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)

In order to design a feasible somatic cell gene delivery system for the treatment of type I diabetes, a suitable cell type needs to be determined. We have previously shown that the stable transfection of the full-length insulin cDNA into the human liver cell line, (HEP G2ins) resulted in synthesis, storage and acute regulated release of insulin to analogues of cAMP, but not to the physiological stimulus glucose. In attempting to explain the lack of glucose responsiveness of the HEP G2ins cells we have stably transfected these cells with the human islet glucose transporter GLUT 2 (HEP, G2ins/g cells). The HEP G2ins/g cell clones exhibit glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and glucose potentiation of the secretory response to nonglucose secretagogues. While glucose responsiveness commenced at a lower concentration than normal islets, a secretion curve approaching normal physiological conditions was generated. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed the presence of insulin-containing granules, similar in size and appearance to those of the normal beta cell. These results demonstrate that while it is most likely that the HEP G2ins/g cell line predominantly secretes insulin via the constitutive pathway, significant acute regulated release was seen in response to glucose, and thus represents significant progress in the creation of a genetically engineered 'artificial beta cell' from a human hepatocyte cell line.
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PMID:Gene therapy of diabetes: glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in a human hepatoma cell line (HEP G2ins/g). 942 44

Alpha2-Heremans Schmid glycoprotein (alpha2-HSG) is a member of the fetuin family of serum proteins whose biological functions are not completely understood. There is a consensus that alpha2-HSG plays a role in the regulation of tissue mineralization. However, one aspect of alpha2-HSG function that remains controversial is its ability to inhibit the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase and the biological actions of insulin. Interestingly, some studies suggest that alpha2-HSG differentially inhibits mitogenic, but not metabolic, actions of insulin. However, these previous studies were not carried out in bona fide insulin target cells. Therefore, in the present study we investigate the effects of alpha2-HSG in the physiologically relevant rat adipose cell. We studied insulin-stimulated translocation of the insulin-responsive glucose transporter GLUT4 in transfected rat adipose cells overexpressing human alpha2-HSG. In addition, we measured insulin-stimulated glucose transport in adipose cells cultured with conditioned medium from the transfected cells as well as in freshly isolated adipose cells treated with purified human alpha2-HSG. Compared with control cells, we were unable to demonstrate any significant effect of alpha2-HSG on insulin-stimulated translocation of GLUT4 or glucose transport. In contrast, we did demonstrate that overexpression of alpha2-HSG in adipose cells inhibits both basal and insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of Elk-1 (a transcription factor phosphorylated and activated by mitogen-activated protein kinase and other related upstream kinases). Interestingly, we did not observe any major effects of alpha2-HSG to inhibit insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of the insulin receptor, insulin receptor substrate-1, -2, or -3, in either transfected or freshly isolated adipose cells. We conclude that alpha2-HSG inhibits insulin-stimulated Elk-1 phosphorylation, but not glucose transport, in adipose cells by a mechanism that may involve effector molecules downstream of insulin receptor substrate proteins.
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PMID:Alpha2-Heremans Schmid glycoprotein inhibits insulin-stimulated Elk-1 phosphorylation, but not glucose transport, in rat adipose cells. 975 94

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signalling has been implicated in patterning, proliferation and cell differentiation in many organs, including the developing pancreas. Here we show that the FGF receptors (FGFRs) 1 and 2, together with the ligands FGF1, FGF2, FGF4, FGF5, FGF7 and FGF10, are expressed in adult mouse beta-cells, indicating that FGF signalling may have a role in differentiated beta-cells. When we perturbed signalling by expressing dominant-negative forms of the receptors, FGFR1c and FGFR2b, in the pancreas, we found that that mice with attenuated FGFR1c signalling, but not those with reduced FGFR2b signalling, develop diabetes with age and exhibit a decreased number of beta-cells, impaired expression of glucose transporter 2 and increased proinsulin content in beta-cells owing to impaired expression of prohormone convertases 1/3 and 2. These defects are all characteristic of patients with type-2 diabetes. Mutations in the homeobox gene Ipf1/Pdx1 are linked to diabetes in both mouse and human. We also show that Ipf1/Pdx1 is required for the expression of FGFR1 signalling components in beta-cells, indicating that Ipf1/Pdx1 acts upstream of FGFR1 signalling in beta-cells to maintain proper glucose sensing, insulin processing and glucose homeostasis.
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PMID:Attenuation of FGF signalling in mouse beta-cells leads to diabetes. 1113 Jul 26

