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 alpha2-macroglobulin signalling receptor is upregulated in highly metastatic 1-LN prostate cancer cells. Stimulation of 1-LN cells with activated alpha2-macroglobulin (alpha2M*) caused a two- to threefold increase in [3H]thymidine uptake and cell number. These events require the Ras-dependent MAPK and PI 3-kinase/Akt signalling cascades. Incubation of 1-LN cells with alpha2M* induced Grb2, shc, sos and Raf-1 expression, as well as phosphorylation of MEK 1/2, ERK 1/2, p38 MAPK and JNK. This treatment also increased PI 3-kinase activation, PDK1 expression, Akt phosphorylation and p70s6k phosphorylation. Levels of the early gene products c-fos protein and thymidylate synthase were comparably increased. Exposure of 1-LN cells to alpha2M* significantly raised the levels of phosphorylated CREB by about 15-20 min and phosphorylated p53 by about 60-90 min of incubation. We conclude that the growth regulatory effects of ligating the alpha2M* signalling receptor on 1-LN cells are exerted via the onset and crosstalk between the Ras-dependent MAPK and PI 3-kinase/Akt signalling cascades.
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PMID:Potentiation of signal transduction mitogenesis and cellular proliferation upon binding of receptor-recognized forms of alpha2-macroglobulin to 1-LN prostate cancer cells. 1470 37

We investigated the role of Rsk proteins in the nerve growth factor (NGF) signaling pathway in PC12 cells. When rat Rsk1 or murine Rsk2 proteins were transiently expressed, NGF treatment (100 ng/ml for 3 days) caused three- and fivefold increases in Rsk1 and Rsk2 activities, respectively. Increased activation of both wild-type Rsk proteins could be achieved by coexpression of a constitutively active (CA) mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase, MEK1-DD, which is known to cause differentiation of PC12 cells even in the absence of NGF. Rsk1 and Rsk2 mutated in the PDK1-binding site were not activated by either NGF or MEK1-DD. Expression of constitutively active Rsk1 or Rsk2 in PC12 cells resulted in highly active proteins whose levels of activity did not change either with NGF treatment or after coexpression with MEK1-DD. Rsk2-CA expression had no detectable effect on the cells. However, expression of Rsk1-CA led to differentiation of PC12 cells even in the absence of NGF, as evidenced by neurite outgrowth. Differentiation was not observed with a nonactive Rsk1-CA that was mutated in the PDK1-binding site. Expression of Rsk1-CA did not lead to activation of the endogenous MAPK pathway, indicating that Rsk1 is sufficient to induce neurite outgrowth and is the only target of MAPK required for this effect. Collectively, our data demonstrate a key role for Rsk1 in the differentiation process of PC12 cells.
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PMID:Activation of p90 Rsk1 is sufficient for differentiation of PC12 cells. 1557 64

The RAS-activated RAF-->MEK-->extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase (PI3'-kinase)-->PDK1-->AKT signaling pathways are believed to cooperate to promote the proliferation of normal cells and the aberrant proliferation of cancer cells. To explore the mechanisms that underlie such cooperation, we have derived cells harboring conditionally active, steroid hormone-regulated forms of RAF and AKT. These cells permit the assessment of the biological and biochemical effects of activation of these protein kinases either alone or in combination with one another. Under conditions where activation of neither RAF nor AKT alone promoted S-phase progression, coactivation of both kinases elicited a robust proliferative response. Moreover, under conditions where high-level activation of RAF induced G(1) cell cycle arrest, activation of AKT bypassed the arrest and promoted S-phase progression. At the level of the cell cycle machinery, RAF and AKT cooperated to induce cyclin D1 and repress p27(Kip1) expression. Repression of p27(Kip1) was accompanied by a dramatic reduction in KIP1 mRNA and was observed in primary mouse embryo fibroblasts derived from mice either lacking SKP2 or expressing a T187A mutated form of p27(Kip1). Consistent with these observations, pharmacological inhibition of MEK or PI3'-kinase inhibited the effects of activated RAS on the expression of p27(Kip1) in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts and in a panel of bona fide human pancreatic cancer cell lines. Furthermore, we demonstrated that AKT activation led to sustained activation of cyclin/cdk2 complexes that occurred concomitantly with the removal of RAF-induced p21(Cip1) from cyclin E/cdk2 complexes. Cumulatively, these data strongly suggest that the RAF-->MEK-->ERK and PI3'K-->PDK-->AKT signaling pathways can cooperate to promote G(0)-->G(1)-->S-phase cell cycle progression in both normal and cancer cells.
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PMID:Cooperative regulation of the cell division cycle by the protein kinases RAF and AKT. 1557 89

