Progestins activate the AKT pathway in leiomyoma cells and promote survival.

ABSTRACT:

Context

Progesterone has been associated with promoting growth of uterine leiomyomas. The mechanisms involved remain unclear.

Objective

In this study we investigated the activation of the AKT pathway and its downstream effectors, glycogen synthase kinase-3b and Forkhead box O (FOXO)-1 by progesterone as a mechanism of proliferation and survival of leiomyoma cells. Inhibitors of the AKT pathway were used to demonstrate the role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, AKT, and FOXO1 in contributing to cell proliferation and apoptosis.

Results

Treatment of leiomyoma cells with R5020 over a period of 72 h resulted in higher cell numbers compared with untreated cells. When cells were treated with 100 nm R5020 for 1 and 24 h, the levels of phospho(Ser 473)-AKT increased. This inc

SUBMITTER: Hoekstra AV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2684476 | biostudies-literature | 2009 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature