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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)
The number of distinct signaling pathways that can transactivate the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in a single cell type is unclear. Using a single strain of human mammary epithelial cells, we found that a wide variety of agonists, such as lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), uridine triphosphate, growth hormone, vascular endothelial growth factor, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, require EGFR activity to induce
ERK
phosphorylation. In contrast, hepatocyte growth factor can stimulate
ERK
phosphorylation independent of the EGFR. EGFR transactivation also correlated with an increase in cell proliferation and could be inhibited with metalloprotease inhibitors. However, there were significant differences with respect to transactivation kinetics and sensitivity to different inhibitors. In particular, IGF-1 displayed relatively slow transactivation kinetics and was resistant to inhibition by the selective ADAM-17 inhibitor WAY-022 compared with LPA-induced transactivation. Studies using anti-ligand antibodies showed that IGF-1 transactivation required
amphiregulin
production, whereas LPA was dependent on multiple ligands. Direct measurement of ligand shedding confirmed that LPA treatment stimulated shedding of multiple EGFR ligands, but paradoxically, IGF-1 had little effect on the shedding rate of any ligand, including
amphiregulin
. Instead, IGF-1 appeared to work by enhancing EGFR activation of Ras in response to constitutively produced
amphiregulin
. This enhancement of EGFR signaling was independent of both receptor phosphorylation and PI-3-kinase activity, suggestive of a novel mechanism. Our studies demonstrate that within a single cell type, the EGFR autocrine system can couple multiple signaling pathways to
ERK
activation and that this modulation of EGFR autocrine signaling can be accomplished at multiple regulatory steps.
...
PMID:Multiple mechanisms are responsible for transactivation of the epidermal growth factor receptor in mammary epithelial cells. 1878 70
Dermcidin (DCD) is a human gene mapped to chromosome 12q13 region, which is co-amplified with multiple oncogenes with a well-established role in the growth, survival and progression of breast cancers. Here, we present a summary of a DNA microarray-based study that identified the genes that are up- and down-regulated in a human MDA-361 pLKO control clone and three clones expressing short hairpin RNA against three different regions of DCD mRNA. A list of 235 genes was differentially expressed among independent clones (> 3-fold change and p < 0.005). The gene expression of 208 was reduced and of 27 was increased in the three DCD-RNAi clones compared to pLKO control clone. The expression of 77 genes (37%) encoding for enzymes involved in amino acid metabolism, glucose metabolism and oxidoreductase activity and several genes required for cell survival and DNA repair were decreased. The expression of
EGFR
/ErbB-1 gene, an important predictor of outcome in breast cancer, was reduced together with the genes for betacellulin and
amphiregulin
, two known ligands of
EGFR
/ErbB receptors. Many of the 27 genes up-regulated by DCD-RNAi expression have not yet been fully characterized; among those with known function, we identified the calcium-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase-II delta and calcineurin A alpha. We compared 132 up-regulated and 12 down-regulated genes in our dataset with those genes up- and down-regulated by inhibitors targeting various signaling pathway components. The analysis showed that the genes in the DCD pathway are aligned with those functionally influenced by the drugs sirolimus, LY-294002 and wortmannin. Therefore, DCD may exert its function by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Together, these bioinformatic approaches suggest the involvement of DCD in the regulation of genes for breast cancer cell metabolism, proliferation and survival.
...
PMID:Genes up- and down-regulated by dermcidin in breast cancer: a microarray analysis. 1894 10
Mucociliary clearance is a critical innate defense system responsible for clearing up invading pathogens including bacteria and virus. Although the right amount of mucus is good, excessive mucus causes airway obstruction and tends to precipitate disease symptoms. Rhinovirus (RV) is a common cold virus that causes asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation. Mucus overproduction has been linked to the pathogenesis of RV-induced diseases and disease exacerbations. However, the molecular mechanism is not clear. In this study, using one of the major airway mucin-MUC5AC as marker, we found that both major and minor groups of RV induced mucin production in primary human epithelial cells and cell line. RV1A (a minor group of RV) could induce mucous cell metaplasia in vivo. Viral replication was needed for RV-induced mucin expression, and this induction was also dependent on TLR3, suggesting the involvement of double-stranded (ds) RNA signaling. Indeed, dsRNA alone could also induce mucin expression. TLR3-mediated mucin induction was negatively regulated by MyD88, and only partially dependent on TRIF, which suggests a departure from well-documented TLR3 signaling paradigm that mediates inflammatory and other innate defense gene inductions. In addition, TLR3 signaling activated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) through inductions of the expression of EGFR ligands (transforming growth factor-alpha and
amphiregulin
), which in turn activated EGFR-
ERK
signaling and mucin expression through an autocrine/paracrine loop. This novel coupling of antiviral defense machinery (i.e., TLR3) and major epithelial proliferation/repair pathway (i.e., EGFR) might play an important role in viral-induced airway remodeling and airway disease exacerbation.
...
