Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:2.7.12.2 (MEK)
18,161 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Down-regulation of the KAI1 (CD82) metastasis suppressor is common in advanced human cancer, but underlying mechanism(s) regulating KAI1 expression are only now being elucidated. Recent data provide evidence that low levels of KAI1 mRNA in LNCaP cells are caused by binding of beta-catenin/Reptin complexes to a specific motif in the proximal promoter, which prevents binding of Tip60/Pontin activator complexes to the same motif, thus inhibiting transcription. Here, we explored a pathway by which phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) up-regulates KAI1 transcription in LNCaP prostate cancer cells. Pretreatment with specific inhibitors showed that induction of KAI1 by PMA uses classic isoforms of protein kinase C (cPKC), is independent of Ras and Raf, and requires activation of MEK1/2 and ERK1/2, but does not involve p38MAPK. Induction of KAI1 transcription by PMA was associated with enhanced overall acetylation of histones H3 and H4, but only acetylation of H3 was blocked by a PKC inhibitor. Chromatin immunoprecipitation showed that PMA induces recruitment of Tip60/Pontin activator complexes to NFkappaB-p50 motifs in the proximal promoter, and this was blocked by a PKC inhibitor. These changes were not associated with differences in overall levels of Tip60, Pontin, beta-catenin, or Reptin protein expression but with PMA-induced nuclear translocation of Tip60.
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PMID:Phorbol ester enhances KAI1 transcription by recruiting Tip60/Pontin complexes. 1904 21

Recent evidence suggests tumor-initating cells (TICs), also called cancer stem cells, are responsible for tumor initiation and progression; therefore, they represent an important cell population for development of future anti-cancer therapies. In this study, we show that the sesquiterpene lactone parthenolide (PTL) is cytotoxic to prostate TICs isolated from prostate cancer cell lines: DU145, PC3, VCAP, and LAPC4, as well as primary prostate TICs. Furthermore, PTL inhibited TIC-driven tumor formation in mouse xenografts. Using an integrated molecular profiling approach encompassing proteomics, profiles of activated transcription factors and genomics we ascertained the effects of PTL on prostate cancer cells. In addition to the previously described effects of PTL, we determined that the non-receptor tyrosine kinase src, and many src signaling components, including: Csk, FAK, beta1-arrestin, FGFR2, PKC, MEK/MAPK, CaMK, ELK-1, and ELK-1-dependent genes are novel targets of PTL action. Furthermore, PTL altered the binding of transcription factors important in prostate cancer including: C/EBP-alpha, fos related antigen-1 (FRA-1), HOXA-4, c-MYB, SNAIL, SP1, serum response factor (SRF), STAT3, X-box binding protein-1 (XBP1), and p53. In summary, we show PTL is cytotoxic to prostate TICs and describe the molecular events of PTL-mediated cytotoxicity. Therefore, PTL represents a promising therapeutic for prostate cancer treatment.
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PMID:Effects of the sesquiterpene lactone parthenolide on prostate tumor-initiating cells: An integrated molecular profiling approach. 1920 13

Prostate cancer is one of the most prominent malignancies of elderly males. The growth of normal prostate and prostate cancer (PCa) cells depend on functional androgen receptor (AR), a ligand controlled transcription factor and member of the nuclear receptor superfamily. Binding of agonistic ligand enhances the transactivation function of AR and hence promotes the growth of prostate epithelial cells. We have earlier shown that AR antagonistic ligands such as cyproterone acetate (CPA) promote the recruitment of transcriptional corepressors such as silencing mediator of retinoid and thyroid receptor (SMRT) leading to repression of AR transactivation in non-PCa cells. Unfortunately, however, in LNCaP PCa cells, CPA functions as an agonist and thereby increases AR transactivation function. Here, we show that activated MEK signaling cascade inhibits functional recruitment of corepressor SMRT to CPA-bound AR in PCa cells. Chemical blockade of MEK kinase using a specific inhibitor U0126 increases the interaction and hence repression of AR by the corepressor SMRT in LNCaP PCa cells. This inhibition also results in enhanced antagonistic behavior of CPA as assessed by reporter and cell-growth assays. Moreover, the growth of LNCaP cells stably overexpressing SMRT was more robustly inhibited in the presence of CPA and U1026. In line with this, the growth rate of LNCaP cells was decelerated in the presence of both CPA and U0126. This suggests that activated MEK signaling pathway attenuates the functional recruitment of corepressor SMRT to AR induced by antagonists and thus indicates the important role of corepressors in mediating repression of both AR transactivation and PCa cell growth by antagonists. Furthermore, these findings suggest that combining receptor antagonists with signaling inhibitors could be a beneficial approach for PCa treatment.
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PMID:Inhibition of MAPK-signaling pathway promotes the interaction of the corepressor SMRT with the human androgen receptor and mediates repression of prostate cancer cell growth in the presence of antiandrogens. 1922 55