Cerebellar granule neurons undergo apoptosis when switched from culture medium containing high potassium (HK) to medium that contains low potassium (LK). HK treatment leads to an activation of p21-activated kinase-1 (PAK-1). Overexpression of a constitutively active form of PAK-1 protects against apoptosis in LK medium. Overexpression of a dominant-negative form of PAK-1 blocks survival in HK. Although PAK-1 is usually considered to be a downstream effector of Rac and Cdc42, we were unable to detect association between PAK-1 and either Rac1 or Cdc42 in cerebellar granule neurons. Interaction between PAK-1 and PDK1 is detected in granule neurons, although there is no change in the extent of interaction in neurons primed to die. Neuronal survival by PAK-1 overexpression is not inhibited by PD98059 or LY294002, which inhibit the activity of MEK and PI-3 kinase, respectively. The ability of PAK-1 to maintain neuronal survival is, however, blocked by ML-9, a compound known to inhibit Akt. Our results show that that PAK-1 is necessary for neuronal survival in HK and suggest that its neuroprotective action may be mediated by a GTPase-independent, but Akt-dependent, mechanism.
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PMID:p21-Activated kinase-1 is necessary for depolarization-mediated neuronal survival. 1569 23

We showed previously [K. Moissoglu, I.H. Gelman, J. Biol. Chem. 278 (2003) 47946-47959] that oncogenic v-Src could induce 7- to 10-fold greater anchorage-independent growth (AIG) in FAK-null mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEF) compared to those expressing FAK. Here, we demonstrate that the enhanced AIG (eAIG) correlates with increased activation levels of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and not with changes in the protein levels of the p85 regulatory subunit of PI3K, PDK1 or PTEN- modulators, and/or mediators of PI3K activity. eAIG could be blunted selectively by treatment with the PI3K inhibitor, LY294002, or by overexpression of either the PI3K antagonist, PTEN, dominant-interfering alleles of PI3K or a downstream PI3K mediator, AKT, but not by the MEK inhibitor, PD98059, dominant-interfering alleles of MEK or the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)-3. In contrast, RNAi-mediated knockdown of FAK resulted in increased v-Src-induced AIG. Expression of a constitutively active PI3K allele was sufficient to induce higher levels of AIG, whereas overexpression of v-Src produced only larger-sized colonies in soft agar. Interestingly, FAK was required for full activation of PI3K by PDGF whereas the activation of PI3K by insulin was significantly increased in FAK-/- cells. Thus, although FAK is dispensable for v-Src-induced oncogenic transformation in vitro, it may exert either positive or negative effects on signaling or motility depending on which pathways are activated in cancer cells.
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PMID:Enhanced v-Src-induced oncogenic transformation in the absence of focal adhesion kinase is mediated by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. 1580 50

Stromal cell-derived factor (SDF1) and its cognate receptor CXCR4 have been shown to play a central role in the development of the cerebellum, hippocampus, and neocortex. However, little is known about the functions of SDF1/CXCR4 in early spinal cord progenitor cell differentiation. Here, we show that a functional SDF1alpha/CXCR4 signaling pathway is present in developing spinal cord cells (a spliced variant of SDF1). RT-PCR analysis of SDF1alpha and CXCR4 showed that they were present in E10.5 neural tube and their expression increased as neuroepithelial cells differentiated into more committed spinal cord progenitors. Stimulation of the more differentiated progenitors (E14.5) with SDF1alpha resulted in rapid activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2. This SDF1alpha-induced ERK activity was dose dependent and could be inhibited by pre-treatment of the cells with either pertussis toxin, an inactivator of G-protein-coupled receptors, or PD98059, a MEK1 inhibitor. Concomitant with ERK activation, SDF1alpha also activated the downstream transcription factor Ets, a substrate for ERK phosphorylation. Further, downstream activation of genes associated with cell survival, differentiation and migration was assessed using a G-protein-coupled receptor pathway-focused microarray. We found that 23 genes, including PDK1, Egr-1, Grm5, and E-selectin, were up-regulated by SDF1alpha. Furthermore, SDF1alpha induced chemotaxis in both neural and glial progenitors in in vitro migration assays. Pre-treatment of the cells with either pertussis toxin or PD98059 completely inhibited SDF1alpha-induced chemotaxis. Thus, our data suggest that SDF1alpha may function through a CXCR4/ERK/Ets-linked signalling pathway in spinal cord neural development to modulate migration of progenitor cells.
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PMID:Functional SDF1 alpha/CXCR4 signaling in the developing spinal cord. 1581 68

