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)

Cardiac myocyte survival is of central importance in the maintenance of the function of heart, as well as in the development of a variety of cardiac diseases. To understand the molecular mechanisms that govern this function, we characterized apoptosis in cardiac muscle cells following serum deprivation. Cardiotrophin 1 (CT-1), a potent cardiac survival factor (Sheng, Z., Pennica, D., Wood, W. I., and Chien, K. R. (1996) Development (Camb.) 122, 419-428), is capable of inhibiting apoptosis in cardiac myocytes. To explore the potential downstream pathways that might be responsible for this effect, we documented that CT-1 activated both signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)- and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase-dependent pathways. The transfection of a MAP kinase kinase 1 (MEK1) dominant negative mutant cDNA into myocardial cells blocked the antiapoptotic effects of CT-1, indicating a requirement of the MAP kinase pathway for the survival effect of CT-1. A MEK-specific inhibitor (PD098059) (Dudley, D. T., Pang, L., Decker, S.-J., Bridges, A. J., and Saltiel, A. R. (1995) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 92, 7686-7689) is capable of blocking the activation of MAP kinase, as well as the survival effect of CT-1. In contrast, this inhibitor did not block the activation of STAT3, nor did it have any effect on the hypertrophic response elicited following stimulation of CT-1. Therefore, CT-1 promotes cardiac myocyte survival via the activation of an antiapoptotic signaling pathway that requires MAP kinases, whereas the hypertrophy induced by CT-1 may be mediated by alternative pathways, e.g. Janus kinase/STAT or MEK kinase/c-Jun NH2-terminal protein kinase.
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PMID:Cardiotrophin 1 (CT-1) inhibition of cardiac myocyte apoptosis via a mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent pathway. Divergence from downstream CT-1 signals for myocardial cell hypertrophy. 903 92

In the present study, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) Ser(727) phosphorylation and transactivation was investigated in relation to activation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family members including extracellular-signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK)-1, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)-1 and p38 ('reactivating kinase') in response to interleukin (IL)-6 stimulation. Although IL-6 can activate ERK-1 in HepG2 cells, STAT3 transactivation and Ser(727) phosphorylation were not reduced by using the MAP kinase/ERK kinase (MEK) inhibitor PD98059 or by overexpression of dominant-negative Raf. IL-6 did not activate JNK-1 in HepG2 cells and STAT3 was a poor substrate for JNK-1 activated by anisomycin, excluding a role for JNK1 in IL-6-induced STAT3 activation. However, SEK-1/MKK-4 [where SEK-1 stands for stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK)/ERK kinase 1, and MKK-4 stands for MAP kinase kinase 4] was activated in response to IL-6 and overexpression of dominant-negative SEK-1/MKK-4(A-L) reduced both IL-6-induced STAT3 Ser(727) phosphorylation as well as STAT3 transactivation. Subsequently, the SEK-1/MKK-4 upstream components Vav, Rac-1 and MEKK were identified as components of a signal transduction cascade that leads to STAT3 transactivation in response to IL-6 stimulation. Furthermore, inhibition of p38 kinase activity with the inhibitor SB203580 did not block STAT3 Ser(727) phosphorylation but rather increased both basal as well as IL-6-induced STAT3 transactivation, indicating that p38 may act as a negative regulator of IL-6-induced STAT3 transactivation through a presently unknown mechanism. In conclusion, these data indicate that IL-6-induced STAT3 transactivation and Ser(727) phosphorylation is independent of ERK-1 or JNK-1 activity, but involves a gp130 receptor-signalling cascade that includes Vav, Rac-1, MEKK and SEK-1/MKK-4 as signal transduction components.
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PMID:Interleukin-6-induced STAT3 transactivation and Ser727 phosphorylation involves Vav, Rac-1 and the kinase SEK-1/MKK-4 as signal transduction components. 1072 6

