Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:2.7.11.24 (mitogen-activated protein kinase)
 95,810 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Although hyperhomocysteinemia has been recognized recently as a prevalent risk factor for myocardial infarction and stroke, the mechanisms by which it accelerates arteriosclerosis have not been elucidated, mostly because the biological effects of homocysteine can only be demonstrated at very high concentrations and can be mimicked by cysteine, which indicates a lack of specificity. We found that 10-50 microM of homocysteine (a range that overlaps levels observed clinically) but not cysteine inhibited DNA synthesis in vascular endothelial cells (VEC) and arrested their growth at the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Homocysteine in this same range had no effect on the growth of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) or fibroblasts. Homocysteine decreased carboxyl methylation of p21(ras) (a G1 regulator whose activity is regulated by prenylation and methylation in addition to GTP-GDP exchange) by 50% in VEC but not VSMC, a difference that may be explained by the ability of homocysteine to dramatically increase levels of S-adenosylhomocysteine, a potent inhibitor of methyltransferase, in VEC but not VSMC. Moreover, homocysteine-induced hypomethylation in VEC was associated with a 66% reduction in membrane-associated p21(ras) and a 67% reduction in extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, which is a member of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family. Because the MAP kinases have been implicated in cell growth, the p21(ras)-MAP kinase pathway may represent one of the mechanisms that mediates homocysteine's effect on VEC growth. VEC damage is a hallmark of arteriosclerosis. Homocysteine-induced inhibition of VEC growth may play an important role in this disease process.
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PMID:Inhibition of growth and p21ras methylation in vascular endothelial cells by homocysteine but not cysteine. 931 59

Vasoconstrictors, such as angiotensin II (Ang II), are involved in the regulatory mechanisms of post myocardial infarction (MI) hypertrophy. Arginine vasopressin (AVP), may be another vasoconstrictor that influences the mechanisms that lead to post MI hypertrophy. In these studies we investigated the possible activation of the 42/44 kDa mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), also referred as extracellular signal regulated kinases (ERKs), in cultured cardiomyocytes. Treatment of rat cardiomyocytes with AVP, Ang II and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) increases the activation of ERKs. The activity of the 42/44 kDa MAPKs was tested using the phosphorylation of: (1) EGF receptor peptide (EGFR-P); (2) myelin basic protein (MBP) immobilized in poly acrylamide gels; and (3) T183 and Y185 residues of these proteins. The activity of the MAPKs, induced by AVP or PMA was inhibited by downregulation of protein kinase C (PKC), by the tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein and by MAPK kinase (MEK) inhibitor, PD98059. In addition, the AVP-induced stimulation of MAPKs was shown to be mediated through a V1 receptor. We suggest that AVP activates the 42/44kDa MAPKs through a signal transduction pathway that involves stimulation of AVP-V1 receptor, tyrosine kinase, PKC and MEK. These results suggest that AVP may be involved in ERKs dependent regulatory functions of cardiomyocytes growth.
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PMID:Stimulation of 42/44 kDa mitogen-activated protein kinases by arginine vasopressin in rat cardiomyocytes. 945 90

A large myocardial infarction (MI) causes a chronic hemodynamic load on the uninjured remote myocardium (RM). This may lead to oxidative stress, activation of stress-induced cell signaling and increase in myocyte apoptosis. MI was produced in 6 rats (INF) while 4 rats underwent sham operation (CON). At four weeks, there was 128% increase in right ventricular hypertrophy in the hearts from INF vs. CON. Western blot analysis showed 3.8 fold increase in JNK phosphorylation within the RM from INF vs. CON, confirmed by a 4.2 fold increase in JNK kinase activity. There was a 52% increase in TBARS within the RM from INF vs. CON, suggesting increased lipid peroxidation. Furthermore, there was a twofold increase in myocyte apoptosis within the RM in INF vs. CON. We conclude that the RM from INF is associated with activation of JNK, increased oxidative stress and enhanced myocyte apoptosis.
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PMID:Activation of JNK in the remote myocardium after large myocardial infarction in rats. 961 95

