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)

Haemorrhagic shock leads to decreased proinflammatory cytokine response which is associated with an increased susceptibility to bacterial infections. In the present study, the effect of GM-CSF on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced TNF-alpha release and MAPkinase activation was analysed on the background of a possible immunostimulating activity of this substance. Male BALB/c mice were bled to a mean arterial blood pressure of 50 mmHg for 45 min followed by resuscitation. Peritoneal macrophages were isolated 20 h after haemorrhage and incubated with 10 ng/ml GM-CSF for 6h before LPS stimulation. TNF-alpha synthesis was studied in the culture supernatants using ELISA. Phosphorylation of ERK, p38MAPK and IkappaBalpha was detected by Western blotting. LPS-induced TNF-alpha production of peritoneal macrophages was significantly decreased 20 h after haemorrhage in comparison to the corresponding cells of sham-operated mice. In parallel the phosphorylation of IkappaBalpha was less in LPS-stimulated peritoneal macrophages from haemorrhagic mice. LPS-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 was also decreased in peritoneal macrophages isolated after haemorrhagic shock. In contrast, p38MAPK was phosphorylated more intensely after LPS-stimulation in macrophages collected from shocked mice. GM-CSF incubation elevated LPS-induced TNF-alpha response of macrophages from both sham-operated and shocked mice which was accompanied by an elevated IkappaB and ERK phosphorylation. In general, GM-CSF treatment in vitro enhanced peritoneal macrophages LPS-response both in terms of TNF-alpha synthesis and IkappaB and MAPK signalling, but the levels always stayed lower than those of GM-CSF-treated cells from sham-operated animals. In conclusion, GM-CSF preincubation could partly reactivate the depressed functions of peritoneal macrophages and may therefore exert immunostimulating properties after shock or trauma.
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PMID:Haemorrhagic shock in mice--intracellular signalling and immunomodulation of peritoneal macrophages' LPS response. 1701 46

We used the Luminex assay to compare serum cytokine profiles of breast cancer patients (BCa) to healthy controls, node-positive (NP) patients to node-negative (NN), and pre- and post-vaccination serum of BCa vaccinated with a HER2/neu E75 peptide vaccine. Sera from 36 pre- and post-vaccination BCa, (12 NP and 24 NN) and 13 healthy, female donors, were evaluated using Luminex technology. Levels of 22 cytokines consisting of interleukin (IL)-1alpha, -1beta, -2, -4, -5, -6, -7, -8, -10, -12, -13, -15, -17, IFN-gamma, G-CSF, GM-CSF, TNF-alpha, IP-10, MIP-1alpha, RANTES, eotaxin and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) were assessed. Six of 22 cytokines showed significant differences between BCa and healthy controls. MCP-1, eotaxin, RANTES and GM-CSF levels were significantly elevated in BCa (P<0.009) and IL-1alpha and IL-4 levels were significantly decreased in BCa (P<0.015). Cytokine levels were generally elevated in NN patients compared to NP patients with the exception of eotaxin and IL-13, which were increased in NP patients. Three cytokines, IL-6, MIP-1alpha and G-CSF reached statistical significance (P<0.05). In 34 vaccinated BCa, MCP-1, eotaxin and IL-13 were significantly elevated post-vaccination with MCP-1 demonstrating the most significant response (median, 145.8-217.0 pg/ml, P=0.003). Using a multiplex assay we found significant differences in cytokine levels in sera of BCa compared to healthy controls, in NN compared to NP patients, and in vaccinated patients. Our results support an extended analysis of serum cytokine profiles for the potential development of predictive panels in diagnosis, staging and monitoring cancer vaccine trials.
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PMID:Assessing serum cytokine profiles in breast cancer patients receiving a HER2/neu vaccine using Luminex technology. 1727 52

