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)

Enhancement of tumor cell growth and invasiveness by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) requires constitutive activation of the ras/MAPK pathway. Here we have investigated how MEK activation by epidermal growth factor (EGF) influences the response of fully differentiated and growth-arrested pig thyroid epithelial cells in primary culture to TGF-beta1. The epithelial tightness was maintained after single stimulation with EGF or TGF-beta1 (both 10 ng/ml) for 48 hours. In contrast, co-stimulation abolished the transepithelial resistance and increased the paracellular flux of [(3)H]inulin within 24 hours. Reduced levels of the tight junction proteins claudin-1 and occludin accompanied the loss of barrier function. N-cadherin, expressed only in few cells of untreated or single-stimulated cultures, was at the same time increased 30-fold and co-localised with E-cadherin at adherens junctions in all cells. After 48 hours of co-stimulation, both E- and N-cadherin were downregulated and the cells attained a fibroblast-like morphology and formed multilayers. TGF-beta1 only partially inhibited EGF-induced Erk phosphorylation. The MEK inhibitor U0126 prevented residual Erk phosphorylation and abrogated the synergistic responses to TGF-beta1 and EGF. The observations indicate that concomitant growth factor-induced MEK activation is necessary for TGF-beta1 to convert normal thyroid epithelial cells to a mesenchymal phenotype.
 ...
PMID:Transforming growth factor-beta and epidermal growth factor synergistically stimulate epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) through a MEK-dependent mechanism in primary cultured pig thyrocytes. 1237 55

Bone morphogenetic protein-15 (BMP-15), an oocyte growth factor belonging to the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily, has recently been shown to be necessary for normal female fertility in mammals. We have previously demonstrated that BMP-15 regulates granulosa cell (GC) proliferation and differentiation; namely, BMP-15 promotes GC mitosis, suppresses follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) receptor expression, and stimulates kit ligand expression. Although the role of BMP-15 in female reproduction has progressively deserved much attention, there is nothing known to date about the signaling pathway and receptors for BMP-15. Using rat primary GCs and a human GC cell line, COV434, we have now found that administration of BMP-15 causes a rapid and transient phosphorylation, thus activation, of the Smad1/5/8 pathway. BMP-15 also stimulated promoter activity of a selective BMP-responsive reporter construct, further demonstrating the stimulation of Smad1/5/8 signaling by BMP-15. In contrast, BMP-15 stimulation of Smad2 phosphorylation was very weak. To identify the receptors for BMP-15, we utilized recombinant extracellular domains of individual transforming growth factor-beta superfamily receptors and found that activin receptor-like kinase-6 extracellular domain most effectively co-immunoprecipitates with BMP-15, whereas BMP receptor type II extracellular domain was most effective in inhibiting BMP-15 bioactivity on FSH-induced progesterone production and GC thymidine incorporation. We also investigated whether activation of the MAPK pathway is necessary for BMP-15 biological activity and found that the addition of U0126, an inhibitor of ERK1/2 phosphorylation, suppresses BMP-15 activity on GC mitotsis but not on FSH-induced progesterone production, suggesting a selective signaling cascade in GC proliferation and differentiation.
 ...
PMID:Molecular basis of bone morphogenetic protein-15 signaling in granulosa cells. 1241 20

We have focused our attention on the molecular events underlying the antagonistic activities of pro-inflammatory cytokines against transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta)/SMAD signaling. Using jnk1/2-knockout (jnk(-/-)) and I kappa B kinase-gamma/nemo(-/-) fibroblasts, we have determined the specific roles played by the JNK/AP-1 and NF-kappa B/Rel pathways in this phenomenon. We demonstrate that, in a cellular context devoid of JNK activity (i.e. jnk(-/-) fibroblasts), interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) did not inhibit the formation of SMAD-DNA complexes and the resulting SMAD-driven transcription in response to TGF-beta. On the other hand, lack of NF-kappa B activity in nemo(-/-) fibroblasts did not affect the antagonistic effect of pro-inflammatory cytokines against TGF-beta. In the latter cell type, overexpression of antisense c-jun mRNA or of a dominant-negative form of MKK4 blocked the inhibitory activity of TNF-alpha, similar to what was observed in normal human dermal fibroblasts. Among JNK substrates, c-Jun and JunB (but not activating transcription factor-2) antagonized TGF-beta/SMAD signaling in a JNK-dependent manner. Overexpression of JNK1 in jnk(-/-) fibroblasts restored the ability of cytokines and Jun proteins to interfere with SMAD signaling. In junAA mouse embryo fibroblasts, in which c-Jun can no longer be phosphorylated by JNK, JunB substituted for c-Jun in mediating the cytokine effect against SMAD-driven transcription in a JNK-dependent manner. These results suggest a critical role for JNK-mediated c-Jun and JunB phosphorylation in transmitting the inhibitory effect of pro-inflammatory cytokines against TGF-beta-induced SMAD signaling. In addition, we demonstrate that such a JNK-dependent regulatory mechanism underlies the antagonistic activity of TNF-alpha against TGF-beta-induced up-regulation of type I and III collagens in fibroblasts.
 ...
PMID:A central role for the JNK pathway in mediating the antagonistic activity of pro-inflammatory cytokines against transforming growth factor-beta-driven SMAD3/4-specific gene expression. 1242 18

The mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) play an important role in a variety of biological processes. Activation of MAPKs is mediated by phosphorylation on specific regulatory tyrosine and threonine sites. We have recently found that activation of p38alpha MAPK can be carried out not only by its upstream MAPK kinases (MKKs) but also by p38alpha autophosphorylation. p38alpha autoactivation requires an interaction of p38alpha with TAB1 (transforming growth factor-beta-activated protein kinase 1-binding protein 1). The autoactivation mechanism of p38alpha has been found to be important in cellular responses to a number of physiologically relevant stimuli. Here, we report the characterization of a splicing variant of TAB1, TAB1beta. TAB1 and TAB1beta share the first 10 exons. The 11th and 12th exons of TAB1 were spliced out in TAB1beta, and an extra exon, termed exon beta, downstream of exons 11 and 12 in the genome was used as the last exon in TAB1beta. The mRNA of TAB1beta was expressed in all cell lines examined. The TAB1beta mRNA encodes a protein with an identical sequence to TAB1 except the C-terminal 69 amino acids were replaced with an unrelated 27-amino acid sequence. Similar to TAB1, TAB1beta interacts with p38alpha but not other MAPKs and stimulates p38alpha autoactivation. Different from TAB1, TAB1beta does not bind or activate TAK1. Inhibition of TAB1beta expression with RNA interference in MDA231 breast cancer cells resulted in the reduction of basal activity of p38alpha and invasiveness of MDA231 cells, suggesting that TauAlphaBeta1beta is involved in regulating p38alpha activity in physiological conditions.
 ...
PMID:TAB1beta (transforming growth factor-beta-activated protein kinase 1-binding protein 1beta ), a novel splicing variant of TAB1 that interacts with p38alpha but not TAK1. 1242 32

In normal epithelial cells, transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) typically causes growth arrest in the G(1) phase of the cell cycle and may eventually lead to apoptosis. However, transformed cells lose these inhibitory responses and often instead show an increase in malignant character following TGF-beta treatment. In the canine kidney-derived epithelial cell line, MDCK, synergism between activation of the Raf/MAPK pathway and the resulting autocrine production of TGF-beta triggers transition from an epithelial to a mesenchymal phenotype. During this process, these cells become refractive to TGF-beta-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. TGF-beta signals are primarily transduced to the nucleus through complexes of receptor-regulated Smads, Smad2 and Smad3 with the common mediator Smad, Smad4. Here we show that the transition from an epithelial to mesenchymal phenotype is accompanied by gradual down-regulation of expression of Smad3. Restoration of Smad3 to previous levels of expression restores the cell cycle arrest induced by TGF-beta without reverting the cells to an epithelial phenotype or impacting on the MAPK pathway. Regulation of apoptosis is not affected by Smad3 levels. These data attribute to Smad3 a critical role in the control of cell proliferation by TGF-beta, which is lost following an epithelial to mesenchymal transition.
 ...
PMID:Epithelial to mesenchymal transition in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells is accompanied by down-regulation of Smad3 expression, leading to resistance to transforming growth factor-beta-induced growth arrest. 1243 25

The hydrophobicity of biomaterials has been recognized as a limitation to the adequate function of anchorage-dependent cells when hydrophobic biomaterials are used for tissue engineering. This is due to flawed solid-state signals from cell adhesion. In this study, a recombinant osteopontin (rOPN17-169) fragment containing the cell adhesion motifs was expressed in E. coli and was precoated on the hydrophobic surface prior to osteoblastic MG63 cell culture. Precoating the hydrophobic surface with rOPN17-169 improved osteoblastic cell adhesion, which was blocked by soluble RGDS. The adhesion of MG63 cells to rOPN17-169 pre-coated surface-activated mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) such as extracellular signal-receptor kinase 1/2, p38, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). In addition, p38 MAPK was activated in response to a soluble factor of transforming growth factor-beta in the cells adhered to the hydrophobic surface via rOPN17-169. This suggests that rOPN17-169 precoated on the hydrophobic surface can allow osteoblastic cells to generate adhesion signals sufficient for cell adhesion, MAPK activation, and the cytokine activation of osteoblastic cells.
 ...
PMID:MG63 osteoblastic cell adhesion to the hydrophobic surface precoated with recombinant osteopontin fragments. 1250 28

Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) is a novel member of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily and has been shown to be induced in neurons subsequent to lesions. We have therefore begun to study its putative role in the regulation of neuron survival and apoptosis. Cultured cerebellar granule neurons (CGN) survive when maintained in high K(+) (25 mm) but undergo apoptosis when switched to low K(+) (5 mm). GDF-15 prevented death of CGN in low K(+). This effect could be blocked by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway inhibitors LY294002 or wortmannin. In contrast, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK)/extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway inhibitors U0126 and PD98059 potentiated GDF-15 mediated survival and prevented cell death in low K(+) even without factor treatment. Immunoblots revealed GDF-15-induced phosphorylation of Akt and glycogen synthase kinase-3beta. This activation was suppressed by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitors. Low K(+) induced delayed and persistent ERK activation, which was blocked by MEK inhibitors or GDF-15. ERK activation induced c-Jun, a member of the AP-1 transcription factor family. GDF-15 or U0126 prevented c-Jun activation. Furthermore, we show that GDF-15 prevented generation of reactive oxygen species, a known activator of ERK. Together, our data suggest that GDF-15 prevents apoptosis in CGN by activating Akt and inhibiting endogenously active ERK.
 ...
PMID:Growth differentiation factor-15 prevents low potassium-induced cell death of cerebellar granule neurons by differential regulation of Akt and ERK pathways. 1251 75

In skin, the profibrotic protein connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is not normally expressed. However, when skin cells are exposed to transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), CTGF is induced in fibroblasts but not in epithelial cells. We have begun to investigate the requirements for the fibroblast-selective induction of CTGF by TGF-beta. Previously we found that this response was Smad-dependent. Now we show that protein kinase C and Ras/MEK/ERK are necessary for the TGF-beta induction of the CTGF promoter but not of a generic Smad-responsive promoter (SBE-lux). Induction of the CTGF promoter is antagonized by c-Jun or by MEKK1, suggesting that a proper balance between the Ras/MEK/ERK and JNK MAPK cascades is necessary for TGF-beta induction of CTGF. We identify the minimal CTGF promoter element necessary and sufficient to confer TGF-beta responsiveness to a heterologous promoter and show that a tandem repeat of a consensus transcription enhancer factor binding element, 5'-GAGGAATGG-3', is necessary for this induction. This element has not been previously shown to play a role in TGF-beta induction of gene expression in fibroblasts. Gel shift analysis shows that this sequence binds nuclear factors that are greatly enriched in fibroblasts relative to epithelial cells. Thus Smads, Ras/MEK/ERK, protein kinase C, and fibroblast-enriched factors that bind GAGGAATGG act together to drive the TGF-beta-mediated induction of CTGF in fibroblasts.
 ...
PMID:Connective tissue growth factor gene regulation. Requirements for its induction by transforming growth factor-beta 2 in fibroblasts. 1257 Dec 53

Airway epithelial cells play a central role in the inflammatory, apoptotic, and remodeling processes associated with asthma. Within this context, a key function is exerted by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), whose biological effects are mediated at least in part by mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). The aim of our study was to investigate, in primary cultures of human bronchial epithelial cells (HBEC), the effects of TGF-beta (10 ng/ml) on both MAPK activation and apoptosis, in the presence or absence of a pretreatment with budesonide (10-8 M). MAPK activation was detected by Western blotting, using anti-phospho-MAPK monoclonal antibodies, which specifically recognize the phosphorylated, active forms of these enzymes. Apoptosis was assayed by caspase-3 activation and fluorescence microscopy, using annexin-V (An-V) and propidium iodide (PI) as markers of cell death. Our results show that TGF-beta induced a marked ( reverse similar 9-fold) increase in p38 MAPK phosphorylation, and also dramatically enhanced cell death, which was completely prevented by specific MAPK inhibitors. Both MAPK activation and apoptosis were effectively inhibited by budesonide (BUD), thereby suggesting that the powerful antiapoptotic action of inhaled glucocorticoids may be very important for their protective role against epithelial injury, which represents a key pathogenic event in asthma.
 ...
PMID:Effects of transforming growth factor-[beta] and budesonide on mitogen-activated protein kinase activation and apoptosis in airway epithelial cells. 1260 Aug 35

p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) regulates matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) gene expression bidirectionally depending on the induction. We sought to determine whether cytokines related to the regulation of extracellular matrix could activate p38 MAPK in dermal fibroblasts. We determined p38 MAPK phosphorylation/activation in dermal fibroblasts stimulated with platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), transforming growth factor-beta or interleukin-4. Induction of MMP-1 mRNA by PDGF-BB was enhanced in the presence of a specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK, suggesting that p38 MAPK would function as a negative regulator of the MMP-1 mRNA level. We then determined which isoforms of p38 MAPK expressed in dermal fibroblasts were responsible for the downregulation of the MMP-1 mRNA level. Overexpression of p38beta2, but not of p38alpha, significantly decreased PDGF-BB-induced MMP-1 promoter activity, although PDGF-BB activated signaling pathways to both p38alpha and p38beta2. Taken together, the results of this study indicate that p38beta2 can function as a negative regulator of MMP-1 induced by PDGF-BB in vitro, suggesting that activation of p38beta2 might contribute to the pathogenesis of cutaneous fibrosis.
 ...
PMID:Activation of p38 MAPK suppresses matrix metalloproteinase-1 gene expression induced by platelet-derived growth factor. 1262 81


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>