Phosphatase and Tensin Homologue on chromosome Ten (PTEN) is a tumor suppressor and an antagonist of the phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) pathway. We identified a 576-amino acid translational variant of PTEN, termed PTEN-Long, that arises from an alternative translation start site 519 bp upstream of the ATG initiation sequence, adding 173 N-terminal amino acids to the normal PTEN open reading frame. PTEN-Long is a membrane permeable lipid phosphatase that is secreted from cells and can enter other cells. As an exogenous agent, PTEN-Long antagonized PI3K signaling and induced tumor cell death in vitro and in vivo. By providing a means to restore a functional tumor suppressor protein to tumor cells, PTEN-Long may have therapeutic uses.

Summary PTEN (Phosphatase and tensin homolog on chromosome ten) is a tumor suppressor whose cellular regulation remains incompletely understood. We identified Phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate RAC Exchanger 2a (P-REX2a) as a PTEN-interacting protein. P-REX2a mRNA was more abundant in cancer, and significantly increased in tumors with wild type PTEN that expressed an activated mutant of PIK3CA encoding the p110 subunit of phosphoinositide 3-kinase-α (PI3Kα). P-REX2a inhibited PTEN lipid phosphatase activity and stimulated the PI3K pathway only in the presence of PTEN. P-REX2a stimulated cell growth and cooperated with a PIK3CA mutant to promote growth factor-independent proliferation and transformation. Depletion of P-REX2a reduced amounts of phosphorylated AKT and growth in cell lines with intact PTEN. Thus P-REX2a is a component of the PI3K pathway that can antagonize PTEN in cancer cells.

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Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) is a phosphatase that is frequently altered in cancer. PTEN has phosphatase-dependent and - independent roles; and genetic alterations in PTEN lead to deregulation of protein synthesis, cell cycle, migration, growth, DNA repair, and survival signaling. PTEN localization, stability, conformation, and phosphatase activity are controlled by an array of protein-protein interactions and post-translational modifications. Thus, PTEN-interacting and modifying proteins have profound effects on PTEN’s tumor suppressive functions. Moreover, recent studies identified mechanisms by which PTEN can exit cells, either via exosomal export or secretion, and act on neighboring cells. This review focuses on modes of PTEN protein regulation and ways in which perturbations in this regulation may lead to disease.

ObjectivePhytoestrogens display an array of pharmacologic properties, and in recent years investigation of their potential as anticancer agents has increased dramatically. In this article we review the published literature related to phytoestrogens and breast cancer as well as suggest the possible mechanisms that may underlie the relationship between phytoestrogens and breast cancer.Data sourcesElectronic searches on phytoestrogens and breast cancer were performed on MEDLINE and EMBASE in June 2007. No date restriction was placed on the electronic search.Data extractionWe focused on experimental data from published studies that examined the characteristics of phytoestrogens using in vivo or in vitro models. We also include human intervention studies in this review.Data synthesisWe evaluated evidence regarding the possible mechanisms of phytoestrogen action. Discussions of these mechanisms were organized into those activities related to the estrogen receptor, cell growth and proliferation, tumor development, signaling pathways, and estrogen-metabolizing enzymes.ConclusionsWe suggest that despite numerous investigations, the mechanisms of phytoestrogen action in breast cancer have yet to be elucidated. It remains uncertain whether these plant compounds are chemoprotective or whether they may produce adverse outcomes related to breast carcinogenesis.

