Loss of PI3-kinase activity of inositol polyphosphate multikinase impairs PDK1-mediated AKT activation, cell migration and intestinal homeostasis

Inositol polyphosphate multikinase (IPMK) is a rate-limiting enzyme in the inositol phosphate (IP) pathway which converts IP3 to IP4 and IP5. In mammalian cells, IPMK can also act as a phosphoinositol-3-kinase (PI3-kinase). We previously found that IPMK is a critical PI3-kinase activator of AKT. Here, we show that IPMK mediates AKT activation by promoting membrane localization and activation of PDK1. The PI3-kinase activity of IPMK is dispensable for membrane localization of AKT, which is entirely controlled by classical PI3-kinase (p110 α ,ß, γ, δ ). By contrast, we found that PDK1 membrane localization was largely independent of classical PI3-kinase. Membrane localization of PDK1 stimulates cell migration by dissociating ROCK1 from inhibitory binding to RhoE and promoting ROCK1-mediated myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation. Deletion of IPMK impairs cell migration associated with the abolition of PDK1-mediated ROCK1 disinhibition and subsequent MLC phosphorylation. To investigate the physiological relevance of IPMK-mediated AKT activation, we generated mice selectively lacking IPMK in epithelial cells of the intestine, where IPMK is highly expressed. Deletion of IPMK in intestinal epithelial cells markedly reduced AKT phosphorylation and diminished numbers of Paneth cells – a crypt-resident epithelial cell type that generates the physiological niche for intestinal stem cells. Ablation of IPMK impaired intestinal epithelial cell regeneration basally and after; chemotherapy-induced damage, suggesting a broad role for IPMK in the activation of AKT and intestinal tissue regeneration. In summary, the PI3-kinase activity of IPMK promotes membrane localization of PDK1, a critical kinase whereby AKT maintains intestinal homeostasis. One Sentence Summary PI3-kinase activity of IPMK is essential for activation of AKT. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.