Malignant and normal human breast tissue were compared by evaluating two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) maps of frozen tissue samples. Image analyzing software was used to scan and process 34 gels. Eight (8/34) of these gels (4 malignant breast tumor samples, 4 normal tissue samples) were selected on the basis of gel and image quality to build a database to identify and measure the expression of a previously unidentified proteome. Growth factor receptor proteins (GFRs), including ERBB2 (HER2) and ERBB3 (HER3), were expressed in the malignant tissue samples. Growth factor receptor proteins were not expressed in the normal tissue. Also, expression of PS2-protein (pS2) was detected in neither malignant nor normal tissue. In benign breast samples a higher intensity of protein expression could be observed for maspin, desmoglein 3 and keratin 8 than in malignant samples. Other proteins expressed in malignant breast tissue include mitogen-activated protein kinase 3 (MK03), heat shock protein 27 kDa (HS27), growth factor receptor-bound protein (GRB2), cathepsin D, G1/S specific cyclin E1 (CGEI), glucose transporter type 5 (GTR5), and a number of as yet unidentified proteins.
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PMID:Comparative analysis of two-dimensional protein patterns in malignant and normal human breast tissue. 1142 69

It has been reported in the literature that biological membranes arising from HIV-induced cell fusion, as well as syncytium formation between infected and non-infected cells and those involved in transduction, viral DNA nuclear import and virion budding from the host cell, are all made of proteins, a phospholipid (P) bilayer and cholesterol (C). However, the P/C molar ratio is higher in the retroviral envelope than in the plasma membrane where they originate, and higher than in the nuclear envelope. Mechanisms are described which elucidate this puzzling fact, as well as cholesterol-dependent leakage and pore formation during cell fusion. Fatty acylation of viral and host cell proteins is required to direct them to membranes. Detergent-insoluble microdomains enriched in cholesterol and sphingolipids, termed either DIGs (detergent-insoluble glycolipid-enriched complexes), DRMs (detergent resistant membranes), TIFFs (Triton-insoluble floating fractions) or GEMs (glycolipid-enriched membranes), function as platforms for attachment of proteins in the process of signal transduction. HIV-SUgp120 (HIV-surface glycoprotein), T-cell receptor (TCR)-CD4+ and co-receptors promote aggregation of these lipid "rafts" which concentrate the Src family tyrosine kinases SFKs (PTK, Lyn, Fyn, Lck), GPI (glycosyl phosphatidylinositol)-anchored proteins, and phosphatidylinositol kinases PI(3)K and PI(4)K, inducing cell signalling. HIV-SUgp120 transduces the activation signal and provokes the formation of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) metabolites, i.e. the prostaglandin PGE2 suppressor of immune function and inhibitor of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) proliferation, while PGB2 activates SFKs and increases mRNA expression, as well as NFkappaB (nuclear transcription factor) translocation to nucleus. HIV nuclear import, DNA integration, chromatin template capacity may be mediated by the lipid environment. The lipid-enriched microdomains from which HIV-1 buds, may explain the high level of cholesterol and sphingolipids in the viral envelope, since host cell rafts become a viral coat. HIV-1 infection induces alteration of cellular lipids: (1) shift in phospholipid synthesis to neutral lipids associated with the viral load, polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) peroxidation, and n-3 deficiency with deregulation of cytokines and PPAR-gamma (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma), and (2) alloimmune phospholipid antibody production in which antibodies to cardiolipin and to phosphatidylserine are most prevalent, due to the destruction of mitochondrial membranes and progression of lymphocyte apoptosis. The current highly active anti-retroviral therapy, including both viral reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors (NRTIs and NNRTIs, nucleoside and non-nucleoside RT inhibitors) and protease inhibitors (PIs), induces side-effects in the long term. Lipodystrophy (LD), consists of peripheral lipoatrophy associated with central fat accumulation (called "crixbelly" and "buffalo hump"), insulin resistance, elevation of very low density lipoproteins, decrease in high density lipoproteins and inhibition of adipocyte differentiation. LD syndrome appears to be induced by PIs that inhibit GLUT4, glucose transporter isoform, and by NRTIs which provoke mitochondrial failure. New therapeutic strategies assessed: (1) inhibition of the viral integrase and/or HIV entry into cells through natural products or their derivatives, (2) inhibition of HIV-1 entry into macrophages pretreated with Gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide, (3) vaccination with multi-lipopeptides, i.e. sequences of HIV-1 peptides with CD4+ T-cell and B-cell epitopes, modified by adding a lipid tail to one end, which produce HIV-specific CTL and multispecific immune responses in most of the vaccinated subjects and (4) stimulation of antiviral drug activity with lipid-prodrugs targeting viral RT, polymerase, integrase, or aspartyl-protease.
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PMID:Human immunodeficiency virus and host cell lipids. Interesting pathways in research for a new HIV therapy. 1169 68

