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)

We have investigated the mechanisms underlying regulation of the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) cell-specific enhancer. Recently, we reported that this enhancer is inhibited by serotonin type-1 (5-HT1) agonists, similar to currently used antimigraine drugs. We have now tested whether this repression involves a mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway. We first demonstrate that the CGRP enhancer is strongly (10-fold) activated by a constitutively active MAP kinase kinase (MEK1), yielding reporter activities 100-fold above the enhancerless control. The involvement of a MAP kinase pathway was confirmed by down-regulation of reporter activity upon cotransfection of a dominant negative Ras. Activation of the enhancer by MEK1 was blocked in a dose-dependent manner by the 5-HT1 receptor agonist CGS 12066A (CGS). Since it is not known whether the CGRP enhancer factors are immediate targets of MAP kinases, we then used EIk-1- and c-Jun-dependent reporter genes that are directly activated by the ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinases) and JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase) MAP kinases. CGS treatment repressed the activation of both of these reporters, suggesting that at least two MAP kinases are the immediate targets of CGS-mediated repression. We further demonstrate that 5-HT1 agonists inactivate ERK by dephosphorylation, even in the presence of constitutively activated MEK1. This inactivation appears to be due to a marked increase in the level of MAP kinase phosphatase-1. These results have defined a novel and general mechanism by which 5-HT1 receptor agonists can repress MAP kinase activation of target genes, such as CGRP.
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PMID:Serotonergic repression of mitogen-activated protein kinase control of the calcitonin gene-related peptide enhancer. 965 4

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a neuroendocrine tumor of the calcitonin secreting thyroid C-cells. Somatic and germline mutations in the RET proto-oncogene are associated with sporadic and inherited cases of MTC, respectively. The human MTC cell line, TT, can be differentiated by activated raf-1. This differentiation is characterized, in part, by down-regulation of the RET proto-oncogene. We now show that raf-1 induction is followed by activation of the downstream kinases MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 and that differentiation is dependent on activation of MEK1/2. The concurrent down-regulation of RET appears to involve altered nuclear compartmentalization and transport of RET mRNA. Although RET is down-regulated during raf-1 mediated differentiation, overexpression of activated RET alleles which resist down-regulation does not alter the raf-1 mediated differentiation response. These data suggest that RET down-regulation is associated with, but not required, for raf-1 mediated MTC cell differentiation and that the raf-1 signal transduction pathway plays a dominant role in promoting MTC cell differentiation.
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PMID:Post-transcriptional silencing of RET occurs, but is not required, during raf-1 mediated differentiation of medullary thyroid carcinoma cells. 969 May 18

In many peripheral tissues, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is released from peptidergic sensory nerve fibres and acts like a growth factor during tissue development and regeneration. However, the ability of CGRP to influence gingival tissue has not been studied. To address this question, we have now examined the effects of CGRP on the proliferation of human gingival fibroblasts (Gin-1) in vitro. Gin-1 cells have approximately 3100 specific CGRP-binding sites with a Kd of 38.6 pM on their surface. Treatment with CGRP (0.1-100 nM) significantly stimulated cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner, with maximal effects at 1-10 nM CGRP after 2 d. As one early cellular response to CGRP, p44-MAPK protein (also known as the extracellular signal response kinase [ERK]) was tyrosine- and threonine-phosphorylated within 2 min, and this phosphorylation was sustained for at least 1 h. The dose-response curve of MAPK activation was very similar to that observed for CGRP's stimulation of cell proliferation. In addition, CGRP's activation of MAPK stimulated its ability to phosphorylate the Elk-1 transcription factor. When cells were pretreated with PD98059, a selective inhibitor of MAPK kinase (also known as MEK), CGRP not only failed to induce phosphorylation of MAPK but also failed to stimulate Gin-1 cell proliferation. Our present data indicate that CGRP rapidly activates the MAPK signalling pathway, an effect which consequently stimulates the proliferation of gingival fibroblasts. Our data demonstrate specific cellular responses to CGRP by gingival fibroblasts and support the possibility that CGRP acts as a targeted local factor in the regulation of development, generation and/or regeneration of gingival tissues.
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PMID:Calcitonin gene-related peptide acts as a mitogen for human Gin-1 gingival fibroblasts by activating the MAP kinase signalling pathway. 1038 4

