Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinases:functions and regulations

Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase (IP3 3-kinase/IP3K) plays an important role in signal transduction in animal cellsby phosphorylating inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) to inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate (IP4). Both IP3 and IP4 arecritical second messengers which regulate calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis. Mammalian IP3Ks are involved in many biologicalprocesses, including brain development, memory, learning and so on. It is widely reported that Ca2+ is a canonicalsecond messenger in higher plants. Therefore, plant IP3K should also play a crucial role in plant development. Recently,we reported the identification of plant IP3K gene (AtIpk2β/AtIP3K) from Arabidopsis thaliana and its characterization.Here, we summarize the molecular cloning, biochemical properties and biological functions of IP3Ks from animal, yeastand plant. This review also discusses potential functions of IP3Ks in signaling crosstalk, inositol phosphate metabolism,gene transcriptional control and so on.

Impacts of PI3K/protein kinase B pathway activation in reactive astrocytes: from detrimental effects to protective functions

Astrocytes are the most abundant type of glial cell in the central nervous system.Upon injury and inflammation,astrocytes become reactive and undergo morphological and functional changes.Depending on their phenotypic classification as A1 or A2,reactive astrocytes contribute to both neurotoxic and neuroprotective responses,respectively.However,this binary classification does not fully capture the diversity of astrocyte responses observed across different diseases and injuries.Transcriptomic analysis has revealed that reactive astrocytes have a complex landscape of gene expression profiles,which emphasizes the heterogeneous nature of their reactivity.Astrocytes actively participate in regulating central nervous system inflammation by interacting with microglia and other cell types,releasing cytokines,and influencing the immune response.The phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(AKT)signaling pathway is a central player in astrocyte reactivity and impacts various aspects of astrocyte behavior,as evidenced by in silico,in vitro,and in vivo results.In astrocytes,inflammatory cues trigger a cascade of molecular events,where nuclear factor-κB serves as a central mediator of the pro-inflammatory responses.Here,we review the heterogeneity of reactive astrocytes and the molecular mechanisms underlying their activation.We highlight the involvement of various signaling pathways that regulate astrocyte reactivity,including the PI3K/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR),αvβ3 integrin/PI3K/AKT/connexin 43,and Notch/PI3K/AKT pathways.While targeting the inactivation of the PI3K/AKT cellular signaling pathway to control reactive astrocytes and prevent central nervous system damage,evidence suggests that activating this pathway could also yield beneficial outcomes.This dual function of the PI3K/AKT pathway underscores its complexity in astrocyte reactivity and brain function modulation.The review emphasizes the importance of employing astrocyte-exclusive models to understand their functions accurately and these models are essential for clarifying astrocyte behavior.The findings should then be validated using in vivo models to ensure real-life relevance.The review also highlights the significance of PI3K/AKT pathway modulation in preventing central nervous system damage,although further studies are required to fully comprehend its role due to varying factors such as different cell types,astrocyte responses to inflammation,and disease contexts.Specific strategies are clearly necessary to address these variables effectively.

Emerging role of the KRAS-PDK1 axis in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a highly aggressive tumour that is very resistant to treatments and it is rarely diagnosed early because of absence of specific symptoms. Therefore, the prognosis for this disease is very poor and it has the grim supremacy in terms of unfavourable survival rates. There have been great advances in survival rates for many types of cancers over the past few decades but hardly any change for pancreatic cancer. Mutations of the Ras oncogene are the most frequent oncogenic alterations in human cancers. The frequency of KRAS mutations in pancreatic cancer is around 90%. Given the well-established role of KRAS in cancer it is not surprising that it is one of the most attractive targets for cancer therapy. Nevertheless, during the last thirty years all attempts to target directly KRAS protein have failed. Therefore, it is crucial to identify downstream KRAS effectors in order to develop specific drugs able to counteract activation of this pathway. Among the different signalling pathways activated by oncogenic KRAS, the phosphoinositide 3-Kinase(PI3K) pathway is emerging as one of the most critical KRAS effector. In turn, PI3 K activates several parallel pathways making the identification of the precise effectors activated by KRAS/PI3 K more difficult. Recent data identify 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 as a key tumour-initiating event downstream KRAS interaction with PI3 K in pancreatic cancer.

Neuregulin-1 preconditioning protects the heart against ischemia/reperfusion injury through a PI3K/Akt-dependent mechanism

Background Neuregulin-1 （NRG-1）, the ligand of the myocardial ErbB receptor, is a protein mediator with regulatory actions in the heart. This study investigated whether NRG-1 preconditioning has protective effects on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion （I/R） injury and its potential mechanism.Methods We worked with an in vivo rat model with induced myocardial ischemia （45 minutes） followed by reperfusion （3 hours）. NRG-1 message was detected in the heart using RT-PCR and the protein levels of NRG-1 and ErbB4 were detected by Western blotting analysis. Infarct size was assessed using the staining agent triphenyltetrazolium chloride and cardiac function was continuously monitored. The levels of creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase in plasma were analyzed to assess the degree of cardiac injury. The extent of cardiac apoptosis was evaluated by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling （TUNEL） assay and by Western blotting analysis of cleaved caspase-3. We examined the phosphorylation of Akt in the myocardium and the effect of PI3K/Akt inhibition on NRG-1-induced cardioprotection.Results Transcription and expression of NRG-1 and phosphorylation of its ErbB4 receptor were significantly upregulated in the I/R hearts. NRG-1 pretreatment reduced the infarct size following cardiac I/R in a concentration-dependent manner with an optimal concentration of 4 μg/kg in vivo. NRG-1 pretreatment with 4 μg/kg, i.v.markedly reduced the plasma creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase levels. Pretreatment with NRG-1 also significantly reduced the percentage of TUNEL positive myocytes and the level of cleaved caspase-3 in the I/R hearts.Pretreatment with NRG-1 significantly increased phosphorylation of Akt following I/R. Furthermore, the cardioprotective effect limiting the infarct size that was induced by NRG-1 was abolished by co-administration of the PI3K inhibitor LY294002.Conclusions The concentration of NRG-1, a new autacoid, was rapidly upregulated after myocardial I/R. NRG-1 preconditioning has cardioprotective effects against I/R injury through a PI3K/Akt-dependent mechanism in vivo.

Association of the phosphatidylinositol signal pathway with prolonged myocardial ischemia

OBJECTIVE: To study the changes in activity of phosphatidylinositol 4 kinase (PI 4 kinase), phosphatidylinositol 4 phosphate 5 kinase (PIP 5 kinase) and protein kinase C (PKC) during myocardial ischemia and elucidate the relationship between phosphatidylinositol signal pathways and prolonged myocardial ischemia. METHODS: In vivo an ischemic rat model was used. Activity of PI 4 kinase, PIP 5 kinase and PKC were measured at different times in postischemic heart cells using isotope analysis. RESULTS: The activity of PI kinase, PIP kinase and PKC in the myocardium increased to peak at 1 hour postischemia, with activities 6.1, 3.0 and 4.0 fold over control levels, respectively. Their activities declined to normal levels with time. CONCLUSION: The phosphatidylinositol signal pathway is involved in prolonged myocardial ischemia, but its mechanism needs further study.