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)

Shear stress, the tangential component of hemodynamic forces, activates the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) signal transduction pathways in cultured vascular endothelial cells to induce the transcriptional activation of many immediate early genes. It appears that integrins, protein-tyrosine kinases, and the structural integrity of actin are important factors involved in these shear stress-induced responses. The underlying molecular events were investigated by the application of a shear stress of 12 dyn/cm2 on bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC). We found that such a shear stress increased the tyrosine phosphorylation and the kinase activity of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and its association with growth factor receptor binding protein 2 (Grb2) in a rapid and transient manner, suggesting that FAK may be linked to these mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways through a Grb2. Son of sevenless (Sos) complex. FAK(F397Y), which encodes a dominant negative mutant of FAK, attenuated the shear stress-induced kinase activity of Myc epitope-tagged ERK2 and hemagglutinin epitope-tagged JNK1. DeltamSos1, encoding a dominant negative mutant of Sos in which the guanine nucleotide exchange domain has been deleted, also attenuated shear stress activation of Myc-ERK2 and hemagglutinin-JNK1. Pretreating the confluent BAEC monolayers with a blocking type anti-vitronectin receptor monoclonal antibody had similar inhibitory effects in these shear stress-activated ERKs and JNKs. Confocal microscopic observation further demonstrated that FAK tended to cluster with vitronectin receptor near the abluminal side of the sheared BAEC. These results demonstrate that FAK signaling is critical in the shear stress-induced dual activation of ERK and JNK.
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PMID:Fluid shear stress activation of focal adhesion kinase. Linking to mitogen-activated protein kinases. 937 37

Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) plays crucial roles in B cell differentiation as well as mast cell activation through the high-affinity IgE receptor (FcepsilonRI). Defects in the btk gene lead to agammaglobulinemia (XLA) in humans and X-linked immunodeficiency (xid) in mice. Mast cells from xid and btk null mice exhibit mild defects in degranulation and severe impairments in the production of proinflammatory cytokines upon FcepsilonRI cross-linking. Recent studies demonstrated the role of Btk in a sustained increase in intracellular calcium concentrations in response to antigen receptor stimulation. Btk is also involved in the activation of stress-activated protein kinases, JNK/SAPK1/2, and thereby regulates c-Jun and other transcription factors that are important in cytokine gene activation. Regulation of the JNK/SAPK activation pathway by Btk may be related to the proapoptotic function of Btk in the programmed cell death in these hematopoietic cells.
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PMID:Functions of Bruton's tyrosine kinase in mast and B cells. 1008 May 29

Rhythmic strain stimulates Caco-2 proliferation. We asked whether mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation mediates strain mitogenicity and characterized upstream signals regulating MAPK. Caco-2 cells were subjected to strain on collagen I-precoated membranes or antibodies to integrin subunits. Twenty-four hours of cyclic strain increased cell numbers compared with static conditions. MAPK-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase inhibition (20 microM PD-98059) blocked strain mitogenicity. p38 Inhibition (10 microM SB-202190) did not. Strain rapidly and time-dependently activated focal adhesion kinase (FAK), paxillin, ERK1 and 2, and p38 on collagen. c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK)1 and 2 exhibited delayed activation. Similar activation occurred when Caco-2 cells were subjected to strain on a substrate of functional antibody to the alpha2-, alpha3-, alpha6-, or beta1-integrin subunits but not on a substrate of functional antibody to the alpha5-subunit. FAK inhibition by FAK397 transfection blocked ERK2 and JNK1 activation by in vitro kinase assays, but pharmacological protein kinase C inhibition did not block ERK1 or 2 activation by strain. Strain-induced ERK signals mediate strain's mitogenic effects and may require integrins and FAK activation.
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PMID:Integrin and FAK-mediated MAPK activation is required for cyclic strain mitogenic effects in Caco-2 cells. 1112

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are generated during long term diabetes and are correlated with the development of diabetic complications, such as retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is characterized by an increased retinal neovascularization due to the action of the angiogenic factor, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In this report, we show that injection of insulin and glycated albumin (Alb-AGE) to mice increases VEGF mRNA expression in eyes. Insulin and Alb-AGE stimulate VEGF mRNA and protein expression in retinal epithelial cells (ARPE-19). Alb-AGE-induced VEGF expression is not modulated by the use of antioxidants, N-acetyl-l-cysteine or pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate, or by an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), wortmannin. However, using an inhibitor of ERK activation, U0126, we show that Alb-AGE stimulates VEGF expression through an ERK-dependent pathway. Accordingly, we found that Alb-AGE activated mitogen-activate protein kinase, ERK1/2, JNK1/2, but not p38, and that Alb-AGE did not activate PI3K and PKB. Moreover, Alb-AGE activated the transcription factor, hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) DNA binding activity. This activation is mediated by an increase in accumulation of the HIF-1alpha protein through an ERK-dependent pathway. Thus, stimulation of VEGF expression by Alb-AGE, through the activation of HIF-1, could play an important role in the development of diabetic retinopathy.
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PMID:Regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor expression by advanced glycation end products. 1157 Dec 95

Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) is essential for B cell development and B cell antigen receptor (BCR) function. Recent studies have shown that Btk plays an important role in BCR-mediated c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK) 1 activation; however, the mechanism by which Btk participates in the JNK1 response remains elusive. Here we show that the BCR-mediated Rac1 activation is significantly inhibited by loss of Btk, while this Rac1 activation is not affected by loss of phospholipase C-gamma2 (PLC-gamma2). Since PLC-gamma2 is also required for BCR-mediated JNK1 response, our results suggest that Btk regulates Rac1 pathway as well as PLC-gamma2 pathway, both of which contribute to the BCR-mediated JNK1 response.
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PMID:Bruton's tyrosine kinase regulates B cell antigen receptor-mediated JNK1 response through Rac1 and phospholipase C-gamma2 activation. 1194 62

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha, 10-100 ng/ml) provokes a dramatic cell death in differentiated PC12 cells (dPC12), but it does not affect the viability and the proliferation of naive PC12 cells (nPC12). We have analyzed the molecular alterations of the TNFalpha-signal cascade underlying this developmental switch toward propagation of apoptosis. The transcriptional inhibitor actinomycin D rendered nPC12 responsive for TNFalpha-induced death, but was hardly effective in dPC12, suggesting that TNFalpha evokes its harmful action in dPC12 predominantly by posttranslational modification of existing molecules. This suggestion was supported by the finding that differentiation of PC12 per se went along with the increased expression of the proapoptotic TNFalpha-receptor I (p55) and its adapter protein Traf-2, whereas expression and phosphorylation of the antiapoptotic Akt (PKB) declined. We could demonstrate that the c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) mediate this enhanced capacity of apoptotic signaling in dPC12. TNFalpha induced in dPC12, but not nPC12, a biphasic activation of JNKs with a rapid transient JNK1 activation and a second persistent activation of JNK1 and JNK2 paralleled by phosphorylation of c-Jun; in contrast, TNFalpha did not activate p38 kinase. Block of JNKs by CEP-11004, a MLK antagonist and subsequently indirect inhibitor of JNK activation, or L-JNK11, a direct peptidergic inhibitor of JNK activity, almost completely rescued dPC12. Summarizing, the NGF-triggered formation of neurites during differentiation of PC12 includes the reinforced propensity for apoptosis, with JNK2 as the effector in JNK3-negative PC12. These findings offer novel insights into the increased risk of neuronal death, which is linked to the potential to regenerate.
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PMID:Fatal shift of signal transduction is an integral part of neuronal differentiation: JNKs realize TNFalpha-mediated apoptosis in neuronlike, but not naive, PC12 cells. 1209 55

The involvement of Rho GTPases in signal transduction pathways leading to transcription activation is one of the major roles of this family of GTPases. Thus, the identification of transcription factors regulated by Rho GTPases and the understanding of the mechanisms of their activation and its biological outcome are of great interest. Here, we provide evidence that Rho GTPases modulate Stat5a, a transcription factor of the family of signal transducers and activators of transcription. RhoA triggers tyrosine phosphorylation (Y696) of Stat5a via a JAK2-dependent mechanism and promotes DNA-binding activity of Stat5a. Tyrosine phosphorylation of Stat5a is also stimulated physiologically by lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) in a Rho-dependent manner. Simultaneously, RhoA reduces serine phosphorylation of Stat5a at both serine residues S726 and S780, resulting in a further increase of activity as defined by mutagenesis experiments. Furthermore, serine dephosphorylation of Stat5a by RhoA does not take place by down-modulation of either JNK1, MEK1, or p38 MAP kinases, as determined by transfection experiments or chemical inhibition of both MEK1, p38, and JNK serine kinases. Thus, RhoA regulates Stat5a via tyrosine phosphorylation and via a yet to be determined novel down-modulating pathway that involves serine dephosphorylation. Finally, we provide evidence for a role of Stat5a in RhoA-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition with concomitant increase in vimentin expression, E-cadherin down-regulation, and cell motility.
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PMID:STAT5a activation mediates the epithelial to mesenchymal transition induced by oncogenic RhoA. 1252 25

