Overstimulation can create health problems due to increases in PI3K/Akt/GSK3 insensitivity and GSK3 activity

Xunxian Liu1

  • 1Intramural Research Program, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA.

Springerplus
|August 5, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Interleukin 17 receptor C (IL17RC) signaling may explain reduced hormone use in aging by causing cell overstimulation. This overstimulation leads to increased GSK3 activity, impacting growth and survival, and potentially contributing to chronic diseases like type II Diabetes.

Area of Science:

  • Cellular biology
  • Immunology
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Aging is associated with decreased cellular response to growth hormone (GH) and thyroxine.
  • Interleukin 17 receptor C (IL17RC) is upregulated in age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
  • IL17RC signaling's role in aging and hormone resistance is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of IL17RC signaling in cellular hormone use and aging.
  • To explore the link between IL17RC, Wnt/VEGF pathways, and complement activation in AMD.
  • To determine how IL17RC overexpression affects PI3K/Akt/GSK3 signaling and cell viability.

Main Methods:

  • IL17RC overexpression and VEGF treatment in cell lines.
  • Real-time Quantitative PCR, confocal microscopy, immune-blot, and MTT assays.
  • Analysis of Wnt signaling components, VEGF, and complement factor C3.

Main Results:

  • IL17RC overexpression upregulated Wnts and VEGF, promoting Wnt-signaling component complex formation.
  • VEGF or Wnt-signaling components interacting with C3 indicated alternative complement pathway activation.
  • Cellular overstimulation via IL17RC or VEGF increased PI3K/Akt/GSK3 insensitivity and GSK3 activity, reducing growth and survival.

Conclusions:

  • IL17RC signaling contributes to cellular overstimulation, potentially explaining reduced hormone use in aging.
  • Overstimulation-induced high GSK3 activity, linked to type II Diabetes, can arise from PI3K/Akt pathway dysregulation.
  • This mechanism offers an alternative explanation for age-related decline in cellular response to hormones like GH, thyroxine, and insulin.

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