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 mechanisms used by insulin to activate the multifunctional intracellular effectors, extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), are only partly understood and appear to vary in different cell types. Presently, in rat adipocytes, we found that insulin-induced activation of ERK was blocked (a) by chemical inhibitors of both phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase C (PKC)-zeta, and, moreover, (b) by transient expression of both dominant-negative Deltap85 PI3K subunit and kinase-inactive PKC-zeta. Further, insulin effects on ERK were inhibited by kinase-inactive 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1 (PDK-1), and by mutation of Thr-410 in the activation loop of PKC-zeta, which is the target of PDK-1 and is essential for PI3K/PDK-1-dependent activation of PKC-zeta. In addition to requirements for PI3K, PDK-1, and PKC-zeta, we found that a tyrosine kinase (presumably the insulin receptor), the SH2 domain of GRB2, SOS, RAS, RAF, and MEK1 were required for insulin effects on ERK in the rat adipocyte. Our findings therefore suggested that PDK-1 and PKC-zeta serve as a downstream effectors of PI3K, and act in conjunction with GRB2, SOS, RAS, and RAF, to activate MEK and ERK during insulin action in rat adipocytes.
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PMID:Protein kinase C-zeta and phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1 are required for insulin-induced activation of ERK in rat adipocytes. 1052 30

Sorbitol, "osmotic stress", stimulates GLUT4 glucose transporter translocation to the plasma membrane and glucose transport by a phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase-independent mechanism that reportedly involves non-receptor proline-rich tyrosine kinase-2 (PYK2) but subsequent events are obscure. In the present study, we found that extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway components, growth-factor-receptor-bound-2 protein, son of sevenless (SOS), RAS, RAF and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase/ERK kinase, MEK(-1), operating downstream of PYK2, were required for sorbitol-stimulated GLUT4 translocation/glucose transport in rat adipocytes, L6 myotubes and 3T3/L1 adipocytes. Furthermore, sorbitol activated atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) through a similar mechanism depending on the PYK2/ERK pathway, independent of PI 3-kinase and its downstream effector, 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1 (PDK-1). Like PYK2/ERK pathway components, aPKCs were required for sorbitol-stimulated GLUT4 translocation/glucose transport. Interestingly, sorbitol stimulated increases in phospholipase D (PLD) activity and generation of phosphatidic acid (PA), which directly activated aPKCs. As with aPKCs and glucose transport, sorbitol-stimulated PLD activity was dependent on the ERK pathway. Moreover, PLD-generated PA was required for sorbitol-induced activation of aPKCs and GLUT4 translocation/glucose transport. Our findings suggest that sorbitol sequentially activates PYK2, the ERK pathway and PLD, thereby increasing PA, which activates aPKCs and GLUT4 translocation. This mechanism contrasts with that of insulin, which primarily uses PI 3-kinase, D3-PO(4) polyphosphoinositides and PDK-1 to activate aPKCs.
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PMID:Sorbitol activates atypical protein kinase C and GLUT4 glucose transporter translocation/glucose transport through proline-rich tyrosine kinase-2, the extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway and phospholipase D. 1187 94

