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
Query: EC:2.7.12.2 (
MEK
)
18,161
document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)
Tpl2 knockout mice produce low levels of TNF-alpha when exposed to
lipopolysaccharide
(
LPS
) and they are resistant to
LPS
/D-Galactosamine-induced pathology.
LPS
stimulation of peritoneal macrophages from these mice did not activate
MEK1
, ERK1, and ERK2 but did activate JNK, p38 MAPK, and NF-kappaB. The block in ERK1 and ERK2 activation was causally linked to the defect in TNF-alpha induction by experiments showing that normal murine macrophages treated with the
MEK
inhibitor PD98059 exhibit a similar defect. Deletion of the AU-rich motif in the TNF-alpha mRNA minimized the effect of Tpl2 inactivation on the induction of TNF-alpha. Subcellular fractionation of
LPS
-stimulated macrophages revealed that
LPS
signals transduced by Tpl2 specifically promote the transport of TNF-alpha mRNA from the nucleus to the cytoplasm.
...
PMID:TNF-alpha induction by LPS is regulated posttranscriptionally via a Tpl2/ERK-dependent pathway. 1116 83
Bacterially encoded proteins are known to affect eukaryotic signalling pathways and thus cell growth and differentiation. The enteric pathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis (YP) can translocate Yersinia outer proteins (Yops) into eukaryotic cells. Recently,
MKK
proteins have been identified as tentative targets of YopJ-mediated inhibition of ligand receptor-dependent signal transduction in mammalian cells. These results prompted us to assess whether multiple signal transduction pathways and their downstream target genes would also be subject to regulation by YopJ. Here, we show that YopJ effectively blocks the
lipopolysaccharide
(
LPS
) receptor, the interleukin (IL)-1beta receptor and the UVC-induced activation of the transcription receptor cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB). In addition, by abrogating the phosphorylation of CREB and thus activating protein (AP)-1-dependent transcription, YopJ can block
LPS
-induced clonal expansion that is associated with an adaptive immune response. Thus, YopJ interferes with multiple pathways converging on the transcription factor CREB. Our data are discussed in the context of YopJ acting as an antagonist to circumvent innate and adaptive immune responses at multiple levels.
...
PMID:The bacterial protein YopJ abrogates multiple signal transduction pathways that converge on the transcription factor CREB. 1120 79
Synthetic lipopeptides based on bacterial lipoprotein are efficient activators for monocytes/macrophages inducing the release of interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), reactive oxygen/nitrogen intermediates, and the translocation of nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB). In this report we investigate the signal transduction pathways involved in leucocyte activation by the synthetic lipopeptide N-palmitoyl-S-[2,3-bis(palmitoyloxy)-(2R,S)-propyl]-(R)-cysteinyl-seryl-(lysyl)3-lysine (P3CSK4). We show that P3CSK4 activates mitogen-activated protein (MAP)-kinases ERK1/2 and MAP kinase (MAPK)-kinases
MEK1
/2 in bone-marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) and in the macrophage cell line RAW 264.7. Additionally, we could detect differences between the P3CSK4 and
lipopolysaccharide
(
LPS
)-induced phosphorylation of MAP kinases: Different levels in phosphorylation were found both in kinetics and dose-response using RAW 264.7 cells or BMDM from BALB/c and
LPS
responder mice (C57BL/10ScSn) or
LPS
non-responder mice (C57BL/10ScCr). The lipopeptide activated the MAPK-signalling cascade in both
LPS
responder and non-responder macrophages, whereas
LPS
induced the MAPK signalling pathway only in macrophages derived from
LPS
responder mice. An approximately 70% decrease of lipopeptide induced NFkappaB translocation and an about 50% reduction of nitric oxide (NO) release was observed in the presence of anti-CD14. These data correspond to the reduction of phosphorylation of ERK1/2 after stimulation with P3CSK4 in the presence of anti-CD14 antibodies. Inhibition of
MEK1
/2 by PD98059 completely reduced the lipopeptide-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 indicating that
MEK1
/2 are solely responsible for the phosphorylation of the downstream-located MAP kinases ERK1/2.
...
PMID:Immunostimulation by the synthetic lipopeptide P3CSK4: TLR4-independent activation of the ERK1/2 signal transduction pathway in macrophages. 1138 Jun 92
Treatment of MC3T3E-1 osteoblast cultures with combined interferon- gamma(IFN- gamma),
lipopolysaccharide
(
LPS
) and tumor necrosis factor- alpha(TNF- alpha) induces expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), resulting in sustained releases of large amounts of nitric oxide and IL-6. However IFN- gamma,
LPS
and TNF- alpha individually induces non-detectable or small amounts of NO and IL-6 in MC3T3E-1 osteoblasts. The role of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation in the early intracellular signal transduction involved in iNOS and IL-6 transcription in the combined agents-stimulated osteoblasts has been investigated. The p38 MAPK pathway is specifically involved in the combined agents-induced NO and IL-6 release, since NO and IL-6 release in the presence of a specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK, 4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-metylsulfinylphenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)imidazole (SB203580), are significantly diminished. In contrast, PD98059, a specific inhibitor of
MEK1
, had no effect on NO and IL-6 release. Northern blot analysis showed that the p38 MAPK pathway controlled iNOS and IL-6 transcription levels. These data suggest that p38 MAPK plays an important role in the secretion of NO and IL-6 in
LPS
/IFN- gamma or TNF- alpha /IFN- gamma -treated MC3T3E-1 osteoblasts.
