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)

Reactive oxygen species (superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, and nitric oxide) are involved in human sperm capacitation and associated tyrosine (Tyr) phosphorylation through a cAMP- and protein kinase A-mediated pathway. Recently, we evidenced the double phosphorylation of the threonine-glutamine-Tyr motif (P-Thr-Glu-Tyr-P) in human sperm proteins of 80 and 105 kDa during capacitation. The objective of the present study was to investigate the role of reactive oxygen species in the regulation of this process and to immunolocalize the P-Thr-Glu-Tyr-P motif in human spermatozoa. Superoxide dismutase and catalase did not prevent, and exogenous addition of superoxide anion or hydrogen peroxide did not trigger, the increase in P-Thr-Glu-Tyr-P related to sperm capacitation. However, l-NAME (a competitive inhibitor of l-arginine for nitric oxide synthase) prevented, and a nitric oxide donor promoted, the increase in P-Thr-Glu-Tyr-P related to sperm capacitation. In addition, l-arginine reversed the inhibitory effect of l-NAME on capacitation and the associated increase of P-Thr-Glu-Tyr-P. Therefore, the regulation of P-Thr-Glu-Tyr-P is specific to nitric oxide and not to superoxide anion or hydrogen peroxide. The nitric oxide-mediated increase of P-Thr-Glu-Tyr-P involved protein Tyr kinase, MEK or MEK-like kinase, and protein kinase C but not protein kinase A. The P-Thr-Glu-Tyr-P motif was immunolocalized to the principal piece region of spermatozoa. In conclusion, nitric oxide regulates the level of P-Thr-Glu-Tyr-P in sperm proteins of 80 and 105 kDa during capacitation. These data evidence, to our knowledge for the first time, a specific role for nitric oxide in signal transduction events leading to sperm capacitation.
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PMID:Nitric oxide regulates the phosphorylation of the threonine-glutamine-tyrosine motif in proteins of human spermatozoa during capacitation. 1260 10

The skeletal extracellular matrix produced by osteoblasts contains the glycoprotein fibronectin (Fn), which regulates the adhesion, differentiation, and function of osteoblasts. Fn fibrillogenesis is involved in the process of bone mineralization. Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) can be isolated from organic bone matrix and are able to initiate de novo cartilage and bone formation. In this study, the effect of BMP-4 on Fn fibrillogenesis in cultured rat osteoblasts was examined. BMP-4 enhanced Fn synthesis and extracellular Fn assembly in primary cultured osteoblasts. In addition, the extracellular assembly of Fn from exogenously applied soluble human Fn was also increased by BMP-4. It has been reported that alpha5beta1 integrin is related to Fn fibrillogenesis. The synthesis of both alpha5 and beta1 integrins was upregulated by BMP-4. Immunocytochemistry showed that the clustering of alpha5 and beta1 integrins was also increased by BMP-4. BMP-4 increased fibril formation of Fn and the adhesion of osteoblasts onto Fn matrix, which was inhibited by disintegrin triflavin and Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (GRGDS) peptide. Phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) was increased by BMP-4. Enhancement of extracellular Fn fibrillogenesis and the mRNA expression of beta1 integrin by BMP-4 were inhibited by ERK kinase (MEK) inhibitor PD98059. These results suggest that the enhancement of extracellular Fn fibrillogenesis by BMP-4 in cultured osteoblasts is related to the increase of the synthesis of Fn and clustering of alpha5 and beta1 integrins. ERK is involved in the signaling pathway of BMP-4 in regulating Fn fibrillogenesis in osteoblasts.
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PMID:Enhancement of fibronectin synthesis and fibrillogenesis by BMP-4 in cultured rat osteoblast. 1261 35

Chronic inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis induces cardiac remodeling independent of systemic hemodynamic changes in rats. We examined whether long-acting dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers block myocardial remodeling and whether the activation of 70-kDa S6 kinase (p70S6K) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) are involved. Ten groups of Wistar-Kyoto rats underwent 8 weeks of drug treatment consisting of a combination of NO synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), an inactive isomer (D-NAME), amlodipine (1 or 3 mg/kg per day), or benidipine (3 or 10 mg/kg per day). In other groups, L-NAME was also used in combination with a p70S6K inhibitor (rapamycin), a MEK inhibitor (PD98059), and hydralazine. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), heart rate, and left ventricular weight (LVW) were measured, together with histological examinations and kinase assay. L-NAME increased SBP and LVW (1048+/-22 versus 780+/-18 mg, P<0.01) compared with the control, showing a significant increase in cross-sectional area of cardiomyocytes after 8 weeks. Amlodipine, benidipine, or hydralazine equally attenuated the increase in SBP induced by L-NAME. However, both amlodipine and benidipine but not hydralazine attenuated the increase in LVW by L-NAME (789+/-27, 825+/-20 mg, P<0.01, and 1118+/-29 mg, NS, respectively), also confirmed by histological analysis. L-NAME caused a 2.2-fold/1.8-fold increase in p70S6K/ERK activity in myocardium compared with the control, both of which were attenuated by both amlodipine and benidipine but not hydralazine. Both rapamycin and PD98059 attenuated cardiac hypertrophy in this model. Thus, long-acting dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers inhibited cardiac hypertrophy induced by chronic inhibition of NO synthesis by inhibiting both p70S6K and ERK in vivo.
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PMID:Long-acting Ca2+ blockers prevent myocardial remodeling induced by chronic NO inhibition in rats. 1262 37

Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases control gene expression in response to extracellular stimuli and exhibit exquisite specificity for their cognate regulators and substrates. We performed a structure-based mutational analysis of ERK2 to identify surface areas that are important for recognition of its interacting proteins. We show that binding and activation of MKP3 by ERK2 involve two distinct protein-protein interaction sites in ERK2. Thus, the common docking (CD) site composed of Glu-79, Tyr-126, Arg-133, Asp-160, Tyr-314, Asp-316, and Asp-319 are important for high affinity MKP3 binding but not essential for ERK2-induced MKP3 activation. MKP3 activation requires residues Tyr-111, Thr-116, Leu-119, Lys-149, Arg-189, Trp-190, Glu-218, Arg-223, Lys-229, and His-230 in the ERK2 substrate-binding region, located distal to the common docking site. Interestingly, many of the residues important for MKP3 recognition are also used for Elk1 binding and phosphorylation. In addition to the shared residues, there are also residues that are unique to each target recognition. There is evidence indicating that the CD site and the substrate-binding region defined here are also utilized for MEK1 recognition, and indeed, we demonstrate that the binding of MKP3, Elk1, and MEK1 to ERK2 is mutually exclusive. Taken together, our data suggest that the efficiency and fidelity of ERK2 signaling is achieved by a bipartite recognition process. In this model, one part of the ERK2-binding proteins (e.g. the kinase interaction motif sequence) docks to the CD site located on the back side of the ERK2 catalytic pocket for high affinity association, whereas the interaction of the substrate-binding region with another structural element (e.g. the FXFP motif in MKP3 and Elk1) may not only stabilize binding but also provide contacts crucial for modulating the activity and/or specificity of ERK2 target molecules.
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PMID:A bipartite mechanism for ERK2 recognition by its cognate regulators and substrates. 1275 9

Nitric oxide (NO) is known to affect synaptic plasticity in various regions of the brain via the cGMP-cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) pathway. We found that a novel compound 3-(5-hydroxymethyl-2-furyl)-1-benzyl-indazole (YC-1), a drug known to modulate the response of soluble guanylyl cyclase to NO, greatly potentiates long-term potentiation (LTP). This compound markedly enhanced the induction of LTP in rat hippocampal and amygdala slices by weak tetanic stimulation. The potentiation of LTP by YC-1 was greatly reduced by NO synthase inhibitor Ng-nitro-l-arginine-methylester, guanylyl cyclase inhibitor 1 H-[1,2,4]-oxadiazolo(4,3-a)-quinoxalin-1-one, and PKG inhibitor (9S,10R,12R)-2,3,9,10,11,12, hexahydro-10-methoxy-2,9-dimethyl-1-ox0-9.12-epoxy-1H-diindolo[1,2,3-fg:3',2',1'-kl]pyrrolo[3,4-I][1,6]benzodiazocine-10-carboxylic acid methyl ester (KT5823). In addition, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitor 2'-amino-3'-methoxyflavone (PD98059) also markedly inhibited LTP potentiating action of YC-1. Intracellular increase of Ca2+ concentration derived from N-methyl-d-aspartate and glutamate metabotropic receptors contributes to the potentiating action of YC-1. Concurrent perfusion of YC-1 and NO donor sodium nitroprusside for a short time period resulted in the induction of LTP by stimuli at a frequency as low as 0.02 Hz. Incubation of unstimulated hippocampal slices with YC-1 plus nitroprusside increased the immunofluorescence of phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and phospho-cAMP response element binding protein (CREB). Furthermore, the Western blot shows that the phosphorylation of ERKs 1 and 2 and CREB of unstimulated hippocampal slices was increased by YC-1 plus nitroprusside, which was inhibited by KT5823. The NO-cGMP-PKG-ERK signaling pathway thus plays important role in the potentiation of LTP by YC-1.
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PMID:Enhancement of long-term potentiation by a potent nitric oxide-guanylyl cyclase activator, 3-(5-hydroxymethyl-2-furyl)-1-benzyl-indazole. 1276 28

