A transforming mutation in the pleckstrin homology domain of AKT1 in cancer

Nature. 2007 Jul 26;448(7152):439-44. doi: 10.1038/nature05933. Epub 2007 Jul 4.

Abstract

Although AKT1 (v-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homologue 1) kinase is a central member of possibly the most frequently activated proliferation and survival pathway in cancer, mutation of AKT1 has not been widely reported. Here we report the identification of a somatic mutation in human breast, colorectal and ovarian cancers that results in a glutamic acid to lysine substitution at amino acid 17 (E17K) in the lipid-binding pocket of AKT1. Lys 17 alters the electrostatic interactions of the pocket and forms new hydrogen bonds with a phosphoinositide ligand. This mutation activates AKT1 by means of pathological localization to the plasma membrane, stimulates downstream signalling, transforms cells and induces leukaemia in mice. This mechanism indicates a direct role of AKT1 in human cancer, and adds to the known genetic alterations that promote oncogenesis through the phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase/AKT pathway. Furthermore, the E17K substitution decreases the sensitivity to an allosteric kinase inhibitor, so this mutation may have important clinical utility for AKT drug development.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood Proteins / chemistry*
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / genetics*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / genetics
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • Enzyme Activation / genetics
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leukemia / genetics
  • Mice
  • Models, Molecular
  • Mutation / genetics*
  • Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Neoplasms / pathology
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / genetics
  • Phosphoproteins / chemistry*
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary / genetics
  • Protein Transport
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / chemistry*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid*

Substances

  • Blood Proteins
  • Phosphoproteins
  • platelet protein P47
  • AKT1 protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt