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

GnRH1 stimulates the synthesis and secretion of FSH and LH from the anterior pituitary gland. The molecular mechanisms through which GnRH1 produces these effects in humans have not been determined. Here, we examined transcriptional regulation of the human FSHbeta (FSHB) subunit using reporter assays in immortalized murine gonadotrope cells. GnRH1 dose and time dependently stimulated FSHB promoter activity, with peak stimulation occurring at 8 h. GnRH1 rapidly stimulated various MAPK cascades, though the ERK1/2 and p38 pathways appeared to be most critical for FSHB induction. Indeed, constitutively active forms of both Raf1 kinase and MAP2K6 (MKK6) were sufficient to stimulate reporter activity. GnRH1 stimulated activator protein-1 (AP-1) (FosB, c-fos, JunB, and cJun) synthesis and complex formation, the latter of which bound to a conserved cis-element within -120 bp of the transcription start site. A second, lower affinity, site was mapped more proximally. Mutations of both cis-elements diminished GnRH1-stimulated promoter activity, though disruption of the higher affinity site had a more dramatic effect. A dominant-negative Fos protein dose dependently inhibited GnRH1-stimulated FSHB transcription, confirming a role for endogenous AP-1 proteins. MAPK kinase 1 (MEK1) and p38 inhibitors significantly attenuated GnRH1-stimulated c-fos, FosB, and JunB synthesis, suggesting a mechanism whereby the ERK1/2 and p38 signaling pathways regulate FSHB transcription. Activins and inhibins potently regulate FSH synthesis in rodents, but their roles in FSH regulation in humans are less clear. Activin A, though weak on its own, synergized with GnRH1 to stimulate human FSHB promoter activity. In contrast, activin A partially inhibited GnRH1-stimulated LHbeta subunit (LHB) transcription. The GnRH1 and activin A signaling pathways appear to converge at the level of the high-affinity AP-1 site. Fos and Jun proteins synergistically regulate reporter activity through this element, and their effects are potentiated by coexpression of either Smad2 or Smad3, effectors in the activin signaling cascade. In summary, GnRH1 and activin A synergistically regulate human FSHB subunit transcription. The combined actions of AP-1 and Smad proteins acting through a conserved AP-1 element provide a candidate mechanism for this effect. The ability of activins to potentiate selectively the effects of GnRH1 on FSHB expression suggests a model for preferential increases in FSH secretion at the luteal-follicular transition of the menstrual cycle.
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PMID:Activator protein-1 and smad proteins synergistically regulate human follicle-stimulating hormone beta-promoter activity. 1865 5

Pulsatile GnRH (GNRH) differentially regulates LH and FSH subunit genes, with faster frequencies favoring Lhb transcription and slower favoring Fshb. Various intracellular pathways mediate the effects of GNRH, including CaMK II (CAMK2), ERK, and JNK. We examined whether activation of these pathways is regulated by GNRH pulse frequency in vivo. GNRH-deficient rats received GNRH pulses (25 ng i.v. every 30 or 240 min for 8 h, vehicle to controls). Pituitaries were collected 5 min after the last pulse, bisected, and one half processed for RNA (to measure beta subunit primary transcripts [PTs]) and the other for protein. Phosphorylated CAMK2 (phospho-CAMK2), ERK (mitogen-activated protein kinase 1/3 [MAPK1/3], also known as p42 ERK2 and p44 ERK1, respectively), and JNK (MAPK8/9, also known as p46 JNK1 and p54 JNK2, respectively) were determined by Western blotting. The 30-min pulses maximally stimulated Lhb PT (8-fold), whereas 240 min was optimal for Fshb PT (3-fold increase). Both GNRH pulse frequencies increased phospho-CAMK2 4-fold. Activation of MAPK1/3 was stimulated by both 30- and 240-min pulses, but phosphorylation of MAPK3 was significantly greater following slower GNRH pulses (240 min: 4-fold, 30 min: 2-fold). MAPK8/9 activation was unchanged by pulsatile GNRH in this paradigm, but as previous results showed that GNRH-induced activation of MAPK8/9 is delayed, 5 min after GNRH may not be optimal to observe MAPK8/9 activation. These data show that CAMK2 is activated by GNRH, but not in a frequency-dependant manner, whereas MAPK3 is maximally stimulated by slow-frequency GNRH pulses. Thus, the ERK response to slow pulse frequency is part of the mechanisms mediating Fhb transcriptional responses to GNRH.
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PMID:Regulation of intracellular signaling cascades by GNRH pulse frequency in the rat pituitary: roles for CaMK II, ERK, and JNK activation. 1871 86

