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)

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent, multifunctional, endothelial-cell-specific growth factor. It stimulates proliferation and migration of endothelial cells. Characterization of intracellular signal transduction after VEGF and VEGF receptor (VEGFR) interaction has demonstrated the involvement of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. However, several studies indicated that signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) is another important pathway downstream of VEGF/VEGFR interaction. Therefore, we studied the role of STAT3 in the migration and tube formation of the human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMEC). HDMEC expressed phosphorylated forms of STAT1, STAT3, and STAT5, and a marked increase of phosphorylated STAT3 in the nuclear fraction after addition of VEGF was observed by Western blot and immunohistochemical staining. To verify the functional implication of STAT3 phosphorylation in HDMEC migration, we introduced a dominant-negative STAT3 using adenovirus vector system. Dominant-negative STAT3 abolished the VEGF-induced nuclear translocation of phosphorylated STAT3 and inhibited HDMEC migration completely. Dominant-negative STAT3 also suppressed VEGF-induced HDMEC tube formation on Matrigel and on collagen gel. These data demonstrate that STAT3 and its phosphorylation are involved in the downstream pathway of VEGF/VEGFR interaction and regulate VEGF-induced HDMEC migration and tube formation.
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PMID:Nuclear translocation of phosphorylated STAT3 is essential for vascular endothelial growth factor-induced human dermal microvascular endothelial cell migration and tube formation. 1287 94

During pregnancy, pancreatic islets undergo structural and functional changes in response to an increased demand for insulin. Different hormones, especially placental lactogens, mediate these adaptive changes. Prolactin (PRL) mainly exerts its biological effects by activation of the JAK2/STAT5 pathway. PRL also stimulates some biological effects via activation of IRS-1, IRS-2, PI 3-kinase, and MAPK in different cell lines. Since IRS-2 is important for the maintenance of pancreatic islet cell mass, we investigated whether PRL affects insulin-signaling pathways in neonatal rat islets. PRL significantly potentiated glucose-induced insulin secretion in islets cultured for 7 days. This effect was blocked by the specific PI 3-kinase inhibitor wortmannin. To determine possible effects of PRL on insulin-signaling pathways, fresh islets were incubated with or without the hormone for 5 or 15 min. Immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting with specific antibodies showed that PRL induced a dose-dependent IRS-1 and IRS-2 phosphorylation compared to control islets. PRL-induced increase in IRS-1/-2 phosphorylation was accompanied by an increase in the association with and activation of PI 3-kinase. PRL-induced IRS-2 phosphorylation and its association with PI 3-kinase did not add to the effect of insulin. PRL also induced JAK2, SHC, ERK1 and ERK2 phosphorylation in neonatal islets, demonstrating that PRL can activate MAPK. These data indicate that PRL can stimulate the IRSs/PI 3-kinase and SHC/ERK pathways in islets from neonatal rats.
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PMID:Prolactin-signal transduction in neonatal rat pancreatic islets and interaction with the insulin-signaling pathway. 1291 97

Mechanisms maintaining a correct balance between bone-forming osteoblasts and bone-resorbing osteoclasts are essential for bone formation. Apoptosis has been proposed to play a key role in controlling osteoblast homeostasis. 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] and GH, which are important regulators of bone growth and bone metabolism, also play pivotal roles in regulation of mitogenesis, differentiation, and apoptosis. We have recently shown that 1,25(OH)2D3 prolongs GH signaling via the Janus kinase 2 (JAK2)/STAT5 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 5) pathway in UMR 106 osteoblast-like cells. In the present study, we have investigated the effects of GH and 1,25(OH)2D3 on proliferation and apoptosis in UMR 106 cells. We found that 1,25(OH)2D3 and GH, separate or in combination, inhibited apoptosis. GH also had profound effects on cell cycle distribution and proliferation. In addition, pretreatment of cells with 1,25(OH)2D3 was necessary to detect GH-induced MAPK activation. We hypothesize that these hormones separately regulate the processes of apoptosis and proliferation, which may be important for maintaining osteoblast cell number.
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PMID:Effects of 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and growth hormone on apoptosis and proliferation in UMR 106 osteoblast-like cells. 1452 11

