Integrin alpha 2 beta 1 promotes activation of protein phosphatase 2A and dephosphorylation of Akt and glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta

Serine/threonine kinase Akt is a downstream effector protein of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI-3K). Many integrins can function as positive modulators of the PI-3K/Akt pathway. Integrin alpha2beta1 is a collagen receptor that has been shown to induce specific signals distinct from those activated by other integrins. Here, we found that, in contrast what was found for cells adherent to fibronectin, alpha2beta1-mediated cell adhesion to collagen leads to dephosphorylation of Akt and glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK3beta) and concomitantly to the induction of protein serine/threonine phosphatase 2A (PP2A) activity. PP2A activation can be inhibited by mutation in the alpha2 cytoplasmic domain and by a function-blocking anti-alpha2 antibody. Akt can be coprecipitated with PP2A, and coexpression of Akt with PP2Ac (catalytic subunit) inhibits Akt kinase activity. Integrin alpha2beta1-related activation of PP2A is dependent on Cdc42. These results indicate that cell adhesion to collagen modulates Akt activity via the alpha2beta1-induced activation of PP2A.