14-3-3γ affects mTOR pathway and regulates lactogenesis in dairy cow mammary epithelial cells

In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim. 2015 Aug;51(7):697-704. doi: 10.1007/s11626-015-9879-x. Epub 2015 Jul 17.

Abstract

14-3-3 proteins are an acidic protein family that is highly conserved and widely distributed in eukaryotic cells. Recent studies have found that 14-3-3 proteins play critical roles in cell signal transductions, cell growth and differentiation, and protein synthesis. 14-3-3γ is an important member of 14-3-3 protein family. In our previous study, we found that 14-3-3γ was upregulated by estrogen in dairy cow mammary epithelial cell (DCMEC), but the function and mechanism of 14-3-3γ is not known. In this experiment, we first cultured and purified the primary DCMEC and found 14-3-3γ located both in the cytoplasm and nucleus by using immunofluorescence assay. Methionine, lysine, estrogen, and prolactin could upregulate the expression of 14-3-3γ, stimulate the secretion of β-casein and triglyceride, and raise the cell viability of DCMEC. We constructed a stable 14-3-3γ overexpression cell line of DCMEC and found that the expressions of mTOR and p-mTOR, the secretion of triglyceride and β-casein (CSN2), and the cell viability of DCMEC were all upregulated. We also observed the effects of 14-3-3γ gene silencing and gained consistent results with 14-3-3γ overexpression. These findings reveal that 14-3-3γ affects the mTOR pathway and regulates lactogenesis in DCMECs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 14-3-3 Proteins / genetics
  • 14-3-3 Proteins / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Caseins / metabolism
  • Cattle
  • Cell Survival
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Dairying
  • Epithelial Cells / drug effects
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism
  • Female
  • Lactation
  • Lysine / metabolism
  • Lysine / pharmacology
  • Mammary Glands, Animal / cytology*
  • Mammary Glands, Animal / metabolism
  • Methionine / metabolism
  • Methionine / pharmacology
  • Prolactin / metabolism
  • Prolactin / pharmacology
  • Signal Transduction
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*
  • Triglycerides / metabolism

Substances

  • 14-3-3 Proteins
  • Caseins
  • Triglycerides
  • Prolactin
  • Methionine
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Lysine