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)

The pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by pulmonary inflammation associated with lung neutrophilia and elevated levels of pro-inflammatory mediators in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid or sputum of patients. Recent findings revealed that mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascade is involved in the inflammatory response of lung injury. In the present study we could elucidate the role of extracellular signal-related MAPK in the murine model of LPS-induced acute lung injury by using U0126, a specific inhibitor of MEK1/2, upstream kinases of ERK. Phosphorylation of ERK was inhibited by U0126 in vivo as well as in vitro. In freshly isolated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells U0126 dose-dependently blocked the release of IL-2 and TNF-alpha. For in vivo studies mice were exposed to aerosolized LPS to induce an acute lung injury mimicking some aspects of COPD. This led to a recruitment of neutrophils to the lung and to the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines into bronchoalveolar lavage. Pretreatment of mice with U0126 significantly reduced lung neutrophilia and diminished levels of TNF-alpha and chemotactic MIP-2 and KC in bronchoalveolar fluid. U0126 also decreased albumin levels in BAL fluid, a marker of vascular leakage. Histological examination of lung tissues revealed that ERK MAPK inhibition using U0126 efficiently attenuated LPS-induced pulmonary inflammatory responses. These data suggest that ERK signaling plays an important role in acute lung injury and pharmacologic inhibition of ERK provides a promising new therapeutic strategy for lung inflammatory diseases and in particular COPD.
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PMID:Inhibition of the MAP kinase ERK protects from lipopolysaccharide-induced lung injury. 1942 37

Exposure to cigarette smoke extract (CSE) leads to airway and lung inflammation through an oxidant-antioxidant imbalance. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) have been shown to play critical roles in respiratory inflammation. Here, we show that COX-2/PGE(2)/IL-6 induction is dependent on Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/NADPH oxidase signaling in human tracheal smooth muscle cells (HTSMCs). CSE induced COX-2 expression in vitro in HTSMCs and in vivo in the airways of mice. CSE also directly caused an increase in TLR4. Moreover, CSE-regulated COX-2, PGE(2), and IL-6 generation was inhibited by pretreatment with TLR4 Ab; inhibitors of c-Src (PP1), NADPH oxidase (diphenylene iodonium chloride and apocynin), p38 MAPK (SB202190), MEK1/2 (U0126), JNK1/2 (SP600125), and NF-kappaB (helenalin); a ROS scavenger (N-acetyl-l-cysteine); and transfection with siRNA of TLR4, MyD88, TRAF6, Src, p47(phox), p38, p42, JNK2, or p65. CSE-induced leukocyte numbers in BAL fluid were also reduced by pretreatment with these inhibitors. Furthermore, CSE induced p47(phox) translocation and TLR4/MyD88/TRAF6 and c-Src/p47(phox) complex formation. We found that PGE(2) enhanced IL-6 production in HTSMCs and leukocyte count in BAL fluid. In addition, treatment with nicotine could induce COX-2, PGE(2), and IL-6 generation in in vivo and in vitro studies. These results demonstrate that CSE-induced ROS generation was mediated through the TLR4/MyD88/TRAF6/c-Src/NADPH oxidase pathway, in turn initiated the activation of MAPKs and NF-kappaB, and ultimately induced COX-2/PGE(2)/IL-6-dependent airway inflammation.
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PMID:Induction of COX-2/PGE(2)/IL-6 is crucial for cigarette smoke extract-induced airway inflammation: Role of TLR4-dependent NADPH oxidase activation. 1989 12

Deltex-3-like (DTX3L), an E3 ligase, is a member of the Deltex (DTX) family and is also called B-lymphoma and BAL-associated protein (BBAP). Previously, we established RFP/RET-transgenic mice, in which systemic hyperpigmented skin, benign melanocytic tumor(s) and melanoma(s) develop stepwise. Here we showed that levels of Dtx3l/DTX3L in spontaneous melanoma in RFP/RET-transgenic mice and human melanoma cell lines were significantly higher than those in benign melanocytic cells and primarily cultured normal human epithelial melanocytes, respectively. Immunohistochemical analysis of human tissues showed that more than 80% of the melanomas highly expressed DTX3L. Activity of FAK/PI3K/AKT signaling, but not that of MEK/ERK signaling, was decreased in Dtx3l/DTX3L-depleted murine and human melanoma cells. In summary, we demonstrated not only increased DTX3L level in melanoma cells but also DTX3L-mediated regulation of invasion and metastasis in melanoma through FAK/PI3K/AKT but not MEK/ERK signaling. Our analysis in human BRAFV600E inhibitor-resistant melanoma cells showed about 80% decreased invasion in the DTX3L-depleted cells compared to that in the DTX3L-intact cells. Thus, DTX3L is clinically a potential therapeutic target as well as a potential biomarker for melanoma.
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PMID:Deltex-3-like (DTX3L) stimulates metastasis of melanoma through FAK/PI3K/AKT but not MEK/ERK pathway. 2603 50