The gene encoding the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is activated in neuronal cells by treatment with cAMP and nerve growth factor (NGF). Both stimuli induce the phosphorylation of the cAMP response element (CRE)-binding protein (CREB) transcription factor on Ser-133 and require the CRE in the CGRP promoter to stimulate transcription. However, whereas the CRE is necessary and sufficient for promoter activation by cAMP, it is necessary but not sufficient for activation by NGF. We show that this difference is paralleled by a difference in the signalling pathways which are required for each stimulus to activate the CGRP promoter. Thus whilst cAMP-mediated activation requires the protein kinase A pathway, NGF-mediated stimulation requires the Ras/Raf mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-1 (MEK-1)/p42/p44 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Although NGF can activate the protein kinase C, p38 MAPK and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathways, these pathways are not involved in its effect on the CGRP promoter. The effect of the p42/p44 MAPK pathway on CREB and associated transcription factors, and the manner in which this results in activation of the CGRP promoter is discussed.
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PMID:Distinct signalling pathways mediate the cAMP response element (CRE)-dependent activation of the calcitonin gene-related peptide gene promoter by cAMP and nerve growth factor. 1062 Apr 99

Recently we reported that calcitonin (CT) induces growth arrest at the G2 stage of the cell cycle in HEK-293 cell lines expressing the most abundant, insert-negative, isoform of the human CT receptor (insert -ve hCTR). The present study investigates the involvement of the MAPK signalling pathway in the anti-proliferative actions of CT and compares the activity of an isoform of the hCTR that contains a 16 amino acid insert in the first putative intracellular loop (insert +ve hCTR). Comparison of HEK-293 cells stably transfected with the insert -ve or the insert +ve hCTR, showed that accumulation of cAMP and intracellular free calcium in response to CT were specific for the insert -ve receptor isoform. However, a novel acidification of the extracellular medium was mediated by both isoforms. Treatment with CT of cells expressing the insert -ve hCTR, caused a decrease in cell growth associated with an induction of p21(WAF1/CIP1). Analysis by fluorescence-activated cell scanning showed that growth inhibition was associated with an accumulation of cells in G2. CT treatment of cells expressing the insert -ve, but not insert +ve hCTR, induced the phosphorylation of Erk1/2 MAPK, which persisted for at least 72 h. Treatment of cells expressing the insert -ve hCTR with the MAPK kinase (MEK) inhibitor, PD-98059, inhibited the phosphorylation of Erk1/2 and abrogated the growth inhibitory effects of salmon CT, the accumulation of cells in G2, and the associated induction of p21(WAF1/CIP1). These data suggest that activation of Erk1/2 are downstream effectors of the insert -ve hCTR in modulating cell cycle progression.
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PMID:Sustained activation of Erk1/2 MAPK and cell growth suppression by the insert-negative, but not the insert-positive isoform of the human calcitonin receptor. 1101 57

