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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)

The proto-oncogene c-MET encodes a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor for hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF). HGF/SF stimulates the proliferation and motility of various cell types. Because HGF/SF is also a melanocyte mitogen, we investigated the biological role of HGF/SF, including c-Met expression, activation and signal transduction, in normal and malignant human melanocytes. We show that HGF/SF is mitogenic in the presence of synergistic factors, such as basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and mast cell growth factor (MGF) and that, by itself, it stimulates the motility of normal human melanocytes. The ligand also maintained high levels of tyrosinase activity and melanin content in theses cells. Signal transduction by HGF/SF included phosphorylation of tyrosyl residues on c-Met, a cascade of tyrosine phosphorylations on several other proteins and activation of microtubule-associated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase. Met expression and activity are normal in human melanomas, and constitutive activity of HGF/SF in retrovirally infected autonomously proliferative mouse melanocytes is insufficient to confer the malignant phenotype. Our findings suggest that activation of Met in response to HGF/SF may contribute to malignant progression synergistically with the aberrant expression of bFGF in malignant melanocytes and that, in addition, the peptide may promote dispersion of factor-dependent melanocytes from early stages of primary melanomas to ectopic sites.
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PMID:Met and hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor signal transduction in normal melanocytes and melanoma cells. 133 34

The Kit/stem cell factor receptor (Kit/SCF-R) is a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor of importance for the normal development of hemopoietic cells, melanoblasts, and germ cells. We recently reported that protein kinase C (PKC) is involved in a negative feedback loop regulating the Kit/SCF-R by direct phosphorylation on serine residues in the receptor. Inhibition of PKC led to increased SCF-induced tyrosine kinase activity and mitogenicity, but PKC was necessary for SCF-induced motility. In this report we have further examined the modulatory role of PKC on SCF-induced signaling. The ligand-activated Kit/SCF-R associated weakly with GRB2 and induced only little tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C-gamma in porcine aortic endothelial cells transfected with Kit/SCF-R. In contrast, the SCF-stimulated Kit/SCF-R associated efficiently with, and induced tyrosine phosphorylation of, the p85 alpha regulatory subunit of phosphatidyl inositide-3'-kinase (PI-3'-kinase). Both receptor association and tyrosine phosphorylation of p85 alpha were increased after inhibition of PKC, while its serine phosphorylation was decreased. Concomitantly, the specific activity of receptor-associated PI-3'-kinase activity was increased. Inhibition of PI-3'-kinase with wortmannin inhibited SCF-induced mitogenicity. SCF-induced phosphorylation of Raf-1 and activation of ERK2 still occurred after PKC inhibition but was not increased. In conclusion, SCF-induced PI-3'-kinase activation paralleled the increased SCF-induced mitogenicity after inhibition of PKC.
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PMID:Modulation of Kit/stem cell factor receptor-induced signaling by protein kinase C. 752 Apr 44

Mesoderm induction is a critical early step in vertebrate development, involving changes in gene expression and morphogenesis. In Xenopus, normal mesoderm formation depends on signalling through the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) tyrosine kinase receptor. One important signalling pathway from receptor tyrosine kinases involves p21ras (ref. 5). Ras associates with the serine kinase c-Raf-1 in a GTP-dependent manner, and this complex phosphorylates and activates MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK), a protein kinase with dual specificity. MEK then activates p42mapk and (at least in mammals) p44mapk, members of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family. FGF activates MAP kinase during mesoderm induction, and the use of dominant-negative constructs suggests that mesoderm induction by FGF requires both Ras and Raf. However, these experiments do not reveal whether Ras and Raf do act through MAP kinase to induce mesoderm or whether another pathway, such as the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase cascade, is involved. Here we show that expression of active forms of MEK or of MAP kinase induces ventral mesoderm of the kind elicited by FGF. Overexpression of a Xenopus MAP kinase phosphatase blocks mesoderm induction by FGF, and causes characteristic defects in mesoderm formation in intact embryos, whereas inhibition of the P13 kinase and p70 S6 kinase pathways has no effect on mesoderm induction by FGF. FGF induces different types of mesoderm in a dose-dependent manner; strikingly, this is mimicked by expressing different levels of activated MEK. Together, these experiments demonstrate that activation of MAP kinases is necessary and sufficient for mesoderm formation.
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PMID:Mesoderm induction in Xenopus caused by activation of MAP kinase. 754 Nov 16

