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
Query: UNIPROT:P05412 (
c-Jun
)
11,453
document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)
The protease inhibitor ritonavir is an integral part of current antiretroviral therapy targeting human immunodeficiency virus. Recent studies demonstrate that ritonavir induces apoptotic cell death with high efficiency in lymphoblastoid cell lines. Moreover, ritonavir can suppress activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB and is an inhibitor of interleukin-1beta and tumor necrosis factor-alpha production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Thus, ritonavir appears to have anti-inflammatory properties. In the present study, we investigated in DLD-1 colon carcinoma cell effects of ritonavir on apoptotic cell death and expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), an anti-inflammatory enzyme that may be critically involved in the modulation of colonic inflammation. Compared to unstimulated control, ritonavir resulted in a moderate increase in the rate of apoptotic cell death as observed after 20 h of incubation. Notably, ritonavir potently synergized with the short-chain fatty acid butyrate for induction of caspase-3-dependent apoptosis in DLD-1 cells. Ritonavir enhanced mRNA and protein expression of HO-1 in DLD-1 cells. Ritonavir-induced HO-1 protein was suppressed by SB203580 or SB202190 and preceded by immediate upregulation of cellular c-Fos and
c-Jun
protein levels. This process was associated with induction of activator protein-1 as detected by electrophoretic mobility shift analysis. The present data suggest that ritonavir has the potential to curb colon
carcinogenesis
by reducing cell growth via mechanisms that include apoptosis and by simultaneously modulating colonic inflammation via induction of anti-inflammatory HO-1.
...
PMID:The HIV protease inhibitor ritonavir synergizes with butyrate for induction of apoptotic cell death and mediates expression of heme oxygenase-1 in DLD-1 colon carcinoma cells. 1550 50
Activating transcription factor (ATF)-2 is a member of the ATF/cyclic AMP-responsive element binding protein family of transcription factors. It has been shown, in vitro, to possess growth factor-independent proliferation and transformation capacity. The information concerning the involvement of ATF-2 in
carcinogenesis
is rather limited. In a previous report, we showed a progressive increase in the levels of various activator protein (AP)-1 components, including phosphorylated ATF-2, in a series of mouse skin cell lines that represented developmental stages of the mouse skin
carcinogenesis
system. In the present study, we examined in detail the role of ATF-2 in the development of mouse skin spindle cells A5 and CarB, which correspond to the late and most aggressive stage of the mouse skin
carcinogenesis
model. To address this issue, we overexpressed a dominant negative form of ATF-2 in the A5 and CarB cell lines and examined their behavior in vitro and in vivo at the molecular and cellular level. The stable transfectants expressed decreased levels of phosphorylated ATF-2 and
c-Jun
. Subsequently, we observed that dominant negative ATF-2 affected the composition and reduced the activity of AP-1. The above biochemical changes were followed, both in vitro and in vivo in BALB/c severe combined immunodeficient mice, by suppression of the aggressive characteristics of the A5 and CarB mouse skin spindle cells. We attributed this behavior to the significant down-regulation of cyclin D1, cyclin A, and ATF-3, known AP-1 targets implicated in cell cycle control and promotion. In conclusion, our findings underscore a key regulatory role of ATF-2 in tumor growth and progression of mouse skin tumors.
...
PMID:Overexpression of activating transcription factor-2 is required for tumor growth and progression in mouse skin tumors. 1557 64
Anthocyanins are polyphenolic ring-based flavonoids, and are widespread in fruits and vegetables of red-blue color. Epidemiological investigations and animal experiments have indicated that anthocyanins may contribute to cancer chemoprevention. The studies on the mechanism have been done recently at molecular level. This review summarizes current molecular bases for anthocyanidins on several key steps involved in cancer chemoprevention: (i) inhibition of anthocyanidins in cell transformation through targeting mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and activator protein 1 (AP-1) factor; (ii) suppression of anthocyanidins in inflammation and
carcinogenesis
through targeting nuclear factor kappa B (NF- $\kappa$ B) pathway and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) gene; (iii) apoptotic induction of cancer cells by anthocyanidins through reactive oxygen species (ROS) /
c-Jun
NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK)-mediated caspase activation. These data provide a first molecular view of anthocyanidins contributing to cancer chemoprevention.
