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)

Smad4 functions as a transcription factor in TGF-beta signalling. We have investigated the role of Smad4 in the TGF-beta1 cell responses of transformed PDV keratinocytes, which contain a Ras oncogene, and of non-tumorigenic MCA3D keratinocytes, by transfecting both cell lines with a dominant-negative Smad4 construct. Smad4 mediates TGF-beta1-induced up-regulation of p21Cip1 and growth arrest in MCA3D cells. However, in PDV keratinocytes, Smad4 is only partially involved in TGF-beta1-induced growth inhibition, and does not mediate enhancement of p21Cip1 levels by the growth factor. TGF-beta1 activates Ras/Erk signalling activity in both cell lines. PD098059, a specific inhibitor of MEK, disminishes TGF-beta1-induced p21Cip1 levels in PDV but not in MCA3D cells, suggesting an involvement of Erk in up-regulation of p21Cip1 by TGF-beta1 in PDV cells. PDV dominant-negative Smad4 cell transfectants, but not MCA3D transfectants, showed constitutive hyperactivation of the Ras/Erk signalling pathway, increased secretion of urokinase, higher motility properties, and a change to a fibroblastoid cell morphology associated in vivo with the transition from a well differentiated to a poorly differentiated tumour phenotype. Infection of MCA3D control and dominant negative Smad4 cell transfectants with retroviruses carrying a Ras oncogene led to enhanced p21Cip1 and urokinase secreted levels, independently of TGF-beta1 stimulation, that were reduced by PD098059. These results suggest that Smad4 acts inhibiting Ras-dependent Erk signalling activity in Ras-transformed keratinocytes. Loss of Smad4 function in these cells results in hyperactivation of Erk signalling and progression to undifferentiated carcinomas. Oncogene (2000) 19, 4134 - 4145
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PMID:Blockade of Smad4 in transformed keratinocytes containing a Ras oncogene leads to hyperactivation of the Ras-dependent Erk signalling pathway associated with progression to undifferentiated carcinomas. 1096 74

Ras-transformed intestinal epithelial cells are resistant to the growth inhibitory actions of TGFbeta and have a marked decrease in expression of the TGFbeta type II receptor (TGFbetaRII). Rat intestinal epithelial cells (RIE) were stably transfected with activated Ras, Sos and Raf constructs and tested for expression of TGFbetaRII and sensitivity to growth inhibition by TGFbeta. The parental RIE line and the RIE-Raf cells were non-transformed in morphology and were sensitive to TGFbeta (70-90% inhibited). In contrast, the RIE-Ras and RIE-Sos lines were transformed, resistant to TGFbeta and expressed 5- to 10-fold decreased levels of the TGFbetaRII mRNA and protein. Cyclin D1 protein expression was repressed by TGFbeta treatment in parental RIE and RIE-Raf cells, whereas levels of cyclin D1 in RIE-Ras and RIE-Sos cells remained unchanged. Treatment of RIE-Ras cells with 25 microM farnesyl transferase inhibitor, FTI L739,749, for 48 hours restored expression of TGFbetaRII to levels equivalent to control cells. In addition, treatment of RIE-Ras cells for 48 hours with PD-98059, a specific MAPKK inhibitor, also increased expression of TGFbetaRII to control levels. Collectively these results suggest that downregulation of TGFbetaRII and loss of sensitivity to growth inhibition by TGFbeta in Ras-transformed intestinal epithelial cells is not mediated exclusively by the conventional Ras/Raf/MAPKK/MAPK pathway. However, activation of MAPK, perhaps by an alternate Ras effector pathway, appears to be necessary for Ras-mediated downregulation of TGFbetaRII.
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PMID:Ras-mediated suppression of TGFbetaRII expression in intestinal epithelial cells involves Raf-independent signaling. 1100 70

During inflammatory reactions in the central nervous system (CNS), resident macrophages, the microglia, are exposed to Th1 cell-derived cytokines and pro-apoptotic Fas ligand (FasL). Despite the presence of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma, both being capable of sensitizing microglia to FasL, apoptosis of microglia is not a hallmark of inflammatory diseases of the CNS. In the present study, TGF-beta is found to counteract the effect of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma to sensitize microglia to FasL-mediated apoptosis. Resistance to Fas-mediated apoptosis by TGF-beta does not correlate with a down-regulation of Fas expression. As a key inhibitor of Fas-mediated apoptosis, we found expression of the cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein (c-FLIP) to be induced by TGF-beta in resting as well as in activated microglia. Induction of FLIP was found to depend on a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MKK)-dependent pathway as shown by the use of the specific MKK-inhibitor PD98059. The presence of FLIP strongly interfered with FasL-induced activation of caspase-8 and caspase-3 preventing subsequent cell death. The presented data provide the first evidence for a TGF-beta-mediated FLIP in macrophage-like cells and suggest a mode of action for the anti-apoptotic role of TGF-beta in the CNS.
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PMID:TGF-beta induces the expression of the FLICE-inhibitory protein and inhibits Fas-mediated apoptosis of microglia. 1116 11

