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:3.1.3.16 (calcineurin)
17,112 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

TCR signals induce the nuclear localization of NFATc proteins, which are removed from the nucleus after rephosphorylation by glycogen synthase kinase 3 and other kinases. Rapid nuclear export might allow continuous monitoring of receptor occupancy, making the transcriptional response proportional to the duration of TCR/CD28 signaling. To investigate this possibility, we analyzed mice in which T cells express a NFATc1 variant (NFATc1(nuc)) with serine-to-alanine changes at the glycogen synthase kinase 3 phosphorylation sites. NFATc1(nuc) T cells have constitutively nuclear NFATc1, enhanced T cell activation in vivo, and calcineurin-independent proliferation in vitro. NFATc1(nuc) T cells are hypersensitive to TCR/CD3 stimulation, resulting in enhanced proliferation and cytokine production that is independent of CD28 costimulation. These results support the notion that CD28 inhibits nuclear export of NFATc transcription factors. In addition, NFATc1(nuc) destabilizes a positive feedback loop in which NFATc1 activates its own transcription as well as its targets, such as CD40 ligand and Th1/Th2 cytokines.
...
PMID:Enhanced NFATc1 nuclear occupancy causes T cell activation independent of CD28 costimulation. 1737 88

The calcium/calcineurin-dependent NFATc family is thought to have arisen following the recombination of an ancient precursor with a Rel domain about 500 million years ago, producing a new group of signaling and transcription factors (the NFATc genes) found only in the genomes of vertebrates. Cell biological, genetic and biochemical evidence indicates that the circuitry of this pathway is well suited for intercalation with older pathways. We propose that this recombination enabled Ca(2+) signals to be redirected to a new transcriptional program, which provided part of the groundwork for vertebrate morphogenesis and organogenesis. This notion predicts that calcineurin-NFAT signaling would be essential for much of vertebrate development. We review recent evidence supporting this prediction and propose a systematic approach to explore aspects of vertebrate morphogenesis.
...
PMID:NFAT signaling and the invention of vertebrates. 1749 14

The four Ca(2+)-dependent NFATc proteins are both signal transducers and transcription factors that reside in the cytoplasm until dephosphorylation by calcineurin. Dephosphorylation exposes nuclear import sequences and sends NFATc proteins into the nucleus where they assemble with nuclear partners into NFAT transcription complexes. Recent genetic studies have indicated that calcineurin-NFAT signaling is a major determinant of vertebrate morphogenesis and development. Mice lacking calcineurin activity show a complete block in positive selection of CD4 and CD8 double-positive thymocytes, yet the role of the NFATc proteins in T cell development has been controversial. In this study, we address the requirement for NFATc3 in T cell development by generating NFATc3 conditional knockout mice. We show that specific deletion of NFATc3 in thymocytes causes a partial block at the double-negative stage 3 and also a partial block in positive selection. Furthermore, the defect does not become more pronounced when NFATc2 is also absent, consistent with the fact that NFATc2-null mice do not have a T cell developmental defect. Expression of a nuclear (and constitutively active) NFATc1 even at subphysiological levels can rescue the transition of double-negative to double-positive thymocytes in RAG-null mice, but is unable to rescue development of CD4 and CD8 single-positive cells. In addition to NFATc3, this suggests a role for NFATc1 in T cell development. Our studies indicate that the signals that direct positive selection likely use both NFATc1 and NFATc3 downstream of calcineurin.
...
PMID:Selective role of NFATc3 in positive selection of thymocytes. 1757 27