Food poisoning due to staphylococcal enterotoxins A and B (SEA and SEB) affects hundreds of thousands of people annually. SEA and SEB induce massive intestinal cytokine production, which is believed to be the key factor in staphylococcal enterotoxin enteropathy. MHC class II molecules are the major receptors for staphylococcal enterotoxins. We recently demonstrated that normal human subepithelial intestinal myofibroblasts (IMFs) express MHC class II molecules. We hypothesized that IMFs are among the first cells to respond to staphylococcal enterotoxins and contribute to the cytokine production associated with staphylococcal enterotoxin pathogenesis. We demonstrated here that primary cultured IMFs bind staphylococcal enterotoxins in a MHC class II-dependent fashion in vitro. We also demonstrated that staphylococcal enterotoxins can cross a CaCo-2 epithelial monolayer in coculture with IMFs and bind to the MHC class II on IMFs. IMFs responded to SEA, but not SEB, exposure with 3- to 20-fold increases in the production of proinflammatory chemokines (MCP-1, IL-8), cytokines (IL-6), and growth factors (GM-CSF and G-CSF). The SEA induction of the proinflammatory mediators by IMFs resulted from the efficient cross-linking of MHC class II molecules because cross-linking of class II MHC by biotinylated anti-HLA-DR Abs induced similar cytokine patterns. The studies presented here show that MCP-1 is central to the production of other cytokines elicited by SEA in IMFs because its neutralization with specific Abs prevented the expression of IL-6 and IL-8 by IMFs. Thus, MCP-1 may play a leading role in initiation of inflammatory injury associated with staphylococcal enterotoxigenic disease.
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PMID:Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 production by intestinal myofibroblasts in response to staphylococcal enterotoxin a: relevance to staphylococcal enterotoxigenic disease. 1754 48

The influence of environmental factors (cytokines, matrix components, serum factors and O(2) level) on expression of receptors for angiogenic versus angiostatic CXC chemokines in human microvascular endothelial cells has not been extensively investigated. Our semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma repressed CXCR4 mRNA levels in immortalized human microvascular endothelial HMEC-1 cells after 4 h, whereas only TNF-alpha displayed inhibitory activity in primary human microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC). CXCR4 mRNA expression was not affected by VEGF, GM-CSF, IL-1beta or various basal membrane matrix components, but was significantly up-regulated after serum starvation and/or hypoxic treatment of the microvascular endothelial cells. The alternative CXCL12 receptor, CXCR7/RDC1, was also up-regulated by hypoxia in HMEC-1 cells, although less consistently than CXCR4. Furthermore, hypoxia and serum starvation were required for cell surface display of CXCR4 and CXCL12 induction of ERK activation in HMEC-1 cells. In contrast, CXCR2 and CXCR3 mRNA levels remained, respectively, low and undetectable under all the conditions tested, and surface expression of CXCR2, CXCR3 and CXCR7 on the HMEC- 1 cells could not be demonstrated by FACS. In the human SK-MEL-5 melanoma cell line, CXCR4 mRNA expression was also increased under hypoxic conditions, whereas CXCR2 mRNA levels remained low and levels of CXCR3 and CXCR7 were undetectable. However, immunohistochemical staining of human metastatic melanoma sections demonstrated that CXCR2, CXCR3, CXCR4 and CXCR7 are expressed on tumor cells and, to a lesser extent, on endothelial cells. These results demonstrate that the tumor microenvironment regulates chemokine receptor expression through both cytokine and oxygen levels.
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PMID:Hypoxia enhances CXCR4 expression in human microvascular endothelial cells and human melanoma cells. 1759 38

KIT is a tyrosine kinase receptor that is aberrantly activated in several neoplasms. In human pathologies, the most frequent mutation of KIT occurs at codon 816. The resulting KIT mutant protein is activated in the absence of ligand and is resistant to the clinically available inhibitors of KIT. In this report, we provide evidence for an essential function of the cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase FES downstream of KIT(D816V). FES is phosphorylated on tyrosine residues in cells that carry KIT(D816V) mutation, and this phosphorylation is KIT dependent. Reduction of FES expression using RNA interference results in decreased cell proliferation in human or murine cells harboring KIT(D816V) or the homologous mouse mutation KIT(D814Y). The reduced cell growth can be rescued using another cytokine (granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor [GM-CSF]) and is not observed when the closely related fer gene is targeted. Finally, signaling downstream of KIT(D816V) is altered in cells lacking FES expression. This study shows a major function of FES downstream of activated KIT receptor and thereby points to FES as a novel target in KIT-related pathologies.
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PMID:The tyrosine kinase FES is an essential effector of KITD816V proliferation signal. 1759 34

