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)

The mechanisms regulating the opposing physiological actions of bradykinin (BK) and angiotensin II (AngII) are not well understood. Here we investigate signaling interactions between these two effectors. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) expression in IMR-90, human lung fibroblasts, is used as the endpoint target. In these cells the BK B2 receptor (BKB2R) is expressed constitutively, while no binding of AngII is detected. An inducible expression system is used to insert AngII receptor 1 (AT1R) and to obtain a signal level in response to AngII at the magnitude of BK. AngII and BK activate G protein-coupled targets, arachidonate release from cellular phospholipid stores, and intracellular phosphatidylinositol turnover equally. Both activate ERK, JNK, and p38 equally. However, AngII activates, whereas BK inactivates, RhoA. AngII induces a rapid (1 h) CTGF mRNA expression. RhoA siRNA and RhoA activation inhibitor, Y-27632, markedly reduce the AngII effect. Simultaneous treatment with BK and AngII attenuates the AT1R action. Additionally, BK in the absence of AngII lowers CTGF mRNA expression below basal levels over a span of 4 h. An AT1R/BKB2R chimera lacking heterotrimeric G protein coupling continues to activate MAP kinases to the same extent as wild-type (WT) AT1R and BKB2R. However, the increase of CTGF mRNA expression by this mutant is low, almost identical with that obtained by the simultaneous treatment of the WT AT1R-expressing cells with BK and AngII. In this context the chimeric receptor displays the characteristics of both receptors. These data demonstrate that, in human lung fibroblasts, BK modulates the action of AngII through the small G protein RhoA, but in a Galphai/Galphaq-independent manner.
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PMID:Modulation by bradykinin of angiotensin type 1 receptor-evoked RhoA activation of connective tissue growth factor expression in human lung fibroblasts. 1668 54

Identification of methionine aminopeptidase-2 (MetAP-2) as the molecular target of the antiangiogenic compound TNP-470 has sparked interest in N-terminal Met excision's (NME) role in endothelial cell biology. In this regard, we recently demonstrated that MetAP-2 inhibition suppresses Wnt planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling and that endothelial cells depend on this pathway for normal function. Despite this advance, the substrate(s) whose activity is altered upon MetAP-2 inhibition, resulting in loss of Wnt PCP signaling, is not known. Here we identify the small G protein Rab37 as a MetAP-2-specific substrate that accumulates in the presence of TNP-470. A functional role for aberrant Rab37 accumulation in TNP-470's mode of action is demonstrated using a Rab37 point mutant that is resistant to NME, because expression of this mutant phenocopies the effects of MetAP-2 inhibition on Wnt PCP signaling-dependent processes.
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PMID:Disruption of Wnt planar cell polarity signaling by aberrant accumulation of the MetAP-2 substrate Rab37. 2211 67

JIP3 and JIP4, two highly related scaffolding proteins for MAP kinases, are binding partners for two molecular motors as well as for the small G protein ARF6. The leucine zipper II (LZII) region of JIP3/4 is the binding site for these three partners. Previously, the crystal structure of ARF6 bound to JIP4 revealed LZII in a parallel coiled-coil arrangement. Here, the crystal structure of an N-terminally truncated form of LZII of JIP3 alone shows an unexpected antiparallel arrangement. Using molecular dynamics and modelling, the stability of this antiparallel LZII arrangement, as well as its specificity for ARF6, were investigated. This study highlights that N-terminal truncation of LZII can change its coiled-coil orientation without affecting its overall stability. Further, a conserved buried asparagine residue was pinpointed as a possible structural determinant for this dramatic structural rearrangement. Thus, LZII of JIP3/4 is a versatile structural motif, modifications of which can impact partner recognition and thus biological function.
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PMID:Structure of a truncated form of leucine zipper II of JIP3 reveals an unexpected antiparallel coiled-coil arrangement. 2691 23