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

Vascular endothelial cells (EC) are primary cellular targets for the actions of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF). We have studied the signaling pathways used by TNF that lead to new gene expression (endothelial cell activation) or apoptosis (endothelial cell injury). Both responses are initiated by ligand binding to TNFR-I (the p55 receptor). TNF initiates transcription of the E-selectin gene by activation of the transcription factors NF-kappa B and c-Jun/ATF-2. NF-kappa B is activated following degradation of I kappa B alpha and I kappa B-beta. Activation of c-Jun/ATF-2 involves new c-Jun synthesis, and more importantly, phosphorylation of the amino terminus of c-Jun by Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). Studies in transiently transfected human umbilical vein endothelial cells have revealed that NF-kappa B activation is initiated through the adaptor protein TRAF-2. The activation of JNK also depends upon TRAF-2 and probably involves a kinase cascade initiated by the small G proteins Rac-1 and/or cdc-42. Normally, TNF does not injure human EC. However, TNF can cause apoptosis of EC when cells are co-treated with either the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide (CHX) or the lipid mediator ceramide (cer). The pathways leading to apoptosis following treatment with TNF + CHX and TNF + cer are different since only TNF + CHX is blocked by the caspase inhibitors crmA protein or the peptide zVAD.fmk while only TNF + cer is blocked by the anti apoptotic proteins Bcl-2, Bcl-XL or Al. Both pathways may be inhibited by the anti-apoptotic protein A-20. TNF does not cause the liberation of cer in EC, perhaps because of limited expression of neutral sphingomyelinase-activating adaptor protein FAN. These observations suggest that TNF normally acts as an activator of EC but may change from an activator to a killer of EC when combined with agents that release ceramide, such as u.v. irradiation or cytotoxic drugs, or with ceramide mimetics such as lipopolysaccharide. The activation and injury of endothelial cells induced by TNF and other proinflammatory cytokines may underlie the local effects of these mediators in vivo.
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PMID:Activation and injury of endothelial cells by cytokines. 976 10

The stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK) is induced in response to ionizing radiation and other DNA-damaging agents. Recent studies indicate that activation of JNK is necessary for induction of apoptosis in response to diverse agents. Here we demonstrate that methylmethane sulfonate (MMS)-induced activation of JNK is inhibited by overexpression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-xL, but not by caspase inhibitors CrmA and p35. By contrast, UV-induced JNK activity is insensitive to Bcl-xL. The results demonstrate that treatment with MMS is associated with an increase in tyrosine phosphorylation of related adhesion focal tyrosine kinase (RAFTK)/proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (PYK2), an upstream effector of JNK and that this phosphorylation is inhibited by overexpression of Bcl-xL. Furthermore, overexpression of a dominant-negative mutant of RAFTK (RAFTK K-M) inhibits MMS-induced JNK activation. The results indicate that inhibition of RAFTK phosphorylation by MMS in Bcl-xL cells is attributed to an increase in tyrosine phosphatase activity in these cells. Hence, treatment of Bcl-xL cells with sodium vanadate, a tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, restores MMS-induced activation of RAFTK and JNK. These findings indicate that RAFTK-dependent induction of JNK in response to MMS is sensitive to Bcl-xL, but not to CrmA and p35, by a mechanism that inhibits tyrosine phosphorylation and thereby activation of RAFTK. Taken together, these findings support a novel role for Bcl-xL that is independent of the caspase cascade.
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PMID:Bcl-xL blocks activation of related adhesion focal tyrosine kinase/proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 and stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase in the cellular response to methylmethane sulfonate. 1008 98

