Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:2.7.10.1 (ERK)
95,504 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

To analyse individual factors that may contribute to leukemic transformation in vivo, we have developed a murine model of leukemogenesis based on the early hematopoietic precursor cell FL5.12. FL5.12 cells are interleukin-3 (IL-3) dependent for growth, proliferation, and survival. Relative resistance to cell death following IL-3 withdrawal can be conferred by either overexpression of the Bcl-x(L) apoptotic inhibitor, or constitutive activation of the serine/threonine kinase Akt. The ability of Bcl-x(L) or a constitutively active myristylated Akt to promote leukemic transformation of FL5.12 cells was compared in athymic nu(+)/nu(+) mice. Bcl-x(L) alone could not promote leukemic transformation, but mice injected with FL5.12 cells overexpressing Bcl-x(L) and a dominant-negative p53 construct developed leukocytosis and blastic infiltration of lymph nodes, spleen, and liver with features of a high-grade lymphoid malignancy. In contrast to the cells injected into these animals, cell lines derived from the mice were able to proliferate in the absence of IL-3, and were found to have constitutively activated Akt. This constitutive activation was associated with a variety of alterations of the signaling pathway regulating Akt activity, including alterations of PTEN mRNA and protein expression. In addition, some of these leukemic clones demonstrated concurrent constitutive upregulation of ERK activity. A constitutively active Akt construct introduced into FL5.12 cells promoted similar clonal expansion in vivo, with emergence of clonal IL-3-independent proliferation. Bcl-x(L) and Akt appeared to function cooperatively in this model, enhancing rapid clonal outgrowth in vivo relative to Akt alone. These results implicate activated Akt and growth-factor independence in leukemogenic transformation, and demonstrate the potential for in vivo analysis of genetic determinants of leukemogenesis.
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PMID:Bcl-x(L) and Akt cooperate to promote leukemogenesis in vivo. 1256 61

The Raf/MEK/ERK kinase cascade is pivotal in transmitting signals from membrane receptors to transcription factors that control gene expression culminating in the regulation of cell cycle progression. This cascade can prevent cell death through ERK2 and p90(Rsk) activation and phosphorylation of apoptotic and cell cycle regulatory proteins. The PI3K/Akt kinase cascade also controls apoptosis and can phosphorylate many apoptotic and cell cycle regulatory proteins. These pathways are interwoven as Akt can phosphorylate Raf and result in its inactivation, and Raf can be required for the antiapoptotic effects of Akt. In this study, the effects of activated Raf (Raf-1, A-Raf and B-Raf) and PI3K/Akt proteins on abrogation of cytokine dependence in FL5.12 hematopoietic cells were examined. Activated Raf, PI3K or Akt expression, by themselves, did not readily relieve cytokine dependence. The presence of activated Raf and PI3K/Akt increased the isolation of factor-independent cells from 400- to 2500-fold depending upon the particular combination examined. The individual effects of activated Raf and Akt on proliferation, apoptosis and autocrine growth factor synthesis were further examined with hormone-inducible constructs (Delta Raf-1:AR and Delta Akt:ER*(Myr(+)). Activation of either Raf or Akt hindered cell death; however, both proliferation and maximal synthesis of autocrine cytokines were dependent upon activation of both signaling pathways. The effects of small molecular weight inhibitors on DNA synthesis and cytokine gene expression were also examined. The PI3K inhibitor, LY294002, inhibited growth and cytokine gene expression. This effect could be synergistically increased by addition of the MEK inhibitor UO126. These cells will be useful in elucidating the interactions between Raf/MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt cascades in proliferation, apoptosis, and leukemogenesis, as well as evaluating the efficacy of signal transduction inhibitors that target these cascades.
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PMID:Effects of the RAF/MEK/ERK and PI3K/AKT signal transduction pathways on the abrogation of cytokine-dependence and prevention of apoptosis in hematopoietic cells. 1271 25

The t(8;21)(q22;q22) translocation, occurring in 40% of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) of the FAB-M2 subtype (AML with maturation), results in expression of the RUNX1-CBF2T1 [AML1-ETO (AE)] fusion oncogene. AML/ETO may contribute to leukemogenesis by interacting with nuclear corepressor complexes that include histone deacetylases, which mediate the repression of target genes. However, expression of AE is not sufficient to transform primary hematopoietic cells or cause disease in animals, suggesting that additional mutations are required. Activating mutations in receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) are present in at least 30% of patients with AML. To test the hypothesis that activating RTK mutations cooperate with AE to cause leukemia, we transplanted retrovirally transduced murine bone marrow coexpressing TEL-PDGFRB and AE into lethally irradiated syngeneic mice. These mice (19/19, 100%) developed AML resembling M2-AML that was transplantable in secondary recipients. In contrast, control mice coexpressing with TEL-PDGFRB and a DNA-binding-mutant of AE developed a nontransplantable myeloproliferative disease identical to that induced by TEL-PDGFRB alone. We used this unique model of AML to test the efficacy of pharmacological inhibition of histone deacetylase activity by using trichostatin A and suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid alone or in combination with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, imatinib mesylate. We found that although imatinib prolonged the survival of treated mice, histone deacetylase inhibitors provided no additional survival benefit. These data demonstrate that an activated RTK can cooperate with AE to cause AML in mice, and that this system can be used to evaluate novel therapeutic strategies.
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PMID:An activated receptor tyrosine kinase, TEL/PDGFbetaR, cooperates with AML1/ETO to induce acute myeloid leukemia in mice. 1288 86

