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)

Transforming growth factor (TGF) beta-like trophic factors have been shown to be protective in acute neuronal injury paradigms. In the current study, we analyzed and compared members of this growing family, including glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurturin, nodal, persephin, and TGFbeta1, for protection against chronic glutamate toxicity. In parallel, we developed a organotypic spinal cord culture system to study the ability of these factors to promote motor axon outgrowth across white matter. Using these systems, we were able to differentiate the neuroprotective effect of the TGFbeta-like factors from their motor axon outgrowth-promoting activity. GDNF, neurturin, persephin, nodal, and TGFbeta1 all protected against excitotoxic motor neuron degeneration. Low amounts of GDNF (1 ng/ml) and high concentrations of neurturin induced vigorous motor axon outgrowth. In contrast, nodal, persephin, and TGFbeta1 did not induce motor axon outgrowth. Both GDNF and neurturin bind to Ret receptor complexes and were capable of activating the MAP kinase pathway. A specific inhibitor of MAP kinase kinase, PD98059, inhibited the motor axon outgrowth-promoting activity of the GDNF but not the neuroprotective activity. Similarly, the specific PI3K inhibitors, LY294002 and wortmannin, were able to inhibit the promotion of motor axon outgrowth by GDNF, but did not affect neuroprotective activity. Our results suggest that the neurite outgrowth-promoting effect of GDNF is mediated through the PI3K and MAP kinase pathways. The neuroprotective effect of GDNF appears to be through a separate pathway.
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PMID:TGFbeta trophic factors differentially modulate motor axon outgrowth and protection from excitotoxicity. 1068 85

Big mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (BMK1) is a new member of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family. In the present study, we investigated whether glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) can induce activation of BMK1 through RET tyrosine kinase. Its activation reached a maximal level at 30 min and continued at least for 120 min after GDNF stimulation. In addition, we detected BMK1 activation in NIH3T3 cells expressing RET with a multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) 2A mutation. The level of BMK1 activation markedly decreased by replacement of tyrosine 1062 with phenylalanine (designated Y1062F) in RET, indicating the importance of downstream signaling via tyrosine 1062. However, although both RAS/MAPK and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K)/AKT signaling pathways are activated via tyrosine 1062, BMK1 activation by GDNF was not significantly impaired by treatment with an MEK1 inhibitor, PD98059, or two distinct PI3-K inhibitors, LY294002 and wortmannin, suggesting that the RAS and PI3-K signaling pathways are not crucial for BMK1 activation by GDNF. Moreover, luciferase reporter assays revealed that RET-MEN2A mutant proteins can activate the MEF2C transcription factor that is known to be a cellular target for BMK1, and that its activation is impaired by the Y1062F mutation or by expression of a dominant negative form of MEK5.
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PMID:Activation of BMK1 via tyrosine 1062 in RET by GDNF and MEN2A mutation. 1123 12

PC12-GFRalpha1 cells, a clonal cell line engineered to express glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor receptor alpha1 were constructed. Given glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor could induce the differentiation and promote the survival of PC12-GFRalpha1 cells at low concentrations, the cells provide an unlimited source of monoclonal cells for studies on the signal transduction pathway of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor. To characterize the involvement of the mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathways in the biological effect of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor, we used the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitor PD98059 and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor LY294002. PD98059 blocked glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor-induced PC12-GFRalpha1 cells neurite formation in a dose-dependent manner, without significantly altering cell viability. LY294002 reversed the survival-promoting effect of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor on the PC12-GFRalpha1 cells in serum-deprived medium. The present study demonstrates that phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway seems to mediate the survival-promoting effect of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor on PC12-GFRalpha1 cells, while the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway could be an important step in mediating PC12-GFRalpha1 cells differentiation induced by glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor. Therefore, it is inferred that similar intracellular signaling components are used by distinct growth factors toward a common biological effect.
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PMID:Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor promotes survival and induces differentiation through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway respectively in PC12 cells. 1137 58

