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)

Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR, aganglionic megacolon) is a frequent congenital malformation regarded as a multigenic neurocristopathy. Three susceptibility genes have been recently identified in HSCR, namely the RET proto-oncogene, the endothelin B receptor (EDNRB) gene, and the endothelin 3 (EDN3) gene. RET gene mutations were found in significant proportions of familial (50%) and sporadic (15-20%) HSCR, while homozygosity for EDNRB or EDN3 mutations accounted for the rare HSCR-Waardenburg syndrome (WS) association. More recently, heterozygous EDNRB an EDN3 missense mutations have been reported in isolated HSCR patients. Some of these results were obtained after the identification of mouse genes whose natural or site-directed mutations resulted in megacolon and coat color spotting. There is also conclusive evidence for the involvement of other independent loci in HSCR. In particular, the recent identification of neurotrophic factors acting as RET ligands (GDNF and Neurturin) provide additional candidate genes for HSCR. The dissection of the genetic etiology of HSCR disease may then provide a unique opportunity to distinguish between a polygenic and a genetically heterogeneous disease, thereby helping to understand other complex disorders and congenital malformations hitherto considered as multifactorial in origin. Finally, the study of the molecular bases of HSCR is also a step towards the understanding of developmental genetics of the enteric nervous system giving support to the role of the tyrosine kinase and endothelin-signaling pathways in the development of neural crest-derived enteric neurons in human.
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PMID:[Molecular genetics of Hirschsprung disease: a model of multigenic neurocristopathy]. 1132 13

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) and angiotensin-II (AT-II) participate in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases. Regulation of gap junctional intercellular communication may influence heart function and its response to cardiac injury. In this study, we examined the effects of ET-1 and AT-II on connexin43 (Cx43) and connexin40 (Cx40) in cultured neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes (NRCs) and the role of mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling in the ET-1- and AT-II-induced responses. NRCs were incubated for 24 h with either ET-1 or AT-II (each at concentrations ranging from 10 to 1000 nM), and Cx43 expression and phosphorylation increased with increasing concentrations of both. ET-1 effects were significantly blocked by ETA (BQ123), but not by ETB (BQ788), receptor antagonists. AT-II-induced Cx43 induction could be completely inhibited by the AT1 receptor antagonist losartan. In contrast to Cx43, Cx40 expression did not change in either ET-1- or in AT-II-treated NRCs. Thus, these two connexins were differentially regulated. ET-1 and AT-II increased the gap junctional conductance between the cardiomyocytes in culture as measured using a dual-cell voltage clamp. Mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibition revealed that ERK1/2 was critical for up-regulation of Cx43 in response to ET-1, whereas both ERK and p38 signal pathways were involved in the regulation of Cx43 by AT-II. Thus, stimulation of the ERK and p38 signal pathways via ETA and AT1 receptors may partcipate in the regulation of cardiac gap junctions under (patho)physiological conditions.
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PMID:Chronic effects of endothelin 1 and angiotensin II on gap junctions and intercellular communication in cardiac cells. 1170 93

A phenotypic alteration of astroglia, "astroglial activation", is a common phenomenon observed on brain pathologies. The hypertrophy/hyperplasia of activated astroglia causes a glial scar, which prevents synaptic re-generation. In contrast, many neurotrophic substances are produced by the activated astroglia. Thus, the functional alteration of astroglia is important in tissue repair processes of the damaged CNS. Endothelins (ETs) are involved in the pathophysiological responses of the CNS. We found that injection of ETs into rat brain induced activated astroglia. A selective ETB-receptor antagonist attenuated the induction of activated astroglia. In cultured astroglia, ETs reproduce the functional alterations characterizing activated astroglia; i.e., increases in proliferation, morphological changes and stimulation of several gene transcriptions. ETs re-organized astroglial cytoskeletal actin through a small GTP-binding protein, rho, which may underlie the astroglial hypertrophy. Analysis of gene expression showed that transcriptions of neurotrophic factors (GDNF and BDNF) were stimulated by ETs. ETs stimulated astroglial proliferation by both adhesion-dependent and -independent mechanisms, where FAK and ERK plays key roles, respectively. These findings suggest important roles of ETs in the regulation of astroglial functions.
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PMID:[Functional alterations of astroglia on brain pathologies and their intracellular mechanisms]. 1191 15

Clinical expression of Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) requires the interaction of multiple susceptibility genes. Molecular genetic analyses have revealed that interactions between mutations in the genes encoding the RET receptor tyrosine kinase and the endothelin receptor type B (EDNRB) are central to the genesis of HSCR. We have established two locus noncomplementation assays in mice, using allelic series at Ednrb in the context of Ret kinase-null heterozygotes, to understand the clinical presentation, incomplete penetrance, variation in length of aganglionic segment, and sex bias observed in human HSCR patients. Titration of Ednrb in the presence of half the genetic dose of Ret determines the presentation of an enteric phenotype in these strains, revealing or abrogating a sex bias in disease expression depending on the genotype at Ednrb. RET and EDNRB signaling pathways are also critical for the normal development of other tissues, including the kidneys and neural crest-derived melanocytes. Our data demonstrate that interaction between these genes is restricted to the enteric nervous system and does not affect renal, coat color, and retinal choroid development.
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PMID:Phenotype variation in two-locus mouse models of Hirschsprung disease: tissue-specific interaction between Ret and Ednrb. 1257 15

