Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound   Target Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound

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Query: EC:2.7.12.2 (MEK)
18,161 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The K562 erythroleukemia cell line was used to study the molecular mechanisms regulating lineage commitment of hematopoietic stem cells. Phorbol esters, which initiate megakaryocyte differentiation in this cell line, caused a rapid increase in extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK), which remained elevated for 2 h and returned to near-basal levels by 24 h. In the absence of extracellular stimuli, ERK could be activated by expression of constitutively active mutants of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase kinase (MKK), resulting in cell adhesion and spreading, increased cell size, inhibition of cell growth, and induction of the platelet-specific integrin alphaIIb beta3, all hallmarks of megakaryocytic differentiation. In contrast, expression of wild-type MKK had little effect. In addition, constitutively active MKK suppressed the expression of an erythroid marker, alpha-globin, indicating the ability to suppress cellular responses necessary for alternative cell lineages. The MKK inhibitor PD98059 blocked MKK/ERK activation and cellular responses to phorbol ester, demonstrating that activation of MKK is necessary and sufficient to induce a differentiation program along the megakaryocyte lineage. Thus, the MAP kinase cascade, which promotes cell growth and proliferation in many cell types, instead inhibits cell proliferation and initiates lineage-specific differentiation in K562 cells, establishing a model system to investigate the mechanisms by which this signal transduction pathway specifies cell fate and developmental processes.
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PMID:Megakaryocytic differentiation induced by constitutive activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase. 912 42

The erythroleukemia-inducing Friend spleen focus-forming virus (SFFV) encodes a unique envelope glycoprotein which allows erythroid cells to proliferate and differentiate in the absence of erythropoietin (Epo). In an attempt to understand how the virus causes Epo independence, we have been studying signal transduction pathways activated by Epo to determine if SFFV exerts its biological effects by constitutively activating any of these pathways in the absence of Epo. We previously demonstrated that Stat proteins, the downstream components of the Epo-induced Jak-Stat pathway, are constitutively activated in SFFV-infected cells. In this study, we demonstrate that SFFV also activates Raf-1, MEK and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, the downstream components of the Raf-1/MAP kinase pathway. This pathway was activated in cells infected with the polycythemia-inducing strain of SFFV, which induces both proliferation and differentiation of erythroid cells in the absence of Epo, as well as in cells infected with the anemia-inducing strain of the virus, which still require Epo for differentiation. Inhibition of Raf-1 by using antisense oligonucleotides led to a partial inhibition of the Epo-independent proliferation of SFFV-infected cells. Expression of the transcription factors c-Jun and JunB, but not c-Fos, was induced in SFFV-infected cells in the absence of Epo, suggesting that constitutive activation of the Raf-1/MAP kinase pathway by the virus may result in deregulation of AP-1 activity. We conclude from our studies that infection of erythroid cells with SFFV leads to the constitutive activation of signal transduction molecules in both the Jak-Stat and Raf-1/MAP kinase pathways and that both of these pathways must be activated to achieve maximum proliferation and differentiation of erythroid cells in the absence of Epo.
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PMID:Both the polycythemia- and anemia-inducing strains of Friend spleen focus-forming virus induce constitutive activation of the Raf-1/mitogen-activated protein kinase signal transduction pathway. 944 83

Erythroid and megakaryocyte lineages are closely linked and may share a common bipotent progenitor. However, the mechanisms associated with cell lineage commitment are not fully understood. The K562 erythroleukemia cell line serves as a model to study the biochemical changes associated with erythroid and megakaryocyte (E/M) differentiation. We have previously established that PMA-induced megakaryocyte differentiation of K562 cells requires the activity of the MEK/MAPK pathway (Herrera et al Exp Cell Res 1998; 238: 407-414). Here, we show that the PMA-induced phenotypic changes of K562 cells such as polylobulation of the nucleus and Pyk2 expression are independent of MAPK activation. In addition, we also demonstrate that inhibition of the basal activity of the extracellular regulated kinase (ERK/MAPK) pathway enhances the erythroid phenotype of these cells. These results suggest that the MAPK pathway regulates the E/M lineage commitment of K562 cells.
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PMID:PMA-induced phenotypic changes in K562 cells: MAPK-dependent and -independent events. 984 25

