[PDF][PDF] TSC1 activates TGF-β-Smad2/3 signaling in growth arrest and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition

A Thien, MT Prentzell, B Holzwarth, K Kläsener… - Developmental cell, 2015 - cell.com
A Thien, MT Prentzell, B Holzwarth, K Kläsener, I Kuper, C Boehlke, AG Sonntag, S Ruf…
Developmental cell, 2015cell.com
The tuberous sclerosis proteins TSC1 and TSC2 are key integrators of growth factor
signaling. They suppress cell growth and proliferation by acting in a heteromeric complex to
inhibit the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1). In this study, we identify
TSC1 as a component of the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β)-Smad2/3 pathway. Here,
TSC1 functions independently of TSC2. TSC1 interacts with the TGF-β receptor complex and
Smad2/3 and is required for their association with one another. TSC1 regulates TGF-β …
Summary
The tuberous sclerosis proteins TSC1 and TSC2 are key integrators of growth factor signaling. They suppress cell growth and proliferation by acting in a heteromeric complex to inhibit the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1). In this study, we identify TSC1 as a component of the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β)-Smad2/3 pathway. Here, TSC1 functions independently of TSC2. TSC1 interacts with the TGF-β receptor complex and Smad2/3 and is required for their association with one another. TSC1 regulates TGF-β-induced Smad2/3 phosphorylation and target gene expression and controls TGF-β-induced growth arrest and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Hyperactive Akt specifically activates TSC1-dependent cytostatic Smad signaling to induce growth arrest. Thus, TSC1 couples Akt activity to TGF-β-Smad2/3 signaling. This has implications for cancer treatments targeting phosphoinositide 3-kinases and Akt because they may impair tumor-suppressive cytostatic TGF-β signaling by inhibiting Akt- and TSC1-dependent Smad activation.
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