Subtle distinct regulations of late erythroid molecular events by PI3K/AKT-mediated activation of Spi-1/PU.1 oncogene autoregulation loop

Oncogene. 2010 May 13;29(19):2807-16. doi: 10.1038/onc.2010.29. Epub 2010 Mar 1.

Abstract

Spi-1/PU.1 oncogene is downregulated as proerythroblasts undergo terminal differentiation. Insertion of the Friend virus upstream of the Spi-1/PU.1 locus leads to the constitutive upregulation of Spi-1/PU.1, and a subsequent block in the differentiation of the affected erythroblasts. We have shown that sustained overexpression of Spi-1/PU.1 also inhibits the erythroid splicing of protein 4.1R exon 16, irrespective of chemical induction of differentiation. Here, we show a positive feedback loop that couples constitutive phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling to high expression of Spi-1/PU.1 in Friend erythroleukemia cells. Inhibition of PI3K/AKT results in Spi-1/PU.1 downregulation in a stepwise manner and induces cell differentiation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays further supported the positive autoregulatory effect of Spi-1/PU.1. Mutational analysis indicated that Ser41, but not Ser148, is necessary for Spi-1/PU.1-mediated repression of hemoglobin expression, whereas both Ser residues are required for Spi-1/PU.1 inhibition of the erythroid splicing event. We further show that inhibition of the erythroid transcriptional and splicing events are strictly dependent on distinct Spi-1/PU.1 phosphorylation modifications rather than Spi-1/PU.1 expression level per se. Our data further support the fact that Spi-1/PU.1 inhibits 4.1R erythroid splicing through two different pathways, and bring new insights into the extracellular signal impact triggered by erythropoietin on late erythroid regulatory program, including pre-mRNA splicing.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood Proteins / genetics
  • Cell Differentiation / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Dimethyl Sulfoxide / pharmacology
  • Erythroid Cells / cytology
  • Erythroid Cells / metabolism*
  • Erythropoietin / metabolism
  • Exons / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Globins / genetics
  • Homeostasis* / drug effects
  • Mice
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Oncogenes*
  • Organ Specificity
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / metabolism*
  • Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / chemistry
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism*
  • RNA Splicing / drug effects
  • Serine / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Time Factors
  • Trans-Activators / chemistry
  • Trans-Activators / genetics
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism*
  • Up-Regulation / drug effects

Substances

  • Blood Proteins
  • Epb41 protein, mouse
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Trans-Activators
  • proto-oncogene protein Spi-1
  • Erythropoietin
  • Serine
  • Globins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • Dimethyl Sulfoxide