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)

We investigated the effects of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol vitamin D(3) (VD) and its noncalciomimetic analog EB1089 on thyroid carcinoma cell growth. VD and EB1089 exhibited anti-proliferative effects in a dose-dependent manner as determined by [(3)H]thymidine incorporation and MIB-1 immunolabeling. VD or EB1089 resulted in similar G(1)-phase arrest. Neither apoptosis nor differentiation was affected. VD and EB1089 induced increased nuclear protein expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p27(kip1) (p27). VD/EB1089 effects paralleled but were not additive to those of the proteasome inhibitor LLnL, consistent with reduced p27 degradation. As p27 phosphorylation and association with Skp2 is a key step in its degradation, we examined the effects of VD/EB1089 on this reaction. Despite increased total p27, the pThr content of p27 remained unaffected, an effect confirmed by diminished association with Skp2 as well as in situ phosphorylation. Moreover, phosphatase inhibition abrogated the effect of VD/EB1089 on p27 accumulation consistent with a role for phosphatase action in mediating this VD effect. Although VD/EB1089 resulted in comparable increases in p27 in WRO and NPA cells, only WRO but not NPA cells demonstrated a change in the phosphatase PTEN and its downstream target pAkt/PKB in response to VD/EB1089. Transfection of PTEN resulted in p27 accumulation and was partially additive to the effect of VD/EB1089. Moreover, treatment with PI-3 kinase inhibitors decreased pAkt/PKB and increased p27 in both WRO and NPA cells highlighting the potential role of this downstream pathway in regulating p27 in the thyroid. These findings point to a novel mechanism of action for VD/EB1089 inhibition of thyroid carcinoma cell growth by p27 hypophosphorylation, diminished association with Skp2, and consequent accumulation. This effect can be mediated but is not essentially dependent on the phosphatase PTEN/Akt/PKB pathway. These properties support the potential utility of VD analogs in the treatment of thyroid carcinomas irrespective of their PTEN/pAkt status.
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PMID:Vitamin D arrests thyroid carcinoma cell growth and induces p27 dephosphorylation and accumulation through PTEN/akt-dependent and -independent pathways. 1183 71

Integrin alpha(v)beta(3) is involved in varied cell biological activities, including angiogenesis, cell adhesion, and migration on several extracellular matrix components. Although alpha(v)beta(3) is not typically expressed in epithelial cells, it is expressed in macrophages, activated leukocytes, cytokine-stimulated endothelial cells, osteoclasts, and certain invasive tumors. Interestingly, the adhesion and migration of breast cancer cells on bone matrix are mediated, in part, by alpha(v)beta(3). Similar to breast cancer cells, prostate cancer cells preferentially metastasize to the bone. The biological events that mediate this metastatic pattern of prostate cancer are not well defined. This review discusses the role alpha(v)beta(3) plays in prostate cancer progression, with specific emphasis on bone metastasis and on alpha(v)beta(3) signaling in prostate cancer cells. The data suggest that alpha(v)beta(3), in part, facilitates prostate cancer metastasis to bone by mediating prostate cancer cell adhesion to and migration on osteopontin and vitronectin, which are common proteins in the bone microenvironment. These biological events require the activation of focal adhesion kinase and the subsequent activation of PI-3 kinase/Akt signaling pathway.
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PMID:The role of alpha(v)beta(3) in prostate cancer progression. 1198 38

Urocortin (Ucn), is a peptide related to hypothalamic corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) and binds with a high affinity to the CRF-R2 beta receptor which is expressed in the heart. Ucn promotes cardiac myocyte survival against hypoxia reoxygenation (HR) injury and this involves activation of the mitogen activated protein kinase pathway (MEK1/2 p42/44 MAPK). In this study we report that Ucn stimulates the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (PKB/Akt) via phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-OH kinase (PI-3 kinase). To investigate the signalling pathways that mediate the anti-apoptotic and cell survival effect of Ucn in hypoxia reoxygenation (HR), gene based inhibitors of MEK1/2, PI-3 kinase and Akt were over-expressed in rat neonatal cardiac myocytes and cell survival effects against HR were assessed. The dominant negative mutants of the MEK1/2, PI-3 kinase and Akt inhibited Ucn mediated cardioprotection in HR and active PI-3 kinase was itself cardioprotective. In addition, chemical inhibitors of the PI-3 kinase pathway, wortmannin and LY294002 inhibit Ucn mediated cardioprotection in HR in both neonatal and adult cardiac myocytes. Hence the PI-3 kinase/Akt pathway is required in addition to MEK1/2 to mediate Ucn cardioprotection in HR. To our knowledge this is the first report of the activation of the PI-3 kinase/Akt pathway by a member of the CRF family of peptides.
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PMID:Activation of protein kinase B/Akt by urocortin is essential for its ability to protect cardiac cells against hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced cell death. 1199 36

