Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound   Target Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound

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Query: EC:2.7.11.2 (PDK1)
2,238 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is a common factor in the pathophysiology of diverse human diseases that are characterised by contrasting cellular behaviours, from proliferation in cancer to apoptosis in neurodegenerative disorders. Coincidently, dysregulation of AKT/PKB activity, which is the central regulator of cell growth, proliferation and survival, is often associated with the same diseases. Here, we demonstrate that ER stress modulates AKT substrate specificity in a severity-dependent manner, as shown by phospho-specific antibodies against known AKT targets. ER stress also reduces both total and phosphorylated AKT in a severity-dependent manner, without affecting activity of the upstream kinase PDK1. Normalisation to total AKT revealed that under ER stress phosphorylation of Thr308 is suppressed while that of Ser473 is increased. ER stress induces GRP78, and siRNA-mediated knock-down of GRP78 enhances phosphorylation at Ser473 by 3.6 fold, but not at Thr308. Substrate specificity is again altered. An in-situ proximity ligation assay revealed a physical interaction between GRP78 and AKT at the plasma membrane of cells following induction of ER stress. Staining was weak in cells with normal nuclear morphology but stronger in those displaying rounded, condensed nuclei. Co-immunoprecipitation of GRP78 and P-AKT(Ser473) confirmed the immuno-complex consists of non-phosphorylated AKT (Ser473 and Thr308). The interaction is likely specific as AKT did not bind to all molecular chaperones, and GRP78 did not bind to p70 S6 kinase. These findings provide one mechanistic explanation for how ER stress contributes to human pathologies demonstrating contrasting cell fates via modulation of AKT signalling.
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PMID:Regulation of AKT phosphorylation at Ser473 and Thr308 by endoplasmic reticulum stress modulates substrate specificity in a severity dependent manner. 2144 5

The serine/threonine kinase AKT is a key mediator of cancer cell survival. We demonstrate that transient glucose deprivation modestly induces AKT phosphorylation at both Thr308 and Ser473. In contrast, prolonged glucose deprivation induces selective AKTThr308 phosphorylation and phosphorylation of a distinct subset of AKT downstream targets leading to cell survival under metabolic stress. Glucose-deprivation-induced AKTThr308 phosphorylation is dependent on PDK1 and PI3K but not EGF receptor or IGF1R. Prolonged glucose deprivation induces the formation of a complex of AKT, PDK1 and the GRP78 chaperone protein, directing phosphorylation of AKTThr308 but not AKTSer473. Our results reveal a novel mechanism of AKT activation under prolonged glucose deprivation that protects cells from metabolic stress. The selective activation of AKTThr308 phosphorylation that occurs during prolonged nutrient deprivation may provide an unexpected opportunity for the development and implementation of drugs targeting cell metabolism and aberrant AKT signaling.
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PMID:Site-specific activation of AKT protects cells from death induced by glucose deprivation. 2339 61

Cancer-initiating cells (CICs) are responsible for tumor initiation, progression, and therapeutic resistance; moreover, redox homeostasis is important in regulating cancer stemness. Previously, we have identified that cancer cells containing low intracellular reactive oxygen species levels (ROS^Low cells) display enhanced features of CICs. However, the specific metabolic signatures of CICs remain unclear and are required for further characterization by systemic screenings. Herein, we first showed CICs mainly relying on glycolysis that was important for the maintenance of stemness properties. Next, we revealed that NRF2, a master regulator of antioxidants, was able to maintain low intracellular ROS levels of CICs, even though in the absence of oxidative stress. We further characterized that NRF2 activation was required for the maintenance of CICs properties. Of ROS^Low cells, NRF2 activation not only directly activates the transcription of genes encoding glycolytic enzymes but also inhibited the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA by directly activating pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK1) to lead to inhibition of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle; therefore, to promote Warburg effect. A positive regulatory ROS-independent ER stress pathway (GRP78/p-PERK/NRF2 signaling) was identified to mediate the metabolic shift (Warburg effect) and stemness of CICs. Lastly, co-expression of p-PERK and p-NRF2 was significantly associated with the clinical outcome. Our data show that NRF2 acting as a central node in the maintenance of low ROS levels and stemness associated properties of the CICs, which is significantly associated with the clinical outcome, but independent from ROS stress. Future treatments by inhibiting NRF2 activation may exhibit great potential in targeting CICs.
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PMID:ROS-independent ER stress-mediated NRF2 activation promotes warburg effect to maintain stemness-associated properties of cancer-initiating cells. 2941 12

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