Isoform-specific PI3K activity assays were established to determine isoform activation by bile salts in rat hepatocytes. Activation of Akt and JNK was determined by immunoblotting. Following stimulation with hydrophobic bile salts, hepatocellular apoptosis was determined morphologically after Hoechst staining and by analysis of caspase-3/-7 activity or caspase-3 cleavage. Activity or expression of PI3K p110γ was inhibited pharmacologically (AS604850) or by knock-down using specific siRNA.
All bile salts tested activated p110β, while p110α was activated by TUDC and GCDC. Intriguingly, only hydrophobic bile salts activated p110γ. Inhibition of p110γ attenuated GCDC-induced Akt- and JNK-activation, but did not alter TUDC- or cAMP-induced Akt-signaling in rat hepatocytes. Inhibition or knock-down of p110γ markedly attenuated hydrophobic bile salt-induced apoptosis in rat hepatocytes and human hepatoma cell lines but did not alter Fas-, tumor necrosis factor α- and etoposide-induced apoptosis. Depletion of Ca++ prevented GCDC-induced toxicity in rat hepatocytes but did not affect GCDC-induced Akt- and JNK-activation.
PI3K p110γ is activated by hydrophobic, but not hydrophilic bile salts. Bile salt-induced hepatocyte apoptosis is partly mediated via a PI3K p110γ dependent signaling pathway, potentially involving JNK.