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)

Neointima formation is a characteristic feature of common vascular pathologies, such as atherosclerosis and post-angioplasty restenosis, and involves smooth muscle cell proliferation. Determination of whether the bZIP transcription factor c-Jun plays a direct regulatory role in arterial lesion formation, or indeed in other disease, has been hampered by the lack of a potent and specific pharmacological inhibitor. c-Jun is poorly expressed in the uninjured artery wall and transiently induced following arterial injury in animal models. Here we generated a gene-specific DNAzyme-targeting c-Jun. We show that c-Jun protein is expressed in human atherosclerotic lesions. Dz13, a catalytically active c-Jun DNAzyme, cleaved c-Jun RNA and inhibited inducible c-Jun protein expression in vascular smooth muscle cells. Dz13 blocked vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation with potency exceeding its exact non-catalytic antisense oligodeoxynucleotide equivalent. Moreover, Dz13 abrogated smooth muscle cell repair following scraping injury in vitro and intimal thickening in injured rat carotid arteries in vivo. These studies demonstrate the positive influence on neointima formation by c-Jun and the therapeutic potential of a DNAzyme controlling its expression.
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PMID:c-Jun regulates vascular smooth muscle cell growth and neointima formation after arterial injury. Inhibition by a novel DNA enzyme targeting c-Jun. 1189 Dec 28

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and the type I IGF-1 receptor are important regulators of vascular function that may contribute to cardiovascular disease. We hypothesized that IGF-1 causes endothelial cell dysfunction and expression of neutrophil and monocyte adhesion molecules by enhancing pro-inflammatory cytokine signal transduction. Long-term IGF-1 treatment of endothelial cells potentiated c-Jun and nuclear factor NF-kappaB activation by tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and enhanced TNF-alpha-mediated adhesion molecule expression. In response to IGF-1 treatment, the expression of kinases in the c-Jun/c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase signaling pathway (MEKK1, MEK4, and JNK1/2) was unchanged, but expressions of insulin receptor substrate-1 and Grb2-associated binder-1 (Gab1) were significantly decreased. Because Gab1 is involved in both c-Jun and NF-kappaB activation by TNF-alpha, we focused on Gab1-dependent signaling. Gab1 inhibited c-Jun and NF-kappaB transcriptional activation by TNF-alpha. Interestingly, Gab1 inhibited c-Jun transcriptional activity induced by MEKK3 but not MEKK1 and MEK4. Gab1 associated with MEKK3, and a catalytically inactive form of MEKK3 inhibited TNF-alpha-induced c-Jun and NF-kappaB transcriptional activation, suggesting a critical role for Gab1 and MEKK3 in TNF-alpha signaling. These data demonstrate that Gab1 and MEKK3 play important roles in endothelial cell inflammation via regulating the activation of c-Jun and NF-kappaB. Furthermore, the IGF-1-mediated downregulation of Gab1 expression represents a novel mechanism to promote vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis.
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PMID:Insulin-like growth factor-1 enhances inflammatory responses in endothelial cells: role of Gab1 and MEKK3 in TNF-alpha-induced c-Jun and NF-kappaB activation and adhesion molecule expression. 1206 26

IL-8 is an important mediator of leukocyte trafficking and activation, participating in tumor angiogenesis, inflammatory processes and coronary atherosclerosis. Under flow conditions IL-8, in conjunction with MCP-1, triggers the firm adhesion of monocytes to the vascular endothelium. While previous studies have suggested the requirement of NF-kappaB for IL-8 secretion by endothelial cells, we investigated the possibility of IL-8 transactivation under conditions of NF-kappaB suppression. Inhibition of the proteasome by MG-132 or lactacystin completely blocked TNF-alpha-induced IkappaBalpha degradation as well as NF-kappaB activity in human arterial endothelial cells. Surprisingly, basal secretion of IL-8 protein was eight- to tenfold induced by proteasome inhibitors, while MCP-1 expression was, as expected, completely down-regulated. IL-8 was up-regulated at the transcriptional level, and promoter studies proved a more than ninefold induction of transcription factor AP-1 activity to be the cause of increased IL-8 transcription. Mutation of the AP-1 binding site in an IL-8 promoter construct completely abrogated this effect, while mutation of the NF-kappaB motif did not influence IL-8 transactivation by proteasome inhibitors. With DNA binding assays we found a seven- to eightfold induction of phosphorylated c-Jun and hence JNK kinase activity under MG-132 treatment. Induction of JNK kinase appeared independent of the cell type, even in tumor cell lines not responding to proteasome inhibitors. Since neither inactivation of p53 in wild-type p53 cells nor reintroduction of functional p53 into p53(-/-) cells affected MG-132-inducible IL-8 secretion, a direct influence of p53 on IL-8 regulation could be excluded. These results show that proteasome inhibitors can not only lead to functional AP-1 induction by enhanced c-Jun phosphorylation, but also transactivate the IL-8 gene in human endothelial cells despite complete suppression of NF-kappaB activity.
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PMID:Proteasome inhibition leads to NF-kappaB-independent IL-8 transactivation in human endothelial cells through induction of AP-1. 1220 33

