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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)
A diet high in soy is associated with many health benefits, including reduced incidence of breast cancer. The soy phytoestrogen, genistein, is hypothesized to contribute to mammary chemoprevention via interaction with estrogen receptors (ERs) alpha and/or beta. These steroid signaling pathways are believed to exert control over proliferation and differentiation of the mammary gland by a complex bidirectional interaction with the epidermal growth factor (EGF) signaling pathway. The current work was designed to study the role of these two pathways in prepubertal mammary gland growth. Female Sprague-Dawley CD rats were injected with genistein (500 micro g/g body wt) or estradiol benzoate (EB) (500 ng/g body wt) on days 16, 18 and 20. Whole mount analysis of mammary glands from 21-day-old rats showed that both treatments resulted in significantly increased terminal end buds (TEBs), and increased ductal branching, compared with animals given the vehicle, dimethylsulfoxide
(DMSO)
. Both effects were inhibited by blockage of ER function by pre-treating with 2 mg ICI 182,780/kg body wt, a steroidal anti-estrogen. Immunoblotting analyis of mammary gland extracts demonstrated increased epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and progesterone receptor (PR) expression following treatment with EB or genistein. Tyrosine-phosphorylated EGFR, as measured by immunoprecipitation/immunoblotting was also increased, but when normalized to total receptors, there was no net effect. The expression and phosphorylation of downstream targets of the EGFR, mitogen activating kinase kinase (MEK 1 and 2) and extracellular signal regulated kinases 1 and 2 (
ERK
1 and 2) were not significantly affected. Anti-estrogen pre-treatment prevented the increase in EGFR, phospho-EGFR and PR. The data indicate an ER-based mechanism of action for genistein in mammary gland proliferation and differentiation, which can lead to protection against mammary cancer.
...
PMID:Genistein action in the prepubertal mammary gland in a chemoprevention model. 1218 89
We investigated whether lipid peroxidation might influence activation of the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) extracellular regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in neointimal hyperplasia induced by flow interruption of carotid artery in mice. C57/BL6 mice were subjected to a complete ligation of the left common carotid artery or to a sham ligation. Animals were randomized to receive either IRFI-042, a Vitamin E-like inhibitor of lipid peroxidation (20 mg/kg/i.p., immediately after artery occlusion) or its vehicle (1 ml/kg of a NaCl-
DMSO
solution). The extent of lipid peroxidation (investigated by the means of conjugated dienes levels) and JNK and
ERK
activation were evaluated by Western blot analysis after blood flow interruption. ICAM-1 expression in injured arteries was investigated 4 days after artery ligation by the means of reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and quantification of the ICAM-1 protein levels. Morphometric analysis of the structural alteration caused by the disruption of the arterial blood flow was performed 4 weeks after surgery. Flow interruption in the carotid artery resulted at 10 min, following occlusion in a marked increase in conjugated dienes tissue levels (5.8+/-0.44 DeltaABS/mg protein), caused at 30 min after occlusion peak increase in both ERK1/2 (45+/-8 integrated intensity) and JNK (38+/-6 integrated intensity) activities, enhanced ICAM-1 expression (1.5+/-0.45 relative amount of ICAM-1 mRNA) and ICAM-1 protein levels (55+/-12 pg/mg protein) and produced a marked neointimal hyperplasia (mean intimal area=101+/-14 microm2). Injured arteries harvested from IRFI-042-treated mice had reduced conjugated dienes tissue levels (2.9+/-0.5 DeltaABS/mg protein), attenuated ERK1/2 (19+/-6 integrated intensity) and JNK (2.9+/-0.5 integrated intensity) activities, blunted ICAM-1 expression (0.38+/-0.1 relative amount of ICAM-1 mRNA) and protein levels (26+/-8 pg/mg protein) and decreased neointimal hyperplasia (mean intimal area=4.5+/-1.5 microm2). Our data indicate that ERK1/2 and JNK kinases play a crucial role in neointimal hyperplasia induced by flow cessation in the mouse carotid artery. Furthermore, the present data suggest that lipid peroxidation triggers
ERK
and JNK activation.