Reactive gliosis is the most prominent response to diverse forms of central nervous system (CNS) injury. The signaling events that mediate this characteristic response to neural injury are under intense investigation. Several studies have demonstrated the activation of phosphoproteins within the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and Janus kinase (JAK) pathways following neural insult. These signaling pathways may be involved or responsible for the glial response following injury, by virtue of their ability to phosphorylate and dynamically regulate the activity of various transcription factors. This study sought to delineate, in vivo, the relative contribution of MAPK- and JAK-signaling components to reactive gliosis as measured by induction of glial-fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), following chemical-induced neural damage. At time points (6, 24, and 48 h) following methamphetamine (METH, 10 mg/kg x 4, s.c.) administration, female C57BL/6J mice were sacrificed by focused microwave irradiation, a technique that preserves steady-state phosphorylation. Striatal (target) and nontarget (hippocampus) homogenates were assayed for METH-induced changes in markers of dopamine (DA) neuron integrity as well as differences in the levels of activated phosphoproteins. GFAP upregulation occurred as early as 6 h, reaching a threefold induction 48 h following METH exposure. Neurotoxicant-induced reductions in striatal levels of DA and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) paralleled the temporal profile of GFAP induction. Blots of striatal homogenates, probed with phosphorylation-state specific antibodies, demonstrated significant changes in activated forms of extracellular-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK 1/2), c-jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase (JNK/SAPK), MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK1/2), 70-kDa ribosomal S6 kinase (p70 S6), cAMP responsive element binding protein (CREB), and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). MAPK-related phosphoproteins exhibited an activation profile that peaked at 6 h, remained significantly increased at 24, and fell to baseline levels 48 h following neurotoxicant treatment. The ribosomal S6 kinase was enhanced over 60% for all time points examined. Immunoreactivity profiles for the transcription factors CREB and STAT3 indicated maximal increases in phosphorylation occurring at 24 h, and measuring greater than 2- or 17-fold, respectively. Specific signaling events were found to occur with a time course suggestive of their involvement in the gliotic response. The toxicant-induced activation of these growth-associated signaling cascades suggests that these pathways could be obligatory for the triggering and/or persistence of reactive gliosis and may therefore serve as potential targets for modulation of glial response to neural damage.
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PMID:Protein phosphorylation cascades associated with methamphetamine-induced glial activation. 1108 25

Activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) by interleukin-6 (IL-6) involves phosphorylation of Tyr-705 and Ser-727, both of which are critical for STAT3 transactivation. Here, we demonstrate that IL-6 activates Rac-1 and SEK-1/MKK-4 of the stress-activated protein kinase pathway, as well as protein kinase Cdelta (PKCdelta), as indicated by PKCdelta Thr-505 phosphorylation. However, JNK-1, the end point kinase of the stress-activated protein kinase pathway signal transduction cascade, is not activated by IL-6. PKCdelta was found to be associated with SEK-1/MKK-4 in unstimulated HepG2 cells but rapidly dissociates from SEK-1/MKK-4 upon IL-6 stimulation to become associated with STAT3. Inhibition of PKCdelta using rottlerin (6 microm) or by overexpression of dominant negative PKCdelta demonstrates that PKCdelta kinase activity is required for STAT3 Ser-727 phosphorylation and transactivation but not for STAT3 Tyr-705 phosphorylation or nuclear import. PKCdelta signals downstream of Rac-1 and SEK-1/MKK-4, because enhanced STAT3 transactivation induced by overexpression of constitutive active RacV12 was strongly abrogated by rottlerin, whereas IL-6-induced SEK-1/MKK-4 Thr-223 phosphorylation was not affected under these conditions. Studying the kinetics of STAT3 and PKCdelta phosphorylation in cytoplasmic and nuclear fractions revealed that STAT3 Tyr-705 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation precedes PKCdelta Thr-505 and STAT3 Ser-727 phosphorylation. Furthermore, the IL-6-induced PKCdelta Thr-505 and STAT3 Ser-727 phosphorylation were only observed in nuclear fractions of HepG2 cells. These results demonstrate that IL-6-induced STAT3 transactivation involves the sequential activation of Rac-1 and SEK-1/MKK-4, which leads to nuclear translocation of PKCdelta by release from a SEK-1/MKK-4-containing complex. Our results further indicate that PKCdelta-mediated STAT3 Ser-727 phosphorylation is mainly a nuclear event.
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PMID:Sequential activation of Rac-1, SEK-1/MKK-4, and protein kinase Cdelta is required for interleukin-6-induced STAT3 Ser-727 phosphorylation and transactivation. 1133 11