The signaling pathway of GH-stimulated IGF-I gene expression is still unclear, although it has been reported that the Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT)5b pathway plays an important role in liver IGF-I expression. In this study, the GH-dependent IGF-I gene expression and its intracellular signaling mechanism have been examined in mouse pro-B, Ba/F3 cells stably expressing human GH receptor (Ba/F3-hGHR). The IGF-I gene expression was stimulated by human GH (0.01-10 nm) in a dose-dependent fashion in Ba/F3-hGHR cells. The specific inhibitors for JAK2 remarkably suppressed the GH-induced IGF-I gene expression, but MAPK or phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase-specific inhibitors failed to block the GH stimulation of the IGF-I gene expression. However, genistein, a nonspecific tyrosine kinase inhibitor that does not inhibit JAK2 and STAT5 phosphorylation, significantly suppressed the GH-induced IGF-I gene expression. Additionally, a Ba/F3-hGHR mutant that contained the truncated C-terminal hGHR up to D351 showed no IGF-I gene expression in response to human GH. The D351 form normally has the GH-induced JAK/STAT5 tyrosine phosphorylation. These results suggest that the JAK-STAT5 pathway and the novel tyrosine phosphorylation pathway, dependent on signaling from the C-terminal region of hGHR, might be involved in the GH-stimulated IGF-I gene expression in Ba/F3 cells.
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PMID:Growth hormone (GH)-stimulated insulin-like growth factor I gene expression is mediated by a tyrosine phosphorylation pathway depending on C-terminal region of human GH receptor in human GH receptor-expressing Ba/F3 cells. 1455 Dec 25

Mammary gland development involves complex cycles of proliferation, differentiation, and morphogenesis, regulated by hormones including estrogens, prolactin (PRL), and epidermal growth factor (EGF). The mouse mammary epithelial cell line HC11 has been shown to be valuable for investigations of differentiation of mammary gland. In this study, we show that HC11 cells express estrogen receptor (ER)alpha and ER beta proteins at all developmental stages. We have established two different stable HC11 cell lines; H-estrogen response element (ERE) containing an ERE-reporter and H-Bc containing a beta-casein reporter. Transcription of the ERE-reporter was activated only in proliferating cells in the presence of EGF. When the cells entered the differentiation program, in the absence of EGF, estradiol-induced transcription of the ERE reporter was repressed, and similar results were obtained when MAPK signaling was inhibited in proliferating cells. We propose that these findings are related to changes in ER corepressor levels, regulated by EGF. We also report that the beta-casein reporter was activated in terminally differentiated cells and that this induction was effectively repressed by estradiol treatment. Finally, we show a physical interaction between endogenous ER alpha and signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 in differentiated HC11 cells. In summary, our results show that ER functional activity changes during differentiation of HC11 cells.
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PMID:Estrogen receptor functional activity changes during differentiation of mammary epithelial cells. 1460 98

Molecular targeting therapies for hematological malignant diseases such as monoclonal antibodies and small molecules have been reviewed. Imatinib mesylate (STI571) targets the tyrosine kinase activity of the BCR-ABL fusion protein in CML, and was superior to IFN-alpha plus low-dose cytarabine in newly diagnosed chronic-phase CML in a phase III randomized study. Imatinib induced apoptosis in BCR-ABL-positive cells in vitro, and activates several signaling pathways such as PI3K/Akt, STAT5 and Ras/MAPK. Combination therapies with imatinib and new strategies for downregulation of intracellular BCR-ABL protein levels have also been investigated from the phenomenon of resistance to imatinib. Anti-CD20 (rituximab) became the first monoclonal antibody approved for the treatment of a relapsed/refractory follicular/low-grade NHL and promising results were obtained from a phase III randomized study. Although antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity and complement-mediated cytotoxicity are likely to be the major effectors of B-cell depletion in vivo, direct cytotoxicity by CD20 monoclonal antibody on B-cell lines in vitro has been reported. Anti-CD33 (Mylotarg) and FLT3 inhibitors for AML have also been used in clinical trials and signaling pathways induced by these agents are under intensive investigation. Arsenic trioxide, like all-TRANS-retinoic acid (ATRA), downregulates promyelocytic leukemia protein/retinoic acid receptor-alpha (PML/RARalpha) fusion protein and induced apoptosis in APL cells, and promising results were obtained from ATRA-resistant APL patients. Finally we show our promising in vitro and in vivo data of R-etodolac (a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug lacking cyclooxygenase inhibitor activity) against chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells.
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PMID:Apoptosis induced by molecular targeting therapy in hematological malignancies. 1464 49

Microglia, the resident macrophage of the brain, mediates immune and inflammatory responses in the central nervous system (CNS). Activation of microglia and secretion of inflammatory cytokines associate with the pathogenesis of CNS diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease, prion disease, and AIDS dementia. Microbial pathogens, cytokines, chemokines, and costimulatory molecules are potent inducers of microglial activation in the CNS. Signaling through its receptor, IL-3 induces the activation of JAK-STAT and MAP kinase pathways in microglial cells. In this study, we found that in vitro treatment of EOC-20 microglial cells with tyrphostin AG490 blocked IL-3-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of JAK2, STAT5A, and STAT5B signaling proteins. Stable transfection of EOC-20 cells with a dominant negative JAK2 mutant also blocked IL-3-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of JAK2, STAT5A, and STAT5B in microglia. The blockade of JAK2-STAT5 pathway resulted in a decrease in IL-3-induced proliferation and expression of CD40 and major histocompatibility complex class II molecules in microglia. These findings highlight the fact that JAK2-STAT5 signaling pathway plays a critical role in mediating IL-3-induced activation of microglia.
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PMID:Signaling through JAK2-STAT5 pathway is essential for IL-3-induced activation of microglia. 1473 Jul 12