...
PMID:Blockade of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway inhibits inducible nitric oxide synthase and interleukin-6 expression in MC3T3E-1 osteoblasts. 1140 20
Myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS) and MARCKS-related protein (MRP) have been implicated in membrane-cytoskeletal events underlying cell adhesion, migration, secretion, and phagocytosis. In BV-2 microglial cells,
lipopolysaccharide
(
LPS
) elicited a dose-dependent increase in mRNA of both MRP (sixfold) and MARCKS (threefold) with corresponding increases in [3H]myristoylated and immunoreactive protein levels.
LPS
also produced significant increases in protein kinase C (PKC)-beta twofold and PKC-epsilon (1.5-fold). Pro-inflammatory cytokines produced by activated microglia (IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha) did not mimic
LPS
effects on MARCKS or MRP expression when added individually or in combination.
LPS
and IFN-gamma produced a synergistic induction of iNOS but not MARCKS or MRP. Induction of MARCKS and MRP by
LPS
was completely blocked by inhibitors of NF-kappaB (PDTC) and protein tyrosine kinases (herbimycin A), partially blocked by the p38 kinase inhibitor SB203580, and unaffected by the
MEK
inhibitor PD98059.
LPS
induction of iNOS was considerably more sensitive to all these inhibitors. The Src kinase inhibitor PP2 had no effect, while the closely related inhibitor PP1 actually increased
LPS
induction of MARCKS and MRP. Our results suggest that MARCKS and MRP may play an important role in
LPS
-activated microglia, but are not part of the neuroinflammatory response produced by cytokines.
...
PMID:Regulation of MARCKS and MARCKS-related protein expression in BV-2 microglial cells in response to lipopolysaccharide. 1148 70
An early component of atherogenesis is abnormal vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation. The presence of Chlamydia pneumoniae in many atherosclerotic lesions raises the possibility that this organism plays a causal role in atherogenesis. In this study, C pneumoniae elementary bodies (EBs) rapidly activated p44/p42 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and stimulated proliferation of VSMCs in vitro. Exposure of VSMCs derived from human saphenous vein to C pneumoniae EBs (3x10(7) inclusion forming units/mL) enhanced bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation 12+/-3-fold. UV- and heat-inactivated C pneumoniae EBs also stimulated VSMC proliferation, indicating a role of direct stimulation by chlamydial antigens. However, the mitogenic activity of C pneumoniae was heat-labile, thus excluding a role of
lipopolysaccharide
. Chlamydial hsp60 (25 microg/mL) replicated the effect of C pneumoniae, stimulating BrdU incorporation 7+/-3-fold. Exposure to C pneumoniae or chlamydial hsp60 rapidly activated p44/p42 MAPK, within 5 to 10 minutes of exposure. In addition, PD98059 and U0126, which are two distinct inhibitors of upstream MAPK kinase 1/2 (
MEK1
/2), abolished the mitogenic effect of C pneumoniae and chlamydial hsp60. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) act as sensors for microbial antigens and can signal via the p44/p42 MAPK pathway. Human VSMCs were shown to express TLR4 mRNA and protein, and a TLR4 antagonist abolished chlamydial hsp60-induced VSMC proliferation and attenuated C pneumoniae-induced MAPK activation and VSMC proliferation. Together these results indicate that C pneumoniae and chlamydial hsp60 are potent inducers of human VSMC proliferation and that these effects are mediated, at least in part, by rapid TLR4-mediated activation of p44/p42 MAPK.
...
PMID:Chlamydia pneumoniae and chlamydial heat shock protein 60 stimulate proliferation of human vascular smooth muscle cells via toll-like receptor 4 and p44/p42 mitogen-activated protein kinase activation. 1148 74
Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is an extracellular bacterial pathogen that infects the human intestinal epithelium and is a major cause of infantile diarrhea in developing countries. EPEC belongs to the group of attaching and effacing (A/E) pathogens. It uses a type III secretion system to deliver proteins into the host cell that mediate signal transduction events in host cells. We used gene array technology to study epithelial cell responses to EPEC infection at the level of gene expression. We found that EPEC induces the expression of several genes in infected HeLa cells by a
lipopolysaccharide
(
LPS
)-independent mechanism, including cytokines and early growth response factor 1 (Egr-1). The transcription factor Egr-1 is an immediate-early-induced gene that is activated in most cell types in response to stress. EPEC-induced upregulation of egr-1 is mediated by the activation of the
MEK
/extracellular signal-regulated kinase signal transduction pathway and is dependent on the type III secretion system. egr-1 is also induced during infection of mice by the A/E pathogen Citrobacter rodentium, suggesting that both Egr-1 and the activation of this mitogen-activated protein kinase signal transduction pathway may play a role in disease.
...
