Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound   Target Concepts: 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)

Human tumors can constitutively express cytokines and growth factors, but the extent of this expression has not been investigated. Using 44 different probes to cytokines, growth factors, and their receptors, we tested 21 melanoma and 5 melanocyte cultures for RNA transcript expression by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. With 30 amplification cycles, expression of the cytokines interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-6, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), IL-7, gro alpha, IL-8 and the p35 chain of IL-12 was detected in more than 60% of melanomas. Concomitant receptors for IL-6 and IL-7 were also detected. IL-1 alpha, IL-5, Rantes, IL-10, interferon (IFN)-beta, tumor-necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, G-colony-stimulating factor (CSF) and GM-CSF were expressed at lower levels. Melanocytes showed greatly reduced cytokine RNA transcripts, and only gro alpha was consistently detected. No expression of IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-9, the p40 chain of IL-12, IFN-alpha or IFN-gamma RNA transcripts was detected in melanomas or melanocytes. The growth factors expressed by melanomas and, after further signal amplification, by melanocytes were transforming growth factor (TGF)-alpha, epidermal growth factor (EGF), TGF-beta, endothelial-cell growth factor (ECGF), basic-fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), nerve growth factor (NGF) and steel. The receptors EGFR, FGFR, NGFRp70 and c-kit were also expressed by melanomas and melanocytes. These results point to new possible autocrine and paracrine pathways in melanoma biology.
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PMID:Expression of cytokine/growth factors and their receptors in human melanoma and melanocytes. 750 78

A putative mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) has recently been identified, which potentially phosphorylates the human epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor at a physiological site (Thr-669) and is distinguished from other MAPKs/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases (ERKs) on the basis of chromatographic, immunological, and kinetic data. Here we report that this newly discovered MAPK is physically associated with the EGF receptor in A431 cells and with the related receptor/tyrosine kinase HER2 (encoded by c-neu) in enzyme preparations obtained from Wilm's tumors. This human EGF receptor-associated kinase is characterized as a 40-kDa Thr-669 kinase that exists in a high molecular mass complex with the respective growth factor receptor. EGF treatment of A431 cells stimulates the tyrosine phosphorylation of p40 and increases Thr-669 kinase activity in p40-containing fractions. The 40-kDa kinase is recognized by affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies directed against the sea star p44mpk and a Pan-ERK antibody directed against the conserved subdomain VIII of MAPKs/ERKs, but is not recognized by antibodies selective for the rat p44erk1 and/or the p42mapk/erk2 isoforms, thus identifying the EGF receptor-associated kinase as a novel MAPK that may regulate receptor function in vivo.
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PMID:Identification of a human epidermal growth factor receptor-associated protein kinase as a new member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase family. 768 42

Patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) are frequently colonized with Staphylococcus aureus strains secreting exotoxins such as the staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) and A (SEA). Nonetheless the role of SEB and SEA in AD is yet unknown. We analyzed the responsiveness of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and isolated T cells from donors with AD and from normal donors to SEB and SEA. PBMCs as well as T cells from normal donors showed a significantly enhanced proliferation after stimulation with enterotoxin B, whereas the 3H-thymidine uptake of the T lymphocytes from patients with AD was markedly suppressed. Furthermore, we show that IFN-gamma mRNA and protein and mRNA for both chains of IL-12 (p35 and p40) are produced in human PBMCs from normal donors upon stimulation with SEB and SEA. In contrast to normal donors T cells from donors with AD predominantly express mRNA for IL-4, IL-5, and only diminished levels for IFN-gamma and IL-12 upon stimulation with SEB and SEA. Furthermore, in contrast to normal donors, PBMCs from donors with AD spontaneously produce high levels of IgE and express increased levels of CD23, the low-affinity receptor for IgE. Nonetheless, the superantigens by themselves, from 0.1 fg up to 1 microgram/10(6) cells, induced neither IgE secretion nor CD23 expression on PBMCs. Moreover, the addition of superantigens to IL-4-treated PBMC cultures diminished or totally suppressed the IL-4-induced IgE synthesis and CD23 expression. No differences were observed between PBMCs from normal donors of donors with AD. Both PBMCs isolated from normal and atopic donors produced high levels of soluble IL-4-receptor (up to 210 +/- 90 pg/ml). Addition of soluble IL-4-receptor to PBMC cultures downregulated the IL-4-induced IgE synthesis and CD23 expression in unstimulated as well as in SEB-stimulated PBMCs from normal donors and donors with AD. Our results suggest that superantigen-producing staphylococcal strains on the skin of patients with AD may modulate and/or amplify allergic inflammation.
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PMID:Responsiveness of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from normal and atopic donors to microbial superantigens. 781 40