We have previously shown that 4-anilinoquinazolines can be potent inhibitors of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor (Flt-1 and KDR) tyrosine kinase activity. A novel subseries of 4-anilinoquinazolines that possess basic side chains at the C-7 position of the quinazoline nucleus have been synthesized. This subseries contains potent, nanomolar inhibitors of KDR (median IC(50) 0.02 microM, range 0.001-0.04 microM), which are comparatively less potent vs Flt-1 tyrosine kinase (median IC(50) 0.55 microM, range 0.02-1.6 microM). The compounds also retain some inhibitory activity against the tyrosine kinase associated to the endothelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) (median IC(50) 0.2 microM, range 0.075-0.8 microM) but demonstrate selectivity vs that associated to the FGF receptor 1 (median IC(50) 2.5 microM, range 0.9-19 microM). This selectivity profile is also evident in a growth factor-stimulated human endothelial cell (HUVEC) proliferation assay (i.e., inhibition of VEGF > EGF > FGF), with inhibition of VEGF-induced proliferation being achieved at nanomolar concentrations (median IC(50) 0.06 microM). Further examination of compound 2 (ZD6474) in recombinant enzyme assays revealed excellent selectivity for the inhibition of KDR tyrosine kinase (IC(50) 0.04 microM) vs the kinase activity of erbB2, MEK, CDK-2, Tie-2, IGFR-1R, PDK, PDGFRbeta, and AKT (IC(50) range: 1.1 to >100 microM). Anilinoquinazolines possessing basic C-7 side chains exhibited markedly improved aqueous solubility over previously described anilinoquinazolines possessing neutral C-7 side chains (up to 500-fold improvement at pH 7.4). In addition, aqueous solubility of the neutral fraction present at pH 7.4 of the basic subseries of anilinoquinazoline proved to be higher than that of the neutral analogue 1 (ZD4190). Oral administration of representative compounds to mice (50 mg/kg) produced plasma levels between 0.2 and 3 microM at 24 h after dosing. Our development candidate 2 demonstrated a very attractive in vitro profile combined with excellent solubility (330 microM at pH 7.4) and good oral bioavailability in rat and dog (> 80 and > 50%, respectively). This compound demonstrated highly significant, dose-dependent, antitumor activity in athymic mice. Once daily oral administration of 100 mg/kg of compound 2 for 21 days inhibited the growth of established Calu-6 lung carcinoma xenografts by 79% (P < 0.001, Mann Whitney rank sum test), and substantial inhibition (36%, P < 0.02) was evident with 12.5 mg/kg/day.
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PMID:Novel 4-anilinoquinazolines with C-7 basic side chains: design and structure activity relationship of a series of potent, orally active, VEGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors. 1188 99

Signaling events involving angiotensin IV (ANG IV)-mediated pulmonary artery endothelial cell (PAEC) proliferation were examined. ANG IV significantly increased upstream phosphatidylinositide (PI) 3-kinase (PI3K), PI-dependent kinase-1 (PDK-1), extracellular signal-related kinases (ERK1/2), and protein kinase B-alpha/Akt (PKB-alpha) activities, as well as downstream p70 ribosomal S6 kinase (p70S6K) activities and/or phosphorylation of these proteins. ANG IV also significantly increased 5-bromo-2'-deoxy-uridine incorporation into newly synthesized DNA in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Pretreatment of cells with wortmannin and LY-294002, inhibitors of PI3K, or rapamycin, an inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin kinase and p70S6K, diminished the ANG IV-mediated activation of PDK-1 and PKB-alpha as well as phosphorylation of p70S6K. Although an inhibitor of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase, PD-98059, but not rapamycin, blocked ANG IV-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2, both PD-98059 and rapamycin independently caused partial reduction in ANG IV-mediated cell proliferation. However, simultaneous treatment with PD-98059 and rapamycin resulted in total inhibition of ANG IV-induced cell proliferation. These results demonstrate that ANG IV-induced DNA synthesis is regulated in a coordinated fashion involving multiple signaling modules in PAEC.
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PMID:Activation of multiple signaling modules is critical in angiotensin IV-induced lung endothelial cell proliferation. 1222 47

CC139 fibroblasts are one of several model systems in which the Raf --> MEK --> ERK1/2 pathway can inhibit apoptosis independently of the PI3K pathway; however, the precise mechanism for this protective effect is not known. Serum withdrawal from CC139 fibroblasts resulted in the rapid onset of apoptosis, which was prevented by actinomycin D or cycloheximide. Serum withdrawal promoted the rapid, de novo accumulation of Bim(EL), a proapoptotic 'BH3-only' member of the Bcl-2 protein family. Bim(EL) expression was an early event, occurring several hours prior to caspase activation. In contrast to studies in neurons, activation of the JNK --> c-Jun pathway was neither necessary nor sufficient to induce Bim(EL) expression. Selective inhibition of either the ERK pathway (with U0126) or the PI3K pathway (with LY294002) caused an increase in the expression of Bim(EL). Furthermore, selective activation of the ERK1/2 pathway by deltaRaf-1:ER* substantially reduced Bim(EL) expression, abolished conformational changes in Bax and blocked the appearance of apoptotic cells. The ability of deltaRaf-1:ER* to repress Bim(EL) expression required the ERK pathway but was independent of the PI3K --> PDK --> PKB pathway. Thus, serum withdrawal-induced expression of Bim(EL) occurs independently of the JNK --> c-Jun pathway and can be repressed by the ERK pathway independently of the PI3K pathway. This may contribute to Raf- and Ras-induced cell survival at low serum concentrations.
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PMID:Activation of ERK1/2 by deltaRaf-1:ER* represses Bim expression independently of the JNK or PI3K pathways. 1261 53

