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Query: EC:2.7.10.1 (
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document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)
Using in situ hybridization histochemistry, we characterized the spatiotemporal gene expression patterns of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and
glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor
(
GDNF
), and their receptor components (LIFR, GFR-alpha1,
RET
) induced in muscle cells, intramuscular nerves, and motoneurons in the regeneration processes of both muscle cells and nerves following muscle contusion. Muscle contusion induced upregulation of
GDNF
and GFR-alpha1 mRNAs in Schwann cell-like cells in the intramuscular nerves and of LIFR mRNA in damaged muscle cells. LIFR, GFR-alpha1, and
RET
mRNA expressions in motoneurons were upregulated following muscle contusion. Muscle contusion also induced more rapid, prominent transactivations of GFR-alpha1 and
RET
genes in motoneurons than did sciatic nerve axotomy. These findings suggest that rapid and prominent upregulation of the receptor components for LIF and
GDNF
in motoneurons is important for the regeneration of intramuscular motor nerves damaged by muscle contusion.
...
PMID:Leukemia inhibitory factor, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor, and their receptor expressions following muscle crush injury. 1051 37
Neurturin (NRTN) and
glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor
(
GDNF
) are members of a family of trophic factors with similar actions in vitro on certain neuronal classes. Retrograde transport of
GDNF
and NRTN was compared in peripheral sensory, sympathetic, and motor neurons to determine whether in vivo these factors are transported selectively by different neuronal populations. After sciatic nerve injections, NRTN was transported by sensory neurons of the dorsal root ganglion (DRG). Competition studies demonstrated only limited cross-competition between NRTN and
GDNF
, indicating selective receptor-mediated transport of these factors. By using immunohistochemistry, we identified two populations of NRTN-transporting DRG neurons: a major population of small,
RET
-positive, IB4-positive, non-TrkA-expressing neurons that also show the ability to transport
GDNF
and a minor population of calretinin-expressing neurons that fail to transport
GDNF
. Spinal motor neurons in the adult showed relatively less ability to transport NRTN than to transport
GDNF
, although NRTN prevented the cell death of neonatal motor neurons in a manner very similar to
GDNF
(Yan et al., 1995) and persephin (PSPN) (Milbrandt et al., 1998). Last, NRTN, like
GDNF
, was not transported to sympathetic neurons of the adult superior cervical ganglion (SCG) after injection into the anterior eye chamber. These data reveal a high degree of functional selectivity of
GDNF
family receptor-alpha (GFRalpha) coreceptor subtypes for NRTN and
GDNF
in vivo.
...
PMID:Analysis of the retrograde transport of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurturin, and persephin suggests that in vivo signaling for the GDNF family is GFRalpha coreceptor-specific. 1053 37
Co-localization of the
glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor
(
GDNF
) and its functional receptor c-
RET
was examined immunohistochemically in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) of the 5th lumbar nerve in rats. The total 1728 DRG neurons were observed in three female rats (Wistar) with ca. 200 g body weight, 46.6% of small neurons, 41.4% of medium-sized neurons, and 8.4% of large neurons showed
GDNF
-immunoreactivity. C-RET immunoreactivity was more intense in small and medium-sized DRG neurons than in large ones; it was detected in 43.8% of small neurons, 52.0% of medium-sized neurons and 14.5% of large neurons. On examination of alternate serial sections, each of which was immunostained for
GDNF
and c-
RET
, 16.1% of small neurons, 16.9% of medium-sized neurons, and 2.4% of large neurons showed both
GDNF
- and c-
RET
-immunoreactivities. Ligation of the sciatic nerve caused an accumulation of
GDNF
immunoreactive products more prominently in the ganglion side rather than the peripheral side of ligation. Our present results suggested that
GDNF
was always expressed in DRG neurons and was transported to spinal dorsal horn via the primary afferent neurons.
...
