IGF-I regulates caveolin 1 and IRS1 interaction in caveolae

Role of the tripartite motif-containing (TRIM) family of proteins in insulin resistance and related disorders

Emerging evidence suggests that the ubiquitin-mediated degradation of insulin-signalling-related proteins may be involved in the development of insulin resistance and its related disorders. Tripartite motif-containing (TRIM) proteins, a superfamily belonging to the E3 ubiquitin ligases, are capable of controlling protein levels and function by ubiquitination, which is essential for the modulation of insulin sensitivity. Recent research has indicated that some of these TRIMs act as key regulatory factors of metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and atherosclerosis. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the latest evidence linking TRIMs to the regulation of insulin resistance and its related disorders, their roles in regulating multiple signalling pathways or cellular processes, such as insulin signalling pathways, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor signalling pathways, glucose and lipid metabolism, the inflammatory response, and cell cycle control, as well as recent advances in the development of TRIM-targeted drugs.

Caveolin-1 Down-Regulation Reduces VEGF-A Secretion Induced by IGF-1 in ARPE-19 Cells

The insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) stimulates expression and secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), the main actor in ocular neovascularization, by RPE cells. Activity of IGF-1 is regulated by interaction between its receptor and Caveolin-1 (Cav-1), the main component of caveolae. The aim of this study was to investigate whether modulation of Cav-1 expression affects synthesis and secretion of VEGF-A. ARPE-19 cells were transfected with small interfering RNA for Cav-1 (si-Cav-1) and with control siRNA (si-CTR) and stimulated with IGF-1. We found that down-regulation of Cav-1 did not affect activation of IGF-1R but regulated in an opposite manner the phosphorylation of Akt and Erk1/2. Moreover, we found that IGF-1 increased mRNA levels of VEGF-A in both si-CTR and in si-Cav-1 ARPE-19 cells and that Cav-1 silencing significantly reduced basal and IGF-1-stimulated VEGF-A release. Then we investigated the response of the microvascular endothelial cell line HMEC-1 to secretory products of ARPE-19 cells by evaluating wound healing closure, finding that conditioned media from si-Cav-1-ARPE-19 cells reduced endothelial cell migration rate. These data demonstrate that Cav-1 regulates secretion of VEGF-A, and that the depletion of Cav-1 reduces IGF-1 induced VEGF-A secretion in ARPE-19 cells and the migratory potential of their secretory products.

Emerging Role of Caveolin-1 in GLP-1 Action

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a gut hormone mainly produced in the intestinal epithelial endocrine L cells, involved in maintaining glucose homeostasis. The use of GLP-1 analogous and dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) inhibitors is well-established in Type 2 Diabetes. The efficacy of these therapies is related to the activation of GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R), which is widely expressed in several tissues. Therefore, GLP-1 is of great clinical interest not only for its actions at the level of the beta cells, but also for the extra-pancreatic effects. Activation of GLP-1R results in intracellular signaling that is regulated by availability of downstream molecules and receptor internalization. It has been shown that GLP-1R co-localizes with caveolin-1, the main component of caveolae, small invagination of the plasma membrane, which are involved in controlling receptor activity by assembling signaling complexes and regulating receptor trafficking. The aim of this review is to outline the important role of caveolin-1 in mediating biological effects of GLP-1 and its analogous.

Lipid rafts as signaling hubs in cancer cell survival/death and invasion: implications in tumor progression and therapy: Thematic Review Series: Biology of Lipid Rafts

