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Role of Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase and Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase Pathways in Granulocyte Macrophage–Colony-Stimulating Factor Failure to Delay Fas-Induced Neutrophil Apoptosis in Elderly Humans

Department of Internal Medicine, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Bari Medical School, Italy.

Address correspondence to Cosimo Tortorella, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Section of Internal Medicine, Policlinico, 70124 Bari, Italy. E-mail: c.tortorella{at}intmed.uniba.it

Fas-stimulated neutrophils from elderly individuals show impaired granulocyte macrophage–colony-stimulating factor (GM–CSF)-induced apoptosis cell rescue. Herein, this defect was found to be associated with a significant reduction in GM–CSF-mediated Akt and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation. Using Akt and ERK1/2 inhibitors, we demonstrated that both kinases were critical for GM–CSF antiapoptotic effects. Whereas Akt inhibition also affected GM–CSF-dependent ERK1/2 phosphorylation, ERK1/2 inhibition did not affect GM–CSF-induced Akt phosphorylation, suggesting that phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-K)/Akt and ERK1/2 are activated in series and that PI3-K is located upstream of ERK1/2 along the GM–CSF-dependent signaling pathway. No age-associated changes in GM–CSF receptor expression were observed. Interestingly, both suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS)1 and SOCS3 proteins were significantly higher in unstimulated neutrophils from elderly individuals and, unlike in young individuals, did not further increase following GM–CSF cell triggering. These results indicate that defective PI3-K/Akt/ERK1/2 activation, likely dependent on elevated SOCS1 and SOCS3 levels, may affect the GM–CSF capacity to delay neutrophil apoptosis in elderly persons.