Bradykinin and prostaglandins are both local mediators strongly implicated in pain and inflammation. Here, we have investigated the effects of bradykinin on the release of prostaglandin E(2) from cultured neurones derived from adult rat trigeminal ganglia. Bradykinin was a potent inducer of prostaglandin E(2) release, an effect that was likely mediated by bradykinin B(2) receptors, as the bradykinin-induced prostaglandin E(2) release was attenuated by the bradykinin B(2) receptor-selective antagonist, arginyl-L-prolyl-trans-4-hydroxy-L-prolylglycyl-3-(2-thienyl)-L-alanyl-L-seryl-D-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-3-isoquinolinecarbonyl-L-(2 alpha, 3 beta, 7a beta)-octahydro-1H-indole-2-carbonyl-L-arginine (HOE 140), but not by the bradykinin B(1) receptor-selective antagonist, des-Arg(9),[Leu(8)]-bradykinin. Furthermore, bradykinin-induced prostaglandin E(2) release was inhibited following treatment with the phospholipase A(2) inhibitor, arachidonyltrifluoromethyl ketone (AACOCF(3)), the nonselective cyclooxygenase inhibitor, piroxicam, the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-1 (MEK1) inhibitor, 2'-amino-3'-methoxyflavone (PD98059), and the protein kinase C inhibitor, bisindolylmaleimide XI (Ro320432). Taken together, these data suggest that bradykinin, acting via bradykinin B(2) receptors, induces prostaglandin E(2) release from trigeminal neurones through the protein kinase C and mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent activation of phospholipase A(2) and consequent stimulation of cyclooxygenases.
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PMID:Characterization of bradykinin-induced prostaglandin E2 release from cultured rat trigeminal ganglion neurones. 1278 82

Using clonal derivatives of spontaneous mammary tumours in C3H/HeJ mice, we had earlier shown that tumour-derived nitric oxide (NO), resulting from endothelial type (e) NO synthase (NOS) expression by tumour cells, promoted tumour growth and metastasis by multiple mechanisms: stimulation of tumour cell invasiveness, migration and angiogenesis. Our present study examined the signaling mechanisms underlying NO-mediated promotion of tumour cell migration in a highly metastatic and high eNOS-expressing C3H/HeJ mammary tumour cell line, C3L5. C3L5 cell migration was reduced in the presence of N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, NOS inhibitor) in a concentration-dependent manner and restored in the additional presence of excess L-arginine (NOS substrate), confirming a migration-promoting role of endogenous NO. Migratory capacity of C3L5 cells was reduced after treatment with the guanylate cyclase (GC) inhibitor 1-H-[1,2,4]oxadiaxolo[4,3-a]quinolalin-1-one (ODQ) and restored in the additional presence of 8-bromoguanosine 3'5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-Br cGMP, cGMP analogue), demonstrating a pivotal role for GC in C3L5 cell migration. Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MAPKK; MEK) inhibitor, UO126, blocked migration, demonstrating MEK involvement in C3L5 cell migration. Furthermore, both ODQ and UO126 blocked migration-restoring effects of L-arginine in L-NAME-treated cells, indicating that GC and MAPK pathways are required for endogenous NO-mediated migratory responses. Similarly, L-NAME reduced and additional treatment with excess L-arginine or sodium nitroprusside (SNP, NO donor) stimulated phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK(1/2)), demonstrating a role for endogenous and exogenous NO in ERK(1/2) activation. ODQ inhibited ERK(1/2) activation, whereas 8-Br cGMP stimulated ERK(1/2) phosphorylation in L-NAME-treated cells, indicating that cGMP is a downstream effector of NOS for ERK(1/2) activation. Finally, both ODQ and UO126 blocked the capacity of L-arginine to restore ERK(1/2) phosphorylation in L-NAME-treated cells, demonstrating that GC and MEK are both required for endogenous NO-mediated MAPK activation. Together, these results indicate sequential activation of NOS, GC and MAPK pathways in mediating signals for C3L5 cell migration, an essential step in invasion and metastasis. Since NOS activity is positively associated with human breast cancer progression, the present results are relevant for development of therapeutic modalities for this disease.
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PMID:Nitric oxide-mediated promotion of mammary tumour cell migration requires sequential activation of nitric oxide synthase, guanylate cyclase and mitogen-activated protein kinase. 1284 43

