Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound   Target Concepts: 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)

Macrophage death in advanced atherosclerosis promotes necrosis and plaque destabilization. A likely cause of macrophage death is accumulation of free cholesterol (FC) in the ER, leading to activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP)-induced apoptosis. Here we show that p38 MAPK signaling is necessary for CHOP induction and apoptosis. Additionally, two other signaling pathways must cooperate with p38-CHOP to effect apoptosis. One involves the type A scavenger receptor (SRA). As evidence, FC loading by non-SRA mechanisms activates p38 and CHOP, but not apoptosis unless the SRA is engaged. The other pathway involves c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK)2, which is activated by cholesterol trafficking to the ER, but is independent of CHOP. Thus, FC-induced apoptosis requires cholesterol trafficking to the ER, which triggers p38-CHOP and JNK2, and engagement of the SRA. These findings have important implications for understanding how the UPR, MAPKs, and the SRA might conspire to cause macrophage death, lesional necrosis, and plaque destabilization in advanced atherosclerotic lesions.
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PMID:Cholesterol-induced macrophage apoptosis requires ER stress pathways and engagement of the type A scavenger receptor. 1620 57

Lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPC) induces vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation and migration, which has been proposed to initiate the intimal thickening in coronary atherosclerotic lesions. Berberine is an alkaloid in Berberis aquifolium and many other plants. Recently, it has been shown to have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system, such as anti-hyperglycemic and cholesterol-lowering activity. In this study, we investigated its effects on lysoPC-induced VSMC proliferation and migration. Berberine inhibited lysoPC-induced DNA synthesis and cell proliferation in VSMCs, as well as migration of the lysoPC-stimulated VSMCs. It also inhibited the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) and reduced transcription factor AP-1 activity and the lysoPC-induced increases in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). These results indicate that the inhibitory effects of berberine on lysoPC-stimulated VSMC proliferation and migration are attributable to inhibition of ROS generation and hence of activation of the ERK1/2 pathway. This suggests that berberine has potential in the prevention of atherosclerosis and restenosis.
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PMID:Berberine inhibits the production of lysophosphatidylcholine-induced reactive oxygen species and the ERK1/2 pathway in vascular smooth muscle cells. 1640 60

Inflammation plays an essential role in atherosclerosis and post-angioplasty restenosis and the synthesis and release of inflammatory cytokines from vascular smooth muscle cells is an important contributor to these pathologies. It is assumed that drugs that prevent the overproduction of inflammatory cytokines may inhibit cardiovascular disorders. In the present study, the effects of a water-soluble antioxidant, salvianolic acid B (Sal B), derived from a Chinese herb, on the expression of cyclooxygenase (COX) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) and in the aortas of cholesterol-fed apoE deficient mice were investigated. In unstimulated HASMCs, COX-2 mRNA and protein were almost undetectable, but were strongly upregulated in response to LPS. In contrast, HASMCs with or without LPS treatment showed constitutive expression of COX-1 mRNA and protein. The activation of COX-2 protein synthesis in LPS-stimulated HASMCs was shown to involve the activation of the extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. Incubation of HASMCs with Sal B before LPS stimulation resulted in pronounced downregulation of COX-2 expression. Sal B treatment suppressed ERK1/2 and JNK phosphorylation and attenuated the increase in prostaglandin E(2) production and NADPH oxidase activity in LPS-treated HASMCs. When apoE-deficient mice were fed a 0.15% cholesterol diet with or without supplementation with 0.3% Sal B for 12 weeks, the intima/media area ratio in the thoracic aortas was significantly reduced in the Sal B group (0.010 +/- 0.009%) compared to the apoE-deficient group (0.114 +/- 0.043%) and there was a significant reduction in COX-2 protein expression in the thickened intima. These results demonstrate that Sal B has anti-inflammatory properties and may explain its anti-atherosclerotic properties. This new mechanism of action of Sal B, in addition to its previously reported inhibition of LDL oxidation, may help explain its efficacy in the treatment of atherosclerosis.
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PMID:Salvianolic acid B attenuates cyclooxygenase-2 expression in vitro in LPS-treated human aortic smooth muscle cells and in vivo in the apolipoprotein-E-deficient mouse aorta. 1644 Mar 26