Dendritic cells (DC) have a unique capacity to present external antigens to CD8(+) T cells, i.e. cross-presentation. However, it is not fully established whether the ability to cross-presentation is restricted to a unique subset of DC in humans. Here, we show that two major myeloid DC subsets, i.e. Langerhans cells (LC) and interstitial DC (Int-DC), have the ability to cross-present antigens to CD8(+) T cells in vitro. LC and Int-DC were obtained from DC generated by culturing human CD34(+)-hematopoietic progenitor cells with GM-CSF, FLT3-L, and TNF-alpha (CD34-DC). Both DC subsets were able to capture necrotic/apoptotic allogeneic melanoma cells and present antigens to CD8(+) T cells, resulting in efficient priming of naive CD8(+) T cells into CTL capable of killing melanoma cells. Strikingly, a single stimulation with either subset (LC or Int-DC) or total CD34-DC loaded with necrotic/apoptotic melanoma cells was sufficient to activate melanoma-specific memory CD8(+) T cells obtained from patients with metastatic melanoma to become effective CTL. Thus, this study provides the rationale to use CD34-DC loaded with necrotic/apoptotic allogeneic melanoma cells in a clinical trial.
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PMID:Both Langerhans cells and interstitial DC cross-present melanoma antigens and efficiently activate antigen-specific CTL. 1768 11

FoxP3(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells are important mediators of peripheral tolerance, and deficiency of this population is associated with autoimmune inflammation and onset of acute lethal graft-vs.-host disease in transplantation. Type I IFN-producing plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) are implicated in the induction and maintenance of tolerance and contribute to engraftment facilitation and prevention of graft-vs.-host disease after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells transplantation (HSCT). Because host DC function is impaired during the immediate period post-transplant, the administration of donor DC may be useful for the educational program of recovering T cells. Distinct DC subsets could be derived from bone marrow (murine) or peripheral CD14(+) cell (human) cultures in the presence of either GM-CSF/IL-4 (myeloid DC) or FLT3-ligand (mainly pDC). The ability of either DC subset to induce Th1/Treg cell priming against Aspergillus fumigatus as well as the relative contribution of murine DC subsets to antifungal priming upon adoptive transfer in hematopoietic transplanted mice with aspergillosis is not known. We found specialization and complementarity in priming and tolerization by the different DC subsets, with FL-DC fulfilling the requirement for (i) Th1/Treg antifungal priming; ii) tolerization toward alloantigens and (iii) diversion from alloantigen-specific to antigen-specific T cell responses in the presence of donor T lymphocytes. Interestingly, thymosin alpha1 (Talpha1), known to modulate human pDC functions trough TLR9, affects mobilization and tolerization of pDC by activating the indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-dependent pathway, and this resulted in Treg development and tolerization. Thus, transplantation tolerance and concomitant pathogen clearance could be achieved through the therapeutic induction of antigen-specific Treg cells via instructive immunotherapy with pathogen- or TLR-conditioned donor DC.
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PMID:Provision of antifungal immunity and concomitant alloantigen tolerization by conditioned dendritic cells in experimental hematopoietic transplantation. 1782 38