Activin, a member of the TGFbeta family inhibits cell growth in various target tissues. Activin interacts with a complex of two receptors that upon activation phosphorylate specific intracellular mediators, the Smad proteins. The activated Smads interact with diverse DNA binding proteins and co-activators of transcription in a cell-specific manner, thus leading to various activin biological effects. In this study, we investigated the role and mechanism of action of activin in the human breast cancer T47D cells. We found that activin treatment of T47D cells leads to a dramatic decrease in cell growth. Thus activin appears as a potent cell growth inhibitor of these breast cancer cells. We show that activin induces the Smad pathway in these cells but also activates the p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, further leading to phosphorylation of the transcription factor ATF2. Finally, specific inhibitors of the p38 kinase (SB202190, SB203580, and PD169316) but not an inactive analogue (SB202474) or the MEK-1 inhibitor PD98059 completely abolish the activin-mediated cell growth inhibition of T47D cells. Together, these results define a new role for activin in human breast cancer T47D cells and highlight a new pathway utilized by this growth factor in the mediation of its biological effects in cell growth arrest.
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PMID:The p38 MAPK pathway is required for cell growth inhibition of human breast cancer cells in response to activin. 1127 44

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleitrophic cytokine that not only regulates growth and differentiation of many cell types, but also induces production of acute phase proteins (AAP) in hepatocytes. Our previous works have demonstrated that both PI 3-K/Akt and STAT3 pathways were concomitantly activated and cooperatively mediated the anti-apoptotic effect of IL-6. This investigation reports that IL-6 protected cells against apoptosis induced by a variety of agents including, TGF-beta, UV and retinoic acid (RA) in Hep3B cells, suggesting that IL-6 is a fundamental determinant of hepatic cell survival. Mcl-1, but not other Bcl-2 family members, was rapidly up-regulated by IL-6, with a peak (approximately 3-4-fold) appearing at 4 h. Transient transfection of cells with a mcl-1 antisense vector, resulting in a 50-60% reduction of the anti-apoptotic effect of IL-6, indicating that Mcl-1 is a downstream effector of IL-6. Which signaling pathway transduced by IL-6 responsible for the Mcl-1 up-regulation was further investigated. In Hep3B cells, the JAK/STAT3, ERK, and PI 3-K/Akt pathways were activated by IL-6 stimulation. Blocking JAK/STAT3 activation with a dominant-negative mutant STAT3F or a JAK inhibitor AG490 could not influence IL-6-mediated Mcl-1 up-regulation. Similarly, PD98059 treatment, a MEK specific inhibitor, also failed to inhibit Mcl-1 expression. However, the IL-6-induced Mcl-1 up-regulation was effectively attenuated in the presence of PI 3-K inhibitors, LY294002 and wortmannin. Expression of dominant-negative Akt, but not Etk, could abrogate the IL-6-induced increase of Mcl-1. In conclusion, our results suggest that the anti-apoptotic effect of IL-6 is mediated, at least in part, by Mcl-1 expression and that is mainly through the PI 3-K/ Akt-dependent pathway.
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PMID:The involvement of PI 3-K/Akt-dependent up-regulation of Mcl-1 in the prevention of apoptosis of Hep3B cells by interleukin-6. 1131 1

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of transforming growth factor (TGF) beta1 on the phenotype and the biological behavior of pancreatic cancer cell lines with and without mutations in the TGF-beta signaling pathway and to elucidate whether the Ras signaling cascade participates in mediating these effects of TGF-beta1. TGF-beta-responsive (PANC-1, COLO-357, and IMIM-PC1) and nonresponsive (CAPAN1 and IMIM-PC2) pancreatic cancer cell lines with activating mutations of the Ki-Ras oncogene were treated with 10 ng/ml TGF-beta1 over time. Phenotypic alterations were studied by electron and phase contrast microscopy and by immunohistochemistry and expression analyses of differentiation markers. The influence of TGF-beta on tumor cell scattering, migration, and invasion was determined. The role of the Ras-mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) cascade in mediating TGF-beta-induced morphological and functional effects were studied by pretreatment with the MEK1 inhibitor PD 98059 and by measuring ERK2 activation using immune complex kinase assays. TGF-beta1 led to a reversible and time-dependent epithelial-mesenchymal transdifferentiation (EMT) in TGF-beta-responsive pancreatic cancer cell lines, characterized by a fibroblastoid morphology and an up-regulation of mesenchymal markers and a down-regulation of epithelial markers. EMT was associated with an increase in tumor cell migration, invasion, and scattering. In the responsive cell lines, TGF-beta1 induced a moderate but sustained activation of ERK2. EMT, the concomitant changes in gene expression, and the invasive and migratory potential were reduced or abolished by pretreatment with the selective MEK1 inhibitor. Thus, in TGF-beta-responsive pancreatic cancer cells with activating Ki-Ras mutations, TGF-beta1 treatment caused an EMT associated with a more invasive phenotype. Cross-talk with the Ras-MEK-ERK-signaling cascade appears to be essential for mediating these effects of TGF-beta1.
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PMID:Transforming growth factor beta1 treatment leads to an epithelial-mesenchymal transdifferentiation of pancreatic cancer cells requiring extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 activation. 1135 48

