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)

Activation of 44 and 42 kDa extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK)1/2 by angiotensin II (angII) plays an important role in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) function. The dual specificity mitogen-actived protein (MAP) kinase/ERK kinase (MEK) activates ERK1/2 in response to angII, but the MEK activating kinases remain undefined. Raf is a candidate MEK kinase. However, a kinase other than Raf appears responsible for angII-mediated signal transduction because we showed previously that treatment with 1 microM phorbol 12, 13-dibutyrate (PDBU) for 24 h completely blocked Raf-Ras association in VSMC but did not inhibit activation of MEK and ERK1/2 by angII. We hypothesized that an atypical protein kinase C (PKC) isoform, which lacks a phorbol ester binding domain, mediated ERK1/2 activation by angII. Western blot analysis of rat aortic VSMC with PKC isoform-specific antibodies showed PKC-alpha, -beta1, -delta, -epsilon, and -zeta in relative abundance. All isoforms except PKC-zeta were down-regulated by 1 microM PDBU for 24 h suggesting that PKC-zeta was responsible for angII-mediated ERK1/2 activation. In response to angII, PKC-zeta associated with Ras as shown by co-precipitation of PKC-zeta with anti-H-Ras antibody. To characterize further the role of PKC-zeta, PKC-zeta protein was depleted specifically by transfection with antisense PKC-zeta oligonucleotides. Antisense PKC-zeta oligonucleotide treatment significantly decreased PKC-zeta protein expression (without effect on other PKC isoforms) and angII-mediated ERK1/2 activation in a concentration-dependent manner. In contrast, ERK1/2 activation by platelet-derived growth factor and phorbol ester was not significantly inhibited. These results demonstrate an important difference in signal transduction by angII compared with PDGF and phorbol ester in VSMC, and suggest a critical role for PKC-zeta and Ras in angII stimulation of ERK1/2.
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PMID:Protein kinase C-zeta mediates angiotensin II activation of ERK1/2 in vascular smooth muscle cells. 904 26

In Xenopus laevis egg cell cycle extracts that mimic early embryonic cell cycles, activation of MAP kinase and MAP kinase kinase occurs in M phase, slightly behind that of maturation promoting factor. To examine the possible role of MAP kinase in the in vitro cell cycle, we depleted the extracts of MAP kinase by using anti-Xenopus MAP kinase antibody. Like in the mock-treated extracts, the periodic activation and deactivation of MPF occurred normally in the MAP kinase-depleted extracts, suggesting that MAP kinase is dispensable for the normal M phase entry and exit in vitro. It has recently been reported that microtubule depolymerization by nocodazole treatment can block exit from mitosis in the extracts if enough sperm nuclei are present, and that the addition of MAP kinase-specific phosphatase MKP-1 overcomes this spindle assembly checkpoint, suggesting the involvement of MAP kinase in the checkpoint signal transduction. We show here that the spindle assembly checkpoint mechanism cannot operate in the MAP kinase-depleted extracts. But, adding recombinant Xenopus MAP kinase to the MAP kinase-depleted extracts restored the spindle assembly checkpoint. These results indicate unambiguously that classical MAP kinase is required for the spindle assembly checkpoint in the cell cycle extracts. In addition, we show that strong activation of MAP kinase by the addition of a constitutively active MAP kinase kinase kinase in the absence of sperm nuclei and nocodazole, induced mitotic arrest in the extracts. Therefore, activation of MAP kinase alone is sufficient for inducing the mitotic arrest in vitro.
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PMID:MAP kinase is required for the spindle assembly checkpoint but is dispensable for the normal M phase entry and exit in Xenopus egg cell cycle extracts. 906 Apr 73