Development of cytokine resistance is an important feature of melanoma cells during tumor progression. To study the mechanisms of interleukin-6 resistance, we examined an interleukin-6 sensitive (WM35) and an interleukin-6 unresponsive cell line (WM9). Interleukin-6 treatment resulted in rapid inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 2/cyclin E activity and accumulation of the hypophosphorylated retinoblastoma protein in WM35 but not in WM9 cells. In contrast to previous reports, no differences in the expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase 2 inhibitor p21Cip1/WAF1 upon interleukin-6 treatment were found in both cell lines. Interleukin-6-induced inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 was also not due to changes in protein expression of cyclin-dependent kinase 2, cyclin E, p27Kip1 and cdc25A, a phosphatase positively regulating cyclin-dependent kinase 2 activity. As it is established that interleukin-6 resistance of WM9 cells is not caused by differential interleukin-6 receptor expression, we studied whether this is due to defective interleukin-6 signaling in which activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 is a critical step. WM9 cells showed reduced tyrosine phosphorylation, DNA binding, and delayed nuclear translocation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 as compared with WM35 cells. The kinase upstream of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, Janus kinase 1, was constitutively tyrosine-phosphorylated in WM9 cells and did not respond to interleukin-6 with increased phosphorylation. As compared with WM35 cells, interleukin-6 treatment of WM9 cells was not paralleled by reduced activity of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-1, which suppresses activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3. Our data suggest that resistance of advanced melanoma cells to interleukin-6 is associated with reduced inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 2, which appears to be a consequence of a complex alteration in interleukin-6 signal transduction.
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PMID:Interleukin-6-resistant melanoma cells exhibit reduced activation of STAT3 and lack of inhibition of cyclin E-associated kinase activity. 1144 60

The MMP, matrilysin (MMP-7), has been shown to be overexpressed in prostate cancer cells and to increase prostate cancer cell invasion. Prostate stromal fibroblasts secrete factor(s), including fibroblast growth factor-1 (FGF-1) that induces promatrilysin expression in LNCaP cells. In the present study, we investigated the signal transduction pathway involved in the FGF-1-induced expression of promatrilysin. FGF-1 treatment significantly increased the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1 and ERK2). This induction was time-dependent and was sustained until 24 hours after treatment. Treating the cells with MEK1/2 inhibitor (PD98059) eliminated ERK activation completely and blocked FGF-1-mediated induction of promatrilysin expression. Transient transfection studies with human matrilysin promoter resulted in a four- to five-fold increase in reporter luciferase enzyme activity that was blocked by the MEK1/2 inhibitor (PD98059). Serine phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) was observed after FGF-1 treatment and pretreatment with 20 microM PD98059-abolished STAT3 phosphorylation. Transient transfection with dominant negative STAT3 inhibited FGF-1-induced transactivation of the matrilysin promoter indicating that STAT3 plays an important role in FGF1-induced matrilysin expression. We propose that the FGF-1-induced signaling pathway that leads to promatrilysin expression is ERK-dependent and leads to phosphorylation of Ser-727 on STAT3, phosphorylated STAT3, then binds and transactivates the matrilysin promoter. Our results demonstrate that ERK-MAP kinase and transcription factor STAT3 are important components of FGF-1-mediated signaling, which induce promatrilysin expression in LNCaP cells.
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PMID:Fibroblast growth factor-1 induced promatrilysin expression through the activation of extracellular-regulated kinases and STAT3. 1192 92