Characteristics of hVSMC apoptosis and its inhibition by insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) remain unclear. Also unclear is whether a balance in hVSMCs exists whereby c-Jun N-terminal stress kinases (JNK) promote apoptosis while extracellular signal-regulated (ERK1/2) MAP kinases inhibit cell death. In this study, we examined the involvement of Akt/PKB and its upstream kinase, PDK1 and whether JNK activation correlated with human and rat VSMC apoptosis induced by staurosporine and by c-myc, respectively. We observed a strong, sustained JNK activation (and c-Jun phosphorylation), which correlated with VSMC apoptosis. IGF-1 (13.3 nM), during apoptosis inhibition, transiently inhibited JNK activity at 1 h in a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K)- and MEK-ERK-dependent manner, as wortmannin (100 nM) or PD98059 (30 muM) partially attenuated the IGF-1 effect. PKC down-regulation had no effect on JNK inhibition by IGF-1. While IGF-1 alone produced a strong phosphorylation of Akt/PKB in hVSMCs up to 6 h, it was notably stronger and more sustained during ratmyc and hVSMCs apoptosis inhibition. Further, whereas transient expression of phosphorylated Akt protected VSMCs from apoptosis by nearly 50%, expression of dominant interfering alleles of Akt or PDK1 strongly inhibited IGF-1-mediated VSMC survival. These results demonstrate for the first time that transient inhibition of a pro-apoptotic stimulus in VSMCs may be sufficient to inhibit a programmed cell death and that sustained anti-apoptotic signals (Akt) elicited by IGF-1 are augmented during a death stimulus. Furthermore, PI3-K and ERK-MAPK pathways may cooperate to protect VSMCs from cell death.
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PMID:Sustained Akt/PKB activation and transient attenuation of c-jun N-terminal kinase in the inhibition of apoptosis by IGF-1 in vascular smooth muscle cells. 1590 15

Expression of the gene encoding the MKP-3/Pyst1 protein phosphatase, which inactivates ERK MAPK, is induced by FGF. However, which intracellular signalling pathway mediates this expression is unclear, with essential roles proposed for both ERK and PI(3)K in chick embryonic limb. Here, we report that MKP-3/Pyst1 expression is sensitive to inhibition of ERK or MAPKK, that endogenous MKP-3/Pyst1 co-localizes with activated ERK, and expression of MKP-3/Pyst1 in mice lacking PDK1, an essential mediator of PI(3)K signalling. We conclude that MKP-3/Pyst1 expression is mediated by ERK activation and that negative feedback control predominates in limiting the extent of FGF-induced ERK activity.
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PMID:Negative feedback predominates over cross-regulation to control ERK MAPK activity in response to FGF signalling in embryos. 1683 26

Insulin exerts pleiotropic effects at the cellular level. Signaling via the two isoforms of the insulin receptor (IR) may explain the activation of different signaling cascades, while it remains to be explored how selectivity is achieved when utilizing the same IR isoform. We now demonstrate that insulin-stimulated transcription of c-fos and glucokinase genes is activated simultaneously in the insulin-producing beta-cell via IR-B localized in different cellular compartments. Insulin activates the glucokinase gene from plasma membrane-standing IR-B, while c-fos gene activation is dependent on clathrin-mediated IR-B-endocytosis and signaling from early endosomes. Moreover, glucokinase gene up-regulation requires the integrity of the juxtamembrane IR-B NPEY-motif and signaling via PI3K-C2alpha-like/PDK1/PKB, while c-fos gene activation requires the intact C-terminal YTHM-motif and signaling via PI3K Ia/Shc/MEK1/ERK. By using IR-B as an example it is thus possible to demonstrate how spatial segregation allows simultaneous and selective signaling via the same receptor isoform in the same cell.
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PMID:Selective gene activation by spatial segregation of insulin receptor B signaling. 1726 62

Little is known about the regulatory mechanisms of endothelial cell (EC) proliferation by retinal pericytes and vice versa. In a model of coculture with bovine retinal pericytes lasting for 24 h, rat brain ECs showed an increase in arachidonic acid (AA) release, whereas Western blot and RT-PCR analyses revealed that ECs activated the protein expression of cytosolic phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2)) and its phosphorylated form and calcium-independent intracellular phospholipase A(2) (iPLA(2)). No activation of the same enzymes was seen in companion pericytes. In ECs, the protein level of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 was also enhanced significantly, a finding not observed in cocultured pericytes. The expression of protein kinase C-alpha (PKCalpha) and its phosphorylated form was also enhanced in ECs. Wortmannin, LY294002, and PD98059, used as inhibitors of upstream kinases (the PI3-kinase/Akt/PDK1 or MEK-1 pathway) in cultures, markedly attenuated AA release and the expression of phosphorylated forms of endothelial cPLA(2), PKCalpha, and ERK1/2. By confocal microscopy, activation of PKCalpha in perinuclear regions of ECs grown in coculture as well as strong activation of cPLA(2) in ECs taken from a model of mixed culture were clearly observed. However, no increased expression of both enzymes was found in cocultured pericytes. Our findings indicate that a sequential activation of PKCalpha contributes to endothelial ERK1/2 and cPLA(2) phosphorylation induced by either soluble factors or direct cell-to-cell contact, and that the PKCalpha-cPLA(2) pathway appears to play a key role in the early phase of EC-pericyte interactions regulating blood retina or blood-brain barrier maturation.
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PMID:Endothelial cell-pericyte cocultures induce PLA2 protein expression through activation of PKCalpha and the MAPK/ERK cascade. 1726 47


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