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

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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)

Activation of T cells by professional APCs that present peptide epitopes of tumor-associated Ags is critical for the induction of cell-mediated immunity against tumors. To facilitate targeted delivery of the ErbB2 (HER2, neu) tumor Ag to APCs in vivo, we have generated chimeric proteins that contain the extracellular domain of CTLA-4 for binding to B7 molecules on the APC surface, which is genetically fused to a human ErbB2 fragment as an antigenic determinant. Bacterially expressed CTLA-4-ErbB2 fusion protein and a similar molecule harboring in addition the translocation domain of Pseudomonas exotoxin A as an endosome escape function displayed specific binding to B7-expressing cells, followed by protein internalization and intracellular degradation. Vaccination of BALB/c mice with the fusion proteins resulted in the induction of ErbB2-specific CD8(+) T cells and CTL-dependent protection from subsequent challenge with ErbB2-expressing but not ErbB2-negative murine renal carcinoma cells. In a therapeutic setting, injection of CTLA-4-ErbB2 protein vaccines caused rejection of established ErbB2-expressing tumors. Thereby, immunological memory was induced, leading to long-term systemic immunity and protection against rechallenge several months later. Our results demonstrate that these chimeric protein vaccines are effective tools for the induction of ErbB2-specific, T cell-mediated immunity.
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PMID:Targeted delivery of the ErbB2/HER2 tumor antigen to professional APCs results in effective antitumor immunity. 1584 46

The receptor tyrosine kinase EPHB2 has recently been shown to be a direct transcriptional target of TCF/beta-catenin. Premalignant lesions of the colon express high levels of EPHB2 but the expression of this kinase is reduced or lost in most colorectal carcinomas. In addition, inactivation of EPHB2 has been shown to accelerate tumorigenesis initiated by APC mutation in the colon and rectum. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms responsible for the inactivation of EPHB2 in colorectal tumors. We show here the presence of mutations in repetitive sequences in exon 17 of EPHB2 in 6 of 29 adenomas with microsatellite instability (MSI), and 101 of 246 MSI carcinomas (21% and 41%, respectively). Moreover, we found EPHB2 promoter hypermethylation in 54 of the 101 colorectal tumors studied (53%). Importantly, EPHB2 expression was restored after treatment of EPHB2-methylated colon cancer cells with the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine. In conclusion, in this study, we elucidate the molecular mechanisms of inactivation of EPHB2 and show for the first time the high incidence of frameshift mutations in MSI colorectal tumors and aberrant methylation of the regulatory sequences of this important tumor suppressor gene.
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PMID:Mechanisms of inactivation of the receptor tyrosine kinase EPHB2 in colorectal tumors. 1628 1

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which is characterized by the increased production of autoantibodies and defective T cell responses, can be induced in mice by immunization with a human anti-DNA mAb that expresses a major Id, designated 16/6Id. A peptide based on the sequence of the CDR1 of the 16/6Id (human CDR1 (hCDR1)) ameliorated the clinical manifestations of SLE and down-regulated, ex vivo, the 16/6Id-induced T cell proliferation. In this study, we examined the mechanism responsible for the hCDR1-induced modulation of T cell functions related to the pathogenesis of SLE. We found that injection of hCDR1 into BALB/c mice concomitant with their immunization with 16/6Id resulted in a marked elevation of TGF-beta secretion 10 days later. Addition of TGF-beta suppressed the 16/6Id-stimulated T cell proliferation similarly to hCDR1. In addition, we provide evidence that one possible mechanism underlying the hCDR1- and TGFbeta-induced inhibition of T cell proliferation is by down-regulating the expression, and therefore the functions, of a pair of key cell adhesion receptors, LFA-1 (alphaLbeta2) and CD44, which operate as accessory molecules in mediating APC-T cell interactions. Indeed, T cells of mice treated with hCDR1 showed a TGF-beta-induced suppression of adhesion to the LFA-1 and CD44 ligands, hyaluronic acid and ICAM-1, respectively, induced by stromal cell-derived factor-1alpha and PMA. The latter suppression is through the inhibition of ERK phosphorylation. Thus, the down-regulation of SLE-associated responses by hCDR1 treatment may be due to the effect of the up-regulated TGF-beta on the expression and function of T cell adhesion receptors and, consequently, on T cell stimulation, adhesion, and proliferation.
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PMID:The inhibition of autoreactive T cell functions by a peptide based on the CDR1 of an anti-DNA autoantibody is via TGF-beta-mediated suppression of LFA-1 and CD44 expression and function. 1630 30