Cholesterol/sphingolipid-rich membrane domains, known as lipid rafts or membrane rafts, play a critical role in the compartmentalization of signaling pathways. Physical segregation of proteins in lipid rafts may modulate the accessibility of proteins to regulatory or effector molecules. Thus, lipid rafts serve as sorting platforms and hubs for signal transduction proteins. Cancer cells contain higher levels of intracellular cholesterol and lipid rafts than their normal non-tumorigenic counterparts. Many signal transduction processes involved in cancer development (insulin-like growth factor system and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-AKT) and metastasis [cluster of differentiation (CD)44] are dependent on or modulated by lipid rafts. Additional proteins playing an important role in several malignant cancers (e.g., transmembrane glycoprotein mucin 1) are also being detected in association with lipid rafts, suggesting a major role of lipid rafts in tumor progression. Conversely, lipid rafts also serve as scaffolds for the recruitment and clustering of Fas/CD95 death receptors and downstream signaling molecules leading to cell death-promoting raft platforms. The partition of death receptors and downstream signaling molecules in aggregated lipid rafts has led to the formation of the so-called cluster of apoptotic signaling molecule-enriched rafts, or CASMER, which leads to apoptosis amplification and can be pharmacologically modulated. These death-promoting rafts can be viewed as a linchpin from which apoptotic signals are launched. In this review, we discuss the involvement of lipid rafts in major signaling processes in cancer cells, including cell survival, cell death, and metastasis, and we consider the potential of lipid raft modulation as a promising target in cancer therapy.

The importance of caveolins and caveolae to dermatology: Lessons from the caves and beyond

Caveolae are flask-shaped invaginations of the cell membrane rich in cholesterol and sphingomyelin, with caveolin proteins acting as their primary structural components that allow compartmentalization and orchestration of various signalling molecules. In this review, we discuss how pleiotropic functions of caveolin-1 (Cav1) and its intricate roles in numerous cellular functions including lipid trafficking, signalling, cell migration and proliferation, as well as cellular senescence, infection and inflammation, are integral for normal development and functioning of skin and its appendages. We then examine how disruption of the homeostatic levels of Cav1 can lead to development of various cutaneous pathophysiologies including skin cancers, cutaneous fibroses, psoriasis, alopecia, age-related changes in skin and aberrant wound healing and propose how levels of Cav1 may have theragnostic value in skin physiology/pathophysiology.

Modulation of caveolae by insulin/IGF-1 signaling regulates aging of Caenorhabditis elegans

Reducing insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS) extends lifespan, promotes protein homeostasis (proteostasis), and elevates stress resistance of worms, flies, and mammals. How these functions are orchestrated across the organism is only partially understood. Here, we report that in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, the IIS positively regulates the expression of caveolin-1 (cav-1), a gene which is primarily expressed in neurons of the adult worm and underlies the formation of caveolae, a subtype of lipid microdomains that serve as platforms for signaling complexes. Accordingly, IIS reduction lowers cav-1 expression and lessens the quantity of neuronal caveolae. Reduced cav-1 expression extends lifespan and mitigates toxic protein aggregation by modulating the expression of aging-regulating and signaling-promoting genes. Our findings define caveolae as aging-governing signaling centers and underscore the potential for cav-1 as a novel therapeutic target for the promotion of healthy aging.

Lipid rafts as major platforms for signaling regulation in cancer

Cell signaling does not apparently occur randomly over the cell surface, but it seems to be integrated very often into cholesterol-rich membrane domains, termed lipid rafts. Membrane lipid rafts are highly ordered membrane domains that are enriched in cholesterol, sphingolipids and gangliosides, and behave as major modulators of membrane geometry, lateral movement of molecules, traffic and signal transduction. Because the lipid and protein composition of membrane rafts differs from that of the surrounding membrane, they provide an additional level of compartmentalization, serving as sorting platforms and hubs for signal transduction proteins. A wide number of signal transduction processes related to cell adhesion, migration, as well as to cell survival and proliferation, which play major roles in cancer development and progression, are dependent on lipid rafts. Despite lipid rafts harbor mainly critical survival signaling pathways, including insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling, recent evidence suggests that these membrane domains can also house death receptor-mediated apoptotic signaling. Recruitment of this death receptor signaling pathway in membrane rafts can be pharmacologically modulated, thus opening up the possibility to regulate cell demise with a therapeutic use. The synthetic ether phospholipid edelfosine shows a high affinity for cholesterol and accumulates in lipid rafts in a number of malignant hematological cells, leading to an efficient in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity by inducing translocation of death receptors and downstream signaling molecules to these membrane domains. Additional antitumor drugs have also been shown to act, at least in part, by recruiting death receptors in lipid rafts. The partition of death receptors together with downstream apoptotic signaling molecules in membrane rafts has led us to postulate the concept of a special liquid-ordered membrane platform coined as "cluster of apoptotic signaling molecule-enriched rafts" (CASMER), referring to raft platforms enriched in apoptotic molecules. CASMERs act as scaffolds for apoptosis signaling compartmentalization, facilitating and stabilizing protein-protein interactions by local assembly of cross-interacting molecules, which leads to apoptosis amplification and a decrease in apoptotic signal threshold. Edelfosine also displaced survival PI3K/Akt signaling from lipid rafts, leading to Akt inhibition, in mantle cell lymphoma cells. Thus, membrane rafts could act as scaffold structures where segregation of pro- from anti-apoptotic molecules could take place. In this review, we summarize our view of how reorganization of the protein composition of lipid raft membrane domains regulates cell death and therefore it might be envisaged as a novel target in the treatment of cancer.