Tumor invasion marks a critical point in cancer progression; it is a harbinger of morbidity and mortality. Thus, the cellular events that enable the invasive phenotype are under intense investigation. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with a number of cancers, including Burkitt lymphoma (BL) and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and is suspected to contribute to their tumorigenesis. On average, 8% of gastric carcinomas have been shown to carry this virus. To explore whether the presence of EBV in gastric carcinoma contributes to tumor progression in this predominantly invasive carcinoma, we examined a panel of 2 in vitro EBV-infected human gastric cancer cell line sublines and their mock-infected AGS parental control line. We found EBV infection caused a marked increase in transmigration of a Matrigel barrier (415% and 303%, p < 0.05, for the 2 infected lines). This correlated with increased motility of these sublines (233% and 140%, p < 0.05). As this pattern of increased motility leading to a more pronounced enhancement of invasion has been noted in other tumor cells, we explored the roles of autocrine signaling pathways previously implicated in carcinoma motility and invasion. Inhibitors to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) (PD153035), phospholipase C (PLC) (U73122), extracellular-signal regulated kinase (ERK)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) (PD089035) and PI-3 kinase (Wortmannin) were not informative. These data suggest that EBV increases migration of AGS cells by a mechanism independent of these autocrine growth factor-induced pathways. Instead, we found that the EBV-infected cells presented increased focal adhesion kinase (FAK) phosphorylation. These findings suggest a role for integrin-mediated signaling in promoting EBV-associated invasiveness.
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PMID:EBV-expressing AGS gastric carcinoma cell sublines present increased motility and invasiveness. 1211 96

Ligation of CD38 on murine B cells with agonistic anti-CD38 mAb induces B cell proliferation, expression of germline gamma1 transcripts and enhances IL-5 receptor expression. This leads to Ig class switch recombination from the micro to gamma1 heavy chain gene, and high levels of IgM and lgG1 production, particularly in response to anti-CD38 and IL-5 co-stimulation. Although some of the post-receptor signaling events initiated by CD38 ligation have been characterized, signaling pathways involved in CD38-mediated germline gamma1 transcript expression in B cells are poorly understood. Here we show that CD38 ligation of murine splenic B cells activates members of the NF-kappaB/Rel family of proteins including c-Rel, p65 and p50. The activation patterns and kinetics of NF-kappaB-like proteins in CD38-stimulated B cells differ somewhat from those seen in CD40-stimulated B cells. Activation of NF-kappaB-like proteins by CD38 ligation is not observed in splenic B cells from Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk)-deficient (Btk(-/-)) mice, with inhibitors of protein kinase C (PKC) and phosphatidylinositol (PI)-3 kinase also suppressing NF-kappaB activation in CD38-activated B cells. We infer from these results that activation of Btk, PI-3 kinase and PKC play, at least in part, important roles in the induction of NF-kappaB in CD38-stimulated murine B cells. Consistent with a role for NF-kappaB/Rel signaling in CD38-mediated germline gamma1 transcript expression, p50(-/-) B cells show significant impairment of germline gamma1 transcript expression in response to CD38 ligation, whereas the CD40-induced response was not altered. In contrast, c-Rel(-/-) B cells show a severe impairment of germline gamma1 transcript expression in response to CD38 or CD40 ligation. These results indicate an essential role for NF-kappaB proteins in the induction of germline gamma1 transcripts by CD38-ligated murine B cells giving rise to IL-5-induced IgG1 production.
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PMID:NF-kappaB is required for CD38-mediated induction of C(gamma)1 germline transcripts in murine B lymphocytes. 1220 2