Activated protein C (APC) is a natural anticoagulant and inhibitor of inflammation that can stimulate keratinocyte wound repair in vitro and promote wound healing in vivo. The signaling mechanisms, however, are unknown and a keratinocyte receptor for APC has not been identified. Here, we show that cultured human keratinocytes from neonatal foreskins express the endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR). EPCR was also strongly expressed by lower epidermal layers of neonatal foreskin as determined by immunohistochemistry. In cultured keratinocytes, EPCR expression was upregulated by the addition of APC and inhibited by tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Addition of APC stimulated cell proliferation, production of matrix metalloproteinase-2, activation of ERK and p38 kinase signaling pathways, and expression of protease-activated receptor (PAR)-1. A monoclonal antibody, RCR252, which blocks APC binding to EPCR, or a blocking antibody to PAR-1, abolished APC's effects on keratinocytes. In summary, this study demonstrates that EPCR, a major receptor of protein C pathway, is expressed by human keratinocytes, and facilitates APC's function on keratinocytes via activation of PAR-1 pathway. Our findings highlight a possible new role for the protein C pathway in skin physiology and help elucidate the mechanisms of action by which APC promotes wound healing.
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PMID:Endothelial protein C receptor and protease-activated receptor-1 mediate induction of a wound-healing phenotype in human keratinocytes by activated protein C. 1635

Genetic and epigenetic alterations are considered to play important roles in lung cancer. Recent studies showed that EGFR and K-RAS mutations exhibited a mutually exclusive pattern in adenocarcinoma of the lung, suggesting the presence of two independent oncogenic pathways. However, it is unknown how epigenetic alterations were involved in lung carcinogenesis mediated by EGFR or K-RAS mutation. In this study, we examined the relationship between genetic and epigenetic alterations in 164 cases of lung adenocarcinoma. Somatic mutations were determined by direct sequence of EGFR exons 18 to 21 and K-RAS codons 12 and 13. Methylation status of p16(INK4a), RASSF1A, APC, RARbeta, and CDH13, frequently methylated in lung cancer, was determined by methylation-specific PCR and the degree of methylation was defined as the methylation index. Multivariate analysis adjusted for age, sex, and smoking dose showed that the probability of having EGFR mutation was significantly lower among those with p16(INK4a) and CDH13 methylation than in those without [p16(INK4a): odds ratio (OR), 0.07; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.02-0.33; CDH13: OR, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.15-0.77] and the methylation index was significantly lower in EGFR mutant cases than in wild type (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.52-0.95). By contrast, K-RAS mutation was significantly higher in p16(INK4a) methylated cases than in unmethylated cases (OR, 4.93; 95% CI, 1.54-15.7) and the methylation index was higher in K-RAS mutant cases than in wild type with marginal significance (OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 0.95-2.25). Our results indicate the differences in the evolvement of epigenetic alterations between the EGFR- and K-RAS-mediated tumorigenesis and suggest the specific interaction of genetic and epigenetic changes in tumorigenesis of lung cancer.
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PMID:Mutational and epigenetic evidence for independent pathways for lung adenocarcinomas arising in smokers and never smokers. 1645 91

