• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제14권4호
• /
• pp.2201-2205
• /
• 2013

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers in many parts of the world. Its development is a multi-step process involving three distinct stages, initiation that alters the molecular message of a normal cell, followed by promotion and progression that ultimately generates a phenotypically altered transformed malignant cell. Reports have suggested an association of the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway with colon tumorigenesis. Activation of Akt signaling and impaired expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) (a negative regulator of Akt) has been reported in 60-70% of human colon cancers and inhibitors of PI3K/Akt signaling have been suggested as potential therapeutic agents. Around 80% of human colon tumors possess mutations in the APC gene and half of the remainder feature ${\beta}$-catenin gene mutations which affect downstream signaling of the PI3K/Akt pathway. In recent years, there has been a great focus in targeting these signaling pathways, with natural and synthetic drugs reducing the tumor burden in different experiment models. In this review we survey the role of PI3K/Akt/mTOR and Wnt signaling in CRC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제15권23호
• /
• pp.10463-10468
• /
• 2015

Opisthorchis viverrini (Ov) infection is the major etiological factor for cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), especially in northeast Thailand. We have previously reported significant involvement of PI3K/AKT/PTEN and $Wnt/{\beta}$-catenin in human CCA tissues. The present study, therefore, examined the expression and activation of PI3K/AKT/PTEN and $Wnt/{\beta}$-catenin signaling components during Ov-induced cholangiocarcinogenesis in a hamster animal model. Hamsters were divided into two groups; non-treated and Ov plus NDMA treated. The results of immunohistochemical staining showed an upregulation of PI3K/AKT signaling as determined by elevated expression of the $p85{\alpha}$-regulatory and $p110{\alpha}$-catalytic subunits of PI3K as well as increased expression and activation of AKT during cholangiocarcinogenesis. Interestingly, the staining intensity of activated AKT (p-AKT) increased in the apical regions of the bile ducts and strong staining was detected where the liver fluke resides. Moreover, PTEN, a negative regulator of PI3K/AKT, was suppressed by decreased expression and increased phosphorylation during cholangiocarcinogenesis. We also detected upregulation of $Wnt/{\beta}$-catenin signaling as determined by increased positive staining of Wnt3, Wnt3a, Wnt5a, Wnt7b and ${\beta}$-catenin, corresponded with the period of cholangiocarcinogenesis. Furthermore, nuclear staining of ${\beta}$-catenin was observed in CCA tissues. Our results suggest the liver fluke infection causes chronic inflammatory conditions which lead to upregulation of the PI3K/AKT and $Wnt/{\beta}$-catenin signaling pathways which may drive CCA carcinogenesis. These results provide useful information for drug development, prevention and treatment of CCA.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• 제39권1호
• /
• pp.69-75
• /
• 2015

Background: Ginseng has been shown to exert antistress effects both in vitro and in vivo. However, the effects of ginseng on stress in brain cells are not well understood. This study investigated how Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) controls hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis via regulation of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt and estrogen receptor (ER)-${\beta}$ signaling. Methods: Human neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells were pretreated with KRG and subsequently exposed to $H_2O_2$. The ability of KRG to inhibit oxidative stress-induced apoptosis was assessed in MTT cytotoxicity assays. Apoptotic protein expression was examined byWestern blot analysis. The roles of ER-${\beta}$, PI3K, and p-Akt signaling in KRG regulation of apoptosis were studied using small interfering RNAs and/or target antagonists. Results: Pretreating SK-N-SH cells with KRG decreased expression of the proapoptotic proteins p-p53 and caspase-3, but increased expression of the antiapoptotic protein BCL2. KRG pretreatment was also associated with increased ER-${\beta}$, PI3K, and p-Akt expression. Conversely, ER-${\beta}$ inhibition with small interfering RNA or inhibitor treatment increased p-p53 and caspase-3 levels, but decreased BCL2, PI3K, and p-Akt expression. Moreover, inhibition of PI3K/Akt signaling diminished p-p53 and caspase-3 levels, but increased BCL2 expression. Conclusion: Collectively, the data indicate that KRG represses oxidative stress-induced apoptosis by enhancing PI3K/Akt signaling via upregulation of ER-${\beta}$ expression.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• 제24권5호
• /
• pp.423-431
• /
• 2020

