小鼠MKP4基因组织、细胞表达谱研究

为了探讨MKP4基因mRNA在正常雄性C57小鼠的组织表达分布及其在3T3-L1脂肪细胞诱导进程中的表达谱。采用经典诱导分化方案诱导3T3-L1前脂肪细胞,分别收集前脂肪细胞、诱导分化day0、day2、day5、day8和day9的细胞,同时取正常C57雄性小鼠(鼠龄12周,数量n=3)多处组织如心、胰、肝、脂肪、脑、肾及睾丸等,并提取组织、细胞总RNA,RT-QPCR(荧光染料法)检测MKP4基因mRNA表达水平。结果显示MKP4基因在C57小鼠体内存在较广的表达谱,在肝脏、脂肪的表达量最高,其次为脑组织,其它组织存在低度表达;在3T3-L1前脂肪细胞、诱导分化day0、day2中表达极低,在day5中表达骤然升高,随后表达相对增高,于day9表达水平趋于平稳。MKP4基因组织表达谱结果表明其在维持正常生理功能可能发挥一定的作用,在胰岛素敏感相关组织肝脏、脂肪中表达量较高,提示可能参与胰岛素抵抗(IR)的发生与发展过程。此外,MKP4在3T3-L1前脂肪细胞诱导进程中表达上调,表明MKP4可能参与了脂质积累、肥胖等代谢疾病的发生与发展。     

A non‐redundant role for MKP5 in limiting ROS production and preventing LPS‐induced vascular injury

There are at least 11 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphatases (MKPs) and only 3 major groups of MAPKs, raising the question of whether these phosphatases have non-redundant functions in vivo. Using a modified mouse model of local Shwartzman reaction, we found that deletion of the MKP5 gene, but not the MKP1 gene, led to robust and accelerated vascular inflammatory responses to a single dose of LPS injection. Depletion of neutrophils significantly reduced the vascular injury in Mkp5^−/− mice, whereas adoptive transfer of Mkp5^−/− neutrophils replicated the LPS-induced skin lesions in wild-type recipients. Neutrophils isolated from Mkp5^−/− mice exhibited augmented p38 MAPK activation and increased superoxide generation on activation. The p38 MAPK inhibitor, SB203580, significantly reduced p47^phox phosphorylation and diminished superoxide production in neutrophils. p38 MAPK phosphorylated mouse p47^phox, and deletion of the p47^phox gene ablated the LPS-induced vascular injury in Mkp5^−/− mice. Collectively, these results show an earlier unrecognized and non-redundant function of MKP5 in restraining p38 MAPK-mediated neutrophil oxidant production, thereby preventing LPS-induced vascular injury.     

Regulation of the inducible nuclear dual-specificity phosphatase DUSP5 by ERK MAPK

DUSP5 is an inducible, nuclear, dual-specificity phosphatase, which specifically interacts with and inactivates the ERK1/2 MAP kinases in mammalian cells. In addition, expression of DUSP5 causes nuclear translocation of ERK2 indicating that it may act as a nuclear anchor for the inactive kinase. Here we show that induction of DUSP5 mRNA and protein in response to growth factors is dependent on ERK1/2 activation and that the accumulation of DUSP5 protein is regulated by rapid proteasomal degradation. DUSP5 is phosphorylated by ERK1/2 both in vitro and in vivo on three sites (Thr321, Ser346 and Ser376) within its C-terminal domain. DUSP5 phosphorylation is absolutely dependent on the conserved kinase interaction motif (KIM) within the amino-terminal domain of DUSP5, indicating that the same protein–protein contacts are required for both the inactivation of ERK2 by DUSP5 and for DUSP5 to act as a substrate for this MAPK. Using a combination of pharmacological inhibitors and phospho-site mutants we can find no evidence that phosphorylation of DUSP5 by ERK2 significantly affects either the half-life of the DUSP5 protein or its ability to bind to, inactivate or anchor ERK2 in the nucleus. However, co-expression of ERK2 results in significant stabilisation of DUSP5, which is accompanied by reduced levels of DUSP5 ubiquitination. These changes are independent of ERK2 kinase activity but absolutely depend on the ability of ERK2 to bind to DUSP5. We conclude that DUSP5 is stabilised by complex formation with its physiological substrate and that this may reinforce its activity as both a phosphatase and nuclear anchor for ERK2.     

