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)

This study investigates whether leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), a potent cardiac hypertrophic cytokine, affects the L-type Ca2+ current (I(Ca,L)) and intracellular Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i) in cardiomyocytes. I(Ca,L) was recorded using a whole cell patch clamp configuration in guinea pig cardiomyocytes, and the [Ca2+]i transient was detected by use of Fluo-3 in rat cardiomyocytes. Cells were preincubated with LIF (1000 U/ml) for 15 min before whole cell recording. LIF increased I(Ca,L) by 41.8%. LIF synergistically increased I(Ca,L) with isoproterenol. Preincubation with H89 did not inhibit the LIF-induced increase in I(Ca,L), indicating that this phenomenon is PKA-independent. PD98059 completely inhibited the increase in I(Ca,L), and this effect was dose-dependent (IC50=3.6 micromol/l). Other signal transduction inhibitors including AG490, SB203580, chelerythrine, genistein, and KN62 did not affect the LIF-induced increase in I(Ca,L). Perforated patch clamp recording revealed that LIF maximally increased the I(Ca,L) by 25% at 15 min. LIF also increased the peak [Ca2+]i transient level by 63% at 15 min. PD98059 fully inhibited the increase in the [Ca2+]i transient. In conclusion, LIF increased I(Ca,L) and the [Ca2+]i transient in cardiomyocytes, and the Raf-1/MEK/ERK pathway might be involved in the modulation of this activation.
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PMID:Leukemia inhibitory factor, a potent cardiac hypertrophic cytokine, enhances L-type Ca2+ current and [Ca2+]i transient in cardiomyocytes. 1007 31

Oxysterols found in oxidized low-density lipoproteins are probably involved in the appearance of atheroma; some are cytotoxic and some able to induce cytokine secretion. An oxysterol-induced interleukin-8 (IL-8) secretion in human monocytes/macrophages has been previously noticed, but the mechanisms remained unclear. In this paper, we investigated the signaling pathways leading to the induction of IL-8 secretion in monocytic THP-1 cells treated with 7beta-hydroxycholesterol, a cytototoxic oxysterol, or with 25-hydroxycholesterol, an oxysterol non-cytotoxic toward this cell line. The oxysterol-induced IL-8 secretion appears to be a calcium-dependent phenomenon as shown by the use of calcium channel blockers, which strongly decreased IL-8 secretion and IL-8 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels. Fluo-3 staining used in flow cytometry and video microscopy revealed an oxysterol-induced Ca(2+) influx, varying according to the oxysterol studied, leading to the activation of the MEK/ERK1/2 pathway as demonstrated by Western blot analysis. ERK activation led to an increase of c-fos mRNA and/or an activation of c-fos. Luciferase reporter gene assay using constructs of the human IL-8 gene promoter and Transam assay revealed the involvement of the AP-1 transcription factor in oxysterol-dependent IL-8 secretion. These results demonstrate that oxysterol-induced IL-8 secretion is a calcium-dependent phenomenon involving the MEK/ERK1/2 pathway leading to the activation of IL-8 gene via AP-1 (c-fos).
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PMID:7beta-Hydroxycholesterol and 25-hydroxycholesterol-induced interleukin-8 secretion involves a calcium-dependent activation of c-fos via the ERK1/2 signaling pathway in THP-1 cells: oxysterols-induced IL-8 secretion is calcium-dependent. 1831 36

We studied hsBAFF activity in in vitro mouse splenic B cells. hsBAFF effects on intracellular free Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) were assayed, using a laser scanning confocal microscope with fluorescent probe, Fluo-3/AM. We showed that treatment of B cells with 0.5-5 microg/ml hsBAFF resulted in significantly higher [Ca(2+)](i) levels in a dose-dependent fashion at 12 and 24 h, respectively (p<0.05 or p<0.01 vs. control). Furthermore, we noticed that 2.5 microg/ml hsBAFF-treated cells were significantly resistant to decrease of cellular viability induced by thapsigargin (Tg), an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca(2+)-ATPase inhibitor (p<0.05 hsBAFF plus Tg group vs. Tg group). Thus hsBAFF may promote B cell survival by direct upregulation of [Ca(2+)](i) physiological homeostasis contributing to prevention of [Ca(2+)](i) dysfunction. Using immunocytochemistry and Western blot analysis, we found that the activation of ERK1/2 due to hsBAFF was triggered by a [Ca(2+)](i) -dependent pathway, leading to elevation of B cell proliferation. This is supported by the findings that intracellular Ca(2+) chelator BAPTA/AM attenuated phosphorylated ERK1/2 expression and cell proliferation in hsBAFF-stimulated B cells. hsBAFF-stimulated B cell proliferation was obviously reduced by mitogen extracellular kinase 1/2 (MEK1/2, upstream of ERK1/2) inhibitor U0126. Taken together, the main finding of this study is that hsBAFF elicits higher but homeostatic [Ca(2+)](i) levels, which regulates ERK1/2 activity and cell proliferation in in vitro B cells.
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PMID:hsBAFF-upregulated intracellular free Ca(2+) homeostasis regulates ERK1/2 activity and cell proliferation in B cells in vitro. 1863 12