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)

Inosine 5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) is a rate-limiting enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of IMP to xanthosine monophosphate (XMP) at the branch point of purine nucleotide biosynthesis, leading to the generation of guanine nucleotides. Inhibition of IMPDH results in the depletion of guanine nucleotides, prevents cell growth by G1 arrest, and induces cell differentiation in a cell-type-specific manner. The molecular and sensing mechanisms underlying these effects are not clear. We have examined the induction of apoptosis by mycophenolic acid (MPA), a specific IMPDH inhibitor, in interleukin-3 (IL-3)-dependent murine hematopoietic cell lines. MPA treatment, at clinically relevant doses, caused apoptosis in 32D myeloid cells and in FL5.12 and BaF3 pre-B cells in the ongoing presence of IL-3. Apoptosis was completely prevented by the addition of guanosine at time points up to 12 hours, after which caspase 3 activity increased and apoptosis was not reversible. MPA treatment caused marked down-regulation of the MAP kinase kinase/extracellular regulatory kinase (MEK/Erk) pathway at 3 hours while simultaneously increasing the phosphorylation of c-Jun kinase. In addition, MPA strongly down-regulated the mammalian target of rapamcyin (mTOR) pathway, as indicated by the decreased phosphorylation of p70 S6 kinase and of 4EBP1. Inhibition of either the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) or the mTOR pathway alone by standard pharmacologic inhibitors did not induce apoptosis in IL-3-dependent cells, whereas inhibition of both pathways simulated the effects of MPA treatment. These results indicate that IMPDH inhibitors may be effective in modulating signal transduction pathways in hematopoietic cells, suggesting their usefulness in chemotherapeutic regimens for hematologic malignancies.
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PMID:Induction of apoptosis in IL-3-dependent hematopoietic cell lines by guanine nucleotide depletion. 1260 35

Mitogen-activated protein (Map) kinases are widely expressed serine-threonine kinases that mediate important regulatory signals in the cell. Three major groups of Map kinases exist: the p38 Map kinase family, the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) family, and the c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) family. The members of the different Map kinase groups participate in the generation of various cellular responses, including gene transcription, induction of cell death or maintenance of cell survival, malignant transformation, and regulation of cell-cycle progression. Depending on the specific family isoform involved and the cellular context, Map kinase pathways can mediate signals that either promote or suppress the growth of malignant hematopoietic cells. Over the last few years, extensive work by several groups has established that Map kinase pathways play critical roles in the pathogenesis of various hematologic malignancies, providing new molecular targets for future therapeutic approaches. In this review, the involvement of various Map kinase pathways in the pathophysiology of hematologic malignances is summarized and the clinical implications of the recent advances in the field are discussed.
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PMID:Map kinase signaling pathways and hematologic malignancies. 1262 39

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), originally identified as a factor produced in the serum of endotoxin-injected animals, is a cytokine that mediates tumor necrosis. To date, 20 different members of the TNF superfamily and 21 different receptors have been identified. All ligands of the TNF superfamily have been found to activate transcription factor NF-kappaB and c-Jun kinase. Members of this family have diverse biologic effects, including induction of apoptosis, promotion of cell survival, and regulation of the immune system. The current review focuses on four members that play important roles in regulating hematopoietic cells and are involved in the pathogenesis of several hematologic malignancies. The potential therapeutic use of these members also is discussed.
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PMID:Clinical implications of the tumor necrosis factor family in benign and malignant hematologic disorders. 1287 61

Topoisomerase I inhibitors are effective anticancer therapies and have shown activity in hematologic malignancies. Here we show for the first time that SN38, the potent active metabolite of irinotecan, induces c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase activation, Fas up-regulation, and caspase 8-mediated apoptosis in multiple myeloma (MM) cells. Proteasomal degradation of nuclear topoisomerase I has been proposed as a resistance mechanism in solid malignancies. SN38-induced proteasomal degradation of topoisomerase I was observed during SN38-mediated cytotoxicity against MM.1S myeloma cell line but occurred after c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase activation, Fas up-regulation, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage and failed to protect cells from apoptosis. Differential toxicity was observed against MM cells versus bone marrow stromal cells, and SN38 inhibited adhesion-induced up-regulation of MM cell proliferation when MM cells adhere to bone marrow stromal cells. In addition, SN38 directly inhibited constitutive and inducible interleukin 6 and vascular endothelial growth factor secretion by bone marrow stromal cells. Synergy was observed when SN38 was used in combination with doxorubicin, bortezomib, as well as poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor NU1025 and Fas-activator CH11. These findings have clinical significance, because identification of downstream apoptotic signaling after topoisomerase I inhibition will both elucidate mechanisms of resistance and optimize future combination chemotherapy against MM.
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PMID:Proteasomal degradation of topoisomerase I is preceded by c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase activation, Fas up-regulation, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage in SN38-mediated cytotoxicity against multiple myeloma. 1557 86

