Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:2.7.10.2 (focal adhesion kinase)
 44,029 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Proliferative expansion of pro-B cells is an IL-7-dependent process that allows for the rearrangement of H chain genes and the expression of the pre-B cell receptor (pre-BCR). Further B cell differentiation is dependent upon signals elicited through the pre-BCR, which are thought to be responsible for allelic exclusion, induced L chain gene rearrangement, and continued proliferation. CD19 promotes the proliferation and survival of mature B cells, but its role in early B cell development is less well understood. Here we identify and characterize impairments in early B cell development in CD19(-/-) mice. Following sublethal irradiation, we found decreased numbers of autoreconstituted early B cells, which was first evident in the large cycling pre-B cell fraction. Reduced cell progression due to a defect in proliferation was made evident from cell cycle analysis and bromodeoxyuridine labeling of bone marrow cells from CD19(-/-) and wild-type mice. Studies of IL-7-dependent pre-B cell cultures derived from wild-type and CD19(-/-) mouse bone marrow suggested that CD19 has little affect on IL-7 signaling. By contrast, signaling through the pre-BCR was impaired in the absence of CD19, as demonstrated by reduced activation of Bruton's tyrosine kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinase. Thus, in addition to promoting mature B cell homeostasis and Ag-induced responses, the early onset of CD19 expression acts to enhance B cell generation.
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PMID:CD19 function in early and late B cell development. II. CD19 facilitates the pro-B/pre-B transition. 1463 3

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) induces activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in primary endothelial cells and may be critical for VEGF-induced angiogenesis. We investigated the molecular basis for p38 activation in response to VEGF. The expression of a C-terminal splice variant of FAK, FRNK, had no affect on VEGF-induced activation of p38; however, expression of a dominant-negative RAFTK/Pyk2 mutant led to a decrease in the activation of p38, but had no affect on extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Since calcium regulates RAFTK/Pyk2, we investigated its role in p38 activity. Preincubation with EGTA suppressed p38 activation, while calcium ionophore induced p38 activity. Inhibition of phospholipase C (PLC) resulted in complete inhibition of ERK, while having no affect on p38 activity. These data suggested a bifurcation in the regulation of MAPKs that occurs at the level of PLC and RAFTK/Pyk2 activation. Src family kinases interact with RAFTK/Pyk2. Inhibition of Src by either pharmacological or genetic means decreased p38 activity. Finally, we found that both Src and RAFTK/Pyk2 were essential for endothelial cell migration. These data identified a novel regulatory network involving extracellular calcium, RAFTK/Pyk2, Src and p38. This signaling network appears to be critical for VEGF-induced endothelial cell migration.
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PMID:Vascular endothelial growth factor-mediated activation of p38 is dependent upon Src and RAFTK/Pyk2. 1467 43

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha production in human monocytes, which was dependent on activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38, c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK), and nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B. LPS-induced TNF-alpha production was inhibited by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and interleukin (IL)-10. G-CSF, like IL-10, exerted the inhibitory effect even when simultaneously added with LPS. Among the signaling pathways, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) was selectively activated in monocytes stimulated by G-CSF or IL-10. G-CSF-mediated inhibition of LPS-induced TNF-alpha production as well as G-CSF-induced STAT3 phosphorylation and suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 mRNA expression were prevented by pretreatment of monocytes with AG-490, an inhibitor of Janus kinase 2. G-CSF did not affect LPS-induced activation of ERK, p38, JNK, and NF-kappa B, indicating that G-CSF affects the pathway downstream or independently of these signaling molecules. G-CSF-induced, but not IL-10-induced, STAT3 phosphorylation was attenuated in the presence of LPS. These findings suggest that G-CSF, like IL-10, inhibits LPS-induced TNF-alpha production in human monocytes through selective activation of STAT3, and the immunomodulation observed in vivo by G-CSF administration may be partly ascribed to the direct effect of G-CSF on monocyte functions.
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PMID:Selective activation of STAT3 in human monocytes stimulated by G-CSF: implication in inhibition of LPS-induced TNF-alpha production. 1473 11

Cell migration is a complex, highly regulated process that involves the continuous formation and disassembly of adhesions (adhesion turnover). Adhesion formation takes place at the leading edge of protrusions, whereas disassembly occurs both at the cell rear and at the base of protrusions. Despite the importance of these processes in migration, the mechanisms that regulate adhesion formation and disassembly remain largely unknown. Here we develop quantitative assays to measure the rate of incorporation of molecules into adhesions and the departure of these proteins from adhesions. Using these assays, we show that kinases and adaptor molecules, including focal adhesion kinase (FAK), Src, p130CAS, paxillin, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and myosin light-chain kinase (MLCK) are critical for adhesion turnover at the cell front, a process central to migration.
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PMID:FAK-Src signalling through paxillin, ERK and MLCK regulates adhesion disassembly. 1474 21

