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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)
The human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER) family consists of four distinct receptors: HER1 (epidermal growth factor receptor),
HER2
,
HER3
, and
HER4
. Their specific activating ligands are collectively known as neuregulins (NRG). We hypothesized that one member of the NRG family,
NRG-1
, and the HER family would play a role in fetal lung development. To test this hypothesis, we defined
NRG-1
and HER gene expression in mid-trimester human fetal lung tissue.
HER2
and
HER3
messenger RNA and protein were detected in the fetal lung, but
HER4
expression was not detected. Immunohistochemical staining of fetal lung tissue localized
HER2
and
HER3
protein to the developing lung epithelium.
NRG-1
expression was not found in freshly isolated human fetal lung, but it was observed in fetal lung explants after 2 d of explant culture. Immunohistochemistry of cultured human fetal lung explants revealed that
NRG-1
protein was also expressed in pulmonary epithelial cells. Exposing human fetal lung to recombinant
NRG-1
activated the HER receptor complex as measured by approximately 4-fold increases in receptor phosphotyrosine content. In addition,
NRG-1
increased explant epithelial cell volume density approximately 2-fold (P < 0. 03); increased epithelial cell proliferation approximately 2-fold, as determined by bromodeoxyuridine labeling (P = 0.002); and reduced surfactant protein-A (SP-A) levels by 53% (P < 0.05). These data are consistent with an autocrine regulatory process mediated by
NRG-1
activation of
HER2
/
HER3
heterodimers expressed on developing human fetal lung epithelial cells. Receptor activation results in increased lung epithelial cell proliferation and volume density, and decreased SP-A production, a marker of type II pneumocyte differentiation.
...
PMID:Neuregulin-1 and human epidermal growth factor receptors 2 and 3 play a role in human lung development in vitro. 1074 24
Activin receptor-like kinase 1 (ALK-1) is an orphan type I receptor of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) receptor family. In vivo studies have demonstrated that this endothelial-specific receptor is implicated in angiogenesis. In this study, we addressed the cellular function of ALK-1 in cultured human microvascular endothelial cells from the dermis (HMVEC-d's) using adenoviral expression of a constitutively active form of ALK-1 (ALK-1QD). We observed that
ALK
-1QD expression inhibits cell proliferation through an arrest in the G1 phase in the cell cycle.
ALK
-1QD expression also inhibited migration. This inhibition was also observed in other endothelial cells (human microvascular endothelial cells [HMEC-1's], HMVECs from the lung, and human umbilical vein endothelial cells [HUVECs]). Finally,
ALK
-1QD expression decreased re-adhesion and spreading to different matrices. This led us to examine the dynamic formation of adhesion complexes. We demonstrated that while beta-gal-infected cells reorganized actin stress fibers and focal adhesion complexes at the edge of a wound,
ALK
-1QD-infected cells did not. To identify downstream genes implicated in ALK-1 cellular responses, we next performed a cDNA array analysis of the expressed genes. There were 13 genes found to be significantly induced or suppressed by
ALK
-1QD. Among them, 2 genes encoded cell cycle-related proteins (c-myc and p21/waf1), 3 encoded components of the cytoskeleton-focal adhesion complex (beta-actin, paxillin, and zyxin), and 2 encoded members of the TGF-beta family (BMPRII and
GDF-15
). Taken together, our results suggest that ALK-1 is implicated in the maturation phase of angiogenesis. Disruption of this latter phase of angiogenesis may be an important step in the development of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia.
...
