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 regulation of the lysophospholipase activity of the 85-kDa cytosolic phospholipase A2 (PLA2) was studied in vitro and in stimulated macrophages. Bovine serum albumin was found to inhibit lysophospholipase activity of the recombinant 85-kDa PLA2 when assayed at a relatively low substrate concentration. Inhibition could be reversed if the substrate concentration was increased or if Ca2+ was present in the assay. Incubation of recombinant enzyme with macrophage membranes and lipid extracts from macrophage membranes resulted in the release of arachidonic acid, as well as, stearic acid, which is enriched at the sn-1 position of macrophage phospholipids. This suggests that with a bilayer substrate the PLA2 can sequentially deacylate the sn-2 then sn-1 acyl groups. This was verified by demonstrating that the phospholipids, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol, were hydrolyzed to glycerophosphocholine and glycerophosphoinositol by incubation with recombinant 85-kDa PLA2. The 85-kDa enzyme was identified as the main lysophospholipase activity in mouse peritoneal macrophage cytosols. Addition of Ca2+ to the assay enhanced activity, but this effect decreased as the substrate concentration was increased. Incubation of macrophages with zymosan increased the lysophospholipase activity of the 85-kDa PLA2 in cytosols. Phosphorylation of recombinant PLA2 with mitogen-activated protein kinase resulted in an increase in lysophospholipase, as well as, PLA2 activity. In macrophages stimulated with zymosan release of stearic acid (18:0) and palmitic acid (16:0) was observed in addition to arachidonic acid (20:4). These results are consistent with a role of the 85-kDa PLA2 in regulating lysophospholipid levels in macrophages during zymosan stimulation.
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PMID:Regulation of lysophospholipase activity of the 85-kDa phospholipase A2 and activation in mouse peritoneal macrophages. 765 19

The cellular and molecular basis of growth hormone (GH) actions on the heart remain poorly defined, and it is unclear whether GH effects on the myocardium are direct or mediated at least in part via insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1). Here, we demonstrate that the cultured neonatal cardiomyocyte is not an appropriate model to study the effects of GH because of artifactual loss of GH receptors (GHRs). To circumvent this problem, rat neonatal cardiomyocytes were infected with a recombinant adenovirus expressing the murine GHR. Functional integrity of GHR was suggested by GH-induced activation of the cognate JAK2/STAT5, MAPK, and Akt intracellular pathways in the cells expressing GHR. Although exposure to GH resulted in a significant increase in the size of the cardiomyocyte and increased expression of c-fos, myosin light chain 2, and skeletal alpha-actin mRNAs, there were no significant changes in IGF-1 or atrial natriuretic factor mRNA levels in response to GH stimulation. In this model, GH increased incorporation of leucine, uptake of palmitic acid, and abundance of fatty acid transport protein mRNA. In contrast, GH decreased uptake of 2-deoxy-d-glucose and levels of Glut1 protein. Thus, in isolated rat neonatal cardiomyocytes expressing GHR, GH induces hypertrophy and causes alterations in cellular metabolic profile in the absence of demonstrable changes in IGF-1 mRNA, suggesting that these effects may be independent of IGF-1.
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PMID:Demonstration of direct effects of growth hormone on neonatal cardiomyocytes. 1130 22

There are contradictory findings regarding the effects of free fatty acids on vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) growth. In the present study we investigated the effects of fatty acids released from hydrolysis of human VLDL triglycerides by lipoprotein lipase and of the fatty acids most abundant in the hydrolysed VLDL, namely oleic, linoleic, palmitic and myristic acid, all non albumin-bound, on VSMC growth. The effect of fatty acids on VSMC growth was assessed by [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation, colourimetrically, by cell counting, by determination of the cytoplasmic histone-associated DNA fragments and the caspase 3 activity. The fatty acid concentrations were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Stimulation of ERK1/2 and p38 was determined by the chemiluminescence Western blotting method. Incubation of VSMC with purified VLDL (100 microg ml(-1)) and lipoprotein lipase (35 u ml(-1)) led to almost complete cell death although the ERK1/2 and the p38 MAP kinases were stimulated. The EC(50) of oleic, linoleic, myristic and palmitic acid were 4.6+/-1.3, 2.4+/-0.2, 116+/-10 and 287+/-30 microM, respectively. The estimated EC(50) of myristic and palmitic acid when derived from hydrolysed VLDL were 10 and 8 times, respectively, lower than when used alone. Apoptosis was not involved in the fatty acid-induced VSMC growth suppression/death. We conclude that (a) non albumin-bound fatty acids cause VSMC necrosis in a dose-dependent manner with a parallel ERK1/2 and p38 stimulation, (b) unsaturated fatty acids are more toxic to VSMC than saturated, and (c) saturated fatty acids are more toxic to VSMC in the hydrolysed VLDL than when used individually.
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PMID:Effects of authentic and VLDL hydrolysis-derived fatty acids on vascular smooth muscle cell growth. 1130 44