PMID:Rhinovirus-induced major airway mucin production involves a novel TLR3-EGFR-dependent pathway. 1897 2
To stably maintain pregnancy, several genes are expressed in the uterus. In particular, the endometrial expression of genes encoding growth factors appears to play a key role in maternal-foetal communication. The previous studies characterized the endometrial expression kinetics of the genes encoding epidermal growth factor (EGF), its receptor (
EGFR
), transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha),
amphiregulin
(Areg), heparin-binding (Hb) EGF and calbindin-D9k (CaBP-9k) in pigs during implantation. Here, we further characterized the expression patterns of these molecules during the entire porcine pregnancy. Porcine uteri were collected at pregnancy days (PD) 12, 15, 30, 60, 90 and 110 and subjected to RT-PCR. EGF and
EGFR
showed similar expression patterns, being highly expressed around implantation and then disappearing. TGF-alpha and Areg expression levels rose steadily until they peaked at PD30, after which they gradually decreased to PD12 levels. This Areg mRNA expression pattern was confirmed by real-time PCR and similar Areg protein expression patterns were observed. Immunohistochemical analysis of PD60 uteri revealed Areg in the glandular and luminal epithelial cells. Hb EGF was steadily expressed throughout the entire pregnancy, while CaBP-9k was expressed strongly on PD12, and then declined sharply on PD15 before recovering slightly for the remainder of the pregnancy. Thus, the EGF family may play a key role during implantation in pigs. In addition, CaBP-9k may help to maintain uterine quiescence during pregnancy by sequestering cytoplasmic Ca(2+).
...
PMID:Uterine expression of epidermal growth factor family during the course of pregnancy in pigs. 1903 37
Smoking is an independent prognostic factor of lung adenocarcinoma. Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) is one of the strongest carcinogens and it is present in both the environment and cigarette smoke. In this study, the effect of B[a]P on the proliferative activity of lung adenocarcinoma cells was investigated. A lung adenocarcinoma cell line, A549, was cultured with B[a]P for various periods, and its proliferative activity was examined by an MTS assay. To investigate the intracellular events related to the proliferative activity, the gene expression profile was investigated by a microarray analysis and a quantitative RT-PCR, and the protein expression and activation status of Akt,
ERK
1/2 and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) were examined by a western blot analysis. Following the culture with B[a]P for 24 weeks, the serum-independent proliferative activity was increased. A microarray analysis revealed that a reversible upregulation of the EGFR and epiregulin genes was recognized in the B[a]P treated cells, in which the overexpression of the phosphorylated EGFR protein was also recognized. The EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor reduced the cellular proliferation and the level of phosphorylation of ERK1/2, which is a downstream signal of the EGFR, in the B[a]P-treated A549 cells. Moreover, the B[a]P treatment increased the mRNA expressions of the ligands for EGFR such as
amphiregulin
and epiregulin. B[a]P increases the proliferative potential of lung adenocarcinoma cells through the EGFR signaling pathway.
...
PMID:Benzo[a]pyrene promotes proliferation of human lung cancer cells by accelerating the epidermal growth factor receptor signaling pathway. 1918 43
Recent reports of a clinical response to gefitinib in pulmonary mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) in the absence of sensitizing
EGFR
mutations suggest that tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) may be effective in this tumor type. Although not documented in these reports, MEC of the lung may harbor a t(11;19) translocation with an associated novel fusion oncogene (CRTC1-MAML2). Furthermore, MECs arising in the salivary glands carry this mutation in a high proportion of cases. In vitro data has shown that MEC cell-lines with t(11;19) are sensitive to gefitinib and that this may be mediated by the action of CRTC1-MAML2 in up-regulating the
EGFR
ligand,
amphiregulin
. Data also shows that gefitinib demonstrates
amphiregulin
-dependant activity in NSCLC cell-lines. As such, it may be speculated that MEC from lung and salivary glands expressing CRTC1-MAML2 present a valid target for treatment with gefitinib, even in the absence of sensitizing
EGFR
mutations. Clinical studies are required to test this hypothesis.
...
PMID:Gefitinib as targeted therapy for mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the lung: possible significance of CRTC1-MAML2 oncogene. 1918 85
Dramatic responses to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase (TK) inhibitors may be seen in non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) with a sensitizing mutation of the EGFR TK domain. It is not known how to predict response in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN), where EGFR TK mutations are less frequent and where response rates in unselected patients are disappointing. We have characterized the intrinsic sensitivity of a panel of 18 SCCHN cell lines to gefitinib, an EGFR TK inhibitor, and have investigated correlations between putative markers of response and intrinsic sensitivity. Induction of G1 arrest was only seen in cell lines with GI(50) < 1 microM. Expression of EGFR, by three techniques, correlated with sensitivity to gefitinib. ERB-B2 expression appeared to influence sensitivity to gefitinib but ERB-B3 expression did not. While EGFR tyrosine kinase mutations were not detected, EGFR gene amplification was confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization in the most sensitive cell line. The number of cytosine adenine dinucleotide repeats in intron 1 of the EGFR gene did not correlate with sensitivity. E-cadherin expression was detected in cell lines with a range of sensitivities, whereas
amphiregulin
was secreted predominantly by sensitive cell lines.
