The Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase-Akt Pathway Limits Lipopolysaccharide Activation of Signaling Pathways and Expression of Inflammatory Mediators in Human Monocytic Cells*

Monocytes and macrophages express cytokines and procoagulant molecules in various inflammatory diseases. In sepsis, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Gram-negative bacteria induces tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and tissue factor (TF) in monocytic cells via the activation of the transcription factors Egr-1, AP-1, and nuclear factor-κB. However, the signaling pathways that negatively regulate LPS-induced TNF-α and TF expression in monocytic cells are currently unknown. We report that inhibition of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt pathway enhances LPS-induced activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways (ERK1/2, p38, and JNK) and the downstream targets AP-1 and Egr-1. In addition, inhibition of PI3K-Akt enhanced LPS-induced nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB and prevented Akt-dependent inactivation of glycogen synthase kinase-β, which increased the transactivational activity of p65. We propose that the activation of the PI3K-Akt pathway in human monocytes limits the LPS induction of TNF-α and TF expression. Our study provides new insight into the inhibitory mechanism by which the PI3K-Akt pathway ensures transient expression of these potent inflammatory mediators.