In endothelial cells, binding of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) to VEGF receptor 2 leads to the activation of the serine/threonine phosphatase calcineurin, dephosphorylation of the nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NF-AT) transcription factors, translocation of NF-AT to the nucleus, and expression of angiogenesis-related genes such as Cox-2. Down syndrome candidate region 1 (DSCR1) is transactivated by NF-AT nuclear translocation, and subsequently inhibits calcineurin activity, forming a negative feedback loop. While DSCR1 has a clearly defined role as an endogenous inhibitor of VEGF-calcineurin-mediated angiogenesis in endothelial cells, the function of the DSCR1 family member, DSCR1-like 1 (DSCR1-L1), has not yet been investigated in endothelial cells. Here we show that a panel of pro-angiogenic factors, including VEGF, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), angiopoietin 1, hepatocyte growth factor, as well as triiodo-l-thyronine (T(3)), does not induce DSCR1-L1 up-regulation in endothelial cells, while VEGF potently up-regulates DSCR1. To investigate the effects of DSCR1-L1 on endothelial cell function, we cloned the gene into a lentiviral vector and overexpressed DSCR1-L1 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Constitutive DSCR1-L1 overexpression prevented the nuclear translocation of NF-ATc1 in response to VEGF, underscoring its role as a calcineurin inhibitor. Additionally, DSCR1-L1-transduced cells inhibited VEGF-induced endothelial cell migration, proliferation, and tube formation by 36, 77, and 39%, respectively, compared to cells infected with control virus. Overexpression of DSCR1-L1 in the transformed endothelial cell line Sven 1 ras also resulted in decreased proliferation. Our findings demonstrate that DSCR1-L1 is constitutively expressed in endothelial cells and acts similar to DSCR1 in inhibiting calcineurin activity and restraining VEGF-mediated angiogenesis.
...
PMID:Down syndrome candidate region 1-like 1 (DSCR1-L1) mimics the inhibitory effects of DSCR1 on calcineurin signaling in endothelial cells and inhibits angiogenesis. 1761 Sep 1

Calcineurin is an important regulator of extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation in the kidney but functions in a cell-specific manner. Previously, we identified a novel role for calcineurin in mesangial cells where calcineurin activity is required for TGFbeta-mediated induction of fibronectin expression. In this study, we examined the role of the calcineurin substrate NFATc in transcriptional regulation of fibronectin. First, inhibition of calcineurin blocks TGFbeta induction of the fibronectin promoter. Moreover, expression of constitutively active calcineurin in mesangial cells is sufficient to increase fibronectin transcription. Next, inhibition of the calcineurin substrate NFATc1 blocked TGFbeta-mediated activation of the fibronectin promoter. Finally, stable expression of a dominant-negative NFATc protein reduced transcriptional activation of the promoter and inhibited TGFbeta-mediated fibronectin expression. In conclusion, TGFbeta activation of calcineurin in mesangial cells results in regulation of ECM accumulation at least in part by direct transcriptional activity of NFATc on the fibronectin promoter.
...
PMID:NFATc is required for TGFbeta-mediated transcriptional regulation of fibronectin. 1771 12

Although numerous studies have recently implicated the calcineurin-nuclear factor of activated T-cells (Cn-NFAT) signalling pathway in the regulation of activity-dependent fibre type switching in adult mammalian skeletal muscles, little is known about the endogenous expression of NFAT proteins in the various fibre types present in these muscles. In this study, the immunolocalization of NFATc1 (also known as NFATc or NFAT2) in the extensor digitorum longus (EDL; a mainly fast-twitch muscle) and the soleus (a predominantly slow-twitch muscle) muscles of adult ( approximately 90-day-old) Wistar rats was investigated. The results show that NFATc1 is expressed only in oxidative fibres (i.e. type I and type IIA fibres) that stain intensely for succinate dehydrogenase activity irrespective of whether they are from the fast- or slow-twitch muscle. Thus, 99 +/- 4% (n = 7 rats) of the muscle fibres in the soleus and 42 +/- 2% (n = 7 rats) of those in the EDL expressed NFATc1. In the soleus muscle fibres, NFATc1 was localized mainly in the fibre nuclei, whereas in the EDL fibres it was localized in both the cytoplasm and the nuclei. However, no difference in its localization was observed between type I and type IIA fibres in both muscles. Western blot experiments showed that the soleus expressed more NFATc1 proteins than the EDL. From these results, we suggest that NFATc1 controls the number and distribution of both type I and type IIA fibres, as well as the oxidative capacity of adult mammalian skeletal muscles.
...
PMID:The expression of NFATc1 in adult rat skeletal muscle fibres. 1796 40

The regulation of high osmolality is an important driving force for water reabsorption and urinary concentration--the key functions of the kidney for maintaining optimum body fluid volume. New evidence shows that transcription factor tonicity responsive enhancer binding protein (TonEBP) and calcineurin-nuclear factor of activated T cells through cross-talk enhance Aquaporin 2 (AQP2) expression. AQP2 is the predominant vasopressin regulated water channel of the kidney collecting duct and is essential for urinary concentration. The serine/threonine phosphatase calcineurin is an important signaling molecule involved in kidney development and function. One potential target of calcineurin action is the water channel AQP2. The nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) family has recently been expanded by the discovery of a new member, NFAT 5, or Ton EBP. Ton EBP is the only known mammalian transcription factor that regulates gene expression in response to hypertonicity. This review examines the importance of AQP2, calcineurin, NFATc and TonEBP in the renal regulation of water homeostasis.
...
PMID:Newer insights into renal regulation of water homeostasis. 1833 5

