MEKK1-induced apoptosis requires TRAIL death receptor activation and is inhibited by AKT/PKB through inhibition of MEKK1 cleavage

MEK kinase 1 (MEKK1) induces apoptosis through the activation of caspases. The mechanism for MEKK1-induced apoptosis involves caspase-mediated cleavage of MEKK1, releasing a pro-apoptotic 91 kDa kinase fragment that serves to further amplify caspase activation in a feedback loop. Both cleavage of MEKK1 and increased expression of death receptor 4 (DR4, TRAILR1) and death receptor 5 (DR5, TRAILR2) occur following exposure of cells to genotoxins. Overexpression of kinase inactive MEKK1 inhibits MEKK1-mediated apoptosis and effectively blocks death receptor upregulation following etoposide treatment. Herein, we investigate the role of death receptor activation and the ability of AKT/PKB (AKT) to inhibit cell death in MEKK1-induced apoptosis. We show that by preventing DR4 and DR5 activation through expression of decoy receptor 1 (DcR1) and dominant negative FADD, we inhibit MEKK1-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, expression of 91 kDa MEKK1 increased DR4 and FAS mRNA and protein levels. MEKK1-induced apoptosis is amplified by blocking PI-3 kinase activation and overexpression of AKT blocked both MEKK1-induced apoptosis and caspase activation. AKT overexpression also prevented the cleavage of endogenous MEKK1 by genotoxins. AKT did not, however, block MEKK1-induced JNK activation, showing that regulation of the JNK pathway by MEKK1 is independent of its role in regulation of apoptosis. Thus, MEKK1-induced apoptosis requires TRAIL death receptor activation and is blocked by AKT through inhibition of MEKK1 cleavage.