Role of ERK/mTOR signaling in TGFbeta-modulated focal adhesion kinase mRNA stability and protein synthesis in cultured rat IEC-6 intestinal epithelial cells.

Increasing evidence is available showing the importance of the FAK (focal adhesion kinase) protein level in the migration and homeostasis of intestinal cells. TGFbeta (transforming growth factor beta) modulates FAK protein expression in a complex fashion not only by inducing the activation of p38 and Smad signaling resulting in increased fak promoter activity and increased FAK protein levels, but also by activating ERK (extracellular signal regulated kinases), p38, and the Smad pathway. We show that the blockade of ERK signaling by a specific MEK (MAPK kinase) inhibitor attenuates TGFbeta-induced FAK mRNA stability and reduces FAK protein levels in rat IEC-6 intestinal epithelial cells. The mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin)-specific inhibitor rapamycin and small interfering RNAs for mTOR and p70(S6) kinase also block TGFbeta-induced FAK protein synthesis. Furthermore, we have found that a TGFbeta-induced increase in wound closures in monolayers of these cells is abolished in the presence ERK or mTOR inhibition. Thus, TGFbeta also modulates FAK protein levels in cultured rat IEC-6 intestinal epithelial cells via ERK activation, acting at the transcriptional level to complement Smad signaling and at on the translational level via the mTOR pathway downstream of ERK, which in turn promotes intestinal epithelial cell migration.