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

In response to cerebral ischemia, neurons activate survival/repair pathways in addition to death cascades. Activation of cyclic AMP-response-element-binding protein (CREB) is linked to neuroprotection in experimental animal models of stroke. However, a role of the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase (MAPK/ERK or MEK), an upstream kinase for CREB, and its relation to CREB phosphorylation in neuroprotection in cerebral ischemia has not been delineated. Previously, we reported that N-acetyl-O-methyldopamine (NAMDA) significantly protected CA1 neurons after transient forebrain ischemia [J Neurosci 19 (1999b) 87.8]. The current study is to investigate whether NAMDA-induced neuroprotection occurs via the activation of ERK and its downstream effector, CREB. NAMDA induced ERK1/2 and CREB phosphorylation with increased survival of HC2S2 hippocampal neurons subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation. These effects were reversed by U0126, a MEK kinase inhibitor. Similarly, animals treated with NAMDA following ischemia showed increased ERK and CREB phosphorylation in the CA1 subregion of the hippocampus during early reperfusion period with increased number of surviving neurons examined 7 days following ischemia. The NAMDA-induced neuroprotection was abolished by U0126 administered shortly after reperfusion. The results showed that the ERK-CREB signaling pathway might be involved in NAMDA-induced neuroprotection following transient global ischemia and imply that the activation of the pathway in neurons may be an effective therapeutic strategy to treat stroke or other neurological syndromes.
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PMID:A neuroprotective role of extracellular signal-regulated kinase in N-acetyl-O-methyldopamine-treated hippocampal neurons after exposure to in vitro and in vivo ischemia. 1466 49

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) is a critical regulator of collagenase-1 production in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The MAPKs are regulated by upstream kinases, including MAPK kinases (MAPKKs) and MAPK kinase kinases (MAP3Ks). The present study was designed to evaluate the expression and regulation of the JNK pathway by MAP3K in arthritis. RT-PCR studies of MAP3K gene expression in RA and osteoarthritis synovial tissue demonstrated mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK kinase kinase (MEKK) 1, MEKK2, apoptosis-signal regulating kinase-1, TGF-beta activated kinase 1 (TAK1) gene expression while only trace amounts of MEKK3, MEKK4, and MLK3 mRNA were detected. Western blot analysis demonstrated immunoreactive MEKK2, TAK1, and trace amounts of MEKK3 but not MEKK1 or apoptosis-signal regulating kinase-1. Analysis of MAP3K mRNA in cultured fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) showed that all of the MAP3Ks examined were expressed. Western blot analysis of FLS demonstrated that MEKK1, MEKK2, and TAK1 were readily detectable and were subsequently the focus of functional studies. In vitro kinase assays using MEKK2 immunoprecipitates demonstrated that IL-1 increased MEKK2-mediated phosphorylation of the key MAPKKs that activate JNK (MAPK kinase (MKK)4 and MKK7). Furthermore, MEKK2 immunoprecipitates activated c-Jun in an IL-1 dependent manner and this activity was inhibited by the selective JNK inhibitor SP600125. Of interest, MEKK1 immunoprecipitates from IL-1-stimulated FLS appeared to activate c-Jun through the JNK pathway and TAK1 activation of c-Jun was dependent on JNK, ERK, and p38. These data indicate that MEKK2 is a potent activator of the JNK pathway in FLS and that signal complexes including MEKK2, MKK4, MKK7, and/or JNK are potential therapeutic targets in RA.
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PMID:Regulation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase by MEKK-2 and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinases in rheumatoid arthritis. 1473 42

NF-kappa B1 p105 forms a high-affinity, stoichiometric interaction with TPL-2, a MEK kinase essential for TLR4 activation of the ERK mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages. Interaction with p105 is required to maintain TPL-2 metabolic stability and also negatively regulates TPL-2 MEK kinase activity. Here, affinity purification identified A20-binding inhibitor of NF-kappa B 2 (ABIN-2) as a novel p105-associated protein. Cotransfection experiments demonstrated that ABIN-2 could interact with TPL-2 in addition to p105 but preferentially formed a ternary complex with both proteins. Consistently, in unstimulated bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs), a substantial fraction of endogenous ABIN-2 was associated with both p105 and TPL-2. Although the majority of TPL-2 in these cells was complexed with ABIN-2, the pool of TPL-2 which could activate MEK after LPS stimulation was not, and LPS activation of TPL-2 was found to correlate with its release from ABIN-2. Depletion of ABIN-2 by RNA interference dramatically reduced steady-state levels of TPL-2 protein without affecting levels of TPL-2 mRNA or p105 protein. In addition, ABIN-2 increased the half-life of cotransfected TPL-2. Thus, optimal TPL-2 stability in vivo requires interaction with ABIN-2 as well as p105. Together, these data raise the possibility that ABIN-2 functions in the TLR4 signaling pathway which regulates TPL-2 activation.
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PMID:ABIN-2 forms a ternary complex with TPL-2 and NF-kappa B1 p105 and is essential for TPL-2 protein stability. 1516 88