...
PMID:Lipid peroxidation triggers both c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK) activation and neointimal hyperplasia induced by cessation of blood flow in the mouse carotid artery. 1569 37
The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential role of polyglycolic acid (PGA), poly(glycolic acid-epsilon-caprolactone) (PGCL), poly(L-lactic acid-glycolic acid) (PLGA), poly(L-lactic acid-epsilon-caprolactone, 75:25 (w/w)) [P(LA-CL)25], poly-epsilon-caprolactone (tetrabutoxy titanium) [
PCL
(Ti)], and fullerene C-60 dimalonic acid (DMA) in cartilage transplants. After 4 weeks of culture of human articular cartilage, the levels of cell proliferation and differentiation and the expression of cartilage-specific matrix genes were estimated. The relationship between cell differentiation and gap junction protein connexin 43 (Cx43) was also evaluated. All materials except
PCL
(Ti) retained cell proliferation activities similar to the controls. Cell differentiation levels from the highest to the lowest were in the following order: PGA >> PLGA > PGCL > Control =
DMSO
> P(LA-CL)25 =
PCL
(Ti) >> fullerene C-60 DMA. Expression of the collagen type II gene was selectively upregulated for PGA, PGCL, and PLGA and slightly increased for P(LA-CL)25 polymers but was downregulated for fullerene C-60 DMA. Aggrecan gene expression was strongest with PGA and was consistently expressed with other matrices, especially with PGCL and PLGA. However, the expression patterns of the connexin 43 gene were different from the former two genes. Multiple regression analysis revealed a high correlation between cartilage proteoglycans production and expression levels of these three genes.
...
PMID:Biodegradable polymers in chondrogenesis of human articular chondrocytes. 1623 35
Colonic carcinogenesis involves the progressive dysregulation of homeostatic mechanisms that control growth. The epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (
EGFR
) regulates colonocyte growth and differentiation and is overexpressed in many human colon cancers. A requirement for
EGFR
in colonic premalignancy, however, has not been shown. In the current study, we used a specific
EGFR
antagonist, gefitinib, to investigate this role of the receptor in azoxymethane colonic premalignancy. The azoxymethane model shares many clinical, histologic, and molecular features of human colon cancer. Mice received azoxymethane i.p. (5 mg/kg/wk) or saline for 6 weeks. Animals were also gavaged with gefitinib (10 mg/kg body weight) or vehicle
(DMSO)
thrice weekly for 18 weeks, a dose schedule that inhibited normal receptor activation by exogenous EGF. Compared with control colonocytes [bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd), 2.2+/-1.2%], azoxymethane significantly increased proliferation (BrdUrd, 12.6+/-2.8%), whereas gefitinib inhibited this hyperproliferation (BrdUrd, 6.2+/-4.0%; <0.005). Azoxymethane significantly induced pro-transforming growth factor-alpha (6.4+/-1.3-fold) and increased phospho-(active)
EGFR
(5.9+/-1.1-fold), phospho-(active) ErbB2 (2.3+/-0.2-fold), and phospho-(active) extracellular signal-regulated kinase (3.3+/-0.4-fold) in premalignant colonocytes. Gefitinib inhibited activations of these kinases by >75% (P<0.05). Gefitinib also significantly reduced the number of large aberrant crypt foci and decreased the incidence of colonic microadenomas from 75% to 33% (P<0.05). Gefitinib concomitantly decreased cell cycle-regulating cyclin D1 and prostanoid biosynthetic enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 in microadenomas, suggesting that these regulators are key targets of
EGFR
in colonic carcinogenesis. These results show for the first time that
EGFR
signaling is required for early stages of colonic carcinogenesis. Our findings suggest, moreover, that inhibitors of
EGFR
might be useful in chemopreventive strategies in individuals at increased risk for colonic malignancies.
...
