Activated AKT regulates NF-κB activation, p53 inhibition and cell survival in HTLV-1-transformed cells

Abstract

AKT activation enhances resistance to apoptosis and induces cell survival signaling through multiple downstream pathways. We now present evidence that AKT is activated in HTLV-1-transformed cells and that Tax activation of AKT is linked to NF-κB activation, p53 inhibition and cell survival. Overexpression of AKT wild type (WT), but not a kinase dead (KD) mutant, resulted in increased Tax-mediated NF-κB activation. Blocking AKT with the PI3K/AKT inhibitor LY294002 or AKT SiRNA prevented NF-κB activation and inhibition of p53. Treatment of C81 cells with LY294002 resulted in an increase in the p53-responsive gene MDM2, suggesting a role for AKT in the Tax-mediated regulation of p53 transcriptional activity. Further, we show that LY294002 treatment of C81 cells abrogates in vitro IKKβ phosphorylation of p65 and causes a reduction of p65 Ser-536 phosphorylation in vivo, steps critical to p53 inhibition. Interestingly, blockage of AKT function did not affect IKKβ phosphorylation of IκBα in vitro suggesting selective activity of AKT on the IKKβ complex. Finally, AKT prosurvival function in HTLV-1-transformed cells is linked to expression of Bcl-xL. We suggest that AKT plays a role in the activation of prosurvival pathways in HTLV-1-transformed cells, possibly through NF-κB activation and inhibition of p53 transcription activity.