The RET/PTC3 oncogene is a genetically rearranged and constitutively activated tyrosine kinase receptor that is common in papillary thyroid cancer. Because RET/PTC3 is chronically overexpressed in these thyroid cancer cells, and RET/PTC3-expressing tumors are associated with overactivity of tyrosine kinase signaling pathways and a more aggressive clinical course, we questioned whether chronic RET/PTC3 expression enhances cellular responses to thyroid mitogens in vitro. We stably transfected FRTL-5 cells with the RET/PTC3 gene; transfected and control cell lines were cultured without insulin, TSH, or serum. Thymidine incorporation into DNA was enhanced in the RET/PTC3 cells, but transformation was not observed. RET/PTC3 cells demonstrated higher basal and insulin-stimulated levels of activated Akt, both of which were reduced by LY294002, a PI3 kinase inhibitor, but not PD98059, a MEK inhibitor. By contrast, mitogen activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) was only minimally activated in RET/PTC3 cells before and after stimulation. Consistent with preferential activation of PI3 kinase, increased levels of total and phosphorylated IRS2 protein, relative activation of PDK-1, and enhanced IRS2-p85 interactions were identified in RET/PTC3-expressing cells. RET/PTC3 cells were also sensitized to insulin-induced thymidine incorporation; this effect was blocked by PI3 kinase (LY294002) rather than MEK 1/2 (PD98059) inhibitors. In summary, we have demonstrated that RET/PTC3 expression enhances basal and insulin-stimulated DNA synthesis through PI3 kinase, cooperatively activates Akt with insulin via PI3 kinase, and preferentially activates the Akt rather than MAP kinase pathway in FRTL-5 cells.
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PMID:Chronic expression of RET/PTC 3 enhances basal and insulin-stimulated PI3 kinase/AKT signaling and increases IRS-2 expression in FRTL-5 thyroid cells. 1537 48

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

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a potent mitogen for mesangial cells. The mechanism by which EGF induces DNA synthesis is not precisely understood. We investigated the role of phosphatidylinositol (PI)3-kinase in regulating mitogenesis. EGF increased PI3-kinase activity resulting in stimulation of PDK-1 and Akt kinase activities. Blocking of PI3-kinase activity using LY-294002 or adenoviral expression of PTEN, which dephosphorylates PI3,4,5-tris-phosphate and thus inactivates PI3-kinase signaling, significantly inhibits EGF-induced DNA synthesis. Expression of dominant-negative Akt kinase, however, had no effect on DNA synthesis. But it inhibited EGF-induced phosphorylation of FoxO3a transcription factor, thus demonstrating its functional consequences. These data indicate that EGF increases the DNA synthesis in a PI3-kinase-dependent but Akt-independent manner. In addition to activating PI3-kinase signaling, EGF increased Erk1/2 MAPK activity, leading to transcriptional activation of its nuclear target Elk-1 and resulting in c-fos expression. Inhibition of MAPK activity by MEK inhibitor U-0126 abolished EGF-induced DNA synthesis. Because EGF activates PI3-kinase, which also regulates DNA synthesis, the effect of PI3-kinase on MAPK activity was also examined. Inhibition of PI3-kinase signaling blocked EGF-induced MAPK activity as well as Elk-1-dependent reporter transcription and c-fos gene transcription. To further determine the mechanism of EGF-induced DNA synthesis, we investigated the effect of EGF on the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27(Kip1). EGF reduced the expression of p27(Kip1). Inhibition of PI3-kinase action or MAPK activity abolished the reduction in p27(Kip1) expression induced by EGF. These data provide the evidence that a linear signal transduction pathway involving PI3-kinase-dependent MAPK regulates EGF-induced DNA synthesis in mesangial cells by regulating c-fos and p27(Kip1) expression.
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PMID:EGF stimulates mesangial cell mitogenesis via PI3-kinase-mediated MAPK-dependent and AKT kinase-independent manner: involvement of c-fos and p27Kip1. 1570 16