PMID:Activin receptor-like kinase 1 is implicated in the maturation phase of angiogenesis. 1245 78
Troglitazone (TGZ) and 15-deoxy-Delta(12,14)-prostaglandin J2 (PGJ2) are peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) ligands that have been shown to possess pro-apoptotic activity in human colon cancer. Although these compounds bind to PPARgamma transcription factors as agonists, emerging evidence suggests that TGZ acts independently of PPARgamma in many functions, including apoptosis. We previously reported that TGZ induces an early growth response transcription factor (EGR-1) by the
ERK
phosphorylation pathway rather than by the PPARgamma pathway (Baek, S. J., Wilson, L. C., Hsi, L. C., and Eling, T. E. (2003) J. Biol. Chem. 278, 5845-5853). In this report, we show that the expression of the antitumorigenic and/or pro-apoptotic gene
NAG-1
(nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-activated gene-1) is induced by TGZ and correlates with EGR-1 induction. In cotransfection and gel shift assays, we show that EGR-1-binding sites are located within region -73 to -51 of the
NAG-1
promoter and have an important role in the transactivation of TGZ-induced
NAG-1
expression. In contrast, PGJ2 induced
NAG-1
protein expression, but PGJ2 may not affect the same region that TGZ does in the
NAG-1
promoter. The effect of PGJ2 is probably PPARgamma-dependent because a PPARgamma antagonist inhibited the PGJ2-induced expression of
NAG-1
. TGZ-induced
NAG-1
expression was not inhibited by the PPARgamma antagonist. The fact that TGZ-induced
NAG-1
expression was accompanied by the biosynthesis of EGR-1 also suggests that EGR-1 plays a pivotal role in TGZ-induced
NAG-1
expression. Our results suggest that EGR-1 induction is a unique property of TGZ, but is independent of PPARgamma activation. The up-regulation of
NAG-1
may provide a novel explanation for the antitumorigenic property of TGZ.
...
PMID:Expression of NAG-1, a transforming growth factor-beta superfamily member, by troglitazone requires the early growth response gene EGR-1. 1466 74
The tyrosine kinase receptor erbB2, also known in humans as Her2, is a member of the epidermal growth factor receptor (
EGFR
or erbB1) family, which also includes erbB3 and erbB4. The erbBs were discovered in an avian erythroblastosis tumor virus and exhibited similarities to human
EGFR
(Yarden and Sliwkowski, 2001). Her2/erbB2 is highly expressed in many cancer types. Its overexpression is correlated with a poor prognosis for breast and ovarian cancer patients. ErbB receptors bind to a family of growth factors, termed neuregulins/heregulin (NRG/HRG), which comprise
NRG-1
, -2, -3, and -4 and include multiple isoforms. ErbB2/Her2 is an orphan receptor that does not bind ligand alone but heterodimerizes with the other erbB receptors for NRG signaling. ErbB2 is expressed in multiple neuronal and non-neuronal tissues in embryos and adult animals, including the heart. Genetic data demonstrated that erbB2 is required for normal embryonic development of neural crest-derived cranial sensory neurons. ErbB2/Her2-null mutant embryos of a trabeculation defect die before embryonic day (E) 11. To study its role at later stages of development, we generated a transgenic mouse line that specifically expresses the rat erbB2 cDNA in the heart under the control of the cardiac-specific alpha-myosin heavy chain promoter. When crossed into the null background, the expression of the rat erbB2 cDNA rescued the cardiac phenotype in the erbB2-null mutant mice that survive until birth but display an absence of Schwann cells and a severe loss of both motor and spinal sensory neurons. To study the role of erbB2 in the adult heart, we generated conditional mutant mice carrying a cardiac-restricted deletion of erbB2. These erbB2 conditional mutants exhibited multiple independent parameters of dilated cardiomyopathy, including chamber dilation, wall thinning, and decreased contractility. Interestingly, treatment of breast cancers overexpressing erbB2 with Herceptin (Trastuzumab), a humanized monoclonal antibody specific to the extracellular domain of erbB2, results in some patients developing cardiac dysfunction. The adverse effect is increased significantly in those patients who also receive the chemotherapeutical agent anthracycline. We found that erbB2-deficient cardiac myocytes are more susceptible to anthracycline-induced cytotoxicity. These results suggest that erbB2 signaling in the heart is essential for the prevention of dilated cardiomyopathy. These lines of mice provide models with which to elucidate the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which erbB2 signaling regulates cardiac functions. These mice also will provide important information for devising strategies to mitigate the cardiotoxic effects of Herceptin treatment, allowing for the potential expanded use of this drug to treat all cancers overexpressing erbB2.
...