Enhanced RAS signaling and decreased androgen dependence of prostate cancer cells accompany poor clinical outcomes. Elevated autocrine fibroblast growth factors 2 (FGF-2) signaling promotes prostate cancer cell growth and survival. Expression of lysyl oxidase (LOX) inhibits RAS transforming activity. LOX is secreted as 50 kDa pro-LOX protein and then undergoes extracellular proteolytic processing to form approximately 30 kDa LOX enzyme and approximately 18 kDa propeptide (LOX-PP). We have previously shown that LOX-PP inhibits breast cancer cell transformation and tumor formation, but mechanisms of action of LOX-PP have not been fully elucidated. Here we report that LOX expression is reduced in prostate cancer cell lines and that recombinant LOX-PP protein inhibits serum-stimulated DNA synthesis and MEK/ERK and PI3K/AKT pathways in DU 145 and PC-3 androgen-independent cell lines. In DU 145 cells, treatment with a pharmacologic FGF-receptor inhibitor or a neutralizing anti-FGFR1 antibody mimicked LOX-PP inhibition of serum-stimulated DNA synthesis. FGF-2-stimulated DNA synthesis, ERK1/2, AKT and FRS2alpha activation were found all to be inhibited by LOX-PP in DU 145 cells. LOX-PP reduced specific binding of FGF-2 to DU 145 cells, suggesting that LOX-PP targets FGF signaling at the receptor. Interestingly, PC-3 cells did not respond to FGF-2, consistent with previous reports. We conclude that LOX-PP inhibits proliferation of DU 145 cells by interfering with FGFR(s) binding and signaling, and that LOX-PP has other mechanisms of action in PC-3 cells.
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PMID:Lysyl oxidase propeptide inhibits prostate cancer cell growth by mechanisms that target FGF-2-cell binding and signaling. 1959 71

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the mechanism of transcriptional induction of the small GTPase RhoB gene by the transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta) signaling pathway and the role of this regulation in TGFbeta-induced cell migration. To achieve our goals, we utilized a combination of siRNA-mediated gene silencing, adenovirus-mediated gene transfer receptor and MAPK inhibition, transactivation assays, and DNA-protein interaction assays in human HaCaT keratinocytes. We found that the RhoB gene is a direct transcriptional target of TGFbeta. We show that TGFbeta activates an early MEK/ERK pathway and that this activation is required for the recruitment of Smad3 to a novel, nonclassical, Smad binding element in the proximal RhoB promoter, in a p53-dependent manner. This element is overlapping with a CCAAT box that constitutively binds nuclear factor Y. Mutagenesis of this site abolished the Smad-mediated transactivation of the RhoB promoter. Finally, silencing of RhoB gene expression via siRNA or utilization of a dominant negative form of RhoB significantly inhibited TGFbeta-induced migration of HaCaT keratinocytes and DU145 prostate cancer cells. Our findings establish RhoB as a direct transcriptional target of TGFbeta in human keratinocytes and identify an important role of RhoB in TGFbeta-induced cell migration.-Vasilaki, E., Papadimitriou, E., Tajadura, V., Ridley, A. J., Stournaras, C., Kardassis, D. Transcriptional regulation of the small GTPase RhoB gene by TGFbeta-induced signaling pathways.
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PMID:Transcriptional regulation of the small GTPase RhoB gene by TGF{beta}-induced signaling pathways. 1989 17

ERK signaling regulates focal adhesion disassembly during cell movement, and increased ERK signaling frequently contributes to enhanced motility of human tumor cells. We previously found that the ERK scaffold MEK Partner 1 (MP1) is required for focal adhesion disassembly in fibroblasts. Here we test the hypothesis that MP1-dependent ERK signaling regulates motility of DU145 prostate cancer cells. We find that MP1 is required for motility on fibronectin, but not for motility stimulated by serum or EGF. Surprisingly, MP1 appears not to function through its known binding partners MEK1 or PAK1, suggesting the existence of a novel pathway by which MP1 can regulate motility on fibronectin. MP1 may function by regulating the stability or expression of paxillin, a key regulator of motility.
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PMID:Differential requirement for MEK Partner 1 in DU145 prostate cancer cell migration. 1993 Jun 50

SSeCKS/Gravin/AKAP12 ("SSeCKS") encodes a cytoskeletal protein that regulates G(1) --> S progression by scaffolding cyclins, protein kinase C (PKC) and PKA. SSeCKS is down-regulated in many tumor types including prostate, and when re-expressed in MAT-LyLu (MLL) prostate cancer cells, SSeCKS selectively inhibits metastasis by suppressing neovascularization at distal sites, correlating with its ability to down-regulate proangiogenic genes including Vegfa. However, the forced re-expression of VEGF only rescues partial lung metastasis formation. Here, we show that SSeCKS potently inhibits chemotaxis and Matrigel invasion, motility parameters contributing to metastasis formation. SSeCKS suppressed serum-induced activation of the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway, resulting in down-regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression. In contrast, SSeCKS had no effect on serum-induced phosphorylation of the Src substrate, Shc, in agreement with our previous data that SSeCKS does not inhibit Src kinase activity in cells. Invasiveness and chemotaxis could be restored by the forced expression of constitutively active MEK1, MEK2, ERK1, or PKCalpha. SSeCKS suppressed phorbol ester-induced ERK1/2 activity only if it encoded its PKC binding domain (amino acids 553-900), suggesting that SSeCKS attenuates ERK activation through a direct scaffolding of conventional and/or novel PKC isozymes. Finally, control of MLL invasiveness by SSeCKS is influenced by the actin cytoskeleton: the ability of SSeCKS to inhibit podosome formation is unaffected by cytochalasin D or jasplakinolide, whereas its ability to inhibit MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 activation is nullified by jasplakinolide. Our findings suggest that SSeCKS suppresses metastatic motility by disengaging activated Src and then inhibiting the PKC-Raf/MEK/ERK pathways controlling matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression and podosome formation.
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PMID:SSeCKS/Gravin/AKAP12 inhibits cancer cell invasiveness and chemotaxis by suppressing a protein kinase C- Raf/MEK/ERK pathway. 2001 90

