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Loss of Phosphatase and Tensin Homologue Increases Transforming Growth Factor β–Mediated Invasion with Enhanced SMAD3 Transcriptional Activity

2005; American Association for Cancer Research; Volume: 65; Issue: 24 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1158/0008-5472.can-05-3016

1538-7445

Anita B. Hjelmeland, Mark D. Hjelmeland, Qing Shi, Janet L. Hart, Darell D. Bigner, Xiao-Fan Wang, Christopher D. Kontos, Jeremy N. Rich,

Hedgehog Signaling Pathway Studies

Abstract In normal epithelial tissues, the multifunctional cytokine transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) acts as a tumor suppressor through growth inhibition and induction of differentiation whereas in advanced cancers, TGF-β promotes tumor progression through induction of tumor invasion, neoangiogenesis, and immunosuppression. The molecular mechanisms through which TGF-β shifts from a tumor suppressor to a tumor enhancer are poorly understood. We now show a role for the tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) in repressing the protumorigenic effects of TGF-β. The TGF-β effector SMAD3 inducibly interacts with PTEN on TGF-β treatment under endogenous conditions. RNA interference (RNAi) suppression of PTEN expression enhances SMAD3 transcriptional activity and TGF-β–mediated induction of SMAD3 target genes whereas reconstitution of PTEN in a null cancer cell line represses the expression of TGF-β–regulated target genes. Targeting PTEN expression through RNAi in a PTEN wild-type cell line increases TGF-β–mediated invasion but does not affect TGF-β–mediated growth inhibition. Reconstitution of PTEN expression in a PTEN-null cell line blocks TGF-β–induced invasion but does not modulate TGF-β–mediated growth regulation. These effects are distinct from Akt and Forkhead family members that also interact with SMAD3 to regulate apoptosis or proliferation, respectively. Pharmacologic inhibitors targeting TGF-β receptors and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling downstream from PTEN cooperate to block TGF-β–mediated invasion. Thus, the loss of PTEN expression in human cancers may contribute to a role for TGF-β as a tumor enhancer with specific effects on cellular motility and invasion. (Cancer Res 2005; 65(24): 11276-81)