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)

The epidermal growth factor (EGF) family and its receptors regulate normal and cancerous epithelial cell proliferation, a process that could be suppressed by anti-receptor blocking antibodies. Polypeptide elongation factor-1alpha (EF-1alpha) is a multifunctional protein whose levels are positively correlated with the proliferative state of cells. To identify genes, whose expression may be modulated by anti-receptor blocking antibodies, we performed a differential display screening and isolated differentially expressed cDNAs. Isolates from one clone were 100% identical to human EF-1alpha. Both EGF and heregulin-beta1 (HRG) induced EF-1alpha promoter activity and mRNA and protein expression. Growth factor-mediated EF-1alpha expression was effectively blocked by pretreatment with humanized anti-EGF receptor antibody C225 or anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) antibody herceptin. Mutants and pharmacological inhibitors of p38(MAPK) and MEK, but not phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, suppressed both constitutive and HRG-induced stimulation of EF-1alpha promoter activity in MCF-7 cells. Deletion analysis of the promoter suggested the requirement of the -393 to -204 region for growth factor-mediated transcription of EF-1alpha. Fine mapping and point mutation studies revealed a role of the SP1 site in the observed HRG-mediated regulation of the EF-1alpha promoter. In addition, we also provide new evidence to suggest that HRG stimulation of the EF-1alpha promoter involves increased physical interactions with acetylated histone H3 and histone H4. These results suggest that regulation of EF-1alpha expression by extracellular signals that function through human EGF receptor family members that are widely deregulated in human cancers and that growth factor regulation of EF-1alpha expression involve histone acetylation.
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PMID:Regulation of elongation factor-1alpha expression by growth factors and anti-receptor blocking antibodies. 1110 60

The bronchial epithelium is a potential source of growth factors that could mediate airway fibrosis during the progression of diseases such as asthma and chronic bronchitis. We report that conditioned medium (CM) from normal human bronchial epithelial cells (NHBECs) contains mitogenic activity for human lung fibroblasts that is blocked by the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) tyrosine kinase inhibitor AG1478 and by neutralizing antibodies raised against heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF). Neutralizing antibodies against other EGF-R ligands (EGF and transforming growth factor-alpha) or other antibodies against growth factors (platelet-derived growth factors, insulin-like growth factor-1) had no affect on the mitogenic activity of NHBEC-CM. HB-EGF messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in NHBEC was detected by reverse transcriptase/polymerase chain reaction and Northern blot analysis. HB-EGF protein was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Vanadium pentoxide (V2O5), a fibrogenic metal associated with occupational asthma, caused a several-fold increase in HB-EGF mRNA expression and protein, whereas the inert metal titanium dioxide had no effect on HB-EGF expression. V2O5-induced HB-EGF mRNA expression was inhibited by the EGF-R tyrosine kinase inhibitor AG1478, the p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase inhibitor SB203580, and the MAP kinase kinase inhibitor PD98059. Finally, HB-EGF induced the production of fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 by human lung fibroblasts and anti-FGF-2 antibody partially blocked the mitogenic activity of NHBEC-CM on fibroblasts. These data suggest that HB-EGF is a fibroblast mitogen produced by NHBECs and that induction of an FGF-2 autocrine loop in fibroblasts by HB-EGF accounts for part of this mitogenic activity.
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PMID:Vanadium stimulates human bronchial epithelial cells to produce heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor: a mitogen for lung fibroblasts. 1115 45

Ras activation occurs through stimulation of an upstream growth factor receptor such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). The ultimate effect of Ras is to induce nuclear transcription via a signaling pathway sequentially involving Raf, MAP kinase kinase (MEK), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). To transform cells, Ras oncoproteins must be posttranslationally modified with a farnesyl group in a reaction catalyzed by farnesyl protein transferase. Farnesyltransferase inhibitors, therefore, have been proposed as potent anticancer agents. This study demonstrates the growth-inhibitory effects of farnesyltransferase inhibitor SCH66336 on human glioblastoma cell lines U-251 MG, U-251/E4 MG (a stably transfected cell line with elevated EGFR expression), and U-87 MG. As determined by (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, inner salt) (MTS) and viability assays, the concentration required to achieve 50% inhibition (IC50) ranged from 30 microM (single 24-h treatment) to 10 microM (5-day treatment). U-251/E4 MG with overexpression of EGFR were more sensitive than U-251 MG parental cells. These observations were also supported by soft agar analysis. Cells treated with SCH66336 underwent G2 arrest. Western blot analysis revealed a decrease in phospho-MAPK levels upon treatment with 10 microM SCH66336, whereas MAPK levels were unaffected by the drug. Interestingly, increased expression of EGFR was observed in U-251 MG and U-251/E4 MG but not in U-87 MG in the presence of the inhibitor. These results demonstrate that SCH66336 inhibits viability and anchorage-independent growth in a time- and dose-dependent manner in glioblastoma cell lines U-251 MG, U-251/E4 MG, and U-87 MG via a signal transduction pathway involving the down-regulation of phospho-MAPK. Overexpression of EGFR appears to alter cellular sensitivity to farnesyltransferase inhibitors. This may have a particularly important implication in glioblastoma, where over 50% of tumors have amplification and overexpression of EGFR.
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PMID:Inhibition of cell growth in human glioblastoma cell lines by farnesyltransferase inhibitor SCH66336. 1130 35

Plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) plays an integral role not only in the regulation of fibrinolytic activity but also in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and hypertension. We investigated the signaling pathways of angiotensin II (Ang II) leading to PAI-1 gene expression. Ang II increased the PAI-1 mRNA and protein levels in a time- and dose-dependent manner through the Ang II type 1 receptor in vascular smooth muscle cells. PAI-1 gene promoter activity measured by luciferase assay was significantly increased by Ang II. PAI-1 mRNA stability was also increased by Ang II. Ang II-induced PAI-1 mRNA upregulation was inhibited by BAPTA-AM, genistein, and AG1478, suggesting that intracellular calcium, tyrosine kinase, and epidermal growth factor receptor transactivation are involved. Furthermore, PD98059, an inhibitor of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase (MEK), almost completely suppressed Ang II-induced PAI-1 upregulation. Adenovirus-mediated overexpression of the dominant-negative form of Rho-kinase or Y27632, a Rho-kinase inhibitor, also completely prevented PAI-1 induction by Ang II without affecting Ang II-induced ERK activation. These data suggest that activation of MEK/ERK and Rho-kinase pathways plays a pivotal role in PAI-1 gene upregulation by Ang II. The Rho-kinase pathway may be a novel target to inhibit Ang II signaling, and its inhibition may be useful in the treatment of hypertension as well as atherosclerosis.
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PMID:Critical role of Rho-kinase and MEK/ERK pathways for angiotensin II-induced plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 gene expression. 1134 89

The potent vasoconstrictor arginine vasopressin (AVP) is also a mitogen for mesangial cells. Treatment with AVP decreased transit time through the cell cycle. AVP-stimulated mesangial cell growth by activating both the Ras mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) cell signaling pathways. Both the selective PI3K inhibitor LY-294002 and the MAPK kinase (MEK) inhibitor PD-98059 inhibited AVP-stimulated mesangial cell proliferation. However, LY-294002 was more potent, indicating an important role for PI3K activation in AVP-stimulated mesangial cell proliferation. AVP appeared to exert its effect on MAPK and PI3K activation, as well as on cell proliferation, by activating the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R). Pretreatment with the tyrphostin-derived EGF-R antagonist AG-1478 inhibited mesangial cell proliferation as well as the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2 or p42/p44(MAPK)), and p70S6 kinase, a downstream effector of PI3K, providing evidence that MAPK and PI3K activation, respectively, occurred downstream of EGF-R activation. Treatment with rapamycin, an inhibitor of the p70S6 kinase activator mTOR, also resulted in growth inhibition, further suggesting the importance of the PI3K signaling pathway in AVP-induced proliferation. AVP treatment appeared to transactivate EGF-R by inducing tyrosine phosphorylation of the Ca(2+)/protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent nonreceptor tyrosine kinase, Pyk2, leading to Pyk2/c-Src association and c-Src activation. This was followed by association of c-Src with EGF-R and EGF-R activation. These data suggested that AVP-stimulated Pyk2 tyrosine phosphorylation to activate c-Src, thereby leading to EGF-R transactivation.
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PMID:Arginine vasopressin stimulates mesangial cell proliferation by activating the epidermal growth factor receptor. 1135 36