Recovery from acute kidney injury requires regeneration of tubule cells. Because calcineurin induces nuclear transport of NFATc proteins, whose expression pattern correlates with the nephron segments injured by calcineurin inhibitors, we hypothesized that NFATc1 plays a role in modifying epithelial regeneration after injury. To test this, we induced proximal tubular cell (PTC) injury in Balb/c mice and Nfatc1(+/-) mice with mercuric chloride; the PTCs of Nfatc1(+/-) mice demonstrated increased apoptosis, sustained injury, and delayed regeneration. To attenuate NFATc1 activity further, we injected cyclosporin A daily. Cyclosporin A-treated Nfatc1(+/-) mice demonstrated rapid and severe injury after administration of mercuric chloride, with increased serum creatinine, increased apoptosis, decreased PTC proliferation, and increased mortality compared with similarly treated wild-type mice. Using a novel NFATc1 transgenic line that reports activation of an NFATc1 enhancer domain critical for NFATc1 autoamplification, we demonstrated accentuated NFATc1 expression in a PTC subpopulation after mercuric chloride-induced injury. In addition, NFATc1-labeled, apoptosis-resistant PTCs proliferated to repair the damaged proximal tubule segment. These data provide evidence for a resident progenitor PTC population and suggest a role for NFATc1 in the regeneration of injured proximal tubules.
...
PMID:NFATc1 identifies a population of proximal tubule cell progenitors. 1911 53

The nitric oxide/soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) signal transduction pathway plays an important role in smooth muscle relaxation and phenotypic regulation. However, the transcriptional regulation of sGC gene expression is largely unknown. It has been shown that sGC expression increases in pulmonary arteries from chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertensive animals. Since the transcription factor NFATc3 is required for the upregulation of the smooth muscle hypertrophic/differentiation marker alpha-actin in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells from chronically hypoxic mice, we hypothesized that NFATc3 is required for the regulation of sGC-alpha1 expression during chronic hypoxia. Exposure to chronic hypoxia for 2 days induced a decrease in sGC-alpha1 expression in mouse pulmonary arteries. This reduction was independent of NFATc3 but mediated by nuclear accumulation of the mRNA-stabilizing protein human antigen R (HuR). Consistent with our hypothesis, chronic hypoxia (21 days) upregulated pulmonary artery sGC-alpha1 expression, bringing it back to the level of the normoxic controls. This response was prevented in NFATc3 knockout and cyclosporin (calcineurin/NFATc inhibitor)-treated mice. Furthermore, we identified effective binding sites for NFATc in the mouse sGC-alpha1 promoter. Activation of NFATc3 increased sGC-alpha1 promoter activity in human embryonic derived kidney cells, rat aortic-derived smooth muscle cells, and human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. Our results suggest that NFATc3 and HuR are important regulators of sGC-alpha1 expression in pulmonary vascular smooth muscle cells during chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension.
...
PMID:Regulation of soluble guanylyl cyclase-alpha1 expression in chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension: role of NFATc3 and HuR. 1959 61

The drugs cyclosporine A (CsA) and tacrolimus (FK506) revolutionized organ transplantation. Both compounds are still widely used in the clinic as well as for basic research, even though they have dramatic side effects and modulate other pathways than calcineurin-NFATc, too. To answer the major open question - whether the adverse side effects are secondary to the actions of the drugs on the calcineurin-NFATc pathway - alternative inhibitors were developed. Ideal inhibitors should discriminate between the inhibition of (i) calcineurin and peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerases (PPIases; the matchmaker proteins of CsA and FK506), (ii) calcineurin and the other Ser/Thr protein phosphatases, and (iii) NFATc and other transcription factors. In this review we summarize the current knowledge about novel inhibitors, synthesized or identified in the last decades, and focus on their mode of action, specificity, and biological effects.
...
PMID:Novel inhibitors of the calcineurin/NFATc hub - alternatives to CsA and FK506? 1986 Sep 2


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Next >>

---