Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:2.7.10.1 (ERK)
95,504 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Internal tandem duplication mutations of the FLT3 gene (FLT3/ITD mutations) are the most frequent molecular abnormality in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and are associated with a poor overall survival. While the normal FLT3 receptor is expressed in early hematopoietic progenitor cells, it has not been determined whether FLT3 mutations are present in the leukemic stem cells. In this study, we sorted primary AML samples into stem cell-enriched CD34+/CD38- fractions and then analyzed the sorted and unsorted cells for the FLT3 mutant-wild-type ratio. In each case, the FLT3 mutant-wild-type ratio was not changed by selection of CD34+/CD38- cells, implying that the mutations are present in the leukemic stem cells. We used the stem cell-enriched fraction to engraft nonobese diabetic-severe combined immunodeficient (NOD-SCID) mice and then confirmed that the FLT3/ITD mutation was present in the resultant engrafted marrow. As a final test of the importance of FLT3/ITD signaling in this engraftment model, we used a small molecule FLT3 inhibitor, CEP-701, to inhibit engraftment of FLT3/ITD stem cells. Taken together, these experiments establish that the FLT3/ITD mutations are present in leukemia stem cells, and that FLT3 inhibitors may have activity against these cells.
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PMID:Internal tandem duplications of the FLT3 gene are present in leukemia stem cells. 1579 98

Molecular markers like IgV(H) mutational status, chromosomal abnormalities, and CD38 and ZAP-70 expression have prognostic value in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). These may be pathogenetic because of the coincidental expression of ZAP-70 and increased B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling and the signaling function of CD38 in CLL. This study shows that ZAP-70(+) CLL B cells respond in vitro more readily than ZAP-70(-) CLL and normal B cells to chemokine migratory signals through enhanced surface CCR7 expression (P = .009; P < .001) and increased responsiveness to its ligands CCL19 and CCL21, demonstrated by F-actin polymerization (P < .05) and cellular migration (P < .01). In addition, ZAP-70(+) CLL cells exhibit sustained ERK phosphorylation/activation following stimulation with CXCL12 (SDF1-alpha, a survival factor produced by stromal cells) compared with ZAP-70(-) cells (P = .004). Following coculture with nurse-like cells, the survival of ZAP-70(+) but not ZAP-70(-) CLL cells is significantly enhanced by the addition of CXCL12 (P < .05), an effect that is partially blocked by the MEK inhibitor PD98059. These advantageous migratory and survival responses may promote easier access to and greater proliferation in pseudo-germinal centers and explain in part the more progressive nature of ZAP-70(+) disease.
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PMID:ZAP-70 expression is associated with enhanced ability to respond to migratory and survival signals in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). 1633 69

A 67-year-old woman was admitted with impaired general performance, suffering from fatigue, chest oppression on exertion, and paresthesia of the finger trips. The laboratory findings showed increased white blood cells with abnormal cells, and serum immunofixation test showed monoclonal IgM kappa paraprotein. On flow cytometric immunophenotyping with CD38 gating, most of the abnormal cells expressed surface CD20, CD138, cytoplasmic IgM, but neither surface CD56 nor surface IgM. Immunohistochemical staining of abnormal cells was positive for surface CD38, surface CD20 and cytoplasmic IgM. The final diagnosis was plasma cell leukemia IgM kappa type. Electrocardiography (ECG) on admission showed ST depression in II, III, aV(F), V4, V5, and V6. Coronary angiography (CAG) is invasive and difficult for patients with renal failure, therefore the patient underwent transthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TTDE), which revealed reduced coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR). Two courses of VAD therapy were administered, then the condition improved, the serum IgM level decreased, abnormal cells were decreased in peripheral blood and bone marrow aspirates, and the creatinine levels improved. With the return of normal ECG findings and improved CFVR, the abnormal ECG and reduction in CFVR was thought to be associated with the hyperviscosity syndrome in PCL. Noninvasive assessment of CFVR by TTDE is significantly useful for the patients who have renal failure and need chemotherapy.
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PMID:[Effective measurement of coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) with transthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TTDE) for plasma cell leukemia with hyperviscosity syndrome]. 1647 78