PMID:Co-localization of the glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor and its functional receptor c-RET in a subpopulation of rat dorsal root ganglion neurons. 1055 81
The tyrosine kinase receptor Ret is expressed in the ureteric bud and is required for normal renal development. Constitutive loss of Ret, its co-receptor gfralpha-1, or the ligand
glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor
results in renal agenesis. Transgenic embryos that express a constitutively active form of Ret (Ret(MEN2B)) under the control of the dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DbetaH) promoter develop profound neuroglial hyperplasia of their sympathetic ganglia and adrenal medullae. Embryos from two independent DbetaH-Ret(MEN2B)-transgenic lines exhibit renal malformations. In contrast with ret-/- embryos, renal maldevelopment in DbetaH-Ret(MEN2B)-transgenic embryos results from primary changes in sympathoadrenal organs extrinsic to the kidney. The ureteric bud invades the metanephric mesenchyme normally, but subsequent bud branching and nephrogenesis are retarded, resulting in severe renal hypoplasia. Ablation of sympathoadrenal precursors restores normal renal growth in vivo and in vitro. We postulate that disruption of renal development results because Ret(MEN2B) derived from the hyperplastic nervous tissue competes with endogenous renal Ret for gfralpha-1 or other signaling components. This hypothesis is supported by the observation that renal malformations, which do not normally occur in a transgenic line with low levels of DbetaH-Ret(MEN2B) expression, arise in a gdnf+/- background. However, renal maldevelopment was not recapitulated in kidneys that were co-cultured with explanted transgenic ganglia in vitro. Our observations illustrate a novel pathogenic mechanism for renal dysgenesis that may explain how putative activating mutations of the
RET
gene can produce a phenotype usually associated with
RET
deficiency.
...
PMID:Sympathoadrenal hyperplasia causes renal malformations in Ret(MEN2B)-transgenic mice. 1059 45
Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor
(
GDNF
) has potent trophic effects on adult sensory neurons after nerve injury and is one of a family of proteins that includes neurturin, persephin, and artemin. Sensitivity to these factors is conferred by a receptor complex consisting of a ligand binding domain (GFRalpha1-GFRalpha4) and a signal transducing domain
RET
. We have investigated the normal expression of
GDNF
family receptor components within sensory neurons and the response to nerve injury. In normal rats,
RET
and GFRalpha1 were expressed in a subpopulation of both small- and large-diameter afferents projecting through the sciatic nerve [60 and 40% of FluoroGold (FG)-labeled cells, respectively]. GFRalpha2 and GFRalpha3 were both expressed principally within small-diameter DRG cells (30 and 40% of FG-labeled cells, respectively). Two weeks after sciatic axotomy, the expression of GFRalpha2 was markedly reduced (to 12% of sciatic afferents). In contrast, the proportion of sciatic afferents that expressed GFRalpha1 increased (to 66% of sciatic afferents) so that virtually all large-diameter afferents expressed this receptor component, and the expression of GFRalpha3 also increased (to 66% of sciatic afferents) so that almost all of the small-diameter afferents expressed this receptor component after axotomy. There was little change in
RET
expression. The changes in the proportions of DRG cells expressing different receptor components were mirrored by alterations in the total RNA levels within the DRG. The changes in GFRalpha1 and GFRalpha2 expression after axotomy could be largely reversed by treatment with
GDNF
.
...
PMID:The glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor family receptor components are differentially regulated within sensory neurons after nerve injury. 1062 18
The
glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor
(
GDNF
) family ligands (GFLs) (
GDNF
, neurturin, artemin, and persephin) are critical regulators of neurodevelopment and support the survival of midbrain dopaminergic and spinal motor neurons in vitro and in animal disease models making them attractive therapeutic candidates for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. The GFLs signal through a multicomponent receptor complex comprised of a high affinity binding component (
GDNF
-family receptor alpha-component (GFRalpha1-GFRalpha4)) and the receptor tyrosine kinase
RET
. To begin characterization of GFL receptor specificity at the molecular level, we performed comprehensive homologue-scanning mutagenesis of
GDNF
, the prototypical member of the GFLs. Replacing short segments of
GDNF
with the homologous segments from persephin (PSPN) (which cannot bind or activate GFRalpha1.
RET
or GFRalpha2.
RET
) identified sites along the second finger of
GDNF
critical for activating the GFRalpha1.
RET
and GFRalpha2.
RET
receptor complexes. Furthermore, introduction of these regions from
GDNF
, neurturin, or artemin into PSPN demonstrated that they are sufficient for activating GFRalpha1.
RET
, but additional determinants are required for interaction with the other GFRalphas. This difference in the molecular basis of GFL-GFRalpha specificity allowed the production of GFRalpha1.
RET
-specific agonists and provides a foundation for understanding of GFL-GFRalpha.
RET
signaling at the molecular level.
...
PMID:Functional mapping of receptor specificity domains of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) family ligands and production of GFRalpha1 RET-specific agonists. 1065 34
Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor
(
GDNF
) is expressed in many neuronal and non-neuronal tissues during development as well as in adult animals.