Insulin activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling regulates glucose homeostasis through the production of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP3). The dual-specificity phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) blocks PI3K signaling by dephosphorylating PIP3, and is inhibited through its interaction with phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate-dependent Rac exchanger 2 (P-REX2). The mechanism of inhibition and its physiological significance are not known. Here, we report that P-REX2 interacts with PTEN via two interfaces. The pleckstrin homology (PH) domain of P-REX2 inhibits PTEN by interacting with the catalytic region of PTEN, and the inositol polyphosphate 4-phosphatase domain of P-REX2 provides high-affinity binding to the postsynaptic density-95/Discs large/zona occludens-1-binding domain of PTEN. P-REX2 inhibition of PTEN requires C-terminal phosphorylation of PTEN to release the P-REX2 PH domain from its neighboring diffuse B-cell lymphoma homology domain. Consistent with its function as a PTEN inhibitor, deletion of Prex2 in fibroblasts and mice results in increased Pten activity and decreased insulin signaling in liver and adipose tissue. Prex2 deletion also leads to reduced glucose uptake and insulin resistance. In human adipose tissue, P-REX2 protein expression is decreased and PTEN activity is increased in insulin-resistant human subjects. Taken together, these results indicate a functional role for P-REX2 PH-domain-mediated inhibition of PTEN in regulating insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis and suggest that loss of P-REX2 expression may cause insulin resistance.metabolism | diabetes P hosphatases are essential for the regulation of many signal transduction pathways, and altered phosphatase activity disrupts various cellular processes. Phosphatases are divided into two families, the serine (Ser)/threonine (Thr) phosphatases and the tyrosine (Tyr) phosphatases, which include the subfamily of dualspecificity phosphatases (1). Serine/threonine phosphatases are predominantly regulated by the formation of inhibitor complexes (2). Direct phosphorylation of both phosphatases and their inhibitors has also been implicated in serine/threonine phosphatase regulation (2). Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) are mainly regulated by reversible oxidation of the catalytic pocket (3). However, phosphorylation has also been implicated in their regulation (4).The dual-specificity phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted from chromosome 10 (PTEN) was discovered through the mapping of homozygous deletions in cancer (5, 6). PTEN has the conserved PTP catalytic motif within its phosphatase domain (PD) and a C2 domain, both of which are required to dephosphorylate its primary substrate, phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP3). This generates phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate. thereby inhibiting PIP3-mediated recruitment and activation of the serine/threonine kinase AKT (7-9). Beyond these domains, the C-terminal tail of PTEN is phosphorylated at Ser-366, Ser-3...

Oxygen is vital for the development and survival of mammals. In response to hypoxia, the brain initiates numerous adaptive responses at the organ level as well as at the molecular and cellular levels, including the alteration of gene expression. Astrocytes play critical roles in the proper functioning of the brain; thus the manner in which astrocytes respond to hypoxia is likely important in determining the outcome of brain hypoxia. Here, we used microarray gene expression profiling and data-analysis algorithms to identify and analyze hypoxia-responsive genes in primary human astrocytes. We also compared gene expression patterns in astrocytes with those in human HeLa cells and pulmonary artery endothelial cells (ECs). Remarkably, in astrocytes, five times as many genes were induced as suppressed, whereas in HeLa and pulmonary ECs, as many as or more genes were suppressed than induced. More genes encoding hypoxia-inducible functions, such as glycolytic enzymes and angiogenic growth factors, were strongly induced in astrocytes compared with HeLa cells. Furthermore, gene ontology and computational algorithms revealed that many target genes of the EGF and insulin signaling pathways and the transcriptional regulators Myc, Jun, and p53 were selectively altered by hypoxia in astrocytes. Indeed, Western blot analysis confirmed that two major signal transducers mediating insulin and EGF action, Akt and MEK1/2, were activated by hypoxia in astrocytes. These results provide a global view of the signaling and regulatory network mediating oxygen regulation in human astrocytes.

The tumor suppressor PTEN restrains cell migration and invasion by a mechanism that is independent of inhibition of the PI3K pathway and decreased activation of the kinase AKT. PREX2, a widely distributed GEF that activates the GTPase RAC1, binds to and inhibits PTEN. We used mouse embryonic fibroblasts and breast cancer cell lines to show that PTEN suppresses cell migration and invasion by blocking PREX2 activity. In addition to metabolizing the phosphoinositide PIP3, PTEN inhibited PREX2-induced invasion by a mechanism that required the tail domain of PTEN, but not its lipid phosphatase activity. Fluorescent nucleotide exchange assays revealed that PTEN inhibited the GEF activity of PREX2 toward RAC1. PREX2 is a frequently mutated GEF in cancer, and examination of human tumor data showed that PREX2 mutation was associated with high PTEN expression. Therefore, we tested whether cancer-derived somatic PREX2 mutants, which accelerate tumor formation of immortalized melanocytes, were inhibited by PTEN. The three stably expressed, somatic PREX2 cancer mutants that we tested were resistant to PTEN-mediated inhibition of invasion but retained the ability to inhibit the lipid phosphatase activity of PTEN. In vitro analysis showed that PTEN did not block the GEF activity of two PREX2 cancer mutants and had a reduced binding affinity for the third. Thus, PTEN antagonized migration and invasion by restraining PREX2 GEF activity, and PREX2 mutants are likely selected in cancer to escape PTEN-mediated inhibition of invasion.