Endothelin-I (ET-1) is a 21 amino acid peptide produced from a biologically inactive big ET-1 by the action of endothelin-converting enzyme-1 (ECE-1) that acts through G protein-coupled ETA and ETB receptors. Using mucous cells of sublingual salivary gland, we show that P. gingivalis lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inhibitory effect on salivary mucin synthesis is accompanied by a marked increase in ET-I generation and the enhancement in ECE-1 activity. Inhibition of ECE-I with phosphoramidon led to the impedance of the LPS-induced ET-1 generation as well as countered the detrimental effect of the LPS on mucin synthesis. Moreover, the LPS inhibitory effect of on mucin synthesis was blocked by ETA receptor antagonist, BQ610, but not by ETB receptor antagonist, BQ788. The LPS-induced reduction in mucin synthesis, furthermore, was countered by PD153035 (76.8%), a specific inhibitor of EGFR kinase as well as PP2 (54.7%), a selective inhibitor of tyrosine kinase Src responsible for ligand-independent EGFR transactivation. Our findings are the first to demonstrate that P. gingivalis LPS detrimental effect on salivary mucin synthesis is intimately linked to the events controlled by EGFR transactivation, triggered by upregulation in ECE-1,enhancement in ET-1 production, and G protein-coupled ETA receptor activation.
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PMID:Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide-induced up-regulation in endothelin-1 interferes with salivary mucin synthesis via epidermal growth factor receptor transactivation. 1581 58

Leptin, a multifunctional hormone that regulates food intake and energy expenditure, has emerged recently as an important modulator of inflammatory cascades associated with wound healing. In this study, we applied the animal model of buccal mucosal ulcer to investigate the role of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and leptin in soft oral tissue repair. Using groups of rats with experimentally induced buccal mucosal ulcers we show that ulcer onset was characterized by a marked increase in the mucosal level of ET-1 and leptin. However, while the ET-1 level gradually declined with healing, the mucosal level of leptin increased reaching maximum expression on the 4th day of healing. Therapeutic administration of phosphoramidon, an inhibitor of ECE-1 activity, not only led to a 53.2% drop in the ET-1, but also produced a dose-dependent reduction (up to 50.9%) in the mucosal level of leptin and up to 42.3% decline in the rate of ulcer healing. A marked drop (54.2%) in the mucosal level of leptin and the reduction (46.8%) in the rate of ulcer healing was also attained in the presence of ETA receptor antagonist BQ610 administration, but not the ETB receptor antagonist BQ788. Moreover, administration of ERK inhibitor, PD98059 in the presence of ETB receptor antagonist, but not the ETA receptor antagonist, caused the reduction the mucosal leptin level as well as a decline in the rate of ulcer healing. Our findings are the first to implicate the requirement for both ET-1 and leptin in orderly progression of the events of soft oral tissue repair. We also show that ET-1 is a key factor in up-regulation of leptin production associated with oral mucosal ulcer healing , and that the effect of ET-1 on leptin production is a consequence of ETA receptor activation and subsequent signaling through MAPK/ERK.
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PMID:Role of endothelin-1-dependent up-regulation of leptin in oral mucosal repair. 1639 12

Although migraine is more common in women than men and often linked to the menstrual cycle, few studies have investigated the biological basis of hormonal influences on the trigeminovascular system. In the present study we investigated the effect of physiological levels (10(-9) m) oestrogen on female rat trigeminal ganglia in vitro. Immunocytochemical analysis demonstrated the presence of oestrogen receptor-alpha in a predominantly cytoplasmic location and in neurites. Microarray analysis demonstrated that oestrogen treatment regulates several genes with potential relevance to menstrual migraine. The genes that were upregulated included synapsin-2, endothelin receptor type B, activity and neurotransmitter-induced early gene 7 (ania-7), phosphoserine aminotransferase, MHC-1b, and ERK-1. Down-regulated genes included IL-R1, bradykinin B2 receptor, N-tropomodulin, CCL20, GABA transporter protein, fetal intestinal lactase-phlorizin hydrolase, carcinoembryonic antigen-related protein, zinc finger protein 36, epsin 1 and cysteine string protein. Protein activity assays demonstrated that exposure of the cultured neurons to oestrogen leads to activation of ERK, which has been linked to inflammatory pain. Immunocytochemistry demonstrated that activated ERK was present in neurons containing peripherin, a marker of nociceptive neurons. Several of the genes in the present study may provide potential targets for understanding the association of oestrogen with migraine and other hormone-related orofacial pain.
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PMID:Effects of oestrogen on trigeminal ganglia in culture: implications for hormonal effects on migraine. 1639 64

