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)

The serine/threonine kinase Mst1, a mammalian homolog of the budding yeast Ste20 kinase, is cleaved by caspase-mediated proteolysis in response to apoptotic stimuli such as ligation of CD95/Fas or treatment with staurosporine. Furthermore, overexpression of Mst1 induces morphological changes characteristic of apoptosis in human B lymphoma cells. Mst1 may therefore represent an important target for caspases during cell death which serves to amplify the apoptotic response. Here we report that Mst1 has two caspase cleavage sites, and we present evidence indicating that cleavage may occur in an ordered fashion and be mediated by distinct caspases. We also show that caspase-mediated cleavage alone is insufficient to activate Mst1, suggesting that full activation of Mst1 during apoptosis requires both phosphorylation and proteolysis. Another role of phosphorylation may be to influence the susceptibility of Mst1 to proteolysis. Autophosphorylation of Mst1 on a serine residue close to one of the caspase sites inhibited caspase-mediated cleavage in vitro. Finally, Mst1 appears to function upstream of the protein kinase MEKK1 in the SAPK pathway. In conclusion, Mst1 activity is regulated by both phosphorylation and proteolysis, suggesting that protein kinase and caspase pathways work in concert to regulate cell death.
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PMID:Both phosphorylation and caspase-mediated cleavage contribute to regulation of the Ste20-like protein kinase Mst1 during CD95/Fas-induced apoptosis. 1127 82

Nitric oxide (NO), synthesized from l-arginine by NO synthases, is a small, diffusible, highly reactive molecule with dichotomous regulatory roles under physiological and pathological conditions. NO can promote apoptosis (proapoptosis) in some cells, whereas it inhibits apoptosis (antiapoptosis) in other cells. This complexity is a consequence of the rate of NO production and the interaction with biological molecules such as iron, thiols, proteins, and reactive oxygen species. Long-lasting production of NO acts as a proapoptotic modulator by activating caspase family proteases through the release of mitochondrial cytochrome c into the cytosol, upregulation of p53 expression, activation of JNK/SAPK, and altering the expression of apoptosis-associated proteins including Bcl-2 family proteins. However, low or physiological concentrations of NO prevent cells from apoptosis induced by trophic factor withdrawal, Fas, TNFalpha, and lipopolysaccharide. The antiapoptotic mechanism can be understood via expression of protective genes such as heat shock proteins, Bcl-2 as well as direct inhibition of the apoptotic caspase family proteases by S-nitrosylation of the cysteine thiol. Our current understanding of the mechanisms by which NO exerts both pro- and antiapoptotic actions is discussed in this review article.
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PMID:Nitric oxide as a bioregulator of apoptosis. 1130 23

Fas transduces not only apoptotic signals through various pathways but also angiogenic and proinflammatory responses in vivo. Human glioma cells express Fas although sensitivity to Fas-mediated cell death is variable, suggesting that Fas may have functions other than apoptosis in these cells. In this study, we addressed alternative functions of Fas expressed on human gliomas by Fas ligation in three human glioma cell lines, CRT-MG, U373-MG, and U87-MG, and the in vivo expression of Fas and chemokines in human glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Herein, we demonstrate that: (a) stimulation with agonistic anti-Fas monoclonal antibody CH-11 and human recombinant soluble Fas ligand induces expression of the CC chemokine MCP-1 and the CXC chemokine interleukin-8 by human glioma cell lines at the mRNA and protein levels in a dose- and time-dependent manner; (b) selective pharmacological inhibitors of MEK1 (U0126 and PD98059) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) (SB202190) suppress Fas-mediated chemokine expression in a dose-dependent manner; (c) Fas ligation on human glioma cells leads to activation of both extracellular signal-regulated kinases ERK1/ERK2 and p38 MAPK; and (d) GBM samples express higher levels of Fas compared with normal control brain, which correlates with increased interleukin 8 expression. These findings indicate that Fas ligation on human glioma cells leads to the selective induction of chemokine expression, which involves the ERK1/ERK2 and p38 MAPK signaling pathways. Therefore, the Fas-Fas ligand system in human brain tumors may be involved not only in apoptotic processes but also in the provocation of angiogenic and proinflammatory responses.
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PMID:Fas-induced expression of chemokines in human glioma cells: involvement of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. 1130 91