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are components of sequential kinase cascades that are activated in response to a variety of extracellular signals. Members of the MAPK family include the extracellular response kinases (ERKs or p42/44(MAPK)), the c-Jun amino-terminal kinases (JNKs), and the p38/Hog 1 protein kinases. MAPKs are phosphorylated and activated by MAPK kinases (MKKs or MEKs), which in turn are phosphorylated and activated by MKK/MEK kinases (Raf and MKKK/MEKKs). We have isolated two cDNAs encoding splice variants of a novel MEK kinase, MEKK4. The MEKK4 mRNA is widely expressed in mouse tissues and encodes for a protein of approximately 180 kDa. The MEKK4 carboxyl-terminal catalytic domain is approximately 55% homologous to the catalytic domains of MEKKs 1, 2, and 3. The amino-terminal region of MEKK4 has little sequence homology to the previously cloned MEKK proteins. MEKK4 specifically activates the JNK pathway but not ERKs or p38, distinguishing it from MEKKs 1, 2 and 3, which are capable of activating the ERK pathway. MEKK4 is localized in a perinuclear, vesicular compartment similar to the Golgi. MEKK4 binds to Cdc42 and Rac; kinase-inactive mutants of MEKK4 block Cdc42/Rac stimulation of the JNK pathway. MEKK4 has a putative pleckstrin homology domain and a proline-rich motif, suggesting specific regulatory functions different from those of the previously characterized MEKKs.
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PMID:Cloning of a novel mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase, MEKK4, that selectively regulates the c-Jun amino terminal kinase pathway. 907 50

In this study we investigated the effect of Listeria monocytogenes infection on the activation of the Raf-MEK-MAP kinase pathway in eukaryotic host cells. HeLa cell infection with L. monocytogenes EGD resulted in a rapid, but transient, phosphorylation of the MAP kinases erk-1 and erk-2, a transient phosphorylation of the MAP kinase kinase MEK-1, and a transient activation of the MAP kinase kinase kinase Raf. In parallel to the transient phosphorylation of the MAP kinases, we detected induced expression of the MAP kinase phosphatase MKP-1. Additionally we present evidence that listeriolysin O is the inducing agent for activation of the Raf-MEK-MAP kinase pathway.
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PMID:Listeria monocytogenes infection of HeLa cells results in listeriolysin O-mediated transient activation of the Raf-MEK-MAP kinase pathway. 908 47

Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathways include a three-kinase cascade terminating in a MAP kinase family member. The middle kinase in the cascade is a MAP/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase or MEK family member and is highly specific for its MAP kinase target. The first kinase in the cascade, a MEK kinase (MEKK), is characterized by its ability to activate one or more MEK family members. A two-plasmid bacterial expression system was employed to express active forms of the following MEK and MAP kinase family members: ERK1, ERK2, alpha-SAPK, and p38 and their upstream activators, MEK1, -2, -3, and -4. In each kinase module, the upstream activator, a constitutively active mutant of MEK1 or MEKK1, was expressed from a low copy plasmid, while one or two downstream effector kinases were expressed from a high copy plasmid with different antibiotic resistance genes and origins of replication. Consistent with their high activity, ERK1 and ERK2 were doubly phosphorylated on Tyr and Thr, were recognized by an antibody specific to the doubly phosphorylated forms, and were inactivated by either phosphoprotein phosphatase 2A or phosphotyrosine phosphatase type 1. Likewise, activated p38 and alpha-stress-activated protein kinase could also be inactivated by either phosphatase, and alpha-stress-activated protein kinase was recognized by an antibody specific to the doubly phosphorylated forms. These three purified, active MAP kinases have specific activities in the range of 0.6-2.3 micromol/min/mg. Coexpression of protein kinases with their substrates in bacteria is of great value in the preparation of numerous phosphoproteins, heretofore not possible in procaryotic expression systems.
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PMID:Reconstitution of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation cascades in bacteria. Efficient synthesis of active protein kinases. 911 Sep 99

