Akt-phosphorylated PIKE-A inhibits UNC5B-induced apoptosis in cancer cell lines in a p53-dependent manner

UNC5B acts as a tumor suppressor, and it induces apoptosis in the absence of its cognate ligand netrins. UNC5B is a direct transcriptional target of p53 upon UV stimulation. Here we show that Akt phosphorylates PIKE-A and regulates its association with UNC5B and inhibits UNC5B-provoked apoptosis in a p53-dependent manner. PIKE-A GTPase binds active Akt and stimulates its kinase activity in a guanine-nucleotide-dependent way. Akt feeds back and phosphorylates PIKE-A on Ser-472 and subsequently enhances its stimulatory effect on Akt kinase activity. Akt activity is significantly reduced in PIKE -/- Mouse Embryonic Fibroblast (MEF) cells as compared to wild-type cells. PIKE-A directly interacts with UNC5B, which is regulated by netrin-1-activated Akt. Overexpression of PIKE-A diminishes UNC5B expression through down-regulation of p53. Knocking down PIKE-A stabilizes p53, increases UNC5B, and escalates UV-triggered apoptosis. Depletion of Akt abrogates PIKE-A's inhibitory effect on both p53 and UNC5B. Hence our findings support the notion that Akt--phosphorylated PIKE-A inhibits UNC5B-elicited apoptosis and reduces its expression level through inactivation of p53.