GDNF
signaling is mediated through a two-component system consisting of the so called
GDNF
receptor-alfa (GFRalpha1) which binds to
GDNF
. Thereafter this complex binds to and activates the tyrosine kinase receptor
RET
. In this work, for the first time, we have characterized the expression of both
GDNF
and
RET
in the anterior pituitary. First of all, RT-PCR analysis, Western blot and immunohistochemistry of the whole anterior pituitary showed that
GDNF
, GFRalpha1 and
RET
are expressed in this gland. Following double-immunofluorescence of consecutive sections we found
GDNF
immunoreactivity in most cell types, and it was most abundant in corticotrophs (55%), LH (59%) and FSH-producing cells (81%). In contrast, while the majority of somatotrophs (87%) were stained for
RET
, no positive immunostaining could be detected in other cell types. Taken together, this data indicate that gonadotrophs and corticotrophs are the main source of
GDNF
synthesized in the anterior pituitary and that the somatotrophs appears to be their target cell. This study provides direct morphological evidences that
GDNF
may well be acting in a paracrine-like fashion in the regulation of somatotroph cell growth and/or cell function.
...
PMID:GDNF and RET-gene expression in anterior pituitary-cell types. 1080
The
RET
receptor tyrosine kinase was first identified in a screen for human oncogenes and has subsequently been linked to several human syndromes: Hirschprung's disease, multiple endocrine neoplasia types 2A and 2B and familial thyroid carcinoma. Interestingly, all of the tissues affected by mutations in
RET
are derived from the neural crest during development.
RET
transduces a signal following activation by ligands of the
glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor
(
GDNF
) family of neurotrophins which currently comprises
GDNF
, neuturin (NTN), artemin (ART) and persephin (PSP). To activate
RET
they form a tripartite complex with
RET
and a member of a family of four extracellular, GPI-linked alpha receptors (GFR alpha 1-4). Specificity is achieved by each GFR alpha binding only one member of the
GDNF
family with high affinity. Current evidence indicates that signal transduction by
RET
activates several second messenger systems including the PLC gamma, Ras, JNK and inositol phosphate pathways. Targeted mutagenesis in transgenic mice has shown that Ret, GFR alpha 1 and
GDNF
are required for multiple developmental events including development of the enteric nervous system (ENS) affected in Hirschsprung's disease. We describe experiments in chick neural crest cells which provide evidence for the normal function of
RET
and the basis of the defect in Hirschsprung's disease.
...
PMID:The RET receptor tyrosine kinase: activation, signalling and significance in neural development and disease. 1081 67
The
glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor
(
GDNF
) family of ligands binds to lipid anchored proteins termed
GDNF
family receptor (GFR)alphas, and then activates the
RET
receptor tyrosine kinase, by ligand GFRalpha. The binding of soluble GFRalphas to transfected cells suggested that different GFRalphas were dedicated to particular ligands, with
GDNF
acting primarily or entirely through GFRalpha1, and neurturin (NTN), through GFRalpha2. More recent evidence has suggested the possibility of cross-talk between these ligands and the two receptors. We examined here whether crosstalk between the
GDNF
ligands and the GFRalphas is biologically relevant, using midbrain dopaminergic, and parasympathetic, submandibular gland neurons. By biochemical and genetic addition and/or deletion of GFRalpha1 and 2, we show that in both neuronal cell types, robust biological activities of
GDNF
or NTN can be mediated by either GFRalpha1 or GFRalpha2, although
GDNF
is slightly more potent in dopaminergic (DA) neurons which normally express GFRalpha1, and NTN in submandibular neurons which normally express GFRalpha2. Throughout the body,
GDNF
and NTN are likely to have important biological actions on both GFRalpha1- and GFRalpha2-expressing cells.
...
PMID:Broad specificity of GDNF family receptors GFRalpha1 and GFRalpha2 for GDNF and NTN in neurons and transfected cells. 1086 94
The
RET
tyrosine kinase is a functional receptor for neurotrophic ligands of the
glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor
(
GDNF
) family. Loss of function of
RET
is associated with congenital megacolon or Hirschsprung's disease, whereas germ-line point mutations causing
RET
activation are responsible for multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2A, MEN2B, and familial medullary thyroid carcinoma) syndromes. Here we show that the expression of a constitutively active
RET
-MEN2A oncogene promotes survival of rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells upon growth factor withdrawal. Moreover, we show that the
RET
-MEN2A-mediated survival depends on signals transduced by the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades. Thus, in PC12 cells,
RET
-MEN2A associates with the PI3K regulatory subunit p85 and promotes activation of Akt (also referred to as protein kinase B) in a PI3K-dependent fashion; in addition,
RET
-MEN2A promotes MAPK activation. PI3K recruitment and Akt activation as well as MAPK activation depend on
RET
-MEN2A tyrosine residue 1062. As a result, tyrosine 1062 of
RET
-MEN2A is essential for
RET
-MEN2A-mediated survival of PC12 cells cultured in growth factor-depleted media.
...
PMID:Tyrosine 1062 of RET-MEN2A mediates activation of Akt (protein kinase B) and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways leading to PC12 cell survival. 1091 41
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