Nicotinamide (NAm) represents both a pharmacological agent known to express cell preserving and anti-inflammatory properties, and a useful investigational tool to elucidate cellular pathways regulating a wide range of cellular functions. We demonstrate in this study that exogenous NAm, when used at pharmacological doses, inhibits activation of primary murine B lymphocytes in response to multiple ligands. NAm appears to affect a membrane proximal event leading to MAPKs activation, a transduction pathway shared by multiple receptors including the antigen-specific B cell receptor, CD38, CD40 and TLR4 receptors. NAm inhibited phospho-ERK accumulation, and only marginally affected phospho-p38 and phospho-JNK induction upon BCR stimulation of naive B lymphocytes. Accordingly, NAm also affected the expression of known targets of the MAPK ERK pathway such as CD69 and cyclin D2. Based on a comparison with well-characterized pharmacological inhibitors, we suggest in this work that NAm may inhibit a post-translational modification mediated by a yet unidentified mono(ADP-ribose)transferase. Collectively, our observations indicate that in addition to its previously described effect on cells of the innate immune system, NAm is able to modulate the activity of B lymphocytes suggesting a potential role of this vitamin in regulating antibody-mediated autoimmune disorders.
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PMID:Nicotinamide inhibits B lymphocyte activation by disrupting MAPK signal transduction. 1718 49

Activating mutation of FLT3 by internal tandem duplications (ITDs) in the juxtamembrane region is the most common molecular aberration found in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). In this study, a lentiviral vector containing two promoters achieved consistent and efficient co-expression of FLT3/ITD and GFP in transduced human CD34(+) haematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs). When cultured in medium containing stem cell factor, thrombopoietin and FLT3 ligand (FL), FLT3/ITD-transduced cells demonstrated enhanced self-renewal and survival potential, unaffected by the withdrawal of FL. These cells retained a CD34(+)CD38(-/dim) immunophenotype, typical of HSPCs. Compared to cells transduced with a vector expressing GFP alone, FLT3/ITD-transduced HSPCs had a higher fraction of cells in active cell cycle. FLT3/ITD-transduced HSPCs were more sensitive to the induction of cytotoxicity by CEP-701, a selective FLT3 inhibitor, indicating a rapid 'addiction' to signalling through this oncogenic pathway. The FLT3/ITD-transduced HSPCs showed increased expression of Pim-1, c-Myc and Cyclin D3 (CCND3), each of which may contribute to the altered genetic programme instituted by FLT3/ITD signalling. Taken together, these results indicate that FLT3/ITD mutations may contribute to leukaemic transformation of normal HSPCs by prolonging survival, promoting proliferation and partially blocking differentiation. CEP-701 may act as a potent therapeutic agent for AML stem cells harbouring FLT3/ITD mutations.
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PMID:FLT3/ITD expression increases expansion, survival and entry into cell cycle of human haematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. 1735 72