beta -adrenergic agonists stimulate neonatal rat cardiac fibroblast growth, albeit the identity of the signaling event(s) remains equivocal. Isoproterenol (ISO) treatment increased intracellular cyclic AMP levels; however, cyclic AMP-elevating agents had no effect on protein synthesis. The tyrosine kinase inhibitor tyrphostin A25, and the inhibition of ras processing by the farnesyltransferase inhibitor BMS-191563 attenuated ISO-stimulated protein synthesis. Concomitant with increased protein synthesis, ISO stimulated extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) activity. The MEK1/2 inhibitor PD098059 abrogated ISO-stimulated ERK activity, albeit the increase in protein synthesis was unaffected. By contrast, LY294002 inhibited both ISO-stimulated PI3-K activity, and protein synthesis. ISO treatment did not increase the expression of transforming growth factor-beta(1)(TGF-beta(1)) mRNA, whereas a significant decrease in the steady-state mRNA level of TGF- beta(3)was observed. This latter effect was mimicked by cyclic AMP-elevating agents. Angiotensin II (AII) activation of the AT(1)receptor increased protein synthesis, but in contrast to ISO, the growth response was not inhibited by either tyrphostin A25 or BMS-191563, and was associated with the concomitant expression of both TGF-beta(1)and TGF-beta(3)mRNAs. Analogous to ISO, AII treatment increased ERK and PI3-K activity, and PI3-K was required for protein synthesis. These findings are the first to highlight the activation of PI3-K by a Gs(alpha)-coupled receptor, and its essential role in beta -adrenergic as well as AT(1)receptor-mediated protein synthesis in neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts. However, despite the conserved role of PI3-K, additional disparate signaling pathways are recruited by ISO and AII, which may differentially influence fibroblast phenotype.
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PMID:beta-Adrenergic stimulation of rat cardiac fibroblasts promotes protein synthesis via the activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. 1144 12

In our previous study, we demonstrated that porcine enamel matrix derivative (EMD) induces p21WAF1/cip1 within 8 hours and subsequently arrests the cell cycle of human oral epithelial cells in G1 phase. In contrast, EMD markedly stimulates the proliferation of gingival fibroblasts without inducing p21WAF1/cip1. To investigate the mechanism of how EMD produces these differential effects, we have focused on the initial response of these two cell types to EMD. In epithelial cell cultures, EMD stimulated cytoskeletal actin polymerization within 30 min and promoted cell adhesion in our experimental system. EMD failed to stimulate either intracellular Ca2+ mobilization or cAMP production in either cell type. In both epithelial and fibroblastic cells, EMD (25-100 microgram/ml) rapidly produced dose-dependent phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family: extracellular signal response kinase (ERK), p38-MAPK (p38-K), and c-Jun-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase (JNK). However, neither inhibitors of MEK (ERK kinase) nor p38-K could block EMD's anti-proliferative action on epithelial cells. On the other hand, EMD rapidly stimulated translocation of smad2 into the nucleus in both cell types. Spurred by this finding, we assayed for TGF-beta1, a ligand for one receptor associated with smad2 activation, and detected significant levels in EMD preparations. The sum of these pharmacological findings indicates that EMD contains at least one bioactive factor, which is most probably TGF-beta1 (or TGF-beta-like substances). In conjunction with the similarities in the differential growth-modulating actions between EMD and what is known for TGF-beta, we suggest that TGF-beta might act as the principal growth regulating agent of oral fibroblastic and epithelial cell types in EMD despite being present in only low levels.
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PMID:Enamel matrix derivative (EMDOGAIN) rapidly stimulates phosphorylation of the MAP kinase family and nuclear accumulation of smad2 in both oral epithelial and fibroblastic human cells. 1176 72