PMID:Essential roles of Her2/erbB2 in cardiac development and function. 1474 94
Transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) is a candidate output signal of the hypothalamic circadian pacemaker. TGF-alpha is expressed in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of rats, hamsters, and rhesus macaques [A. Kramer, F.C. Yang, P. Snodgrass, X. Li, T.E. Scammell, F.C. Davis and C.J. Weitz, Regulation of daily locomotor activity and sleep by hypothalamic EGF receptor signaling, Science, 294 (2001) 2511-5., X. Li, N. Sankrithi and F.C. Davis, Transforming growth factor-alpha is expressed in astrocytes of the suprachiasmatic nucleus in hamster: role of glial cells in circadian clocks, Neuroreport, 13 (2002) 2143-7., Y.J. Ma, M.E. Costa and S.R. Ojeda, Developmental expression of the genes encoding transforming growth factor alpha and its receptor in the hypothalamus of female rhesus macaques, Neuroendocrinology, 60 (1994) 346-59., Y.J. Ma, M.P. Junier, M.E. Costa and S.R. Ojeda, Transforming growth factor-alpha gene expression in the hypothalamus is developmentally regulated and linked to sexual maturation, Neuron, 9 (1992) 657-70.]. TGF-alpha reversibly inhibits wheel-running activity during long-term infusions into the third ventricle of hamsters (2 weeks, intracerebroventricular or ICV) [A. Kramer, F.C. Yang, P. Snodgrass, X. Li, T.E. Scammell, F.C. Davis and C.J. Weitz, Regulation of daily locomotor activity and sleep by hypothalamic EGF receptor signaling, Science, 294 (2001) 2511-5.], and this effect appears to be mediated by the epidermal growth factor receptor (
EGFR
or ErbB-1) [A. Kramer, F.C. Yang, P. Snodgrass, X. Li, T.E. Scammell, F.C. Davis and C.J. Weitz, Regulation of daily locomotor activity and sleep by hypothalamic EGF receptor signaling, Science, 294 (2001) 2511-5.]. Here, we demonstrate that this inhibitory effect is not restricted to wheel-running behavior or to mediation by the
EGFR
. Using direct observation, we found the effects of long-term TGF-alpha infusion (ICV, 12 microl/day, 3.3 microM) to be more general than previously reported. Other active behaviors such as grooming and feeding were reversibly inhibited and hamsters showed dramatic weight loss as a result of reduced feeding (34% of body weight over 19 days). TGF-alpha did not disrupt a non-behavioral rhythm, the rhythm in pineal melatonin. Wheel-running activity was also inhibited by another epidermal growth factor-like (EGF-like) peptide, neuregulin (
NRG-1
), that binds to different ErbB receptors. Like TGF-alpha,
NRG-1
caused a significant weight loss. We also show that an acute injection of TGF-alpha inhibits activity (ICV, 5 microl, 3.3 microM over 2 min), with inhibition and recovery occurring over a few hours. Although the results are consistent with the proposed [A. Kramer, F.C. Yang, P. Snodgrass, X. Li, T.E. Scammell, F.C. Davis and C.J. Weitz, Regulation of daily locomotor activity and sleep by hypothalamic EGF receptor signaling, Science, 294 (2001) 2511-5.] role for EGF-like peptides in the daily regulation of activity, the actions of these peptides might also contribute to the behavioral etiology of diseases in which EGF-like peptides are expressed.
...