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of curcumin on brain hypoxic-ischemic (HI) damage in neonatal rats and whether the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling pathway is involved. Brain HI damage models were established in neonatal rats, which received the following treatments: curcumin by intraperitoneal injection before injury, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) by subcutaneous injection after injury, and VEGF by intracerebroventricular injection after injury. This was followed by neurological evaluation, hemodynamic measurements, histopathological assessment, TUNEL assay, flow cytometry, and western blotting to assess the expression of p-PI3K, PI3K, p-Akt, Akt, and VEGF. Compared with rats that underwent sham operation, rats with brain HI damage showed remarkably increased neurological deficits, reduced right blood flow volume, elevated blood viscosity and haematocrit, and aggravated cell damage and apoptosis; these injuries were significantly improved by curcumin pretreatment. Meanwhile, brain HI damage induced the overexpression of p-PI3K, p-Akt, and VEGF, while curcumin pretreatment inhibited the expression of these proteins. In addition, IGF-1 treatment rescued the curcumin-induced down-regulated expression of p-PI3K, p-Akt, and VEGF, and VEGF overexpression counteracted the inhibitory effect of curcumin on brain HI damage. Overall, pretreatment with curcumin protected against brain HI damage by targeting VEGF via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in neonatal rats.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제41권6호
• /
• pp.532-544
• /
• 2018

Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. In order to investigate a new treatment fot GIST, we hypothesized the effect of miR-374b targeting PTEN gene-mediated PI3K/Akt signal transduction pathway on proliferation and apoptosis of human gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) cells. We obtained GIST tissues and adjacent normal tissues from 143 patients with GIST to measure the levels of miR-374b, PTEN, PI3K, Akt, caspase9, Bax, MMP2, MMP9, ki67, PCNA, P53 and cyclinD1. Finally, cell viability, cell cycle and apoptosis were detected. According to the KFGG analysis of DEGs, PTEN was involved in a variety of signaling pathways and miRs were associated with cancer development. The results showed that MiR-374b was highly expressed, while PTEN was downregulated in the GIST tissues. The levels of miR-374b, PI3K, AKT and PTEN were related to tumor diameter and pathological stage. Additionally, miR-374b increased the mRNA and protein levels of PI3K, Akt, MMP2, MMP9, P53 and cyclinD1, suggesting that miR-374b activates PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in GIST-T1 cells. Moreover, MiR374b promoted cell viability, migration, invasion, and cell cycle entry, and inhibited apoptosis in GIST cells. Taken together, the results indicated that miR-374b promotes viability and inhibits apoptosis of human GIST cells by targeting PTEN gene through the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Thus, this study provides a new potential target for GIST treatment.

• 한국식품영양과학회지
• /
• 제45권6호
• /
• pp.835-842
• /
• 2016

PI3K/Akt 신호계는 세포 생존의 조절에 필수적인 경로로 대부분 암세포에서 활성이 증대되어 있다. 본 연구에서는 동충하초의 주요 생리활성 물질인 cordycepin에 의한 AGS 인체 위암 세포의 apoptosis 유도에 미치는 PI3K/Akt 신호계의 역할을 조사하였다. 본 연구의 결과에 의하면 cordycepin의 처리 농도의 증가에 따라 AGS 세포의 생존율은 억제되었으며, 이는 apoptosis 유도와 밀접한 관계가 있음을 핵의 형태적 변화와 flow cytometry 분석을 통하여 확인 하였다. 이러한 cordycepin의 apoptosis 유도 효과는 PI3K/Akt 신호계의 활성 저하와 연관성이 있었으며, 세포독성을 나타내지 않는 범위의 PI3K/Akt 신호계 저해제인 LY294002를 cordycepin과 동시 처리하였을 경우, cordycepin에 의한 apoptosis 유발을 더욱 증대시켰다. 그리고 cordycepin에 대한 LY294002의 apoptosis 유발 증대는 caspases (caspase-3, -8 및 -9)의 활성 증가와 poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 단백질의 분해 증가를 촉진했다. 또한 cordycepin이 처리된 AGS 세포에서 LY294002는 apoptosis 유도에 관여하는 Bax의 발현을 증가시켰고 apoptosis 억제에 관여하는 Bcl-2의 발현은 감소시켰으며, 이는 미토콘드리아 기능 손상과 미토콘드리아에서 세포질로의 cytochrome c 유리를 증대시켰다. 따라서 PI3K/Akt 신호계의 활성 차단은 cordycepin의 항암 활성을 더욱 상승시켰으며, 이는 미토콘드리아 기능 손상과 caspase의 활성 증대를 통하여 이루어짐을 알 수 있었다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• 제12권2호
• /
• pp.37-41
• /
• 2008

