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)

Thermal injury increases the capacity of macrophages (Mphi) to produce various inflammatory mediators, (i.e., Mphi hyperactivity), which is believed to be involved in the development of subsequent immunosuppression, sepsis, and multiple organ failure. The signal transduction pathways involved in the expression of Mphi hyperactivity post-burn, however, remain to be clearly elucidated. To study this C57BL/6 female mice were subjected to a 25% TBSA burn and splenic Mphis were isolated 7 days later. LPS-stimulated inflammatory mediator production and MAPK expression (P38 ERK 1/2 and JNK) were determined. Burn injury increased LPS-induced P38 MAPK, suppressed JNK activation and ERK 1/2 activation was unaltered. These changes in MAPK activation were paralleled by the increased production of PGE(2), TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, and IL-10. Differential sensitivity to the inhibition of the MAPK pathways was observed with regard to the mediator evaluated and the presence or absence of burn injury. In general cytokine production in the burn group was in part resistant to the inhibition of a single MAPK pathway as compared with shams. Thus, burn injury increases cross-talk between the MAPKs pathways, suggesting that alterations MAPK activation and signal transduction contribute to the development Mphi hyperactivity post-injury.
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PMID:MAP kinases differentially regulate the expression of macrophage hyperactivity after thermal injury. 1528 Oct 87

The role of membrane cofactor protein (MCP, CD46) on human T cell activation has been analyzed. Coligation of CD3 and CD46 in the presence of PMA or CD28 costimuli enhanced IL-2, IFN-gamma, or IL-10 secretion by CD4+ T lymphocytes. The effect of CD46 on IL-10 secretion did not require additional costimuli like anti-CD28 antibodies or phorbol esters. CD46 also enhanced IL-2 or IFN-gamma secretion by CD4+ blasts. In contrast, IL-5 secretion was inhibited upon CD46-CD3 coligation, in all the cells analyzed. These effects were independent of IL-12 and suggest that CD46 costimulation promotes a Th1-biased response in human CD4+ T lymphocytes. CD46 enhanced TCR/CD3-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of CD3zeta and ZAP-70, as well as the activation of the ERK, JNK, and p38, but did not modify intracellular calcium. The effect of specific inhibitors shows that enhanced ERK activation contributes to augmented IFN-gamma and lower IL-5 secretion and, consequently, to the Th1 bias. Cross-linking CD46 alone induced weak tyrosine phosphorylation of CD3zeta and ZAP-70. However, CD46 cross-linking by itself did not induce cell proliferation or lymphokine secretion, and pretreatment of CD4+ T lymphocytes with anti-CD46 antibodies did not significantly alter TCR/CD3 activation.
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PMID:CD46-mediated costimulation induces a Th1-biased response and enhances early TCR/CD3 signaling in human CD4+ T lymphocytes. 1530 76

The assessment of cytokine production is an important component of studies of cell-mediated immune responses (CMI) to immunological challenges. In this study, we present a method to enhance the detection of cytokine-producing cells by allowing antigen-specific cells to expand in long-term culture. We investigated the influence of the degree of dilution of whole blood and the duration of the incubation period on whole blood as well as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), cultured in the absence or presence of mitogens, superantigens or specific antigens, for intracellular cytokine production (IFNgamma, TNFalpha, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13) by CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes using four-colour flow cytometry. Whole blood was diluted 1/1, 1/2, 1/5 and 1/10, and cultured for 6, 24, 48, 72 and 120 h in the presence of antibodies against the co-stimulatory molecules CD28 and CD49d, and, during the last 4 h of culture, in the presence of brefeldin A. Optimum conditions for detection of a high number of IFNgamma-positive cells were observed after 72 h of culture in blood diluted 1/10. Median frequencies of IFNgamma+ cells obtained after activation by PMA-ionomycin, PHA or SEA-B were 29.3%, 20.0% and 6.8% for CD4+ cells, and 67.8%, 20.6% and 6.8% for CD8+ cells. In blood samples diluted 1/5 or 1/10, and cultured in the presence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) or varicella-zoster virus (VZV), mean peak levels of 2.8% and 1.4% IFNgamma+CD4+ cells were recorded at 120 h. The levels of cells producing cytokines other than IFNgamma were generally much lower and, in the case of IL-4 and IL-13, difficult to distinguish from background levels recorded in cultures with medium only. Kinetic studies of cytokine production by PBMCs showed a pattern similar to that of whole blood with peak levels of IFNgamma-producing cells recorded at 72 h. The increased levels of IFNgamma production after culture for 72 h were due to an expansion of the numbers of cytokine-producing cells responsive to a specific stimulus. Antigen-specific cells are usually present only at low levels in peripheral blood and may not be detected following simple activation for a few hours. To reach a level of detection in such cases, culture of diluted blood for several days is recommended.
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PMID:Optimum culture conditions for specific and nonspecific activation of whole blood and PBMC for intracellular cytokine assessment by flow cytometry. 1535 May 7