Tolerance to opiates reduces their effectiveness in the treatment of severe pain. Although the mechanisms are unclear, overactivity of pro-nociceptive systems has been proposed to contribute to this phenomenon. We have reported that the development of morphine tolerance significantly increased calcitonin-gene-related-peptide-like immunoreactivity (CGRP-IR) in primary sensory afferents of the spinal dorsal horn, suggesting that changes in pain-related neuropeptides in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons may be involved (Menard et al., 1996, J. Neurosci., 16, 2342-2351). Recently, we have shown that repeated morphine treatments induced increases in CGRP- and substance P (SP)-IR in cultured DRG, mimicking the in vivo effects (Ma et al., 2000, Neuroscience, 99, 529-539). In this study, we investigated the intracellular signal transduction pathways possibly involved in morphine-induced increases in CGRP- and SP-IR in DRG neurons. Repeated morphine exposure (10-20 microm) for 6 days increased the number of neurons expressing phosphorylated (p) mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases, including the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK), c-jun N-terminal kinase (pJNK) and P38 (pP38 MAPK). The number of neurons expressing phosphorylated cAMP responsive element binding protein (pCREB) was also markedly increased in morphine-exposed cultured DRG neurons. pERK-, pP38-, pJNK- and pCREB-IR were colocalized with CGRP-IR in cultured DRG neurons. Naloxone effectively blocked these actions of morphine, whereas a selective MEK1 inhibitor, PD98059, inhibited the morphine-induced increase in the phosphorylation of ERK and CREB, and the expression of CGRP and SP. Moreover, in morphine-tolerant rats, the number of pCREB-, CGRP- and SP-IR neurons in the lumbar DRG was also significantly increased. These in vitro and in vivo data suggest that the phosphorylation of MAP kinases and CREB plays a role in the morphine-induced increase in spinal CGRP and SP levels in primary sensory afferents, contributing to the development of tolerance to opioid-induced analgesia.
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PMID:Chronic morphine exposure increases the phosphorylation of MAP kinases and the transcription factor CREB in dorsal root ganglion neurons: an in vitro and in vivo study. 1168 1

Adrenomedullin is a potent vasodilator peptide secreted by vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Adrenomedullin stimulates the proliferation of quiescent rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) via p42/p44 ERK/MAP kinase activation. Recently, receptor-activity-modifying proteins (RAMPs) have been shown to transport calcitonin-receptor-like-receptor (CRLR) to the cell surface to present either as CGRP receptor or adrenomedullin receptor. We investigated whether adrenomedullin acts as an autocrine/paracrine growth factor for cultured rat VSMCs and whether coexpressions of RAMP isoform and CRLR may mediate p42/p44 ERK/MAP kinase activation by adrenomedullin. Adrenomedullin dose-dependently stimulated the proliferation of quiescent rat VSMCs, and this effect was inhibited by an adrenomedullin receptor antagonist, a MAP kinase kinase inhibitor and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitors. Addition of either CGRP(8-37) or anti-adrenomedullin antibody to exponentially growing rat VSMCs inhibited the serum-induced cell proliferation, suggesting its role as an autocrine/paracrine growth factor. Cotransfection of RAMP2 or RAMP3 with CRLR into rat VSMCs potentiated activation of cAMP activity, but not of p42/p44 ERK/MAP kinase activity in response to adrenomedullin. Our results suggest that adrenomedullin is an autocrine/paracrine growth factor for rat VSMCs via p42/p44 ERK/MAP kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathways and that it is not mediated by human RAMP-CRLR receptors.
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PMID:Adrenomedullin is an autocrine/paracrine growth factor for rat vascular smooth muscle cells. 1266 39

Previous findings from our laboratory have shown that pituitary calcitonin-like peptide (pit-CT) is synthesized and released by gonadotrophs and inhibits prolactin (PRL) release, synthesis, and lactotroph proliferation. To investigate further the regulation of PRL gene transcription by CT, we examined the effect of CT on rat PRL (rPRL) promoter activity in rat pituitary GGH3 cells. GGH3 cells were transiently transfected with rPRL promoter- luciferase and control plasmids. Thirty-six hours later, the cells were treated with CT or other agents and their effect on luciferase activity was examined. The effect of CT and/or thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) on p42/44 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity was also investigated. CT inhibited basal rPRL promoter activity in a dose-dependent fashion, with an approximate IC(50) of 3 nM. The maximal inhibition occurred 1 h after the CT addition, and the peptide was equipotent in inhibiting 600 and 2500 rPRL promoter constructs. CT also inhibited TRH-, Bay K 8644-, and ionomycin-induced rPRL promoter activity. CT mimicked the actions of MEK inhibitors U0126 and PD 980089. However, CT could not inhibit rPRL promoter activity in GGH3 cells expressing constitutively active ERK1 or ERK2. CT markedly attenuated phospho-MAPK immunoreactivity in untreated as well as TRH-treated GGH3 cells. These results suggest that CT inhibits rPRL promoter activity by antagonizing Ca(2+) and ERK1/2-mediated signaling events. They also demonstrate that CT is a potent inhibitor of early events associated with PRL gene activation and may play an important role in regulation of lactotroph function.
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PMID:Calcitonin inhibits prolactin promoter activity in rat pituitary GGH3 cells: evidence for involvement of p42/44 mitogen-activated protein kinase in calcitonin action. 1266 64