Modulation of neurotrophic factors to protect neurons from damage is proposed as a novel mechanism for the action of antidepressants. However, the effect of antidepressants on modulation of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), which has potent and widespread effects, remains unknown. Here, we demonstrated that long-term use of antidepressant treatment significantly increased GDNF mRNA expression and GDNF release in time- and concentration-dependent manners in rat C6 glioblastoma cells. Amitriptyline treatment also increased GDNF mRNA expression in rat astrocytes. GDNF release continued for 24 h following withdrawal of amitriptyline. Furthermore, following treatment with antidepressants belonging to several different classes (amitriptyline, clomipramine, mianserin, fluoxetine and paroxetine) significantly increased GDNF release, but which did not occur after treatment with non-antidepressant psychotropic drugs (haloperidol, diazepam and diphenhydramine). Amitriptyline-induced GDNF release was inhibited by U0126 (10 microM), a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) kinase (MEK) inhibitor, but was not inhibited by H-89 (1 microM), a protein kinase A inhibitor, calphostin C (100 nM), a protein kinase C inhibitor and PD 169316 (10 microM), a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor. These results suggested that amitriptyline-induced GDNF synthesis and release occurred at the transcriptional level, and may be regulated by MEK/MAPK signalling. The enhanced and prolonged induction of GDNF by antidepressants could promote neuronal survival, and protect neurons from the damaging effects of stress. This may contribute to explain therapeutic action of antidepressants and suggest new strategies of pharmacological intervention.
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PMID:Antidepressant drug treatments induce glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) synthesis and release in rat C6 glioblastoma cells. 1159 54

PD98059 blocks mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) by inhibiting its activator, MAP kinase kinase (MEK). We have previously found that PD98059 only transiently inhibits spontaneous axonal outgrowth from adult mouse dorsal root ganglia (DRG) explants, whereas it causes sustained inhibition of nerve growth factor (NGF)-stimulated growth. Surprisingly, the present results showed that outgrowth stimulation by neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), interacting with another neuronal subgroup, was markedly enhanced by PD98059 and also by U0126, another inhibitor of MAPK activation. In contrast, the effects of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), which stimulates still another subgroup of DRG neurons, was opposed by PD98059. Axonal outgrowth in vitro can also be strongly increased by a prior axotomy in vivo. The increased outgrowth in preaxotomized explants was effectively inhibited by the presence of PD98059. Immunocytochemistry based on whole-mount labelling revealed the presence of neuronal MAPK, which was found to be activated by NGF, NT-3, and GDNF in separate axonal populations and by a prior axotomy in a majority of growing axons. The results suggest that there are important differences in the NGF and NT-3 signalling pathways, which may involve positive and negative control mechanisms by MAPK activation, respectively. Other findings indicate that GDNF exerts its growth effects by activation of MAPK and that expression of the conditioning effect in vitro in preaxotomized preparations also requires activation of MAPK.
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PMID:Mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibition reveals differences in signalling pathways activated by neurotrophin-3 and other growth-stimulating conditions of adult mouse dorsal root ganglia neurons. 1175 81

Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is known to contribute to human cancer progression through its potential function as a mitogenic, angiogenic, or motogenic factor. We found a high level of IL-8 production in SK-N-MC human primitive neuroectodermal tumor cells transfected with the human RET gene (SK-N-MC (RET) cells) in response to glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) stimulation. IL-8 was also produced at high levels in TT human medullary thyroid carcinoma and TPC-1 human papillary thyroid carcinoma cell lines both of which express activated RET tyrosine kinase. To investigate which signaling pathways are responsible for IL-8 expression, we treated SK-N-MC (RET) cells with several kinase inhibitors before GDNF stimulation. The results showed that a MEK1 inhibitor, PD98059, a p38MAPK inhibitor, SB202190, and a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, Calphostin C, markedly decreased the IL-8 secretion from SK-N-MC (RET) cells at 24 h after GDNF stimulation. In contrast, a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) inhibitor, LY294002, increased its secretion. These results thus suggested that IL-8 production by RET tyrosine kinase is regulated by multiple signaling pathways.
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PMID:Activation of RET tyrosine kinase regulates interleukin-8 production by multiple signaling pathways. 1205 17

