9a AML in the absence of p110δ.It has been reported that the thrombopoietin (TPO)/MPL/JAK2 signaling pathway is activated in t(8;21) AML, and is important in promoting proliferation and self-renewal of AML1-ETO leukemic cells (Pulikkan et al, Blood, 2012; Lo et al, Blood 2012). We hypothesized that p110δ may be required downstream of the TPO/MPL/JAK2 signaling pathway for leukemic self-renewal in t(8;21) AML. To determine whether TPO signaling depends upon p110δ in AML1-ETO9a cells, we treated WT and p110δ-/- cells transduced with AML1-ETO9a with TPO, and performed replating assays. We found that, although TPO treatment augmented the in vitro self-renewal of WT AML1-ETO9a cells to round 9 with increased colony numbers, p110δ-/- AML1-ETO9a cells treated with TPO failed to replate past round 5. These data suggest that p110δ is important for leukemic survival and self-renewal in AML1-ETO AML, in part by mediating signaling downstream of the TPO/MPL/JAK2 signaling axis. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.