Polyserase-1 (polyserine protease-1)/TMPRSS9 (transmembrane serine protease 9) is a type II transmembrane serine protease (TTSP) that possesses unique three tandem serine protease domains. However, the physiological function of each protease domain remains poorly understood. We discovered a new splice variant of polyserase-1, termed Serase-1B, which contains 34 extra amino acids consisting a SEA module (a domain found in sea urchin sperm protein, enterokinase and agrin) adjacent to the transmembrane domain and the first protease domain with a mucin-like box at the C-terminus. The tissue distribution of this enzyme by RT (reverse transcription)-PCR analysis revealed high expression in the liver, small intestine, pancreas, testis and peripheral blood CD14+ and CD8+ cells. To investigate the role of Serase-1B, a full-length form recombinant protein was produced. Interestingly, recombinant Serase-1B was partly secreted as a soluble inactive precursor and it was also activated by trypsin. This activated enzyme selectively cleaved synthetic peptides for trypsin and activated protein C, and it was inhibited by several natural serine protease inhibitors, such as aprotinin, alpha2-antiplasmin and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1. In addition, Serase-1B efficiently converted pro-uPA (urokinase-type plasminogen activator) into active uPA and this activation was strongly inhibited by these natural inhibitors. Furthermore, this activation was also negatively regulated by glycosaminoglycans. Our results indicate that Serase-1B is a novel member of TTSPs that might be involved in uPA/plasmin-mediated proteolysis and possibly implicated in biological events such as fibrinolysis and tumour progression.
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PMID:Serase-1B, a new splice variant of polyserase-1/TMPRSS9, activates urokinase-type plasminogen activator and the proteolytic activation is negatively regulated by glycosaminoglycans. 1687 79

The protein C (PC) pathway plays an important role in coagulation and inflammation. Many components of the PC pathway have been identified in epidermal keratinocytes, including endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR), which is the specific receptor for PC/activated PC (APC), but the core member of this pathway, PC, and its function in keratinocytes has not been defined. In this study, we reveal that PC is strongly expressed by human keratinocytes at both gene and protein levels. When endogenous PC was blocked by siRNA the proliferation of keratinocytes was significantly decreased. This inhibitory effect was restored by the addition of recombinant APC. PC siRNA treatment also increased cell apoptosis by 3-fold and inhibited cell migration by more than 20%. When keratinocytes were pretreated with RCR252, an EPCR-blocking antibody, or PD153035, an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor, cell proliferation was hindered by more than 30%. These inhibitors also completely abolished recombinant APC (10 mug/ml)-stimulated proliferation. Blocking PC expression or inhibiting its binding to EPCR/EGFR decreased the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 but increased p38 activation. Furthermore, inhibition of ERK decreased cell proliferation by approximately 30% and completely abolished the stimulatory effect of APC on proliferation. Taken together, these results indicate that keratinocyte-derived PC promotes cell survival, growth, and migration in an autocrine manner via EPCR, EGFR, and activation of ERK1/2. Our results highlight a novel role for the PC pathway in normal skin physiology and wound healing.
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PMID:Protein C is an autocrine growth factor for human skin keratinocytes. 1729 97

Microorganisms with pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP) activate B cells directly by binding to TLR and also indirectly by inducing APC to release cytokines such as BAFF that promote B cell survival. We found that murine B cells activated concomitantly with LPS (TLR-4 ligand) and BAFF are protected from spontaneous apoptosis, but are more susceptible to Fas/CD95-mediated cell death. This increased susceptibility to Fas-induced apoptosis is associated with a dramatic coordinated up-regulation of Fas/CD95 and IRF-4 expression through a mechanism mediated, at least in part, by inhibition of the MEK/ERK pathway. Up-regulation of Fas/CD95 by BAFF is restricted to B cells activated through TLR-4, but not through TLR-9, BCR or CD40. TLR ligands differ in the BAFF family receptors (R) they induce on B cells: BAFF-R is increased by the TLR4 ligand, LPS, but not by the TLR9 ligand, CpG-containing oligodeoxynucleotides, which, in contrast, strongly up-regulates transmembrane activator and CAML interactor (TACI). This suggests the up-regulation of Fas by BAFF is mediated by BAFF-R and not by TACI. Consistently, APRIL, which binds to TACI and B cell maturation antigen but not BAFF-R, did not enhance Fas expression on LPS-activated B cells. Increased susceptibility to Fas-mediated killing of B cells activated with LPS and BAFF may be a fail-safe mechanism to avoid overexpansion of nonspecific or autoreactive B cells.
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PMID:BAFF and LPS cooperate to induce B cells to become susceptible to CD95/Fas-mediated cell death. 1735 8