The Novel Functions of High-Molecular-Mass Complexes Containing Insulin Receptor Substrates in Mediation and Modulation of Insulin-Like Activities: Emerging Concept of Diverse Functions by IRS-Associated Proteins

Insulin-like peptides, such as insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and insulin, induce a variety of bioactivities, such as growth, differentiation, survival, increased anabolism, and decreased catabolism in many cell types and in vivo. In general, IGFs or insulin bind to IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR) or insulin receptor (IR), activating the receptor tyrosine kinase. Insulin receptor substrates (IRSs) are known to be major substrates of receptor kinases, mediating IGF/insulin signals to direct bioactivities. Recently, we discovered that IRSs form high-molecular-mass complexes (referred to here as IRSomes) even without IGF/insulin stimulation. These complexes contain proteins (referred to here as IRSAPs; IRS-associated proteins), which modulate tyrosine phosphorylation of IRSs by receptor kinases, control IRS stability, and determine intracellular localization of IRSs. In addition, in these complexes, we found not only proteins that are involved in RNA metabolism but also RNAs themselves. Thus, IRSAPs possibly contribute to modulation of IGF/insulin bioactivities. Since it is established that disorder of modulation of insulin-like activities causes various age-related diseases including cancer, we could propose that the IRSome is an important target for treatment of these diseases.

Reverse-phase protein array profiling of oropharyngeal cancer and significance of PIK3CA mutations in HPV-associated head and neck cancer

PURPOSE

Human papilloma virus (HPV)-associated (HPV+) oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCC) have different molecular and biologic characteristics and clinical behavior compared with HPV-negative (HPV-) OPSCC. PIK3CA mutations are more common in HPV(+) OPSCC. To define molecular differences and tumor subsets, protein expression and phosphorylation were compared between HPV(+) and HPV(-) OPSCC and between tumors with and without PIK3CA mutations.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Expression of 137 total and phosphorylated proteins was evaluated by reverse-phase protein array in 29 HPV(+) and 13 HPV(-) prospectively collected OPSCCs. Forty-seven OPSCCs were tested for hotspot-activating mutations in PIK3CA and AKT. Activation of PIK3CA downstream targets and sensitivity to pathway inhibitors were determined in HPV(+) head and neck cancer cells overexpressing wild-type or mutant PIK3CA.

RESULTS

Analyses revealed 41 differentially expressed proteins between HPV(+) and HPV(-) OPSCC categorized into functional groups: DNA repair, cell cycle, apoptosis, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mTOR, and receptor kinase pathways. All queried DNA repair proteins were significantly upregulated in HPV(+) samples. A total of 8 of 33 HPV(+) and 0 of 14 HPV(-) tumors contained activating PIK3CA mutations. Despite all activating PIK3CA mutations occurring in HPV(+) samples, HPV(+) tumors had lower mean levels of activated AKT and downstream AKT target phosphorylation. Ectopic expression of mutant PIK3CA in HPV(+) cells increased mTOR, but not AKT activity. HPV E6/E7 overexpression inhibited AKT phosphorylation in HPV-negative cells. Mutant PIK3CA overexpressing cells were more sensitive to a dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor compared with an AKT inhibitor.