ERYTHROPOIETIN (EPO): Erythropoietin (EPO) is a hormone that promotes the proliferation and differentiation of erythroid progenitor cells and regulates the number of erythrocytes in peripheral blood. EPO is produced mainly by the kidneys, and transcription of the EPO gene is promoted by a reduction in the oxygen concentration in the blood. The existence of EPO was suggested near the end of the 19th century by the discovery that hypoxia increases the production of red blood cells. EPO was identified as a serum factor in the 1950s, and in 1970 Miyake and coworkers succeeded in purifying it by using the urine of patients with aplastic anemia as a starting material. The human EPO gene was cloned in 1985 using a partial amino acid sequence from this purified EPO, and it is well known that recombinant EPO is currently used as a drug to treat anemia associated with chronic renal failure and other illnesses. ACTION OF EPO: When human bone marrow cells are cultured in a semisolid medium containing EPO, they form small erythroblast colonies in five to seven days, and by day 10 large erythroblast colonies appear that resemble fireworks ("burst" colonies). The original cells in the former colonies are called colony forming units-erythroid (CFU-E) or late-stage erythroblast progenitor cells and in the latter colonies they are called burst forming units-erythroid (BFU-E) or early-stage erythroblast progenitor cells. As shown in Figure 1, red blood cells are produced through differentiation from stem cells to BFU-E, CFU-E, and erythroblasts. Although EPO acts on both BFU-E and CFU-E cells, CFU-E cells show greater sensitivity to EPO, and other factors such as stem cell factor (SCF), interleukin (IL)-3, IL-4, and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) must be present together with EPO for BFU-E cell proliferation. In erythroblasts beyond the CFU-E stage, sensitivity to EPO decreases as the cells mature. THE EPO RECEPTOR AND THE CYTOKINE RECEPTOR FAMILY: The EPO receptor gene was cloned by D'Andrea and coworkers in 1989 from murine erythroleukemia cells [1]. It became clear that the EPO receptor belongs to the cytokine receptor family that comprises receptors for the various interleukins, GM-CSF, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), growth hormone and prolactin. The special characteristic of this family of receptors is that they are switched on (i.e., the receptor is activated) and transduce signals to the interior of the cell by the formation of homo- or hetero-oligomers (dimers or trimers). Moreover, hetero-oligomers of these receptors share a common receptor subunit. As shown in Figure 2, the IL-3, IL-5 and GM-CSF receptors have a common &bgr; subunit, and their ligand specificity is determined by the &agr; subunit. In the same manner, the IL-6, LIF and oncostatin M (OSM) receptors all share gp130, which is the &bgr; subunit of the IL-6 receptor. The IL-2, IL-4 and IL-7 receptors all share the &ggr; subunit of the IL-2 receptor. All the above receptors are activated by the formation of hetero-oligomers, but the G-CSF receptor, EPO receptor, and growth hormone receptor are activated by the formation of homodimers of the same types of molecules [2]. We can see that groups of cytokines such as the interleukins that affect a relatively wide range of cells and have redundant biological activity create this redundancy through the common use of a single receptor subunit. On the other hand, EPO and G-CSF act with high specificity on a relatively limited range of cells, so it was probably unnecessary for their receptors to share one of the subunits. EPO RECEPTOR AND JAK2 KINASE: The signal for cellular proliferation and differentiation into erythroblasts is thought to originate at the EPO receptor. The cytoplasmic domain of the EPO receptor can be divided into two major regions. Roughly half of the cytoplasmic domain, the part lying nearest the plasma membrane, is required for generating the signals for