Phosphorylation of Thr161, a residue conserved in all members of the cdc2 family, has been reported to be absolutely required for the catalytic activity of cdc2, the major regulator of eukaryotic cell cycle. In the present work, we have purified from starfish oocytes a kinase that specifically activates cdc2 in a cyclin-dependent manner through phosphorylation of its Thr161 residue. Our most highly purified preparation contained only two major proteins of apparent M(r) 37 and 40 kDa (p37 and p40), which could not be separated from each other without loss of activity. The purified kinase was found to phosphorylate not only cdc2, but also cdk2 and a divergent cdc2-like protein from Caenorhabditis, in chimeric complexes including both mitotic and G1/S cyclins. Extensive microsequencing of p40 did not reveal any convincing homology with any known protein. In contrast, p37 is the starfish homologue of the M015 gene product, a kinase previously cloned by homology probing from a Xenopus cDNA library. As expected, immunodepletion of the MO15 protein depleted Xenopus egg extracts of CAK (cdk-activating kinase) activity, which was recovered in immunoprecipitates. Taken together, the above results demonstrate that MO15 is a gene conserved throughout evolution (at least from echinoderms to vertebrates) that encodes the catalytic subunit of a protein kinase that activates cdc2-cdks complexes through phosphorylation of Thr161 (or its homologues).
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PMID:The MO15 gene encodes the catalytic subunit of a protein kinase that activates cdc2 and other cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) through phosphorylation of Thr161 and its homologues. 834 51

OX40 ligand (OX40L), a member of the TNF family, was shown to be capable of signaling both the cells on which it is expressed and those expressing OX40, its cognate receptor. Here we show that OX40L is expressed on dendritic cells (DC), the most efficient APC to prime naive T cells. The expression and the functional activity of OX40L were examined by means of mAbs used to stain or cross-link OX40L on 1) freshly isolated human blood DC (bDC) and 2) monocyte-derived DC at different stages of differentiation. These were derived from monocytes cultured either with IL-4 and granulocyte-macrophage CSF (IL-4-Mo-DC) or with IL-4 and granulocyte-macrophage CSF plus TNF-alpha. Both types of Mo-DC expressed OX40L after stimulation through CD40; ligation of OX40L on activated IL-4-Mo-DC enhanced by 4- to 35-fold their cytokine production (TNF-alpha, IL-12 p40, IL-1 beta, and IL-6) and increased CD80, CD86, CD54, and CD40 expression. Stimulation of activated IL-4-Mo-DC through OX40L strikingly enhanced their maturation as evidenced by CD83 up-regulation, CD115 (CSF-1R) down-regulation, and typical morphologic changes. OX40L was constitutively expressed on a subset of bDC, and its ligation slightly enhanced CD40L-stimulated IL-12 production. OX40L was down-regulated after overnight culture and spontaneously reexpressed on a subset of mature bDC (CD83high, CD33high, CD11chigh, CD5+). Thus, the expression of OX40L on DC suggests a physiologic role of this molecule during T cell priming by virtue of its ability to costimulate both T cell and DC activation and differentiation.
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PMID:Expression and function of OX40 ligand on human dendritic cells. 937 71

The immune response and related granulomatous inflammation in infection with Schistosoma mansoni are ultimately dependent on SEA-sensitized CD4+ Th cells and comprise multiple pathways variously involving the activation and recruitment of different cell populations and the production of different inflammatory cytokines, all under the influence of regulatory genetic factors. The spontaneous downregulation of granuloma formation (immunomodulation), in turn, is a well-known phenomenon, but the full extent of its precipitating factors is still uncertain. This review describes a pathway leading to immunomodulation that features at its centre the down-regulatory cytokine IL-10. This mechanism is attractive because it offers a cogent correlation between findings in the laboratory and those displayed by patients affected with the disease. The Sm-p40 antigen, a major component of schistosome eggs, elicits a strong CD4+ Th cell response in H-2k mice that correlates with intense granuloma formation; in contrast, its immunogenicity is relatively minor during infection of other mouse strains that develop smaller granulomas. Of great interest is that the Sm-p40 antigen only elicits a Th-1 type cytokine response, a phenotype that remains constant even as the overall response to SEA shifts to a Th-2 type. The Sm-p40 molecule has a dominant epitope that is the target of CD4+ Th cells from infected H-2k mice; indeed, a minimal peptide that bears the epitope binds to I-Ak. The importance of pursuing a systematic elucidation of the major egg antigens, resides in the exciting possibility of specifically desensitizing the CD4+ Th cells that mediate granuloma formation, which may achieve meaningful prevention or amelioration of clinical disease.
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PMID:The immune response and immunopathology in infection with Schistosoma mansoni: a key role of major egg antigen Sm-p40. 965 22

