Somatic Mutations in p85α Promote Tumorigenesis through Class IA PI3K Activation

Members of the mammalian phosphoinositide-3-OH kinase (PI3K) family of proteins are critical regulators of various cellular process including cell survival, growth, proliferation, and motility. Oncogenic activating mutations in the p110α catalytic subunit of the heterodimeric p110/p85 PI3K enzyme are frequent in human cancers. Here we show the presence of frequent mutations in p85α in colon cancer, a majority of which occurs in the inter-Src homology-2 (iSH2) domain. These mutations uncouple and retain p85α's p110-stabilizing activity, while abrogating its p110-inhibitory activity. The p85α mutants promote cell survival, AKT activation, anchorage-independent cell growth, and oncogenesis in a p110-dependent manner.