In the present study, we investigated whether activation of protease-activated receptor type 2 (PAR-2) with SLIGRL (SL)NH2, a short mimetic agonistic peptide, directly stimulates pepsinogen secretion from gastric-isolated, pepsinogen-secreting (chief) cells. Immunostaining of gastric-dispersed chief cells with a specific anti-PAR-2 antibody demonstrated expression of PAR-2 receptors on membrane and cytoplasm. SL-NH2 and trypsin potently stimulated pepsinogen secretion (EC50 = 0.3 nM) and caused Ca2+ mobilization (EC50 = 0.6 nM). In contrast to SL-NH2, the scramble peptide LSIGRL-NH2 failed to stimulate pepsinogen release. Exposure to SL-NH2 also resulted in ERK1/2 phosphorylation and activation. Exposure of chief cells to phosphotyrosine kinase inhibitors and 2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one, a selective MEK inhibitor, significantly reduced secretion induced by SL-NH2. Pepsinogen secretion induced by SL-NH2 was desensitized by pretreating the cells with the mimetic peptide and trypsin, and exposure to SL-NH2 abrogates pepsinogen secretion induced by carbachol and CCK-8, but not secretion induced by secretin and vasointestinal peptide. Exposure to Arg-Pro-Lys-Pro-Gln-Gln-Phe-Phe-Gly-Leu-Met-NH2 (substance P) but not to calcitonin gene-related peptide increased pepsinogen release. The neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist, N-acetyl-l-tryptophan 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl ester, inhibited substance P-stimulated pepsinogen secretion, whereas it did not affect secretion induced by SL-NH2. Collectively, these data indicate that PAR-2 is expressed on gastric chief cells and that its activation causes a Ca2+-ERK-dependent stimulation of pepsinogen secretion.
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PMID:PAR-2 modulates pepsinogen secretion from gastric-isolated chief cells. 1274 62

Interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) is a pleiotropic cytokine that can induce several cellular signal transduction pathways. Here, we show that IL-1beta can induce cell cycle arrest and differentiation in the human medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) cell line, TT. IL-1beta induces cell cycle arrest accompanied by morphological changes and expression of the neuroendocrine marker calcitonin. These changes are blocked by the MEK1/2 specific inhibitor U0126, indicating that MEK1/2 is essential for IL-1beta signaling in TT cells. IL-1beta induces expression of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and activation of STAT3 via the MEK/ERK pathway. This activation of STAT3 could be abrogated by treatment with anti-LIF neutralizing antibody or anti-gp130 blocking antibody, indicating that induction of LIF expression is sufficient and essential for STAT3 activation by IL-1beta. In addition to activation of the LIF/JAK/STAT pathway, IL-1beta also induced an MEK/ERK-mediated intracellular cell-autonomous signaling pathway that is independently sufficient for growth arrest and differentiation. Thus, IL-1beta activates the MEK/ERK pathway to induce growth arrest and differentiation in MTC cells via dual independent signaling mechanisms, the cell-extrinsic LIF/JAK/STAT pathway, and the cell-intrinsic autonomous signaling pathway.
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PMID:Interleukin-1beta can mediate growth arrest and differentiation via the leukemia inhibitory factor/JAK/STAT pathway in medullary thyroid carcinoma cells. 1561 80


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