Adrenergic mouse pheochromocytoma (MPC) cells from heterozygous neurofibromatosis knockout mice show little or no expression of the NGF receptor trk A and do not undergo neuronal differentiation in response to NGF. However, they express high levels of receptor tyrosine kinase, Ret, and GDNF family receptor alpha(1) (GFRalpha(1)) in vivo and in vitro and respond to glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). In addition, they form short processes in response to PACAP or cyclic AMP. Morphological effects of GDNF, PACAP, or cyclic AMP are similar to those of NGF, PACAP, or cyclic AMP on PC12 cells, and all three agents cause downregulation of PNMT mRNA. The MAP kinase kinase inhibitor U0126 inhibits both baseline proliferation and stimulated process outgrowth, consistent with a model in which sustained low-level ERK activation drives proliferation, and more intense activation drives neuronal differentiation. The sensitivity of MPC cells to U0126 both may reflect mechanisms that cause pheochromocytomas in neurofibromatosis and aid in their clarification.
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PMID:Plasticity of pheochromocytoma cell lines from neurofibromatosis knockout mice. 1243 55

We have analyzed signaling pathways involved in neurotrophic factor (NTF)-induced upregulation of nociceptive properties, specifically vanilloid receptor type 1 (VR1), by adult rat dorsal root ganglion neurons. Upregulation of VR1 by nerve growth factor and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor is partially blocked by a MEK inhibitor. Dominant negative Ras, but not Rap, blocks NTF-induced ERK activation and VR1 upregulation. Activated Ras mimics NTF-mediated induction of VR1 in dorsal root ganglion neurons. An inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, LY294002, also inhibited NTF-induced VR1 upregulation. However, this may at least in part be due to a block of NTF-induced ERK activation. Constitutive simultaneous stimulation of both ERK and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase is not sufficient for VR1 upregulation. Together, the data suggest that VR1 expression by dorsal root ganglion neurons is regulated by common Ras-dependent pathways.
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PMID:Activation of Ras is necessary and sufficient for upregulation of vanilloid receptor type 1 in sensory neurons by neurotrophic factors. 1259 44

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with the selective death of dopaminergic neurons. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) can protect dopaminergic neurons in several parkinsonian models. We used the dopaminergic cell line MN9D to explore the mechanisms underlying GDNF-mediated protection against the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). MN9D cell viability was decreased 24 hr after a 15-min exposure to 6-OHDA (50-1000 microM) as revealed by staining with Hoechst reagent and Trypan blue. The addition of GDNF (10 ng/ml) before, during, and after exposure to 6-OHDA significantly increased the number of viable cells as assessed by Hoechst staining. In contrast, 6-OHDA-induced cell membrane damage was unaffected as measured by Trypan blue exclusion. The PI3K specific inhibitor LY294002 (10-50 microM) blocked GDNF-mediated protection against nuclear condensation, as did the MAPK kinase (MEK) inhibitor U0126 (5- 20 microM). These studies suggest that GDNF can protect dopaminergic cells against some but not all aspects of 6-OHDA-induced toxicity by acting through both PI3K and MAPK signaling pathways.
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PMID:Effects of GDNF on 6-OHDA-induced death in a dopaminergic cell line: modulation by inhibitors of PI3 kinase and MEK. 1281 14

Schwann cell is a cell type that forms myelin sheath and provides trophic supports for neuronal cells by producing neurotrophic factors in both normal and traumatic situations. It was recently reported that after lesion of sciatic nerve, mRNA for glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is induced in nonneuronal cells in the nerve. However, the mechanism regulating GDNF-mRNA has remained largely unknown. In the present study, we searched for factors regulating the GDNF-mRNA expression in Schwann cells. First, we found that after transfer into explant culture as an in vitro lesion model, sciatic nerve segments began to express mRNA for bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) concomitantly with the induction of GDNF-mRNA. Treatment of the Schwann cells isolated from the sciatic nerve with combination of BMP2 and retinoic acid (RA) dramatically induced GDNF-mRNA, while BMP2 or RA alone had no effect. Furthermore, ionomycin, a calcium ionophore, which had even stronger activity on the induction of GDNF-mRNA also induced also BMP2-mRNA in cultured Schwann cells. Effects of inhibitors of intracellular signaling pathways such as protein kinase C inhibitor and MAPKK inhibitor suggested that the molecular mechanism of the induction of GDNF-mRNA is distinct from that of BMP2-mRNA. These results suggest that the Schwann cell-produced BMP2 plays an important role in the induction of GDNF after nerve injury in an autocrine fashion.
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PMID:Autocrine action of BMP2 regulates expression of GDNF-mRNA in sciatic Schwann cells. 1455 57


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