Previously, no member of the mixed-lineage kinase (MLK) protein family was known to function as an oncogene. Here, we demonstrate that MLK-like mitogen-activated protein triple kinase (MLTK)-alpha, a member of the MLK family, induced neoplastic cell transformation and tumorigenesis in athymic nude mice. Introduction of small interference RNA (siRNA)-MLTK-alpha into MLTK-alpha-overexpressing cells dramatically suppressed cell transformation. Nuclear accumulation of the pHisG-MLTK-alpha fusion protein was observed after epidermal growth factor or 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate treatment. Phosphorylation of downstream mitogen-activated protein kinase-targeted transcription factors including c-Myc, Elk-1, c-Jun, and activating transcription factor (ATF) 2 was also differentially enhanced in MLTK-alpha-overexpressing cells exposed to epidermal growth factor or 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate stimulation compared with cells expressing mock vector or siRNA-MLTK-alpha. Very importantly, MLTK-alpha-overexpressing cells formed fibrosarcomas when injected s.c. into athymic nude mice, whereas almost no tumor formation was observed in mice that received injections of mock or siRNA-MLTK-alpha stably transfected cells. These results are the first to indicate that MLTK-alpha plays a key role in neoplastic cell transformation and cancer development.
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PMID:A novel role for mixed-lineage kinase-like mitogen-activated protein triple kinase alpha in neoplastic cell transformation and tumor development. 1517 94

The ERK group of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) is essential for cell proliferation stimulated by mitogens, oncogenic ras and raf (ref. 1). All MAPKs are activated by MAP3K/MEK/MAPK core pathways and the Raf proto-oncoproteins, especially B-Raf, are ERK-specific MAP3Ks (refs 1-3). Mixed lineage kinase-3 (MLK3) is a MAP3K that was thought to be a cytokine-activated, and comparatively selective, regulator of the JNK group of MAPKs (refs 1, 4-6). Here we report that silencing of mlk3 by RNAi suppressed mitogen and cytokine activation not only of JNK but of ERK and p38 as well. Silencing mlk3 also blocked mitogen-stimulated phosphorylation of B-Raf at Thr 598 and Ser 601, a step required for B-Raf activation. Furthermore, silencing mlk3 prevented serum-stimulated cell proliferation and the proliferation of tumour cells bearing either oncogenic Ki-Ras or loss-of-function neurofibromatosis-1 (NF1) or NF2 mutations. The proliferation of tumour cells containing activating B-raf or raf-1 mutations was unaffected by silencing mlk3. Our results define an unexpected role for MLK3 in mitogen regulation of B-Raf, ERK and cell proliferation.
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PMID:MLK3 is required for mitogen activation of B-Raf, ERK and cell proliferation. 1530 91

Intracellular reactive oxygen species are generated as a by-product of normal metabolic processes and can both damage cellular constituents and function as important signalling species. This signalling often involves changes in the thiol redox balance. As an antioxidant, glutathione serves in maintaining the reduced state of cellular protein thiol groups. The paper by Cross and Templeton appearing in this issue of the Biochemical Journal describes a mechanism by which glutathionylation plays a key role in the regulation of the kinase activity of MEKK1 [MAP (mitogen-activated protein kinase)/ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) kinase kinase; MAP3K] in response to oxidative stresses. This type of post-translational-modification glutathionylation may represent a general mechanism by which protein kinase function can be regulated.
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PMID:Protein kinase function and glutathionylation. 1513 49

The antitumor effect of curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is well established. However, there have been no unbiased studies to identify novel molecular targets of this compound. We therefore undertook a gene expression profiling study to identify novel targets of curcumin. A cDNA array comprised of 12,625 probes was used to compare total RNA extracted from curcumin-treated and untreated MDA-1986 cells for differential gene expression. We identified 202 up-regulated mRNAs and 505 transcripts decreased > or =2-fold. The proapoptotic activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) was induced >4-fold. Two negative regulators of growth control [antagonizer of myc transcriptional activity (Mad) and p27kip1] were induced 68- and 3-fold, respectively. Additionally, two dual-activity phosphatases (CL 100 and MKP-5), which inactivate the c-jun-NH2-kinases, showed augmented expression, coinciding with reduced expression of the upstream activators of c-jun-NH2-kinase (MEKK and MKK4). Of the repressed genes, the expression of Frizzled-1 (Wnt receptor) was most strongly attenuated (8-fold). Additionally, two genes implicated in growth control (K-sam, encoding the keratinocyte growth factor receptor, and HER3) as well as the E2F-5 transcription factor, which regulates genes controlling cell proliferation, also showed down-regulated expression. Considering its role in apoptosis, we determined the contribution of ATF3 to the antitumor effect of curcumin. Curcumin-treated MDA-1986 cells showed a rapid, dose-dependent increase in ATF3/mRNA protein. Moreover, expression of an exogenous ATF3 cDNA synergized with curcumin in inducing apoptosis. Thus, we have identified several putative, novel molecular targets of curcumin and showed that one, (ATF3) contributes to the proapoptotic effects of this compound.
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PMID:Gene expression profiling identifies activating transcription factor 3 as a novel contributor to the proapoptotic effect of curcumin. 1571 95

