Dissimilar effects of LY 294002 and PD 098059 in IGF-I-mediated inhibition of TGF-beta1 expression and apoptosis in bovine mammary epithelial cells.

In mammary epithelial cells (MEC) TGF-beta(1) is the auto-/paracrine growth inhibitor and inducer of apoptosis and therefore is considered as an important local regulator of mammary tissue involution. However, the mechanisms of controlled TGF-beta(1) expression in the course of bovine mammary gland remodelling are still unclear. Recent study performed in this laboratory support the evidence that TGF-beta(1) expression in bovine MEC is regulated by hormones of somatotropic axis (GH, IGF-I and somatostatin). Present study was focused on the contribution of IGF-I-induced signaling pathways in anti-TGF-beta(1) and anti-apoptotic effects of IGF-I. Laser scanning cytometry was applied for the measurement of TGF-beta(1) content and apoptotic cell number in bovine BME-UV1 MEC. Involution of the bovine mammary gland in vitro was modeled by decreasing the availability of FBS for bovine MEC. Reducing FBS content in the medium from 10% to 0.5% evoked highly significant increase of TGF-beta(1) expression and increase of apoptotic cell number. IGF-I (50 ng/ml) completely abrogated FBS deficiency-induced TGF-beta(1) expression and apoptosis in bovine MEC. In order to establish which of the IGF-I signaling pathways contributed to anti-TGF-beta(1) and anti-apoptotic effects, the inhibitors of PI3-kinase - (LY 294002) and MEK- (MAPKK for ERK) (PD 098059) mediated signaling pathways were applied to our model. The results clearly showed that inhibition of PI3-K reverses the ability of IGF-I to suppress TGF-beta(1) expression and apoptosis. An inhibition of ERK1/2 pathway even potentiated inhibitory effect of IGF-I on TGF-beta(1) expression, but partially abrogated anti-apoptotic effect of IGF-I. In conclusion, the results of the study indicate that PI3-K/Akt pathway contributed significantly to the inhibition of TGF-beta(1) expression by IGF-I, whereas both PI3-K/Akt and ERK1/2 pathways are involved in the anti-apoptotic effect of IGF-I in bovine MEC.