The Ser/Thr kinase family, RSK, has been implicated in numerous types of hormone-dependent and -independent cancers. However, there has been little consideration of RSKs as downstream mediators of steroid hormone non-genomic effects or of their ability to facilitate steroid receptor-mediated gene expression. Steroid hormone signaling can directly stimulate the MEK/ERK/RSK pathway to regulate cellular proliferation and survival in transformed cells. To date, multiple mechanisms of RSK and steroid hormone receptor-mediated proliferation/survival have been elucidated. For example, RSK enhances proliferation of breast and prostate cancer cells via its ability to control the levels of the estrogen receptor co-activator, cyclin D1. While in lung and other tumors RSK may control apoptosis via estrogen-mediated regulation of mitochondrial integrity. Thus the RSKs could be important anti-cancer therapeutic targets in many different transformed tissues. The recent discovery of RSK-specific inhibitors will advance our current understanding of RSK in transformation and drive these studies into animal and clinical models. In this review we explore the mechanisms associated with RSK in tumorigenesis and their relationship to steroid hormone signaling.
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PMID:RSK in tumorigenesis: connections to steroid signaling. 2004 11

We investigated the effects of testosterone and the pure anti-androgen, bicalutamide, on DNA synthesis and cell cycle in androgen-sensitive or -insensitive human and mouse cell lines by 3H-thymidine incorporation, flow cytometry, RT-PCR and Western blotting. In androgen-dependent mouse SC-3 cells, testosterone induced DNA synthesis, shift of cell cycle distribution from G0/G1 to S/G2/M and expression of cyclin A. The induction was preceded by that of fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF-8), and completely blocked by monoclonal antibody to FGF-8. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) induced cyclin A expression in androgen-sensitive human prostate cancer cells, but not in androgen-independent cell lines. Bicalutamide almost completely inhibited these androgen-dependent effects both in LNCaP and SC-3 cells, but had no or limited effect on androgen-independent or FGF-8-induced DNA synthesis, and FGF-8 induced cyclin A expression. Interestingly, bicalutamide inhibited both DNA synthesis and the cyclin A expression in androgen-independent human cell lines in serum-free condition. A MEK1/2 inhibitor U0126 blocked both androgen- and rFGF-8-induced DNA synthesis. Overall, bicalutamide inhibits the cyclin A expression possibly by inhibiting FGF-8 mRNA expression and FGF-8 protein secretion but not by inhibiting FGF receptor (FGFR) signalling in androgen-dependent cell lines, and by other mechanisms in androgen-independent cell lines. The results suggest that combination with compounds such as FGFR signalling inhibitors may provide additional benefits to anti-androgens. It is also suggested that cyclin A could be a sensitive marker for androgen-induced cancer growth and for the growth inhibitory effects of anti-androgen.
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PMID:The pure anti-androgen bicalutamide inhibits cyclin A expression both in androgen-dependent and -independent cell lines. 2012 74

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a potentially useful anticancer agent with exquisite selectivity for cancer cells. Unfortunately, many cancers show or acquire resistance to TRAIL. In this study we report that TRAIL activates a TGF-beta-activated kinase 1 --> mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase 3 (MKK3)/MKK6 --> p38 pathway in prostate cancer cells that transcriptionally upregulates expression of the antiapoptotic BCL-2 family member MCL-1. TRAIL alone triggered robust formation of the 'death-inducing signaling complex' (DISC), activation of the initiator caspase-8, and truncation of the BH3-only protein BID (tBID). Nevertheless, simultaneous disruption of the p38 MAPK pathway was required to suppress MCL-1 expression, thereby allowing tBID to activate the proapoptotic BCL-2 family member BAK and stimulate mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP). Release of the inhibitor-of-apoptosis (IAP) antagonist, Smac/DIABLO, from the intermembrane space was sufficient to promote TRAIL-induced apoptosis, whereas release of cytochrome c and activation of the apoptosome was dispensable. Even after MOMP, however, mitochondrial-generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) activated a secondary signaling pathway, involving c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs), that similarly upregulated MCL-1 expression and partially rescued some cells from death. Thus, stress kinases activated at distinct steps, before and after mitochondrial injury, mediate TRAIL resistance through maintenance of MCL-1 expression.
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PMID:TRAIL-activated stress kinases suppress apoptosis through transcriptional upregulation of MCL-1. 2016 33


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