Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.11.18 (MAP)
7,412 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We have characterized activation of the MAP kinase cascade in an inducible system in response to the temperature-sensitive (ts) expression of the v-mos oncogene. Transformation of immortalized rat embryo fibroblasts by a ts isolate of Moloney murine sarcoma virus (Mo-MuSVts110) constitutively activates MAP kinases (ERK-1 and ERK-2) and MAP kinase kinases (MKK-1 and MKK-2) only at the permissive temperature when v-mos kinase is present and active. Following a shift of the ts-transformed, serum-starved cells from the nonpermissive to permissive temperature, MAP kinases and both MKK-1 and MKK-2 are activated within 1-2 h, concurrent with the reappearance of active mos kinase. Raf-1 kinase activity increases more slowly in response to the reappearance of v-mos, and the mobility shift indicative of hyperphosphorylation was only detected 18 h after the temperature transition. Our data show that MAP kinase cascade activation is an early event following the reappearance of v-mos expression and v-mos kinase activity upon temperature shift, while the first manifestation of morphological transformation appears 24 h after the shift to permissive temperature. These results support the hypothesis that mos acts through the MKK to induce cell transformation.
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PMID:Activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade in response to the temperature inducible expression of v-mos kinase. 851 89

ONYX-015 is a provisionally replication competent adenovirus with oncolytic activity in cells with malfunctioning p53. Sarcomas represent a rational target for this approach given the high frequency of p53 mutations (40-75%) and MDM-2 amplification (10-30%). We, therefore, undertook a phase I/II study of ONYX-015, days 1-5 every month administered intratumorally under radiographic guidance, in combination with MAP (mitomycin-C, doxorubicin, cisplatin) chemotherapy in patients with advanced sarcoma. Six patients were treated. Injected lesions included liver metastases in four patients and chest wall metastases in two patients. Sarcoma histologies were gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST, two patients), leiomyosarcoma (two patients), liposarcoma (one patient), and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (1 patient). Dose escalation was performed from 10(9) plaque forming units (PFU)/dose (total dose of 5 x 10(9) PFU/cycle) to 10(10) PFU/dose (total dose of 5 x 10(10) PFU/cycle) without dose-limiting toxicity being encountered. Immunohistochemistry of the metastatic lesions prior to treatment showed that five out of six patients were positive for p53, while two patients also had mdm-2 overexpression. Adenoviral replication was detected in two out of six patient biopsies on day 5 of the first cycle, by in situ hybridization (ISH). Both patients were treated at the highest dose level. ONYX-015 viral DNA was detected by quantitative PCR in the plasma of 5/6 patients on day 5 of the first cycle, and up to day 12 (7 days after the last viral dose) in one patient who had extended sampling for viral kinetics performed, suggesting viral replication in sarcoma tissue. One patient with p53 mutation and MDM-2 amplification achieved a partial response to treatment that lasted 11 months. In conclusion, intratumoral administration of ONYX-015 in combination with MAP chemotherapy is well tolerated with no significant toxicity due to ONYX-015 being encountered. Detection of viral DNA in post treatment tumor specimens by ISH and detection of the ONYX-015 genome in the peripheral blood by quantitative PCR, up to 7 days after the last viral dose provide evidence for adenoviral replication. There was evidence of antitumor activity in one out of six patients. Further investigation of this approach in patients with recurrent sarcomas is warranted.
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PMID:Phase I-II trial of ONYX-015 in combination with MAP chemotherapy in patients with advanced sarcomas. 1564 67

