Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound   Target Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound

---

Query: EC:2.7.10.1 (ERK)
95,504 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Signals transduced by the B cell antigen receptor (BCR) play a central role in regulating the functional response of the cell to antigen. Depending on the nature of the antigenic signal and the developmental or differentiation state of the B cell, antigen receptor signaling can promote either apoptosis or survival and activation. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying BCR-mediated apoptosis constitutes an important area of research because aberrations in programmed cell death can result in the development of autoimmunity or cancer. Expression of the adaptor protein hematopoietic Src homology 2 (HSH2) was found to significantly decrease BCR-mediated apoptosis in the murine WEHI-231 cell line. Analysis of signal transduction pathways activated in response to BCR ligation revealed that HSH2 does not significantly alter total protein tyrosine phosphorylation or Ca2+ mobilization. HSH2 does not potentiate the activation-dependent phosphorylation of AKT either. With respect to MAPK activation, HSH2 was not observed to alter the activation of ERK or p38 in response to BCR ligation, but it does significantly potentiate JNK activation. Analysis of processes directly associated with apoptosis revealed that HSH2 inhibits mitochondrial depolarization to a significant degree, whereas it has only a slight effect on caspase activation and poly ADP-ribose polymerase cleavage. BCR-induced apoptosis of WEHI-231 cells is associated with the loss of endogenous HSH2 expression within 12 h, whereas inhibition of apoptosis in response to CD40-mediated signaling leads to stabilization of HSH2 expression. Thus, endogenous HSH2 expression correlates directly with survival of WEHI-231 cells, which supports the hypothesis that HSH2 modulates the apoptotic response through its ability to directly or indirectly promote mitochondrial stability.
...
PMID:The adaptor protein HSH2 attenuates apoptosis in response to ligation of the B cell antigen receptor complex on the B lymphoma cell line, WEHI-231. 1556 88

Bystander B cells may be initially stimulated through CD40, which enhances susceptibility to Fas-mediated apoptosis, before encountering Ag, which produces Fas resistance. A key issue in this process is to what extent CD40 cross-talk might affect subsequent BCR signaling. It has previously been shown that CD40 engagement bypasses or mitigates the need for Bruton's tyrosine kinase in subsequent BCR signaling for NF-kappaB activation. However, the full extent of the effects of CD40 on BCR signaling has not been delineated. In the present study we evaluated the possibility that CD40-mediated cross-talk also affects another principal outcome of BCR signaling: MAPK activation. We found that prior stimulation of primary murine B cells with CD40L markedly enhanced the level of ERK and JNK (but not p38 MAPK) phosphorylation produced by subsequently added anti-Ig Ab, and much, but not all, of this enhancement was independent of PI3K and phospholipase C. CD40L treatment similarly enhanced BCR-induced MAPK kinase (MEK) phosphorylation, and MEK was required for enhancement of ERK. Although BCR-induced c-Raf phosphorylation was also enhanced by prior CD40L treatment, c-Raf was not required for MEK/ERK phosphorylation. These results identify a novel system of receptor cross-talk between CD40 and BCR and indicate that the effects of CD40 engagement on subsequent BCR stimulation spread beyond NF-kappaB to involve the MAPK pathway.
...
PMID:B cell receptor (BCR) cross-talk: CD40 engagement enhances BCR-induced ERK activation. 1574 69

