Regulation of the tumour suppressor PTEN by phosphorylation and oligomerization

Funded Activity Summary

The tumour suppressor PTEN is an enzyme involved in controlling cell growth, cell death, and cell migration. PTEN was identified as a tumour suppressor because many tumour cells were found to carry mutations in the PTEN gene that cause the loss of PTEN protein or the loss of PTEN enzyme activity. Hereditary mutations of the PTEN gene are the causes of a rare genetic disease called Cowden's disease. Cowden's disease patients are predisposed to developing skin, thyroid, and breast cancers. In laboratory conditions, increasing the abundance of PTEN in tumour cells such as brain and prostate tumour cells can suppress their growth, hence its role as a tumour suppressor. In addition to its role as a tumour suppressor, PTEN controls cancer cell spreading. Although much is known about the involvement of PTEN in cancer formation and the spreading of cancer cells, how PTEN suppresses tumour cell growth and spreading is not fully understood. The enzyme activity of PTEN enhances the removal of a chemical group called phosphate group from proteins and the fat-soluble compounds called phospholipids in the cell membrane. The ability of PTEN to suppress cell growth and spreading is due to its enzyme activity. However, exactly how the enzyme activity of PTEN is regulated is not well understood. In order for PTEN to efficiently enhance the removal of phosphate group from specific cellular proteins and phospholipids, PTEN needs to be located in close vicinity to these proteins and phospholipids. However, exactly how PTEN moves to the locations where these proteins and phospholipids are present remains elusive. This proposal aims at studying the regulation of PTEN enzyme activity and movement inside the cells. Results of the proposed studies will shed new light on how PTEN gene mutations contribute to cancer formation and the spreading of cancer cells and may facilitate the search for the cure of cancers.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2002

End Date: 01-01-2004

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $241,650.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Enzymes

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

Cowden's disease | Enzymology | Protein kinases and protein phosphatases | neuroblastoma | phosphatidylinositol-3 phosphatase | prostate cancer | signal transduction | stomach cancer | tumour metastasis | tumour suppressor

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