ACTIVATION AND NUCLEAR TRANSLOCATION OF MITOGEN-ACTIVATED PROTEIN-KINASES BY POLYOMAVIRUS MIDDLE-T OR SERUM DEPEND ON PHOSPHATIDYLINOSITOL 3-KINASE

Several cellular signal transduction pathways activated by middle-T in polyomavirus-transformed cells are required for viral oncogenicity. Here we focus on the role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) and Ras and address the question how these signaling molecules cooperate during cell cycle activation. Ras activation is mediated through association with SHC GRB2 . SOS and leads to increased activity of several members of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family, while activation of PI 3-kinase results in the generation of D3-phosphorylated phosphatidylinositides whose downstream targets remain elusive. PI 3-kinase activation might also ensue as a direct consequence of Ras activation. Oncogenicity of middle-T requires stimulation of both Ras- and PI 3-kinase-dependent pathways. Mutants of middle-T incapable to bind either SHC . GRB2 . SOS or PI 3-kinase are not oncogenic, Sustained activation and nuclear localization of one of the MAP kinases, ERK-1, was observed in wild type but not in mutant middle-T-expressing cells. Wortmannin, an inhibitor of PI 3-kinase, prevented MAP kinase activation and nuclear localization in middle-T-transformed cells. PI 3-kinase activity was also required for activation of the MAP kinase pathway in normal serum-stimulated cells, generalizing the concept that signaling through MAP kinases requires not only Ras- but also PI 3-kinase-mediated signals.