Pleiotropic actions of cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) are well described in the central nervous system and periphery, but the intracellular mechanisms mediating biological actions of CART are poorly understood. Although CART is not expressed in mouse ovaries, we have previously established CART as a novel intracellular regulator of estradiol production in bovine granulosa cells. We demonstrated that inhibitory actions of CART on estradiol production are mediated through inhibition of FSH-induced cAMP accumulation, Ca(2+) influx, and aromatase mRNA expression via a G(o/i)-dependent pathway. We also reported that FSH-induced estradiol production is dependent on Erk1/2 and Akt signaling, and CART may regulate other signaling proteins downstream of cAMP essential for estradiol production. Here, we demonstrate that CART is a potent inhibitor of FSH-stimulated Erk1/2 and Akt signaling and the mechanisms involved. Transient CART stimulation of bovine granulosa cells shortens the duration of FSH-induced Erk1/2 and Akt signaling whereas a prolonged (24 h) CART treatment blocks Erk1/2 and Akt activation in response to FSH. This CART-induced accelerated termination of Erk1/2 and Akt signaling is mediated both by induced expression and impaired ubiquitin-mediated proteasome degradation of dual specific phosphatase 5 (DUSP5) and protein phosphatase 2A. Results also support existence of a negative feedback loop in which CART via a G(o/i)-MAPK kinase dependent pathway activates Erk1/2, and the latter induces DUSP5 expression. Moreover, small interfering RNA mediated ablation of DUSP5 and/or protein phosphatase 2A prevents the CART-induced early termination of Erk1/2 and Akt signaling. Results provide novel insight into the intracellular mechanism of action of CART in regulation of FSH-induced MAPK signaling.
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PMID:Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript accelerates termination of follicle-stimulating hormone-induced extracellularly regulated kinase 1/2 and Akt activation by regulating the expression and degradation of specific mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatases in bovine granulosa cells. 1881 82

FSH stimulation of granulosa cells (GCs) results in increased hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha protein levels and HIF-1 activity that is necessary for up-regulation of certain FSH target genes including vascular endothelial growth factor. We report that the role of the phosphatidylinositol (PI)-3-kinase/AKT pathway in increasing HIF-1alpha protein in FSH-stimulated GCs extends beyond an increase in mammalian target of rapamycin-stimulated translation. FSH increases phosphorylation of the AKT target mouse double-minute 2 (MDM2); a phosphomimetic mutation of MDM2 is sufficient to induce HIF-1 activity. The PI3-kinase/AKT target forkhead box-containing protein O subfamily 1 (FOXO1) also effects the accumulation of HIF-1alpha as evidenced by the ability of a constitutively active FOXO1 mutant to inhibit the induction by FSH of HIF-1alpha protein and HIF-1 activity. Activation of the PI3-kinase/AKT pathway in GCs by IGF-I is sufficient to induce HIF-1alpha protein but surprisingly not HIF-1 activity. HIF-1 activity also appears to require a PD98059-sensitive protein (kinase) activity stimulated by FSH that is both distinct from mitogen-activated ERK kinase1/2 or 5 and independent of the PI3-kinase/AKT pathway. These results indicate that FSH-stimulated HIF-1 activation leading to up-regulation of targets such as vascular endothelial growth factor requires not only PI3-kinase/AKT-mediated activation of mammalian target of rapamycin as well as phosphorylation of FOXO1 and possibly MDM2 but also a protein (kinase) activity that is inhibited by the classic ERK kinase inhibitor PD98059 but not ERK1/2 or 5. Thus, regulation of HIF-1 activity in GCs by FSH under normoxic conditions is complex and requires input from multiple signaling pathways.
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PMID:Role of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase and extracellular regulated kinase pathways in the induction of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1 activity and the HIF-1 target vascular endothelial growth factor in ovarian granulosa cells in response to follicle-stimulating hormone. 1884 36