TNFalpha, which activates three different MAPKs [ERK, p38, and jun amino terminal kinase (JNK)], also induces insulin resistance. To better understand the respective roles of these three MAPK pathways in insulin signaling and their contribution to insulin resistance, constitutively active MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK)1, MAPK kinase (MKK6), and MKK7 mutants were overexpressed in 3T3-L1 adipocytes using an adenovirus-mediated transfection procedure. The MEK1 mutant, which activates ERK, markedly down-regulated expression of the insulin receptor (IR) and its major substrates, IRS-1 and IRS-2, mRNA and protein, and in turn reduced tyrosine phosphorylation of IR as well as IRS-1 and IRS-2 and their associated phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase (PI3K) activity. The MKK6 mutant, which activates p38, moderately inhibited IRS-1 and IRS-2 expressions and IRS-1-associated PI3K activity without exerting a significant effect on the IR. Finally, the MKK7 mutant, which activates JNK, reduced tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 and IRS-2 and IRS-associated PI3K activity without affecting expression of the IR, IRS-1, or IRS-2. In the context of our earlier report showing down-regulation of glucose transporter 4 by MEK1-ERK and MKK6/3-p38, the present findings suggest that chronic activation of ERK, p38, or JNK can induce insulin resistance by affecting glucose transporter expression and insulin signaling, though via distinctly different mechanisms. The contribution of ERK is, however, the strongest.
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PMID:Three mitogen-activated protein kinases inhibit insulin signaling by different mechanisms in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. 1255 84

Insulin is unique among growth factors and hormones in its ability to control metabolic functions such as the stimulation of glucose uptake and glucose transporter (GLUT4) translocation in physiological target tissues, such as muscle and adipose cells. Nonetheless, the mechanisms underlying this specificity have remained incompletely understood, particularly in view of the ability of some growth factors to mimic insulin-dependent early signaling events. In this study, we have probed the basis of insulin specificity by overexpressing in hormone-responsive 3T3-L1 adipocytes wild-type platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor (PDGFR)-beta and selected, informative mutant receptor proteins. We show that such adipocytes overexpressing wild-type PDGFR on exposure to cognate growth factor activate glucose transport, GLUT4 translocation, and the serine-threonine protein kinase Akt/protein kinase B to a degree comparable with that produced in response to insulin. In addition, PDGF elicits the robust generation of phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate in vivo in PDGFR-overexpressing 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Expression of PDGFR-beta mutant proteins demonstrates that these responses require the presence of an intact phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-binding site on the overexpressed PDGF receptor. Furthermore, PDGF stimulates these effects independent of insulin receptor substrate(IRS)-1 or IRS-2 tyrosine phosphorylation or docking to activated PI3K. These data demonstrate that 1) the basis of insulin-specific glucose transport in cultured adipocytes is the low level of receptors for other growth factors and 2) in the presence of adequate receptors, PDGF is fully capable of activating glucose transport in a manner requiring PI3K and subsequent phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate accumulation but independent of insulin, insulin receptor, and IRS proteins.
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PMID:Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) stimulates glucose transport in 3T3-L1 adipocytes overexpressing PDGF receptor by a pathway independent of insulin receptor substrates. 1293 52