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with 11q23 translocations is usually associated with MLL gene rearrangement, but little is known about its leukemogenesis. We analyzed the gene expression profiles of pediatric ALL samples according to their translocations. Using oligonucleotide microarray analysis, we identified distinct expression profiles for 23 ALL samples with 11q23 translocations, including t(4;11) (n = 15), t(11;19) (n = 6), and t(5;11) (n = 2), compared with 9 ALL samples with other translocations, including t(12;21) (n = 6) and t(1;19) (n = 3). Gene expression scores of FLT3, MeisI, and CD44 for samples with MLL rearrangements were particularly high compared with those for other ALL samples. Statistical analysis of the gene expression profiles for the 21 ALL samples with MLL rearrangements at diagnosis revealed two subgroups that exclusively correlated with prognosis but not with any other clinico-pathological factor. The transcription factors CBF2 and CDP were highly expressed in the poor and good prognosis subgroups, respectively. In addition, their downstream target genes were differentially expressed. These findings provide new insights into the biological mechanisms of leukemogenesis and prognosis for pediatric ALL with MLL rearrangements.
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PMID:Two distinct gene expression signatures in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia with MLL rearrangements. 1294 10

The FLT3 receptor tyrosine kinase is highly expressed in most acute leukemias and frequently mutated in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The mutated form of the receptor is constitutively activated and known to play an important role in AML, but the activation state of the overexpressed wild-type (wt) receptor is, at present, unknown. In this study, we examined the activation state of the wild-type receptor in AML. We found that the wild-type receptor was constitutively phosphorylated/activated in 8 of 12 primary AML samples and 4 of 13 leukemia cell lines. To explain why wtFLT3 is often activated, we investigated the expression of its ligand, FL, by these same cells. Coexpression of FL with FLT3 was a universal finding in both primary AML samples and leukemic-derived cell lines. To further prove that autocrine signaling was accounting for the activation, we showed that conditioned media but not fresh media was able to activate FLT3. In addition, an antibody that blocks binding of ligand to the receptor blocks FLT3 activation. Finally, depletion of FL from conditioned media is able to block the activation of FLT3. Taken together, these findings represent strong evidence that wtFLT3 is often constitutively activated in AML and thus, like its mutated form, might contribute to the altered signaling that characterizes leukemogenesis.
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PMID:FLT3 ligand causes autocrine signaling in acute myeloid leukemia cells. 1296 63

The chimeric MLL-EEN fusion protein is created as a result of chromosomal translocation t(11;19)(q23;p13). EEN, an Src homology 3 (SH3) domain-containing protein in the endophilin family, has been implicated in endocytosis, although little is known about its role in leukemogenesis mediated by the MLL-EEN fusion protein. In this study, we have identified and characterized EBP, a novel EEN binding protein that interacts with the SH3 domain of EEN through a proline-rich motif PPERP. EBP is a ubiquitous protein that is normally expressed in the cytoplasm but is recruited to the nucleus by MLL-EEN with a punctate localization pattern characteristic of the MLL chimeric proteins. EBP interacts simultaneously with EEN and Sos, a guanine-nucleotide exchange factor for Ras. Coexpressoin of EBP with EEN leads to suppression of Ras-induced cellular transformation and Ras-mediated activation of Elk-1. Taken together, our findings suggest a new mechanism for MLL-EEN-mediated leukemogenesis in which MLL-EEN interferes with the Ras-suppressing activities of EBP through direct interaction.
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PMID:Identification and characterization of EBP, a novel EEN binding protein that inhibits Ras signaling and is recruited into the nucleus by the MLL-EEN fusion protein. 1455 Nov 39