Phagocytosis of inhaled Bacillus anthracis spores and subsequent trafficking to lymph nodes are decisive events in the progression of inhalational anthrax because they initiate germination and dissemination of spores. Found in high frequency throughout the respiratory track, dendritic cells (DCs) routinely take up foreign particles and migrate to lymph nodes. However, the participation of DCs in phagocytosis and dissemination of spores has not been investigated previously. We found that human DCs readily engulfed fully pathogenic Ames and attenuated B. anthracis spores predominately by coiling phagocytosis. Spores provoked a loss of tissue-retaining chemokine receptors (CCR2, CCR5) with a concurrent increase in lymph node homing receptors (CCR7, CD11c) on the membrane of DCs. After spore infection, immature DCs displayed a mature phenotype (CD83(bright), HLA-DR(bright), CD80(bright), CD86(bright), CD40(bright)) and enhanced costimulatory activity. Surprisingly, spores activated the MAPK cascade (ERK, p38) within 30 min and stimulated expression of several inflammatory response genes by 2 h. MAPK signaling was extinguished by 6 h infection, and there was a dramatic reduction of secreted TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-8 in the absence of DC death. This corresponded temporally with enzymatic cleavage of proximal MAPK signaling proteins (MEK-1, MEK-3, and MAP kinase kinase-4) and may indicate activity of anthrax lethal toxin. Taken together, these results suggest that B. anthracis may exploit DCs to facilitate infection.
...
PMID:Dendritic cells endocytose Bacillus anthracis spores: implications for anthrax pathogenesis. 1584 53

Alzheimer's disease, the most common neurodegenerative dementia in the elderly, affects cognition, behavior and functioning, and a prominent neuroinflammatory component likely contributes to disease pathogenesis. The epidemiology of AD has previously shown that NSAID use decreases the incidence of AD, and evidence from tissue culture, in vivo models, and Alzheimer brain tissue studies indicate that inflammation in AD is mediated by the production of proinflammatory molecules, leading to microglial activation and neuronal damage. Preliminary clinical drug trials of anti-inflammatory agents, such as indomethacin, suggest slowing of cognitive decline in AD, further supporting a role for inflammation. The basic mechanisms underlying the AD neuroinflammatory cascade, which might accelerate the development of AD neuropathology, are poorly understood, but several recent studies implicate a number of established signaling pathways in this process. Microglial activation might involve beta-amyloid binding and activation of cell surface immune and adhesion molecules such as CD45, CD40, CD36 and integrins, with the subsequent recruitment of Src family tyrosine kinases such as Fyn, Lyn and Syk kinases. ERK and MAPK pathways are then activated, which induces proinflammatory gene expression and leads to the production of cytokines and chemokines. These molecules may then contribute to synaptic pruning, damage and loss, while TNFalpha can induce neuronal apoptosis and injury. The production of interleukins and other cytokines and chemokines also may lead to microglial activation, astrogliosis, and further secretion of proinflammatory molecules and amyloid, thus perpetuating the cascade. Simultaneously, direct neuronal injury from amyloid-induced signaling also contributes to neurodegeneration. Of clinical relevance, components of these pathways may be suitable targets for therapeutic modulation in AD and for the development of novel disease-modifying anti-inflammatory therapy.
...
PMID:Mechanisms of cell signaling and inflammation in Alzheimer's disease. 1585 47

The rapid growth and ruthless metastasis of tumors demand effective broad immune responses. Dendritic cells (DCs) are critical in developing tumor vaccines. Recent investigations have been focused on modifying tumor antigens to target DCs to induce immune responses efficiently in vivo. In this study, human hsp70 was fused to the extracellular domain of rat Her2/Neu (NeuEDhsp70) for enhancing anti-tumor immunity in aggressive breast tumor models. NeuEDhsp70-conditioned DCs produced significant IL-12p40 and effectively presented NeuED antigens to T cells in vitro. NeuEDhsp70 DNA vaccine induced enhanced Neu-specific antibody and IFN-gamma-producing cellular immune responses in vivo. Although NeuEDhsp70 and NeuED DNA vaccines elicited comparable therapeutic anti-tumor immunity in an aggressive primary breast tumor model, NeuEDhsp70 DNA vaccine significantly increased survival and reduced metastasis in an aggressive spontaneous metastatic breast tumor model. Results from animal experiments with depletion of immune cells or with deficiency of CD40 molecules indicate that T cells and CD40 molecules are critical in the anti-tumor immunity induced by NeuEDhsp70 DNA vaccine. These observations suggest that NeuEDhsp70 DNA vaccine is a promising reagent to induce potent anti-tumor immunity to an aggressive spontaneous metastatic breast tumor.
...
PMID:Enhanced immunity by NeuEDhsp70 DNA vaccine Is needed to combat an aggressive spontaneous metastatic breast cancer. 1592 65