Melatonin has been reported to protect neurons from a variety of neurotoxicity. However, the underlying mechanism by which melatonin exerts its neuroprotective property has not yet been clearly understood. We previously demonstrated that melatonin protected kainic acid-induced neuronal cell death in mouse hippocampus, accompanied by sustained activation of Akt, a critical mediator of neuronal survival. To further elucidate the neuroprotective action of melatonin, we examined in the present study the causal mechanism how Akt signaling pathway is regulated by melatonin in a rat primary astrocyte culture model. Melatonin resulted in increased astrocytic Akt phosphorylation, which was significantly decreased with wortmannin, a specific inhibitor of PI3K, suggesting that activation of Akt by melatonin is mediated through the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Furthermore, increased Akt activation was also significantly decreased with luzindole, a non-selective melatonin receptor antagonist. As downstream signaling pathway of Akt activation, increased levels of CREB phoshorylation and GDNF expression were observed, which were also attenuated with wortmannin and luzindole. These results strongly suggest that melatonin exerts its neuroprotective property in astrocytes through the activation of plasma membrane receptors and then PI3K-Akt signaling pathway.

• 한국자원식물학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국자원식물학회 2023년도 임시총회 및 춘계학술대회
• /
• pp.45-45
• /
• 2023

Autophagy contributes to enhancing the immune system (innate and adaptive immune system) against foreign pathogens. Autophagy of macrophages is used as a major indicator for developing vaccine adjuvants to increase the adaptive immune response. In this study, RAL increased the production of immunostimulatory mediators and phagocytotic activity in RAW264.7 cells. RAL increased p62/SQSTM1 expression. Inhibition of TLR4, JNK, and PI3K/AKT blocked RAL-mediated increase of p62/SQSTM1. RAL activated JNK and PI3K/AKT signaling. RAL-mediated activation of JNK and PI3K/AKT signaling was reversed by TLR4 inhibition. Taken together, it is believed that RAL-mediated autophagy may be dependent on activating via TLR4-dependent activation of JNK and PI3K/AKT signaling in macrophages.

• BMB Reports
• /
• 제49권8호
• /
• pp.437-442
• /
• 2016

We aimed to study the role of protein L-isoaspartyl methyltransferase (PIMT) in neuronal differentiation using basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-induced neuronal differentiation, characterized by cell-body shrinkage, long neurite outgrowth, and expression of neuronal differentiation markers light and medium neurofilaments (NF). The bFGF-mediated neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells was induced through activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling molecules [MAPK kinase 1/2 (MEK1/2), extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), and p90RSK], and phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling molecules PI3Kp110β, PI3Kp110γ, Akt, and mTOR. Inhibitors (adenosine dialdehyde and S-adenosylhomocysteine) of protein methylation suppressed bFGF-mediated neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells. PIMT-eficiency caused by PIMT-specific siRNA inhibited neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells by suppressing phosphorylation of MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 in the MAPK signaling pathway and Akt and mTOR in the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Therefore, these results suggested that PIMT was critical for bFGF-mediated neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells and regulated the MAPK and Akt signaling pathways.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• 제27권5호
• /
• pp.493-511
• /
• 2023

Hippo/YAP signaling hinders cancer progression. Inactivation of this pathway contributes to the development of esophageal cancer by activation of Akt. However, the possible interaction between Akt and Hippo/YAP pathways in esophageal cancer progression is unclear. In this study, we found that ursolic acid (UA) plus 3'3-diindolylmethane (DIM) efficiently suppressed the oncogenic Akt/Gsk-3β signaling pathway while activating the Hippo tumor suppressor pathway in esophageal cancer cells. Moreover, the addition of the Akt inhibitor LY294002 and the PI3K inhibitor 3-methyladenine enhanced the inhibitory effects of UA plus DIM on Akt pathway activation and further stimulated the Hippo pathway, including the suppression of YAP nuclear translocation in esophageal cancer cells. Silencing YAP under UA plus DIM conditions significantly increased the activation of the tumor suppressor PTEN in esophageal cancer cells, while decreasing p-Akt activation, indicating that the Akt signaling pathway could be down-regulated in esophageal cancer cells by targeting PTEN. Furthermore, in a xenograft nude mice model, UA plus DIM treatment effectively diminished esophageal tumors by inactivating the Akt pathway and stimulating the Hippo signaling pathway. Thus, our study highlights a feedback loop between the PI3K/Akt and Hippo signaling pathways in esophageal cancer cells, implying that a low dose of UA plus DIM could serve as a promising chemotherapeutic combination strategy in the treatment of esophageal cancer.