CML (chronic myeloid leukaemia) is a myeloproliferative disease that originates in an HSC (haemopoietic stem cell) as a result of the t(9;22) translocation, giving rise to the Ph (Philadelphia chromosome) and bcr-abl oncoprotein. The disease starts in CP (chronic phase), but as a result of genomic instability, it progresses over time to accelerated phase and then to BC (blast crisis), becoming increasingly resistant to therapy. bcr-abl is a constitutively active tyrosine kinase that has been targeted by TKIs (tyrosine kinase inhibitors), including IM (imatinib mesylate), nilotinib and dasatinib. We have developed various flow cytometry techniques to enable us to isolate candidate CML stem cells from CP patients at diagnosis that efflux Hoechst dye, express CD34, lack CD38 and are cytokine-non-responsive in culture over periods of up to 12 days in growth factors. These stem cells have been shown to regenerate bcr-abl-positive haemopoiesis in immunocompromised mice upon transplantation. We previously demonstrated that IM was antiproliferative for CML stem cells but did not induce apoptosis. Clinical experience now confirms that IM may not target CML stem cells in vivo with few patients achieving complete molecular remission and relapse occurring rapidly upon drug withdrawal. Our recent efforts have focused on understanding why CML stem cells are resistant to IM and on trying to find novel ways to induce apoptosis of this population. We have shown that CML stem cells express very high levels of functional wild-type bcr-abl; no kinase domain mutations have been detected in the stem cell population. Dasatinib, a more potent multitargeted TKI than IM, inhibits bcr-abl activity more efficiently than IM but still does not induce apoptosis of the stem cell population. Most recently, we have tested a number of novel drug combinations and found that FTIs (farnesyl transferase inhibitors) have activity against CML. BMS-214662 is the most effective of these and induces apoptosis of phenotypically and functionally defined CML stem cells in vitro, as a single agent and in combination with IM or dasatinib. The effect against CML stem cells is selective with little effect on normal stem cells. The drug is also effective against BC CML stem cells and equally effective against wild-type and mutant bcr-abl, including the most resistant mutant T315I. In association with apoptosis, there is activation of caspase 8 and caspase 3, inhibition of the MAPK pathway, IAP-1 (inhibitor of apoptosis protein-1), NF-kappaB (nuclear factor kappaB) and iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase). Furthermore, BMS-214662 synergizes with MEK1/2 [MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase)/ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) kinase 1/2] inhibitors, suggesting a second mechanism other that RAS inhibition for induction of apoptosis. Our intentions are now to explore the activity of BMS-214662 in other cancer stem cell disorders and to move this preclinical work to a clinical trial combining dasatinib with BMS-214662 in CML.
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PMID:Characterization of cancer stem cells in chronic myeloid leukaemia. 1795 48

CD38 is a surface receptor able to induce activation, proliferation, and survival of human and mouse lymphocytes; this molecule is expressed on the surface of both mature and immature B cells. In this work, the function of CD38 in the maturation of murine B lymphocytes in the spleen was analyzed. The results showed that CD38 is highly expressed on Transitional 2 (T2) B lymphocytes with an intermediate expression on Transitional 1 (T1) and mature follicular B cells (M). Correlating with a high expression of CD38, T2 cells are also larger and more granular than T1 or M B cells. T2 cells also showed high levels of other molecules, which indicate an activated phenotype. CD38 crosslinking induced proliferation and maturation of T2 B lymphocytes; in contrast, T1 subset died by apoptosis. Finally, CD38 stimulation of T2 B lymphocytes obtained from Btk-, Lyn-, or Fyn-deficient mice showed a defective differentiation; similarly, drugs interfering with PI3K or ERK decreased the proliferation or differentiation of this subset. This suggests that these molecules participate in the CD38 signaling pathway. As a whole, the results indicate that CD38 plays an important role in the regulation of B-cell maturation in the spleen.
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PMID:CD38 induces differentiation of immature transitional 2 B lymphocytes in the spleen. 1822 69

Somatic stem cell transplantation holds great promise in regenerative medicine. The best-characterized adult stem cells are mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), neural stem cells (NSCs), and CD133(+) hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). The applications of HSCs are hampered since these cells are difficult to maintain in an undifferentiated state in vitro. Understanding genes responsible for stem cell properties and their interactions will help on this issue. The construction of stem cell genetic networks will also help to develop rational strategies to revert somatic cells back to a stem-like state. We performed a systemic study on human CD133(+) HSCs, NSCs, MSCs, and embryonic stem cells and two different progenies of CD133(+) HSCs, microvascular endothelial cells (MVECs) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Genes abundant in each or in all three somatic stem cells were identified. We also observed complex genetic networks functioning in postnatal stem cells, in which several genes, such as PTPN11 and DHFR, acted as hubs to maintain the stability and connectivity of the whole genetic network. Eighty-seven HSC genes, including ANGPT1 and GATA2, were independently identified by comparing CD34(+)CD33(-)CD38(-) hematopoietic stem cells with CD34(+) precursors and various matured progenies. Introducing GATA2 into MVECs resulted in dedifferentiation-like transcriptome reprogramming, with HSC genes (such as ANGPT1) being up and endothelial genes (such as EPHB2) being down. This study provides a foundation for a more detailed understanding of human somatic stem cells. Expressing the newly discovered stem cell genes in matured cells might lead to a global reversion of somatic transcriptome to a stem-like status.
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PMID:Functional network reconstruction reveals somatic stemness genetic maps and dedifferentiation-like transcriptome reprogramming induced by GATA2. 1830 45