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are frequently used as analgesics. They inhibit cyclooxygenases (COX), preventing the formation of prostaglandins, including prostacyclin and thromboxane. A serious side effect of COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitors is renal damage. To investigate the molecular basis of the renal injury, we evaluated the expression of the stress marker, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), in celecoxib-stimulated mesangial cells. We report here that a COX-2 selective NSAID, celecoxib, induced a concentration- and time-dependent increase of HO-1 expression in glomerular mesangial cells. Celecoxib-induced HO-1 protein expression was inhibited by actinomycin D and cycloheximide, suggesting that de novo transcription and translation are required in this process. N-acetylcysteine, a free radical scavenger, strongly decreased HO-1 expression, suggesting the involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Celecoxib-induced HO-1 expression was attenuated by pretreatment of the cells with SP 600125 (a specific JNK inhibitor), but not SB 203580 (a specific p38 MAPK inhibitor), or PD 98059 (a specific MEK inhibitor). Consistently, celecoxib activated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) as demonstrated by kinase assays and by increasing phosphorylation of this kinase. N-acetylcysteine reduced the stimulatory effect of celecoxib on stress kinase activities, suggesting an involvement of JNK in HO-1 expression. On the other hand, LY 294002, a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI-3K)-specific inhibitor, prevented the enhancement of HO-1 expression. This effect was correlated with inhibition of the phosphorylation of the PDK-1 downstream substrate Akt/protein kinase B (PKB). In conclusion, our data suggest that celecoxib-induced HO-1 expression in glomerular mesangial cells may be mediated by ROS via the JNK-PI-3K cascade.
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PMID:Celecoxib induces heme-oxygenase expression in glomerular mesangial cells. 1596 68

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signals are transduced through FGF receptors (FGFRs) and FRS2/FRS3- SHP2 (PTPN11)-GRB2 docking protein complex to SOS-RAS-RAF-MAPKK-MAPK signaling cascade and GAB1/GAB2-PI3K-PDK-AKT/aPKC signaling cascade. The RAS approximately MAPK signaling cascade is implicated in cell growth and differentiation, the PI3K approximately AKT signaling cascade in cell survival and cell fate determination, and the PI3K approximately aPKC signaling cascade in cell polarity control. FGF18, FGF20 and SPRY4 are potent targets of the canonical WNT signaling pathway in the gastrointestinal tract. SPRY4 is the FGF signaling inhibitor functioning as negative feedback apparatus for the WNT/FGF-dependent epithelial proliferation. Recombinant FGF7 and FGF20 proteins are applicable for treatment of chemotherapy/radiation-induced mucosal injury, while recombinant FGF2 protein and FGF4 expression vector are applicable for therapeutic angiogenesis. Helicobacter pylori, a causative pathogen for peptic ulcer diseases, chronic atrophic gastritis and gastric cancer, injects bacterial proteins into gastric epithelial cells by using Type IV secretion system, which leads to FGF signaling activation through FGF2 upregulation as well as CagA-dependent SHP2 activation. FGFR2 gene is preferentially amplified and overexpressed in diffuse-type gastric cancer. PD173074 is a small-molecule inhibitor for FGFR, while RO4396686 and SU6668 are small-molecule inhibitors for FGFR and other tyrosine kinases. Cocktail therapy using multiple protein kinase inhibitors could enhance the therapeutic effects for gastrointestinal cancer through the reduction of recurrence associated with somatic mutations of drug-target genes. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and copy number polymorphism (CNP) of genes encoding FGF signaling molecules will be identified as novel risk factors of gastrointestinal cancer. Personalized prevention and personalized medicine based on the combination of genetic screening and novel therapeutic agents could dramatically improve the prognosis of cancer patients.
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PMID:FGF signaling network in the gastrointestinal tract (review). 1677 96


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