Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P05412 (c-Jun)
 11,453 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We have used differential display PCR to search for mRNAs induced by delta Raf-1:ER, an estradiol-dependent form of Raf-1 kinase. Through this approach the gene encoding heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF) was identified as an immediate-early transcriptional target of oncogenic Raf kinases. Activation of delta Raf-1:ER and a conditional oncogenic form of B-Raf, delta B-RAF:ER, resulted in rapid and sustained induction of HB-EGF mRNA expression and secretion of mature HB-EGF from cells. Neutralizing anti-HB-EGF antisera prevented the delayed activation of the c-Jun amino-terminal kinases that is observed in cells transformed by delta Raf-1:ER. These results demonstrate that distinct signaling pathways can cross talk via the secretion of polypeptide growth factors. Furthermore, cells transformed by oncogenic Ras, which also induced HB-EGF expression, demonstrated a marked increase in sensitivity to the cytotoxic action of diphtheria toxin, for which the membrane anchored HB-EGF precursor acts as a cell-surface receptor.
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PMID:Rapid induction of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor/diphtheria toxin receptor expression by Raf and Ras oncogenes. 764 77

Neurotransmitter biosynthesis is regulated by environmental stimuli, which transmit intracellular signals via second messengers and protein kinase pathways. For the catecholamine biosynthetic enzymes, dopamine beta-hydroxylase and tyrosine hydroxylase, regulation of gene expression by cyclic AMP, diacyl glycerol, and Ca2+ leads to increased neurotransmitter biosynthesis. In this report, we demonstrate that the cAMP-mediated regulation of transcription from the dopamine beta-hydroxylase promoter is mediated by the AP1 proteins c-Fos, c-Jun, and JunD. Following treatment of cultured cells with cAMP, protein complexes bound to the dopamine beta-hydroxylase AP1/cAMP response element element change from consisting of c-Jun and JunD to include c-Fos, c-Jun, and JunD. The homeodomain protein Arix is also a component of this DNA-protein complex, binding to the adjacent homeodomain recognition sites. Transfection of a dominant negative JunD expression plasmid inhibits cAMP-mediated expression of the dopamine beta-hydroxylase promoter construct in PC12 and CATH.a cells. In addition to the role of c-Fos in regulating dopamine beta-hydroxylase gene expression in response to cAMP, a second pathway, involving Rap1/B-Raf is involved. These experiments illustrate an unusual divergence of cAMP-dependent protein kinase signaling through multiple pathways that then reconverge on a single element in the dopamine beta-hydroxylase promoter to elicit activation of gene expression.
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PMID:AP1 proteins mediate the cAMP response of the dopamine beta-hydroxylase gene. 972 25

Impaired ability to undergo programmed cell death in response to a wide range of external stimuli acquires melanomas a selective advantage for progression and metastasis as well as their notorious resistance to therapy. Better understanding of mechanisms that govern apoptosis has enabled identification of diverse routes by which melanomas manage to escape stimuli of apoptosis. Changes at genomic, transcriptional and post-translational levels of G-proteins and protein kinases (Ras, B-Raf) and their transcription factor effectors (c-Jun, ATF2, Stat3 and NF-kappaB) affects TNF, Fas and TRAIL receptors, which play important roles in acquiring melanoma's resistance to apoptosis. Here, we summarize our current understanding of changes that alters the regulation of death receptors during melanoma development.
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PMID:Death receptors and melanoma resistance to apoptosis. 1278 91

The AP-1 (activator protein-1) complex, which consists of proteins of the Fos and Jun families, is thought to play an important role in the balance between cell proliferation and apoptosis, the response to genotoxic stress and cell transformation. In cells containing oncogenic Ras, the major components of AP-1 are Fra-1 and c-Jun. Signalling from Ras to AP-1 is through the Raf/MEK[mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase kinase]/ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) MAP kinase pathway as sustained activation of Raf1 or Mek1 modifies AP-1 composition and activity. To analyse the potential link between the ERK-MAPK pathway and AP-1 in colon cancer, in which RAS and BRAF mutations are frequent, we have studied the regulation of AP-1 in colon carcinoma cell lines. We show that c-JUN and FRA-1 expression is dependent on ERK activity and that different thresholds of ERK activity control the expression of FRA-1. A basal activity is required to induce transcription of the FRA-1 gene, but additional higher levels of activity stabilize FRA-1 against proteasome-dependent degradation. These results provide a clear-cut example that the magnitude of ERK signalling affects the cellular response. Although we find no contribution of FRA-1 towards cell proliferation of adherent tumour cells, the high levels of FRA-1 in cells where elevated ERK activity leads to protein stabilization provide survival signals for tumour cells removed from the extracellular matrix.
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PMID:Elevated ERK-MAP kinase activity protects the FOS family member FRA-1 against proteasomal degradation in colon carcinoma cells. 1462 89