...
PMID:Molecular Mechanisms Behind the Chemopreventive Effects of Anthocyanidins. 1557 96
MKK4 (MAP2K4/SEK1) is a member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase family, originally identified as a kinase involved in the stress-activated protein kinase pathway by directly phosphorylating
c-Jun
NH2-terminal kinase. MKK4 genetic inactivation has been observed in a subset of pancreatic carcinomas, implicating deregulation of the stress-activated protein kinase pathway in pancreatic
carcinogenesis
. We evaluated Mkk4 protein expression patterns by immunohistochemical labeling in a series of 60 resected primary infiltrating pancreatic adenocarcinomas (24 cases with known MKK4 genetic status), and 14 different tissue arrays representing the primary carcinoma and all of the gross metastases from 26 patients that died of metastatic pancreatic cancer. Among the surgically resected carcinomas, focal or diffuse-positive immunolabeling for Mkk4 protein was found in 52 of 60 cases (86.7%). Among the eight carcinomas with negative Mkk4 immunolabeling, three harbored a homozygous deletion or intragenic mutation of the MKK4 gene, in contrast to none of the 52 cases with positive Mkk4 immunolabeling (P < 0.01). Loss of Mkk4 immunolabeling showed a trend toward shorter survival, with Mkk4-positive carcinomas having half the risk of death than Mkk4-negative carcinomas (P = 0.09). Mkk4 immunolabeling patterns were also evaluated among unresectable primary and metastatic cancer tissues from autopsy specimens, indicating intact Mkk4 immunolabeling in 88.8% of the unresectable primary carcinomas as compared with 63.3% of distant metastases (P < 0.001). Our data indicate that the loss of Mkk4 protein expression in pancreatic carcinomas may be more frequent than suggested by the rates of genetic inactivation alone and that MKK4 loss may contribute to disease progression. The correlation of MKK4 genetic status with immunolabeling patterns validate this approach for the evaluation of MKK4 status in routine histologic sections and may provide useful information regarding patient prognosis.
...
PMID:MAP2K4/MKK4 expression in pancreatic cancer: genetic validation of immunohistochemistry and relationship to disease course. 1562 33
Conversion of normal epithelial cells to tumors is associated with a shift in transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) function: reduction of tumor suppressor activity and increase of oncogenic activity. However, specific mechanisms of this functional alteration during human colorectal
carcinogenesis
remain to be elucidated. TGF-beta signaling involves Smad2/3 phosphorylated at linker regions (pSmad2/3L) and COOH-terminal regions (pSmad2/3C). Using antibodies specific to each phosphorylation site, we herein showed that Smad2 and Smad3 were phosphorylated at COOH-terminal regions but not at linker regions in normal colorectal epithelial cells and that pSmad2/3C were located predominantly in their nuclei. However, the linker regions of Smad2 and Smad3 were phosphorylated in 31 sporadic colorectal adenocarcinomas. In particular, late-stage invasive and metastatic cancers typically showed a high degree of phosphorylation of Smad2/3L. Their extent of phosphorylation in 11 adenomas was intermediate between those in normal epithelial cells and adenocarcinomas. Whereas pSmad2L remained in the cytoplasm, pSmad3L was located exclusively in the nuclei of Ki-67-immunoreactive adenocarcinomas. In contrast, pSmad3C gradually decreased as the tumor stage progressed. Activated
c-Jun
NH(2)-terminal kinase in cancers could directly phosphorylate Smad2/3L. Although Mad homology 2 region sequencing in the Smad4 gene revealed a G/A substitution at codon 361 in one adenocarcinoma, the mutation did not correlate with phosphorylation. No mutations in the type II TGF-beta receptor and Smad2 genes were observed in the tumors. In conclusion, pSmad3C, which favors tumor suppressor activity of TGF-beta, was found to decrease, whereas
c-Jun
NH(2)-terminal kinase tended to induce the phosphorylation of Smad2/3L in human colorectal adenoma-carcinoma sequence.