Because cAMP exerts opposite effects on cell proliferation in different cell types, we undertook to study its effect on the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway in three cell lines (Rat-1, Swiss-3T3, and COS-7) chosen for their different mitogenic responses to cAMP. We measured the effect of cAMP on MAPK, MEK, and Raf-1 activities after stimulation by agonists acting through a tyrosine kinase receptor (epidermal growth factor) or a G protein-coupled receptor (lysophosphatidic acid). In Rat-1 cells we found that cAMP strongly inhibited all three activities (MAPK, MEK, and Raf-1), in good agreement with its effect on cell proliferation in these cells. In Swiss-3T3 and COS-7 cells, on the contrary, cAMP did not inhibit epidermal growth factor- and lysophosphatidic acid-induced stimulation of MAPK and MEK activities, and even stimulated MAPK activity slightly on its own. Again these results are in good agreement with the proliferative effect of cAMP in Swiss-3T3 cells. Raf-1 activity on the hand, was inhibited by cAMP in Swiss-3T3 and COS-7 as it was in Rat-1 cells. This result indicates that signaling pathways in Swiss-3T3 and COS-7 cells can activate MEK and MAPK in a Raf-1-independent and cAMP-insensitive manner. Our results add to growing evidence for the existence of Ras- and/or Raf-1-independent pathways leading to MEK and MAPK activation.
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PMID:Differential effects on cAMP on the MAP kinase cascade: evidence for a cAMP-insensitive step that can bypass Raf-1. 757 5

Angiotensin-II (AII), which stimulates steroidogenesis in bovine adrenocortical (BAC) cells through the phosphoinositides pathway, activates p42-p44 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) after 5 min of treatment (EC50 = 0.1 nM). This activation is 1) completely inhibited by the AII receptor AT1 subtype antagonist Dup 753 (10 microM), but unaffected by the AT2 antagonist PD 123177; 2) not reproduced by the AT2 agonist CGP 42112A; 3) insensitive to pretreatment with pertussis toxin; and 4) abolished by a 48-h preexposure of the cells to the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA; 1 microM), which down-regulates protein kinase-C activity. Fibroblast growth factor-2, a potent mitogen for BAC cells, which acts through its tyrosine kinase receptor, also activates MAPK (EC50 = 0.3 in a TPA-insensitive manner, while exhibiting no detectable effect on BAC cell steroidogenesis. In contrast, ACTH, which stimulates steroidogenesis via cAMP and inhibits BAC cell proliferation, does not stimulate MAPK. Indeed, ACTH completely blocks (IC50 = 0.01 nM) the stimulation of MAPK by AII, fibroblast growth factor-2, or TPA. Therefore, bovine adrenocortical cells provide an example of positive and negative hormonal regulation of MAPK activity through a cross-talk between the inositide-, cAMP-, and growth factor-activated tyrosine kinase pathways.
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PMID:Hormonal regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase activity in bovine adrenocortical cells: cross-talk between phosphoinositides, adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate, and tyrosine kinase receptor pathways. 786 5

Growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase regulation of the sequential phosphorylation reactions leading to mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activation in PC12 cells has been investigated. In response to epidermal growth factor, nerve growth factor, and platelet-derived growth factor, B-Raf and Raf-1 are activated, phosphorylate recombinant kinase-inactive MEK-1, and activate wild-type MEK-1. MEK-1 is the dual-specificity protein kinase that selectively phosphorylates MAP kinase on tyrosine and threonine, resulting in MAP kinase activation. B-Raf and Raf-1 are growth factor-regulated Raf family members which regulate MEK-1 and MAP kinase activity in PC12 cells. Protein kinase A activation in response to elevated cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels inhibited B-Raf and Raf-1 stimulation in response to growth factors. Ras.GTP loading in response to epidermal growth factor, nerve growth factor, or platelet-derived growth factor was unaffected by protein kinase A activation. Even though elevated cAMP levels inhibited Raf activation, the growth factor activation of MEK-1 and MAP kinase was unaffected in PC12 cells. The results demonstrate that tyrosine kinase receptor activation of MEK-1 and MAP kinase in PC12 cells is regulated by B-Raf and Raf-1, whose activation is inhibited by protein kinase A, and MEK activators, whose activation is independent of cAMP regulation.
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PMID:B-Raf-dependent regulation of the MEK-1/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway in PC12 cells and regulation by cyclic AMP. 793 74