Space flight-induced bone loss has been attributed to a decrease in osteoblast function, without a significant change in bone resorption. To determine the effect of microgravity (MG) on bone, we used the Rotary Cell Culture System [developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)] to model MG. Cultured mouse calvariae demonstrated a 3-fold decrease in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and failed to mineralize after 7 d of MG. ALP and osteocalcin gene expression were also decreased. To determine the effects of MG on osteoblastogenesis, we cultured human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) on plastic microcarriers, and osteogenic differentiation was induced immediately before the initiation of modeled MG. A marked suppression of hMSC differentiation into osteoblasts was observed because the cells failed to express ALP, collagen 1, and osteonectin. The expression of runt-related transcription factor 2 was also inhibited. Interestingly, we found that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma2), which is known to be important for adipocyte differentiation, adipsin, leptin, and glucose transporter-4 are highly expressed in response to MG. These changes were not corrected after 35 d of readaptation to normal gravity. In addition, MG decreased ERK- and increased p38-phosphorylation. These pathways are known to regulate the activity of runt-related transcription factor 2 and PPARgamma2, respectively. Taken together, our findings indicate that modeled MG inhibits the osteoblastic differentiation of hMSC and induces the development of an adipocytic lineage phenotype. This work will increase understanding and aid in the prevention of bone loss, not only in MG but also potentially in age-and disuse-related osteoporosis.
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PMID:Modeled microgravity inhibits osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells and increases adipogenesis. 1474 52

Adipose tissue is a primary target of insulin, but knowledge about insulin signalling in human adipocytes is limited. We developed an electroporation technique for transfection of primary human adipocytes with a transfection efficiency of 15% +/- 5 (mean +/- S.D.). Human adipocytes were co-transfected with a mutant of IRS-3 (all four potential PI3-kinase binding motifs mutated: IRS-3F4) and HA-tagged protein kinase B (HA-PKB/Akt). HA-PKB/Akt was immunoprecipitated from cell lysates with anti-HA antibodies, resolved with SDS-PAGE, and immunoblotted with phospho-specific antibodies. We found that IRS-3F4 blocked insulin stimulation of HA-PKB/Akt phosphorylation and in further analyses also translocation of recombinant HA-tagged glucose transporter to the plasma membrane. IRS-3F4 also blocked insulin-induced activation of the transcription factor Elk-1. Our results demonstrate the critical importance of IRS for metabolic as well as mitogenic signalling by insulin. This method for transfection of primary human adipocytes will be useful for studying insulin signalling in human adipocytes with molecular biological techniques.
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PMID:Expression of a mutant IRS inhibits metabolic and mitogenic signalling of insulin in human adipocytes. 1522 27

In vivo models that recapitulate oncogene-dependent tumorigenesis will greatly facilitate development of molecularly targeted anticancer therapies. We have developed a model based on activating mutations in c-KIT in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). This model comprises murine tumors of FDC-P1 cell lines expressing c-KIT mutations that render the tumors either responsive (V560G) or resistant (D816V) to the small-molecule c-KIT inhibitor, imatinib. Clinically, GIST response to imatinib is associated with rapid reduction in fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake on positron emission tomography (PET), preceding changes in conventional response criteria by several weeks. Using the FDC-P1 model in small animal PET, FDG uptake into tumors expressing the c-KIT V560G mutation was significantly reduced as early as 4 hours after imatinib treatment. In contrast, no change in FDG uptake was observed in resistant c-KIT D816V-expressing tumors after 48 hours of imatinib treatment. Consistent with the PET results, expression of the glucose transporter, GLUT1, was significantly reduced in V560G tumors at 4 hours, preceding changes in markers of proliferation by several hours. In vitro, imatinib treatment of V560G cells resulted in a reduction of glucose transporter numbers at the cell surface and decreased glucose uptake well before changes in cell viability. Notably, decreased ambient glucose concentrations enhanced the cytotoxic effect of imatinib. Taken together, these data account for the rapidity and significance of the PET response to imatinib and suggest that metabolic effects may contribute to imatinib cytotoxicity. Further, the FDC-P1 model represents a very useful paradigm for molecularly targeted drug development.
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PMID:An in vivo tumor model exploiting metabolic response as a biomarker for targeted drug development. 1626 81


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