The protooncogene G alpha(i-2) plays a pivotal role in signaling pathways that control renal cell growth and differentiation. Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are potential downstream effectors for G alpha(i-2) in these pathways. In predifferentiated LLC-PK1 renal cells, the temporal maximal expression of G alpha(i-2) coincided with maximal activation of MAPK(p42/p44). By contrast, pertussis toxin treatment of these cells inhibited cell growth and reduced MAPK(p42/p44) activity by 30%. These findings reflected upstream activation of MAPK kinase (MEK1), as transient transfection of cells with a plasmid encoding a constitutively active form of MEK1 increased MAPK(p42/p44) activity and cell growth, whereas treatment with PD-098059, an inhibitor of MEK1 activity, reduced MAPK(p42/p44) activity and cell growth. Expression of a guanosinetriphosphatase (GTPase)-deficient G alpha(i-2) in these cells increased MAPK(p42/p44) activity and correspondingly reduced cell doubling time from 24 to 10 h without altering the activity of Raf-1 or c-Jun/stress-activated protein kinases (SAPKs). By contrast, expression of a GTPase-deficient G alpha(i-3) in these cells reduced both their cell doubling time by 30% and MAPK(p42/p44) activity by 60%. As the known MEKK isoforms (MEKK1, -2, and -3) can also activate SAPKs, these findings suggest the GTP-charged G alpha(i-2) subunit transduces growth signals in renal cells via activation of MAPK(p42/p44) and that such activation may be linked to pathways containing novel MEKK isoforms that preferentially activate MEKs.
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PMID:G alpha(i-2) mediates renal LLC-PK1 growth by a Raf-independent activation of p42/p44 MAP kinase. 912 7

The fission yeast Sty1 MAP kinase is required for cell cycle control, initiation of sexual differentiation, and protection against cellular stress. Like the mammalian JNK/SAPK and p38/CSBP1 MAP kinases, Sty1 is activated by a range of environmental insults including osmotic stress, hydrogen peroxide, menadione, heat shock, and the protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin. We have identified an upstream regulator that mediates activation of the Sty1 MAP kinase by multiple environmental stresses as the product of the mitotic catastrophe suppressor, mcs4. Mcs4 is structurally and functionally homologous to the budding yeast SSK1 response regulator, suggesting that the eukaryotic stress-activated MAP kinase pathway is controlled by a conserved two-component system. Mcs4 acts upstream of Wak1, a homolog of the SSK2 and SSK22 MEK kinases, which transmits the stress signal to the Wis1 MEK. We show that the Wis1 MEK is controlled by an additional pathway that is independent of both Mcs4 and the Wak1 MEK kinase. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Mcs4 is required for the correct timing of mitotic initiation by mechanisms both dependent and independent on Sty1, indicating that Mcs4 coordinately controls cell cycle progression with the cellular response to environmental stress.
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PMID:The Mcs4 response regulator coordinately controls the stress-activated Wak1-Wis1-Sty1 MAP kinase pathway and fission yeast cell cycle. 913 29