proliferation and differentiation such as the induction of globin synthesis [3, 4]. The remaining half is not required for this signaling, and, conversely, it acts to dampen the signals. It is known that a tyrosine kinase called JAK2 associates with the region near the plasma membrane, undergoes autophosphorylation, and phosphorylates the EPO receptor, and a transcription factor called a STAT [5]. It is thought that JAK2 plays an important role in promoting cellular proliferation. The STAT is activated by the phosphorylation, and it then translocates to the nucleus, recognizes a specific base sequence in the promoter region of its target gene, and initiates transcription. At present, we know that the STAT whose activation is mediated by the EPO receptor is STAT5, and the target genes are CIS [6], which has an SH2 domain (a molecular structure that recognizes a phosphorylated tyrosine) and OSM [7], which is a pleiotropic cytokine. However, activation of STAT5 and activation of the target genes are not unique to the EPO receptor, and they also occur with the IL-2 and IL-3 receptors. Moreover, the JAK2 substrate that is directly linked to cellular proliferation is still unknown. At present, studies are under way to determine the transcription factors specific to EPO and their target genes, as well as the substrates of JAK2. RECEPTOR PHOSPHORYLATION AND CESSATION OF THE SIGNAL: On the other hand, tyrosine phosphorylation of the receptor is necessary at the cytoplasmic tail region far from the plasma membrane, and the signal transduction pathway that originates with this phosphorylated tyrosine and is mediated by proteins with SH2 domains becomes activated. First, a GTP/GDP exchange factor called SOS, which is mediated by Shc and Grb2, migrates to the plasma membrane and converts a ras protein to its GTP form. The activated ras protein then activates the Raf-MAP kinase kinase-MAP kinase cascade, and ultimately initiates the transcription of oncogenes such as c-fos and c-jun. An enzyme called PI3 kinase binds to the tyrosine phosphorylation site of the receptor and a second messenger is born. It is known that this pathway is a requirement for DNA synthesis in certain types of fibroblasts. However, these signal transduction pathways are not unique to the EPO receptor, and they are also activated by most growth factor receptors, so they are not necessarily required for EPO-induced proliferation. Conversely, the tyrosine phosphatase SH-PTP1 (also called HCP) that has an SH2 domain and is specific to blood cells associates with the tyrosine phosphorylation site of the receptor and promotes the dephosphorylation of JAK2. In other words, the role of SH-PTP1 is to stop generation of the signal [8]. Therefore, in mutations lacking this cytoplasmic tail region of the receptor far from the plasma membrane, the receptors do not undergo tyrosine phosphorylation, JAK2 activation continues for a longer period of time, and thus the signal is generated more efficiently. In fact, in one patient with a mild case of familial erythrocytosis a mutation was discovered in which the C-terminus of the EPO receptor was missing 70 amino acids [9]. This was a dominant genetic trait, and the patient's erythroblasts showed an increased sensitivity to EPO. In this family the impairment was not severe enough to be called an illness, and in fact it is said that this patient was proficient enough athletically to compete for a gold medal at the Olympics. More specifically, the reason that athletes undergo training at high altitudes is to boost EPO production because of the lower oxygen partial pressure, and this brings about the desired effect of sustained athletic capability due to a resultant increase in red blood cells. However, the same effect has occurred naturally in this athlete thanks to accelerated receptor capability.
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PMID:Physician Education: The Erythropoietin Receptor and Signal Transduction. 1038 12

