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)

IL-18 is involved in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and allergic contact dermatitis. CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 recruit type 1 T cells, and the production of these chemokines by keratinocytes is enhanced in these dermatoses. We examined the in vitro effects of IL-18 on IFN-gamma-induced CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 production in human keratinocytes. IL-18 enhanced the IFN-gamma-induced secretion and mRNA expression of CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 in parallel to the activation of NF-kappaB, STAT1, and IFN-regulatory factor (IRF)-1. Antisense oligonucleotides against NF-kappaB p50, p65, or STAT1 suppressed CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 production, and antisense IRF-1 suppressed CXCL11 production. Inhibitors of PI3 K, p38 MAPK, and MEK suppressed IL-18 plus IFN-gamma-induced CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 production and NF-kappaB, STAT1, and IRF-1 activities. IL-18 induced phosphorylation of ERK and Akt, while IFN-gamma induced phosphorylation of p38 MAPK. These results suggest that IL-18 may potentiate IFN-gamma-induced CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 production in keratinocytes by activating NF-kappaB, STAT1, or IRF-1 through PI3 K/Akt and MEK/ERK pathways. These effects of IL-18 may promote the infiltration of type 1 T cells into lesions with inflammatory dermatoses and amplify the skin inflammation. IL-18 may act as a pro-inflammatory cytokine in these dermatoses and thus is a candidate therapeutic target.
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PMID:IL-18 enhances IFN-gamma-induced production of CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 in human keratinocytes. 1727

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is now considered an endogenous, gaseous mediator, which has been demonstrated to be involved in many inflammatory states. However, the mechanism of its proinflammatory function remains unknown. In the present study, we used IFN-gamma-primed human monocytic cell line U937 to investigate the effects of H2S in vitro on monocytes. We found that treatment with the H2S donor, sodium hydrosulfide, led to significant increases in the mRNA expression and protein production of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6 in U937 cells. H2S-triggered monocyte activation was confirmed further by the up-regulation of CD11b expression on the cell surface. We also observed that H2S could induce a rapid degradation of IkappaBalpha and subsequent activation of NF-kappaB p65, and this effect was attenuated by Bay 11-7082, a specific inhibitor of NF-kappaB. Furthermore, pretreatment of cells with Bay 11-7082 substantially inhibited the secretion of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6 induced by H2S. We also found that H2S stimulated the phosphorylation and activation of ERK1/2, but not of p38 MAPK and JNK, and pretreatment with PD98059, a selective MEK1 antagonist, could inhibit H2S-induced NF-kappaB activation markedly. Together, our findings suggest for the first time that H2S stimulates the activation of human monocytes with the generation of proinflammatory cytokines, and this response is, at least partially, through the ERK-NF-kappaB signaling pathway.
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PMID:Hydrogen sulfide induces the synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines in human monocyte cell line U937 via the ERK-NF-kappaB pathway. 1728 97

In the present study, a novel synthetic compound 4-(2-(cyclohex-2-enylidene)hydrazinyl)quinolin-2(1H)-one (CYL-4d) was found to inhibit lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production without affecting cell viability or enzyme activity of expressed inducible NO synthase (iNOS) in RAW 264.7 macrophages. CYL-4d exhibited parallel inhibition of LPS-induced expression of iNOS protein, iNOS mRNA and iNOS promoter activity in the same concentration range. LPS-induced activator protein-1 (AP-1) DNA binding, AP-1-dependent reporter gene activity and c-Jun nuclear translocation were all markedly inhibited by CYL-4d with similar efficacy, whereas CYL-4d produced a weak inhibition of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) DNA binding, NF-kappaB-dependent reporter gene activity and p65 nuclear translocation without affecting inhibitory factor-kappa B alpha (I kappa B alpha) degradation. CYL-4d had no effect on the LPS-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and its upstream activator MAPK kinase (MEK) 3, whereas it significantly attenuated the phosphorylation of c-Jun, c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK) and its upstream activator MEK4 in a parallel concentration-dependent manner. Other Toll-like receptors (TLRs) ligands (peptidoglycans, double-stranded RNA, and oligonucleotide containing unmethylated CpG motifs)-induced iNOS protein expression were also inhibited by CYL-4d. Furthermore, the NO production from BV-2 microglial cells as well as rat alveolar macrophages in response to LPS was diminished by CYL-4d. These results indicate that the blockade of NO production by CYL-4d in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells is attributed mainly to interference in the MEK4-JNK-AP-1 signaling pathway. CYL-4d inhibition of NO production is not restricted to TLR4 activation and immortalized macrophage-like cells.
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PMID:Inhibition of lipopolysaccharide-stimulated NO production by a novel synthetic compound CYL-4d in RAW 264.7 macrophages involving the blockade of MEK4/JNK/AP-1 pathway. 1737 90