Xenobiotics and antioxidants induce expression of detoxifying enzymes including NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1), NRH:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO2), and glutathione S-transferase Ya (GST Ya), presumably to provide protection to cells against electrophilic and oxidative stress. Antioxidant response elements (AREs) have been found in the promoter regions of the various detoxifying enzyme genes. An ARE is required for basal expression and induction of the various detoxifying enzyme genes in response to xenobiotics and antioxidants. In this study, we demonstrated that exposure of cells to xenobiotics [e.g. beta-naphthoflavone (beta-NF)] and antioxidants [e.g. tert-butyl hydroquinone (t-BHQ)] also induced the expression of the proto-oncogene c-jun. The induction of c-jun gene expression followed kinetics similar to the induction of NQO1 and NQO2 genes with respect to the level and time of exposure. Sequence analysis of the c-jun gene promoter revealed the presence of an ARE between nucleotides -538 and -514. The c-jun ARE was highly homologous to the AREs from genes encoding NQO1, NQO2, and GST Ya. Constructs containing the c-jun ARE and 1.7 and 4.5 kb of the c-jun promoter ligated to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene, upon transfection in human hepatoblastoma (Hep-G2) cells, expressed the CAT gene, which was inducible with beta-NF and t-BHQ. Band shift assays indicated binding of two specific nuclear protein complexes with the c-jun gene ARE. The faster running c-jun gene ARE-nuclear protein complex was specifically competed out by unlabeled NQO1 and GST Ya gene AREs. These results suggest that c-jun gene expression is coordinately induced and regulated with detoxifying enzyme genes in response to xenobiotics and antioxidants. The results also suggest involvement of an ARE-mediated mechanism of induction of c-jun gene expression. However, a comparison of fold induction of endogenous c-jun gene and transfected c-jun promoter/ARE-CAT constructs indicated involvement of another ARE upstream of the 4.5-kb promoter and/or additional mechanisms such as stabilization of c-Jun RNA in response to exposure to xenobiotics and antioxidants.
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PMID:Coordinated induction of the c-jun gene with genes encoding quinone oxidoreductases in response to xenobiotics and antioxidants. 1041 96

NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) and NRH:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO2) are flavoproteins that catalyze two-electron reduction and detoxification of quinones and its derivatives. This leads to the protection of cells against redox cycling, oxidative stress, and neoplasia. NQO1 is expressed ubiquitously in all the tissues. However, the level of expression varied among the human tissues. NQO1 gene is expressed at higher levels in several tumor tissue types, including liver and colon, as compared to normal tissues of similar origin. NQO1 gene expression is coordinately induced with other detoxifying enzyme genes in response to xenobiotics, antioxidants, oxidants, heavy metals, and radiations. Deletion mutagenesis in the NQO1 gene promoter identified several cis-elements including antioxidant response element (ARE), a basal element, and AP-2 element. ARE elements have also been found in the promoter regions of other detoxifying enzyme genes including glutathione S-transferases. ARE is essentially required for expression and coordinated induction of NQO1 and other detoxifying enzyme genes. Nuclear transcription factors Nrf2 and c-Jun bind to the ARE and activate the gene expression. The binding of Nrf2 + c-Jun to the ARE required unknown cytosolic factor(s). In addition to Nrf2 and c-Jun, other nuclear transcription factors including Nrf1, Jun-B, and Jun-D also bind to the ARE and regulate expression and induction of NQO1 gene. A hypothetical model is presented based on the available information on ARE-mediated regulation of detoxifying enzyme genes. Briefly, the Nrf2 is retained in the cytosplasm by a repressor protein Keap1 in untreated normal cells. The treatment of cells with xenobiotics and antioxidants leads to the activation of unknown cytosolic factor(s) that catalyze modification of Nrf2 and/or Keap1. The modification follows dissociation of Nrf2 and Keap1. The free Nrf2 translocates in the nucleus. Nrf2 in the nucleus heterodimerizes with c-Jun and binds to the ARE resulting in the induction of NQO1 and other ARE-regulated genes expression. The identity of cytosolic factor(s) remains unknown.
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PMID:Regulation of genes encoding NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductases. 1103 54