Sepsis caused by gram-positive bacteria lacking lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has become a major and increasing cause of mortality in intensive-care units. We have recently demonstrated that the gram-positive-specific bacterial cell wall component lipoteichoic acid (LTA) stimulates the release of the proinflammatory cytokines in Kupffer cells in culture. In the present study, we have started to assess the signal transduction events by which LTA induces the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in rat Kupffer cells. LTA was found to trigger phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) (p38 MAPK and ERK 1/2) and protein kinase B (PKB). Compared to LPS, LTA was more potent in inducing PKB phosphorylation after 40 min, although we found that the cytokine responses were similar. For both bacterial molecules, blocking phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K; Ly294002) or Janus kinase 2 (JAK-2; AG490) particularly affected the induction of IL-6 and IL-10 release, whereas TNF-alpha levels were strongly reduced by inhibition of Src family tyrosine kinases (PP2). All three cytokines were reduced by inhibition of p38 MAPK (SB202190) or the broad-range tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein, whereas IL-6 release was particularly blocked by inhibition of ERK 1/2 (PD98059). Divergences in the regulatory pathways controlling TNF-alpha, IL-10, and IL-6 production in Kupffer cells following LPS or LTA stimulation may create a basis for understanding how the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines is regulated in the liver following infections by gram-positive or gram-negative bacteria.
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PMID:The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B signaling pathway is activated by lipoteichoic acid and plays a role in Kupffer cell production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-10. 1538 69

The 28-kDa Glutathione S-transferase of Schistosoma mansoni (Sm28 GST) was described as a protective antigen capable of reducing female fecundity and the number of eggs in mice hepatic tissues. The role of GM-CSF and TNF-alpha in the in vitro granuloma reaction of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from chronic intestinal schistosomiasis patients before and after chemotherapy treatment to S. mansoni recombinant Sm28 GST was evaluated. Treatment of PBMC with recombinant Sm28 GST caused a significant increase in granuloma formation when compared to SEA or SWAP. Contrary to SEA or SWAP, Sm28 GST was not capable of inducing significant cellular proliferation. Moreover, recombinant Sm28 GST promoted a significant elevation in GM-CSF and TNF-alpha levels. However, we did not detect any significant IL-10 production. When Sm28 GST was applied in the presence of anti-GM-CSF or anti-TNF-alpha antibodies in cultures, we observed a significant decrease in granuloma size. Indeed, our results demonstrated that Sm28 GST was capable of promoting high in vitro granuloma index, and this event was associated with the balance of GM-CSF and TNF-alpha. These evidences suggest a role for GM-CSF as a major mediator in increasing granuloma reaction in human schistosomiasis. This event may contribute to exacerbate the pathology resulting from egg deposition in host tissues.
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PMID:GM-CSF and TNF-alpha synergize to increase in vitro granuloma size of PBMC from humans induced by Schistosoma mansoni recombinant 28-kDa GST. 1538 64

This study objective was to evaluate the cytokines associated with early events of hepatic fibrosis in schistosomiasis mansoni. Hepatic fibrosis was classified by ultrasonography in 94 patients. Immunological evaluation was performed by measurement of secreted cytokines (interleukin IL-5, IL-10, IL-13, interferon-gamma, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and transforming growth factors-beta) in peripherl blood mononuclear cells stimulated by Schistosoma mansoni antigens. Significantly, higher levels of IL-5, IL-10 and IL-13 were found in supernatants of SEA-stimulated PBMC from subjects with degree III hepatic fibrosis as compared to patients with degree I or II fibrosis, Significant increases in IL-5 and IL-13 levels were also observed in some of the subjects who remained untreated for one year following initial assessment and developed more serious fibrosis during this period. The data suggests a role for type 2 cytokines in early stages of hepatic fibrosis in human schistosomiasis mansoni.
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PMID:Cytokine profile associated with human chronic schistosomiasis mansoni. 1548 30

Since colorectal cancer cells are characterized by both high immune- and multidrug-resistance, investigations concerning the search for cytokines, especially interferons, which would delete cancer cells have prospects of success only if cancer cells became sensitive to such treatment. The prerequisite for successful treatment is to discover how the immune system kills colorectal cancer cells. In this article we focus our attention on signal transduction pathways in colorectal cancer cells, which are characterized by a variety of mechanisms that enable them to survive the hostile microenvironment created by immune system attack. Knowledge relevant to cancer cell immunity to defense mechanisms is crucial for the prospects of cytokine-supportet therapy. A case in point is the human colorectal cancer cell line COLO 205, which is not affected by individual cytokines, although it becomes vulnerable to combined treatment with some of them. It is not clear what factors make COLO 205 cells resistant to cytotoxins, however; it seems plausible to point to the complex signaling pathways, and STAT proteins in particular. Another feature of COLO 205 cells avoiding cytokine-mediated death signals is the reverse signaling causing activated macrophages to become dormant in response to soluble TNF-alpha receptors (sTNF-alpha R1, sTNF-alpha R2). Similarly, COLO 205 cells respond to the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 released by activated macrophages. Cancer cells release anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, which ceases the action of PMNCs. It should be stressed that STATs mediate and/or activate the transcription of several genes indispensable for cell death. Cancer cells isolated from large bowel tumors express elevated constitutive activity of STATs inhibitors leading to antiapoptosis. Correspondingly, the increased survival rates of these cells could be attributed to accelerated actions of the PI-3K/Akt, cPKC/Raf1/ERK, NF- kappaB/JNK, or Jak/STAT cascades. Finally, an uncertainty in large bowel cancer cells is whether STATs might redirect the cytokine signal from cell deletion to cell survival.
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PMID:[Complex forms of immune insufficiency to some cytokines (TNF-alpha, interferons) in colorectal cancers as exemplified by the COLO 205 cell line. Mechanism of resistance with special reference to signaling proteins and cytokines]. 1557 50