Although Fas (APO-1/CD95) is expressed ubiquitously and induces cell death, it is also known to mediate other responses such as inflammation and angiogenesis in vivo. Previously, we have reported that Fas ligation induces selective expression of chemokines (IL-8 and MCP-1) in human astroglioma cells in vitro. In this study, we investigated whether Fas ligation can induce expression of other cytokines. Expression of IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IFN-beta, IFN-gamma, LT-beta, TGF-beta, TNF-a and TNF-beta mRNA levels in CRT-MG human astroglioma cells upon Fas ligation was investigated using RNase protection assay (RPA). We found that IL-6 mRNA is selectively induced upon Fas ligation, and IL-6 mRNA and protein expression was further investigated using single probe RPA and ELISA. To investigate the in vivo expression of IL-6, human brain specimens were homogenized and ELISA was performed for IL-6 expression. Herein, we demonstrate that: (1) Among these cytokines, only IL-6 was induced upon Fas ligation in a dose- and time-dependent manner; (2) A selective p38 MAP kinase inhibitor, SB202190, and a MEK inhibitor, U0126, suppressed induction of IL-6 mRNA and protein expression by Fas ligation; and (3) Glioblastoma multiforme samples (n = 11) contain significantly higher levels of IL-6 compared to those of control brains (n = 5), which correlate with increased levels of Fas. These results suggest that the Fas-FasL system may play a role in the regulation of tumor growth and survival by inducing the pleiotropic cytokine IL-6.
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PMID:Fas engagement increases expression of interleukin-6 in human glioma cells. 1194 22

Changes in cellular morphology induced as a consequence of direct perturbation of cytoskeletal structure with network-specific targeting agents (i.e. microfilament- or microtubule-disrupting drugs) results in the stimulated expression of a specific subset of genes. Transcription of c-fos, collagenase, transforming growth factor-beta, actin, urokinase plasminogen activator and its type-1 inhibitor (PAI-1) appears to be particularly responsive to shape-activated signaling pathways. Cytochalasin D (CD) or colchicine treatment of contact-inhibited and serum-deprived vascular smooth muscle (R22) cells was used, therefore, as a model system to evaluate morphology-associated controls on PAI-1 gene regulation in the absence of added growth factors. PAI-1 transcript levels in quiescent R22 cells increased rapidly and in a CD-concentration-dependent fashion, with kinetics of expression paralleling the morphological changes. Colchicine concentrations that effectively disrupted microtubule structure and reduced the cellular 'footprint' area (to approximately that of CD treatment) also stimulated PAI-1 synthesis. Shape-related increases in PAI-1 mRNA synthesis were ablated by prior exposure to actinomycin D. Unlike the mechanism of induction in growth-factor-stimulated cells, CD- and colchicine-induced PAI-1 expression required on-going protein synthesis (i.e. it was a secondary response). Although PAI-1 is a TGF-beta-regulated gene and TGF-beta expression is also shape dependent, an autocrine TGF-beta loop was not a factor in CD-initiated PAI-1 transcription. Since CD exposure resulted in actin microfilament disruption and subsequent morphological changes, with uncertain effects on interactions between signaling intermediates or 'scaffold' structures, a pharmacological approach was selected to probe the pathways involved. Signaling events leading to PAI-1 induction were compared with colchicine-treated cells. CD- as well as colchicine-stimulated PAI-1 expression was effectively and dose dependently attenuated by the MEK inhibitor PD98059 (in the 10 to 25 microM concentration range), consistent with the known MAP kinase dependency of PAI-1 synthesis in growth-factor-stimulated cells. Reduced PAI-1 mRNA levels upon exposure to genistein prior to CD addition correlated with inhibition of ERK1/2 activity, implicating a tyrosine kinase in shape-dependent MEK activation. Src-family kinases, moreover, appeared to be specific upstream elements in the CD- and colchicine-dependent pathways of PAI-1 transcription since both agents effectively activated pp60(c-src) kinase activity in quiescent R22 cells. The restrictive (src-family) kinase inhibitor PP1 completely inhibited induced, as well as basal, ERK activity in a coupled immunoprecipitation myelin-basic-protein-phosphorylation assay and ablated shape-initiated PAI-1 mRNA expression. These data suggest that PP1-sensitive tyrosine kinases are upstream intermediates in cell-shape-associated signaling pathways resulting in ERK1/2 activation and subsequent PAI-1 transcription. In contrast to the rapid and transient kinetics of ERK activity typical of serum-stimulated cells, the ERK1/2 response to CD and colchicine is both delayed and relatively sustained. Collectively, these data support a model in which MEK is a focal point for the convergence of shape-initiated signaling events leading to induced PAI-1 transcription.
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PMID:MEK/ERK pathway mediates cell-shape-dependent plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 gene expression upon drug-induced disruption of the microfilament and microtubule networks. 1211 65


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