Bortezomib is a highly selective, reversible inhibitor of the 26S proteasome that is indicated for single-agent use in the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least 2 prior therapies and are progressing on their most recent therapy. Clinical investigations have been completed or are under way to evaluate the safety and efficacy of bortezomib alone or in combination with chemotherapy in multiple myeloma, both at relapse and presentation, as well as in other cancer types. The antiproliferative, proapoptotic, antiangiogenic, and antitumor activities of bortezomib result from proteasome inhibition and depend on the altered degradation of a host of regulatory proteins. Exposure to bortezomib has been shown to stabilize p21, p27, and p53, as well as the proapoptotic Bid and Bax proteins, caveolin-1, and inhibitor kappaB-alpha, which prevents activation of nuclear factor kappaB-induced cell survival pathways. Bortezomib also promoted the activation of the proapoptotic c-Jun-NH2 terminal kinase, as well as the endoplasmic reticulum stress response. The anticancer effects of bortezomib as a single agent have been demonstrated in xenograft models of multiple myeloma, adult T-cell leukemia, lung, breast, prostate, pancreatic, head and neck, and colon cancer, and in melanoma. In these preclinical in vivo studies, bortezomib treatment resulted in decreased tumor growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis, as well as increased survival and tumor apoptosis. In several in vitro and/or in vivo cancer models, bortezomib has also been shown to enhance the antitumor properties of several antineoplastic treatments. Importantly, bortezomib was generally well tolerated and did not appear to produce additive toxicities when combined with other therapies in the dosing regimens used in these preclinical in vivo investigations. These findings provide a rationale for further clinical trials using bortezomib alone or in combination regimens with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, or novel agents in patients with hematologic malignancies or solid tumors.
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PMID:Preclinical evaluation of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib in cancer therapy. 1592 91

There is growing interest in using peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) gamma agonists as chemotherapeutic agents in hematologic malignancies. PPARgamma agonists of diverse chemical structure induce apoptosis in several malignant B cell lines. However, PPARgamma agonists also induce apoptosis in normal B cells. One such agonist, GW7845, rapidly induces apoptosis in early B cells. Understanding the mechanisms of PPARgamma agonist-induced death is essential to minimizing loss of normal cells during chemotherapy. PPARgamma agonists influence mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades in other systems, and MAPKs can be associated with apoptosis. Therefore, we investigated the activation of MAPKs in primary pro-B cells and cultured pro/pre-B cells and their role in GW7845-induced apoptosis. Treatment of a nontransformed murine pro/pre-B-cell line with GW7845 transiently induced the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-related protein kinase (ERK) 1/2, but strongly and persistently induced the activation of p38 MAPK and c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK). In primary pro-B-cells, p38 MAPK and JNK were activated following treatment with GW7845. Phosphorylation of activating transcription factor-2 (ATF-2) was induced strongly in both B-cell types. In pro/pre-B cells, pretreatment with the p38 MAPK/JNK inhibitor PD169316 potently suppressed multiple facets of GW7845-induced apoptosis signaling. However, when a series of p38 MAPK and JNK inhibitors were used, only SB202190, also a dual inhibitor, completely suppressed GW7845-induced apoptosis. Inhibitors specific for p38 MAPK and JNK were only partially effective, suggesting that suppression of a single MAPK is not sufficient to inhibit death. The results support the hypothesis that GW7845 initiates an apoptotic pathway in early B cells through the activation of a kinase cascade that includes at least p38 MAPK and JNK.
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PMID:Activation of multiple mitogen-activated protein kinases in pro/pre-B cells by GW7845, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma agonist, and their contribution to GW7845-induced apoptosis. 1667 23

Proteasome inhibitors represent a novel class of anti-tumor agents that have clinical efficacy against hematologic malignancies, but single-agent activity against solid tumors such as breast cancer has been disappointing, perhaps due to activation of anti-apoptotic survival signals. To evaluate a possible role for the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), A1N4-myc human mammary epithelial, and BT-474 and MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma cells, were studied. Exposure of these lines to pharmacologic p38 blockade enhanced proteasome inhibitor-mediated apoptosis, as did overexpression of dominant negative (DN)-p38-alpha and -beta-MAPK isoforms. Inhibition of p38 resulted in suppression of induction of anti-apoptotic MAPK phosphatase (MKP)-1, in association with enhanced activation of the pro-apoptotic c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK). Moreover, infection of cells treated with a proteasome inhibitor/p38 inhibitor combination with Adenovirus (Ad) inducing over-expression of MKP-1 suppressed apoptosis compared with controls. Further targets of p38 MAPK were also studied, and proteasome inhibition activated phosphorylation of MAPK-activated protein kinase-2, heat shock protein (HSP)-27, and the AKT8 virus oncogene cellular homolog (Akt). Inhibition of p38 MAPK resulted in decreased phospho-HSP-27 and phospho-Akt, while down-regulation of HSP-27 with a small interfering RNA decreased phosphorylation of Akt, directly linking activation of p38 to Akt. Finally, inhibition of Akt with phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase inhibitors increased apoptosis, as did over-expression of DN-Akt. These studies support the hypothesis that proteasome inhibitors activate an anti-apoptotic survival program through p38 MAPK that involves MKP-1 and Akt. Further, they suggest that strategies targeting MKP-1 and Akt could enhance the anti-tumor efficacy of proteasome inhibitors against breast cancer.
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PMID:Proteasome inhibitors induce a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-dependent anti-apoptotic program involving MAPK phosphatase-1 and Akt in models of breast cancer. 1680 78

