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)

We have recently shown that pretreatment with endothelin-1 (ET-1) for 20 min stimulates GLUT4 translocation in a PI3-kinase-dependent manner in 3T3-L1 adipocytes (Imamura, T. et al., J Biol Chem 274:33691-33695). This study presents another pathway by which ET-1 potentiates glucose transport in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. ET-1 treatment (10 nM) leads to approximately 2.5-fold stimulation of 2-deoxyglucose (2-DOG) uptake within 20 min, reaching a maximal effect of approximately 4-fold at approximately 6 h, and recovering almost to basal levels after 24 h. Insulin treatment (3 ng/ml) results in an approximately 5-fold increase in 2-DOG uptake at 1 h, and recovering to basal levels after 24 h. The ETA receptor antagonist, BQ 610, inhibited ET-1 induced glucose uptake both at 20 min and 6 h, whereas the ETB receptor antagonist, BQ 788, was without effect. Interestingly, ET-1 stimulated 2-DOG uptake at 6 h, not at 20 min, was almost completely blocked by the protein-synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide and the RNA-synthesis inhibitor, actinomycin D, suggesting that the short-term (20 min) and long-term (6 h) effects of ET-1 involve distinct mechanisms. GLUT4 translocation assay showed that 20 min, but not 6 h, exposure to ET-1 led to GLUT4 translocation to the plasma membrane. In contrast, 6 h, but not 20 min, exposure to ET-1 increased expression of the GLUT1 protein, without affecting expression of GLUT4 protein. ET-1 induced 2-DOG uptake and GLUT1 expression at 6 h were completely inhibited by the MEK inhibitor, PD 98059, and partially inhibited by the PI3-kinase inhibitor, LY 294002, and the G alpha i inhibitor, pertussis toxin. The PLC inhibitor, U 73122, was without effect. These findings suggest that ET-1 induced GLUT1 protein expression is primarily mediated via MAPK, and partially via PI3K in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.
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PMID:The acute and chronic stimulatory effects of endothelin-1 on glucose transport are mediated by distinct pathways in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. 1110 76

Glycemic spikes may negatively affect the long-term prognosis of patients with diabetes. Extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) are intracellular mediators of cell proliferation, and they can be activated in response to high glucose levels. However, the modifications of their activity in response to hyperglycemia have been poorly investigated, in vivo, in humans. Thus, we sought to determine in circulating monocytes: 1) the role of hyperglycemia in ERKs activity and phosphorylation, and 2) whether hyperglycemia affects mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) activity and mitogen-activated protein phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) expression. These goals were performed in five normal subjects. Baseline monocyte ERKs activity was 60 +/- 5 pmol/min.mg protein; when exogenous hyperglycemia was induced, both monocyte ERKs activity (81 +/- 11 pmol/min.mg protein; P < 0.05) and phosphorylation significantly increased (P < 0.01). MEK activity was significantly increased by hyperglycemia (1251 +/- 136 vs. 2000 +/- 42 cpm; P = 0.0017), whereas no changes were observed in MKP-1 expression. We conclude that hyperglycemia acutely stimulates ERKs activity and phosphorylation in human monocytes by the MEK pathway in vivo. These findings may be relevant in understanding the negative role of acute hyperglycemia on monocyte pathophysiology.
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PMID:Hyperglycemia acutely increases monocyte extracellular signal-regulated kinase activity in vivo in humans. 1123 24

p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), which is situated downstream of MAPK kinase (MKK) 6 and MKK3, is activated by mitogenic or stress-inducing stimuli, as well as by insulin. To clarify the role of the MKK6/3-p38 MAPK pathway in the regulation of glucose transport, dominant negative p38 MAPK and MKK6 mutants and constitutively active MKK6 and MKK3 mutants were overexpressed in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and L6 myotubes using an adenovirus-mediated transfection procedure. Constitutively active MKK6/3 mutants up-regulated GLUT1 expression and down-regulated GLUT4 expression, thereby significantly increasing basal glucose transport but diminishing transport induced by insulin. Similar effects were elicited by chronic (24 h) exposure to tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1beta, or 200 mm sorbitol, all activate the MKK6/3-p38 MAPK pathway. SB203580, a specific p38 MAPK inhibitor, attenuated these effects, further confirming that both MMK6 and MMK3 act via p38 MAPK, whereas they had no effect on the increase in glucose transport induced by a constitutively active MAPK kinase 1 (MEK1) mutant or by myristoylated Akt. In addition, suppression of p38 MAPK activation by overexpression of a dominant negative p38 MAPK or MKK6 mutant did not diminish insulin-induced glucose uptake by 3T3-L1 adipocytes. It is thus apparent that activation of p38 MAPK is not essential for insulin-induced increases in glucose uptake. Rather, p38 MAPK activation leads to a marked down-regulation of insulin-induced glucose uptake via GLUT4, which may underlie cellular stress-induced insulin resistance caused by tumor necrosis factor alpha and other factors.
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PMID:MKK6/3 and p38 MAPK pathway activation is not necessary for insulin-induced glucose uptake but regulates glucose transporter expression. 1127 72