Axin is a central component of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway that interacts with the adenomatous polyposis coli protein APC and the kinase GSK3beta to downregulate the effector beta-catenin. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, canonical Wnt signaling is negatively regulated by the highly divergent Axin ortholog PRY-1. Mutation of pry-1 leads to constitutive activation of BAR-1/beta-catenin-dependent Wnt signaling and results in a range of developmental defects. The pry-1 null phenotype is however not fully penetrant, indicating that additional factors may partially compensate for PRY-1 function. Here, we report the cloning and functional analysis of a second Axin-like protein, which we named AXL-1. We show that despite considerable sequence divergence with PRY-1 and other Axin family members, AXL-1 is a functional Axin ortholog. AXL-1 functions redundantly with PRY-1 in negatively regulating BAR-1/beta-catenin signaling in the developing vulva and the Q neuroblast lineage. In addition, AXL-1 functions independently of PRY-1 in negatively regulating canonical Wnt signaling during excretory cell development. In contrast to vertebrate Axin and the related protein Conductin, AXL-1 and PRY-1 are not functionally equivalent. We conclude that Axin function in C. elegans is divided over two different Axin orthologs that have specific functions in negatively regulating canonical Wnt signaling.
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PMID:Two functionally distinct Axin-like proteins regulate canonical Wnt signaling in C. elegans. 1760 33

WNT signals are transduced to the canonical pathway for cell fate determination, and to the noncanonical pathway for control of cell movement and tissue polarity. Canonical WNT signals are transduced through Frizzled family receptors and LRP5/LRP6 coreceptor to the beta-catenin signaling cascade. Microtubule affinity-regulating kinase (PAR-1) family kinases, casein kinase I epsilon (CKI epsilon), and FRAT are positive regulators of the canonical WNT pathway, whereas APC, AXIN1, AXIN2, CKI alpha, NKD1, NKD2, beta TRCP1, beta TRCP2, ANKRD6, Nemo-like kinase (NLK), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma) are negative regulators. Nuclear complex, consisting of T-cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor, beta-catenin, BCL9/BCL9L, and PYGO, activates transcription of canonical WNT target genes such as FGF20, DKK1, WISP1, MYC, CCND1, and Glucagon (GCG). Noncanonical WNT signals are transduced through Frizzled family receptors and ROR2/RYK coreceptors to the Dishevelled-dependent (Rho family GTPases and c-jun NH(2)-terminal kinase) or the Ca(2+)-dependent (NLK and nuclear factor of activated T cells) signaling cascades. WNT signals are context-dependently transduced to both pathways based on the expression profile of WNT, SFRP, WIF, DKK, Frizzled receptors, coreceptors, and the activity of intracellular WNT signaling regulators. Epigenetic silencing and loss-of-function mutation of negative regulators of the canonical WNT pathway occur in a variety of human cancer. WNT, fibroblast growth factor (FGF), Notch, Hedgehog, and transforming growth factor beta/bone morphogenetic protein signaling network are implicated in the maintenance of tissue homeostasis by regulating self-renewal of normal stem cells as well as proliferation or differentiation of progenitor (transit-amplifying) cells. Breakage of the stem cell signaling network leads to carcinogenesis. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and PPAR gamma agonists with the potential to inhibit the canonical WNT signaling pathway are candidate agents for chemoprevention. ZTM000990 and PKF118-310 are lead compounds targeted to the canonical WNT signaling cascade. Anti-WNT1 and anti-WNT2 monoclonal antibodies show in vitro effects in cancer treatment. After the optimization, derivatives of small-molecule compound and human monoclonal antibody targeted to the WNT signaling pathway could be used in cancer medicine.
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PMID:WNT signaling pathway and stem cell signaling network. 1763 27


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