VIP exerts a spectrum of effects as a potent anti-inflammatory factor. In addition, VIP increases expression of MUC2, a major intestinal secretory mucin. We therefore investigated the effects of VIP on the promoter activity of the 5'-flanking region of the MUC2 gene. VIP activated MUC2 transcription in human colonic epithelial cells via cAMP signaling to ERK and p38. cAMP/Epac/Rap1/B-Raf signaling was not involved in MUC2 reporter activation. Furthermore, activation of MUC2 transcription was independent of many of the reported downstream effectors of G protein-coupled receptors, such as PKC, Ras, Raf, Src, calcium, and phosphoinositide 3-kinase. VIP induced cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB)/ATF1 phosphorylation, and this was prevented by treatment with inhibitors of either MEK or p38 and by PKA and MSK1 inhibitor H89. CREB/ATF1 and c-Jun were shown to bind to an oligonucleotide encompassing a distal, conserved CREB/AP1 site in the 5'-flanking region of the MUC2 gene, and this cis element was shown to mediate promoter reporter activation by VIP. This study has identified a new, functional cis element within the MUC2 promoter and also a new pathway regulating MUC2 expression, thus providing further insight into the molecular mechanism of VIP action in the colon. These findings are relevant to the normal biology of the colonic mucosa as well as to the development of VIP as a therapeutic agent for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.
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PMID:Vasoactive intestinal peptide upregulates MUC2 intestinal mucin via CREB/ATF1. 1622 28

Mutational activation of Ras and a key downstream effector of Ras, the B-Raf serine/threonine kinase, has been observed in melanomas and colorectal carcinomas. These observations suggest that inhibition of B-Raf activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase (MEK) and the extracellular signal-regulated kinase MAPK cascade may be an effective approach for the treatment of RAS and B-RAF mutation-positive melanomas and colon carcinomas. Although recent studies with interfering RNA (RNAi) and pharmacologic inhibitors support a critical role for B-Raf signaling in melanoma growth, whether mutant B-Raf has an equivalent role in promoting colorectal carcinoma growth has not been determined. In the present study, we used both RNAi and pharmacologic approaches to further assess the role of B-Raf activation in the growth of human melanomas and additionally determined if a similar role for mutant B-Raf is seen for colorectal carcinoma cell lines. We observed that RNAi suppression of mutant B-Raf(V600E) expression strongly suppressed the anchorage-dependent growth of B-RAF mutation-positive melanoma, but not colorectal carcinoma, cells. However, the anchorage-independent and tumorigenic growth of B-RAF mutation-positive colorectal carcinomas was dependent on mutant B-Raf function. Finally, pharmacologic inhibition of MEK and Raf was highly effective at inhibiting the growth of B-RAF mutation-positive melanomas and colorectal carcinoma cells, whereas inhibitors of other protein kinases activated by Ras (AKT, c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase, and p38 MAPK) were less effective. Our observations suggest that Raf and MEK inhibitors may be effective for the treatment of B-RAF mutation-positive colorectal carcinomas as well as melanomas.
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PMID:Context-dependent roles of mutant B-Raf signaling in melanoma and colorectal carcinoma cell growth. 1769 19

The BRAFV600E mutation is common in human melanoma. This mutation enhances IkappaB kinase (IKK)/nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase/activator protein signaling cascades. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of targeting either B-Raf or IKKbeta in combination with the DNA alkylating agent temozolomide for treatment of advanced metastatic melanoma. Xenografts of Hs294T human metastatic melanoma cells exhibiting the BRAFV600E mutation were treated with inhibitors of IKKbeta (BMS-345541), B-Raf (BAY 54-9085), and/or temozolomide. Drug response was mechanistically analyzed in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we determined that the antitumor activity of all three drugs depends on inhibition of NF-kappaB. BMS-345541 inhibits IKKbeta-mediated phosphorylation of IkappaBalpha and thus blocks the nuclear localization of NF-kappaB, whereas BAY 54-9085 inhibits activation of NF-kappaB through a mechanism that does not involve stabilization of IkappaBalpha. Moreover, BMS-345541, but not BAY 54-9085, activates the death pathways of p53 and c-Jun-NH2-kinase, contributing to the killing of melanoma cells. Temozolomide inhibits both NF-kappaB and extracellular signal-regulated kinase activity, conferring effective in vivo antitumor activity. Thus, temozolomide, but not BAY 54-9085, has a synergistic in vivo antitumor effect with BMS-345541. We conclude that the efficacy of antimelanoma therapy depends on inhibition of expression of antiapoptotic genes transcriptionally regulated by NF-kappaB. In contrast, drug targeting of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway alone in melanoma cells is ineffective for melanoma therapy in cases where NF-kappaB is not also targeted.
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PMID:Molecular determinants of melanoma malignancy: selecting targets for improved efficacy of chemotherapy. 1927 65

Oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) is a potent tumor-suppressive mechanism that is thought to come at the cost of aging. The Forkhead box O (FOXO) transcription factors are regulators of life span and tumor suppression. However, whether and how FOXOs function in OIS have been unclear. Here, we show a role for FOXO4 in mediating senescence by the human BRAF(V600E) oncogene, which arises commonly in melanoma. BRAF(V600E) signaling through mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase resulted in increased reactive oxygen species levels and c-Jun NH(2) terminal kinase-mediated activation of FOXO4 via its phosphorylation on Thr(223), Ser(226), Thr(447), and Thr(451). BRAF(V600E)-induced FOXO4 phosphorylation resulted in p21(cip1)-mediated cell senescence independent of p16(ink4a) or p27(kip1). Importantly, melanocyte-specific activation of BRAF(V600E) in vivo resulted in the formation of skin nevi expressing Thr(223)/Ser(226)-phosphorylated FOXO4 and elevated p21(cip1). Together, these findings support a model in which FOXOs mediate a trade-off between cancer and aging.
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PMID:Activation of forkhead box O transcription factors by oncogenic BRAF promotes p21cip1-dependent senescence. 2095 75

Oncogenic mutations of ras and B-raf frequently occur in many cancer types and are critical for cell transformation and tumorigenesis. Death receptor 5 (DR5) is a cell surface pro-apoptotic death receptor for tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand and has been targeted in cancer therapy. The current study has demonstrated induction of DR5 expression by the oncogenic proteins Ras and B-Raf and revealed the underlying mechanisms. We demonstrated that both Ras and B-Raf induce DR5 expression by enforced expression of oncogenic Ras (e.g. H-Ras12V or K-Ras12V) or B-Raf (i.e. V600E) in cells and by analyzing gene expression array data generated from cancer cell lines and from human cancer tissues. This finding is further supported by our results that knockdown of endogenous K-Ras or B-Raf (V600E) reduced the expression of DR5. Importantly, we have elucidated that Ras induces DR5 expression through co-activation of ERK/RSK and JNK signaling pathways and subsequent cooperative effects among the transcriptional factors CHOP, Elk1, and c-Jun to enhance DR5 gene transcription. Moreover, we found that the majority of cancer cell lines highly sensitive to the DR5 agonistic antibody AMG655 have either Ras or B-Raf mutations. Our findings warrant further study on the biology of DR5 regulation by Ras and B-Raf, which may provide new insight into the biology of Ras and B-Raf, and on the potential impact of Ras or B-Raf mutations on the outcome of DR5-targeted cancer therapy.
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PMID:Oncogenic Ras and B-Raf proteins positively regulate death receptor 5 expression through co-activation of ERK and JNK signaling. 3259 46

Resistance to BRAF(V600E) inhibitors is associated with reactivation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling at different levels in melanoma. To identify downstream effectors of MAPK signaling that could be used as potential additional therapeutic targets for BRAF(V600E) inhibitors, we used hTERT/CDK4R24C/p53DD-immortalized primary human melanocytes genetically modified to ectopically express BRAF ( V600E ) or NRAS ( G12D ) and observed induction of the AP-1 transcription factor family member c-Jun. Using a dominant negative approach, in vitro cell proliferation assays, western blots, and flow cytometry showed that MAPK signaling via BRAF(V600E) promotes melanoma cell proliferation at G1 through AP-1-mediated negative regulation of the INK4 family member, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2C (CDKN2C), and the CIP/KIP family member, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A (CDKN1A). These effects were antagonized by pharmacological inhibition of CDKN2C and CDKN1A targets CDK2 and CDK4 in vitro. In contrast to BRAF ( V600E ) or NRAS ( G12D )-expressing melanocytes, melanoma cells have an inherent resistance to suppression of AP-1 activity by BRAF(V600E)- or MEK-inhibitors. Here, CDK2/4 inhibition statistically significantly augmented the effects of BRAF(V600E)- or MEK-inhibitors on melanoma cell viability in vitro and growth in athymic nude Foxn1 ( nu ) mice (P = .03 when mean tumor volume at day 13 was compared for BRAF(V600E) inhibitor vs BRAF(V600E) inhibitor plus CDK2/4 inhibition; P = .02 when mean tumor volume was compared for MEK inhibitor vs MEK inhibitor plus CDK2/4 inhibition; P values were calculated by a two-sided Welch t test; n = 4-8 mice per group).
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PMID:Dual suppression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors CDKN2C and CDKN1A in human melanoma. 2299 39


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