Palmitoylation of cysteines 3 and 5 is necessary for targeting Lck to lipid rafts and is needed for Lck function in T cell receptor (TCR) signaling. Point mutations of cysteines 3 and 5 result in a form of Lck that fails to associate with the plasma membrane, which limits the usefulness of this genetic approach to address the role of palmitoylation in the distribution of Lck within the plasma membrane. To circumvent this problem, we sought to identify a palmitic acid analogue that would enable plasma membrane association of Lck, but not facilitate its localization within lipid rafts. Here we examined the effects of the heteroatom-substituted analogue of palmitic acid, 13-oxypalmitic acid (13-OP), on Lck subcellular localization and function. 13-OP is similar in chain length to palmitic acid, but possesses reduced hydrophobicity. We found that treatment of cells with 13-OP inhibited incorporation of omega-[(125)I]iodopalmitate into Lck. 13-OP inhibited localization of Lck to lipid rafts without altering its membrane localization. Consistent with the dissociation of Lck from rafts, treatment with 13-OP abolished Lck association with the GPI-anchored protein, CD48, but not the transmembrane glycoprotein CD4. Jurkat T cells treated with 13-OP showed marked reduction in tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase upon TCR stimulation. In conclusion, the less hydrophobic analogue of palmitate, 13-OP, alters the normal acylation of Lck that provides Lck with the necessary hydrophobicity and tight packing order required for inclusion in lipid rafts.
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PMID:The oxygen-substituted palmitic acid analogue, 13-oxypalmitic acid, inhibits Lck localization to lipid rafts and T cell signaling. 1200 89

Ultraviolet irradiation is a major environmental cause of skin cancers, whereas ultraviolet-induced DNA repair and apoptosis are defense mechanisms that rescue and/or protect keratinocytes from this risk. Multiple pathways are involved in ultraviolet-induced keratinocyte apoptosis, including activation of p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase, protein kinase C, and CD95, each of which are associated with caspase activation. Alternatively, ceramides could serve as ultraviolet-induced, second messenger lipids, because they induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in a variety of cell types, including keratinocytes. We investigated the role of ceramide versus caspase, and the responsible pathway for ceramide generation in ultraviolet B-induced apoptosis of cultured normal human keratinocytes maintained in low calcium (0.07 mm) medium. Ultraviolet B (40 mJ per cm2) significantly inhibited cultured normal human keratinocyte proliferation, assessed as [3H-methyl]thymidine-thymidine incorporation into DNA, 2 h after irradiation. Terminal nick deoxynucleotide end-labeling-positive apoptotic cells (14.8% at 24 h and 34.4% at 48 h) and trypan blue-positive apoptotic cells (8.4% at 24 h and 28.6% at 48 h) became evident in a time-dependent manner after ultraviolet B irradiation, in parallel with activation of caspase-3. The ceramide content of irradiated cultured normal human keratinocytes increased significantly by 8 h, whereas glucosylceramide only modestly increased, and sphingomyelin content remained unaltered. Metabolic studies with radiolabeled serine, palmitic acid, and phosphorylcholine revealed that the ultraviolet B-induced increase in ceramide results primarily from increased de novo synthesis rather than accelerated sphingomyelin hydrolysis. Increased ceramide synthesis, in turn, could be attributed to increased activity of ceramide synthase (i.e., 1.7-fold increase 8 h after ultraviolet B irradiation), whereas serine palmitoyltransferase activity did not change. Both fumonisin B1, an inhibitor of ceramide synthase, and ISP-1, myriocin an inhibitor of serine palmitoyltransferase, significantly attenuated the ultraviolet B-induced apoptosis in a caspase-3-independent fashion, whereas co-incubation with a caspase-3 inhibitor (Ac-DEVD-chloromethyl-ketone) further attenuated the ultraviolet B-induced apoptosis. Thus, increased de novo ceramide synthesis signals ultraviolet B-induced apoptosis, by a pathway independent of, but in concert with, caspase-3 activation.
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PMID:De novo ceramide synthesis participates in the ultraviolet B irradiation-induced apoptosis in undifferentiated cultured human keratinocytes. 1264 32