MEK kinase 1 (MEKK1) induces apoptosis through the activation of caspases. The mechanism for MEKK1-induced apoptosis involves caspase-mediated cleavage of MEKK1, releasing a pro-apoptotic 91 kDa kinase fragment that serves to further amplify caspase activation in a feedback loop. Both cleavage of MEKK1 and increased expression of death receptor 4 (DR4, TRAILR1) and death receptor 5 (DR5, TRAILR2) occur following exposure of cells to genotoxins. Overexpression of kinase inactive MEKK1 inhibits MEKK1-mediated apoptosis and effectively blocks death receptor upregulation following etoposide treatment. Herein, we investigate the role of death receptor activation and the ability of AKT/PKB (AKT) to inhibit cell death in MEKK1-induced apoptosis. We show that by preventing DR4 and DR5 activation through expression of decoy receptor 1 (DcR1) and dominant negative FADD, we inhibit MEKK1-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, expression of 91 kDa MEKK1 increased DR4 and FAS mRNA and protein levels. MEKK1-induced apoptosis is amplified by blocking PI-3 kinase activation and overexpression of AKT blocked both MEKK1-induced apoptosis and caspase activation. AKT overexpression also prevented the cleavage of endogenous MEKK1 by genotoxins. AKT did not, however, block MEKK1-induced JNK activation, showing that regulation of the JNK pathway by MEKK1 is independent of its role in regulation of apoptosis. Thus, MEKK1-induced apoptosis requires TRAIL death receptor activation and is blocked by AKT through inhibition of MEKK1 cleavage.
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PMID:MEKK1-induced apoptosis requires TRAIL death receptor activation and is inhibited by AKT/PKB through inhibition of MEKK1 cleavage. 1224 63

The human prostate cancer cell line LNCaP bears functional membrane testosterone receptors, which modify the actin cytoskeleton and increase the secretion of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) within minutes. Membrane steroid receptors are, indeed, a newly identified element of steroid action that is different from the classical intracellular sites. In the present work, using a nonpermeable analog of testosterone (testosterone-BSA), we investigated the signaling pathway that is triggered by the membrane testosterone receptors' activation and leads to actin cytoskeleton reorganization. We report that exposure of cells to testosterone-BSA resulted in phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), the association of FAK with the phosphatidylinositol-3 (PI-3) kinase, and the subsequent activation of the latter as well as the activation of the small guanosine triphosphatases Cdc42/Rac1. Pretreatment of cells with the specific PI-3 kinase inhibitor wortmannin abolished both the activation of the small guanosine triphosphatases and the alterations of actin cytoskeleton, whereas it did not affect the phosphorylation of FAK. These findings indicate that PI-3 kinase is activated downstream of FAK and upstream of Cdc42/Rac1, which subsequently regulate the actin organization. Moreover, wortmannin diminished the secretion of PSA, implying that the signaling events described above are responsible for the testosterone-BSA-induced PSA secretion. Our results are discussed under the prism of a possible implication of these membrane receptors in prostate cancer chemotherapy.
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PMID:A rapid, nongenomic, signaling pathway regulates the actin reorganization induced by activation of membrane testosterone receptors. 1255 77

STAT proteins act as signal transducers and activators of transcription in cells treated with cytokines or growth factors. Here we analyzed the possible cooperation between STAT3 and phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI-3 kinase) and its involvement in antiproliferative signals induced by glucocorticoid hormones. Treatment of melanoma cells with dexamethasone (DEX) resulted in coexpression of STAT3 activation and increase in the PI-3 kinase protein level. Using plasmids-containing JAK2 and STAT3 constructs, we demonstrated that activation of JAK/STAT signaling led to up regulation of PI-3 kinase and enhancement of DEX's ability to increase PI-3 kinase levels in target cells. Prolonged DEX treatment of melanoma cells resulted in constitutive increases in both STAT3 and PI-3 kinase protein levels that were correlated with increased melanoma resistance to antiproliferative hormone action. Similarly, forced expression of both STAT3 and PI-3 kinase in melanoma cells led to enhanced resistance to hormone treatment. Forced expression of PI-3 kinase led to increase in STAT3 activity in a JAK-dependent manner, indicating the existence of a feedback regulatory cascade between the JAK/STAT3 and PI-3 kinase pathways. We suggest that protection of melanoma cells from antiproliferative effects of glucocorticoid hormones may be mediated, at least in part, by the constitutive activation of the STAT3/PI-3 kinase signaling pathway.
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PMID:Signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 and phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase as coordinate regulators of melanoma cell response to glucocorticoid hormones. 1258 44