The 92 kDa type IV collagenase (MMP-9), which degrades type IV collagen, has been implicated in tissue remodeling. The purpose of the current study was to determine the role of Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK)- and extracellular signal-regulated kinase- (ERK)-dependent signaling cascades in the regulation of MMP-9 expression. Towards this end, we first determined the transcriptional requirements for MMP-9 promoter activity in a cell line (UM-SCC-1) which is an avid secretor of this collagenase. Transfection of these cells with a CAT reporter driven by progressive 5' deleted fragments of the MMP-9 promoter indicated the requirement of a region spanning -144 to -73 for optimal promoter activity. DNase I footprinting revealed a protected region of the promoter spanning nucleotides -91 to -68 and containing a consensus AP-1 motif at -79. Mutation of this AP-1 motif practically abolished the activity of the MMP-9 promoter-driven CAT reporter. Mobility shift assays indicated c-Fos and Jun-D bound to this motif and transfection of the cells with a mutated c-Jun, which quenches the function of endogenous Jun and Fos proteins, decreased MMP-9 promoter activity by 80%. UM-SCC-1 cells contained a constitutively activated JNK and the expression of a kinase-deficient JNK1 reduced the activity of a CAT reporter driven either by the MMP-9 promoter or by three tandem AP-1 repeats upstream of a thymidine kinase minimal promoter. Conditioned medium collected from UM-SCC-1 cells transfected with the dominant negative JNK1 expression vector diminished 92 kDa gelatinolysis. Similarly, interfering with MEKK, which lies upstream of JNK1, using a dominant negative expression vector reduced MMP-9 promoter activity over the same concentration range which repressed the AP-1-thymidine kinase CAT reporter construct. UM-SCC-1 cells also contained a constitutively activated ERK1. MMP-9 expression, as determined by CAT assays and by zymography, was reduced by the co-expression of a kinase-deficient ERK1. Interfering with MEK1, which is an upstream activator of ERK1, either with PD 098059, which prevents the activation of MEK1, or with a dominant negative expression construct, reduced 92 kDa gelatinolysis and MMP-9 promoter activity respectively. c-Raf-1 is an upstream activator of MEK1 and a kinase-deficient c-Raf-1 expression construct decreased the activity of a promoter driven by either the MMP-9 promoter or three tandem AP-1 repeats. Conversely, treatment of UM-SCC-1 cells with PMA, which activates c-Raf-1, increased 92 kDa gelatinolysis. These data suggest that MMP-9 expression in UM-SCC-1 cells, is regulated by JNK- and ERK-dependent signaling pathways.
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PMID:Regulation of 92 kDa type IV collagenase expression by the jun aminoterminal kinase- and the extracellular signal-regulated kinase-dependent signaling cascades. 913 92

In neonatal rat ventricular myocytes, stimulation of the alpha1-adrenergic receptor (alpha1-AdrR) activates a program of genetic and morphological changes characterized by transcriptional activation of the atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) gene and enlargement (hypertrophy) of the cells. The low molecular weight GTPase Ras has been established as an important regulator of hypertrophy both in vitro and in vivo. Ras activates a kinase cascade involving Raf, the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK), and the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK). However, the extent of involvement of this pathway in regulating hypertrophic responses is controversial. We demonstrate here that both alpha1-AdrR stimulation and Ras can also activate the c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) in cardiomyocytes. The alpha1-AdrR effect on JNK occurs through a pathway requiring Ras and MEK kinase (MEKK). A constitutively activated mutant of MEKK that preferentially activates JNK, stimulates ANF reporter gene expression, while a dominant negative MEKK mutant inhibits ANF expression induced by PE. Furthermore, JNK activity is increased in the ventricles of mice overexpressing oncogenic Ras, whereas ERK activity is not. These results suggest that the alpha1-AdrR mediates ANF gene expression through a Ras-MEKK-JNK pathway and that activation of this pathway is associated with in vitro and in vivo hypertrophy.
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PMID:The MEKK-JNK pathway is stimulated by alpha1-adrenergic receptor and ras activation and is associated with in vitro and in vivo cardiac hypertrophy. 916 28

Exposure of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to high extracellular osmolarity induces the Sln1p-Ypd1p-Ssk1p two-component osmosensor to activate a mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascade composed of the Ssk2p and Ssk22p MAP kinase kinase kinases (MAPKKKs), the Pbs2p MAPKK, and the Hog1p MAPK. A second osmosensor, Sho1p, also activated Pbs2p and Hog1p, but did so through the Ste11p MAPKKK. Although Ste11p also participates in the mating pheromone-responsive MAPK cascade, there was no detectable cross talk between these two pathways. The MAPKK Pbs2p bound to the Sho1p osmosensor, the MAPKKK Ste11p, and the MAPK Hog1p. Thus, Pbs2p may serve as a scaffold protein.
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PMID:Osmotic activation of the HOG MAPK pathway via Ste11p MAPKKK: scaffold role of Pbs2p MAPKK. 918 81


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