The physical and functional interaction between the transcription factor p53 and its negative regulatory partner protein Hdm2 (Mdm2 in mouse) is a key point of convergence of multiple signaling pathways that regulates cell proliferation and survival. hdm2 mRNA transcription is induced by p53, forming the basis of an auto-regulatory feedback loop. Growth and survival factor-activated Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK signaling can also regulate Hdm2 expression independently of p53, contributing to the pro-survival effect of these factors. In murine fibroblasts, this occurs through the regulation of mdm2 mRNA transcription. Here we show that, in human breast cancer epithelial cells, MEK-dependent regulation of Hdm2 expression also occurs at a post-transcriptional level. Pharmacological blockade of MEK activity in T47D cells inhibits Hdm2 protein synthesis by 80-90%. This occurs in the absence of changes in the expression of the major hdm2-P1 mRNA transcript and only an approximately 40% reduction in hdm2-P2 transcript levels. The amounts of both transcripts that are associated with polyribosomes and are, hence, being actively translated are reduced by >80% by the MEK inhibitor, U0126. We show here that this is due to the inhibition of hdm2 mRNA export from the nucleus when MEK activity is inhibited. In MCF-7 breast cancer cells that express wild-type p53, Hdm2 is required to suppress p53-dependent transcription when MEK kinase is active. Regulation of the nuclear export of hdm2 mRNA provides, therefore, a mechanism whereby mitogen-stimulated cells avoid p53-dependent cell cycle arrest or apoptosis by maintaining the dynamic equilibrium of the Hdm2-p53 feedback loop.
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PMID:MEK-ERK signaling controls Hdm2 oncoprotein expression by regulating hdm2 mRNA export to the cytoplasm. 1572 37

Kinase suppressor of ras (KSR) and MEKK3 (MAP kinase kinase kinase) are integral members of the MAP kinase pathway. We have recently identified a new isoform of the KSR family named human kinase suppressor of ras-2 (hKSR-2), and demonstrated that hKSR-2 negatively regulates Cot, a MAP3K family member which is important in inflammation and oncogenesis [P.L. Channavajhala, L. Wu, J.W. Cuozzo, J.P. Hall, W. Liu, L.L. Lin, Y. Zhang, J. Biol. Chem. 278 (2003) 47089-47097]. In this report, we provide evidence that hKSR-2 also regulates the activity of MEKK3 (another MAP3K family member) in HEK-293T cells. We demonstrate that hKSR-2 is a negative regulator of MEKK3-mediated activation of MAP kinase (specifically ERK and JNK) and NF-kappaB pathways, and concurrently inhibits MEKK3-mediated interleukin-8 production. We find that while hKSR-2 blocks MEKK3 activation, it has little to no effect on other members of the MAP3K family, including MEKK4, TAK1, and Ras-Raf, suggesting that its effects are selective.
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PMID:hKSR-2 inhibits MEKK3-activated MAP kinase and NF-kappaB pathways in inflammation. 1603 90

The ability of activated Ras to induce growth arrest of human ovarian surface epithelial (HOSE) cells via induction of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(WAF1/CIP1) has been used to screen for Ras pathway signaling components using a library of RNA interference (RNAi) vectors targeting the kinome. Two known Ras-regulated kinases were identified, phosphoinositide 3-kinase p110alpha and ribosomal protein S6 kinase p70(S6K1), plus the MAP kinase kinase kinase kinase MINK, which had not previously been implicated in Ras signaling. MINK is activated after Ras induction via a mechanism involving reactive oxygen species and mediates stimulation of the stress-activated protein kinase p38 MAPK downstream of the Raf/ERK pathway. p38 MAPK activation is essential for Ras-induced p21(WAF1/CIP1) upregulation and cell cycle arrest. MINK is thus a distal target of Ras signaling in the induction of a growth-arrested, senescent-like phenotype that may act to oppose oncogenic transformation in HOSE cells.
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PMID:Involvement of MINK, a Ste20 family kinase, in Ras oncogene-induced growth arrest in human ovarian surface epithelial cells. 1633 92


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