Activation of the transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) requires dimerization that is induced by phosphorylation of Tyr705, but its activity can be further modulated by phosphorylation at Ser727 in a manner that is dependent on cell context and the stimulus used. The role of STAT3 Ser727 phosphorylation in leptin signalling is currently not known. While cells transfected with the signalling-competent long form of the leptin receptor (ObRb) have been used to study leptin signalling, these are likely to be of limited use in studying STAT3 Ser727 phosphorylation due to the importance of cell background in determining the nature of the response. However, we have recently found that J774.2 macrophages endogenously express high levels of ObRb, and using these cells we find that leptin stimulates STAT3 phosphorylation on both Tyr705 and Ser727. The phosphorylation of Ser727 was not affected by rapamycin or the protein kinase C inhibitor H7 [1-(5-isoquinolinylsulphonyl)-2-methylpiperazine dihydrochloride]. While the MEK-1 [mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase)/extracellular-signal-related kinase (ERK) kinase-1] inhibitor PD98059 [(2-amino-3'-methoxyphenyl)oxanaphthalen-4-one] had no effect on leptin-stimulated phosphorylation of STAT3 Tyr705, it greatly attenuated leptin's effects on STAT3 Ser727 phosphorylation. Further, Ob's effect on the DNA binding activity of STAT3 was also greatly reduced at all time points by PD98059. Leptin-induced ERK activation in J774.2 cells shows a biphasic pattern, with an initial reduction in ERK phosphorylation for up to 10 min following leptin stimulation, while at later time points phosphorylation of ERK was increased above basal levels. The increase in ERK activity corresponded with an increase in both phosphorylation of Ser727 and STAT3 DNA binding activity. These data provide the first evidence that ERK-mediated phosphorylation of Ser727 is required for full stimulation of STAT3 by leptin.
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PMID:Biphasic regulation of extracellular-signal-regulated protein kinase by leptin in macrophages: role in regulating STAT3 Ser727 phosphorylation and DNA binding. 1204 54

Mapping inducible transcription factors has shown that the Edinger-Westphal nucleus is preferentially sensitive to alcohol intoxication. Herein, we characterize the pharmacological and signal transduction mechanisms related to alcohol-induced c-Fos expression in Edinger-Westphal neurons. Using immunohistochemistry, we show that pretreatment with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic antagonists (4 mg/kg bicuculline and 45 mg/kg pentylenetetrazole) attenuates induction of c-Fos expression by alcohol (2.4 g/kg, intraperitoneal). In addition, 10 mg/kg 2-(2,3-dihydro-2-methoxy-1,4-benzodioxin-2-yl)4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole (RX 821002), an alpha(2A/D)-adrenoceptor antagonist, and 20 mg/kg haloperidol, a dopamine antagonist, also block alcohol-induced c-Fos expression in Edinger-Westphal neurons. No effects were seen in alcohol-induced c-Fos after the pretreatment of 20 mg/kg propranolol (beta-adrenoceptor antagonist), 10 mg/kg 2-(2-(4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazin-1-yl) ethy)-4,4-dimethyl-1,3-(2H,4H)-isoquinolindione dihydrochloride (ARC 239) (alpha(2B/C)-adrenoceptor antagonist), or 30 mg/kg naltrexone (opioid antagonist). Although positive modulators for the GABA(A) receptor (20 mg/kg 3alpha-hydroxy-5alpha-pregnan-20-one and 10-30 mg/kg chlordiazepoxide) and opioid receptor (10 mg/kg morphine) produced significant elevations, agonists for alpha(2)-adrenoceptors (clonidine) and dopamine receptors (apomorphine) had no effect on Edinger-Westphal c-Fos expression. These findings suggest that alcohol-induced c-Fos expression in Edinger-Westphal results from direct interactions with GABA(A) receptors, which are modified by alpha(2A/D)-adrenoceptors and dopamine receptors. Also using immunohistochemistry to identify potential intracellular mechanisms associated with alcohol-induced c-Fos expression in Edinger-Westphal, we show time-dependent increases in serine 727 phospho-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) but no changes in phospho-cAMP response element-binding protein and phospho-Elk1. Time-dependent increases in phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 were found to occur simultaneously with increases in serine 727 phospho-Stat3. Finally, blockade of ERK 1/2 phosphorylation with the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK) 1/2 inhibitor SL327 blocked alcohol-induced c-Fos expression, suggesting that alcohol induces c-Fos in Edinger-Westphal neurons through activation of the MEK1/2-ERK1/2-Stat3 pathway.
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PMID:Alcohol-induced c-Fos expression in the Edinger-Westphal nucleus: pharmacological and signal transduction mechanisms. 1213 Jul 10