MET
expression was an independent predictor of sensitivity to gefitinib, although neither expression nor phosphorylation of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor correlated with intrinsic resistance. Breast receptor kinase (BRK) was more highly expressed in the sensitive cell lines, but siRNA knockdown of neither BRK nor
MET
affected sensitivity. Our data suggest that overexpression of EGFR and multiple related cell surface receptors may be associated with sensitivity to gefitinib and that differences between our data and the literature highlight that biomarkers of response are tumour type- and cell line-dependent.
...
PMID:Determinants of response to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibition in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. 1919 51
Hyaluronic acid (HA), a glycosaminoglycan located between keratinocytes in the epidermis, accumulates dramatically following skin wounding. To study inductive mechanisms, a rat keratinocyte organotypic culture model that faithfully mimics HA metabolism was used. Organotypic cultures were needle-punctured 100 times, incubated for up to 24 hours, and HA analyzed by histochemical and biochemical methods. Within 15 minutes post-injury, HA levels had elevated two-fold, increasing to four-fold by 24 hours. HA elevations far from the site of injury suggested the possible involvement of a soluble HA-inductive factor. Media transfer experiments (from wounded cultures to unwounded cultures) confirmed the existence of a soluble factor. From earlier evidence, we hypothesized that an EGF-like growth factor might be responsible. This was confirmed as follows: (1)
EGFR
kinase inhibitor (AG1478) completely prevented wounding-induced HA accumulation. (2) Rapid tyrosine-phosphorylation of
EGFR
correlated well with the onset of increased HA synthesis. (3) A neutralizing antibody that recognizes heparin binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) blocked wounding-induced HA synthesis by > or =50%. (4) Western analyses showed that release of activated HB-EGF (but neither
amphiregulin
nor EGF) occured after wounding. In summary, rapid HA accumulation after epidermal wounding occurs through a mechanism requiring cleavage of HB-EGF and activation of
EGFR
signaling.
...
PMID:Wounding-induced synthesis of hyaluronic acid in organotypic epidermal cultures requires the release of heparin-binding egf and activation of the EGFR. 1960 53
Gliomas, one of the most malignant forms of cancer, exhibit high resistance to conventional therapies. Identification of the molecular mechanisms responsible for this resistance is therefore of great interest to improve the efficacy of the treatments against these tumors. Delta9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the major active ingredient of marijuana, and other cannabinoids inhibit tumor growth in animal models of cancer, including glioma, an effect that relies, at least in part, on the ability of these compounds to induce apoptosis of tumor cells. By analyzing the gene expression profile of two sub-clones of C6 glioma cells with different sensitivity to cannabinoid-induced apoptosis, we found a subset of genes with a marked differential expression in the two sub-clones. Furthermore, we identified the epidermal growth factor receptor ligand
amphiregulin
as a candidate factor to mediate the resistance of glioma cells to cannabinoid treatment.
Amphiregulin
was highly overexpressed in the cannabinoid-resistant cell line, both in culture and in tumor xenografts. Moreover, in vivo silencing of
amphiregulin
rendered the resistant tumors xenografts sensitive to cannabinoid antitumoral action.
Amphiregulin
expression was associated with increased extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation, which mediated the resistance to THC by blunting the expression of p8 and TRB3-two genes involved in cannabinoid-induced apoptosis of glioma cells. Our findings therefore identify Amphirregulin as a factor for resistance of glioma cells to THC-induced apoptosis and contribute to unraveling the molecular bases underlying the emerging notion that targeted inhibition of the
EGFR
pathway can improve the efficacy of antitumoral therapies.
...
PMID:Amphiregulin is a factor for resistance of glioma cells to cannabinoid-induced apoptosis. 1922 96
We have investigated activity and expression of key steroids enzymes, including aromatase, in nontumoral, cirrhotic, and malignant human liver tissues and cells. Following 24 and 72 h incubation of malignant human liver cell lines HepG2, HuH7, and HA22T cells with testosterone (T) used as androgen precursor, we observed an increasingly high proportion of T oxidation to androstenedione, with aromatase being the prevalent enzyme activity in HepG2 and HuH7 cells at 72 h, while no aromatase could be detected in HA22T cells. On the other hand, balance of 5alpha- and 5beta-pathways was largely in favor of the 5alpha-pathway in HA22T cells and in favor of the 5beta-pathways in HuH7 cells. In in vivo studies conducted in nontumoral, cirrhotic, and malignant human liver tissue samples, aromatase activity was, respectively, undetectable, moderate, and elevated. RT-PCR analysis revealed high, intermediate, and very low levels of aromatase expression in HepG2, HuH7, and HA22T cells, respectively. Interestingly, both
amphiregulin
, a member of the EGF family of
EGFR
ligands, and an estrogen receptor (ER)-alpha, the hERalpha46, exhibited a corresponding figure of expression, being very high in HepG2 cells and markedly lower in HA22T and HuH7 cells. We propose here that locally elevated estrogen formation, brought about by high aromatase expression and activity, may result in the promotion of liver tumor cell growth through the induction of
AREG
via an ER-mediated mechanism.
...
PMID:Aromatase in nontumoral and malignant human liver tissues and cells. 1925 Feb 4
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