Drosophila tumor suppressor PTEN controls cell size and number by antagonizing the Chico/PI3-kinase signaling pathway.

ABSTRACT: The human tumor suppressor gene PTEN encodes a putative cytoskeleton-associated molecule with both protein phosphatase and phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP3) 3-phosphatase activities. In cell culture, the lipid phosphatase activity of this protein is involved in regulating cell proliferation and survival, but the mechanism by which PTEN inhibits tumorigenesis in vivo is not fully established. Here we show that the highly evolutionarily conserved Drosophila PTEN homolog, DPTEN, suppresses hyperplastic growth in flies by reducing cell size and number. We demonstrate that DPTEN modulates tissue mass by acting antagonistically to the Drosophila Class I phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, Dp110, and its upstream activator Chico, an insulin receptor substrate homolog. Surprisingly, altho

SUBMITTER: Goberdhan DC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC317204 | biostudies-literature | 1999 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature