Ligand-independent activation of the androgen receptor by insulin-like growth factor-i and the role of the MAPK pathway in skeletal muscle cells

In this study, the roles of the p38 MAPK, ERK1/2 and JNK signaling pathway in IGF-I-induced AR induction and activation were examined. C2C12 cells were treated with IGF-I in the absence or presence of various inhibitors of p38 MAPK (SB203580), ERK1/2 (PD98059), and JNK (SP600125). Inhibition of the MAPK pathway with SB203580, PD98059, or SP600125 significantly decreased IGF-I-induced AR phosphorylation and total AR protein expression. IGF-I-induced nuclear fraction of total AR and phosphorylated AR were significantly inhibited by SB203580, PD98059, or SP600125. Furthermore, IGF-I-induced AR mRNA and skeletal α-actin mRNA were blocked by those inhibitors in dose-dependent manner. Confocal images showed that IGF-I-induced AR nuclear translocation from cytosol was significantly blocked by SB203580, PD98059, or SP600125, suggesting that the MAPK pathway regulates IGF-I-induced AR nuclear localization in skeletal muscle cells. The present results suggest that the MAPK pathways are required for the ligand-independent activation of AR by IGF-I in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells.     

The p38 MAPK inhibitor, PD169316, inhibits transforming growth factor beta-induced Smad signaling in human ovarian cancer cells

Transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta) can signal through a variety of Smad-independent pathways, including the p38 MAPK pathway. Recent work has shown that inhibitors of p38 MAPK, such as SB203580 and SB202190, can inhibit signaling induced by TGFbeta. Here we show that another p38 MAPK inhibitor, PD169316, abrogates signaling initiated by both TGFbeta and Activin A, but not bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) 4. Inhibition of TGFbeta signaling is dose dependent and results in reduced Smad2 and Smad3 phosphorylation, nuclear translocation, and up-regulation of the TGFbeta target gene Smad7. Reduced TGFbeta signaling is not due to abrogation of p38 MAPK activity, since blocking p38 MAPK activity with a dominant negative form of p38 MAPK has no effect on TGFbeta/Smad signaling. Our results show that use of PD169316 at 5 MICROM or higher can block TGFbeta signaling activity and thus caution must be used when attributing cellular activities exclusively to p38 MAPK signaling when these inhibitors are used experimentally.     

Involvement of p38 MAPK and ERK/MAPK pathways in staurosporine-induced production of macrophage inflammatory protein-2 in rat peritoneal neutrophils.

Stimulation of rat peritoneal neutrophils with staurosporine (64 nM) induced production of macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) and phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase/MAP kinase (ERK/MAPK). The staurosporine-induced MIP-2 production at 4 h was inhibited by the highly specific p38 MAPK inhibitor SB 203580 and the MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK-1) inhibitor PD 98059 in a concentration-dependent manner. By treatment with SB 203580 (1 microM) or PD 98059 (50 microM), the staurosporine-induced increase in the levels of mRNA for MIP-2 was only partially lowered, although the staurosporine-induced MIP-2 production was completely inhibited. Consistent with the inhibition by the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide, SB 203580 and PD 98059 inhibited MIP-2 production at 4 h either when added simultaneously with staurosporine or 2 h after stimulation with staurosporine. In contrast, the DNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibitor actinomycin D did not inhibit MIP-2 production at 4 h when it was added 2 h after staurosporine stimulation. Dot blot analysis demonstrated that treatment with SB 203580 or PD 98059 down-regulates the stability of MIP-2 mRNA. These results suggested that p38 MAPK and ERK/MAPK pathways are involved in translation of MIP-2 mRNA to protein and stabilization of MIP-2 mRNA.     

CREB 和NF-κB在p38MAPK所致脊髓星形胶质细胞活化中的作用

目的:探讨CREB和NF-κB在p38MAPK所致脊髓星形胶质细胞活化中的作用,明确脊髓星形胶质细胞活化中p38MAPK细胞信号转导途径的作用。方法:分离培养SPF大鼠脊髓星形胶质细胞,设正常组、SP刺激组(SP组,10-7mol/L)、SP刺激+SB203580(10μmol/L)阻断p38MAPK组(SP+SB组)、SP刺激+PD98059(10μmol/L)阻断CREB组(SP+PD组)、SP刺激+SN50(10μmol/L)阻断NF-κB(SP+SN组)。WB法、免疫荧光法、ELISA法检测12 h和24 h时p-p38、p-CREB、NF-κBp65水平及GFAP、TNF-、IL-1β水平变化。结果:SP组脊髓星形胶质细胞p-p38、p-CREB、NF-κBp65显著升高,GFAP水平显著增高,同时TNF-和IL-1β水平显著增高。与SP组比较,用SB203580阻断p38MAPK通路后,SP+SB组p-p38、p-CREB、NF-κBp65显著降低,GFAP、TNF-和IL-1β水平显著降低。用PD98059阻断CREB通路后,SP+PD组p-p38、NF-κBp65无显著变化,p-CREB显著降...     

