Hydrogen peroxide inhibits mTOR signaling by activation of AMPKα leading to apoptosis of neuronal cells

Oxidative stress results in apoptosis of neuronal cells, leading to neurodegenerative disorders. However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains to be elucidated. Here we show that hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), a major oxidant generated when oxidative stress occurs, induced apoptosis of neuronal cells (PC12 cells and primary murine neurons), by inhibiting the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)-mediated phosphorylation of ribosomal p70 S6 kinase (S6K1) and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) binding protein 1 (4E-BP1). N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), a scavenger of reactive oxygen species (ROS), blocked H(2)O(2) inhibition of mTOR signaling. Ectopic expression of wild type (wt) mTOR, constitutively active S6K1 or downregulation of 4E-BP1 partially prevented H(2)O(2) induction of apoptosis. Furthermore, we identified that H(2)O(2) induction of ROS inhibited the upstream kinases, Akt and phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1), but not the type I insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGFR), and activated the negative regulator, AMP-activated protein kinase α (AMPKα), but not the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) in the cells. Expression of a dominant negative AMPKα or downregulation of AMPKα1 conferred partial resistance to H(2)O(2) inhibition of phosphorylation of S6K1 and 4E-BP1, as well as cell viability, indicating that H(2)O(2) inhibition of mTOR signaling is at least in part through activation of AMPK. Our findings suggest that AMPK inhibitors may be exploited for prevention of H(2)O(2)-induced neurodegenerative diseases.