Replication-selective oncolytic viruses (virotherapeutics) are being developed as novel cancer therapies with unique mechanisms of action, but limitations in i.v. delivery to tumors and systemic efficacy have highlighted the need for improved agents for this therapeutic class to realize its potential. Here we describe the rational, stepwise design and evaluation of a systemically effective virotherapeutic (JX-963). We first identified a highly potent poxvirus strain that also trafficked efficiently to human tumors after i.v. administration. This strain was then engineered to target cancer cells with activation of the transcription factor E2F and the EGFR pathway by deletion of the thymidine kinase and vaccinia growth factor genes. For induction of tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes, we further engineered the virus to express human GM-CSF. JX-963 was more potent than the previously used virotherapeutic Onyx-015 adenovirus and as potent as wild-type vaccinia in all cancer cell lines tested. Significant cancer selectivity of JX-963 was demonstrated in vitro in human tumor cell lines, in vivo in tumor-bearing rabbits, and in primary human surgical samples ex vivo. Intravenous administration led to systemic efficacy against both primary carcinomas and widespread organ-based metastases in immunocompetent mice and rabbits. JX-963 therefore holds promise as a rationally designed, targeted virotherapeutic for the systemic treatment of cancer in humans and warrants clinical testing.
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PMID:Rational strain selection and engineering creates a broad-spectrum, systemically effective oncolytic poxvirus, JX-963. 1796 76

Strong evidence suggests that neutrophils may play an active role in acute and chronic inflammatory disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis and atherosclerosis. Given the role of pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha in these inflammatory processes, we planned the present study to investigate the effect of short term incubation with TNF-alpha on neutrophil migration to CCL3, a chemokine produced in inflammatory sites and normally devoid of neutrophil chemotactic properties. We found that TNF-alpha primed neutrophils for migration to CCL3 via CCR5. TNF-alpha-induced migration was a consequence of the TNF-alpha-induced up-regulation of integrin CD11b/CD18 (Mac-1) on neutrophil surface. Furthermore, TNF-alpha activity was found to be strictly dependent on the activation of ERK 1/2 p44, cooperating with the intracellular pathways involving Src kinases, PI3K/Akt, p38 MAPK, well known as activated in response to classical chemoattractants (CXCL8) or priming agents (GM-CSF). On the contrary, the effect of TNF-alpha on neutrophil migration to CCL3 was not dependent on JNK 1/2. In conclusion, the present report shows that TNF-alpha unveils a previously unknown capacity of neutrophils to migrate to CCL3 through the intervention of Mac-1. TNF-alpha regulates Mac-1 up-regulation through signalling pathways, involving various kinases, but not JNK 1/2. Although highly speculative, ERK 1/2 p44 may represent a selective target for the pharmacologic manipulation of neutrophil-mediated adverse activities in TNF-alpha-mediated inflammatory states.
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PMID:Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) induces integrin CD11b/CD18 (Mac-1) up-regulation and migration to the CC chemokine CCL3 (MIP-1alpha) on human neutrophils through defined signalling pathways. 1816 90

Systemic administration of Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (FLT3L) has been considered to be a major route of delivery for tumor immunotherapy because expression of its receptor, FLT3, was detected predominantly in hematopoetic progenitor cells. However, several studies indicate that FLT3L locally overexpressed in tumor or dendritic cells (DCs) also shows an anti-tumor effect. In the current study, we found that FLT3 expression is not present in monocytes but is instead induced in DCs through the differentiation process resulting from stimulation by GM-CSF and IL-4. Addition of FLT3L further augmented FLT3 induction and also increased CD40 expression in DCs, leading to enhanced induction of lymphoblastoid cell line-targeted cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response and CD107a mobilization in CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, FLT3L also induced FLT3 expression in peripheral blood NK cells that showed an enhanced response detected by CD107a mobilization. In a murine ovarian cancer model, locally expressed FLT3L showed anti-tumor effects. Collectively, the current study indicates that FLT3L has an immunostimulatory effect on peripheral blood cells and FLT3L targeted to mature peripheral blood cells may serve as a useful tool for cancer immunotherapy.
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PMID:Immunostimulatory effect of Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand on peripheral monocyte-derived dendritic cells and natural killer cells: utilization for ovarian cancer treatment. 1820 1


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