Thrombin Mediates Migration of Rat Brain Astrocytes via PLC, Ca2+, CaMKII, PKCα, and AP-1-Dependent Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Expression

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) plays a crucial role in pathological processes of brain inflammation, injury, and neurodegeneration. Thrombin has been known as a regulator of MMP-9 expression and cells migration. However, the mechanisms underlying thrombin-induced MMP-9 expression in rat brain astrocytes (RBA-1 cells) remain unclear. Here, we demonstrated that thrombin induced the expression of pro-form MMP-9 and migration of RBA-1 cells, which were inhibited by pretreatment with the inhibitor of Gq-coupled receptor (GPAnt2A), Gi/o-coupled receptor (GPAnt2), PC-PLC (D609), PI-PLC (U73122), Ca²⁺-ATPase (thapsigargin, TG), calmodulin (CaMI), CaMKII (KN62), PKC (Gö6976 or GF109203X), MEK1/2 (PD98059), p38 MAPK (SB202190), JNK1/2 (SP600125), or AP-1 (Tanshinone IIA) or the intracellular calcium chelator (BAPTA/AM) and transfection with siRNA of PKCα, Erk2, JNK1, p38 MAPK, c-Jun, or c-Fos. In addition, thrombin-induced elevation of intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration was attenuated by PPACK (a thrombin inhibitor). Thrombin further induced CaMKII phosphorylation and PKCα translocation, which were inhibited by U73122, D609, KN62, TG, or BAPTA/AM. Thrombin also induced PKCα-dependent p42/p44 MAPK and JNK1/2, but not p38 MAPK activation. Finally, we showed that thrombin enhanced c-Fos expression and c-Jun phosphorylation. c-Fos mRNA levels induced by thrombin were reduced by PD98059, SP600125, and Gö6976, but not SB202190. Thrombin stimulated in vivo binding of c-Fos to the MMP-9 promoter, which was reduced by pretreatment with SP600125 or PD98059, but not SB202190. These results concluded that thrombin activated a PLC/Ca²⁺/CaMKII/PKCα/p42/p44 MAPK and JNK1/2 pathway, which in turn triggered AP-1 activation and ultimately induced MMP-9 expression in RBA-1 cells.     

Down-regulation of HIV-1 infection by inhibition of the MAPK signaling pathway

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) can interact with and exploit the host cellular machinery to replicate and propagate itself. Numerous studies have shown that the Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal pathway can positively regulate the replication of HIV-1, but exactly how each MAPK pathway affects HIV-1 infection and replication is not understood. In this study, we used the Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway inhibitor, PD98059, the Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway inhibitor, SP600125, and the p38 pathway inhibitor, SB203580, to investigate the roles of these pathways in HIV-1 replication. We found that application of PD98059 results in a strong VSV-G pseudotyped HIV-1_NL4-3 luciferase reporter virus and HIV-1_NL4-3 virus inhibition activity. In addition, SB203580 and SP600125 also elicited marked VSV-G pseudotyped HIV-1_NL4-3 luciferase reporter virus inhibition activity but no HIV-1_NL4-3 virus inhibition activity. We also found that SB203580 and SP600125 can enhance the HIV-1 inhibition activity of PD98059 when cells were treated with all three MAPK pathway inhibitors in combination. Finally, we show that HIV-1 virus inhibition activity of the MAPK pathway inhibitors was the result of the negative regulation of HIV-1 LTR promoter activity.     

Bone morphogenetic protein 2 promotes osteogenesis of bone marrow stromal cells in type 2 diabetic rats via the Wnt signaling pathway