The enzymatic activity of CD38, ADP-ribosyl cyclase, synthesizes the calcium mobilizing molecule cyclic ADP-ribose from beta-NAD. In human airway smooth muscle (HASM) cells, CD38 expression is augmented by the inflammatory cytokine, TNF-alpha, causing increased intracellular calcium response to agonists. The transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation of CD38 expression involves signaling through MAPKs and requires activation of NF-kappaB and activator protein-1 (AP-1). The cytokine-augmented CD38 expression is decreased by anti-inflammatory glucocorticoids due to inhibition of NF-kappaB activation and other mechanisms. In this study, we investigated glucocorticoid regulation of CD38 expression in HASM cells through the MKP-1. In HASM cells, dexamethasone and TNF-alpha induced MKP-1 expression (both mRNA and protein) rapidly. Dexamethasone decreased TNF-alpha-induced phosphorylation of the major MAPKs, i.e., ERK, p38, and JNK, and decreased the activation of NF-kappaB and AP-1. Dexamethasone also decreased CD38 expression induced by TNF-alpha, and part of this effect was attributable to decreased transcript stability. In cells transfected with MKP-1-specific small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), there was significant attenuation of MKP-1 expression and partial, but nonsignificant, reversal of dexamethasone inhibition of CD38 expression. These results indicate that regulation of CD38 expression in HASM cells by glucocorticoids involves decreased signaling through MAPKs and activation of transcription factors. The glucocorticoid effects on decreased CD38 expression and function result from regulation through transcription and transcript stability.
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PMID:Glucocorticoid regulation of CD38 expression in human airway smooth muscle cells: role of dual specificity phosphatase 1. 1844 Oct 94

We investigated whether KIT signaling was sufficient to maintain human hematopoietic stem cells in culture or whether, as with murine stem cells, signaling through glycoprotein 130 (gp130) is additionally required. Sorted CD34(+)CD133(+)(CD33/CD38/CD71)(-) cells from human umbilical cord blood (UCB) were cultured in the presence of combinations of KIT-ligand (KL) and the gp130 stimulating molecule oncostatin M (OSM). We found that OSM increased KL-induced proliferation, which was accompanied by an expansion in numbers of mature progenitors colony-forming cells (CFC, CAFCw2). More primitive progenitors, CAFCw6 and long-term culture-CFC, were not maintained by KL as a single factor. Although addition of OSM did not improve survival, the KL/OSM combination showed improved maintenance of immature progenitors as well as higher CD34 expression. Similarly, both KL and OSM were required to maintain NOD/SCID-repopulating activity. In experiments to investigate the underlying mechanism, we found that extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and its downstream target p90 ribosomal S6 kinase were activated by KL and downregulated by the inclusion of OSM during stimulation. The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) was not modulated by either KL or OSM. Indeed, many of the effects of OSM (increased cell division, maintenance of CFC, and maintenance of high CD34 expression) could be mimicked by using the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitor U0126. More importantly, NOD/SCID-repopulating activity was preserved in the KL/U0126-stimulated cells, but not in cells stimulated with a combination of KL and the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580. Our results show that the loss of repopulating activity during KL stimulation is counteracted by OSM through the downregulation of ERK pathway signaling. Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
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PMID:Oncostatin M-mediated regulation of KIT-ligand-induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling maintains hematopoietic repopulating activity of Lin-CD34+CD133+ cord blood cells. 1849 91


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