The hematopoietic-specific Galpha16 protein has recently been shown to mediate receptor-induced activation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). In the present study, we have delineated the mechanism by which Galpha16 stimulates STAT3 in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. A constitutively active Galpha16 mutant, Galpha16QL, stimulated STAT3-dependent luciferase activity as well as the phosphorylation of STAT3 at both Tyr705 and Ser727. Galpha16QL-induced STAT3 activation was enhanced by overexpression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 (ERK1), but was inhibited by U0126, a Raf-1 inhibitor, and coexpression of the dominant negative mutants of Ras and Rac1. Inhibition of phospholipase Cbeta, protein kinase C, and calmodulin-dependent kinase II by their respective inhibitors also suppressed Galpha16QL-induced STAT3 activation. The involvement of tyrosine kinases such as c-Src and Janus kinase 2 and 3 (JAK2 and JAK3) in Galpha16QL-induced activation of STAT3 was illustrated by the combined use of selective inhibitors and dominant negative mutants. In contrast, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, p38 MAPK, RhoA, Cdc42, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, and the epidermal growth factor receptor did not appear to be required. Similar observations were obtained with human erythroleukemia cells, where STAT3 phosphorylation was stimulated by C5a in a PTX-insensitive manner. Collectively, these results highlight the important regulatory roles of the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK and c-Src/JAK pathways on the stimulation of STAT3 by activated Galpha16. Demonstration of the involvement of different kinases in Galpha16QL-induced STAT3 activation supports the involvement of multiple signaling pathways in the regulation of transcription by G proteins.
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PMID:Constitutively active Galpha16 stimulates STAT3 via a c-Src/JAK- and ERK-dependent mechanism. 1455 Dec 13

A STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3)- and a MEK/Erk-mediated signal can be activated by cytokines, including IL-6 (interleukin-6), PDGF, and EGF. Recently, STAT3 and an ERK-signal were shown to co-operatively activate the c-fos gene. Activation of a truncated form of the IL-6 receptor subunit, gp130, that had only one YXXQ motif, induced both c-Fos and JunB in NIH3T3 cells through STAT3 without an apparent increase in the AP-1 (activator protein-1) activity. In contrast, concomitant stimulation of the STAT3 signal and a MEK/Erk-signal markedly increased AP-1 activity with enhanced c-Fos expression. Surprisingly, the c-Fos induced by the YXXQ-signal alone was localized to the cytoplasm, from which it translocated into the nucleus following TPA (12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol 13-acetate) treatment in a MEK/Erk-dependent manner. c-Fos that was expressed from a constitutive promoter localized to the nucleus and did not move into the cytoplasm in response to the YXXQ-signal. Rather, the YXXQ-signal was required during c-Fos production for it to be retained in the cytoplasm. Thus, the YXXQ-signal induces c-Fos expression through STAT3 and anchors the new c-Fos in the cytoplasm. In addition, the YXXQ-signal and an Erk signal co-operatively cause c-Fos activation in the nucleus.
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PMID:Cytoplasmic c-Fos induced by the YXXQ-derived STAT3 signal requires the co-operative MEK/ERK signal for its nuclear translocation. 1500 10


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