Nur77 belongs to a subfamily of nuclear receptors that includes two other members, Nor-1 and Nurr1. It plays an important role in a number of biological processes, including regulation of signaling functions in the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis, regulation of thymocyte apoptosis, regulation of steroidogenesis and regulation of tumor cell proliferation and apoptosis. In previous studies, using DNA microarray analysis of the effects of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) on the mouse pituitary gonadotroph cell line LbetaT2, we identified Nur77 as one of the highly regulated immediate early genes involved in this response, with >40-fold upregulation after 1 h of treatment of the cells with the GnRH agonist [D-Ala6GnRH (GnRHA)]. GnRH is a hypothalamic decapeptide that stimulates the secretion and expression of gonadotropins (follicle stimulating hormone, FSH and luteinizing hormone releasing hormone, LH) from anterior pituitary through activation of high affinity receptors present on cell membrane of pituitary gonadotropes. In addition to pituitary, the presence of GnRH high affinity receptors has been reported in various cancers and cancer cell lines. In addition, GnRH and its analogs are clinically used in the treatment of prostate cancer. To elucidate the molecular mechanism involved in regulation of Nur77 by GnRH, we first confirmed upregulation of Nur77 in response to GnRH analog (GnRHA) in LbetaT2 cells. Nur77 mRNA was upregulated within 30 min of GnRHA treatment and returned to nearly basal level after 24 h of treatment. Nur77 protein expression was upregulated after 2 h of treatment and remained steady even after 12 h of treatment. The expression of Nur77 mRNA was induced by GnRHA in a dose-dependent manner. Induction of Nur77 expression was stimulated on treatment of cells with forskolin and 8-Br-cAMP, whereas H-89, a specific inhibitor of PKA pathway significantly inhibited GnRHA-induced Nur77 expression. Treatment of cells with both H-89 and EGTA completely blocked the GnRHA-induced expression of Nur77, indicating that both calcium and cAMP/PKA play an important role in regulation of Nur77 expression by GnRHA. Analysis of the protein kinase C (PKC) signaling pathway using specific inhibitors for PKC, Erk1/2, p38 and JNK demonstrated that these pathways are not involved in GnRHA-induced Nur77 expression. Based on our results, we conclude that activation of protein kinase A is the major mechanism regulating the expression of Nur77 by GnRH which may serve as a down-stream signaling gene to mediate the antitumor effects of GnRH.
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PMID:Protein kinase A serves as a primary pathway in activation of Nur77 expression by gonadotropin-releasing hormone in the LbetaT2 mouse pituitary gonadotroph tumor cell line. 1894 69

We have analyzed a possible role of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and activator protein-1 (AP-1) in the regulation of FSH-induced tissue type plasminogen activator (tPA) production in granulosa cells (GCs) prepared from DES-treated immature rats; Treatment of the cells in the presence of FSH with MAPK inhibitors, such as UO126 or SB203580, significantly decreased the FSH-induced tPA production, suggesting that multiple signaling pathways may be involved in FSH-regulated tPA expression. We further examined possible signaling action involved in FSH-activated ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK on tPA production, and observed that FSH receptor occupancy led to both ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK phosphorylation. Such action might be through a protein kinase A-dependent pathway because the observed activation was destroyed by the addition of its specific inhibitor H89 to the culture. The inhibition of ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK activation by their specific inhibitors remarkably reduced FSH-induced tPA mRNA and its protein production. We further examined whether AP-1 located in the tPA promoter is involved in FSH-regulated tPA production, and demonstrated that FSH significantly stimulated AP-1 expression, whereas inclusion of H89, UO126, or SB20358 in the culture significantly decreased FSH-induced AP-1 expression. In summary, FSH-induced ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK activation is capable of regulating tPA production in cultured primary GCs, and that the transcript factor AP-1 may be important in the regulation of FSH-induced tPA expression.
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PMID:Mitogen-activated protein kinase regulates FSH-induced expression of tissue-type plasminogen activator through an activator protein 1 response element. 1898 62

In addition to their critical roles in folliculogenesis and ovarian granulosa cell steroidogenesis, gonadotropins have been implicated as potential risk factors in ovarian epithelial carcinomas, most of which are derived from ovarian surface epithelium (OSE). However, the molecular mechanism underlying the effects of FSH and LH in OSE and its neoplastic counterpart is not well understood. We previously demonstrated that gonadotropins promote the growth of OSE cells by regulating the levels of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) via the activation of ERK1/2 and PI3K pathways in immortalized human OSE (IOSE) cells. In this study, we investigated whether cAMP and its novel binding target, named exchange protein activated by cAMP (Epac), are involved in the gonadotropin-induced EGFR expression in OSE cells. Gonadotropins elevated intracellular cAMP levels in both IOSE and granulosa cells, and this increase was attenuated by SQ22536, an inhibitor of adenylyl cyclase (AC). The activation of the ERK1/2 and Akt pathways as well as the expression of EGFR was stimulated by reagents that elevate intracellular cAMP levels, via cAMP analog 8-bromo-cAMP and AC activator forskolin. A similar increase was observed when the cells were treated with a novel cAMP analog, 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-2'-O-methyl adenosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-CPT-2ME-cAMP), which activates Epac specifically but not PKA. Moreover, the gonadotropin-induced EGFR expression and ERK1/2 and Akt activation were abolished by overexpression of dominant negative Epac. Taken together, these results indicate that the AC/cAMP/Epac signaling pathway may mediate the up-regulation of EGFR by gonadotropins via ERK1/2 and Akt activation.
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PMID:Gonadotropin-stimulated epidermal growth factor receptor expression in human ovarian surface epithelial cells: involvement of cyclic AMP-dependent exchange protein activated by cAMP pathway. 1902 48