We previously reported the fusion of the TEL gene to the Syk gene in myelodysplastic syndrome with t(9;12)(q22;p12). TEL-Syk fusion transformed interleukin-3 (IL-3)-dependent murine hematopoietic cell line BaF3 to growth factor independence. Here, we investigate the intracellular signal transduction of the stable transfectants. TEL-Syk fusion protein was associated with the p85 subunit of phosphatidyl inositol 3 kinase (PI3-K) followed by the activation of Akt in the absence of IL-3. Vav, phospholipase C-gamma2 and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) were also constitutively activated. TEL-Syk also activated the signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) in the absence of Janus kinase 2 activation. None of these kinases were phosphorylated in the BaF3 cells transfected with TELDeltaPNT-Syk in which the oligomerization domain of TEL was deleted. Inhibitor analysis showed that the MAPK pathway was important in TEL-Syk-mediated cell proliferation. The immunofluorescence technique revealed that the TEL-Syk fusion protein was located in the cytoplasm. These data suggest that TEL-Syk fusion protein in the cytoplasm leads to the constitutive activation of PI3-K/Akt, MAPK and STAT5 signal pathways, which are closely involved in IL-3-independent cell proliferation of BaF3 cells.
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PMID:TEL-Syk fusion constitutively activates PI3-K/Akt, MAPK and JAK2-independent STAT5 signal pathways. 1474

Notch signaling plays an important role in the regulation of self-renewal and differentiation of hematopoietic cells. Human monoblastic U937 cells undergo differentiation into macrophage-like cells, growth suppression, and apoptosis following stimulation with GM-CSF. We examined the effects of Notch activation induced by Notch ligands on GM-CSF-induced differentiation and apoptosis in U937 cells. Furthermore, the molecular mechanism of the effects was investigated. A recombinant Notch ligand, Delta-1 protein did not affect the growth of U937 cells by itself. GM-CSF-induced growth suppression and apoptosis of U937 cells were partially rescued by incubation with Delta-1. Delta-1 also reduced the GM-CSF-induced differentiation. Incubation with Delta-1 did not affect the expression of GM-CSF receptor. GM-CSF stimulation induced the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and STAT5 and the cleavage of caspase-8, which were not affected by Delta-1 incubation, either. GM-CSF stimulation induced the cleavage of PARP, which is the key molecule for differentiation and apoptosis. We found that incubation with Delta-1 significantly suppressed the GM-CSF-induced cleavage of PARP. Taken together, we found that Notch activation induced by Delta-1 partially inhibited GM-CSF-induced differentiation, growth suppression, and apoptosis, along with reducing the GM-CSF-induced cleavage of PARP. These findings suggest one of the mechanisms by which Notch activation inhibits differentiation and apoptosis.
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PMID:The Notch ligand, Delta-1, partially inhibits GM-CSF-induced differentiation and apoptosis along with reducing the cleavage of PARP in U937 cells. 1476 73

Glucocorticoids have potent immunosuppressive properties, but their effects are often modulated by the conditions prevailing in the local immune milieu. In this study we determined whether the action of glucocorticoids is influenced by the degree of signaling during T cell activation. We found that dexamethasone (Dex) effectively suppressed T cell receptor-induced (TCR-induced) proliferation of naive CD4+ T cells, through a mechanism involving downregulation of c-Fos expression and inhibition of activator protein-1 (AP-1), nuclear factor of activated T cells (NF-AT), and NF-kappaB transcriptional activity. However, enhancement of TCR signaling by CD28- or IL-2-mediated costimulation abrogated the suppressive effect of Dex on c-Fos expression and AP-1 function and restored cellular proliferation. The amount of signaling through the MAPK pathway was critical in determining the effect of Dex on T cell activation. In particular, costimulatory signaling via MAPK kinase (MEK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) was essential for the development of T cell resistance to Dex. Selective blockade of MEK/ERK signal transduction abolished the costimulation-induced resistance. In contrast, transmission of IL-2 signals via STAT5 and CD28 signals via NF-kappaB remained inhibited by Dex. These results imply that the immune system, by regulating the degree of local costimulation through MEK/ERK, can modify the effect of glucocorticoids on T cells. Moreover, these findings suggest that MAPK inhibitors may offer a therapeutic solution for glucocorticoid resistance.
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PMID:Enhancement of MEK/ERK signaling promotes glucocorticoid resistance in CD4+ T cells. 1496 71


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