We recently demonstrated that ischemic preconditioning (PC) induced by cyclic episodes of short duration of ischemia and reperfusion potentiates a signal transduction cascade involving Janus kinase (JAK) 2 and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). A rapid activation of JAK and several STATs, including STAT3, STAT5A, and STAT6 also occurred during myocardial ischemia and reperfusion. This study sought to examine whether STAT5A and STAT6 were also involved in PC. Two different animal models were used: isolated perfused working rat hearts and STAT5A and STAT6 knockout mouse hearts. The results of our study indicated phosphorylation of STAT 5A and STAT6 in the preconditioned myocardium. Tyrphostin AG490, a JAK2 inhibitor, or 4-amino-5-(4-methylphenyl)-7-(t-butyl)-pyrazolo-3,4-d-pyrimidine (PPI), a Src kinase blocker, blocked STAT5A phosphorylation, whereas STAT6 phosphorylation was blocked only with tyrphostin. As expected, significant cardioprotection was achieved in the preconditioned heart as evidenced by reduced myocardial infarct size and decreased number of apoptotic cardiomyocytes. PC-mediated cardioprotection was partially abolished when hearts were pretreated with tyrphostin, PPI, or LY-294002, a phosphatidylinositol (PI)-3 kinase inhibitor. Studies with STAT5A and STAT6 knockout mouse hearts revealed that STAT6 knockout mouse hearts, and not STAT5A knockout mouse hearts, were resistant to myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. The hearts from STAT5A knockout mice could not be preconditioned, whereas those from STAT6 knockout mice were easily preconditioned. The results of the present study demonstrate that STAT5A, and not STAT6, plays a role in ischemic PC. For the first time, the results also indicated a role of Src kinase pathway in STAT5A PC and PI-3 kinase-Akt pathways appear to be the downstream regulator for STAT5A-STAT6 signaling pathway.
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PMID:STAT signaling in ischemic heart: a role of STAT5A in ischemic preconditioning. 1286 May 60

The mechanisms through which opioids regulate the activity of malignant breast epithelial cells are currently unknown. In the present study we report the differential actin cytoskeleton reorganization induced by opioids in malignant (MCF7) and nonmalignant (MCF12A) breast epithelial cells expressing functional opioid receptors. Exposure of MCF7 cells to the opioid agonist alpha(s1) casomorphin induced important actin assembly and reorganization, including the formation of filopodia and lamellipodia. In contrast, incubation of MCF12A cells with alpha(s1) casomorphin revealed a partial but transient disassembly of actin microfilaments. Immunoprecipitation and immunoblot analyses showed rapid phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and vinculin in opioid-treated MCF7 cells. Moreover, FAK associates with phosphatidylinositol-3 (PI-3 kinase), the latter being subsequently phosphorylated and activated. In addition, a substantial activation of the small GTPase Rac1 was observed. Pretreatment of MCF7 cells with the specific PI-3 kinase inhibitor wortmannin abolished both the activation of Rac1 and actin reorganization, while the opioid-induced phosphorylation of FAK and vinculin remained unaffected. Interestingly, in opioid-treated MCF12A cells this signaling cascade remained inactive, while we identified rapid phosphorylation of actin regulating the protein villin. Finally, opioids differentially inhibited cell motility in each cell line. Our data suggest a distinct, opioid-induced, signaling pathway activated in malignant breast epithelial cells, leading to important actin reorganization. These findings may indicate a potential antineoplastic role of opiates, based on the activation of differential signaling mechanisms.
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PMID:Distinct signaling pathways regulate differential opioid effects on actin cytoskeleton in malignant MCF7 and nonmalignant MCF12A human breast epithelial cells. 1287 62


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