We previously isolated dephostatin from Streptomyces as a novel inhibitor of CD45-associated protein-tyrosine phosphatase. We prepared Et-3,4-dephostatin as a stable analogue and found it to inhibit PTP-1B and SHPTP-1 protein-tyrosine phosphatases selectively but not to inhibit CD45 and leukocyte common antigen-related phosphatase ones effectively. Et-3,4-dephostatin increased the tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor and insulin receptor substrate-1 with or without insulin in differentiated 3T3-L1 mouse adipocytes. The increase of tyrosine phosphorylation by Et-3,4-dephostatin was more prominent in 6-h than in 30-min incubation. It also increased phosphorylation and activation of Akt with or without insulin. Et-3,4-dephostatin also enhanced translocation of glucose transporter 4 from the cytoplasm to the membrane and 2-deoxy-glucose transport. Et-3,4-dephostatin-induced glucose uptake was inhibited by SB203580, a p38 inhibitor, but not by PD98059, a MEK inhibitor, or by cycloheximide as insulin-induced uptake. Interestingly, although LY294002, a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor, inhibited the insulin-induced glucose uptake completely, it only partially inhibited the Et-3,4-dephostatin-induced uptake. It also blocked insulin-induced glucose transporter 4 translocation but not the Et-3,4-dephostatin-induced one. The increase in c-Cbl tyrosine phosphorylation caused by Et-3,4-dephostatin was stronger than that in insulin receptor phosphorylation. These observations indicate that a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-independent pathway involving c-Cbl is more important in Et-3,4-dephostatin-induced glucose uptake than in insulin-induced uptake. Et-3,4-dephostatin showed an in vivo antidiabetic effect in terms of reducing the high blood glucose level in KK-A(y) mice after oral administration. Thus, Et-3,4-dephostatin potentiated insulin-related signal transductions in cultured mouse adipocytes and showed an antidiabetic effect in mice.
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PMID:Potentiation of insulin-related signal transduction by a novel protein-tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, Et-3,4-dephostatin, on cultured 3T3-L1 adipocytes. 1134 32

Because high D-glucose significantly stimulates endothelial cell death, we examined the molecular mechanisms of high D-glucose-induced endothelial apoptosis. Treatment of human aortic endothelial cells with high D-glucose (25 mmol/l), but not mannitol and L-glucose, resulted in a significant decrease in cell number and a significant increase in apoptotic cells as compared with a physiological concentration (5 mmol/l). Interestingly, high D-glucose treatment significantly increased bax protein, accompanied by translocation of bax protein from cytosol to mitochondria-enriched heavy membrane fraction. In contrast, the expression and distribution of bcl-2 protein were not altered by high D-glucose. In addition, the activity of caspase-3 proteases was increased after exposure to high glucose, whereas caspase inhibitors prevented endothelial cell death induced by high D-glucose. On the other hand, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) was markedly phosphorylated and showed sustained phosphorylation after stimulation. A specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK, SB 203580, and the overexpression of kinase-inactive p38 MAPK significantly attenuated cell death induced by high D-glucose in human aortic endothelial cells, whereas at 6 h after high D-glucose treatment, SB 203580 and overexpression of kinase-inactive p38 MAPK did not attenuate caspase-3 activation induced by high D-glucose. Importantly, caspase inhibitors significantly attenuated the sustained phosphorylation of p38 MAPK induced by high D-glucose. Thus, we finally focused the MAPK kinase (MEK) kinase 1 (MEKK1) to further examine the cross-talk between p38 MAPK and the bax-caspase proteases pathway. High D-glucose treatment induced MEKK1 cleavage, whereas caspase inhibitors significantly attenuated the cleavage. Importantly, kinase-inactive MEKK1 also blocked the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK induced by high D-glucose. Here, we demonstrated that high D-glucose induced apoptosis in human endothelial cells through activation of the bax-caspase proteases pathway and through phosphorylation of p38 MAPK mediated by MEKK1. Phosphorylation of p38 MAPK downstream of the bax-caspase pathway may play a pivotal role in endothelial apoptosis mediated by high D-glucose.
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PMID:Phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase downstream of bax-caspase-3 pathway leads to cell death induced by high D-glucose in human endothelial cells. 1137 50