While the hormone leptin and its receptor were discovered relatively recently, a great deal is already known about the molecular details of leptin receptor (LR) signaling and physiologic regulation. While multiple alternatively spliced LR isoforms exist, only the long (LRb) form associates with the Janus kinase 2 (Jak2) tyrosine kinase to mediate intracellular signaling. LRb initiates signaling via three major mechanisms: 1) Tyr(985) of LRb recruits SH2-containing tyrosine phosphatase (SHP-2); 2) Tyr(1138) of LRb recruits signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3); and 3) tyrosine phosphorylation sites on the receptor-associated Jak2 likely recruit numerous undefined signaling proteins. The Tyr(985) --> SHP-2 pathway is a major regulator of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation during leptin signaling in cultured cells, while the Tyr(1138) --> STAT3 pathway induces the feedback inhibitor, suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3), as well as important positive effectors of leptin action. The Jak2-dependent activation of the insulin receptor substrate (IRS) protein --> phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3'-K) pathway appears to regulate membrane potential in LRb-expressing neurons and contributes to the regulation of feeding. The Tyr(1138) --> STAT3 pathway mediates transcriptional regulation of the hypothalamic melanocortin pathway in vivo. This pathway is required for the regulation of appetite and energy expenditure by leptin. Interestingly, the Tyr(1138) --> STAT3 pathway does not strongly regulate neuropeptide Y (NPY) and thus is not required for the control of reproduction and growth. Thus, other as-yet-undefined leptin receptor signals are central to these and perhaps other aspects of leptin action.
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PMID:Leptin receptor signaling and the regulation of mammalian physiology. 1474 7

Multinucleated cells have been noted in pathophysiological states of the liver including infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV), the status of which is also closely associated with genomic instability in liver cancer. Here, we showed that hepatitis B virus X oncoprotein (HBx) expression in Chang cells results in a multinuclear phenotype and an abnormal number of centrosomes (n >or=3). Regulation of centrosome duplication in HBx-expressing ChangX-34 cells was defective and uncoupled from the cell cycle. HBx induced amplification of centrosomes, multipolar spindle formation, and chromosomal missegregation during mitosis and subsequently increased the generation of multinucleated cells and micronuclei formation. Treatment with PD98059, a mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MEK) 1/2 inhibitor, significantly reduced the number of cells with hyperamplified centrosomes and decreased the multinucleated cells and micronuclei formation. Consistently, the phospho-ERK level during cell progression was substantially higher in ChangX-34 cells than that of Chang cells. In contrast, neither wortmannin, an inhibitor of phosphoinositide-3 kinase, nor SB203589, an inhibitor of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), showed any effects. Introduction of Ras dominant-negative (D/N) and MEK2 D/N genes into ChangX-34 cells significantly alleviated centrosome amplification, whereas introduction of the PKC D/N and PKB D/N genes did not. Thus, our results demonstrate that the HBx induced centrosome hyperamplification and mitotic aberration by activation of the Ras-MEK-MAPK. Intervention of this signaling pathway could suppress the centrosome amplification as well as mitotic aberration. These findings may provide a possible mechanism by which HBx promotes phenotypic progression by predisposing chromosomal alteration in HBV-infected liver.
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PMID:Mitotic aberration coupled with centrosome amplification is induced by hepatitis B virus X oncoprotein via the Ras-mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase-mitogen-activated protein pathway. 1503 55

ProIL-1 beta processing by IL-1 beta-converting enzyme (ICE) and the subsequent release of mature IL-1 beta are highly regulated events in the monocyte/macrophage response to pathogens. This process occurs in a controlled way through the activation of the constitutively expressed 45-kDa ICE precursor (proICE). To characterize the signaling pathways involved in ICE regulation in human monocytes/macrophages, we analyzed ICE activation in the presence of specific inhibitors of classic signaling pathways. Although LPS-induced ICE activity was not significantly affected by interruption of extracellular signal-regulated kinase, p38 kinase, or phosphoinositol 3-kinase, Janus kinase 3 (JAK3) inhibition produced a significant dose-dependent enhancement of LPS-induced ICE activity. Support for the inhibitory role of JAK3 was shown by the fact that IL-4 (which uses JAK1 and JAK3 signaling) suppressed LPS-induced ICE activity and by the finding that JAK3 knockout macrophages have increased LPS-induced ICE activation. To understand how JAK3 down-regulates LPS-induced ICE activity in monocytes, we hypothesized that JAK3 signaling enhances IL-10 production. In support of this model we show that LPS-induced IL-10 expression was synchronous with ICE deactivation, IL-4 induced the release of IL-10, exogenous IL-10 suppressed LPS-induced ICE activity, a neutralizing IL-10 Ab increased LPS-induced ICE activity, and, finally, JAK3 knockout macrophages displayed significantly reduced LPS-induced IL-10 production. These findings support a model in which JAK3 signaling enhances IL-10 production leading to down-regulation of ICE activation and suppression of IL-1 beta processing and release.
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PMID:Janus kinase 3 down-regulates lipopolysaccharide-induced IL-1 beta-converting enzyme activation by autocrine IL-10. 1506 75

Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) results from malignant transformation of a primitive hematopoietic cell by the BCR/ABL oncogene. The breakpoint cluster region/ABL (BCR/ABL) tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib mesylate (imatinib) is highly effective in inducing remissions in CML. However, the effects of imatinib on intracellular signaling in primary progenitor cells are not well described. We show that imatinib exposure resulted in a significant dose-responsive reduction in BCR/ABL kinase activity in CML CD34+ cells. However, imatinib treatment resulted in an increase in activity of p42/44 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), an important downstream effector of BCR/ABL. Increased MAPK activity was growth factor dependent. Pharmacologic inhibition of MAPK using MAPK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase-1/2 (MEK-1/2) inhibitors significantly reduced CML progenitor proliferation. Combined treatment with a MEK-1/2 inhibitor and imatinib significantly increased suppression of CML progenitors compared with either inhibitor alone. In contrast, imatinib treatment resulted in a small reduction in AKT activity. Combined treatment with a phosphatidylinositol-3 (PI-3) kinase inhibitor and imatinib significantly increased suppression of CML progenitor growth compared with either inhibitor alone. We conclude that inhibition of BCR/ABL kinase activity in CML progenitors by imatinib results in a growth factor-dependent compensatory increase in MAPK activity and in only partial inhibition of PI-3 kinase activity. These mechanisms may contribute to incomplete elimination of CML progenitors by imatinib.
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PMID:BCR/ABL kinase inhibition by imatinib mesylate enhances MAP kinase activity in chronic myelogenous leukemia CD34+ cells. 1507 Jun 99

Elevated NO production has been detected in patients suffering from various arthropathies; however, its role and regulation during gouty arthritis remain largely unexplored. Monosodium urate (MSU) crystals, the causative agent of gout, have been shown to induce NO generation in vivo and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) expression in human monocytes. The present study was designed to evaluate the ability of MSU crystals to modulate macrophage (M phi) iNOS expression and NO synthesis and to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying these cellular responses. We found that MSU crystals did not induce NO production in murine J774 M phi. However, a synergistic effect on the level of iNOS expression and NO generation was observed in cells exposed to MSU crystals in combination with IFN-gamma. Characterization of the second messengers involved revealed the requirement of IFN-gamma-mediated Janus kinase 2/STAT1 alpha activation even though MSU crystals did not modulate this signaling cascade by themselves. MSU crystals exerted their up-regulating effect by increasing extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 phosphorylation and NF-kappa B nuclear translocation in response to IFN-gamma. The use of specific inhibitors against either NF-kappa B or the ERK1/2 pathway significantly reduced MSU + IFN-gamma-inducible NF-kappa B activity, iNOS expression, and NO production. Altogether, these data indicate that MSU crystals exert a potent synergistic effect on the IFN-gamma-inducible M phi NO generation via ERK1/2- and NF-kappa B-dependent pathways. Understanding the molecular mechanisms through which MSU crystals amplify M phi responses to proinflammatory cytokines such as IFN-gamma will contribute to better define their role in NO regulation during gout, in particular, and inflammation, in general.
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PMID:Monosodium urate crystals synergize with IFN-gamma to generate macrophage nitric oxide: involvement of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and NF-kappa B. 1510 Mar 20

Cells lacking vinculin are highly metastatic and motile. The reasons for this finding have remained unclear. Both enhanced survival and motility are critical to metastasis. Here, we show that vinculin null (vin-/-) cells and cells expressing a vinculin Y822F mutant have increased survival due to up-regulated activity of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). This increase is shown to result from vinculin's modulation of paxillin-FAK interactions. A vinculin fragment (amino acids 811-1066) containing the paxillin binding site restored apoptosis and suppressed ERK activity in vin-/- cells. Both vinY822F and vin-/- cells exhibit increased interaction between paxillin and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and increased paxillin and FAK phosphorylation. Transfection with paxillin Y31FY118F dominant-negative mutant in these cells inhibits ERK activation and restores apoptosis. The enhanced motility of vin-/- and vinY822F cells is also shown to be due to a similar mechanism. Thus, vinculin regulates survival and motility via ERK by controlling the accessibility of paxillin for FAK interaction.
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PMID:Vinculin modulation of paxillin-FAK interactions regulates ERK to control survival and motility. 1513 91


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