NF-kappa B plays a critical role in coordinating the control of gene expression during monocyte/macrophage activation. In this report we describe our investigation of the mechanisms of LPS-induced NF-kappa B activation and IL-12 expression in murine peritoneal suppressor macrophages. Treatment of these macrophages with LPS induced I kappa B alpha degradation and NF-kappa B activation. EMSAs demonstrated that NF-kappa B bound to a cis-acting element located in the murine IL-12 p40 promoter. LPS signal transduction has been shown to involve a variety of signal pathways. The results in this paper indicate that LPS-induced NF-kappa B binding activity was independent of PKC, PKA, ERK, and p38 MAPK, but was regulated by proteasome. Furthermore, Proteasome Inhibitor I abolished the LPS-induced mRNA expression of IL-12 p35 and p40, and SB203580 reduced these mRNA levels, whereas the blockade of PKC, PKA, and ERK had little effect. These data demonstrate that the LPS-induced activation of proteasome. I kappa B. NF-kappa B and p38 MAPK signal pathways regulate the IL-12 expression in murine peritoneal suppressor macrophages.
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PMID:NF-kappa B regulates the LPS-induced expression of interleukin 12 p40 in murine peritoneal macrophages: roles of PKC, PKA, ERK, p38 MAPK, and proteasome. 1100 16

The MET tyrosine kinase, the receptor of hepatocyte growth factor-scatter factor (HGF/SF), is known to be essential for normal development and cell survival. We report that stress stimuli induce the caspase-mediated cleavage of MET in physiological cellular targets, such as epithelial cells, embryonic hepatocytes, and cortical neurons. Cleavage occurs at aspartic residue 1000 within the SVD site of the juxtamembrane region, independently of the crucial docking tyrosine residues Y1001 or Y1347 and Y1354. This cleavage generates an intracellular 40-kDa MET fragment containing the kinase domain. The p40 MET fragment itself causes apoptosis of MDCK epithelial cells and embryonic cortical neurons, whereas its kinase-dead version is impaired in proapoptotic activity. Finally, HGF/SF treatment does not favor MET cleavage and apoptosis, confirming the known survival role of ligand-activated MET. Our results show that stress stimuli convert the MET survival receptor into a proapoptotic factor.
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PMID:Proapoptotic function of the MET tyrosine kinase receptor through caspase cleavage. 1554 41

Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) infection of macrophages induces a demyelinating disease (DD) in certain strains of mice that is similar to human multiple sclerosis. In contrast to IFN-beta, expression of IL-23 p19 and p40 subunits by macrophages in response to TMEV may contribute to DD. TMEV infection of macrophages likely induces IL-23 and IFN-beta by activating p38 or ERK MAP-kinases (MAPK) and the p38 substrate ATF-2 within 30 min. To determine the role of MAPKs in TMEV-induced IL-23 and IFN-beta expression, RAW264.7 cells were pretreated with SB203580 or U0126, inhibitors of p38 and ERK MAPKs, respectively. SB203580 significantly increased TMEV-induced p19 but decreased p40 expression. In contrast, U0126 decreased p19 and increased TMEV-induced p40 and IFN-beta expression. Interestingly, U0126 prolonged TMEV-induced ATF-2 activation to at least 3h. Thus ERK MAPKs regulate expression of TMEV-induced p19 differently than p40 and IFN-beta suggesting the benefits of U0126 in treatment of DD.
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PMID:ERK-MAP-kinases differentially regulate expression of IL-23 p19 compared with p40 and IFN-beta in Theiler's virus-infected RAW264.7 cells. 1562 75

Juzentaihoto (TJ-48), a Kampo medicine, has been reported to affect the immune system. Although toll-like receptors (TLRs) have been identified as receptors of innate immunity, the effects of TJ-48 on TLR signaling pathways have not been thoroughly investigated. Here we evaluated the effects of TJ-48 on TLR4 signaling pathways. Peritoneal exudate macrophages (PEMs) isolated from mice orally administered TJ-48 for 11 days were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a ligand of TLR4, in vitro. Production of IL-12 p40 was significantly augmented in TJ-48-treated PEMs compared with that in vehicle PEMs, without affecting the surface expression of TLR4. Treatment with chemical inhibitors of NF-kappa B and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in vitro inhibited LPS-induced IL-12 production, whereas JNK and ERK inhibitors increased IL-12 production. Immunoblotting with phosphorylation-state specific antibodies demonstrated that TJ-48 differentially affected LPS-induced phosphorylation of NF-kappa B and MAPKs. In PEMs treated with TJ-48, LPS-induced phosphorylation of p65 NF-kappa B and p38 MAPK was augmented, while that of JNK and ERK was attenuated compared with those in vehicle PEMs. These results suggest that selective modulation of the TLR4 signaling pathways by TJ-48 is involved in enhanced production of IL-12 in PEMs.
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PMID:Juzentaihoto, a Kampo medicine, enhances IL-12 production by modulating Toll-like receptor 4 signaling pathways in murine peritoneal exudate macrophages. 1577 23


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