PTEN (gene)
tumor suppressor gene
PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog) is a gene found in humans which encodes for the protein PTEN, also known as phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate 3-phosphatase. PTEN acts as a tumor suppressor gene through the action of its phosphatase protein product. Mutations of this gene are linked to many cancers, specifically glioblastoma, lung cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer. Genes corresponding to PTEN (orthologs) have been identified in most mammals for which complete genome data are available.
The PTEN protein contains both a tensin-like domain and a catalytic domain similar to that of the dual specificity phosphatases. Unlike most protein tyrosine phosphatases, the PTEN protein preferentially dephosphorylates phosphoinositide substrates. Specifically, it catalyzes the conversion of phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP3) to phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2). Decreased PIP3 levels, in turn, lead to decreased activation of the Akt/PKB signaling pathway, an important pathway in cell growth, survival, and proliferation.
Function
PTEN protein is primarily a lipid phosphatase, which dephosphorylates phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate (PtdIns (3,4,5)P3 or PIP3) into the biphosphate product phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P2 or PIP2). PTEN specifically catalyses the dephosphorylation of the 3` phosphate of the inositol ring in PIP3.
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