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling was examined in malignant melanoma cells exposed to hypoxia. Here we demonstrate that hypoxia induced a strong activation of the c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK), also termed stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK), in the melanoma cell line 530 in vitro. Other members of the MAPK family, e.g., extracellular signal-regulated kinase and p38, remained unaffected by the hypoxic stimulus. Activated JNK/SAPK could also be observed in the vicinity of hypoxic tumor areas in melanoma metastases as detected by immunohistochemistry. Functional analysis of JNK/SAPK activation in the melanoma cell line 530 revealed that activation of JNK/SAPK is involved in hypoxia-mediated tumor cell apoptosis. Both a dominant negative mutant of JNK/SAPK (SAPKbeta K-->R) and a dominant negative mutant of the immediate upstream activator of JNK/SAPK, SEK1 (SEK1 K-->R), inhibited hypoxia-induced apoptosis in transient transfection studies. In contrast, overexpression of the wild-type kinases had a slight proapoptotic effect. Inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and p38 pathways by the chemical inhibitors PD98058 and SB203580, respectively, had no effect on hypoxiainduced apoptosis. Under normoxic conditions, no influence on apoptosis regulation was observed after inhibition of all three MAPK pathways. In contrast to recent findings, JNK/SAPK activation did not correlate with Fas or Fas ligand (FasL) expression, suggesting that the Fas/FasL system is not involved in hypoxia-induced apoptosis in melanoma cells. Taken together, our data demonstrate that hypoxia-induced JNK/SAPK activation appears to play a critical role in apoptosis regulation of melanoma cells in vitro and in vivo, independent of the Fas/FasL system.
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PMID:Activation of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase (JNK/SAPK) is critical for hypoxia-induced apoptosis of human malignant melanoma. 1130 14

Previously we reported that ischemia results in apoptosis and is accompanied by phosphorylation on Tyr-701 and increased expression and transcriptional activity of the signal transducer and activator of transcription-1 (STAT-1). In the present study, we show that exposure of cardiomyocytes to ischemia induced the phosphorylation of STAT-1 at another site, Ser-727. Moreover, STAT-1 is critical for the induction of Fas receptor and Fas ligand expression by ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). Transcriptional activation of Fas and FasL was dependent on Ser-727 of STAT-1 but was independent of Tyr-701. Similarly, Ser-727 but not Tyr-701 was required for enhancement of cardiomyocyte cell death by STAT-1 during I/R. In addition, inhibition of the p38 pathway prevented the induction and transcriptional activation of Fas and FasL in cardiac cells exposed to I/R, whereas inhibition of p42/p44 MAPK had no effect. Finally, I/R also induced phosphorylation of STAT-1 on Ser-727 and expression of Fas/FasL in ventricular myocytes in the intact heart ex vivo. These results indicate that Fas/FasL genes and apoptosis are activated by STAT-1 in cardiac myocytes exposed to I/R and these effects are dependent on the Ser-727 but not the Tyr-701 phosphorylation sites of STAT-1.
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PMID:Induction of apoptosis and Fas receptor/Fas ligand expression by ischemia/reperfusion in cardiac myocytes requires serine 727 of the STAT-1 transcription factor but not tyrosine 701. 1130 87

The recent advances on the cytoplasmic regulators of the induction of germinal vesicle break down, maturation and degeneration of oocytes, and glycosaminoglycan composition during cumulus expansion of cumulus-oocyte complexes are discussed. A) Inactive mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are present in the oocytes at germinal vesicle (GV) stage, and are activated with germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD), and remain highly active throughout maturation in porcine oocytes. Inactive MAPKs are localized in the cytoplasm of GV-arrested oocytes and active MAPKs were detected in the GV just before GVBD. B) Cumulus expansion of porcine cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) was reduced by oocy tectomy. The profile of total glycosaminoglycan synthesis was attributed to hyaluronic acid rather than chondroitin sulfate in intact COCs and oocytectomy reduced hyaluronic acid synthesis. C) The abnormalities of chromosomes and alpha-tubulin morphology were observed in the oocytes of c-mos deficient mice. MAPK activity of c-mos deficient oocytes did not significantly fluctuate throughout maturation and was clearly lower than that of wild-type oocytes. One of the most drastic abnormalities in c-mos knockout mouse oocytes was their entrance into the interphase instead of second meiosis after first polar body emission. D) Reverse transcriptase/polymerase chain reaction-Southern blot hybridization demonstrated positive expression of Fas in intraovarian mouse oocytes. In contrast, expression of Fas ligand was detected in granulosa cells. These findings were histologically confirmed by in situ hybridization with Fas- and FasL-specific probes. Co-culture of intact and zona-free eggs and granulosa cells demonstrated positive TUNEL staining only zona-free eggs.
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PMID:Morphological dynamics of cumulus-oocyte complex during oocyte maturation. 1131 42