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) contribute to the matrix-degrading phenotype of mycobacterial diseases. Considering that MMPs could contribute to the mutual exacerbation of both Mycobacterium avium and HIV in coinfections, it is of importance to understand the mechanisms of M. avium-induced MMP induction. Focusing on MMP-9, our work demonstrates that a cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)-dependent signalling loop is critical for activation of MMP-9 transcription in RAW264.7 cells and murine bone marrow-derived macrophages. M. avium-stimulated MMP-9 induction involves the p65 and p50 subunits of NF-kappaB and the c-Fos and c-jun subunits of AP-1. The c-Fos gene is upregulated in a MEK1-dependent manner in M. avium-challenged macrophages. M. avium-induced MMP-9 gene induction requires the histone acetyltransferase p300 and chromatin modifications involving phosphorylation of p65 at serine 276 and its acetylation at lysines 221 and 310. At the same time, histone H3 modified by mitogen and stress-activated protein kinase 1 (MSK1)-dependent phosphorylation on serine 10 and by acetylation on lysine 14, typical signatures linked to transcriptional activation, also associates with the MMP-9 promoter following M. avium challenge. Taken together, our results show that co-ordinated post-translational modifications of p65 and histone H3 involving phosphorylation and acetylation drive COX-2-dependent transcriptional activation of the MMP-9 gene in response to challenge of macrophages with M. avium.
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PMID:Mycobacterium avium-induced matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression occurs in a cyclooxygenase-2-dependent manner and involves phosphorylation- and acetylation-dependent chromatin modification. 1759 Jan 63

The double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-activated serine/threonine kinase R (PKR) is well characterized as an essential component of the innate antiviral response. Recently, PKR has been implicated in Toll-like receptor (TLR) signal transduction in response to bacterial cell wall components. Its contribution to pulmonary immunity, however, has not yet been elucidated. In this report we investigated whether PKR is involved in TLR2/TLR4-mediated immune responses of primary alveolar macrophages (AM). We found that both TLR2 (Pam3CSK4) and TLR4 (LPS) ligands induced rapid phosphorylation of PKR. Moreover, this activation was strictly dependent on the functionality of the respective TLR. Pharmacologic inhibition of PKR activity using 2-aminopurine (2-AP) and PKR gene deletion was found to reduce the TLR2/TLR4-induced activation of the JNK signaling pathway (MKK4/JNK/c-Jun), but did not affect p38 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 activation. Moreover, inhibition of PKR phosphorylation severely impaired TNF-alpha and IL-6 production by AM in response to LPS and Pam3CSK4. In addition, we found that PKR phosphorylation plays a major role in LPS- but not Pam3CSK4-induced activation of the p65 subunit of NF-kappaB. Collectively, these results indicate that functional PKR is critically involved in inflammatory responses of primary AM to gram-positive as well as gram-negative bacterial cell wall components.
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PMID:PKR regulates TLR2/TLR4-dependent signaling in murine alveolar macrophages. 1769 Mar 30

