Dual Targeting of Akt and mTORC1 Impairs Repair of DNA Double-Strand Breaks and Increases Radiation Sensitivity of Human Tumor Cells

PLoS One. 2016 May 3;11(5):e0154745. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154745. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Inhibition of mammalian target of rapamycin-complex 1 (mTORC1) induces activation of Akt. Because Akt activity mediates the repair of ionizing radiation-induced DNA double-strand breaks (DNA-DSBs) and consequently the radioresistance of solid tumors, we investigated whether dual targeting of mTORC1 and Akt impairs DNA-DSB repair and induces radiosensitization. Combining mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin with ionizing radiation in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells (H661, H460, SK-MES-1, HTB-182, A549) and in the breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 resulted in radiosensitization of H661 and H460 cells (responders), whereas only a very slight effect was observed in A549 cells, and no effect was observed in SK-MES-1, HTB-182 or MDA-MB-231 cells (non-responders). In responder cells, rapamycin treatment did not activate Akt1 phosphorylation, whereas in non-responders, rapamycin mediated PI3K-dependent Akt activity. Molecular targeting of Akt by Akt inhibitor MK2206 or knockdown of Akt1 led to a rapamycin-induced radiosensitization of non-responder cells. Compared to the single targeting of Akt, the dual targeting of mTORC1 and Akt1 markedly enhanced the frequency of residual DNA-DSBs by inhibiting the non-homologous end joining repair pathway and increased radiation sensitivity. Together, lack of radiosensitization induced by rapamycin was associated with rapamycin-mediated Akt1 activation. Thus, dual targeting of mTORC1 and Akt1 inhibits repair of DNA-DSB leading to radiosensitization of solid tumor cells.

MeSH terms

  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / radiation effects
  • DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded / drug effects
  • DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded / radiation effects*
  • DNA Repair* / drug effects
  • DNA Repair* / radiation effects
  • Enzyme Activation / drug effects
  • Enzyme Activation / radiation effects
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Humans
  • Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy
  • Multiprotein Complexes / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Multiprotein Complexes / metabolism*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / deficiency
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism*
  • Radiation Tolerance / drug effects*
  • Sirolimus / pharmacology*
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Multiprotein Complexes
  • Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Sirolimus

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft [Ro527/5-1 and SFB-773-TP B02] awarded to HPR, DFG-RO 527/7-1 awarded to HPR/MT and GRK 1302/2 (T11) awarded to MT/HPR. We acknowledge support by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and Open Access Publishing Fund of University of Tübingen.