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)

Conventional chemotherapeutic drugs are ineffective in treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Imatinib (STI571, Gleevec, Glivec; Novartis Pharmaceuticals, East Hanover, NJ), a selective inhibitor of KIT, ABL, BCR-ABL, PDGFRA, and PDGFRB, represents a new paradigm of targeted cancer therapy and has revolutionized the treatment of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia and GISTs. Unfortunately, imatinib resistance has emerged. The reported mechanism of imatinib resistance in GISTs involves missense mutation in the kinase domain of KIT, including Thr670Ile, Tyr823Asp, and Val654Ala. The established mechanisms and potential mechanisms of imatinib resistance in GISTs, the imaging studies indicative of early development of imatinib resistance, and the management of imatinib-resistant GISTs are discussed.
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PMID:Imatinib resistance in gastrointestinal stromal tumors. 1594 89

To realize the full potential of targeted protein kinase inhibitors for the treatment of cancer, it is important to address the emergence of drug resistance in treated patients. Mutant forms of BCR-ABL, KIT, and the EGF receptor (EGFR) have been found that confer resistance to the drugs imatinib, gefitinib, and erlotinib. The mutations weaken or prevent drug binding, and interestingly, one of the most common sites of mutation in all three kinases is a highly conserved "gatekeeper" threonine residue near the kinase active site. We have identified existing clinical compounds that bind and inhibit drug-resistant mutant variants of ABL, KIT, and EGFR. We found that the Aurora kinase inhibitor VX-680 and the p38 inhibitor BIRB-796 inhibit the imatinib- and BMS-354825-resistant ABL(T315I) kinase. The KIT/FLT3 inhibitor SU-11248 potently inhibits the imatinib-resistant KIT(V559D/T670I) kinase, consistent with the clinical efficacy of SU-11248 against imatinib-resistant gastrointestinal tumors, and the EGFR inhibitors EKB-569 and CI-1033, but not GW-572016 and ZD-6474, potently inhibit the gefitinib- and erlotinib-resistant EGFR(L858R/T790M) kinase. EKB-569 and CI-1033 are already in clinical trials, and our results suggest that they should be considered for testing in the treatment of gefitinib/erlotinib-resistant non-small cell lung cancer. The results highlight the strategy of screening existing clinical compounds against newly identified drug-resistant mutant variants to find compounds that may serve as starting points for the development of next-generation drugs, or that could be used directly to treat patients that have acquired resistance to first-generation targeted therapy.
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PMID:Inhibition of drug-resistant mutants of ABL, KIT, and EGF receptor kinases. 1604 38

Ag-specific B cell differentiation, the process that gives rise to plasma cells and memory B cells, involves the formation of germinal centers (GC). Within the GC microenvironment, multiple steps of B cell proliferation, selection, and maturation take place, which are controlled by the BCR in concert with cytokines and contact-dependent signals from follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) and T cells. Signaling by the multifunctional cytokine hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor MET has been shown to induce integrin-mediated adhesion of B cells to VCAM-1, which is expressed by FDCs. In the present study we have examined the expression of regulatory components of the HGF/MET pathway, including HGF activator (HGFA), within the secondary lymphoid organ microenvironment. We show that MET is expressed by both centroblasts and plasma cells, and that HGFA is expressed by plasma cells. Because we have shown that HGF is a potent growth and survival factor for malignant plasma cells, HGF may also serve as a survival factor for normal plasma cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate that FDCs are the major source for HGF and its activator within the GC microenvironment. Both HGF and HGFA are expressed by FDCs in the GC dark zone (CD21high/CD23low), but not in the light zone (CD21high/CD23high). These findings suggest that HGF and HGFA provided by dark zone FDCs help to regulate the proliferation, survival, and/or adhesion of MET-positive centroblasts.
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PMID:Follicular dendritic cells catalyze hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) activation in the germinal center microenvironment by secreting the serine protease HGF activator. 1611 66