Roles of the p38-MAPK pathway in steroidogenesis were investigated using coculture of rat granulosa cells with oocytes. Activin and FSH readily phosphorylated p38 in granulosa cells. Activin effect on p38 phosphorylation was abolished by a selective activin receptor-like kinase-4, -5, and -7 inhibitor, SB431542. SB431542 decreased FSH-induced estradiol but had no effect on progesterone production with a marginal cAMP reduction, suggesting that endogenous activin is primarily involved in estradiol synthesis. FSH-induced p38 activation was not affected either by SB431542 or follistatin, suggesting that FSH activates p38 not through the endogenous activin. Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2 and BMP-4 also enhanced FSH-induced p38 phosphorylation, which was augmented by oocyte action. A specific p38 inhibitor, SB203580, decreased FSH-induced estradiol production. However, FSH-induced cAMP accumulation was not changed by SB203580, suggesting that p38 activation is linked to estradiol synthesis independently of cAMP. BMP-2 and BMP-4 inhibited FSH- and forskolin (FSK)-induced progesterone and cAMP synthesis regardless of oocyte action. BMP-2, BMP-4, and activin increased FSH-induced estradiol production, which was enhanced in the presence of oocytes. In contrast to activin that enhanced FSK-induced estradiol, BMP-2 and BMP-4 had no effects on FSK-induced estradiol production, suggesting that BMP-2 and BMP-4 directly activate FSH-receptor signaling. Given that activin increased, but BMP-2 and BMP-4 decreased, FSH-induced cAMP, the effects of BMP-2 and BMP-4 on estradiol enhancement appeared to be diverged from the cAMP-protein kinase A pathway. Thus, BMP-2 and BMP-4 differentially regulate steroidogenesis by stimulating FSH-induced p38 and suppressing cAMP. The former is involved in estradiol production and enhanced by oocyte action, whereas the latter leads to reduction of progesterone synthesis.
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PMID:p38-Mitogen-activated protein kinase stimulated steroidogenesis in granulosa cell-oocyte cocultures: role of bone morphogenetic proteins 2 and 4. 1902 84

In vertebrate species that ovulate one or a limited number of ovarian follicles per reproductive cycle, the cellular processes by which follicle selection (cyclic recruitment) is mediated and final differentiation is initiated remain largely unknown. In the hen ovary, the selection of a single follicle into the preovulatory hierarchy on an approximate daily basis occurs from a small cohort of prehierarchal follicles measuring approximately 6- to 8-mm in diameter. Given that the granulosa layer undergoes a dramatic alteration in phenotype subsequent to follicle selection, of particular interest are the cell signaling and associated transcriptional mechanisms that regulate this transition. Recent studies suggest that granulosa cells from prehierarchal follicles are normally maintained in an undifferentiated state by inhibitory MAP kinase (MAPK) signaling mediated by epidermal growth factor receptor ligands (EGFRLs). One of the earliest markers for differentiating granulosa cells is elevated expression of FSH receptor (fshr) mRNA and enhanced FSH-induced cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) production. EGFRL/MAPK signaling is proposed to inhibit fshr transcription via its ability to induce Inhibitor of differentiation/DNA binding (Id) protein isoforms, Id1, Id3 and Id4. Subsequent to follicle selection, cAMP-induced Id2 expression is considered both sufficient and necessary for fshr transcription. Two working models are proposed which predict that enhanced FSHR expression and the progression of granulosa cell differentiation occurs as a result of a decline in MAPK signaling from within granulosa cells (internal model for differentiation) and/or elevated cAMP signaling promoted by an endocrine, neuroendocrine or neuronal factor (external model).
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PMID:Dynamics of avian ovarian follicle development: cellular mechanisms of granulosa cell differentiation. 1905 11

Ovarian sex cord-stromal tumors are rare tumors that originate from the nongerminal cells of ovary. Two decades ago, the identification of juvenile granulosa-cell tumors (GCT), as a specific entity inside this group, allowed a better treatment of these tumors in children. However, little data have been reported on the natural course of the disease and reliable prognostic factors have not been yet defined. We here review the clinical and genetics aspects of granulosa tumors, based on a series of 40 children. This national collaborative study involved the French Society of Children Cancer and eight clinical departments of pediatric endocrinology. We found that early diagnosis of a tumor, revealed by clinical signs of hyperoestrogeny, is an important prognostic factor. The pathophysiology of these tumors is still debatable and several cellular- and molecular-abnormal signals could be implicated in their development. The role of growth factors and oncogenes through the signaling pathway of MAP kinase is still discussed. According to our data, FSH signaling-transduction pathway, such as a constitutionally activated Galphas, could also be implicated in the induction of granulosa cell proliferation and seems to modulate the invasiveness of the tumor. Last, we have described a low-expression pattern or an extinction of an ovarian-determination gene, FOXL2, which is related to a worse prognosis of this tumor.
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PMID:[Juvenile granulosa-cell tumor: clinical and molecular expression]. 1911 48


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