Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:2.7.11.17 (CaMKII)
 4,029 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

NGFI-B and Ad4BP are steroid hormone receptor-like transcription factor that may control steroidogenesis, growth and differentiation in the adrenal cortex. We have studied the induction of NGFI-B and Ad4BP and mRNAs by the peptide hormones, ACTH, AII, IGF, FGF, and by KCl depolarization in cultured bovine adrenocortical cells. The mRNAs for these two transcription factors were most effectively but differentially induced by ACTH and AII. mRNA for NGFI-B was typically undetectable in unstimulated cells, but rapidly (< 30 min) accumulated in response to ACTH and AII. Peak increases occurred within 2-3 h after which mRNA levels declined. At maximally effective concentrations, AII produced increases in NGFI-B mRNA 2.7-fold larger than those triggered by ACTH (n = 7). In contrast to NGFI-B, Ad4BP mRNA was readily detectable in unstimulated cells. ACTH and AII induced smaller, slower and more sustained increases in Ad4BP mRNA. Peak values were obtained in 6-8 h and Ad4BP mRNA remained elevated for at least 18 h. ACTH produced increases in Ad4BP that were 2.6-fold larger than those stimulated by AII (n = 8). Antagonists of major signaling pathways that couple ACTH and AII receptors to cortisol secretion, including T-type Ca2+ antagonist Ni2+ and penfluridol, the CaM kinase antagonist KN-62, the A-kinase antagonist H-89 and the non-selective kinase antagonist staurosporine, all failed to suppress increases in NGFI-B and Ad4BP mRNAs triggered by these two peptides. Each of these agents effectively inhibited cortisol production stimulated by the peptides. Further, arguing against their proposed role as transcription factors for steroidogenic enzymes, ACTH- and AII-stimulated increases in steroid orphan receptor mRNAs were not correlated with corresponding increases in cortisol production measured over 24 h. The results show that NGFI-B and Ad4BP mRNAs are differentially regulated by ACTH and AII. Only NGFI-B is rapidly and transiently increased with kinetics common to immediate early genes. The lack of correlation between peptide-stimulated increases in orphan receptor mRNAs and cortisol production in combination with the apparent divergence in the associated signaling pathways argue against a primary role for these transcription factors in ACTH- and AII-stimulated steroidogenesis. The dual function of these peptide hormones as mediators of development and corticosteroid synthesis could necessitate the presence of separate, parallel signaling pathways.
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PMID:ACTH and AII differentially stimulate steroid hormone orphan receptor mRNAs in adrenal cortical cells. 902 29

Many neurons are coupled by electrical synapses into networks that have emergent properties. In the retina, coupling in these networks is dynamically regulated by changes in background illumination, optimizing signal integration for the visual environment. However, the mechanisms that control this plasticity are poorly understood. We have investigated these mechanisms in the rabbit AII amacrine cell, a multifunctional retinal neuron that forms an electrically coupled network via connexin 36 (Cx36) gap junctions. We find that presynaptic activity of glutamatergic ON bipolar cells drives increased phosphorylation of Cx36, indicative of increased coupling in the AII network. The phosphorylation is dependent on activation of nonsynaptic NMDA receptors that colocalize with Cx36 on AII amacrine cells, and is mediated by CaMKII. This activity-dependent increase in Cx36 phosphorylation works in opposition to dopamine-driven reduction of phosphorylation, establishing a local dynamic regulatory mechanism, and accounting for the nonlinear control of AII coupling by background illumination.
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PMID:Nonsynaptic NMDA receptors mediate activity-dependent plasticity of gap junctional coupling in the AII amacrine cell network. 2259 45