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. Activating mutations of KIT or the platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha gene (PDGFRA) have been identified in the vast majority of GISTs. The respective oncoproteins exhibit constitutive tyrosine kinase activity and promote cell growth. KIT and PDGFRA mutations are rarely found in GISTs in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) suggesting that the pathogenesis of GIST in NF1 patients is different from that in non-NF1 patients. Endoscopic diagnosis of GIST is usually difficult. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (EUS-FNAB) is a useful method for the diagnosis of GIST and for the detection of KIT or PDGFRA mutations. Imatinib mesylate, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor known to inhibit the activities of BCR-ABL, KIT, and PDGFR, is currently being used for the treatment of both chronic myeloid leukemia and metastatic GIST. The clinical response to imatinib therapy correlates with the types of mutations of KIT and PDGFRA, and the determination of KIT and PDGFRA mutations is useful for predicting the effect of imatinib. Resistance to imatinib after an initial response has been reported; secondary point mutations in KIT or PDGFRA that confer imatinib resistance are the most common mechanisms responsible for acquired resistance to imatinib. The continued development of target-specific therapies should increase the probability of cure in most patients with GISTs.
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PMID:Pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors. 1614 81

Aberrant genome-wide hypomethylation is thought to be related to tumorigenesis by promoting genomic instability. Since DNA methylation is considered an important mechanism for the silencing of retroelements, hypomethylation in human tumors may lead to their reactivation. However, the role of DNA hypomethylation in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) remains to be elucidated. In this study, the methylation status of the LINE-1 (L1) retrotransposon promoter was analysed in CML samples from the chronic-phase (CP, n=140) and the blast crisis (BC, n=47). L1 hypomethylation was significantly more frequent in BC (74.5%) than in CP (38%) (P<0.0001). Furthermore, L1 hypomethylation led to activation of both ORF1 sense transcription (P<0.0001) and c-MET gene antisense transcription (P<0.0001), and was significantly associated with high levels of BCR-ABL (P=0.02) and DNMT3b4 (P=0.001) transcripts. Interestingly, in CP-CML, extensive L1 hypomethylation was associated with poorer prognosis in terms of cytogenetic response to interferon (P=0.004) or imatinib (P=0.034) and progression-free survival (P=0.005). The above results strongly suggest that activation of both sense and antisense transcriptions by aberrant promoter hypomethylation of the L1 elements plays a role in the progression and clinical behavior of the CML.
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PMID:Promoter hypomethylation of the LINE-1 retrotransposable elements activates sense/antisense transcription and marks the progression of chronic myeloid leukemia. 2338 83

Imatinib mesylate (STI571) is an oral 2-phenylaminopyrimidine derivative that acts as a selective inhibitor against several receptor tyrosine kinases and has been viewed as one of the therapeutic success stories of the 21st century. Imatinib was first shown to inhibit the causative molecular translocation in chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL. Because imatinib could also inhibit the activity of KIT, a 145-kD transmembrane glycoprotein, and because gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), the most common mesenchymal tumors of the digestive tract, are characterized by expression of a gain-of-function mutation in KIT, imatinib was used in therapeutic trials of GISTs beginning in 1999. The initial success has now resulted in more widespread use of imatinib for the treatment of patients with GIST. Molecular genetic studies have shown that most GISTs possess a KIT mutation in exon 9, 11, 13, or 17. Clinically, GIST patients with KIT exon 11 mutations (ie, the juxtamembrane region) are the most prevalent and sensitive to imatinib. In addition to the inhibitory effect on KIT, imatinib also inhibits the activity of mutant platelet-derived growth factor receptor-alpha (PDGFRalpha) found in a subset of GIST. What is becoming evident is that there are patients with GIST who lack mutations in KIT or PDGFRalpha, or possess "imatinib-resistant" mutations (such as exon 17 mutations in KIT and exon 18 mutations in PDGFRalpha). These patients typically do not respond well to imatinib therapy. Therefore, identifying additional genetic factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of GIST, independent of KIT and PDGFRalpha, will be important in developing additional anti-GIST therapies. As one might suspect from previous experiences with antitumor therapies, primary and secondary resistance to imatinib is also becoming a major clinical problem in the treatment of this disease. Therefore, new drugs that can serve as alternative therapies in imatinib-resistant patients with GIST or that can be used in combination with imatinib will be needed. As with most recent efforts to derive novel molecular target therapies to treat cancer, improved therapy of GIST will continue to benefit from advances in the molecular characterization of this disease.
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PMID:Molecular research directions in the management of gastrointestinal stromal tumors. 1624 52