PMID:Central administration of transforming growth factor-alpha and neuregulin-1 suppress active behaviors and cause weight loss in hamsters. 1575 33
Epidermal melanocytes execute specific physiological programs in response to UV radiation (UVR) at the cutaneous interface. Many melanocytic responses, including increased dendrite formation, enhanced melanogenesis/melanization, and cell cycle arrest impact the ability of melanocytes to survive and to attenuate the UVR insult. Although some of the molecules that underlie these UVR programs are known, a coherent view of UVR-induced transcriptional changes is lacking. Using primary melanocyte cultures, we assessed for UVR-mediated alterations in over 47,000 transcripts using Affymetrix Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 microarrays. From the 100 most statistically robust changes in transcript level, there were 84 genes that were suppressed >2.0-fold by UVR; among these transcripts, the identities of 48 of these genes were known. Similarly, there were 99 genes that were induced >2.0-fold by UVR; the identity of 57 of these genes were known. We then subjected these top 100 changes to the Ingenuity Pathway analysis program and identified a group of p53 targets including the cell cycle regulator CDKN1A (p21CIP), the WNT pathway regulator DKK1 (dickkopf homolog 1), the receptor tyrosine kinase
EPHA2
, growth factor
GDF15
, ferrodoxin reductase (FDXR), p53-inducible protein TP53I3, transcription factor ATF3, DNA repair enzyme DDB2, and the beta-adrenergic receptor ADBR2. These genes were also found to be consistently elevated by UVR in six independent melanocyte lines, although there were interindividual variations in magnitude. WWOX, whose protein product interacts and regulates p53 and p73, was found to be consistently suppressed by UVR. There was also a subgroup of neurite/axonal developmental genes that were altered in response to UVR, suggesting that melanocytic and neuronal arborization may share similar mechanisms. When compared to melanomas, the basal levels of many of these p53-responsive genes were greatly dysregulated. Three genes--CDKN1A, DDB2 and ADRB2--exhibited a trend towards loss of expression in melanomas thereby raising the possibility of a linked role in tumorigenesis. These expression data provide a global view of UVR-induced changes in melanocytes and, more importantly, generate novel hypotheses regarding melanocyte physiology.
...
PMID:Expression profiling of UVB response in melanocytes identifies a set of p53-target genes. 1688 33
Genetic factors, Helicobacter pylori infection, salt over-uptake, decreased vegetable/fruit consumption, smoking, and metabolic syndrome are risk factors of human gastric cancer. Germline mutations of CDH1 gene, and SNPs of PTPN11 (SHP2), TLR4, IL1B, TNFA, BMP6,
GDF15
and RUNX3 genes are associated with gastric cancer. Helicobacter pylori activates CagA-SHP2-
ERK
and peptidoglycan-NOD1-NFkappaB signaling cascades in gastric epithelial cells using type IV secretion system, and also TRAF6-MAP3K7-NFkappaB and TRAF6-MAP3K7-AP-1 signaling cascades in epithelial and immune cells through lipopolysaccharide recognition by TLR2 or TLR4. IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, TNFalpha and IFNgamma are elevated in gastric mucosa with Helicobacter pylori infection. IL-6 and TNFalpha induce upregulation of WNT5A and WNT10B, respectively. WNT signals are transduced to beta-catenin-TCF/LEF, RhoA, JNK, PKC, NFAT, and NLK signaling cascades. WNT-beta-catenin-TCF/LEF signaling induces upregulation of MYC, CCND1, WISP1, FGF20, JAG1 and DKK1 genes. Notch signals are transduced to CSL-NICD-MAML and NFkappaB signaling cascades. FGF signals are transduced to
ERK
, PI3K-AKT, PKC, and NFAT signaling cascades. Helicobacter pylori infection induces SHH upregulation in parietal cell lineage, while BMP signals induce IHH upregulation in pit cell lineage. Hedgehog signals induce upregulation of GLI1, PTCH1, CCND2, FOXL1, JAG2 and SFRP1 genes. JAG1 and JAG2 activate Notch signaling, while DKK1 and SFRP1 inhibit WNT signaling. Stem cell signaling network, consisting of WNT, Notch, FGF, Hedgehog and BMP signaling pathways, is activated during chronic Helicobacter pylori infection. Epigenetic silencing of SFRP1 gene occurs in the earlier stage of carcinogenesis in the stomach, while amplification and overexpression of
FGFR2
gene in the later stage. Dysregulation of the stem cell signaling network due to the accumulation of germline mutation, SNP, Helicobacter pylori infection, epigenetic change and genetic alteration gives rise to gastric cancer. SNP typing and custom-made microarray analyses on genes encoding stem cell signaling molecules could be utilized for the personalized medicine.
...