...
PMID:Acceleration of Smad2 and Smad3 phosphorylation via c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase during human colorectal carcinogenesis. 1566 91
Transcriptional activation of the cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 gene is responsible for high level of prostaglandin production during inflammation and
carcinogenesis
. We found previously that
c-Jun
induction plays a crucial role in epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced gene expression of COX-2. In this study, the functional role of
c-Jun
in EGF-induced transcriptional activation of COX-2 in A431 cells was investigated. We found that overexpression of
c-Jun
N-terminal phosphorylation site mutants had similar stimulatory effects on COX-2 promoter activity and protein expression as
c-Jun
wild type. TAM-67, a mutant of
c-Jun
that lacks the N-terminal transactivation domain of
c-Jun
, also enhanced COX-2 promoter activity and protein expression in cells treated with EGF. In vitro DNA affinity precipitation and reporter assays revealed that regulation of
c-Jun
C terminus by EGF enhanced
c-Jun
binding to COX-2 promoter and induced COX-2 expression. Furthermore, we demonstrated that c-Fos, which provides transactivation function in Jun/Fos heterodimer, was required for EGF-induced expression of COX-2. These results indicated that
c-Jun
N-terminal phosphorylation was not required for EGF-induced expression of COX-2.
c-Jun
, which could recruit other transcription factors such as c-Fos, was required for EGF-induced expression of COX-2 in A431 cells.
...
PMID:Activating protein 1-mediated cyclooxygenase-2 expression is independent of N-terminal phosphorylation of c-Jun. 1577 94
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is activated in skin cells following UV irradiation, the primary cause of nonmelanoma skin cancer. The EGFR inhibitor AG1478 prevented the UV-induced activation of EGFR and of downstream signaling pathways through
c-Jun
NH2-terminal kinases, extracellular signal-regulated kinases, p38 kinase, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase in the skin. The extent to which the UV-induced activation of EGFR influences skin tumorigenesis was determined in genetically initiated v-ras(Ha) transgenic Tg.AC mice, which have enhanced susceptibility to skin
carcinogenesis
. Topical treatment or i.p. injection of AG1478 before UV exposure blocked the UV-induced activation of EGFR in the skin and decreased skin tumorigenesis in Tg.AC mice. AG1478 treatment before each of several UV exposures decreased the number of papillomas arising and the growth of these tumors by approximately 50% and 80%, respectively. Inhibition of EGFR suppressed proliferation, increased apoptotic cell death, and delayed the onset of epidermal hyperplasia following UV irradiation. Genetic ablation of Egfr similarly delayed epidermal hyperplasia in response to UV exposure. Thus, the UV-induced activation of EGFR promotes skin tumorigenesis by suppressing cell death, augmenting cell proliferation, and accelerating epidermal hyperplasia in response to UV. These results suggest that EGFR may be an appropriate target for the chemoprevention of UV-induced skin cancer.
...
PMID:Chemoprevention of UV light-induced skin tumorigenesis by inhibition of the epidermal growth factor receptor. 1586 97
Cervical cancer is a leading cause of death in developing countries and is the second highest occurring cancer in women all over the world. The progression of cancer is a multistep process affecting aspects of cellular function such as proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs), which include p38-MAPK,
c-Jun
NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) are closely associated with cell proliferation and apoptosis and the balance between them could determine a cell's fate. Despite the expanding research effort in vitro, little is known about MAPK activation in clinical specimens of cervical cancer. Therefore, the aim of this ex vivo study was to correlate the phosphorylation status (activity) of MAPKs (p38-MAPK, JNK and ERK), as well as poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and caspase-3 (two cellular markers of apoptosis), during the different stages of cervical
carcinogenesis
, to observe whether correlations between MAPK activities and apoptosis during the disease process exist. Decreased p38-MAPK phosphorylation was found in the carcinoma (Ca) group) compared to the normal tissues, as well when the low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion--LSIL) group and high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion--HSIL) group were compared with the Ca group. Interestingly, a significant decrease in ERK44 phosphorylation was observed in Ca when compared to LSIL and HSIL. There was also a significant decrease in JNK phosphorylation in Ca when compared with normal tissue and HSIL. As expected, caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage was significantly lower in Ca when compared with normal tissue. Our results present the first evidence of in vivo involvement of MAPKs in cervical cancer and indicate a possible correlation between MAPK activities and apoptosis in the disease process.