Altered mRNA translation is one of the effects exerted by the BCR/ABL oncoprotein in the blast crisis phase of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Here, we report that in BCR/ABL+ cell lines and in patient-derived CML blast crisis mononuclear and CD34+ cells, p210(BCR/ABL) increases expression and activity of the transcriptional-inducer and translational-regulator heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNP K or HNRPK) in a dose- and kinase-dependent manner through the activation of the MAPK(ERK1/2) pathway. Furthermore, HNRPK down-regulation and interference with HNRPK translation-but not transcription-regulatory activity impairs cytokine-independent proliferation, clonogenic potential, and in vivo leukemogenic activity of BCR/ABL-expressing myeloid 32Dcl3 and/or primary CD34+ CML-BC patient cells. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that decreased internal ribosome entry site (IRES)-dependent Myc mRNA translation accounts for the phenotypic changes induced by inhibition of the BCR/ABL-ERK-dependent HNRPK translation-regulatory function. Accordingly, MYC protein but not mRNA levels are increased in the CD34+ fraction of patients with CML in accelerated and blastic phase but not in chronic phase CML patients and in the CD34+ fraction of marrow cells from healthy donors. Thus, BCR/ABL-dependent enhancement of HNRPK translation-regulation is important for BCR/ABL leukemogenesis and, perhaps, it might contribute to blast crisis transformation.
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PMID:A MAPK/HNRPK pathway controls BCR/ABL oncogenic potential by regulating MYC mRNA translation. 1629 96

Protein kinases have emerged as one of the most promising targets for rational drug discovery. In a similar manner to imatinib mesylate (Gleevec), hematological malignancies offer multiple pharmacologic opportunities for manipulation of kinase-induced tumor cell proliferation. Certain kinases have been validated as targets for drug discovery in hematological malignancies (such as BCR-ABL and FLT3); other novel kinases hold considerable interest for targeted intervention: myeloid leukemias (KDR, KIT, CSF-1R, RAS and RAF), lymphoid leukemias (JAK2 fusion protein, TIE-1, CDK modulators), lymphoma (ALK, CDK modulators, mTOR), myeloproliferative disorders (PDGF-R or FGF-R fusion gene products, FGF-R1) and myeloma (FGF-R3, STAT3). Over the past five years, the number of kinase-targeted drug therapies undergoing clinical development has increased exponentially. This review will focus on novel kinase targets currently undergoing preclinical and clinical investigation.
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PMID:Kinases as drug discovery targets in hematologic malignancies. 1630 89

Reflecting its critical role in integrating cell growth and division with the cellular nutritional environment, the mammalian target of rapamycin *(mTOR) is a highly conserved downstream effector of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt (protein kinase B) signaling pathway. mTOR activates both the 40S ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70s6k) and the eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein-1. As a consequence of inhibiting its downstream messengers, mTOR inhibitors prevent cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) activation, inhibit retinoblastoma protein phosphorylation, and accelerate the turnover of cyclin D1, leading to a deficiency of active CDK4/cyclin D1 complexes, all of which may help cause GI phase arrest. Constitutive activation of the PI3K/Akt kinases occur in human leukemias. FLT3, VEGF, and BCR-ABL mediate their activities via mTOR. New rapamycin analogs including CCI-779, RAD001, and AP23573, are entering clinical studies for patients with hematologic malignancies.
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PMID:Mammalian target of rapamycin as a therapeutic target in leukemia. 1630 91

Activating tyrosine kinase (TK) mutations disrupt cellular proliferation and survival pathways and are increasingly recognized as a fundamental cause of human cancers. Until very recently, the only TK mutations widely observed in myeloid neoplasia were the BCR/ABL1 fusions characteristic of chronic myeloid leukemia and some acute leukemias, and FLT3 activating mutations in a minority of acute myeloid leukemias. Several rare TK mutations are found in various atypical myeloproliferative disorders, but big pieces of the pathobiological puzzle were glaringly missing. In the first half of 2005, one gap was filled in: 7 studies identified the same acquired amino acid substitution (V617F) in the Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) TK in large numbers of patients with diverse clonal myeloid disorders. Most affected patients suffer from the classic BCR/ABL1-negative myeloproliferative disorders (MPD), especially polycythemia vera (74% of n = 506), but a subset of people with essential thrombocythemia (36% of n = 339) or myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia (44% of n = 127) bear the identical mutation, as do a few individuals with myelodysplastic syndromes or an atypical myeloid disorder (7% of n = 556). This long-sought common mutation in BCR/ABL1-negative MPD raises many provocative biological and clinical questions, and demands re-evaluation of prevailing diagnostic algorithms for erythrocytosis and thrombocytosis. JAK2 V617F may provide novel molecular targets for drug therapy, and suggests other places to seek cooperating mutations or mutations associated with similar phenotypes. The story of this exciting finding will unfold rapidly in the years ahead, and ongoing developments will be important for all hematologists to understand.
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PMID:JAK2 V617F in myeloid disorders: what do we know now, and where are we headed? 1632 48


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