This paper describes the establishment of an antiestrogen-resistant MCF7 breast cancer cell subline (FASMCF) by continuous culture of the estrogen-responsive parental line in steroid-depleted, ICI 182,780 (Faslodex; 10(-7) M)-supplemented medium. After a 3-month period of growth suppression, cells began to proliferate in ICI 182,780 at rates similar to those of untreated wild-type cells. Immunocytochemistry showed these cells to have reduced estrogen receptor and an absence of progesterone receptor proteins. RT-PCR and transient transfection studies with estrogen response element-reporter constructs confirmed that ICI 182,780-suppressed estrogen response element-mediated signaling. FASMCF cells show increased dependence upon epidermal growth factor receptor (EgfR)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-mediated signaling. Thus, EgfR protein and messenger RNA, growth responses to transforming growth factor-alpha, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 MAPK activation levels are all increased. Unlike wild-type cells, FASMCF cells are highly sensitive to growth inhibition by an EgfR-specific tyrosine-kinase inhibitor (TKI), ZD1839 (Iressa), and an inhibitor of the activation of MEK1 (MAPKK), PD098059. Short-term ( approximately 3 weeks) withdrawal of cells from antiestrogen had no effect on growth or phenotype, whereas longer withdrawal (>10 weeks) appeared to partially reverse the cellular phenotype with increasing estrogen receptor and decreasing EgfR levels. In subsequent studies FASMCF cells were maintained in TKI, where their growth was again suppressed and secondary TKI resistance failed to develop within the 3-month period in which initial ICI 182,780 resistance arose. Furthermore, wild-type cells similarly maintained in combination ICI 182,780 and TKI treatment conditions remained growth arrested (>6 months), with notable cell loss through both reduced rates of cellular proliferation and increased cell death.
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PMID:Enhanced epidermal growth factor receptor signaling in MCF7 breast cancer cells after long-term culture in the presence of the pure antiestrogen ICI 182,780 (Faslodex). 1141 96

Activated Ras, but not Raf, causes transformation of RIE-1 rat intestinal epithelial cells, demonstrating the importance of Raf-independent effector signaling in mediating Ras transformation. To further assess the contribution of Raf-dependent and Raf-independent function in oncogenic Ras transformation, we evaluated the mechanism by which oncogenic Ras blocks suspension-induced apoptosis, or anoikis, of RIE-1 cells. We determined that oncogenic versions of H-, K-, and N-Ras, as well as the Ras-related proteins TC21 and R-Ras, protected RIE-1 cells from anoikis. Surprisingly, our analyses of Ras effector domain mutants or constitutively activated effectors indicated that activation of Raf-1, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), or RalGDS alone is not sufficient to promote Ras inhibition of anoikis. Treatment of Ras-transformed cells with the U0126 MEK inhibitor caused partial reversion to an anoikis-sensitive state, indicating that extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation contributes to inhibition of anoikis. Unexpectedly, oncogenic Ras failed to activate Akt, and treatment of Ras-transformed RIE-1 cells with the LY294002 PI3K inhibitor did not affect anoikis resistance or growth in soft agar. Thus, while important for Ras transformation of fibroblasts, PI3K may not be involved in Ras transformation of RIE-1 cells. Finally, inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor kinase activity did not overcome Ras inhibition of anoikis, indicating that this autocrine loop essential for transformation is not involved in anoikis protection. We conclude that a PI3K- and RalGEF-independent Ras effector(s) likely cooperates with Raf to confer anoikis resistance upon RIE-1 cells, thus underscoring the complex nature by which Ras transforms cells.
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PMID:Oncogenic Ras blocks anoikis by activation of a novel effector pathway independent of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. 1146 31

ERalpha-negative breast tumors tend to overexpress growth factor receptors such as epidermal growth factor receptor or c-erbB-2. Raf-1 is a key intermediate in the signal transduction pathways of these receptors. High levels of constitutive Raf kinase (Deltaraf) activity imparts ERalpha- positive MCF-7 breast cancer cells with the ability to grow in the absence of estrogen. Deltaraf transfectants maintained in estrogen-depleted media showed greatly diminished responses to 17beta-estradiol or the pure antiestrogen ICI 182,780. Western blotting, ligand binding, and immunohistochemistry assays revealed a loss of ERalpha protein expression, and ribonuclease protection assays indicated that this correlated with loss of ERalpha message. In examining the basal expression of estrogen-induced genes in the stable transfectants or in transient cotransfection assays with an estrogen-response element- reporter construct and Deltaraf or constitutively active MAPK kinase (DeltaMEK), no ligand- independent activation of ERalpha was observed. Transient expression of Deltaraf and double-label immunostaining showed ERalpha was lost in those cells that transiently expressed Deltaraf. Abrogation of Raf signaling via treatment with the MEK inhibitors PD 098059 or U0126 resulted in reexpression of ERalpha. Similar studies performed with MCF-7 cells overexpressing epidermal growth factor receptor or c-erbB-2 confirmed that hyperactivation of MAPK resulted in down-regulation of ERalpha that was reversible by MEK inhibition or transfection with dominant negative ERK1 and ERK2 constructs. These data suggest that the hyperactivation of MAPK in epidermal growth factor receptor- or c-erbB-2-overexpressing breast cancer cells is directly responsible for generation of an ERalpha-negative phenotype and, more importantly, that this process may be abrogated by inhibiting these pathways, thus restoring ERalpha expression.
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PMID:Hyperactivation of MAPK induces loss of ERalpha expression in breast cancer cells. 1146 58