Inflammation is emerging as an important mechanism for micro- and macrovascular complication of diabetes. The macrophage plays a key role in the chronic inflammatory response in part by generating particular cytokines. IL-1beta, IL-6, IL12, IL-18, TNFalpha, and interferon-gamma are produced primarily in macrophages and have been associated with accelerated atherosclerosis and altered vascular wall function. In this study, we evaluated the effect and mechanism of high glucose (HG) on gene expression of these cytokines in mouse peritoneal macrophages (MPM). HG led to a 2-fold increase in the mRNA expression of these cytokines, with IL-12 showing the highest activation (5.4-fold) in a time-dependent (3-12 h) and dose-dependent (10, 17.5, and 25 mmol/liter) manner. The effects were specific to HG because mannitol and 3-O-methyl-glucose had no effect on cytokine mRNA expression. HG also increased IL-12 protein accumulation from MPM. We also explored the role of induced and spontaneous diabetes on inflammatory cytokine expression in MPM. Increases in expression in MPM of multiple inflammatory cytokines, including a 20-fold increase in IL-12 mRNA, were observed in streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetic mice as well as type 2 diabetic db/db mice, suggesting that cytokine gene expression is increased by hyperglycemia in vivo. We next explored potential mechanisms of HG-induced increases in IL-12 mRNA. HG increased the activity of protein kinase C, p38 MAPK (p38), c-Jun terminal kinase, and inhibitory-kappaB kinase in MPM. Furthermore, inhibitors of these signaling pathways significantly reduced HG-induced IL-12 mRNA expression in MPM. These results provide evidence for a potentially important mechanism linking elevated glucose and diabetes to inflammation.
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PMID:Elevated glucose and diabetes promote interleukin-12 cytokine gene expression in mouse macrophages. 1645 83

The proliferation and migration of arterial smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are key events in the vascular restenosis that frequently follows angioplasty. Furthermore, SMC migration and neointimal hyperplasia are promoted by degradation of the extracellular matrix by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Because we demonstrated previously that the proinflammatory and proatherogenic cytokine interleukin-18 (IL-18) stimulates SMC proliferation (Chandrasekar, B., Mummidi, S., Valente, A. J., Patel, D. N., Bailey, S. R., Freeman, G. L., Hatano, M., Tokuhisa, T., and Jensen, L. E. (2005) J. Biol. Chem. 280, 26263-26277), we investigated whether IL-18 induces SMC migration in an MMP-dependent manner and whether the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitor atorvastatin can inhibit this response. IL-18 treatment increased both mRNA and protein expression of MMP9 in human coronary artery SMCs. Gel shift, enzyme-linked immunosorbent, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed a strong induction of IL-18-mediated AP-1 (c-Fos, c-Jun, and Fra-1) and NF-kappaB (p50 and p65) activation and stimulation of MMP9 promoter-dependent reporter gene activity in an AP-1- and NF-kappaB-dependent manner. Ectopic expression of p65, c-Fos, c-Jun, and Fra-1 induced MMP9 promoter activity. Specific antisense or small interfering RNA reagents for these transcription factors reduced IL-18-mediated MMP9 transcription. Furthermore, IL-18 stimulated SMC migration in an MMP9-dependent manner. Atorvastatin effectively suppressed IL-18-mediated AP-1 and NF-kappaB activation, MMP9 expression, and SMC migration. Together, our results indicate for the first time that the proatherogenic cytokine IL-18 induces human coronary artery SMC migration in an MMP9-dependent manner. Atorvastatin inhibits IL-18-mediated aortic SMC migration and has therapeutic potential for attenuating the progression of atherosclerosis and restenosis.
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PMID:Interleukin-18-induced human coronary artery smooth muscle cell migration is dependent on NF-kappaB- and AP-1-mediated matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression and is inhibited by atorvastatin. 1655 98

Hypertriglyceridemia is an important risk factor for atherosclerosis, especially in obesity. Macrophages are one of the primary cell types involved in atherogenesis and are thought to contribute to lesion formation through both lipid accumulation and proinflammatory gene expression. In this study, we sought to determine the direct impact of triglyceride (TG)-rich VLDL-induced lipid accumulation on macrophage proinflammatory processes. Incubation of mouse peritoneal macrophages with 100 microg/ml VLDL for 6 h led to 2.8- and 3.7-fold increases in intracellular TGs and FFAs, respectively (P < 0.05). The inflammatory proteins tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3), and macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha (MIP-1alpha) were all upregulated by at least 2-fold (P < 0.05) in a dose-dependent manner in VLDL-treated macrophages. The increase in inflammatory gene expression coincided with the phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway members extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2, stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase, and p38 MAPK and was ameliorated by U0126, an inhibitor of ERK1/2. Inhibition of extracellular TG hydrolysis with tetrahydrolipstatin (Orlistat) resulted in the absence of intracellular TG and FFA accumulation and was accompanied by the amelioration of ERK1/2 phosphorylation and MIP-1alpha gene expression. These data indicate that VLDL hydrolysis, and the subsequent accumulation of intracellular FFAs and TGs, plays a substantive role in mediating the proinflammatory effects of VLDL. These data have important implications for the direct proatherogenic effects of VLDL on macrophage-driven atherosclerosis.
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PMID:The role of lipolysis in mediating the proinflammatory effects of very low density lipoproteins in mouse peritoneal macrophages. 1663 77