Expression of the GTPase-deficient G alpha 16 polypeptide G alpha 16Q212L, a member of the Gq family of heterotrimeric G proteins, constitutively activated phospholipase C beta activity in Swiss 3T3 cells. Expression of G alpha 16Q212L appears to persistently stimulte a low level of protein kinase C activity which also increases protein kinase A activity in Swiss 3T3 cells. Growth of G alpha 16Q212L expressing cells was significantly inhibited relative to wild-type Swiss 3T3 cells. Bombesin-stimulated DNA synthesis was completely inhibited in G alpha 16Q212L expressing clones, whereas the growth responses to platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and serum were inhibited 50-80% relative to wild-type cells. In addition to the inhibition of cell growth, G alpha 16Q212L expression significantly inhibited the stimulation of protein kinase C, Raf-1, MEK, mitogen-activated protein kinase, phospholipase A2 activity, and Ca2+ mobilization in response to PDGF. In contrast, PDGF receptor activation of phospholipase C gamma, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, and Ras GTP loading was similar in wild-type and G alpha 16Q212L expressing clones. PDGF regulation of membrane ruffling and actin fiber assembly, responses mediated in part by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, were unaffected in G alpha 16Q212L expressing clones. The growth inhibitory action of G alpha 16Q212L expression in Swiss 3T3 cells is downstream of the initial SH2 domain-encoded signal transduction proteins regulated in response to PDGF receptor autophosphorylation. The findings demonstrate that constitutively activated G alpha 16Q212L persistently activates phospholipase C activity and effectively inhibits a subset of cytoplasmic signal transduction pathways involved in growth factor tyrosine kinase receptor stimulation of cell growth. G16/Gq-regulated signal transduction can acutely stimulate specific response pathways involved in mitogenesis; but persistent activation of G16/Gq-regulated effectors, including phospholipase C beta, inhibit tyrosine kinase-initiated mitogenesis. One role for G16/Gq response systems may be to modulate growth factor receptor signaling.
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PMID:Expression of GTPase-deficient G alpha 16 inhibits Swiss 3T3 cell growth. 802 Dec 43

Sequential protein kinase reactions involve the phosphorylation and activation of multiple kinases in a pathway. The growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase regulation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway was defined in 1993. The MAPK pathway involves sequential protein kinase reactions. Notable advances were made in defining tyrosine kinase receptor regulation of Ras, and these discoveries were combined with the identification of Raf-1, a serine-threonine protein kinase in the MAPK pathway, as an effector for Ras GTP.
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PMID:Sequential protein kinase reactions controlling cell growth and differentiation. 802 15

The trkB gene encodes a tyrosine kinase receptor, gp145trkB, for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-4 (NT-4). To understand the role of gp145trkB in the nervous system, we have investigated its expression in embryonic rat hippocampal pyramidal cell cultures and examined the effects of BDNF on signal transduction in the primary neurons. The expression of trkB transcripts was established by PCR analysis and in situ hybridization. In addition to gp145trkB, the pyramidal neuronal cultures expressed transcripts specific for the NT-3 receptor gp145trkC, but not for the high-affinity NGF receptor gp140trk or for p75LNGFR, a low-affinity receptor for all known members of the NGF family of neurotrophins including the gp145trkB ligands, BDNF and NT-4. The presence of gp145trkB receptors in the primary neuronal cultures was confirmed by immunocytochemical analysis in which > 90% of the cells stained with affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies to gp145trkB. Immunoblots using this antibody revealed a single approximately 140 kDa protein in both adult hippocampus and pyramidal cultures. Addition of recombinant BDNF to these cultures induced the tyrosine phosphorylation of gp145trkB, as determined by antiphosphotyrosine staining of gp145trkB immunoprecipitates. Moreover, BDNF treatment activated the microtubule-associated protein (MAP) kinases, as determined by an increase in MAP2 phosphorylation in vitro. Both the 41 and 44 kDa forms of MAP kinase were activated by BDNF. BDNF also increased c-fos expression in over 90% of the cells. These results indicate that gp145trkB does not require p75LNGFR to form a functional receptor for BDNF in hippocampal pyramidal neurons.
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PMID:Signal transduction events mediated by the BDNF receptor gp 145trkB in primary hippocampal pyramidal cell culture. 841 Jan 87

In Xenopus, normal mesoderm formation depends on signaling through the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) tyrosine kinase receptor. An important signaling pathway from receptor tyrosine kinases involves Ras/Raf/MAP kinase. However, the downstream pathway that occurs in the nucleus to finally trigger gene expression for mesoderm formation remains unknown. We report here that a high level of activator protein-1 (AP-1)-dependent transcriptional activity is detected during the early development of Xenopus embryos. Injection of a dominant negative mutant jun (DNM-jun or TAM67) RNA into the two-cell stage embryos inhibited endogenous AP-1 activity and blocked normal embryonic development with severe posterior truncation in tadpoles. The inhibition of AP-1 activity and the phenotypic change induced by TAM67 was rescued by co-injection of wild-type c-jun RNA, but not by the control beta-galactosidase RNA. The FGF-stimulated mesoderm induction was markedly inhibited in animal cap explants from the embryos injected with TAM67. Activin induction of mesoderm, on the other hand, was normal in the embryos injected with TAM67 RNA. These findings suggest that AP-1 mediates FGF, but not activin, receptor signaling during mesoderm induction and the AP-1/Jun is a key signaling molecule in the development of posterior structure.
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PMID:AP-1/jun is required for early Xenopus development and mediates mesoderm induction by fibroblast growth factor but not by activin. 862 31


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