PMID:Dysregulation of stem cell signaling network due to germline mutation, SNP, Helicobacter pylori infection, epigenetic change and genetic alteration in gastric cancer. 1756 83
Obesity is one of the potential risk factors in causing breast cancer. As a result, adipose tissue surrounding breast ductal cells may play an important role in the breast cancer development or progression. To identify the genes that are regulated by factors secreted from adipocytes in breast cancer cells, MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with the culture medium of adipocytes. Most of induced genes were related to immune function and wound healing, which share a common gene expression signature with cancer progression. In present study
macrophage inhibitory cytokine 1
(
MIC-1
) gene was studied among the induced genes. It was found that both
MIC-1
mRNA and protein were dramatically increased by the culture medium of adipocytes. Furthermore, proteinase K-treated adipocyte culture supernatants also induced
MIC-1
expression. These findings indicate that proteins are not major
MIC-1
inducing factors in adipocyte culture medium. Consequently, we examined the effect of free fatty acids such as palmitate and oleate on
MIC-1
induction and found that palmitate markedly induced
MIC-1
gene expression, whereas oleate did not. Adipocyte culture medium- and palmitate-induced
MIC-1
gene expression was mediated by the activation of p38 MAPK, but not by the activation of JNK,
ERK
, and NF-kappaB pathway. In addition, adipocyte-CM-induced
MIC-1
also increased invasiveness of MDA-MB-231 cells.
...
PMID:Adipocyte culture medium stimulates production of macrophage inhibitory cytokine 1 in MDA-MB-231 cells. 1816 24
TWIST is an important transcription factor during embryonic development and has recently been found to promote the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenomenon seen during the initial steps of tumor metastasis. To further investigate the potential targets and interacting genes of TWIST in human gastric cancer, we performed microarray analysis to compare the gene expression profiles in HGC-27 cells, with or without small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated depletion of TWIST. Our results showed that NF1, RAP1A, SRPX, RBL2, PFDN4, ILK, F2R,
ERBB3
, and MYB were up-regulated, whereas AKR1C2, FOS,
GDF15
, NR2F1, ATM, and CTPS were down-regulated after TWIST depletion. Moreover, TWIST-depleted HGC-27 cells showed a reversal of the morphologic and molecular changes associated with EMT. These results provide evidence that TWIST regulates the expression of several genes involved in the differentiation, adhesion, and proliferation of gastric cancer cells. The role of TWIST in the development of certain types of gastric cancer is discussed.
...
PMID:Gene expression profiling in TWIST-depleted gastric cancer cells. 1905 Dec 71
Astragalus membranaceus has been used to ameliorate the side effects of antineoplastic drugs because of its immunomodulating nature. We had recently demonstrated that total Astragalus saponins (AST) possess anticarcinogenic and proapoptotic properties in human colon cancer cells and tumor xenograft. In this study, we identified NSAID-activated gene (
NAG-1
) as a potential molecular target of AST. The growth-inhibitory and proapoptotic effects of AST were assessed in a panel of human cancer cell lines. Hoechst 33342 nuclear staining, Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide staining, Western immunoblotting, real-time PCR, luciferase reporter assay and electrophoretic mobility shift assay were conducted to determine the association of
NAG-1
and related transcription factors with AST during its regulation of apoptotic activities. Moreover, the combined proapoptotic and
NAG-1
promoting activities of AST and/or inhibitors of the PI3K-Akt pathway were also examined. AST caused overexpression of
NAG-1
, leading to PARP cleavage and apoptosis. The induction of
NAG-1
promoter activity by the drug was associated with increased gene expression, in addition to prior increase in Egr-1 expression and DNA binding activity. AST-induced
NAG-1
activation was intensified when PI3K inhibitor LY294002 or Akt inhibitor was co-treated and reversed by
NAG-1
siRNA transfection. Nevertheless, the extent of
NAG-1
induction could not be altered by the
ERK
inhibitor PD98059. Our results indicate that
NAG-1
is a potential molecular target of AST in its antitumorigenic and proapoptotic actions, which would have additive effects when used along with PI3K-Akt inhibitors. The information obtained could facilitate future development of a novel target-specific chemotherapeutic agent with known molecular pathway.
...
PMID:A novel anticancer effect of Astragalus saponins: Transcriptional activation of NSAID-activated gene. 1938 47
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