In the present study, we verified that the mouse 5-hydroxytryptamine(1A) (5-HT(1A)) receptor is modified by palmitic acid, which is covalently attached to the protein through a thioester-type bond. Palmitoylation efficiency was not modulated by receptor stimulation with agonists. Block of protein synthesis by cycloheximide resulted in a significant reduction of receptor acylation, suggesting that palmitoylation occurs early after synthesis of the 5-HT(1A) receptor. Furthermore, pulse-chase experiments demonstrated that fatty acids are stably attached to the receptor. Two conserved cysteine residues 417 and 420 located in the proximal C-terminal domain were identified as acylation sites by site-directed mutagenesis. To address the functional role of 5-HT(1A) receptor acylation, we have analyzed the ability of acylation-deficient mutants to interact with heterotrimeric G(i) protein and to modulate downstream effectors. Replacement of individual cysteine residues (417 or 420) resulted in a significantly reduced coupling of receptor with G(i) protein and impaired inhibition of adenylyl cyclase activity. When both palmitoylated cysteines were replaced, the communication of receptors with G alpha(i) subunits was completely abolished. Moreover, non-palmitoylated mutants were no longer able to inhibit forskolin-stimulated cAMP formation, indicating that palmitoylation of the 5-HT(1A) receptor is critical for the enabling of G(i) protein coupling/effector signaling. The receptor-dependent activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase was also affected by acylation-deficient mutants, suggesting the importance of receptor palmitoylation for the signaling through the G beta gamma-mediated pathway, in addition to the G alpha(i)-mediated signaling.
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PMID:The 5-hydroxytryptamine(1A) receptor is stably palmitoylated, and acylation is critical for communication of receptor with Gi protein. 1460 95

GPR40 was originally isolated from human genomic DNA by degenerate PCR. We isolated GPR40 cDNAs from various species, and precisely analyzed its mRNA expression in rat tissues, and found that GPR40 was highly expressed in beta cells in the islets of rat pancreas. When compared to the cell-surface receptors (i.e., choresistokinin receptor, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor, and sulfonylurea receptor) that are known to predominantly express in the pancreatic beta cells, GPR40mRNA was comparable to these receptors in mRNA expression levels. In addition, all of pancreatic beta cell lines, which we examined, expressed GPR40mRNA at significant levels. Its highest expression was detected in a mouse beta cell line MIN6. To reveal the function of GPR40, we searched for the ligands of GPR40 by screening more than 1500 compounds. As a result we found that CHO cells expressing GPR40 specifically responded to free fatty acids (FFAs), that is, elevation of intracellular Ca(2+) was detected in these cells. Among FFAs tested, apparent stimulatory activities were detected in C12- to 16-length saturated FFAs (e.g., lauric acid, myristic acid, and palmitic acid) and in both C18- and C22-length unsaturated FFAs (e.g., oleic acid, elaidic acid, linoleic acid, a-linolenic acid, g-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid) at EC(50) of micro molar range. We found that FFAs induced Ca(2+) influx and activated MAP kinase in CHO cells expressing GPR40. As it is known that the increase of intracellular Ca(2+) promotes insulin secretion, we expected the stimulation of FFAs through GPR40 would promote insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells. As we expected, FFAs induced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in MIN6 cells. Our results indicate that GPR40 is a cell-surface receptor for FFAs and regulates insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells. FFAs are known not only to provide an important energy source as nutrients for the body but also to act as signaling molecules in various cellular processes including insulin secretion. However, the molecular mechanism behind the relationship between insulin secretion and FFAs is little understood. We believe that the discovery of a cell-surface FFA receptor on pancreatic beta cells will provide a clue to resolve the relation between FFAs and insulin secretion, and thus eventually lead to the development of anti-diabetic drugs.
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PMID:GPR40, a free fatty acid receptor on pancreatic beta cells, regulates insulin secretion. 1621 94