CONCLUSIONS

Protein expression analyses suggest that HPV(+) and HPV(-) OPSCC differentially activate DNA repair, cell cycle, apoptosis, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, and receptor kinase pathways. PIK3CA mutations are more common in HPV(+) OPSCC and are associated with activation of mTOR, but not AKT. These data suggest that inhibitors for mTOR may have activity against HPV(+) PIK3CA mutant oropharyngeal cancers.

Caveolin-1 and polymerase I and transcript release factor: new players in insulin-like growth factor-I receptor signaling

Caveolae are plasma membrane regions enriched in Caveolin proteins which regulate vesicular transport, endocytosis, and cell signaling. IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR) localizes in caveolae and tyrosine phosphorylates Caveolin-1 (Cav-1), the most represented caveolar protein. Cav-1 participates to IGF-IR internalization and signaling directly interacting with IGF-IR and its substrates. Recently, polymerase I and transcript release factor (PTRF) or Cavin-1, has been identified in the caveolar backbone. PTRF does not play a Cav-1 ancillary role and emerging data support a direct role of PTRF in IGF-IR signaling. PTRF and Cav-1 can bind IGF-IR and regulate IGF-IR internalization and plasma membrane replacement, mechanisms frequently deregulated in cancer cells. Although the exact roles of Cav-1 and IGF-IR in human cancer continue to be a matter of some debate, there is a strong evidence for an association between Cav-1 and IGF-IR in cancer development. With the discovery of IGF-IR interaction with PTRF in caveolae, new insight emerged to understand the growing functions of these domains in IGF-I action.

Evaluating caveolin interactions: do proteins interact with the caveolin scaffolding domain through a widespread aromatic residue-rich motif?

Caveolins are coat proteins of caveolae, small flask-shaped pits of the plasma membranes of most cells. Aside from roles in caveolae formation, caveolins recruit, retain and regulate many caveolae-associated signalling molecules. Caveolin-protein interactions are commonly considered to occur between a ∼20 amino acid region within caveolin, the caveolin scaffolding domain (CSD), and an aromatic-rich caveolin binding motif (CBM) on the binding partner (фXфXXXXф, фXXXXфXXф or фXфXXXXфXXф, where ф is an aromatic and X an unspecified amino acid). The CBM resembles a typical linear motif - a short, simple sequence independently evolved many times in different proteins for a specific function. Here we exploit recent improvements in bioinformatics tools and in our understanding of linear motifs to critically examine the role of CBMs in caveolin interactions. We find that sequences conforming to the CBM occur in 30% of human proteins, but find no evidence for their statistical enrichment in the caveolin interactome. Furthermore, sequence- and structure-based considerations suggest that CBMs do not have characteristics commonly associated with true interaction motifs. Analysis of the relative solvent accessible area of putative CBMs shows that the majority of their aromatic residues are buried within the protein and are thus unlikely to interact directly with caveolin, but may instead be important for protein structural stability. Together, these findings suggest that the canonical CBM may not be a common characteristic of caveolin-target interactions and that interfaces between caveolin and targets may be more structurally diverse than presently appreciated.

Caveolin-1: role in cell signaling

Caveolins (Cavs) are integrated plasma membrane proteins that are complex signaling regulators with numerous partners and whose activity is highly dependent on cellular context. Cavs are both positive and negative regulators of cell signaling in and/or out of caveolae, invaginated lipid raft domains whose formation is caveolin expression dependent. Caveolins and rafts have been implicated in membrane compartmentalization; proteins and lipids accumulate in these membrane microdomains where they transmit fast, amplified and specific signaling cascades. The concept of plasma membrane organization within functional rafts is still in exploration and sometimes questioned. In this chapter, we discuss the opposing functions of caveolin in cell signaling regulation focusing on the role of caveolin both as a promoter and inhibitor of different signaling pathways and on the impact of membrane domain localization on caveolin functionality in cell proliferation, survival, apoptosis and migration.