The introduction of multi-agent chemotherapy dramatically improved the outcome for patients with osteosarcoma. However, we appear to have reached a plateau in outcome with a long-term event-free survival of 60-70%. Therefore, detection of further improvements will likely require larger numbers of patients. This goal is best achieved via randomized clinical trials (RCTs) requiring large-scale cooperation and collaboration. With this background, four multinational groups agreed on the merits of collaboration: Children's Oncology Group (COG), Cooperative Osteosarcoma Study Group (COSS), European Osteosarcoma Intergroup (EOI) and Scandinavian Sarcoma Group (SSG); they designed a study to determine whether altering postoperative therapy based on histological response improved the outcome. The study design includes a backbone of 10 weeks of preoperative therapy using MAP (methotrexate, Adriamycin and cisplatin). Following surgery, patients are stratified according to histological response. Patients classified as "good responders" (>or=90% necrosis) are randomized to continue MAP or to receive MAP followed by maintenance pegylated interferon, while "poor responders" (<90% necrosis) are randomized to either continue MAP or to receive MAPIE (MAP+ifosfamide, etoposide). The design includes the registration of 1,400 patients over 4 years as well as the evaluation of quality of life using two different instruments. The group has established an efficient infrastructure to ensure successful implementation of the trial. This has included the EURAMOS Intergroup Safety Desk, which has established an international system for SAE, SAR and SUSAR reporting to the relevant competent authorities and ethics committees for each participating country. The group has also developed trial site monitoring and data center audits with funding from the European Science Foundation (ESF). The ESF has also funded three training courses to familiarize institutional staff with the requirements of multinational GCP trials. We have established a successful collaboration, and as of February 2008, 901 patients have been enrolled (COG 448; COSS 226; EOI 181; SSG 46) from 249 institutions in 16 different countries. As expected, 80% of the patients are <18 years of age, and accrual into the Quality of Life sub-study is proceeding as planned with 90% of the subjects agreeing to participate. International awareness is increasing and procedures for applicant countries wishing to join the collaboration have been implemented. Details about EURAMOS can be found at www.euramos.org. International trials in rare diseases are practicable with appropriate funding, planning and support. Although the implementation of such trials is difficult and time consuming, it is a worthwhile effort to rapidly complete RCTs and identify interventions that will improve the outcome of all osteosarcoma patients.EURAMOS-1 is the fastest accruing osteosarcoma trial and is already the largest osteosarcoma study conducted.
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PMID:International collaboration is feasible in trials for rare conditions: the EURAMOS experience. 2021

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway is frequently mutated in human cancer. This pathway consists of a small GTP protein of the RAS family that is activated in response to extracellular signaling to recruit a member of the RAF kinase family to the cell membrane. Active RAF signals through MAP/ERK kinase to activate ERK and its downstream effectors to regulate a wide range of biological activities including cell differentiation, proliferation, senescence, and survival. Mutations in the v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogenes homolog B1 (BRAF) isoform of the RAF kinase or KRAS isoform of the RAS protein are found as activating mutations in approximately 30% of all human cancers. The BRAF pathway has become a target of interest for molecular therapy, with promising results emerging from clinical trials. Here, the role of the most common BRAF mutation BRAF(V600E) in human carcinogenesis is investigated through a review of the literature, with specific focus on its role in melanoma, colorectal, and thyroid cancers and its potential as a therapeutic target.
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PMID:BRAFV600E: implications for carcinogenesis and molecular therapy. 2138 74

Activating mutations in the neuroblastoma rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (NRAS) gene are common genetic events in malignant melanoma being found in 15-25% of cases. NRAS is thought to activate both mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) and PI3K signaling in melanoma cells. We studied the influence of different components on the MAP/extracellular signal-regulated (ERK) kinase (MEK) and PI3K/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)-signaling cascade in NRAS mutant melanoma cells. In general, these cells were more sensitive to MEK inhibition compared with inhibition in the PI3K/mTOR cascade. Combined targeting of MEK and PI3K was superior to MEK and mTOR1,2 inhibition in all NRAS mutant melanoma cell lines tested, suggesting that PI3K signaling is more important for cell survival in NRAS mutant melanoma when MEK is inhibited. However, targeting of PI3K/mTOR1,2 in combination with MEK inhibitors is necessary to effectively abolish growth of NRAS mutant melanoma cells in vitro and regress xenografted NRAS mutant melanoma. Furthermore, we showed that MEK and PI3K/mTOR1,2 inhibition is synergistic. Expression analysis confirms that combined MEK and PI3K/mTOR1,2 inhibition predominantly influences genes in the rat sarcoma (RAS) pathway and growth factor receptor pathways, which signal through MEK/ERK and PI3K/mTOR, respectively. Our results suggest that combined targeting of the MEK/ERK and PI3K/mTOR pathways has antitumor activity and might serve as a therapeutic option in the treatment of NRAS mutant melanoma, for which there are currently no effective therapies.
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PMID:Combined targeting of MEK and PI3K/mTOR effector pathways is necessary to effectively inhibit NRAS mutant melanoma in vitro and in vivo. 2343 Nov 93