Proteinase inhibitor 9 (PI-9) inhibits caspase-1 (interleukin (IL)-1beta-converting enzyme) and granzyme B, thereby regulating production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1beta and susceptibility to granzyme B-induced apoptosis. We show that cellular PI-9 mRNA and protein are induced by IL-1beta, lipopolysaccharide, and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. We identified functional imperfect nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) sites at -135 and -88 and a consensus activator protein-1 (AP-1) site at -308 in the PI-9 promoter region. Using transient transfections in HepG2 cells to assay PI-9 promoter mutations, we find that mutational ablation of the AP-1 site or of either NF-kappaB site reduces IL-1beta-induced expression of PI-9 by approximately 60%. Mutational ablation of the two NF-kappaB sites and of the AP-1 site nearly abolishes both basal and IL-1beta-induced expression of PI-9. Nuclear extracts from IL-1beta-treated HepG2 cells exhibited strong, IL-1beta-inducible binding to the NF-kappaB sites and to the AP-1 site. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays show that after IL-1beta treatment c-Jun/c-Fos and JunD bind to the AP-1 site, whereas the p50/p65 heterodimer binds to the two NF-kappaB sites. Estrogens induce PI-9, but induction of PI-9 by estrogens and IL-1beta is not synergistic. In transiently transfected, estrogen receptor-positive HepG2ER7 cells, estrogens do not interfere with IL-1beta induction, whereas IL-1beta exhibits dose-dependent repression of estrogen-inducible PI-9 expression. Our surprising finding that the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1beta strongly induces PI-9 suggests a novel mechanism for regulating inflammation and apoptosis through a negative feedback loop controlling expression of the anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic protein, PI-9.
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PMID:Modulators of inflammation use nuclear factor-kappa B and activator protein-1 sites to induce the caspase-1 and granzyme B inhibitor, proteinase inhibitor 9. 1217 49

Members of the Bcl-2 family of proteins function either to promote or to repress apoptosis. Bcl-2 has been mainly localised to the mitochondria and acts predominantly upstream of cytochrome c release in its prevention of apoptosis. Little is known about the function of Bcl-2 independent of an apoptotic stimulus. Here we demonstrate that inducible overexpression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 in a PC12 Tet-on- cell line up-regulates mRNA expression and leads to phosphorylation of c-Jun at Ser73 via the ERK pathway in a time and concentration dependent manner. Phosphorylation of c-Jun was inhibited by the addition of the selective ERK inhibitor PD 98059. No activation of the stress-activated protein kinases JNK and p38 could be detected. This is the first evidence of a direct activation of the Ras-Raf-MAPK cascade by an anti-apoptotic protein. We propose that the selective activation of Ras, the ERK pathway and the subsequent phosphorylation of c-Jun contribute to the anti-apoptotic action of Bcl-2.
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PMID:Bcl-2 up-regulates ha-ras mRNA expression and induces c-Jun phosphorylation at Ser73 via an ERK-dependent pathway in PC 12 cells. 1249 45

It has been suggested that the alpha-class glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) protect various cell types from oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation (LPO). In order to examine the protective role of alpha-class GST isozyme hGSTA1-1 against doxorubicin (DOX)-induced lipid peroxidation, cytotoxicity, and apoptosis, human small cell lung cancer (SCLC) H69 cells were stably transfected with hGSTA1. Immunological and biochemical characterization of hGSTA1-transfected cells revealed the expression of functionally active hGSTA1-1 localized near the cellular plasma membranes. hGSTA1-transfected cells acquired significantly increased resistance to the DOX-induced cytotoxicity by suppressing lipid peroxidation levels in these cells. Overexpression of hGSTA1-1 in cells inhibited DOX-mediated depletion of GSH and higher GSH levels were found in DOX-treated hGSTA1-transfected cells as compared with empty vector-transfected controls. hGSTA1-1 overexpression also provided protection to cells from DOX-induced apoptosis by inhibiting phosphorylation of c-Jun-N-terminal kinases (JNK), caspase-3 activation, and by preserving the levels of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. These results are consistent with the idea that the alpha-class GSTs provide protection against oxidative stress by attenuating lipid peroxidation and these enzymes can modulate signaling for apoptosis.
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PMID:Glutathione S-transferases as antioxidant enzymes: small cell lung cancer (H69) cells transfected with hGSTA1 resist doxorubicin-induced apoptosis. 1689 Jan 85

