Overexpression of AKT2/protein kinase Bbeta leads to up-regulation of beta1 integrins, increased invasion, and metastasis of human breast and ovarian cancer cells.

Abstract

To determine how AKT2 might contribute to tumor cell progression, a full-length, wild-type, human AKT2/protein kinase B (PKB)beta cDNA was transfected into a panel of eight human breast and ovarian cancer cells. AKT2 transfectants demonstrated increased adhesion and invasion through collagen IV because of up-regulation of beta1 integrins. In addition, AKT2 cells were more metastatic than control cells in vivo. Increased invasion by AKT2 was blocked by preincubation with an anti-beta1 integrin function blocking antibody, exposure to wortmannin, and by expression of phosphatase and tensin homologue tumor suppressor (PTEN). Confocal microscopy performed on transfected human breast cancer cells showed that unlike AKT1, AKT2 protein predominantly localized adjacent to the collagen IV matrix during cellular attachment. Overexpression of AKT2, but not AKT1 or AKT3, was sufficient to duplicate the invasive effects of phosphoinositide 3-OH kinase (PI3-K) transfected in breast cancer cells. Furthermore, expression of kinase dead AKT2(181 amino acid methionine [M]), and not kinase dead AKT1(179M) or AKT3(177M), was capable of blocking invasion induced by either human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) overexpression or by activation of PI3-K. Taken together, these data indicate that AKT2 mediates PI3-K-dependent effects on adhesion, motility, invasion, and metastasis in vivo.

• Authors: M Jane Arboleda, John F Lyons, Fairooz F Kabbinavar, Mark R Bray, Bryan E Snow, Raul Ayala, Mordechai Danino, Beth Y Karlan, Dennis J Slamon
• Journal: Cancer research (Cancer Res) Vol. 63 Issue 1 Pg. 196-206 (Jan 01 2003) ISSN: 0008-5472 [Print] United States
• PMID: 12517798 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• DNA Primers
• Integrin beta1
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins
• AKT1 protein, human
• AKT2 protein, human
• Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt

Topics

• Breast Neoplasms (genetics, pathology)
• DNA Primers
• Female
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
• Humans
• Integrin beta1 (genetics)
• Neoplasm Invasiveness
• Ovarian Neoplasms (genetics, pathology)
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins (genetics)
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
• Tumor Cells, Cultured