PMID:Epidermal growth factor receptor signaling is required for microadenoma formation in the mouse azoxymethane model of colonic carcinogenesis. 1723 95
A poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PEO-b-
PCL
) diblock copolymer was micronized into small micelle-like particles (approximately 80 nm) via dialysis-induced microphase inversion. The enzymatic biodegradation of the
PCL
portion of these particles in water was in situ investigated inside a recently developed novel differential refractometer. Using this refractometry method, we were able to monitor the real-time biodegradation via the refractive index change (
Deltan
) of the dispersion because
Deltan
is directly proportional to the particle mass concentration. We found that the degradation rate is proportional to either the polymer or enzyme concentration. Our results directly support previous speculation on the basis of the light-scattering data that the biodegradation follows the first-order kinetics for a given enzyme concentration. This study not only leads to a better understanding of the enzymatic biodegradation of
PCL
, but also demonstrates a novel, rapid, noninvasive, and convenient way to test the degradability of polymers.
...
PMID:Novel differential refractometry study of the enzymatic degradation kinetics of poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(epsilon-caprolactone) particles dispersed in water. 1726 57
A blend mixture of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (
PCL
) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) was electrospun to produce fibrous meshes that could release a protein drug in a controlled manner. Various biodegradable polymers, such as poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA), poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (
PCL
), and poly(d,l-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) were dissolved, along with PEO and lysozyme, in a mixture of chloroform and dimethylsulfoxide
(DMSO)
. The mixture was electrospun to produce lysozyme loaded fibrous meshes. Among the polymers, the
PCL
/PEO blend meshes showed good morphological stability upon incubation in the buffer solution, resulting in controlled release of lysozyme over an extended period with reduced initial bursts. With varying the
PCL
/PEO blending ratio, the release rate of lysozyme from the corresponding meshes could be readily modulated. The lysozyme release was facilitated by increasing the amount of PEO, indicating that entrapped lysozyme was mainly released out by controlled dissolution of PEO from the blend meshes. Lysozyme released from the electrospun fibers retained sufficient catalytic activity.
...
PMID:Controlled protein release from electrospun biodegradable fiber mesh composed of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) and poly(ethylene oxide). 1732 Oct 84
D-Galactosamine (D-Galn: 300 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally administered to rats. After 6 h the activity of plasma GOT and GPT was significantly higher than that of the control group and plasma GOT and GPT activities increased thereafter. These results indicated that the necrotic process was initiated at about 6 h and developed thereafter. With coadministration of
DMSO
(1 h before administration of D-Galn: 2.5 mL/kg, oral), plasma GOT and GPT were significantly lower, showing that
DMSO
inhibited the necrotic action of D-Galn. After 6-24 h of D-Galn administration, the hepatic level of vitamin C, the most sensitive indicator of oxidative stress, decreased significantly, indicating that oxidative stress was significantly enhanced 6 h after D-Galn intoxication and thereafter.
DMSO
significantly restored the liver vitamin C level 24 h after D-Galn injection, demonstrating that
DMSO
effectively ameliorated the oxidative stress caused by D-Galn, resulting in the prevention of necrosis of the liver. Phosphorylated JNK and phospho-
ERK
were significantly increased transiently 6-12 h after treatment with D-Galn. These results indicated that oxidative stress and the activation of JNK took place almost simultaneously. Phosphorylated p38 MAPK was not changed and
DMSO
treatment did not affect the change of these MAPKs by D-Galn.
...
PMID:Inhibitory effect of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) on necrosis and oxidative stress caused by D-galactosamine in the rat liver. 1761 4
The differentiation of promyelocytic leukemic cells into mature cells is the major strategy for drug-based treatment of leukemia. Higher efficient methods to differentiate promyelocytic leukemic cells have been developed using various differentiation inducers including interferon-alpha, interleukin-4, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and dimethyl sulfoxide
(DMSO)
as a single agent or in combination with each other. Here, we show that a combination of TNF-alpha with DMSO shows a synergic effect on HL-60 cell differentiation through the activation of
ERK
pathway. TNF-alpha enhanced CD11b expression and percent of cell population in the G1 phase induced by DMSO, which are hallmarks for HL-60 cell differentiation. Inhibition of
ERK
pathway abolished the synergic effect of TNF-alpha in combination with DMSO on HL-60 differentiation, but the inhibition NF-kappaB pathway did not. These results suggest that TNF-alpha synergistically increases DMSO-induced differentiation of HL-60 cells through the activation of
ERK
/MAPK-signaling pathway.