Aplidin (plitidepsin) is a novel anticancer drug isolated from the marine tunicate Aplidium albicans. Aplidin shows potent antitumor activity in preclinical models against a wide variety of human tumors. Aplidin is currently in phase II clinical trials in a variety of solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. Moreover, clinical studies of Aplidin in combination with other agents are ongoing because it generally lacks cross-resistance with other known cytotoxic drugs. The mode of action of Aplidin in tumor cells is only partially understood. Aplidin induces an early oxidative stress response, which results in a rapid and sustained activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor, the nonreceptor protein tyrosine kinase Src, and the serine threonine kinases c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. Here, we show that sensitivity to Aplidin correlates inversely with the levels of expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27(kip1) (p27) in a panel of low passaged human sarcoma cell lines. Aplidin induces p27 through an oxidation-dependent mechanism and the reduction of p27 levels by specific short hairpin RNA increases Aplidin sensitivity. We confirmed these results in p27 null mouse embryonic fibroblasts corroborating the specificity of the p27 role in Aplidin response because p21(waf1) null mouse embryonic fibroblasts do not show this increased sensitivity. We propose a mechanism of action of Aplidin involving p27 and support the analysis of p27 in the response to Aplidin in currently ongoing clinical trials to establish the levels of this protein as response predictor.
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PMID:Levels of p27(kip1) determine Aplidin sensitivity. 1743 Nov 9

The proteasome has emerged as an important target for cancer therapy with the approval of bortezomib, a first-in-class, reversible proteasome inhibitor, for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM). However, many patients have disease that does not respond to bortezomib, whereas others develop resistance, suggesting the need for other inhibitors with enhanced activity. We therefore evaluated a novel, irreversible, epoxomicin-related proteasome inhibitor, carfilzomib. In models of MM, this agent potently bound and specifically inhibited the chymotrypsin-like proteasome and immunoproteasome activities, resulting in accumulation of ubiquitinated substrates. Carfilzomib induced a dose- and time-dependent inhibition of proliferation, ultimately leading to apoptosis. Programmed cell death was associated with activation of c-Jun-N-terminal kinase, mitochondrial membrane depolarization, release of cytochrome c, and activation of both intrinsic and extrinsic caspase pathways. This agent also inhibited proliferation and activated apoptosis in patient-derived MM cells and neoplastic cells from patients with other hematologic malignancies. Importantly, carfilzomib showed increased efficacy compared with bortezomib and was active against bortezomib-resistant MM cell lines and samples from patients with clinical bortezomib resistance. Carfilzomib also overcame resistance to other conventional agents and acted synergistically with dexamethasone to enhance cell death. Taken together, these data provide a rationale for the clinical evaluation of carfilzomib in MM.
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PMID:Potent activity of carfilzomib, a novel, irreversible inhibitor of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, against preclinical models of multiple myeloma. 1759 45

Targeting protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms by the small molecule inhibitor enzastaurin has shown promising preclinical activity in a wide range of tumor cells. We further delineated its mechanism of action in multiple myeloma (MM) cells and found a novel role of beta-catenin in regulating growth and survival of tumor cells. Specifically, inhibition of PKC leads to rapid accumulation of beta-catenin by preventing the phosphorylation required for its proteasomal degradation. Microarray analysis and small-interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated gene silencing in MM cells revealed that accumulated beta-catenin activates early endoplasmic reticulum stress signaling via eIF2alpha, C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP), and p21, leading to immediate growth inhibition. Furthermore, accumulated beta-catenin contributes to enzastaurin-induced cell death. Sequential knockdown of beta-catenin, c-Jun, and p73, as well as overexpression of beta-catenin or p73 confirmed that accumulated beta-catenin triggers c-Jun-dependent induction of p73, thereby conferring MM cell apoptosis. Our data reveal a novel role of beta-catenin in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-mediated growth inhibition and a new proapoptotic mechanism triggered by beta-catenin on inhibition of PKC isoforms. Moreover, we identify p73 as a potential novel therapeutic target in MM. Based on these and previous data, enzastaurin is currently under clinical investigation in a variety of hematologic malignancies, including MM.
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PMID:Targeting PKC: a novel role for beta-catenin in ER stress and apoptotic signaling. 1901 94


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