Administration of RU486 in vivo during the receptive phase rapidly renders the endometrium non-receptive to the implanting embryo. In order to identify key pathways responsible for endometrial receptivity we have used cDNA arrays to monitor gene expression changes in short-term endometrial explants in response to RU486. Endometrial biopsies from five normal fertile women at mid-secretory phase were cultured in the presence of estradiol and progesterone with or without RU486 for 12 h. cDNA arrays were produced containing approximately 1000 sequence-verified clones which included genes known to be important in angiogenesis, apoptosis, cell signalling, extracellular matrix remodelling and cell cycle regulation. cDNA probes from the paired endometrial samples were hybridized to the arrays and hybridization signals were quantified. A total of 12 genes displayed significant changes in expression; six were up-regulated and six down-regulated following RU486 treatment. For five of these genes this is the first report suggesting that they are regulated by steroids in the endometrium. JAK1 and JNK1 were two of the genes shown by the arrays to be down-regulated in RU486-treated endometrial explants. This was confirmed by real time RT-PCR. JAK1 immunoreactivity was localized to both glandular epithelium and the stroma of normal endometrium and staining was much stronger in the luteal phase of the cycle. These results show that components of two important signalling pathways in endometrium-the JAK/STAT pathway, and the JNK pathway-are altered by RU486. Genes whose expression is controlled by these pathways are likely to be involved in the mechanism by which steroids render the endometrium receptive to the implanting embryo.
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PMID:The effect of RU486 on the gene expression profile in an endometrial explant model. 1283 23

Atypical nevi are the precursors and risk markers of melanoma. Apart from persistently monitoring these nevocytic lesions and resecting them at the earliest signs of clinical changes, there is as yet no systemic clinical treatment available to interfere with their progression to melanoma. To explore clinical treatments that might interfere with and possibly prevent atypical nevus progression, a previous study documented that 3 months systemic low-dose interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) treatment of patients with a clinical history of melanoma and numerous atypical nevi, led to inactivation of the STAT1 and STAT3 transcription factors in atypical nevi. Based upon this finding, we initiated a second study to determine whether systemic low-dose IFN-alpha treatment also impairs the expression of upstream regulators and downstream targets of STAT1 and STAT3 in atypical nevi. Using cyanine dye-conjugated antibodies, fluorescence imaging analysis revealed expression of JAK2, JNK1, AKT1, NF-kappa B, and IFN-alpha/beta receptor in benign and atypical nevi, and early- and advanced-stage melanomas. To determine possible changes in the level of expression of these molecules in atypical nevi, excised before and after 3 months of systemic low-dose IFN-alpha treatment, newly designed optical imaging software was used to quantitate the captured fluorescent hybridization signals on a cell-by-cell basis and across an entire nevus section. The results of this analysis did not provide evidence that systemic low-dose IFN-alpha treatment alters the level of expression of upstream regulators or downstream targets of STAT1 and STAT3.
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PMID:Fluorescence imaging analysis of upstream regulators and downstream targets of STAT3 in melanoma precursor lesions obtained from patients before and after systemic low-dose interferon-alpha treatment. 1292 38

Glutamate receptor activation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signalling cascades has been implicated in diverse neuronal functions such as synaptic plasticity, development and excitotoxicity. We have previously shown that Ca2+-influx through NMDA receptors in cultured striatal neurones mediates the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and Akt/protein kinase B (PKB) through a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase)-dependent pathway. Exposing neurones to the Src family tyrosine kinase inhibitor PP2, but not the inactive analogue PP3, inhibited NMDA receptor-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and Akt/PKB in a concentration-dependent manner, and reduced cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation. To establish a link between Src family tyrosine kinase-mediated phosphorylation and PI 3-kinase signalling, affinity precipitation experiments were performed with the SH2 domains of the PI 3-kinase regulatory subunit p85. This revealed a Src-dependent phosphorylation of a focal adhesion kinase (FAK)-p85 complex on glutamate stimulation. Demonstrating that PI3-kinase is not ubiquitously involved in NMDA receptor signal transduction, the PI 3-kinase inhibitors wortmannin and LY294002 did not prevent NMDA receptor Ca2+-dependent phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1/2 (JNK1/2). Further, inhibiting Src family kinases increased NMDA receptor-dependent JNK1/2 phosphorylation, suggesting that Src family kinase-dependent cascades may physiologically limit signalling to JNK. These results demonstrate that Src family tyrosine kinases and PI3-kinase are pivotal regulators of NMDA receptor signalling to ERK/Akt and JNK in striatal neurones.
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PMID:Inhibiting Src family tyrosine kinase activity blocks glutamate signalling to ERK1/2 and Akt/PKB but not JNK in cultured striatal neurones. 1500 68


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