Activation of vascular endothelial cells (ECs) plays an important pathogenic role in the development of atherosclerosis. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is a potent chemoattractant of monocytes. Besides induction of monocyte recruitment, it has been suggested that MCP-1 can also affect the cellular responses of ECs. We investigated whether MCP-1 activated the three major mitogen activated protein (MAP)-kinases extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun amino terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 MAPK. Stimulation of ECs with MCP-1 induced a time- and concentration-dependent activation of all three MAP-kinases, concentrations as low as 0.1 ng/ml were sufficient for this mechanism. MCP-1 also induced secretion of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 which along with ERK activation was inhibited by PD098059. The results demonstrate that MCP-1 can lead to direct activation of MAP kinases together with induction of MMP2 in ECs. Our data thus propose a new mechanism for the proatherogenic effect of MCP-1.
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PMID:MCP-1 induces activation of MAP-kinases ERK, JNK and p38 MAPK in human endothelial cells. 1239 99

Monocyte infiltration followed by differentiation into macrophages and accumulation of oxidised LDL (oxLDL) comprise early stages of atherosclerosis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is upregulated by oxLDL, may contribute to atherogenesis through monocyte recruitment, increased vascular permeability and promotion of intraplaque vessels. The VEGF receptor-1 (VEGFR-1/Flt-1) mediates monocyte migration towards VEGF and regulates the levels of available VEGF through ligand-entrapment. In this study we investigated the effect of oxLDL on VEGFR-1 expression in human monocyte-derived macrophages. mRNA expression was estimated using RT-PCR, protein secretion was measured with ELISA and the amount of membrane-bound VEGFR-1 was analysed using flow cytometry analysis. Binding of transcription factors to the promoter was studied with EMSA. Incubation with oxLDL decreased VEGFR-1 mRNA expression in a time- and dose-dependent manner, followed by a subsequent decrease in protein secretion of VEGFR-1 and a reduction of the amount of receptor expressed on the cell surface. Furthermore, the PPARgamma agonists 9-hydroxy-(S)-10,12-octadecadienoic acid (9-HODE) and darglitazone also decreased VEGFR-1 mRNA expression. Incubation of macrophages with oxLDL or 9-HODE decreased binding of the transcription factor AP-1 (c-jun/ATF-2) to the VEGFR-1 promoter. Together, these data suggest that oxLDL decreases VEGFR-1 expression in macrophages, probably through a PPARgamma-dependent reduction in the AP-1 transcriptional activity. This implies that oxLDL has effects on the biological availability of VEGF, besides its direct effect on VEGF expression.
Atherosclerosis 2003 Aug
PMID:Oxidised LDL decreases VEGFR-1 expression in human monocyte-derived macrophages. 1292 77

3-Hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) are effective in patients with hypercholesterolemia to reduce risk of cardiovascular diseases, because of not only their lowering cholesterol effects but also their pleiotropic effects, such as improvement of endothelial cell dysfunction. On the other hand, statins prevent cell proliferation of various cells, including endothelial cells. We examined effects of all statins available at present on the viability of cultured rat pulmonary vein endothelial cells. Lovastatin, simvastatin, atorvastatin, fluvastatin and cerivastatin, which are hydrophobic statins, markedly reduced cell viability associated with DNA fragmentation, DNA laddering and activation of caspase-3, suggesting apoptotic cell death. Pravastatin, which is a hydrophilic statin, however, did not induce cell apoptosis. Apoptosis induced by hydrophobic statins was associated with activation of apoptosis-related intracellular signal transduction systems; attenuation of localization of RhoA to the membrane, induction of Rac1, and increase in phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase and c-Jun. Endothelial cell apoptosis is underlying the improvement of the endothelial dysfunction with hydrophobic statins.
Atherosclerosis 2003 Oct
PMID:All hydrophobic HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors induce apoptotic death in rat pulmonary vein endothelial cells. 1461 3

It has been widely shown that many plant-derived compounds present significant anti-inflammatory effects. For this reason, they represent potential molecules for the development of new drugs, especially designed for the treatment and/or control of chronic inflammatory states such as rheumatism, asthma, inflammatory bowel diseases, atherosclerosis, etc. This review focuses on the naturally-occurring compounds with anti-inflammatory properties and attempts to correlate their actions with the modulation of cytokines and associated intracellular signalling pathways; it continues the review published in the November, 2003 issue of Planta Medica. Abbreviations. AP-1:activator protein-1 CCR1:chemokine receptor 1 CINC-1:cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant 1 COX:cyclooxygenase EGCG:(-)-epigallocatechin gallate ELAM-1:endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecule-1 ERK:extracellular signal-regulated kinase GRO:growth-related oncogene HUVEC:human umbilical vein endothelial cells ICAM-1:intercellular adhesion molecule-1 IFN:interferon IL:interleukin iNOS:inducible nitric oxide synthase IRA:the natural interleukin receptor activation JAK:janus kinase JNK:c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase LPS:lipopolysaccharide MAPK:mitogen-activated protein kinases MCP:monocyte chemotactic protein MHC:major histocompatibility complex MIP:macrophage inflammatory protein MMP:matrix metalloproteinases MPO:myeloperoxidase NF-kappaBnuclear factor kappa B NO:nitric oxide PAF:platelet aggregation factor PGEE:prostaglandin PK:protein kinase PMA/TPA:phorbol myristate acetate RANTES:regulated upon activation normal T-cell expressed and secreted TGF-beta:transforming growth factor-beta TNFalpha:tumour necrosis factor VCAM-1:vascular cell adhesion molecule-1
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PMID:Anti-inflammatory compounds of plant origin. Part II. modulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and adhesion molecules. 1499 84