Type 2 diabetes mellitus impairs osteogenesis in bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs). Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) has been extensively applied for bone defect restoration and has been shown to activate the Wnt signaling pathway. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of BMP2 on the cell proliferation and osteogenesis of type 2 diabetic BMSCs in rats and explore whether BMP2 induced osteogenesis via the stimulation of Wnt signaling pathway. The cell experiments were divided into DM (diabetic BMSCs), BMP25 (induced with 25 ng/ml BMP2), BMP100 (induced with 100 ng/ml BMP2) and BMP25  + XAV groups. All cells with or without the different concentrations of BMP2 were cultured under the same experimental conditions. The in vitro results indicated that BMP2 enhanced cell proliferation by 130%–157% and osteogenic differentiation by approximately two-fold in type 2 diabetic BMSCs. The expression levels of β-catenin, cyclin D1, Runx2 and c-myc related to the Wnt signaling pathway were also upregulated from 180% to 212% in BMP2-induced type 2 diabetic rat BMSCs, while the level of GSK3β decreased to 43%. In BMP2-induced type 2 diabetic BMSCs with calcium phosphate cement (CPC) scaffolds for osteoblast study in vivo, the appearance of newly formed bone dramatically increased to 175% compared with type 2 diabetic BMSCs. These data demonstrated that BMP2 enhanced bone regeneration in diabetic BMSCs by stimulating the Wnt signaling pathway with the accumulation of β-catenin and the depressed expression of GSK3β. Diabetic BMSCs associated with BMP2 might be a potential tissue-engineered construct for bone defects in type 2 diabetes mellitus.     

内皮素-1对大鼠血管平滑肌细胞产生MCP-1的影响及其机制

目的：观察内皮素-1（ET-1）对大鼠血管平滑肌细胞（VSMCs）产生单核细胞趋化蛋白-1（MCP-1）的影响及其机制。方法：培养大鼠血管平滑肌细胞（VSMCs）。细胞分为2组：ET-1刺激组：以不同浓度ET-1刺激VSMCs不同时间;阻断剂干预组：VSMCs分别与不同阻断剂[ET_AR、ET_BR阻断剂BQ123、BQ788,抗氧化剂N-乙酰半胱氨酸（NAC）,ERK、p38MAPK、JNK及NF-κB抑制剂PD98059、SB203580、SP600125及PDTC]预先孵育30 min,再加入ET-1刺激24 h。在预定时间,以酶联免疫吸附（ELISA）法、逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）法分别测定不同因素下VSMCs MCP-1蛋白质及mRNA表达量。VSMCs分别与不同阻断剂（BQ123、BQ788、NAC、PD98059、SB203580及SP600125预先孵育20 min,再加入ET-1刺激5 min,免疫印迹（WB）法测定VSMCs胞浆中细胞外调节蛋白激酶（ERK）、p38丝裂原活化蛋白激酶（p38MAPK）、c-Jun氨基末端激酶（JNK）及其各自磷酸化蛋白质的水平。各项检测均重复3次。结果：ET-1能刺激VSMCs MCP-1蛋白质及mRNA表达,其表达量随ET-1浓度及刺激时间的增加呈升高趋势（P<0.05,P<0.01）;BQ123、NAC、PD98059、SB203580及PDTC能显著抑制ET-1诱导的大鼠VSMCs MCP-1蛋白质及mRNA表达（P<0.01）,而BQ788及SP600125对此作用无明显影响。BQ123、NAC与PD98059或SB203580能分别抑制ET-1刺激后VSMCs胞浆内ERK及p38MAPK的磷酸化（P<0.05,P<0.01）,而ET-1对JNK的磷酸化无明显激活作用。结论：ET-1通过ET_AR、ROS、ERK、p38MAPK及NF-κB诱导大鼠VSMCs产生MCP-1。     

Inhibition of p38MAP kinase potentiates the JNK/SAPK pathway and AP-1 activity in monocytic but not in macrophage or granulocytic differentiation of HL60 cells

Monocytic differentiation of HL60 cells induced by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (1,25 D(3)) has been recently shown (Exp Cell Res 258, 425, 2000) to be enhanced by an exposure to SB203580 or to SB202190, specific inhibitors of p38MAP kinase, with concomitant up-regulation of the c-jun N terminal kinase (JNK) pathway. In the present study we inquired if this enhancement and the JNK up-regulation are limited to 1,25 D(3)-induced differentiation, or if they occur more generally in HL60 cell differentiation. We found that dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)-induced differentiation, and to a lesser extent tetradecanoylphorbol acetate (TPA)-induced macrophage differentiation were also potentiated by the p38MAPK inhibitors, but that granulocytic differentiation in response to all-trans retinoic acid (RA) was not. The enhancement of differentiation by p38MAPK inhibitors was accompanied by an activation of the JNK MAPK pathway, as shown by the phosphorylation levels of these kinases and by AP-1 binding, but only in 1,25 D(3)-treated cells. This shows that an up-regulation of the JNK stress pathway during 1,25 D(3)-induced monocytic differentiation occurs selectively in this lineage of differentiation and is not necessary for the expression of the differentiated phenotype.     