CD40 is critically involved in Fas-mediated cholangiocyte apoptosis during liver inflammation, but the underlying signalling events are poorly understood. Our recent work implicated AP-1 in CD40-induced cholangiocyte apoptosis, but suggested involvement of other signalling pathways. Because STAT3 has been implicated in liver regeneration we investigated this signalling pathway during CD40 mediated cholangiocyte apoptosis. Western immunoblotting, electrophoretic mobility gel shift assays, In situ DNA end labelling and caspase-3 activity were used to investigate intracellular signalling and apoptosis in primary human cholangiocytes following CD40 activation. CD40-activation induced caspase-3 dependent cholangiocyte apoptosis and 3-fold increases in JNK/ERK phosphorylation (concomitant with increased AP-1 binding activity) and 4-fold increases in pSTAT3, which were sustained for up to 24 h. Protein levels of c-Jun, c-Fos and pSTAT3 confirmed the upregulation. Phosphorylation of p38 remained unchanged suggesting that this MAP kinase was not involved in CD40 mediated apoptosis. Increased JAK2 phosphorylation accompanied increased STAT3 phosphorylation after CD40 ligation. Cholangiocytes were also shown to express JAK1 and 3 which was phosphorylated following control stimulation with TNFalpha or IL2 respectively but not after CD40 ligation. JNK, ERK and JAK2 inhibitors partially abrogated apoptosis and when used in combination reduced it to basal levels. In conclusion, induction of CD40-mediated cholangiocyte apoptosis requires JAK2-mediated phosphorylation of STAT3 as well as sustained JNK1/2, ERK1/2 activation. This study demonstrates that STAT3 can function as a proapoptotic factor in primary human liver epithelial cells.
...
PMID:CD40 mediated human cholangiocyte apoptosis requires JAK2 dependent activation of STAT3 in addition to activation of JNK1/2 and ERK1/2. 1597 Apr 30

Ligands for certain G(i)-protein-coupled receptors (GiPCRs) potently inhibit the production of IL-12 by human monocytes. We addressed the intracellular signaling mechanisms by which this occurs using primary human cells. Stimulation with the GiPCR ligands C5a and 1-deoxy-1-[6-[(3-iodophenyl)methyl]amino]-9H-purine-9-y1]-N-methyl-beta-D-ribofuranuronamide (IB-MECA) blocked the production of IL-12 p70 by human monocytes stimulated with LPS and IFN-gamma. In addition, C5a reduced the expression of mRNA for IL-12 p35, p40, IL-23 p19, and IL-27 p28. This effect was due neither to a down-regulation of TLR4 or IFN-gamma receptor on the cell surface nor to interference with IFN-gamma signaling, because IFN-gamma-induced up-regulation of HLA-DR and CD40 were unaffected. C5a or IB-MECA activated the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and induced the phosphorylation of the MAPK p38, ERK, and JNK. Inhibition of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway with wortmannin or an inhibitor of Akt activity, and inhibition of JNK but not ERK prevented IL-12 and IL-23 suppression by C5a. These data extend observations on IL-12 suppression by C5a to IL-23 and IL-27, and are the first to demonstrate the intracellular signaling events leading to IL-12 and IL-23 inhibition after GiPCR activation.
...
PMID:G(i)-protein-dependent inhibition of IL-12 production is mediated by activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-protein 3 kinase B/Akt pathway and JNK. 1611 86