Caveolins in rhabdomyosarcoma

Caveolins are scaffolding proteins that play a pivotal role in numerous processes, including caveolae biogenesis, vesicular transport, cholesterol homeostasis and regulation of signal transduction. There are three different isoforms (Cav-1, -2 and -3) that form homo- and hetero-aggregates at the plasma membrane and modulate the activity of a number of intracellular binding proteins. Cav-1 and Cav-3, in particular, are respectively expressed in the reserve elements (e.g. satellite cells) and in mature myofibres of skeletal muscle and their expression interplay characterizes the switch from muscle precursors to differentiated elements. Recent findings have shown that caveolins are also expressed in rhabdomyosarcoma, a group of heterogeneous childhood soft-tissue sarcomas in which the cancer cells seem to derive from progenitors that resemble myogenic cells. In this review, we will focus on the role of caveolins in rhabdomyosarcomas and on their potential use as markers of the degree of differentiation in these paediatric tumours. Given that the function of Cav-1 as tumour conditional gene in cancer has been well-established, we will also discuss the relationship between Cav-1 and the progression of rhabdomyosarcoma.

Analysis of the cellular uptake and nuclear delivery of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 in human osteosarcoma cells

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) regulates cell proliferation and survival by extracellular interaction and inactivation of the growth factor IGF-I. Beyond that, IGF-independent actions mediated by intracellular IGFBP-3 including nuclear-IGFBP-3, have also been described. We here show, using both confocal and electron microscopy and cell fractionation, that the extracellular addition of IGFBP-3 to living cells results in rapid uptake and nuclear delivery of IGFBP-3, by yet partly unknown mechanisms. IGFBP-3 is internalized through a dynamin-dependent pathway, traffics through endocytic compartments and is finally delivered into the nucleus. We observed docking of IGFBP-3 containing structures to the nuclear envelope and found IGFBP-3 containing dot-like structures to permeate the nuclear envelope. In summary, our findings establish the pathway by which this tumor suppressor protein is delivered from extracellular space to the nucleus.

IGF-IR internalizes with Caveolin-1 and PTRF/Cavin in HaCat cells

BACKGROUND

Insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-IR) is a tyrosine kinase receptor (RTK) associated with caveolae, invaginations of the plasma membrane that regulate vesicular transport, endocytosis and intracellular signaling. IGF-IR internalization represents a key mechanism of down-modulation of receptors number on plasma membrane. IGF-IR interacts directly with Caveolin-1 (Cav-1), the most relevant protein of caveolae. Recently it has been demonstrated that the Polymerase I and Transcript Release Factor I (PTRF/Cavin) is required for caveolae biogenesis and function. The role of Cav-1 and PTRF/Cavin in IGF-IR internalization is still to be clarified.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

We have investigated the interaction of IGF-IR with Cav-1 and PTRF/Cavin in the presence of IGF1in human Hacat cells. We show that IGF-IR internalization triggers Cav-1 and PTRF/Cavin translocation from plasma membrane to cytosol and increases IGF-IR interaction with these proteins. In fact, Cav-1 and PTRF/Cavin co-immunoprecipitate with IGF-IR during receptor internalization. We found a different time course of co-immunoprecipitation between IGF-IR and Cav-1 compared to IGF-IR and PTRF/Cavin. Cav-1 and PTRF/Cavin silencing by siRNA differently affect surface IGF-IR levels following IGF1 treatment: Cav-1 and PTRF/Cavin silencing significantly affect IGF-IR rate of internalization, while PTRF/Cavin silencing also decreases IGF-IR plasma membrane recovery. Since Cav-1 phosphorylation could have a role in IGF-IR internalization, the mutant Cav-1Y14F lacking Tyr14 was transfected. Cav-1Y14F transfected cells showed a reduced internalization of IGF-IR compared with cells expressing wild type Cav-1. Receptor internalization was not impaired by Clathrin silencing. These findings support a critical role of caveolae in IGF-IR intracellular traveling.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

These data indicate that Caveolae play a role in IGF-IR internalization. Based on these findings, Cav-1 and PTRF/Cavin could represent two relevant and distinct targets to modulate IGF-IR function.