The cytosolic NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH1) catalyzes the conversion of isocitrate to alpha-ketoglutarate in the cytosol, and generates NADPH as a primary source of reducing equivalents for de novo fatty acid synthesis in bovine mammary gland. The enzymatic activity of IDH1 increases dramatically in early lactation in bovine mammary tissue. We hypothesized that the expression of IDH1 in bovine is modulated by regulators of mammary epithelial differentiation. To test this hypothesis, we first examined the changes in IDH1 expression in late pregnancy (-20 days) and at various stages (14, 90, 120, and 240 days) of lactation in bovine mammary tissue. IDH1 mRNA levels increased by 2.3-fold after parturition compared to late pregnancy and remained elevated thereafter. Next, we examined the effects of extracellular matrix and lactogenic hormones on the expression of IDH1 in cultured BME-UV bovine mammary epithelial cells. We found that expression of IDH1 mRNA increased in parallel with beta-casein expression induced by extracellular matrix. Fetal calf serum and insulin repressed, whereas prolactin stimulated the expression of IDH1 mRNA in a dose-dependent fashion. The inhibitory effects of insulin on IDH1 mRNA levels were antagonized by cotreatment with prolactin. In contrast, treatment with prolactin in the presence of extracellular matrix further increased IDH1 mRNA and protein accumulation. Prolactin-induced IDH1 expression was inhibited by the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitors PD98059 and U0126, and Janus tyrosine kinase 2 (Jak2) inhibitor AG490, suggesting that both MAPK and Jak2 contribute to regulation of IDH1 expression by prolactin. Finally, we report that treatment of BME-UV cells with alpha-ketoglutarate and palmitic acid reduced IDH1 transcript levels. Taken together, our data suggest that the expression of IDH1 in bovine mammary epithelium is modulated by regulators of differentiation including extracellular matrix and lactogenic hormones as well as metabolic effectors.
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PMID:Expression of cytosolic NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase in bovine mammary epithelium: Modulation by regulators of differentiation and metabolic effectors. 1663 9

JNKs are attractive targets for treatment of obesity and type-2 diabetes. A sustained increase in JNK activity was observed in dietary and genetic models of obesity in mice, whereas JNK deficiency prevented obesity-induced insulin resistance. A similar insulin-sensitizing effect was seen upon treatment of obese mice with JNK inhibitors. We now demonstrate that treatment with the saturated fatty acid palmitic acid results in sustained JNK activation and insulin resistance in primary mouse hepatocytes and pancreatic beta-cells. In the latter, palmitic acid treatment inhibits glucose-induced insulin gene transcription, in part, by interfering with autocrine insulin signaling through phosphorylation of insulin-receptor substrates 1 and 2 at sites that interfere with binding to activated insulin receptors. This mechanism may account for the induction of central insulin resistance by free fatty acids.
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PMID:Saturated fatty acids inhibit induction of insulin gene transcription by JNK-mediated phosphorylation of insulin-receptor substrates. 1705 Jun 83

TLR are primary triggers of the innate immune system by recognizing various microorganisms through conserved pathogen-associated molecular patterns. TLR2 is the receptor for a functional recognition of bacterial lipopeptides (LP) and is up-regulated during various disorders such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and sepsis. This receptor is unique in its ability to form heteromers with TLR1 or TLR6 to mediate intracellular signaling. According to the fatty acid pattern as well as the assembling of the polypeptide tail, LP can signal through TLR2 in a TLR1- or TLR6-dependent manner. There are also di- and triacylated LP, which stimulate TLR1-deficient cells and TLR6-deficient cells. In this study, we investigated whether heterodimerization evolutionarily developed to broaden the ligand spectrum or to induce different immune responses. We analyzed the signal transduction pathways activated through the different TLR2 dimers using the three LP, palmitic acid (Pam)octanoic acid (Oct)(2)C-(VPGVG)(4)VPGKG, fibroblast-stimulating LP-1, and Pam(2)C-SK(4). Dominant-negative forms of signaling molecules, immunoblotting of MAPK, as well as microarray analysis indicate that all dimers use the same signaling cascade, leading to an identical pattern of gene activation. We conclude that heterodimerization of TLR2 with TLR1 or TLR6 evolutionarily developed to expand the ligand spectrum to enable the innate immune system to recognize the numerous, different structures of LP present in various pathogens. Thus, although mycoplasma and Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria may activate different TLR2 dimers, the development of different signal pathways in response to different LP does not seem to be of vital significance for the innate defense system.
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PMID:Heterodimerization of TLR2 with TLR1 or TLR6 expands the ligand spectrum but does not lead to differential signaling. 1805 80


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