The role of alpha-class mammalian glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) in the protection of many cell types, including vascular smooth muscle cells, against oxidant damage has been demonstrated, but the role of GSTs in the endothelial cell is not well studied. In order to examine the role of GSTs in the endothelial cell, a stable transfection of mouse pancreatic islet endothelial cells (MS1) with cDNA of mGSTA4-4, mouse isozyme of GSTs with activity in vascular wall, was established. Transfected cells demonstrated significantly higher GSTs enzyme activity and expressed significantly increased resistance to the cytotoxicity of allylamine, acrolein, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE), and H(2)O(2) (P < 0.05). A significantly higher rate of proliferation and lower baseline level of intracellular malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-HNE were present when compared to wild-type or vector-transfected MS1 endothelial cells (P < 0.05). Transfection protected MS1 endothelial cells from 4-HNE and H(2)O(2) induced apoptosis by inhibiting phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinases (p-JNK) and consequent activation of p53 and Bax. In early human fibrous atherosclerotic plaques, immunohistochemical studies demonstrated marked induction of hGSTA4-4 in endothelial cells overlying plaque, and in proliferating plaque vascular smooth muscle cells. Our results indicate that endothelial cell mGSTA4-4 can play a key role in protecting blood vessels against oxidative stress and, thus, is likely to be a critical defense mechanism against oxidants that act as atherogens.
Atherosclerosis 2004 Apr
PMID:Glutathione-S-transferase A4-4 modulates oxidative stress in endothelium: possible role in human atherosclerosis. 1506 94

1 Irbesartan is a promising antihypertensive drug with beneficial effects on atherosclerotic processes. In the progression of atherosclerosis, human T-lymphocytes play an important role, but it is not yet known how irbesartan modulates human T-lymphocytes activation. To gain insight into the mechanisms by which irbesartan acts, we investigated its effects on human T-lymphocytes. 2 Primary human T-lymphocytes were isolated from whole blood. Cytokines were determined by ELISA. Activator protein-1 (AP-1) and related protein activities were determined by electrophoretic mobility shift assays, kinase assays, Western blotting and transfection assays. 3 Irbesartan inhibited the production of both tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma by activated T-cells, especially at therapeutic concentrations. Further investigation at the molecular level indicated that the inhibition of activated human T-lymphocytes specifically correlated with the downregulation of AP-1 DNA-binding activity. In the Jurkat T-cell line, irbesartan also inhibited AP-1 transcriptional activity. Finally, we revealed that irbesartan is unique in its ability to inhibit the activation of both c-Jun NH2-terminal protein kinase and p38 MAPK. 4 Our studies show that irbesartan may modulate inflammation-based atherosclerotic diseases through a cell-mediated mechanism involving suppression of human T-lymphocytes activation via downregulation of AP-1 activity.
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PMID:Irbesartan inhibits human T-lymphocyte activation through downregulation of activator protein-1. 1521 May 74

Seroepidemiological studies and demonstration of viable bacteria in atherosclerotic plaques have linked Chlamydophila pneumoniae infection to the development of chronic vascular lesions and coronary heart disease. In this study, we characterized C. pneumoniae-mediated effects on human endothelial cells and demonstrated enhanced phosphorylation and activation of the endothelial mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family members extracellular receptor kinase (ERK1/2), p38-MAPK, and c-Jun-NH2 kinase (JNK). Subsequent interleukin-8 (IL-8) expression was dependent on p38-MAPK and ERK1/2 activation as demonstrated by preincubation of endothelial cells with specific inhibitors for the p38-MAPK (SB202190) or ERK (U0126) pathway. Inhibition of either MAPK had almost no effect on intercellular cell adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) expression. While Chlamydia trachomatis was also able to infect endothelial cells, it did not induce the expression of endothelial IL-8 or ICAM-1. These effects were specific for a direct stimulation with viable C. pneumoniae and independent of paracrine release of endothelial cell-derived mediators like platelet-activating factor, NO, prostaglandins, or leukotrienes. Thus, C. pneumoniae triggers an early signal transduction cascade in target cells that could lead to endothelial cell activation, inflammation, and thrombosis, which in turn may result in or promote atherosclerosis.
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PMID:Differences in cell activation by Chlamydophila pneumoniae and Chlamydia trachomatis infection in human endothelial cells. 1550 94


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