TRIM72 negatively regulates myogenesis via targeting insulin receptor substrate-1

Lipid rafts have been known to be platforms to initiate cellular signal transduction of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) inducing skeletal muscle differentiation and hypertrophy. Here, tripartite motif 72 (TRIM72), with a really interesting new gene (RING)-finger domain, a B-box, two coiled-coil domains, and a SPRY (SPla and RYanodine receptor) domain, was revealed to be predominantly expressed in the sarcolemma lipid rafts of skeletal and cardiac muscles. Adenoviral TRIM72 overexpression prevented but RNAi-mediated TRIM72 silencing enhanced C2C12 myogenesis by modulating the IGF-induced insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) activation through the molecular association of TRIM72 with IRS-1. Furthermore, myogenic activity was highly enhanced with increased IGF-induced Akt activation in the satellite cells of TRIM72(-/-) mice, compared to those of TRIM72+/+ mice. Because TRIM72 promoter analysis shows that two proximal E-boxes in TRIM72 promoter were essential for MyoD- and Akt-dependent TRIM72 transcription, we can conclude that TRIM72 is a novel antagonist of IRS-1, and is essential as a negative regulator of IGF-induced muscle differentiation.

Modulation of caveolin-1 expression can affect signalling through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway and cellular proliferation in response to insulin-like growth factor I

The IGFs mediate their effects on cell function through the type I IGF receptor and numerous intracellular signalling molecules, including the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI-3K)/Akt pathway. The type I IGF receptor also binds to the caveolae protein caveolin-1, but the impact of caveolae on IGF/PI-3K/Akt signalling remains controversial. We have examined the effect of complete (knockout) and partial (knockdown) caveolin-1 deficiency on cellular IGF effects mediated via the PI-3K/Akt pathway. Under basal conditions, caveolin-1-deficient mouse embryonic fibroblast cells [MF(-/-)] incorporated significantly more [3H]thymidine than wild-type mouse embryonic fibroblast cells [MF(+/+)]; however, small hairpin RNA-mediated knockdown of caveolin-1 (80% reduction) in 3T3L1 fibroblasts had no effect on basal proliferation. Interestingly, IGF-I induced proliferation was similar in MF(-/-) and MF(+/+) cells, whereas caveolin-1 knockdown promoted a hyperproliferative response to IGF-I [pkDCav3T3L1(80) 12.4+/-0.4-fold; pkDShuffle3T3L1 4.3+/-0.2-fold induction; P<0.01]. Immunoblot analysis showed that caveolin-1 knockdown had no affect on Akt expression or activation. However, in MF(-/-) cells, IGF-I-stimulated phosphorylation of Akt was reduced despite up-regulated Akt levels. Further investigation demonstrated that caveolin knockout up-regulated Akt-2 and Akt-3 isoform expression, but Akt-1 expression was down-regulated; interestingly, coimmunoprecipitation studies revealed Akt-1 as the predominant isoform to be phosphorylated in response to IGF-I. In summary, caveolin-1 deficiency promotes a hyperproliferative response to IGF-I that is unrelated to Akt expression/activation. However, cells that lack caveolin are able to respond appropriately to IGF-I through compensatory changes in Akt isoform expression. These data posit caveolin-1 as a component of the IGF/PI-3K/Akt signalling modulus regulating cellular proliferation with implications for diseases, including cancers, which have altered caveolin expression.