Myocardial infarction results in focal areas of ischemia, hypoxia, necrosis, and decreased contractile function. To compensate for loss of contractile function, remaining viable myocytes undergo hypertrophic growth. Prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha), which is released from cells of the myocardium during periods of stress such as hypoxia or ischemia/reperfusion, has recently been shown to stimulate hypertrophic growth in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes. In the present study, we determine which growth-related intracellular pathways are required for PGF2alpha to induce morphological and genetic features characteristic of the hypertrophic phenotype. In cardiomyocytes, PGF2alpha increases the hydrolysis of inositol phosphates and induces the translocation of protein kinase C epsilon to the myocyte membrane, consistent with PGF2alpha receptor coupling to Gq. PGF2alpha also activates the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. Surprisingly, studies using pharmacological inhibitors and transfection of dominant-interfering proteins demonstrate that PGF2alpha-induced myocyte hypertrophy occurs independent of either PKC, p38, or ERK pathways. Additional studies demonstrate that PGF2alpha stimulates protein tyrosine phosphorylation and activates c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase and suggest that these pathways mediate hypertrophic growth in response to PGF2alpha.
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PMID:Tyrosine kinase and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase mediate hypertrophic responses to prostaglandin F2alpha in cultured neonatal rat ventricular myocytes. 968 56

Myocardial adaptation to ischemia has been shown to activate protein tyrosine kinase, potentiating activation of phospholipase D, which leads to the stimulation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases and MAP kinase-activated protein (MAPKAP) kinase 2. The present study sought to further examine the signal transduction pathway for the MAPKAP kinase 2 activation during ischemic adaptation. Isolated perfused rat hearts were adapted to ischemic stress by repeated ischemia and reperfusion. Hearts were pretreated with genistein to block tyrosine kinase, whereas SB-203580 was used to inhibit p38 MAP kinases. Western blot analysis demonstrated that p38 MAP kinase is phosphorylated during ischemic stress adaptation. Phosphorylation of p38 MAP kinase was blocked by genistein, suggesting that activation of p38 MAP kinase during ischemic adaptation is mediated by a tyrosine kinase signaling pathway. MAPKAP kinase 2 was estimated by following in vitro phosphorylation with recombinant human heat shock protein 27 as specific substrate for MAPKAP kinase 2. Again, both genistein and SB-203580 blocked the activation of MAPKAP kinase 2 during myocardial adaptation to ischemia. Immunofluorescence microscopy with anti-p38-antibody revealed that p38 MAP kinase is primarily localized in perinuclear regions. p38 MAP kinase moves to the nucleus after ischemic stress adaptation. After ischemia and reperfusion, cytoplasmic striations in the myocytes become obvious, indicating translocation of p38 MAP kinase from nucleus to cytoplasm. Corroborating these results, myocardial adaptation to ischemia improved the left ventricular functions and reduced myocardial infarction that were reversed by blocking either tyrosine kinase or p38 MAP kinase. These results demonstrate that myocardial adaptation to ischemia triggers a tyrosine kinase-regulated signaling pathway, leading to the translocation and activation of p38 MAP kinase and implicating a role for MAPKAP kinase 2.
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PMID:Ischemic preconditioning triggers tyrosine kinase signaling: a potential role for MAPKAP kinase 2. 981 94

Ischemic preconditioning is a phenomenon whereby exposure of the myocardium to a brief episode of ischemia and reperfusion markedly reduces tissue necrosis induced by a subsequent prolonged ischemia. Therefore, it is hoped that elucidation of the mechanism of preconditioning will yield therapeutic strategies capable of reducing myocardial infarction. In the rabbit, the brief period of preconditioning ischemia and reperfusion releases adenosine, bradykinin, opioids, and oxygen radicals that summate to induce the translocation and activation of protein kinase C (PKC). PKC appears to be the first element of a complex kinase cascade that is activated during the prolonged ischemia in preconditioned hearts. Current evidence indicates that PKC activates a tyrosine kinase that leads to the activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase or JNK, or possibly both. The stimulation of these stress-activated protein kinases ultimately induces the opening of mitochondrial K(ATP) channels that may be the final mediator of protection by ischemic preconditioning.
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PMID:Signal transduction in ischemic preconditioning: the role of kinases and mitochondrial K(ATP) channels. 1035 30