The enteric nervous system (ENS) is composed of neurons and glial cells, organized as interconnected ganglia within the gut wall, which controls peristalsis of the gut wall and secretions from its glands. The Ret receptor tyrosine kinase is expressed throughout enteric neurogenesis and is required for normal ENS development; humans with mutations in the RET locus have Hirschsprung disease (HSCR, an absence of ganglia in the colon), and mice lacking Ret have total intestinal aganglionosis. The Ret mutant mouse provides a tool for identifying genes implicated in development of the ENS. By using RNA from WT and Ret mutant (aganglionic) gut tissue and DNA microarrays, we have conducted a differential screen for ENS-expressed genes and have identified hundreds of candidate ENS-expressed genes. Forty-seven genes were selected for further analysis, representing diverse functional classes. We show that all of the analyzed genes are expressed in the ENS and that the screen was sensitive enough to identify genes marking only subpopulations of ENS cells. Our screen, therefore, was reliable and sensitive and has identified many previously undescribed genes for studying ENS development. Moreover, two of the genes identified in our screen Arhgef3 and Ctnnal1, have human homologues that map to previously identified HSCR susceptibility loci, thus representing excellent candidates for HSCR genes. This comprehensive profile of ENS gene expression refines our understanding of ENS development and serves as a resource for future developmental, biochemical, and human genetic studies.
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PMID:Expression profiling the developing mammalian enteric nervous system identifies marker and candidate Hirschsprung disease genes. 1663 97

Interactions between migrating neural crest cells and the environment of the gut are crucial for the development of the enteric nervous system (ENS). A key signalling mediator is the RET-receptor-tyrosine-kinase which, when defective, causes Hirschprung's disease (HSCR, colon aganglionosis). RET mutations alone cannot account for the variable HSCR phenotype, invoking interactions with as yet unknown, and probably inter-related, loci involved in ENS development. Homeobox (HOX) genes have a major role in gut development as depicted by the enteric Hox code. We investigated whether DNA alterations in HOX genes, either alone or in combination with RET, are implicated in HSCR. Genotyping effort was minimized by applying the HapMap data on Han Chinese from Beijing (CHB). 194 HSCR patients and 168 controls were genotyped using Sequenom technology for 72 tag, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) distributed along the HOX clusters. The HapMap frequencies were compared to those in our population and standard statistics were used for frequency comparisons. The multifactor-dimensionality-reduction method was used for multilocus analysis, in which RET promoter SNP genotypes were included. Genetic interactions were found between two HOX loci (5'-HOXA13 and 3'UTR-HOXB7) and the RET loci tested. Minor allele frequencies (MAF) of the SNPs tested in our sample were not significantly different from those reported by HapMap when the sample sizes of the populations compared were considered. This is the first evaluation of the HOX genes in HSCR and the first application of HapMap data in a Chinese population. The interacting HOX loci may affect the penetrance of the RET risk allele. HapMap data for the CHB population correlated well with the general Chinese population.
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PMID:Correlation between genetic variations in Hox clusters and Hirschsprung's disease. 1727 2

Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR, colonic aganglionosis) is an oligogenic entity that usually requires mutations in RET and other interacting loci. Decreased levels of RET expression may lead to the manifestation of HSCR. We previously showed that RET transcription was decreased due to alteration of the TITF1 binding site by two HSCR-associated RET promoter single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). This prompted us to investigate whether DNA alterations in TITF1 could play a role in HSCR by affecting the RET-regulatory properties of the TITF1 protein. Our initial study on 86 Chinese HSCR patients revealed a Gly322Ser amino acid substitution in the TITF1protein. In this study we have examined an additional 102 Chinese and 70 Caucasian patients, and 194 Chinese and 60 Caucasian unselected, unrelated, subjects as controls. The relevance of the DNA changes detected in TITF1 by direct sequencing were evaluated using bioinformatics, reporter and binding-assays, mouse neurosphere culture, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence techniques. Met3Leu and Pro48Pro were identified in 2 Caucasian patients and 1 Chinese patient, respectively. In vitro analysis showed that Met3Leu reduced the activity of the RET promoter by 100% in the presence of the wild-type or HSCR-associated RET promoter SNP alleles. The apparent binding affinity of the TITF1 mutated protein was not decreased. The Met3Leu mutation may affect the interaction of TITF1 with its protein partners. The absence of Titf1 expression in mouse gut but not in human gut suggests that the role of TITF1 in gut development differs between the two species. TITF1 mutations could contribute to HSCR by affecting RET expression through defective interactions with other transcription factors.
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PMID:Evaluation of the thyroid transcription factor-1 gene (TITF1) as a Hirschsprung's disease locus. 1764 Mar 27


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