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 beta (TGF-beta) may regulate the biological activities of dental pulp cells. We found that human dental pulp cells expressed TGF-beta1, TGF-beta2, and a little amount of TGF-beta3 messenger RNA (mRNA). The exposure of pulp cells to TGF-beta2 induced the phosphorylation of Smad2/3, Smad1/5/8, and extracellular regulated-kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) as observed by Western blotting. Exposure to TGF-beta2 decreased the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) mRNA expression and enzyme activity. Pretreatment of pulp cells with SB431542 (an inhibitor of TGF-beta ALK-4, ALK-5, and ALK-7 receptors) but not U0126 (a MEK1 inhibitor) prevented the inhibition of viable cell number, ALP activity, and mRNA expression by TGF-beta2 in dental pulp cells. These results suggest that TGF-beta may affect the growth and differentiation of dental pulp cells via an autocrine fashion by activation of the ALK/Smad2/3-signal transduction pathways. TGF-beta2 possibly regulates the differentiation of pulp cell at specific stages synergistically with other factors.
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PMID:Transforming growth factor beta2 regulates growth and differentiation of pulp cells via ALK5/Smad2/3. 1835 89