The anti-microbial peptide human beta-defensin-2 (hBD-2), produced by epidermal keratinocytes, plays pivotal roles in anti-microbial defense, inflammatory dermatoses, and wound repair. hBD-2 induces histamine release from mast cells. We examined the in vitro effects of histamine on hBD-2 production in normal human keratinocytes. Histamine enhanced TNF-alpha- or IFN-gamma-induced hBD-2 secretion and mRNA expression. Histamine alone enhanced transcriptional activities of NF-kappaB and activator protein-1 (AP-1) and potentiated TNF-alpha-induced NF-kappaB and AP-1 activities or IFN-gamma-induced NF-kappaB and STAT1 activities. Antisense oligonucleotides against NF-kappaB components p50 and p65, AP-1 components c-Jun and c-Fos, or H1 antagonist pyrilamine suppressed hBD-2 production induced by histamine plus TNF-alpha or IFN-gamma. Antisense oligonucleotide against STAT1 only suppressed hBD-2 production induced by histamine plus IFN-gamma. Histamine induced serine phosphorylation of inhibitory NF-kappaBalpha (IkappaBalpha) alone or together with TNF-alpha or IFN-gamma. Histamine induced c-Fos mRNA expression alone or together with TNF-alpha, whereas it did not further increase c-Jun mRNA levels enhanced by TNF-alpha. Histamine induced serine phosphorylation of STAT1 alone or together with IFN-gamma, whereas it did not further enhance IFN-gamma-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT1. The histamine-induced serine phosphorylation of STAT1 was suppressed by MAPKK (MEK) inhibitor PD98059. These results suggest that histamine stimulates H1 receptor and potentiates TNF-alpha- or IFN-gamma-induced hBD-2 production dependent on NF-kappaB, AP-1, or STAT1 in human keratinocytes. Histamine may potentiate anti-microbial defense, skin inflammation, and wound repair via the induction of hBD-2.
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PMID:Histamine enhances the production of human beta-defensin-2 in human keratinocytes. 1792 37

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) non-structural (NS) 3/4A protein complex inhibits the retinoic acid inducible gene I (RIG-I) pathway by proteolytically cleaving mitochondria-associated CARD-containing adaptor protein Cardif, and this leads to reduced production of beta interferon (IFN-beta). This study examined the expression of CCL5 (regulated upon activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted, or RANTES), CXCL8 (interleukin 8) and CXCL10 (IFN-gamma-activated protein 10, or IP-10) chemokine genes in osteosarcoma cell lines that inducibly expressed NS3/4A, NS4B, core-E1-E2-p7 and the entire HCV polyprotein. Sendai virus (SeV)-induced production of IFN-beta, CCL5, CXCL8 and CXCL10 was downregulated by the NS3/4A protein complex and by the full-length HCV polyprotein. Expression of NS3/4A and the HCV polyprotein reduced the binding of interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) 1 and 3 and, to a lesser extent, nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB (p65/p50) to their respective binding elements on the CXCL10 promoter during SeV infection. Furthermore, binding of IRF1 and IRF3 to the interferon-stimulated response element-like element, and of c-Jun and phosphorylated c-Jun to the activator protein 1 element of the CXCL8 promoter, was reduced when NS3/4A and the HCV polyprotein were expressed. In cell lines expressing NS3/4A and the HCV polyprotein, the subcellular localization of mitochondria was changed, and this was kinetically associated with the partial degradation of endogenous Cardif. These results indicate that NS3/4A alone or as part of the HCV polyprotein disturbs the expression of IRF1- and IRF3-regulated genes, as well as affecting mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase- and NF-kappaB-regulated genes.
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PMID:Hepatitis C virus proteins interfere with the activation of chemokine gene promoters and downregulate chemokine gene expression. 1819 74

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is reported to be one of the early-response gene products induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). However, the relevance of COX-2 in TPA-induced cell transformation and the underlying mechanisms remains to be explored. Initially, we verified COX-2 induction after TPA treatment in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) and mouse epidermal cells Cl 41. More importantly, introduction of COX-2 small interfering RNA in MEFs or Cl 41 cells suppressed the cell transformation caused by TPA treatment. This inhibition could be reversed by overexpression of human full-length COX-2, indicating that COX-2 is at least one of the critical molecules involved in TPA-induced cell transformation. We further showed that TPA-promoted cell cycle progression was partially suppressed by COX-2 small interfering RNA, indicating that COX-2 also participated in TPA-associated cell cycle progression. Investigation of the upstream signaling pathways revealed that c-Jun-NH(2)-kinase 1 (JNK1), but not JNK2, played important roles in COX-2 induction, because knockout of JNK1 gene rather than JNK2 gene markedly impaired COX-2 induction. Furthermore, inhibition of c-Jun/activator protein 1 pathway or JNKs/c-Jun pathway by overexpression of dominant negative mutants of c-Jun, or MKK4 and MKK7 together, resulted in impairment of COX-2 induction, suggesting that JNK1/c-Jun/activator protein 1 pathway is involved in TPA-associated COX-2 induction. In contrast, IKK/p65 nuclear factor-kappaB pathway was not implicated because knockout of IKKalpha, IKKbeta, or p65 gene did not affect COX-2 induction although nuclear factor-kappaB was activated by TPA. In addition, the TPA-promoted cell cycle progression was found impaired in JNK1-deficient, but not in JNK2-deficient, MEFs. Our results show that JNK1-associated COX-2 induction is implicated in TPA-associated cell transformation and cell cycle progression.
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PMID:A JNK1/AP-1-dependent, COX-2 induction is implicated in 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced cell transformation through regulating cell cycle progression. 1823 71

