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 proteasome plays a pivotal role in controlling cell proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation in a variety of normal and tumor cells. PS-341, a novel boronic acid dipeptide that inhibits 26S proteasome activity, has prominent effects in vitro and in vivo against several solid tumors. We examined its antiproliferation, proapoptotic effects using three human glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cell lines and five primary GBM explants. PS-341 markedly inhibited proliferation of GBM cell lines and explants in liquid and soft agar culture. These cells developed a G2/M cell cycle arrest with a concomitant decreased percentage of cells in S phase ( approximately 2-fold), associated with an increased expression of p21(WAF1), p27(KIP1), as well as cyclin B1 and decreased levels of CDK2, CDK4, and E2F4. About 35-40% of the cells became apoptotic when exposed to PS-341 (10(-7) M, 24-48 h) as shown by Annexin V analysis; in concert with these findings, immunobloting showed a C-terminal 85 kDa apoptotic fragment of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP), and a decreased level of Bcl2 and Bcl-xl. PS-341 downregulated the expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl in protein levels at an early time of treatment. These changes occurred irrespective of the p53 mutational status of the cells. PS-341 activated JNK/c-Jun signaling in GBM cells, and the JNK inhibitor SP600125 blocked the JNK signaling to reverse partially the PS-341 growth inhibition. PS-341 (10(-7) M, 24 h) decreased nuclear NF-kappaB levels as shown by Western blot, and reduced transcriptional activity of NF-kappaB as measured by reporter assays in these transformed cells. Also, PS-341 enhanced TRAIL (TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) and TNFalpha (tumor necrosis factor alpha) induced cell death and apoptosis (two- to five-fold) in GBM cells. In summary, PS-341 has profound effects on growth and apoptosis of GBM cells, suggesting that PS-341 may be an effective therapy for patients with gliomas.
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PMID:Proteasome inhibitor PS-341 causes cell growth arrest and apoptosis in human glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). 1553 18

Patients with malignant gliomas have a poor prognosis and new treatment paradigms are needed against this disease. TRAIL/Apo2L selectively induces apoptosis in malignant cells sparing normal cells and is hence of interest as a potential therapeutic agent against gliomas. To determine the factors that modulate sensitivity to TRAIL, we examined the differences in TRAIL-activated signaling pathways in glioma cells with variable sensitivities to the agent. Apoptosis in response to TRAIL was unrelated to DR5 expression or endogenous p53 status in a panel of 8 glioma cell lines. TRAIL activated the extrinsic (cleavage of caspase-8, caspase-3 and PARP) and mitochondrial apoptotic pathways and reduced FLIP levels. It also induced caspase-dependent JNK activation, which did not influence TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Because the pro-survival PI3K/Akt pathway is highly relevant to gliomas, we assessed whether Akt could protect against TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Pretreatment with SH-6, a novel Akt inhibitor, enhanced TRAIL-induced apoptosis, suggesting a protective role for Akt. Conversely, TRAIL induced caspase-dependent cleavage of Akt neutralizing its anti-apoptotic effects. These results demonstrate that TRAIL-induced apoptosis in gliomas involves both activation of death pathways and downregulation of survival pathways. Additional studies are warranted to determine the therapeutic potential of TRAIL against gliomas.
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PMID:TRAIL-induced apoptosis in gliomas is enhanced by Akt-inhibition and is independent of JNK activation. 1571 39

FasL and gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) are produced by activated T cells and NK cells and synergistically induce apoptosis. Although both cytokines can also elicit proinflammatory responses, a possible cross talk of these ligands with respect to nonapoptotic signaling has been poorly addressed. Here, we show that IFN-gamma sensitizes KB cells for apoptosis induction by facilitating death-inducing signaling complex (DISC)-mediated caspase 8 processing. Moreover, after protection against death receptor-induced apoptosis by caspase inhibition or Bcl2 overexpression, IFN-gamma also sensitized for Fas- and TRAIL death receptor-mediated NF-kappaB activation leading to synergistic upregulation of a variety of proinflammatory genes. In contrast, Fas-mediated activation of JNK, p38, and p42/44 occurred essentially independent from IFN-gamma sensitization, indicating that the apoptosis- and NF-kappaB-related FasL-IFN-gamma cross talk was not due to a simple global enhancement of Fas signaling. Overexpression of FLIP(L) and FLIP(S) inhibited Fas- as well as TRAIL-mediated NF-kappaB activation and apoptosis induction in IFN-gamma-primed cells suggesting that both responses are coregulated at the level of the DISC.
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PMID:Death receptor-induced signaling pathways are differentially regulated by gamma interferon upstream of caspase 8 processing. 1602 76