Unregulated uptake of oxidized low-density lipoproteins (ox-LDL) via macrophage scavenger receptors (SRs) such as lectin-like ox-LDL receptor-1 (LOX-1) is a key event in atherosclerosis. In this study, we examined the effects of five selected food phytochemicals on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced LOX-1 mRNA expression in THP-1 human monocyte-like cells. Nobiletin, a citrus polymethoxylated flavone, markedly reduced it in dose- and time-dependent manners. It also suppressed the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) 1/2, c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) 1/2, and c-Jun (Ser-63), thereby inhibiting the transcriptional activity of activator protein-1. Further nobiletin attenuated expression of SR-A, SR-PSOX, CD36, and CD68, but not CLA-1, mRNA, leading to the blockade of DiI-acLDL uptake. Together, our results suggest that nobiletin is a promising phytochemical for regulating atherosclerosis with reasonable action mechanisms.
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PMID:Nobiletin, a citrus flavonoid, suppresses phorbol ester-induced expression of multiple scavenger receptor genes in THP-1 human monocytic cells. 1669 17

Proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are believed to develop atherosclerosis and venous bypass graft disease. Ligustilide is widely used to treat some pathological settings such as atherosclerosis and hypertension. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of ligustilide on VSMCs proliferation. The results show that ligustilide significantly inhibited VSMCs proliferation and cell cycle progression. Further analysis shows that ligustilide suppressed reactive oxygen species production and extracellular signal-related kinases (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK), and p38 MAP kinase. Cells were treated with antioxidant, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and DPI, respectively, leading to repress ERK, JNK, and p38 activation. The inhibitors of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK), PD98059, SB203580, and Sp600125, inhibited cell proliferation. These findings suggest the antiproliferative effect of ligustilide was associated with the decrement of reactive oxygen species resulting in the suppression of MAPK pathway. Thus, ligustilide contribute to be the effective agent in preventing cardiovascular diseases.
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PMID:Ligustilide inhibits vascular smooth muscle cells proliferation. 1680 64

CXCL16 is a transmembrane non-ELR CXC chemokine that signals via CXCR6 to induce aortic smooth muscle cell (ASMC) proliferation. While bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been shown to stimulate CXCL16 expression in SMC, its effects on CXCR6 are not known. Here, we demonstrate that LPS upregulates CXCR6 mRNA, protein, and surface expression in human ASMC. Inhibition of TLR4 with neutralizing antibodies or specific siRNA interference blocked LPS-mediated CXCR6 expression. LPS stimulated both AP-1 (c-Fos, c-Jun) and NF-kappaB (p50 and p65) activation, but only inhibition of AP-1 attenuated LPS-induced CXCR6 expression. Using dominant negative expression vectors and siRNA interference, we demonstrate that LPS induces AP-1 activation via MyD88, TRAF6, ERK1/2, and JNK signaling pathways. Furthermore, the flavoprotein inhibitor diphenyleniodonium chloride significantly attenuated LPS-mediated AP-1-dependent CXCR6 expression, as did inhibition of NOX4 NADPH oxidase by siRNA. Finally, CXCR6 knockdown inhibited CXCL16-induced ASMC proliferation. These results demonstrate that LPS-TLR4-NOX4-AP-1 signaling can induce CXCR6 expression in ASMC, and suggest that the CXCL16-CXCR6 axis may be an important proinflammatory pathway in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
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PMID:TLR4-NOX4-AP-1 signaling mediates lipopolysaccharide-induced CXCR6 expression in human aortic smooth muscle cells. 1687 Jan 45

Salvianolic acid B (Sal B), a water-soluble antioxidant derived from a Chinese medicinal herb, is believed to have multiple therapeutic and preventive against human vascular diseases, including atherosclerosis and restenosis. To elucidate the underlying cellular mechanisms, we produced hypercholesterolemia by feeding apo-E-deficient mice a 0.15% cholesterol diet and inflammation in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) with the endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS), focusing on the metallopreteinases MMP-2 and MMP-9, the relevant signal transduction pathways and the effects of Sal B. Immunohistochemical analyses indicated apo-E-deficient mice fed a 0.15% cholesterol diet for 12 weeks exhibited thickened intima and elevated levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in aortic sections, both of which were attenuated by 0.3% Sal B dietary supplement. Western blotting and zymography analyses indicated that unstimulated HASMCs exhibited basal levels of protein and activity levels for MMP-2 and barely detectable levels for MMP-9, both of which were markedly upregulated by LPS, which also induced cell migration. Sal B significantly attenuated upregulations of both MMPs as well as the LPS-induced cell migration through the inactivation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 protein synthesis as well as the downregulation of the extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK). These results demonstrate that Sal B has anti-migration properties on smooth muscle cells and may explain its anti-atherosclerotic properties. This novel mechanism of action of Sal B, in addition to its previously reported inhibition of LDL oxidation, may help explain its efficacy in the treatment of atherosclerosis.
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PMID:Salvianolic acid B attenuates MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression in vivo in apolipoprotein-E-deficient mouse aorta and in vitro in LPS-treated human aortic smooth muscle cells. 1692 68


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