Signaling through the p38 and p42/44 mitogen-activated families of protein kinases in pancreatic beta-cell proliferation

The present study has focused on the role of the 42- and 44-kDa mitogen-activated protein kinases (p42/44 MAPKs) and the 38-kDa mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) in the proliferation of the pancreatic beta-cell line MIN6. MIN6 beta-cell proliferation was assessed by measuring 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation into cellular DNA. Inhibition of both the p42/44 MAPK pathway using the MEK inhibitor PD098059 (PD) and the p38 MAPK pathway using the p38 inhibitor SB203580 (SB) caused a marked, concentration-dependent reduction in the BrdU immunostaining observed in the presence of 15% FCS when assessed using fluorescence immunocytochemistry. These data provide direct evidence of a role for p42/44 MAPKs in the mitogenic response of MIN6 beta-cells to FCS. Furthermore, these data also suggest a novel role for the p38 MAPK pathway in MIN6 beta-cell proliferation.     

Could the effect of modeled microgravity on osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells be reversed by regulation of signaling pathways?

Microgravity (MG) results in a reduction in bone formation. Bone formation involves osteogenic differentiation from mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) in bone marrow. We modeled MG to determine its effects on osteogenesis of hMSCs and used activators or inhibitors of signaling factors to regulate osteogenic differentiation. Under osteogenic induction, MG reduced osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs and decreased the expression of osteoblast gene markers. The expression of Runx2 was also inhibited, whereas the expression of PPARgamma2 increased. MG also decreased phosphorylation of ERK, but increased phosphorylation of p38MAPK. SB203580, a p38MAPK inhibitor, was able to inhibit the phosphorylation of p38MAPK, but did not reduce the expression of PPARgamma2. Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) increased the expression of Runx2. Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) increased the phosphorylation of ERK, but did not significantly increase the expression of osteoblast gene markers. The combination of BMP, FGF2 and SB203580 significantly reversed the effect of MG on osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs. Our results suggest that modeled MG inhibits the osteogenic differentiation and increases the adipogenic differentiation of hMSCs through different signaling pathways. Therefore, the effect of MG on the differentiation of hMSCs could be reversed by the mediation of signaling pathways.     

Stress-induced platelet-activating factor synthesis in human neutrophils

Platelet-activating factor (1-O-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine; PAF) is a potent inflammatory mediator produced by cells in response to physical or chemical stress. The mechanisms linking cell injury to PAF synthesis are unknown. We used liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to investigate stress-induced PAF synthesis in human neutrophils. PAF synthesis induced by extracellular pH 5.4 correlated with the activation of a stress-activated kinase, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and was blocked by the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB 203580. A key enzyme of PAF synthesis, acetyl-CoA:lysoPAF acetyltransferase, which we have previously shown is a target of p38 MAPK, was also activated in an SB 203580-sensitive fashion. Another MAPK pathway, extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2 (ERK-1/2), was also activated. Surprisingly, the pharmacological blockade of the ERK-1/2 pathway with PD 98059 did not block, but rather enhanced, PAF accumulation. Two unexpected actions of PD 98059 may underlie this phenomenon: an augmentation of stress-induced p38 MAPK phosphorylation and an inhibition of PAF catabolism. The latter effect did not appear to be due to a direct inhibition of PAF acetylhydrolase. Finally, similar results were obtained using another form of cellular stress, hypertonic sodium chloride. These data are consistent with a model in which stress-induced PAF accumulation is regulated positively by p38 MAPK and negatively by ERK-1/2. Such a model contrasts with the PAF accumulation induced by other forms of stimulation, which we and others have found is up-regulated by both p38 MAPK and ERK-1/2.     

BMP2/7 heterodimer enhances osteogenic differentiation of rat BMSCs via ERK signaling compared with respective homodimers

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)2/7 heterodimer shows greater efficacy in enhancing bone regeneration. However, the precise mechanism and the role of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling network in BMP2/7-driven osteogenesis remain ambiguous. In this study, we evaluated the effects of BMP2/7 heterodimers on osteoblastic differentiation in rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), with the aim to elaborate how MAPKs might be involved in this cellular process by treatment of rat BMSCs with BMP2/-7 with a special signal-pathway inhibitor. We found that BMP2/7 heterodimer induced a much stronger osteogenic response in rat BMSCs compared with either homodimer. Most interestingly, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) demonstrated a highly sustained phosphorylation and activation in the BMP2/7 heterodimer treatment groups, and inhibition of ERK cascades using U0126 special inhibitor that significantly reduced the activity of ALP and calcium mineralization to a substantial degree in rat BMSCs treated with BMP2/7 heterodimers. Collectively, we demonstrate that BMP2/7 heterodimer shows a potent ability to stimulate osteogenesis in rat BMSCs. The activated ERK signaling pathway involved in this process may contribute partially to an increased osteogenic potency of heterodimeric BMP2/7 growth factors.