PMID:Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli infection induces expression of the early growth response factor by activating mitogen-activated protein kinase cascades in epithelial cells. 1155 63
Endotoxin (
lipopolysaccharide
, LPS) is a component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria and promotes the activation of macrophages and microglia. Although these cells are highly LPS-responsive, they serve unique tissue-specific functions and exhibit different LPS sensitivities. Accordingly, it was of interest to evaluate whether these biological differences reside in variations within LPS signaling pathways between these two cell types. Because the mitogen-activated protein kinases ERK-1 and ERK-2 have been implicated in the control of many immune responses, we tested the concept that they are a key indicator for differences in cellular LPS sensitivity. We observed that murine RAW 264.7 macrophages and murine BV-2 microglial cells both respond to LPS by exhibiting increased IkappaBalpha degradation, enhanced NF-kappaB DNA binding activity, and elevated nitric oxide and interleukin-1beta production. Although LPS potently stimulates ERK activation in RAW 264.7 macrophages, it does not activate ERK-1/-2 in BV-2 microglia. Moreover, antagonism of the
MEK
/ERK pathway potentiates LPS-stimulated nitric oxide production, suggesting that LPS-stimulated ERK activation can exert inhibitory effects in macrophage-like cells. These data support the idea that ERK activation is not a required function of LPS-mediated signaling events and illustrate that alternative/additional pathways for LPS action exist in these cell types.
...
PMID:A differential role for the mitogen-activated protein kinases in lipopolysaccharide signaling: the MEK/ERK pathway is not essential for nitric oxide and interleukin 1beta production. 1178 32
In this study we examined the ability of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium porins to activate activating protein 1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) through the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, and we identified the AP-1-induced protein subunits. Our results demonstrate that these enzymes may participate in cell signaling pathways leading to AP-1 and NF-kappaB activation following porin stimulation of cells. Raf-1 was phosphorylated in response to the treatment of U937 cells with porins; moreover, the porin-mediated increase in Raf-1 phosphorylation is accompanied by the phosphorylation of MAPK kinase 1/2 (
MEK1
/2), p38, extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1/2, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase. We used three different inhibitors of phosphorylation pathways: 2'-amino-3'-methoxyflavone (PD-098059), a selective inhibitor of
MEK1
activator and the MAPK cascade; 4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-methylsulfinylphenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)1H-imidazole (SB203580), a specific inhibitor of the p38 pathway; and 7beta-acetoxy-1alpha,6beta,9alpha-trihydroxy-8,13-epoxy-labd-14-en-11-one (forskolin), an inhibitor at the level of Raf-1 kinase. PD-098059 pretreatment of cells decreases AP-1 and NF-kappaB activation by
lipopolysaccharide
(
LPS
) but not by porins, and SB203580 pretreatment of cells decreases mainly AP-1 and NF-kappaB activation by porins; in contrast, forskolin pretreatment of cells does not affect AP-1 and NF-kappaB activation following either porin or
LPS
stimulation. Our data suggest that the p38 signaling pathway mainly regulates AP-1 and NF-kappaB activation in cells treated with S. enterica serovar Typhimurium porins. Antibody electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that JunD and c-Fos binding is found in cells treated with porins, in cells treated with
LPS
, and in unstimulated cells. However, by 30 to 60 min of stimulation, a different complex including c-Jun appears in cells treated with porins or
LPS
, while the Fra-2 subunit is present only after porin stimulation. These data suggest different molecular mechanisms of activation induced by porins or by
LPS
.
...
PMID:Porins from Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium activate the transcription factors activating protein 1 and NF-kappaB through the Raf-1-mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade. 1179 83
Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is an important angiogenic factor produced by hearts subjected to ischemia. However, the direct effects of bFGF on myocardial cells are unknown. Primary cultured cardiac myocytes from neonatal rats were stimulated with
lipopolysaccharide
(
LPS
), a potent inducer of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), in the presence or the absence of bFGF.
LPS
induced the expression of iNOS in cardiac myocytes, demonstrated at both mRNA and protein levels. We showed that
LPS
activated the apoptotic pathway, evidenced by TUNEL staining, DNA ladder formation, and morphologic features.
LPS
-induced apoptosis was blocked by the administration of L-NAME, an inhibitor of NOS. This indicates that
LPS
induces apoptosis via an iNOS-dependent pathway. Administration of bFGF completely inhibited myocardial cell apoptosis induced by hydrogen peroxide or acidic medium as well as
LPS
. To determine signaling pathways for this inhibitory effect, we utilized PD098059, an
MEK
-1-specific inhibitor. PD098059 blocked bFGF-induced activation of ERK (extracellularly responsive kinase)-1/2 and neutralized the apoptotic inhibitory effect of bFGF. These findings demonstrate that
LPS
induces myocardial cell apoptosis in an iNOS-dependent manner. The results also suggest that bFGF is a protective factor against myocardial cell apoptosis and that this protection requires the
MEK
-1-ERK pathway.
...
PMID:Basic fibroblast growth factor protects cardiac myocytes from iNOS-mediated apoptosis. 1180 11
<< Previous
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Next >>