The role of Ras and MAP kinases (MAPKs) in the regulation of erythroid differentiation was studied using a cell line (SKT6) derived from Friend virus (Anemic strain)-induced murine erythroleukemia. This cell line undergoes differentiation in vitro in response to erythropoietin (EPO) or other chemical inducers such as dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). When a constitutively active ras mutant (ras12V) was expressed in SKT6 cells, EPO-induced differentiation was inhibited. Conversely, a dominant negative ras mutant (ras17N) induced differentiation even in the absence of EPO, suggesting that the basal Ras activity is essential for the maintenance of the undifferentiated phenotype and proliferative potential in this cell line. Rapid inactivation of ERK was observed after expression of ras17N. Slow but significant inactivation of ERK was also observed during EPO-induced differentiation. Furthermore, overexpression of a constitutively active mutant of ERK-activating kinase (MAPKK) was found to suppress erythroid differentiation, while pharmacological inhibition of MAPKK induced differentiation. These findings suggest that down-regulation of Ras/ERK signaling pathway may be an essential event in EPO-induced erythroid differentiation in this system.
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PMID:Induction of erythroid differentiation by inhibition of Ras/ERK pathway in a friend murine leukemia cell line. 1073 9

Alterations in the expression of integrin receptors for extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins are strongly associated with the acquisition of invasive and/or metastatic properties by human cancer cells. Despite this, comparatively little is known of the biochemical mechanisms that regulate the expression of integrin genes in cells. Here we demonstrate that the Ras-activated Raf-MEK-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway can specifically control the expression of individual integrin subunits in a variety of human and mouse cell lines. Pharmacological inhibition of MEK1 in a number of human melanoma and pancreatic carcinoma cell lines led to reduced cell surface expression of alpha6- and beta3-integrin. Consistent with this, conditional activation of the Raf-MEK-ERK pathway in NIH 3T3 cells led to a 5 to 20-fold induction of cell surface alpha6- and beta3-integrin expression. Induced beta3-integrin was expressed on the cell surface as a heterodimer with alphav-integrin; however, the overall level of alphav-integrin expression was not altered by Ras or Raf. Raf-induced beta3-integrin was observed in primary and established mouse fibroblast lines and in mouse and human endothelial cells. Consistent with previous reports of the ability of the Raf-MEK-ERK signaling pathway to induce beta3-integrin gene transcription in human K-562 erythroleukemia cells, Raf activation in NIH 3T3 cells led to elevated beta3-integrin mRNA. However, unlike immediate-early Raf targets such as heparin binding epidermal growth factor and Mdm2, beta3-integrin mRNA was induced by Raf in a manner that was cycloheximide sensitive. Surprisingly, activation of the Raf-MEK-ERK signaling pathway by growth factors and mitogens had little or no effect on beta3-integrin expression, suggesting that the expression of this gene requires sustained activation of this signaling pathway. In addition, despite the robust induction of cell surface alphavbeta3-integrin expression by Raf in NIH 3T3 cells, such cells display decreased spreading and adhesion, with a loss of focal adhesions and actin stress fibers. These data suggest that oncogene-induced alterations in integrin gene expression may participate in the changes in cell adhesion and migration that accompany the process of oncogenic transformation.
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PMID:Induction of beta3-integrin gene expression by sustained activation of the Ras-regulated Raf-MEK-extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathway. 1128 23

In this study we report the activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in human K562 erythroleukemia cells undergoing hemin-mediated erythroid differentiation, which occurs concomitantly with activation of heat shock factor 2 (HSF2) and leads to a simultaneous in vivo phosphorylation of c-Jun. The activation of JNK occurs through activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MKK) 4 and not by activation of MKK7 or inhibition of JNK-directed phosphatases. We have previously shown that overexpression of the HSF2-beta isoform inhibits the activation of HSF2 upon hemin-induced erythroid differentiation. Here we demonstrate that HSF2-beta overexpression blocks the hemin-induced activation of the MKK4-JNK pathway, suggesting an erythroid lineage-specific JNK activation likely to be regulated by HSF2.
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PMID:Activation of the MKK4-JNK pathway during erythroid differentiation of K562 cells is inhibited by the heat shock factor 2-beta isoform. 1155 63

Extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) are a group of kinases that play an important role in proliferation and differentiation. In megakaryocyte-like human erythroleukemia (HEL) cells, ERK2 was found to be predominantly expressed and strongly activated by prostaglandin (PG) E(2), thrombin, and epinephrine. On the other hand, adenosine, ADP, ATP, and UTP did not significantly increase ERK1/2 phosphorylation. However, of the agonists tested, only ADP was able to stimulate thymidine uptake. Pretreatment with pertussis toxin abolished the PGE(2) response but had less of an effect on thrombin. PGE(2)- and thrombin-induced ERK1/2 activation was mimicked by 4-beta-phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate and ionomycin and blocked by mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitor 1,4 diamino-2,3-dicyano-1,4-bis[2-aminophenylthio]butadiene but displayed differential sensitivity to protein kinase C inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide I and Ca(2+) chelator 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid. Analogs of cAMP or agents that stimulate cAMP production were either weak or ineffective activators. Further studies indicate that the effect of thrombin was blocked by the phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitor wortmannin but not by agents inhibiting tyrosine kinase activity. On the contrary, herbimycin, but not wortmannin, attenuated the effect of PGE(2). Collectively, these results indicate that ERK1/2 are selectively activated by G protein-coupled receptors and not functionally associated with proliferation in HEL cells. ERK1/2 activation in response to PGE(2) and thrombin is mediated by distinctive types of G proteins and is differentially regulated by multiple pathways, including calcium mobilization, protein kinase C, phosphoinositide 3-kinase, and tyrosine kinases.
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PMID:Extracellular signal-regulated kinases and g protein-coupled receptors in megakaryocytic human erythroleukemia cells: selective activation, differential regulation, and dissociation from mitogenesis. 1175 34

The hematopoietic-specific Galpha16 protein has recently been shown to mediate receptor-induced activation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). In the present study, we have delineated the mechanism by which Galpha16 stimulates STAT3 in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. A constitutively active Galpha16 mutant, Galpha16QL, stimulated STAT3-dependent luciferase activity as well as the phosphorylation of STAT3 at both Tyr705 and Ser727. Galpha16QL-induced STAT3 activation was enhanced by overexpression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 (ERK1), but was inhibited by U0126, a Raf-1 inhibitor, and coexpression of the dominant negative mutants of Ras and Rac1. Inhibition of phospholipase Cbeta, protein kinase C, and calmodulin-dependent kinase II by their respective inhibitors also suppressed Galpha16QL-induced STAT3 activation. The involvement of tyrosine kinases such as c-Src and Janus kinase 2 and 3 (JAK2 and JAK3) in Galpha16QL-induced activation of STAT3 was illustrated by the combined use of selective inhibitors and dominant negative mutants. In contrast, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, p38 MAPK, RhoA, Cdc42, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, and the epidermal growth factor receptor did not appear to be required. Similar observations were obtained with human erythroleukemia cells, where STAT3 phosphorylation was stimulated by C5a in a PTX-insensitive manner. Collectively, these results highlight the important regulatory roles of the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK and c-Src/JAK pathways on the stimulation of STAT3 by activated Galpha16. Demonstration of the involvement of different kinases in Galpha16QL-induced STAT3 activation supports the involvement of multiple signaling pathways in the regulation of transcription by G proteins.
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PMID:Constitutively active Galpha16 stimulates STAT3 via a c-Src/JAK- and ERK-dependent mechanism. 1455 Dec 13

The effect of erythropoietin (Epo) on the expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) target genes egr-1 and c-fos was investigated in Epo-responsive murine erythroblastic cell line ELM-I-1. Epo induced a transient rise in egr-1 mRNA without a similar effect on c-fos expression. The induction of egr-1 correlated with a rapid ERK1/2 phosphorylation and was prevented with MEK1/2 inhibitors PD 98059 and UO126. The p38 inhibitor SB 203580 enhanced ERK1/2 phosphorylation and egr-1 mRNA levels. Longer incubations of ELM-I-1 cells with Epo revealed a second later phase of increase in egr-1 expression which was also prevented by MEK1/2 inhibitors, whereas SB 203580 had a stimulatory effect. In contrast, the beta-globin mRNA production was enhanced in the presence of PD 98059 and UO126 and reduced by SB 203580. The results suggest a regulatory role of egr-1 expression in Epo signal transduction and provide pharmacological evidence for the negative modulation of differentiation-specific gene expression by the ERK1/2 pathway in murine erythroleukemia cells.
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PMID:Opposite effects of inhibitors of mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways on the egr-1 and beta-globin expression in erythropoietin-responsive murine erythroleukemia cells. 1463 92


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