...
PMID:Ex vivo study of MAPK profiles correlated with parameters of apoptosis during cervical carcinogenesis. 1592 65
Chlorogenic acid, the ester of caffeic acid with quinic acid, is one of the most abundant polyphenols in the human diet. The antioxidant and anticarcinogenic properties of chlorogenic acid have been established in animal studies. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms through which chlorogenic acid inhibits
carcinogenesis
. In this study, we found that chlorogenic acid inhibited the proliferation of A549 human cancer cells in vitro. The results of the soft agar assay indicated that chlorogenic acid suppressed 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced neoplastic transformation of JB6 P+ cells in a dose-dependent manner. Pretreatment of JB6 cells with chlorogenic acid blocked UVB- or TPA-induced transactivation of AP-1 and NF-kappaB over the same dose range. At low concentrations, chlorogenic acid decreased the phosphorylation of
c-Jun
NH2-terminal kinases, p38 kinase, and MAPK kinase 4 induced by UVB/12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, yet higher doses were required to inhibit extracellular signal-regulated kinases. Chlorogenic acid also increased the enzymatic activities of glutathione S-transferases (GST) and NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase. Further studies indicated that chlorogenic acid could stimulate the nuclear translocation of Nrf2 (NF-E2-related factor) as well as subsequent induction of GSTA1 antioxidant response element (ARE)-mediated GST activity. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway might be involved in the activation of Nrf2 translocation. These results provide the first evidence that chlorogenic acid could protect against environmental carcinogen-induced
carcinogenesis
and suggest that the chemopreventive effects of chlorogenic acid may be through its up-regulation of cellular antioxidant enzymes and suppression of ROS-mediated NF-kappaB, AP-1, and MAPK activation.
...
PMID:Inhibition of activator protein-1, NF-kappaB, and MAPKs and induction of phase 2 detoxifying enzyme activity by chlorogenic acid. 1594 51
Despite strong evidence that isothiocyanates (ITCs) inhibit cancer development, there are also reports that some of them induce or promote
carcinogenesis
. The molecular basis of the latter is largely unknown. We report here that all three ITCs that caused urinary bladder cancer in rats, including allyl ITC, benzyl ITC, and phenethyl ITC, increased the transactivation of activator protein 1 (AP-1) and AP-1 DNA binding in human bladder cancer UM-UC-3 cells. Amongst all Fos and Jun family members examined, only were the levels of
c-Jun
and Fra-2 consistently elevated by the ITCs. However, whereas
c-Jun
was identified as the predominant component in the AP-1 DNA binding complex, Fra-2 was not detected, suggesting that
c-Jun
may be mainly responsible for ITC-induced AP-1 activation.
c-Jun
was also induced by the ITCs in other bladder cancer cell lines (both human and rat) and by their N-acetylcysteine derivatives--their main urinary metabolites.
c-Jun
induction by the ITCs appears to involve both transcriptional activation and protein phosphorylation; the latter resulted from activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase by the ITCs. Because
c-Jun
has been implicated in cancer development, including human bladder cancer, our data suggest that
c-Jun
activation may play an important role in ITC-induced bladder
carcinogenesis
.
...
PMID:The role of c-Jun in the AP-1 activation induced by naturally occurring isothiocyanates. 1598 74
<< Previous
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Next >>