Identification of c-Cbl as a new ligase for insulin-like growth factor-I receptor with distinct roles from Mdm2 in receptor ubiquitination and endocytosis

The insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-IR) plays several pivotal roles in cancer. Although most studies on the function of the IGF-IR have been attributed to kinase-dependent signaling, recent findings by our group and others have implicated biological roles mediated by ubiquitination of the receptor. As previously reported, the E3 ligases Mdm2 and Nedd4 mediate IGF-IR ubiquitination. Here we show that c-Cbl is a novel E3 ligase for IGF-IR. On ligand stimulation, both Mdm2 and c-Cbl associate with IGF-IR and mediate receptor polyubiquitination. Whereas Mdm2 catalyzed lysine 63 (K63) chain ubiquitination, c-Cbl modified IGF-IR through K48 chains. Mdm2-mediated ubiquitination occurred when cells were stimulated with a low concentration (5 ng/mL) of IGF-I, whereas c-Cbl required high concentrations (50-100 ng/mL). Mdm2-ubiquitinated IGF-IR was internalized through the clathrin endocytic pathway whereas c-Cbl-ubiquitinated receptors were endocytosed via the caveolin route. Taken together, our results show that c-Cbl constitutes a new ligase responsible for the ubiquitination of IGF-IR and that it complements the action of Mdm2 on ubiquitin lysine residue specificity, responsiveness to IGF-I, and type of endocytic pathway used. The actions and interactions of Mdm2 and c-Cbl in the ubiquitination and endocytosis of IGF-IR may have implications in cancer. In addition, identification and functional characterization of new E3 ligases are important in itself because therapeutic targeting of substrate-specific E3 ligases is likely to represent a critical strategy in future cancer treatment.

Grb10/Nedd4-mediated multiubiquitination of the insulin-like growth factor receptor regulates receptor internalization

The adaptor protein Grb10 is an interacting partner of the IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR) and the insulin receptor (IR). Previous work from our laboratory has established the role of Grb10 as a negative regulator of IGF-IR-dependent cell proliferation. We have shown that Grb10 binds the E3 ubiquitin ligase Nedd4 and promotes IGF-I-stimulated ubiquitination, internalization, and degradation of the IGF-IR, thereby giving rise to long-term attenuation of signaling. Recent biochemical evidence suggests that tyrosine-kinase receptors (RTK) may not be polyubiquitinated but monoubiquitinated at multiple sites (multiubiquitinated). However, the type of ubiquitination of the IGF-IR is still not defined. Here we show that the Grb10/Nedd4 complex upon ligand stimulation mediates multiubiquitination of the IGF-IR, which is required for receptor internalization. Moreover, Nedd4 by promoting IGF-IR ubiquitination and internalization contributes with Grb10 to negatively regulate IGF-IR-dependent cell proliferation. We also demonstrate that the IGF-IR is internalized through clathrin-dependent and-independent pathways. Grb10 and Nedd4 remain associated with the IGF-IR in early endosomes and caveosomes, where they may participate in sorting internalized receptors. Grb10 and Nedd4, unlike the IGF-IR, which is targeted for lysosomal degradation are not degraded and likely directed into recycling endosomes. These results indicate that Grb10 and Nedd4 play a critical role in mediating IGF-IR down-regulation by promoting ligand-dependent multiubiquitination of the IGF-IR, which is required for receptor internalization and regulates mitogenesis.

Caveolin-1 down-regulation inhibits insulin-like growth factor-I receptor signal transduction in H9C2 rat cardiomyoblasts

Caveolin (Cav)-1, the major caveolar protein, directly interacts with IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR) and its intracellular substrates. To determine the role of Cav-1 in IGF-IR signaling, we transfected H9C2 cells with small interfering RNA specific for Cav-1-siRNA. The selective down-regulation of Cav-1 (90%) was associated with a smaller reduction of Cav-2, whereas Cav-3 expression was unaffected. A significant reduction of IGF-IR tyrosine phosphorylation in Cav-1-siRNA H9C2 cells was found compared with H9C2 control cells (Ctr-siRNA). The reduced IGF-IR autophosphorylation resulted in a decrease of insulin receptor substrate-1, Shc, and Akt activation. In addition, in Cav-1-siRNA H9C2 cells, IGF-I did not prevent apoptosis, suggesting that Cav-1 is required to mediate the antiapoptotic effect of IGF-I in cardiomyoblasts. The down-regulation of Cav-1 decreased IGF-IR activation and affected the ability of IGF-I to prevent apoptosis after serum withdrawal also in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. These results demonstrate that: 1) Cav-1 down-regulation negatively affects IGF-IR tyrosine phosphorylation; 2) this effect causes a reduced activation of insulin receptor substrate-1, Shc, and Akt; and 3) Cav-1 is involved in IGF-IR antiapoptotic signaling after serum deprivation.