Salsolinol, an endogenous neurotoxin, is known to be involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). In the present study, we have investigated the effects of salsolinol on the activation of two different signaling pathways that involve c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and nuclear factor-kappaB, (NF-kappaB) in human dopaminergic neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Salsolinol treatment caused upregulation in the levels of c-Jun and phosphorylated c-Jun. It also caused degradation of IkappaBalpha and translocated the active NF-kappaB into the nucleus. The binding activity of NF-kappaB to DNA was enhanced by salsolinol in a concentration dependent manner. Furthermore, salsolinol decreased the levels of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, and increased pro-apoptotic protein Bax, while enhancing the release of cytochrome-c from mitochondria. Mitochondrial complex-I activity was significantly decreased and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were increased in salsolinol treated cells. These results partly suggest that salsolinol-induced JNK and NF-kappaB signaling pathways may be involved in induction of apoptosis in human dopaminergic neurons, as seen in Parkinson's disease.
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PMID:Salsolinol, an endogenous neurotoxin, activates JNK and NF-kappaB signaling pathways in human neuroblastoma cells. 1726 50

In multiple sclerosis (MS) and its widely accepted animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), the failure of autoreactive immune cells to undergo apoptosis is thought to contribute to CNS tissue damage and disease progression. Promoting apoptosis of myelin-reactive immune cells in diseases such as MS, may delay disease progression and decrease the frequency and severity of relapses. X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) is a potent anti-apoptotic protein that inhibits intrinsic, extrinsic, and c-Jun amino-terminal kinase mediated apoptosis and was the only member of the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family upregulated in whole blood from EAE mice. Similar increases in XIAP were also observed in both peripheral and encephalitogenic T lymphocytes. Increased XIAP expression in T cells within areas of demyelination in the CNS suggests that XIAP may be enhancing cell survival and thereby contributing to disease pathology.
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PMID:Inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) profiling in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) implicates increased XIAP in T lymphocytes. 1805 22

Evidence has been provided of the anti-proliferative activity of certain antidepressants, mainly the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). We tested the effect of different antidepressants on cell viability and proliferation of human colorectal carcinoma cell lines HT29 and the multi-drug resistant (MDR) LS1034. The SSRIs, paroxetine and sertraline, induced a dose-dependent inhibition of cell viability and proliferation in the two cell lines (IC50 8-15 micro M). When compared to cytotoxic agents e.g. doxorubicin, vincristine and 5-fluorouracil, the SSRIs showed comparable activity (HT29) or a superior effect (LS1034). Using flow cytometry analysis, we found that the two SSRIs arrested cells at the G0/G1 stage and stimulated DNA fragmentation in a dose-dependent manner. The SSRIs (10 and 20 microM) increased caspase-3 activation. Western blot analysis showed an increase after 24 h in c-Jun and a decrease in the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. The results suggest a proapoptotic activity for the active SSRIs accompanied by mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade activation and Bcl-2 inhibition. In vivo, we used CD1 nude mice xenografted subcutaneously with HT29 cells. On day 8, after cell inoculation sertraline or paroxetine (15 mg/kg x3/week i.p.) were administered to animals (6/group), which were monitored weekly (for 5 weeks) for tumor volume and body weight. At 5 weeks, the animals survived, with no significant difference in body weight. Sertraline, though not paroxetine, significantly inhibited tumor growth. Collectively, our results suggest that the widely-used antidepressant, sertraline, possesses a potential anti-tumor activity, which circumvents the MDR mechanism. Since SSRI therapy is frequently indicated in cancer patients, the use of sertraline in colon cancer patients with co-morbidity of depression seems attractive.
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PMID:Evaluation of the potential anti-cancer activity of the antidepressant sertraline in human colon cancer cell lines and in colorectal cancer-xenografted mice. 1863 48


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