Previous studies have argued that enhanced activity of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway can promote tumor cell survival in response to cytotoxic insults. In this study, we examined the impact of MAPK signaling on the survival of primary hepatocytes exposed to low concentrations of deoxycholic acid (DCA, 50 microM). Treatment of hepatocytes with DCA caused MAPK activation, which was dependent upon ligand independent activation of EGFR, and downstream signaling through Ras and PI(3) kinase. Neither inhibition of MAPK signaling alone by MEK1/2 inhibitors, nor exposure to DCA alone, enhanced basal hepatocyte apoptosis, whereas inhibition of DCA-induced MAPK activation caused approximately 25% apoptosis within 6 h. Similar data were also obtained when either dominant negative EGFR-CD533 or dominant negative Ras N17 were used to block MAPK activation. DCA-induced apoptosis correlated with sequential cleavage of procaspase 8, BID, procaspase 9, and procaspase 3. Inhibition of MAPK potentiated bile acid-induced apoptosis in hepatocytes with mutant FAS-ligand, but did not enhance in hepatocytes that were null for FAS receptor expression. These data argues that DCA is causing ligand independent activation of the FAS receptor to stimulate an apoptotic response, which is counteracted by enhanced ligand-independent EGFR/MAPK signaling. In agreement with FAS-mediated cell killing, inhibition of caspase function with the use of dominant negative Fas-associated protein with death domain, a caspase 8 inhibitor (Ile-Glu-Thr-Asp-p-nitroanilide [IETD]) or dominant negative procaspase 8 blocked the potentiation of bile acid-induced apoptosis. Inhibition of bile acid-induced MAPK signaling enhanced the cleavage of BID and release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, which were all blocked by IETD. Despite activation of caspase 8, expression of dominant negative procaspase 9 blocked procaspase 3 cleavage and the potentiation of DCA-induced apoptosis. Treatment of hepatocytes with DCA transiently increased expression of the caspase 8 inhibitor proteins c-FLIP-(S) and c-FLIP-(L) that were reduced by inhibition of MAPK or PI(3) kinase. Constitutive overexpression of c-FLIP-(s) abolished the potentiation of bile acid-induced apoptosis. Collectively, our data argue that loss of DCA-induced EGFR/Ras/MAPK pathway function potentiates DCA-stimulated FAS-induced hepatocyte cell death via a reduction in the expression of c-FLIP isoforms.
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PMID:Deoxycholic acid (DCA) causes ligand-independent activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and FAS receptor in primary hepatocytes: inhibition of EGFR/mitogen-activated protein kinase-signaling module enhances DCA-induced apoptosis. 1155 4

The hypothesis of this study is that the sodium pump complex acts as an intracellular signal-transducing molecule in canine vascular smooth muscle cells through its interaction with other membrane and cytoskeletal proteins. We have demonstrated that 1 nm ouabain induced transactivation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), resulting in increased proliferation and bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) uptake. Immunoprecipitation and Western blotting showed that the EGFR and Src were phosphorylated within 5 min of 10(-9) m ouabain stimulation. Both ouabain-induced DNA synthesis (BrdUrd uptake) and MAPK42/44 phosphorylation were inhibited by the Src inhibitor PP2, the EGFR kinase inhibitor AG1478, the tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein, and the MEK1 inhibitor PD98059. Ouabain concentrations higher than 1 nm had little or no stimulating effect on proliferation or BrdUrd uptake but did minimally activate ERK1/2. Thus, low concentrations of ouabain, which do not inhibit the sodium pump sufficiently to perturb the resting cellular ionic milieu, initiate a transactivational signaling cascade leading to vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation.
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PMID:Ouabain-induced signaling and vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation. 1157 90


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