Caveolin-1 up-regulates IGF-I receptor gene transcription in breast cancer cells via Sp1- and p53-dependent pathways

The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system plays an important role in the biology of breast cancer. Most of the biological actions of IGF-I and IGF-II are mediated by the IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR), a membrane-bound heterotetramer with potent antiapoptotic and cell survival activities. Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) is one of the main components of caveolae, and it has been shown to interact with multiple signaling molecules. In view of the important roles of IGF-IR and Cav-1 in oncogenically transformed mammary gland cells, in the present study we addressed the potential regulation of IGF-IR gene expression by Cav-1. The results obtained showed that MCF7/Cav-1 cells, expressing the Cav-1 gene in a stable manner, contain significantly higher levels of IGF-IR protein and mRNA than native MCF7 cells. These elevated levels of expression are mediated at the level of transcription, as shown by the results of experiments showing that the activity of the proximal IGF-IR promoter was higher in Cav-1-expressing MCF7 cells than in untransfected MCF7 cells. Furthermore, in subcellular localization studies, intensive IGF-IR staining in membrane ruffles and projections in MCF7/Cav-1 cells were noted, in contrast to typical membrane staining in MCF7 cells. In addition, we demonstrated that transcriptional activation of the IGF-IR gene by Cav-1 requires an intact p53 signaling pathway, since Cav-1 was unable to elevate IGF-IR levels in p53-null cells. Finally, the effect of Cav-1 was associated with an elevation in the levels of Sp1, a zinc-finger protein with important roles in IGF-IR gene transactivation. In summary, we identified the IGF-IR gene as a downstream target for Cav-1 action in breast cancer cells.

Caveolin Scaffolding Peptide-1 Interferes With Norepinephrine-Induced PLC-β Activation in Cultured Rat Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Caveolins are a family of integral membrane proteins implicated in various cell functions, including the organization and inactivation of signaling molecules of G protein-coupled receptors. We tested the ability of human caveolin scaffolding peptide-1 (CSP-1) to regulate norepinephrine- (NE) or histamine (HIS)-induced increases on intracellular calcium concentrations ([Ca(2+)]i). In cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC), CSP-1 inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner NE- and HIS-induced increases in [Ca(2+)]i. This effect can be explained by the fact that CSP-1 inhibited a common signaling pathway. We tested the ability of this peptide to decrease the activation of PLC-beta3 and MAPK. CSP-1 inhibited the expression of the activated form of both enzymes, suggesting a direct effect of the peptide on the signaling cascade. CSP-1 readily enters VSMC in culture, as observed when FITC-conjugated CPS-1 is added to cell culture media. Taken together, these data suggest that CSP-1 blocks the effects of NE and HIS on [Ca(2+)]i of VSMC by inhibiting the activation of PLC-beta3 and MAPK.

Insulin and IGF-I phosphorylate eNOS in HUVECs by a caveolin-1 dependent mechanism

Caveolae are plasmamembrane regions which take part in the regulation of intracellular trafficking and signaling of tyrosine kinase receptors. Insulin and IGF-I receptors and their intracellular substrates localize in caveolae. Also eNOS is targeted to caveolae and caveolin-1, the major caveolar protein, acts as a regulator of eNOS activity. Since Insulin and IGF-I phosphorylate and activate eNOS, we investigated the role of caveolin-1 in Insulin and IGF-I stimulated eNOS activity. Here we show that: (1) in human endothelial cells, Insulin and IGF-I stimulate eNOS phosphorylation in a different manner both qualitatively and quantitatively; (2) caveolin-1 down regulation abolishes Insulin and IGF-I stimulated eNOS phosphorylation. These results suggest that caveolae could represent an intracellular site that contributes to differentiate IR and IGF-IR activity, and demonstrate the role of caveolin-1 in the eNOS activation by Insulin and IGF-I.