AK-5, a rat histiocytoma, is rejected in about 70% of the syngeneic animals when injected subcutaneously. The sera from the tumor rejecting animals possess a potent factor, referred to as serum factor (SF) that induces apoptosis in AK-5 tumor cells. In the present study, we show that treatment with SF or JAK/STAT inhibitors AG490 and Piceatannol induces apoptosis to a similar extent in BC-8 (a single cell clone of AK-5) cells. Our results demonstrate downregulation of a transcription factor, STAT3, as a critical regulator of SF-induced apoptosis in BC-8 cells. SF treatment enhanced the activity of NFkappaB, another transcription factor that regulates both pro- and antiapoptotic genes. The enhanced NFkappaB activity resulted in the elevation of TRAIL and its receptor DR4, both known to induce apoptosis. Activation of death receptors in turn enhances caspase-8 activity and stimulates the downstream pathways regulating BC-8 cell apoptosis. SF induced apoptosis in BC-8 cells mediated through downregulation of STAT3 and elevated NFkappaB activity is abrogated by treatment with MAPK inhibitors-PD98059 and SB203580. Our studies therefore indicate that modulation of MAPK activity plays a central role in SF-induced death signaling pathways in BC-8 cells.
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PMID:Role of STAT3 and NFkappaB signaling in the serum factor-induced apoptosis in AK-5 cells. 1615 99

Apo2 ligand/tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (Apo2L/TRAIL) mainly activates programmed cell death through caspases. By contrast, TNF primarily induces gene transcription through the inhibitor of kappaB kinase (IKK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. Apo2L/TRAIL also can stimulate these kinases, albeit less strongly; however, the underlying mechanisms of this stimulation and its relation to apoptosis are not well understood. Here we show that Apo2L/TRAIL activates kinase pathways by promoting the association of a secondary signaling complex, subsequent to assembly of a primary, death-inducing signaling complex (DISC). The secondary complex retained the DISC components FADD and caspase-8, but recruited several factors involved in kinase activation by TNF, namely, RIP1, TRAF2, and NEMO/IKKgamma. Secondary complex formation required Fas-associated death domain (FADD), as well as caspase-8 activity. Apo2L/TRAIL stimulation of JNK and p38 further depended on RIP1 and TRAF2, whereas IKK activation required NEMO. Apo2L/TRAIL induced secretion of interleukin-8 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, augmenting macrophage migration. Thus, Apo2L/TRAIL and TNF organize common molecular determinants in distinct signaling complexes to stimulate similar kinase pathways. One function of kinase stimulation by Apo2L/TRAIL may be to promote phagocytic engulfment of apoptotic cells.
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PMID:Molecular determinants of kinase pathway activation by Apo2 ligand/tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand. 1622 29

Members of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF)/TNF-receptor (TNF-R) superfamily coordinate the immune response at multiple levels. For example, TNF, LTalpha, LTbeta and RANKL provide signals required for lymphoid neogenesis, CD27, OX-40, 4-1BB and CD30 deliver costimulatory signals to augment immune responses, while pro-apoptotic members such as TNF, CD95L and TRAIL may contribute to the termination of the response. Biological identity of individual family members has been revealed through studies of gain of function or gene deficient mutants. Most notable are the development of spontaneous inflammatory polyarthritis in human TNF-globin transgenic mice, the auto-inflammatory syndromes resulting from mutations in the 55-kDa TNF-R, and, in particular, the obligatory role for the RANKL/RANK axis in osteoclastogenesis and bone remodelling. A growing appreciation of the molecular basis of signalling pathways transduced by TNF-R has provided a framework for better understanding the biology of this expanding family. For while the rapid and robust activation of NF-kappaB and MAPK pathways is typical of acute TNF-R engagement, the molecular basis of sustained receptor signalling remains a mystery, in spite of its relevance to chronic inflammatory and immune responses. Focusing on T cells, this report describes some of the molecular footprints of sustained TNF-R engagement and illustrates how these may influence immune function. A common theme arising is that prolonged TNF stimulation alters signalling thresholds over time. The authors propose that one major outcome of long term exposure to TNF is a state of localised IL-2 deficiency at sites of inflammation. The implications of this deficiency are discussed.
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PMID:What does tumour necrosis factor excess do to the immune system long term? 1623 93