Insulin controls glucose uptake by translocating GLUT4 and other glucose transporters to the plasma membrane in muscle and adipose tissues by a mechanism that appears to require protein kinase C (PKC)-zeta/lambda operating downstream of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. In diabetes mellitus, insulin-stimulated glucose uptake is diminished, but with hyperglycemia, uptake is maintained but by uncertain mechanisms. Presently, we found that glucose acutely activated PKC-zeta/lambda in rat adipocytes and rat skeletal muscle preparations by a mechanism that was independent of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase but, interestingly, dependent on the apparently sequential activation of the dantrolene-sensitive, nonreceptor proline-rich tyrosine kinase-2; components of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway, including, GRB2, SOS, RAS, RAF, MEK1 and ERK1/2; and, most interestingly, phospholipase D, thus yielding increases in phosphatidic acid, a known activator of PKC-zeta/lambda. This activation of PKC-zeta/lambda, moreover, appeared to be required for glucose-induced increases in GLUT4 translocation and glucose transport in adipocytes and muscle cells. Our findings suggest the operation of a novel pathway for activating PKC-zeta/lambda and glucose transport.
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PMID:Glucose activates protein kinase C-zeta /lambda through proline-rich tyrosine kinase-2, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, and phospholipase D: a novel mechanism for activating glucose transporter translocation. 1146 95

Vascular smooth muscle cells play a key role in the development of atherosclerosis. Culture of vascular smooth muscle A10 cells with high glucose for 4 weeks enhanced platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced BrdU incorporation. Since a long period of high glucose incubation was required for the effect, and it was inhibited by co-incubation with azaserine, the role of hexosamine biosynthesis in the development of atherosclerosis in diabetes was studied in A10 cells. Addition of glucosamine to the culture media enhanced PDGF-stimulated BrdU incorporation, and PDGF-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the PDGF beta-receptor was increased by glucosamine treatment. Of the subsequent intracellular signaling pathways, PDGF-induced PDGF beta-receptor association with PLC gamma was not affected, whereas tyrosine phosphorylation of Shc, subsequent association of Shc with Grb2, and MAP kinase activation were relatively decreased. In contrast, PDGF-induced PDGF beta-receptor association with the p85 regulatory subunit of PI3-kinase and PI3-kinase activation were increased by 20% (P<0.01) and 36% (P<0.01), respectively. The intracellular signaling molecules responsible for the glucosamine effect were further examined using pharmacological inhibitors. Pretreatment with PLC inhibitor (U73122) had negligible effects, and MEK1 inhibitor (PD98059) showed only a slight inhibitory effect on the PDGF-induced BrdU incorporation. In contrast, pretreatment with PI3-kinase inhibitor (LY294002) significantly inhibited glucosamine enhancement of PDGF-induced BrdU incorporation. These findings suggest that glucosamine is involved in the development of atherosclerosis by enhancing PDGF-induced mitogenesis specifically via the PI3-kinase pathway.
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PMID:Glucosamine enhances platelet-derived growth factor-induced DNA synthesis via phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway in rat aortic smooth muscle cells. 1147 33