We examined the role of AT1 in the development of cardiovascular remodeling using AT1a knockout (KO) mice. 1. Pressure overload and mechanical stretch induced hypertrophic responses in KO and wild type (WT) cardiomyocytes (CM). Stretch activated MAPK through PKC in WT CM and through tyrosine kinase in KO CM. 2. The number of ventricular premature beats and tachycardia was larger in WT mice than KO mice. 3. Left ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction was more remarkable in WT mice than KO mice. 4. Vascular injury induced neointimal formation in KO mice as well as in WT mice.
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PMID:[The role of angiotensin II in the development of cardiovascular remodeling]. 1036 40

Apoptosis as defined by contemporary science describes a form of cell death that involves discrete genetic and molecular programs, de novo protein expression and unique cellular phenotype. Evidence for the existence of apoptosis in the human heart has been reported in various cardiac diseases, including ischemic and non-ischemic heart failure, myocardial infarction and arrhythmias. Among the most potent stimuli that elicit cardiomyocyte apoptosis are: oxygen radicals (including NO), cytokines, (FAS/TNF alpha family of cytokines) and growth factors/energy deprivation. Several complex signal transduction pathways have been implicated in execution of cardiomyocyte apoptosis, including: Fas/TNF alpha receptors signaling, stress or mitogen activated protein kinases (SAPK/MAPK), sphingolipids metabolites (ceramide), G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling (G alpha i, G alpha q) and NF kappa B activation. Apoptosis of cardiac myocytes may contribute to progressive pump-failure, arrhythmias and cardiac remodeling. The recognition of numerous molecular targets associated with cardiomyocyte apoptosis that are amenable for pharmacologic manipulation, may provide novel therapeutic strategies for diverse cardiac ailments, as recently suggested by pharmacologic studies in experimental animals.
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PMID:Apoptosis in cardiac diseases--new opportunities for novel therapeutics for heart diseases. 1051 63

Toxic effects of cocaine on the heart muscle have been known for many years. Cardiovascular complications related to cocaine abuse include myocardial ischemia and infarction, inflammation, and disease of the heart muscle, rhythm disturbances, and sudden cardiac death. Cocaine toxicity-related cardiac morbidity and mortality are often due to several interacting mechanisms. Cocaine also has a potent pharmacological effect, indirectly stimulating the sympathetic nervous system, and it has a direct toxic effect on the heart. Although apoptosis (also called programmed cell death) has been shown to play an important role in the pathogenesis of several diseases in the heart, including heart failure and ischemic myocardial infarction, the role of apoptosis in the toxic effect of cocaine on the heart has not been explored. Recent studies indicated that cocaine causes apoptotic cell death in both adult and fetal heart muscles. Increased oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species, and the subsequent activation of a "stress responsive" enzyme (p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase) in the heart may play an important role in cocaine-induced apoptosis in the heart muscle. These findings suggest a new way to understand the cardiotoxic effects of cocaine, and may have potential clinical implications in the better management of cocaine-induced heart diseases. Anat Rec (New Anat): 257:208-216, 1999.
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PMID:Cocaine and apoptosis in myocardial cells. 1062 Jul 50

Angiotensin II (AII) plays a critical role in cardiac remodeling. This peptide promotes cardiac myocyte hypertrophy and cardiac fibroblast interstitial fibrotic changes associated with left ventricular hypertrophy, post myocardial infarction remodeling and congestive heart failure. AII mediates cardiac myocyte hypertrophy directly via induction of immediate early genes through a MAP kinase dependent pathway. In addition, it mediates cardiac hypertrophy indirectly by stimulating release of norepinephrine from cardiac nerve endings and endothelin from endothelial cells. AII also has multiple effects on cardiac fibroblasts: it induces cardiac fibroblast proliferation, synthesis and secretion of adhesion molecules and extracellular matrix proteins, and expression of integrin adhesion receptors. In addition it stimulates cardiac fibroblasts to adhere more vigorously to defined matrixes. This review will discuss the molecular pathways that have been implicated in these AII induced effects in the cardiac fibroblast.
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PMID:Angiotensin II, adhesion, and cardiac fibrosis. 1077 30


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