There is increasing awareness that helminth infections can ameliorate proinflammatory conditions. In part, this is due to their inherent ability to induce Th2 and, perhaps, regulatory T cell responses. However, recent evidence indicates that helminths also have direct anti-inflammatory effects on innate immune responses. In this study, we address this issue and show that soluble molecules from the eggs of the helminth parasite Schistosoma mansoni (SEA) suppress LPS-induced activation of immature murine dendritic cells, including MHC class II, costimulatory molecule expression, and IL-12 production. SEA-augmented LPS-induced production of IL-10 is in part responsible for the observed reduction in LPS-induced IL-12 production. However, analyses of IL-10(-/-) DC revealed distinct IL-10-independent suppressive effects of SEA. IL-10-independent mechanisms are evident in the suppression of TLR ligand-induced MAPK and NF-kappaB signaling pathways. Microarray analyses demonstrate that SEA alone uniquely alters the expression of a small subset of genes that are not up-regulated during conventional TLR-induced DC maturation. In contrast, the effects of SEA on TLR ligand-induced DC activation were striking: when mixed with LPS, SEA significantly affects the expression of >100 LPS-regulated genes. These findings indicate that SEA exerts potent anti-inflammatory effects by directly regulating the ability of DC to respond to TLR ligands.
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PMID:Helminth antigens modulate TLR-initiated dendritic cell activation. 1558 71

Bordetella bronchiseptica utilizes a type III secretion system (TTSS) to establish a persistent infection of the murine respiratory tract. Previous studies have shown that the Bordetella TTSS mediated cytotoxicity in different cell types, inhibition of NF-kappaB in epithelial cells, and differentiation of dendritic cells into a semimature state. Here we demonstrate modulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways and altered cytokine production in macrophages and dendritic cells by the Bordetella TTSS. In macrophages, the MAPKs ERK and p38 were downregulated. This resulted in attenuated production of interleukin- (IL-)6 and IL-10. In contrast, the Th-1-polarizing cytokine IL-12 was produced at very low levels and remained unmodulated by the Bordetella TTSS. In dendritic cells, ERK was transiently activated, but this failed to alter cytokine profiles. These results suggest that the Bordetella TTSS modulates antigen-presenting cells in a cell type-specific manner and the secretion of high levels of IL-6 and IL-10 by macrophages might be important for pathogen clearance.
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PMID:Downregulation of mitogen-activated protein kinases by the Bordetella bronchiseptica Type III secretion system leads to attenuated nonclassical macrophage activation. 1561 67

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) primes the macrophage proinflammatory response to inflammatory stimuli, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The cellular events responsible for this priming or reprogramming remain unresolved, but may occur through an increase in cytosolic calcium, inducing calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase (CaMK) activation. To study this, differentiated THP-1 cells were used to study the effect of CaMK II and IV inhibition on PAF-induced reprogramming of TLR4-mediated events. LPS induced p38, ERK 1/2, and JNK/SAPK phosphorylation, NF-kappaB and AP-1 activation, and TNF-alpha and IL-10 production. PAF pretreatment selectively increased LPS-induced ERK 1/2, JNK/SAPK, NF-kappaB and AP-1 activation, and TNF-alpha production. Inhibition of CaMK II prevented PAF-induced priming of these events. Inhibition of CaMK IV prevented LPS-induced ERK 1/2, JNK/SAPK, NF-kappaB and AP-1 activation, and TNF-alpha production, but increased IL-10 production with or without PAF pretreatment. Neither CaMK II nor IV inhibition had any affect on p38 activity. These data suggest that the function of CaMK II is essential for PAF-induced macrophage priming. This priming event is mediated in part by modulation of ERK 1/2, JNK/SAPK, NF-kappaB, and AP-1 activation. CaMK IV, on the other hand, is not specific for priming by PAF and appears to have a direct link in TLR4-mediated events.
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PMID:Calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II is required for platelet-activating factor priming. 1566 23


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