High glucose (HG) stimulates glomerular mesangial cell (MC) expression of extracellular matrix, a process involving protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes and enhanced signaling by autocrine peptides such as endothelin-1 (ET-1). The purpose of this study was to identify the specific PKC isozymes mediating the effects of HG on MC extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK1/2) signaling and alpha1(IV) collagen expression in response to ET-1. HG (30 mmol/l for 72 h) enhanced ET-1-stimulated alpha1(IV) collagen mRNA expression from 1.2 +/- 0.1-fold to 1.9 +/- 0.2-fold (P < 0.05 vs. normal glucose [NG] + ET-1), and the effect was significantly reduced by Calphostin C or the MEK (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase) inhibitor PD98059. In transiently transfected MCs, dominant-negative (DN)-PKC-delta, -epsilon, or -zeta inhibited ET-1 activation of ERK1/2. Likewise, downstream of ERK1/2, ET-1 stimulated Elk-1-driven GAL4 luciferase activity to 11 +/- 1-fold (P < 0.002 vs. NG + ET-1) in HG, and DN-PKC-delta, -epsilon, or -zeta attenuated this response to NG levels. HG enhanced ET-1-stimulated intracellular alpha1(IV) collagen protein expression, assessed by confocal immunofluorescence imaging, showed that individual DN-PKC-delta, -epsilon, -zeta, as well as DN-PKC-alpha and -beta, attenuated the response. Thus, HG-enhanced ET-1 stimulation of alpha1(IV) collagen expression requires PKC-delta, -epsilon, and -zeta to act through an ERK1/2-dependent pathway and via PKC-alpha and -beta, which are independent of ERK1/2.
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PMID:High glucose-enhanced mesangial cell extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase activation and alpha1(IV) collagen expression in response to endothelin-1: role of specific protein kinase C isozymes. 1157 22

For understanding the mechanism(s) relating inflammation to corticosteroid action, the effect of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) on 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11beta-HSD2), the enzyme regulating access of 11beta-hydroxycorticosteroids to receptors, was studied in LLC-PK(1) cells. We observed (i) NAD-dependent enzyme activity and mRNA for 11beta-HSD2, but not 11beta-HSD1, (ii) increasing 11beta-HSD2 activity with increasing degree of differentiation and (iii) a concentration-dependent down-regulation by TNF-alpha, phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) or glucose of activity and mRNA of 11beta-HSD2. The decrease of activity and mRNA by glucose and PMA, but not that by TNF-alpha, was abrogated by the protein kinase C inhibitor GF-109203X. The effect of TNF-alpha on 11beta-HSD2 was reversed by inhibiting the mitogen-activated protein kinases ERK with PD-098050 and p38 by SB-202190, or by activating protein kinase A with forskolin. Overexpression of MEK1, an ERK activator, down-regulated the 11beta-HSD2 activity. In conclusion, TNF-alpha decreases 11beta-HSD2 activity and thereby enhances glucocorticoid access to glucocorticoid receptors to modulate the inflammatory response.
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PMID:TNF-alpha enhances intracellular glucocorticoid availability. 1169 70

Elk-1, a member of the ternary complex factor family of Ets domain proteins that bind serum response elements, is activated by phosphorylation in a cell-specific manner in response to growth factors and other agents. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether Elk-1 activation contributes to glucose-/depolarization-induced Ca(2+)-dependent induction of immediate early response genes in pancreatic islet beta-cells. The results of experiments in insulinoma (MIN6) cells demonstrated that Elk-1-binding sites (Ets elements) in the Egr-1 gene promoter contribute to transcriptional activation of the gene. Treatment with either epidermal growth factor (EGF), a known inducer of beta-cell hyperplasia, glucose, or KCl-induced depolarization resulted in Ser(383) phosphorylation and transcriptional activation of Elk-1 (4 +/- 0.3-, P = 0.003, 2.3 +/- 0.19-, P = 0.002, and 2.2 +/- 0.1- fold, P = 0.001 respectively). The depolarization response was inhibited by the Ca(2+) channel blocker verapamil and by the MEK inhibitor PD98059 (53 +/- 6 and 55 +/- 0.5%, respectively). EGF-induced activation of Elk-1 was also inhibited by PD98059 (60 +/- 5%). A dominant negative Ras produced partial inhibition (42%) of the depolarization-induced Elk-1 transcriptional activation. Transfection with a constitutively active Ca(2+)/calmodulin kinase IV plasmid also resulted in Elk-1 transcriptional activation. Experiments with p38, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, and protein kinase A inhibitors indicated that these pathways are not involved. We conclude that Elk-1 activation contributes to glucose-/depolarization-induced Ca(2+)-dependent induction of immediate early growth response genes in pancreatic islet beta-cells. Furthermore, the results demonstrated a convergence of nutrient- and growth factor-mediated signaling pathways on Elk-1 activation through induction of Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase ERK-1 and -2. The role of these pathways in the glucose-induced proliferation of islet beta-cells can now be assessed.
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PMID:Activation of Elk-1, an Ets transcription factor, by glucose and EGF treatment of insulinoma cells. 1170 45


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