gammadelta T cells participate in the innate immune response to a variety of infectious microorganisms. They also link to the adaptive immune response through their induction of maturation of dendritic cells (DC) during the early phase of an immune response when the frequency of Ag-specific T cells is very low. We observe that in the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi, synovial Vdelta1 T cells from Lyme arthritis synovial fluid potently induce maturation of DC, including production of IL-12, and increased surface expression of CD40 and CD86. The activated DC are then able to stimulate the Vdelta1 T cells to up-regulate CD25. Both of these processes are initiated primarily by Fas stimulation rather than CD40 activation of DC via high expression of Fas ligand by the Vdelta1 T cells. DC are resistant to Fas-induced death due to expression of high levels of the Fas inhibitor c-FLIP. This effect serves to divert Fas-mediated signals from the caspase cascade to the ERK MAPK and NF-kappaB pathways. The findings affirm the importance of the interaction of certain T cell populations with DC during the early phases of the innate immune response. They also underscore the view that as levels of c-FLIP increase, Fas signaling can be diverted from induction of apoptosis to pathways leading to cell effector function.
...
PMID:Lyme arthritis synovial gammadelta T cells instruct dendritic cells via fas ligand. 1623 55

CD40 is a 48kDa phosphorylated transmembrane glycoprotein that belongs to the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily and may play a role in formation of atherosclerotic plaques. Here, we investigated the effect of chylomicron remnants on CD40 expression in the human premonocytic cell line, THP-1 cells. Chylomicron remnants upregulated the expression of CD40 protein and mRNA in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Further, chylomicron remnants increased the generation of reactive oxygen species as determined by an increasing level of 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein. Pretreatment with the antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine, inhibited chylomicron remnant-induced CD40 protein expression by 60%. On the other hand, chylomicron remnants transiently increased the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK 1/2) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Pretreatment with the MAPK kinase inhibitor, U0126, completely inhibited chylomicron remnants-induced CD40 protein expression, whereas the p38 MAPK inhibitor, SB203580, had no effect. Pretreatment with N-acetylcysteine had no effect on chylomicron remnant-induced ERK 1/2 phosphorylation. These data suggest that CD40 expression stimulated by chylomicron remnants in THP-1 cells is dependent on ERK 1/2-mediated pathway, which is followed by redox-sensitive mechanism-dependent and independent pathway. Thus, chylomicron remnants may contribute to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques via their immunological and proinflammatory effects.
...
PMID:Chylomicron remnants upregulate CD40 expression via the ERK pathway and a redox-sensitive mechanism in THP-1 cells. 1635 5

Previous studies demonstrated that circulating dendritic cells (DCs) in myeloma patients were functionally abnormal. However, the phenotype and function of patients' monocyte-derived DCs (MoDCs), which are commonly used for immunotherapy, were poorly defined. This study was undertaken to examine the quality of MoDCs from myeloma patients compared with cells from healthy donors. We found that patient-derived MoDCs are phenotypically and functionally defective. Compared with their normal counterparts, patient-derived, mature MoDCs expressed significantly lower levels of CD1a, CD40, CD80, and HLA-DR and were poor at activating alloreactive T cells, presenting recall antigen, and activating autologous antigen- and myeloma-specific T cells. These abnormalities may be attributed to elevated production of autocrine cytokines such as IL-6, activated p38 and STAT3, and inhibited MEK/ERK signaling pathways in the progenitor cells. Treatment with neutralizing IL-6-specific antibody and, more importantly, p38 inhibitor, or both, could correct these abnormalities. Treating patient-derived cells with these agents not only significantly increased cell yield but also produced MoDCs that were as functional as their normal counterparts. Thus, this study has delineated the mechanistic defects of MoDCs from myeloma patients and identified ways for restoring the function of the cells to improve the efficacy of DC-based immunotherapy in this disease.
...
PMID:Optimizing immunotherapy in multiple myeloma: Restoring the function of patients' monocyte-derived dendritic cells by inhibiting p38 or activating MEK/ERK MAPK and neutralizing interleukin-6 in progenitor cells. 1691 8


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>

---