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)

Nitric oxide (NO), in excess, behaves as a cytotoxic substance mediating the pathological processes that cause neurodegeneration. The NO-induced dopaminergic cell loss causing Parkinson's disease (PD) has been postulated to include the following: an inhibition of cytochrome oxidase, ribonucleotide reductase, mitochondrial complexes I, II, and IV in the respiratory chain, superoxide dismutase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; activation or initiation of DNA strand breakage, poly(ADP-ribose) synthase, lipid peroxidation, and protein oxidation; release of iron; and increased generation of toxic radicals such as hydroxyl radicals and peroxynitrite. NO is formed by the conversion of L-arginine to L-citrulline by NO synthase (NOS). At least three NOS isoforms have been identified by molecular cloning and biochemical studies: a neuronal NOS or type 1 NOS (nNOS), an immunologic NOS or type 2 NOS (iNOS), and an endothelial NOS or type 3 NOS (eNOS). The enzymatic activities of eNOS or nNOS are induced by phosphorylation triggered by Ca(2+) entering cells and binding to calmodulin. In contrast, the regulation of iNOS seems to depend on de novo synthesis of the enzyme in response to a variety of cytokines, such as interferon-gamma and lipopolysaccharide. The evidence that NO is associated with neurotoxic processes underlying PD comes from studies using experimental models of this disease NOS inhibitors can prevent 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity. Furthermore, NO fosters dopamine depletion, and the said neurotoxicity is averted by nNOS inhibitors such as 7-nitroindazole working on tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive neurons in substantia nigra pars compacta. Moreover, mutant mice lacking the nNOS gene are more resistant to MPTP neurotoxicity when compared with wild-type littermates. Selegiline, an irreversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase B, is used in PD as a dopaminergic function-enhancing substance. Selegiline and its metabolite, desmethylselegiline, reduce apoptosis by altering the expression of a number of genes, for instance, superoxide dismutase, Bcl-2, Bcl-xl, NOS, c-Jun, and nicotinamide adenine nucleotide dehydrogenase. The selegiline-induced antiapoptotic activity is associated with prevention of a progressive reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential in preapoptotic neurons. As apoptosis is critical to the progression of neurodegenerative disease, including PD, selegiline or selegiline-like compounds to be discovered in the future may be efficacious in treating PD.
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PMID:Peroxynitrite and mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. 1288 Apr 86

The pharmacological properties of garlic and its derivatives are long known, and their underling mechanisms are being extensively investigated. In this study we have addressed the effects of diallyl disulfide (DADS), an oil-soluble garlic molecule, on cell growth of neuroblastoma cell SH-SY5Y, focusing on the redox events associated with this compound. Treatment of SH-SY5Y cells with DADS resulted in arrest of cell cycle in G(2)/M phase and commitment to apoptosis through the activation of the mitochondrial pathway (Bcl-2 down-regulation, cytochrome c release into the cytosol, and activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3). The earliest oxidative event observed after DADS treatment was the increase of production of reactive oxygen species, which reached the maximum yield on 30 min of DADS treatment. The oxidative burst resulted in protein and lipid damage as demonstrated by protein carbonyl accumulation and lipid peroxidation. We demonstrated that apoptosis induction was highly dependent on the activation of the redox-sensitive c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK)/c-Jun pathway. In particular, we established that DADS treatment induces JNK dissociation from glutathione S-transferase and its activation by phosphorylation. Moreover, treatment with JNK inhibitor I significantly reduced DADS-induced apoptosis and treatment with the spin trap 5,5'-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide or overexpression of the antioxidant enzyme copper, zinc superoxide dismutase, resulted in the inhibition of DADS-mediated toxicity through attenuation of JNK/c-Jun pathway activation. Overall, the results suggest a pivotal role for oxidative stress in DADS-induced apoptosis and, taking into account that tumor cells are deficient in antioxidants, suggest a plausible utilization of this compound as an antiproliferative agent in cancer therapy.
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PMID:Reactive oxygen species-dependent c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase/c-Jun signaling cascade mediates neuroblastoma cell death induced by diallyl disulfide. 1452 20