Helicobacter pylori is a spiral, gram-negative rod-shaped pathogen that attaches to gastric epithelial cells in the human stomach and is a causative agent of chronic active gastritis, peptic ulcer and neoplasia. H. pylori is one of the most common pathogens afflicting humans and is the major environmental factor in the development of gastric cancer increasing from 4 to 6 folds the risk of its development. Several specific virulence factors are implicated in the mechanism of H. pylori infection like the bacterial motility; the secretion of large amounts of urease; specific adhesins for the interaction between H. pylori and the gastric surface epithelium; the traslocation into gastric ephitelial cells of the cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA), the vacuolating cytotoxin A (VacA) and the heat shock protein HspB. Adherence of H. pylori to the gastric epithelium and secretion of interleukins are believed to be an important step in the induction of active inflammation of the mucosal layer. Several studies have demonstrated that H. pylori infection induces gastric epithelial cell proliferation activating ERK and MAPK pathways and increase of mitosis and mutations. Therefore, H. pylori infection seems to increase apoptosis, implying increased gastric epithelial cell turnover. Recently, it has been shown that H. pylori-induced apoptosis in gastric epithelial cells is mediated via the CD95-receptor/ ligand system but that TRAIL also plays an important role in this regulation.
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PMID:Helicobacter pylori and gastric epithelial cells: from gastritis to cancer. 1627 May 19

Comparing normal human urothelial (NHU) cells to a panel of six representative urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC)-derived cell lines, we showed that while TRAIL receptor expression patterns were similar, susceptibility to soluble recombinant crosslinked TRAIL fell into three categories. 4/6 carcinoma lines were sensitive, undergoing rapid and extensive death; NHU and 253J cells were partially resistant and HT1376 cells, like normal fibroblasts, were refractory. Both normal and malignant urothelial cells underwent apoptosis via the same caspase-8/9-mediated mechanism. Rapid receptor downregulation was a mechanism for evasion by some UCC cells. TRAIL resistance in malignant urothelial cells was partially dependent on FLIP(L) and was differentially mediated by p38(MAPK), whereas in normal cells, resistance was mediated by NF-kappaB. Importantly, extensive killing of UCC cells could be induced using noncrosslinked TRAIL after prolonged exposure, with no damage to their homologous, normal urothelial cell counterparts.
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PMID:Differential susceptibility to TRAIL of normal versus malignant human urothelial cells. 1641 Aug

In the present study, we report that activated human astroglioma cells can injure T-lymphocytes by producing tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). Treatment with lipopolysaccharides (LPS), a well-known immune stimulator, increased the expression levels of TRAIL mRNA and protein in human astroglioma cells. The increase of TRAIL mRNA expression by LPS was preceded by phosphorylation of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and consequently abrogated in the presence of the specific JNK inhibitor SP600125. The up-regulation of TRAIL expression was well co-related with AP-1 activation. Activated human astroglioma cells markedly induced the apoptotic death of T-lymphocytes. Pre-treatment with the TRAIL antagonistic protein TRAIL-R2:Fc prevented the death of T-lymphocytes caused by activated human astroglioma cells. The present results suggest that astroglioma cells may down-regulate T-lymphocytes via up-regulation of TRAIL.
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PMID:Lipopolysaccharides-activated human astroglioma cells induce apoptotic death of T-lymphocytes via c-Jun N-terminal kinases-dependent up-regulation of TRAIL. 1644 78

The mammalian extrinsic apoptosis pathway is triggered by Fas ligand (FasL) and Apo2 ligand/tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (Apo2L/TRAIL). Ligand binding to cognate receptors activates initiator caspases directly in a death-inducing signaling complex. In Drosophila, TNF ligand binding activates initiator caspases indirectly, through JNK. We characterized the extrinsic pathway in zebrafish to determine how it operates in a nonmammalian vertebrate. We identified homologs of FasL and Apo2L/TRAIL, their receptors, and other components of the cell death machinery. Studies with three Apo2L/TRAIL homologs demonstrated that they bind the receptors zHDR (previously linked to hematopoiesis) and ovarian TNFR (zOTR). Ectopic expression of these ligands during embryogenesis induced apoptosis in erythroblasts and notochord cells. Inhibition of zHDR, zOTR, the adaptor zFADD, or caspase-8-like proteases blocked ligand-induced apoptosis, as did antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family members. Thus, the extrinsic apoptosis pathway in zebrafish closely resembles its mammalian counterpart and cooperates with the intrinsic pathway to trigger tissue-specific apoptosis during embryogenesis in response to ectopic Apo2L/TRAIL expression.
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PMID:Delineation of the cell-extrinsic apoptosis pathway in the zebrafish. 1688 47


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