It is widely accepted that canonical Wnt (cWnt) signaling is required for the differentiation of osteoprogenitors into osteoblasts. Furthermore, tumor-derived secretion of the cWnt-antagonist Dickkopf-1 (Dkk-1) is known to cause bone destruction, inhibition of repair and metastasis in many bone malignancies, but its role in osteosarcoma (OS) is still under debate. In this study, we examined the role of Dkk-1in OS by engineering its overexpression in the osteochondral sarcoma line MOS-J. Consistent with the known role of Dkk-1 in osteoblast differentiation, Dkk-1 inhibited osteogenesis by the MOSJ cells themselves and also in surrounding tissue when implanted in vivo. Surprisingly, Dkk-1 also had unexpected effects on MOSJ cells in that it increased proliferation and resistance to metabolic stress in vitro and caused the formation of larger and more destructive tumors than controls upon orthotopic implantation. These effects were attributed in part to upregulation of the stress response enzyme and cancer stem cell marker aldehyde-dehydrogenase-1 (ALDH1). Direct inhibition of ALDH1 reduced viability under stressful culture conditions, whereas pharmacological inhibition of cWnt or overexpression of ALDH1 had a protective effect. Furthermore, we observed that ALDH1 was transcriptionally activated in a c-Jun-dependent manner through a pathway consisting of RhoA, MAP-kinase-kinase-4 and Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK), indicating that noncanonical planar cell polarity-like Wnt signaling was the mechanism responsible. Together, our results therefore demonstrate that Dkk-1 enhances resistance of OS cells to stress by tipping the balance of Wnt signaling in favor of the non-canonical Jun-mediated Wnt pathways. In turn, this results in transcriptional activation of ALDH1 through Jun-responsive promoter elements. This is the first report linking Dkk-1 to tumor stress resistance, further supporting the targeting of Dkk-1 not only to prevent and treat osteolytic bone lesions but also to reduce numbers of stress-resistant tumor cells.
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PMID:An unexpected role for a Wnt-inhibitor: Dickkopf-1 triggers a novel cancer survival mechanism through modulation of aldehyde-dehydrogenase-1 activity. 2457 91

Successful targeting of specific oncogenic "driver" mutations with small-molecule inhibitors has represented a major advance in cancer therapeutics over the past 10 to 15 years. The most common activating oncogene in human malignancy, RAS (rat sarcoma), has proved to be an elusive target. Activating mutations in RAS induce mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase-AKT pathway signaling and drive malignant progression in up to 30% of cancers. Oncogenic NRAS mutations occur in several cancer types, notably melanoma, acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), and less commonly, colon adenocarcinoma, thyroid carcinoma, and other hematologic malignancies. Although NRAS-mutant tumors have been recalcitrant to targeted therapeutic strategies historically, newer agents targeting MAP/ERK kinase 1 (MEK1)/2 have recently shown signs of clinical efficacy as monotherapy. Combination strategies of MEK inhibitors with other targeted agents have strong preclinical support and are being evaluated in clinical trials. This review discusses the recent preclinical and clinical studies about the role of NRAS in cancer, with a focus on melanoma and AML.
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PMID:Molecular pathways: targeting NRAS in melanoma and acute myelogenous leukemia. 2489 60