The balance between cell survival and cell death is critical for normal lymphoid development. This balance is maintained by signals through lymphocyte antigen receptors and death receptors such as CD95/Fas. In some cells, ligating the B cell antigen receptor can protect the cell from apoptosis induced by CD95. Here we report that ligation of CD95 inhibits antigen receptor-mediated signaling. Pretreating CD40-stimulated tonsillar B cells with anti-CD95 abolished B cell antigen receptor-mediated calcium mobilization. Furthermore, CD95 ligation led to the caspase-dependent inhibition of antigen receptor-induced calcium mobilization and to the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways in B and T cell lines. A target of CD95-mediated caspase 3-like activity early in the apoptotic process is the adaptor protein GrpL/Gads. GrpL constitutively interacts with SLP-76 via its C-terminal SH3 domain to regulate transcription factors such as NF-AT. Cleavage of GrpL removes the C-terminal SH3 domain so that it is no longer capable of recruiting SLP-76 to the membrane. Transfection of a truncated form of GrpL into Jurkat T cells blocked T cell antigen receptor-induced activation of NF-AT. These results suggest that CD95 signaling can desensitize antigen receptors, in part via cleavage of the GrpL adaptor.
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PMID:CD95/Fas induces cleavage of the GrpL/Gads adaptor and desensitization of antigen receptor signaling. 1139 Oct

Mechanisms underlying radiation and chemotherapy resistance, the hallmark of human melanoma, are not well understood. Here we demonstrate that expression levels of signal adaptor protein TRAF2 coincide with melanoma resistance to UV-irradiation. Altered TRAF2 signaling by a form of TRAF2, which lacks the ring finger domain (TRAF2DeltaN), increases activities of p38 MAPK, ATF2, and the level of TNFalpha expression. Forced expression of TRAF2DeltaN in HHMSX highly metastatic melanoma cells that lack Fas expression and thus utilize the TNFalpha-TNFR1 as the major apoptotic pathway sensitized cells to UV-induced apoptosis. An over twofold increase in degree of apoptosis was observed in TRAF2DeltaN expressing cells that were treated with actinomycin D, anisomycin or with the radiomimetic drug neocarzinostatin. Sensitization by TRAF2DeltaN is selective since it was not observed in response to either Taxol or cis-platinum treatment. TRAF2DeltaN effects are primarily mediated via p38 since inhibition of p38 reduces, whereas activation of p38 promotes the level of UV-induced apoptosis. Conversely, activation of IKK attenuates the sensitization of melanoma by TRAF2DeltaN, indicating that p38-mediated suppression of NF-kappaB activity is among TRAF2DeltaN effects. Our finding identifies p38, TNFalpha and NF-kappaB among key players that efficiently sensitizes melanoma cells to UV-, ribotoxic (anisomycin) and radiomimetic chemicals-induced programmed cell death in response to aberrant TRAF2 signaling.
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PMID:Expression of ring finger-deleted TRAF2 sensitizes metastatic melanoma cells to apoptosis via up-regulation of p38, TNFalpha and suppression of NF-kappaB activities. 1140 19

Oncogenic Ras induces cells to undergo apoptosis after inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC) activity. The integration of differential signaling pathways is required for full execution of apoptosis. In this study, we used Jurkat as well as Fas/FADD-defective cell lines expressing v-ras to determine the upstream elements required for activation of the caspase cascade in PKC/Ras-mediated apoptosis. During this Ras-induced apoptotic process, caspase-8 was activated, possibly through its binding to Fas-associated death domain (FADD), in Jurkat/ras and Jurkat/Fas(m)/ras cells but not in Jurkat/FADD(m)/ras cells. c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK) was activated in all three cell lines expressing ras in response to apoptotic stimulation. Suppression of JNK by dn-JNK1 blocked the interaction of FADD and caspase-8 and partially protected Jurkat/ras and Jurkat/Fas(m)/ras cells from apoptosis. However, dn-JNK1 had no effect on PKC/Ras-induced apoptosis in Jurkat/FADD(m)/ras cells. The results indicate that FADD/caspase-8 signaling is involved in PKC/Ras-mediated apoptosis, and JNK may be an upstream effector of caspase activation.
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PMID:The recruitment of Fas-associated death domain/caspase-8 in Ras-induced apoptosis. 1143 4

The anthracycline daunorubicin is widely used in the treatment of acute nonlymphocytic leukemia. The drug has, of course, been the object of intense basic research, as well as preclinical and clinical study. As reviewed in this article, evidence stemming from this research clearly demonstrates that cell response to daunorubicin is highly regulated by multiple signaling events, including a sphingomyelinase-initiated sphingomyelin-ceramide pathway, mitogen-activated kinase and stress-activated protein/c-Jun N-terminal kinase activation, transcription factors such as nuclear factor kappa B, as well as the Fas/Fas-ligand system. These pathways are themselves influenced by a number of lipid products (diacylglycerol, sphingosine-1 phosphate, and glucosyl ceramide), reactive oxygen species, oncogenes (such as the tumor suppressor gene p53), protein kinases (protein kinase C and phosphoinositide-3 kinase), and external stimuli (hematopoietic growth factors and the extracellular matrix). In light of the complexity and diversity of these observations, a comprehensive review has been attempted toward the understanding of their individual implication (and regulation) in daunorubicin-induced signaling. (Blood. 2001;98:913-924)
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PMID:Signaling pathways activated by daunorubicin. 1149 33


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