It was shown recently that renal injury in Dahl salt-sensitive (DS) hypertensive rats is accompanied by mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation. The present study was conducted to elucidate the contribution of reactive oxygen species to MAPK activities and renal injury in DS rats. DS rats were maintained on high salt (H; 8.0% NaCl; n = 7) or low salt (L; 0.3% NaCl; n = 6) diets; H + a superoxide dismutase mimetic, tempol (3 mmol/L in drinking water; n = 8); or H + hydralazine (0.5 mmol/L in drinking water; n = 8) for 4 wk. Mean BP (MBP) in DS/H and DS/L rats was 185 +/- 7 and 113 +/- 3 mmHg, respectively. DS/H rats showed a higher ratio of urinary protein excretion and creatinine (U(protein)V/U(cr)V; 20.3 +/- 1.1) and a higher cortical collagen content (22 +/- 1 micro g/mg) than in DS/L rats (2.4 +/- 0.1 and 13 +/- 1 micro g/mg, respectively). The expression of p22-phox and Nox-1, essential components of NAD(P)H oxidase, in renal cortical tissue was approximately threefold higher in DS/H rats than in DS/L rats. Increased activities of renal cortical MAPK, including extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) 1/ERK2 and c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinases (JNK) were also observed in DS/H rats by 7.0 +/- 0.7- and 4.3 +/- 0.2-fold, respectively. Tempol treatment significantly decreased MBP (128 +/- 3 mmHg), U(protein)V/U(cr)V (4.8 +/- 0.4), and cortical collagen content (14 +/- 1 micro g/mg) and normalized ERK1/ERK2 and JNK activities in DS/H rats. Histologically, tempol markedly ameliorated progressive sclerotic and proliferative glomerular changes in DS/H rats. Hydralazine-treated DS/H rats showed similar MBP (127 +/- 5 mmHg) to tempol-treated DS/H rats. Hydralazine also decreased U(protein)V/U(cr)V (16.2 +/- 1.5) and cortical collagen content (19 +/- 1 micro g/mg) in DS/H rats. However, these values were significantly higher than those of tempol-treated rats. Furthermore, although hydralazine significantly reduced JNK activity (-56 +/- 3%), ERK1/ERK2 activities were unaffected. These data suggest that reactive oxygen species, generated by NAD(P)H oxidase, contribute to the progression of renal injury through ERK1/ERK2 activation in DS/H hypertensive rats.
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PMID:The SOD mimetic tempol ameliorates glomerular injury and reduces mitogen-activated protein kinase activity in Dahl salt-sensitive rats. 1474 77

Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH), as occurs in obstructive sleep apnea (SA), is associated with substantial cortico-hippocampal damage leading to impairments of neurocognitive, respiratory and cardiovascular functions. Previous studies in a rat model have shown that CIH increases brain cortical neuronal cell death. However, the molecular events leading to CIH-mediated neuronal cell death remain largely undefined. The oscillation of O2 concentrations during CIH remarkably mimics the processes of ischemia/re-oxygenation and could therefore increase cellular production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We extended the CIH paradigm to a mouse model of SA to identify the molecular mechanisms underlying cortical neuronal cell death. A significant increase of ROS production in mouse brain cortex and cortical neuronal cells was detected by fluorescent oxidation assays upon exposure of mice to CIH, followed by increased expression of oxidative stress response markers, c-Fos, c-Jun and NF-kappaB in mouse brain cortex, as revealed by immunohistochemical and LacZ reporter assays respectively. Long-term exposure of mice to CIH increased the levels of protein oxidation, lipid peroxidation and nucleic acid oxidation in mouse brain cortex. Furthermore, exposure of mice to CIH induced caspase-3 activation and increased some cortical neuronal cell apoptosis. On the other hand, transgenic mice overexpressing Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase exposed to CIH conditions had a lower level of steady-state ROS production and reduced neuronal apoptosis in brain cortex compared with that of normal control mice. Taken together, these findings suggest that the increased ROS production and oxidative stress propagation contribute, at least partially, to CIH-mediated cortical neuronal apoptosis and neurocognitive dysfunction.
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PMID:Increased oxidative stress is associated with chronic intermittent hypoxia-mediated brain cortical neuronal cell apoptosis in a mouse model of sleep apnea. 1520 49