The Rho family of small GTPases regulates numerous signaling pathways that control the organization of the cytoskeleton, transcription factor activity, and many aspects of the differentiation of skeletal myoblasts. We now demonstrate that the kinase Mirk (minibrain-related kinase)/dyrk1B is induced by members of the Rho-family in myoblasts and that Mirk is active in skeletal muscle differentiation. Mirk is an arginine-directed serine/threonine kinase which is expressed at elevated levels in skeletal muscle compared with other normal tissues. A Mirk promoter construct was activated when C2C12 myoblasts were switched from growth to differentiation medium and was also activated by the Rho family members RhoA, Cdc42, and to a lesser degree Rac1, but not by MyoD or Myf5. Mirk protein levels increased following transient expression of constitutively active Cdc42-QL, RhoA-QL, or Rac1-QL in C2C12 cells. High concentrations of serum mitogens down-regulated Mirk through activation of the Ras-MEK-Erk pathway. As a result, Mirk transcription was induced by the MEK1 inhibitor PD98059 and by the switch from growth to differentiation medium. Mirk was induced with similar kinetics to another Rho-induced differentiation gene, myogenin. Mirk protein levels increased 10-fold within 24-48 h after primary cultured muscle cells; C2C12 mouse myoblasts or L6 rat myoblasts were induced to differentiate. Thus Mirk was induced following the commitment stage of myogenesis. Stable overexpression of Mirk enabled myoblasts to fuse more rapidly when placed in differentiation medium. The function of Mirk in muscle differentiation was established by depletion of endogenous Mirk by small interfering RNA, which prevented myoblast fusion into myotubes and inhibited induction of markers of differentiation, including myogenin, fast twitch troponin T, and muscle myosin heavy chain. Other members of the dyrk/minibrain/HIPK family of kinases in lower organisms have been shown to regulate the transition from growth to differentiation, and Mirk is now shown to participate in skeletal muscle development.
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PMID:Mirk/dyrk1B is a Rho-induced kinase active in skeletal muscle differentiation. 1290 28

The enzyme p70S6 kinase (S6K1) is critical for cell growth, and we have reported its activation during cardiac hypertrophy. Because cardiac hypertrophy also involves integrin activation, we analyzed whether integrins could contribute to S6K1 activation. Using adult feline cardiomyocytes, here we report that integrin-interacting Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptides activate S6K1 as observed by band shifting, kinase activity and phosphorylation at Thr-389 and Thr-421/Ser-424 of S6K1, and S6 protein phosphorylation. Perturbation of specific integrin function with blocking antibodies and by overexpressing the beta1A cytoplasmic tail revealed that beta3 but not beta1 integrin mediates the RGD-induced S6K1 activation. This activation is focal adhesion complex-independent and is accompanied by the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Studies using specific inhibitors and dominant negative c-Raf expression in cardiomyocytes indicate that the S6K1 activation involves mTOR, MEK/ERK, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathways and is independent of protein kinase C and c-Raf. Finally, addition of fluorescent-labeled RGD peptide to cardiomyocytes exhibits its internalization and localization to the endocytic vesicles, and pretreatment of cardiomyocytes with endocytic inhibitors reduced the S6K1 activation. These data suggest that RGD interaction with beta3 integrin and its subsequent endocytosis trigger specific signaling pathway(s) for S6K1 activation in cardiomyocytes and that this process may contribute to hypertrophic growth and remodeling of myocardium.
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PMID:RGD-containing peptides activate S6K1 through beta3 integrin in adult cardiac muscle cells. 1290 16

Nitric oxide is an endogenous thiol-reactive molecule that modulates the functions of many regulatory proteins by a thiol-redox mechanism. NO has now been shown to inhibit the activation of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) in murine fibrosarcoma L929 cells through such a mechanism. Exposure of L929 cells to interferon-gamma resulted in the endogenous production of NO and in inhibition of the activation of ASK1 by hydrogen peroxide. The interferon-gamma-induced inhibition of ASK1 activity was blocked by N(G)-nitro-l-arginine, an inhibitor of NO synthase. Furthermore, the NO donor S-nitro-N-acetyl-dl-penicillamine (SNAP) inhibited ASK1 activity in vitro, and this inhibition was reversed by thiol-reducing agents such as dithiothreitol and beta-mercaptoethanol. SNAP did not inhibit the kinase activities of MKK3, MKK6, or p38 in vitro. The inhibition of ASK1 by interferon-gamma was not changed by 1H- (1,2,4)oxadiazolo[4,3-alpha]quinoxalin-1-one, an inhibitor of guanylyl cyclase nor was it mimicked by 8-bromo-cyclic GMP. Site-directed mutagenesis revealed that replacement of cysteine 869 of ASK1 by serine rendered this protein resistant to the inhibitory effects both of interferon-gamma in intact cells and of SNAP in vitro. Co-immunoprecipitation data showed that NO production inhibited a binding of ASK1, but not ASK1(C869S), to MKK3 or MKK6. Moreover, interferon-gamma induced the S-nitrosylation of endogenous ASK1 in L929 cells. Together, these results suggest that NO mediates the interferon-gamma-induced inhibition of ASK1 in L929 cells through a thiolredox mechanism.
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PMID:Inhibition of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 by nitric oxide through a thiol redox mechanism. 1466 38


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