Phosphatase of regenerating liver 2 (PRL2) is essential for placental development by down-regulating PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10) and activating Akt protein

Yuanshu Dong, Lujuan Zhang, Sheng Zhang, Yunpeng Bai, Hanying Chen, Xiaoxin Sun, Weidong Yong, Wei Li, Stephanie C. Colvin, Simon J. Rhodes, Weinian Shou, Zhong Yin Zhang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

39 Scopus citations

Abstract

The PRL (phosphatase of regenerating liver) phosphatases are implicated in the control of cell proliferation and invasion. Aberrant PRL expression is associated with progression and metastasis of multiple cancers. However, the specific in vivo function of the PRLs remains elusive. Here we show that deletion of PRL2, the most ubiquitously expressed PRL family member, leads to impaired placental development and retarded growth at both embryonic and adult stages. Ablation of PRL2 inactivates Akt and blocks glycogen cell proliferation, resulting in reduced spongiotrophoblast and decidual layers in the placenta. These structural defects cause placental hypotrophy and insufficiency, leading to fetal growth retardation. We demonstrate that the tumor suppressor PTEN is elevated in PRL2-deficient placenta. Biochemical analyses indicate that PRL2 promotes Akt activation by down-regulating PTEN through the proteasome pathway. This study provides the first evidence that PRL2 is required for extra-embryonic development and associates the oncogenic properties of PRL2 with its ability to negatively regulate PTEN, thereby activating the PI3K-Akt pathway.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)32172-32179
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry
Volume287
Issue number38
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 14 2012
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

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