Reduced activation and expression of ERK1/2 MAP kinase in the post-mortem brain of depressed suicide subjects

The extracellular regulated kinases (ERK) 1 and ERK2 are members of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family that play an important role in transducing extracellular signals to the nucleus and have been implicated in a broad spectrum of biological responses. To test the hypothesis that MAP kinases may be involved in depression, we examined the activation of p44/42 MAP kinase and expression of ERK1 and ERK2 in the post-mortem brain tissue obtained from non-psychiatric control subjects (n = 11) and age- and the post-mortem interval-matched depressed suicide subjects (n = 11). We observed that p44/42 MAP kinase activity was significantly decreased in the prefrontal cortical areas (Brodmann's areas 8, 9 and 10) and the hippocampus of depressed suicide subjects without any change in the cerebellum. This decrease was associated with a decrease in mRNA and protein levels of ERK1 and ERK2. In addition, the expression of MAP kinase phosphatase (MKP)2, a 'dual function' ERK1/2 phosphatase, was increased in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. These studies suggest that p44/42 MAP kinases are less activated in the post-mortem brain of depressed suicide subjects and this may be because of reduced expression of ERK1/2 and increased expression of MKP2. Given the role of MAP kinases in various physiological functions and gene expression, alterations in p44/42 MAP kinase activation and expression of ERK1/2 may contribute significantly to the pathophysiology of depressive disorders.     

脑缺血Akt 和MAPK 磷酸酶负性调节c-Jun N 端激酶信号通路

目的:探讨脑缺血再灌后Akt和MAPK磷酸酶与JNK活性下调的关系。方法:采用成年清洁级雄性SD大鼠,建立四动脉阻断前脑缺血再灌注模型。缺血10min后再灌注不同时间(15min,1h,4h,24h)。侧脑室分别给予PI3K抑制剂LY294002(LY)和MAPK磷酸酶抑制剂放线菌酮(CHO)。免疫印迹观察p-Akt和p-JNK蛋白水平变化。结果:脑缺血再灌注4h,JNK的活性能被Akt抑制剂LY294002增强,表明激活的Akt能够下调JNK信号通路。而MAPK磷酸酶抑制剂放线菌酮能上调缺血后JNK活性,提示MAPK磷酸酶通过去磷酸化参与了JNK的活性抑制。结论:前脑缺血再灌后,激活Akt和MAPK磷酸酶参与了JNK信号通路负性调节,是抑制JNK诱导缺血后中枢神经损伤的重要机制。     

Involvement of phosphatases in the anchorage-dependent regulation of ERK2 activation

Activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) is known to be regulated by cell adhesion, namely "anchorage dependence". Most studies on the anchorage-dependent regulation have focused on the upstream activating components. We previously reported that the focal adhesion protein vinexin beta can induce the anchorage-independent activation of ERK2. We show here that vinexin beta-induced anchorage-independent activation of ERK2 involves prevention of the dephosphorylation of ERK2, but not the promotion of MEK1 or Raf1 activity. Furthermore, knockdown of vinexin beta resulted in a faster dephosphorylation of ERK2 in A549 cells. Moreover, the coexpression of MKP3/rVH6, an ERK2 specific phosphatase, suppressed the anchorage-independent activation of ERK2 induced by vinexin beta. These results suggest that vinexin beta can prevent the dephosphorylation of ERK2 stimulated by cell detachment, leading to the anchorage-independent activation of ERK2. Furthermore, we found that phosphatase activity directed against activated ERK2 was higher in suspended cells than in adherent cells. In addition, orthovanadate efficiently induces anchorage-independent activation of ERK2 without marked activation of MEK1 in NIH3T3 cells. These observations suggest that the anchorage dependence of ERK1/2 activation is regulated not only by upstream kinases, Raf1 and MEK, but also by phosphatases acting against ERK1/2 and that vinexin beta can induce anchorage-independent activation of ERK by preventing the inactivation of ERK1/2.     

cAMP enhances BMP2-signaling through PKA and MKP1-dependent mechanisms

Recent studies suggest that the elevation of intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and the activation of the protein kinase A regulate BMP-induced osteogenesis. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the enhancing effect of cAMP on BMP2 signaling were not completely revealed. In this study we investigated the effect of elevated cAMP level and PKA activation on the BMP2-induced osteoblastic differentiation in pluripotent C2C12 cells. Alkaline phosphatase activity and its mRNA were consistently induced by BMP2 treatment. The pretreatment of C2C12 cells with Forskolin, a cAMP generating agent, dbcAMP, an analogue of cAMP, or IBMX (3-isobutyl 1-methyl xanthine), and a nonspecific inhibitor of phosphodiesterases elicited further activation of alkaline phosphatase. Furthermore, elevated intracellular cAMP level increased BMP2-induced MKP1. On the other hand, BMP2-induced Erk phosphorylation (p44/p42) and cell proliferation were suppressed in the presence of cAMP. Thus, cAMP might enhance BMP2-induced osteoblastic differentiation by a MKP1-Erk-dependent mechanism.