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary aggressive and malignant bone tumor. Newly diagnostic OS patients benefit from the standard therapy including surgical resection plus radiotherapy and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (MAP chemotherapy: high-dose methotrexate, doxorubicin and cisplatin). However, tumor recurrence and metastasis give rise to a sharp decline of the 5-year overall survival rate in OS patients. Little improvement has been made for decades, urging the development of more effective therapeutic approaches. ErbB receptor family including EGFR, HER2, HER3 and HER4, being important to the activation of PI3K/Akt and MAPK signaling pathways, are potential targets for OS treatment. Genetic aberrations (amplification, overexpression, mutation and altered splicing) of ErbB are essential to the growth, apoptosis, motility and metastasis in a variety of cancers. Overexpression of ErbB family is associated with the poor prognosis of cancer patients. A number of monoclonal antibodies or inhibitors specific for ErbB family have entered clinical trials in a range of solid tumors including breast carcinoma, lung carcinoma and sarcoma. Here, we summarized the roles and expression of ErbB family in OS and the current development of ErbB-targeted therapeutic strategies including chemotherapies and immunotherapies for OS treatment.
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PMID:Advanced development of ErbB family-targeted therapies in osteosarcoma treatment. 3035 45

High affinity copper binding to mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 (MAP2K1, also known as MEK1) allosterically promotes the kinase activity of MEK1/2 on extracellular signal regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2). Consequently, copper-dependent activation of the mitogen-activated (MAP) kinase pathway has a role in promoting tumor growth. Conversely, copper chelation may represent a possible therapeutic approach for a specific subset of tumors characterized by activating mutations in the serine/threonine protein kinase V-Raf Murine Sarcoma Viral Oncogene Homolog B1 (BRAF), such as the V600E, occurring within the kinase domain (BRAFV600E). Tetrathiomolybdate (TM) is a specific copper chelating agent currently used for the treatment of Wilson's disease and in preclinical studies for the management of metastatic cancers owing to its anti-angiogenic and anti-inflammatory properties. We evaluated in vitro and in vivo the effects of copper depletion achieved by pharmacological treatment with TM in human colorectal cells bearing the BRAFV600E mutation in comparison with BRAF wild type cells. We provide evidence that selective copper chelation differentially affects proliferation, survival and migration of colon cancer cells bearing the BRAFV600E mutation compared to BRAFwt acting via differential phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2. Moreover, tetrathiomolybdate treatment was also effective in reducing the clonogenic potential of colon cancer BRAFV600E cells resistant to BRAF pharmacological inhibition. In conclusion, these results support further assessment of copper chelation therapy as an adjuvant therapy for inhibiting the progression of colon cancers containing the BRAFV600E mutation.
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PMID:Effects of Copper Chelation on BRAFV600E Positive Colon Carcinoma Cells. 3108 27

Soft tissue sarcoma (STS) are rare and aggressive tumours. Their classification includes numerous histological subtypes of frequent poor prognosis. Liposarcomas (LPS) are the most frequent type among them, and the aggressiveness and deep localization of dedifferentiated LPS are linked to high levels of recurrence. Current treatments available today lead to five-year overall survival has remained stuck around 60%-70% for the past three decades. Here, we highlight a correlation between Aurora kinasa A (AURKA) and AURKB mRNA overexpression and a low metastasis - free survival. AURKA and AURKB expression analysis at genomic and protein level on a 9-STS cell lines panel highlighted STS heterogeneity, especially in LPS subtype. AURKA and AURKB inhibition by RNAi and drug targeting with AMG 900, a pan Aurora Kinase inhibitor, in four LPS cell lines reduces cell survival and clonogenic proliferation, inducing apoptosis and polyploidy. When combined with doxorubicin, the standard treatment in STS, aurora kinases inhibitor can be considered as an enhancer of standard treatment or as an independent drug. Kinome analysis suggested its effect was linked to the inhibition of the MAP-kinase pathway, with differential drug resistance profiles depending on molecular characteristics of the tumor. Aurora Kinase inhibition by AMG 900 could be a promising therapy in STS.
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PMID:Pan Aurora Kinase Inhibitor: A Promising Targeted-Therapy in Dedifferentiated Liposarcomas With Differential Efficiency Depending on Sarcoma Molecular Profile. 3213 69


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