Cardiac hypertrophy is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The hypertrophic process is mediated, in part, by oxidative stress-mediated signaling pathways. We hypothesized that isorhapontigenin (ISO), a new resveratrol analog, inhibits cardiac hypertrophy by blocking oxidative stress and oxidative stress-mediated signaling pathways. We treated cardiomyocytes with angiotensin II (Ang II) with or without ISO and found that ISO inhibited Ang II-induced cardiac hypertrophy. These effects were associated with a decrease in the levels of reactive oxygen species and H2O2 and the content of intracellular malonaldehyde and an increase in the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase. Ang II induced the phosphorylation of PKC, Erk1/2, JNK, and p38 in cardiomyocytes and such phosphorylation was inhibited by ISO. ISO also blocked the PKC-dependent PI3K-Akt-GSK3beta/p70S6K pathway. These effects lead to direct or indirect inhibition of NF-kappaB and AP-1 activation. Our results revealed that pretreatment with ISO significantly inhibited Ang II-mediated NF-kappaB through affecting the degradation and phosphorylation of IkappaBalpha and the activity of IKKbeta and AP-1 activation by influencing the expression of c-Fos and c-Jun proteins. In addition, we also established the molecular link between activation of PKC and MAPKs and activation of NF-kappaB and AP-1 in cardiomyocytes. We also found that ISO treatment significantly attenuated heart weight/body weight ratio by approximately 25%, decreased posterior wall thickness and left ventricle diastolic and systolic diameters, and increased 10% fractional shortening in an aortic-banded rat model. Furthermore, treatment with ISO significantly decreased cardiac myocyte size and systolic blood pressure. These findings suggest that ISO prevents the development of cardiac hypertrophy through an antioxidant mechanism involving inhibition of different intracellular signaling transduction pathways.
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PMID:Isorhapontigenin, a new resveratrol analog, attenuates cardiac hypertrophy via blocking signaling transduction pathways. 1560 7

NF-kappaB/Rel transcription factors block apoptosis or programmed cell death (PCD) induced by tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha. The antiapoptotic activity of NF-kappaB is also crucial for immunity, lymphocyte development, tumorigenesis, and cancer chemoresistance. With respect to TNFalpha, the NF-kappaB-mediated suppression of apoptosis involves inhibition of the c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) cascade. This inhibitory activity of NF-kappaB depends upon transcriptional upregulation of blockers of the JNK cascade such as the caspase inhibitor XIAP, the zinc-finger protein A20, and the inhibitor of the MKK7/JNKK2 kinase Gadd45beta/Myd118. Moreover, NF-kappaB blunts accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by TNFalpha, and this antioxidant effect of NF-kappaB is also critical for inhibition of TNFalpha-induced JNK activation. Suppression of ROS by NF-kappaB is mediated by Ferritin heavy chain (FHC)--the primary iron-storage mechanism in cells--and possibly, by the mitochondrial enzyme Mn++ superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD). Thus, induction of FHC and Mn-SOD represents an additional, indirect means by which NF-kappaB controls proapoptotic JNK signaling. These findings identify potential new targets for anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer therapy.
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PMID:NF-kappaB and JNK: an intricate affair. 1561 22

Changes in intracellular redox status are crucial events that trigger downstream proliferation or death responses through activation of specific signaling pathways. Moreover, cell responses to oxidative challenge may depend on the pattern of redox-sensitive molecular factors. The stress-activated protein kinases c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 MAP kinase (p38MAPK) are implicated in different forms of apoptotic neuronal cell death. Here, we investigated the effects, on neuroblastoma cells, of the prooxidant molecule GSSG, which we previously demonstrated to be an efficient proapoptotic compound able to activate the p38MAPK death pathway in promonocytic cells. We found that neuroblastoma cells are not prone to GSSG-induced apoptosis, although the treatment slightly induced growth arrest through the accumulation of p53 and its downstream target gene, p21. However, GSSG treatment became cytotoxic when cells were previously depleted of intracellular GSH content. Under this condition, apoptosis was triggered by an increased production of superoxide that led to a specific activation of the JNK-dependent pathway. The involvement of superoxide and JNK was demonstrated by cell death inhibition in experiments carried out in the presence of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase or with specific inhibitors of JNK activity. Our data give support to the studies that indicate preferential requirements for the involvement of stress-activated kinases in apoptotic neuronal cells.
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PMID:Activation of c-Jun-N-terminal kinase is required for apoptosis triggered by glutathione disulfide in neuroblastoma cells. 1599 33