KIT and FMS, members of the class III receptor tyrosine kinase family, are expressed on normal hematopoietic cells and have important roles in normal hematopoiesis. FLT3 is also a member of the class III receptor tyrosine kinase family and plays important role in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, NK, and dendritic cells. Recently, internal tandem duplication (ITDs) mutations have been found in the juxtamembrane (JM) region of FLT3 receptor expressed by patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). The mutations result in the constitutive dimerization and activation of the receptor, contributing to leukemic transformation. KIT and FMS are also frequently expressed in AML and are closely related to FLT3. Thus, similar ITD mutations could also occur in the KIT and/or FMS gene of patients with AML. To explore this possibility, 13 human leukemia-lymphoma cell lines and 44 AML patient samples were examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the presence of ITD mutations in the JM region of the KIT or FMS receptor. None of the 13 human leukemia-lymphoma cell lines or 44 AML primary bone marrow samples express ITDs in either KIT or FMS in the JM region that is involved in FLT3 mutations. The 13 cell lines and 44 AML samples were also examined for the possible co-expression of KIT and/or FMS receptors with their respective ligands, as we have seen for FLT3 and its ligand, FL. This co-expression could contribute to leukemic transformation through autocrine, paracrine, or intracrine activation mechanisms. And 6/13 cell lines and 27/44 primary AML samples exhibit co-expression of the KIT receptor and ligand (SCF) while 10/13 cell lines and 35/44 primary AML samples exhibit co-expression of the FMS receptor and ligand (CSF-1). Therefore, while ITD mutations were not found, the findings of co-expression of KIT and/or FMS with their respective ligands implies these receptors might contribute to leukemogenesis in some patients with AML through autocrine, paracrine, or intracrine interactive stimulation.
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PMID:Lack of KIT or FMS internal tandem duplications but co-expression with ligands in AML. 1468 12

The roles of the JAK/STAT, Raf/MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt signal transduction pathways and the BCR-ABL oncoprotein in leukemogenesis and their importance in the regulation of cell cycle progression and apoptosis are discussed in this review. These pathways have evolved regulatory proteins, which serve to limit their proliferative and antiapoptotic effects. Small molecular weight cell membrane-permeable drugs that target these pathways have been developed for leukemia therapy. One such example is imatinib mesylate, which targets the BCR-ABL kinase as well as a few structurally related kinases. This drug has proven to be effective in the treatment of CML patients. However, leukemic cells have evolved mechanisms to become resistant to this drug. A means to combat drug resistance is to target other prominent signaling components involved in the pathway or to inhibit BCR-ABL by other mechanisms. Treatment of imatinib-resistant leukemia cells with drugs that target Ras (farnysyl transferase inhibitors) or with the protein destabilizer geldanamycin has proven to be a means to inhibit the growth of resistant cells. This review will tie together three important signal transduction pathways involved in the regulation of hematopoietic cell growth and indicate how their expression is dysregulated by the BCR-ABL oncoprotein.
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PMID:JAK/STAT, Raf/MEK/ERK, PI3K/Akt and BCR-ABL in cell cycle progression and leukemogenesis. 1473 78

Flt3 is a type III RTK and approximately 30% of AML patients harbor an internal tandem duplication (ITD) of the juxtamembrane region or a point mutation of the Flt3 protein leading to the constitutive activation of downstream signaling pathways and aberrant cell growth. The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 inhibits cell growth when expressed at high levels and induces cell growth when expressed at lower levels. In this study, we have addressed the role of Flt3-ITD in the regulation of p21. Co-transfection of p21 promoter-luciferase constructs with Flt3-ITD plasmid into K562 and BaF3 cells results in the induction of p21 promoter activity and a -692/-684 STAT site is important for the induction. STAT5a binds specifically to this element and Flt3-ITD enhances the protein binding to this site. Overexpression of Flt3-ITD led to the induction of endogenous p21 expression in various cells. These results may implicate p21 in Flt3-ITD induced leukemogenesis.
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PMID:Flt3 mutation activates p21WAF1/CIP1 gene expression through the action of STAT5. 1500 15

In 50-60% of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) acquired clonal chromosome aberrations can be observed after metaphase banding analyses. The cytogenetic results at diagnosis provide the most single important parameter for determining prognosis so far. Numerous recurrent karyotype abnormalities have been described in AML. These findings on the chromosomal level were followed and supplied by molecular studies that have identified genes involved in leukemogenesis. Even more, molecular markers such as MLL partial tandem duplications (MLL-PTD) or FLT3 length mutations (FLT3-LM) were found to characterize specific subtypes of AML and completed the genetic marker profile. The identification of specific chromosomal abnormalities or molecular markers and their correlation with cytomorphological features, immunophenotype as well as clinical outcome led to a new understanding of AML as a heterogeneous group of distinct biological entities. The importance of cytogenetic and molecular genetic findings in AML for classification and for the understanding of pathogenetic mechanisms is increasingly appreciated in clinical context and was translated also into the new WHO-classification of AML that uses cytogenetic abnormalities as a major criterion.
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PMID:Genetic classification of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). 1512 93


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