In response to bacterial challenges, fibroblasts, a major constituent of gingival connective tissue, can produce immunoregulatory cytokines and proteolytic enzymes that may contribute to tissue destruction and the progression of periodontitis, a chronic inflammatory disease affecting tooth-supporting tissues, including alveolar bone. The spirochete Treponema denticola is a major etiological agent of periodontitis and can invade oral tissues. The aim of the present study was to investigate the inflammatory response of gingival fibroblasts to T. denticola lipooligosaccharide (LOS). T. denticola LOS induced significant production of various inflammatory mediators by fibroblasts, including interleukin-6, interleukin-8, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, nitric oxide, and prostaglandin E(2). In addition, the secretion of matrix metalloproteinase 3, an enzyme active on basement membrane components, was also significantly increased. The response of fibroblasts was dose-dependent and much stronger following a 24 h stimulation period. The expression and/or phosphorylation state of several signaling proteins, including Fos, MKK1, MKK2, MKK3/6, NF-kappaB p50, and NF-kappaB p65, was enhanced following stimulation of fibroblasts with T. denticola LOS. In summary, T. denticola LOS induced an inflammatory response in gingival fibroblasts and may thus contribute to the immunopathogenesis of periodontitis and the progression of the disease.
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PMID:Treponema denticola lipooligosaccharide activates gingival fibroblasts and upregulates inflammatory mediator production. 1836 71

In this study, we demonstrate that treatment of human lung adenocarcinoma H460 cells with farnesol induces the expression of a number of immune response and inflammatory genes, including IL-6, CXCL3, IL-1alpha, and COX-2. This response was dependent on the activation of the NF-kappaB signaling pathway. Farnesol treatment reduces the level of IkappaBalpha and induces translocation of p65/RelA to the nucleus, its phosphorylation at Ser(276), and transactivation of NF-kappaB-dependent transcription. Moreover, overexpression of IkappaBalpha or treatment with the NF-kappaB inhibitor caffeic acid phenethyl ester greatly diminishes the induction of inflammatory gene expression by farnesol. We provide evidence indicating that the farnesol-induced phosphorylation of p65/RelA at Ser(276) is important for optimal transcriptional activity of NF-kappaB. The MEK1/2 inhibitor U0126 and knockdown of MEK1/2 expression with small interfering RNAs effectively blocked the phosphorylation of p65/RelA(Ser(276)) but not that of Ser(536), suggesting that this phosphorylation is dependent on the activation of the MEK1/2-ERK1/2 pathway. We further show that inhibition of MSK1, a kinase acting downstream of MEK1/2-ERK1/2, by H89 or knockdown of MSK1 expression also inhibited phosphorylation of p65/RelA(Ser(276)), suggesting that this phosphorylation is dependent on MSK1. Knockdown of MEK1/2 or MSK1 expression inhibits farnesol-induced expression of CXCL3, IL-1alpha, and COX-2 mRNA. Our results indicate that the induction of inflammatory genes by farnesol is mediated by the activation of the NF-kappaB pathway and involves MEK1/2-ERK1/2-MSK1-dependent phosphorylation of p65/RelA(Ser(276)). The activation of the NF-kappaB pathway by farnesol might be part of a prosurvival response during farnesol-induced ER stress.
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PMID:NF-kappaB-dependent transcriptional activation in lung carcinoma cells by farnesol involves p65/RelA(Ser276) phosphorylation via the MEK-MSK1 signaling pathway. 1842 38


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