...
PMID:Tumor necrosis factor-alpha enhances DMSO-induced differentiation of HL-60 cells through the activation of ERK/MAPK pathway. 1825 85
Exemestane-resistant breast cancer cell lines (i.e., ExeR), derived from MCF-7 cells expressing a high level of aromatase (MCF-7aro), were generated in our laboratory. The epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like protein amphiregulin (AREG) was highly expressed in ExeR cells based on cDNA microarray analysis. The high levels of AREG mRNA in ExeR cell lines were confirmed by real-time reverse transcription-PCR. The high levels of AREG protein in ExeR cell lysates and culture media were confirmed by Western blot analysis and ELISA, respectively. Furthermore, our Western blot analysis showed that whereas no AREG was detected in the
DMSO
control, overnight treatment of parental MCF-7aro cells with 1 micromol/L exemestane strongly induced the expression of AREG. This induction was totally blocked by 100 nmol/L of pure antiestrogen ICI 182,780, implying estrogen receptor (ER) dependence of exemestane-induced AREG expression. MCF-7aro cells were not able to proliferate in hormone-free medium, but were able to proliferate in conditioned medium from ExeR cells, similar to the treatment of recombinant human AREG. Small interference RNA targeting AREG inhibited ExeR proliferation, confirming that AREG is truly functioning as a growth factor of ExeR cells. The specific inhibitors to ER (ICI 182,780), EGF receptor (
EGFR
; AG1478), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK; U0126) all showed dose-dependent suppression of the proliferation of ExeR cells, indicating the involvement of the ER,
EGFR
, and MAPK pathways. Based on these findings, we propose a possible mechanism that underlies exemestane resistance: exemestane induces AREG in an ER-dependent manner. AREG then activates the
EGFR
pathway and leads to the activation of the MAPK pathway that drives cell proliferation.
...
PMID:The role of amphiregulin in exemestane-resistant breast cancer cells: evidence of an autocrine loop. 1838 32
Magnolol, an active component extracted from Magnolia officinalis, has been reported to have protective effect on ischemia and reperfusion (I/R)-induced injury in experimental animals. The aim of the present investigation was to further evaluate the mechanism(s) by which magnolol reduces I/R-induced myocardial injury in rats in vivo. Under anesthesia, left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery was occluded for 30 min followed by reperfusion for 24 h (for infarct size and cardiac function analysis). In some experiments, reperfusion was limited to 1 h or 6 h for analysis of biochemical and molecular events. Magnolol and
DMSO
solution (vehicle) were injected intra-peritoneally 1 h prior to I/R insult. The infarct size was measured by TTC technique and heart function was monitored by Millar Catheter. Apoptosis related events such as p-
ERK
, p-Bad, Bcl-xl and cytochrome c expression were evaluated by Western blot analysis and myocardial caspase-3 activity was also measured. Magnolol (10 mg/kg) reduced infarct size by 50% (P < 0.01 versus vehicle), and also improved I/R-induced myocardial dysfunction. Left ventricular systolic pressure and positive and negative maximal values of the first derivative of left ventricular pressure (dP/dt) were significantly improved in magnolol-treated rats. Magnolol increased the expression of phosphor
ERK
and Bad which resulted in inhibition of myocardial apoptosis as evidenced by TUNEL analysis and DNA laddering experiments. Application of PD 98059, a selective MEK1/2 inhibitor, strongly antagonized the effect of magnolol. Taken together, we concluded that magnolol inhibits apoptosis through enhancing the activation of ERK1/2 and modulation of the Bcl-xl proteins which brings about reduction of infarct size and improvement of cardiac function in I/R-induced injury.
...
PMID:Anti-apoptotic effect of magnolol in myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury requires extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 pathways in rat in vivo. 1864 Oct 58
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