Rosmarinic acid (RA) is a naturally occurring polyphenolic and is found in several herbs in the Lamiaceae family, such as, Perilla frutescens. ADR is a potent anti-tumor drug, but is unfortunately potently cardiotoxic. This study was undertaken to investigate the inhibitory effect of RA on ADR-induced apoptosis in H9c2 cardiac muscle cells at a mechanistic level. In vitro, ADR significantly decreased the viabilities of H9c2 cells, and this was accompanied by apoptotic features, such as a change in nuclear morphology and caspase protease activation. RA was found to markedly inhibit these apoptotic characteristics by reducing intracellular ROS generation and by recovering the mitochondria membrane potential (delta psi). In addition, RA reversed the downregulations of GSH, SOD and Bcl-2 by ADR. In the present study, ADR was found to activate c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), transcriptional factor-activator-protein (AP)-1. We found that c-fos, Jun-B, Jun-D and p-c-Jun were super shifted by ADR, indicating that these proteins have an important role in the ADR-induced AP-1 activation. The inhibitions of JNK and ERK using appropriate inhibitors or dominant negative cell lines reduced ADR-induced apoptosis in H9c2 cardiac muscle cells. Taken together, these results suggest that RA can inhibit ADR-induced apoptosis in H9C2 cardiac muscle cells by inhibiting ROS generation and JNK and ERK activation. Thus, we propose that RA should be viewed as a potential chemotherapeutic that inhibits cardiotoxicity in ADR-exposed patients.
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PMID:Inhibitory effects of rosmarinic acid on adriamycin-induced apoptosis in H9c2 cardiac muscle cells by inhibiting reactive oxygen species and the activations of c-Jun N-terminal kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase. 1610 32

To obtain insight into the morphological and molecular correlates of motoneuron degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) mice that express G93A mutant superoxide dismutase (SOD)1 (G93A mice), we have mapped and characterized 'sick' motoneurons labelled by the 'stress transcription factors' ATF3 and phospho-c-Jun. Immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization showed that a subset of motoneurons express ATF3 from a relatively early phase of disease before the onset of active caspase 3 expression and motoneuron loss. The highest number of ATF3-expressing motoneurons occurred at symptom onset. The onset of ATF3 expression correlated with the appearance of ubiquitinated neurites. Confocal double-labelling immunofluorescence showed that all ATF3-positive motoneurons were immunoreactive for phosphorylated c-Jun. Furthermore, the majority of ATF3 and phospho-c-Jun-positive motoneurons were also immunoreactive for CHOP (GADD153) and showed Golgi fragmentation. A subset of ATF3 and phosphorylated c-Jun-immunoreactive motoneurons showed an abnormal appearance characterized by a number of distinctive features, including an eccentric flattened nucleus, perikaryal accumulation of ubiquitin immunoreactivity, juxta-nuclear accumulation of the Golgi apparatus and the endoplasmic reticulum, and intense Hsp70 immunoreactivity. These abnormal cells were not immunoreactive for active caspase 3. We conclude that motoneurons in ALS-SOD1 mice prior to their death and disappearance experience a prolonged sick phase, characterized by the gradual accumulation of ubiquitinated material first in the neurites and subsequently the cell body.
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PMID:ATF3 expression precedes death of spinal motoneurons in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-SOD1 transgenic mice and correlates with c-Jun phosphorylation, CHOP expression, somato-dendritic ubiquitination and Golgi fragmentation. 1626 28

NF-kappaB/Rel transcription factors are best known for their roles in innate and adaptive immunity and inflammation. They also play a central role in promoting cell survival. This latter activity of NF-kappaB antagonizes programmed cell death (PCD) induced by the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF)alpha and plays an important role in immunity, lymphopoiesis, osteogenesis, tumorigenesis and radio- and chemoresistance in cancer. With regard to TNFalpha, the NF-kappaB-mediated inhibition of PCD seems to involve an attenuation of the c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) cascade mediated through the induction of select downstream targets such as the caspase inhibitor XIAP, the zinc-finger protein A20, and the inhibitor of the MKK7/JNKK2 kinase, Gadd45beta/Myd118. Notably, NF-kappaB also blunts accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which themselves are pivotal elements for induction of PCD by TNFalpha, and this suppression of ROS formation mediates an additional protective activity recently ascribed to NF-kappaB. The antioxidant activity of NF-kappaB has been shown to depend upon upregulation of both Ferritin heavy chain (FHC)--a component of Ferritin, the primary iron-storage protein complex found in cells--and of the mitochondrial enzyme Mn++ superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD). Indeed, the inductions of Mn-SOD and FHC represent another important means through which NF-kappaB controls proapoptotic JNK signaling triggered by TNFalpha. These findings might enable the development of new, more targeted approaches to treatment of diseases sustained by a deregulated activity of NF-kappaB, including some cancers and chronic inflammatory conditions.
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PMID:The NF-kappaB-mediated control of ROS and JNK signaling. 1626 88


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