Extracellular Signal-regulated Kinase Isoforms Research Articles

Activation of the ERK pathway precedes tubular proliferation in the obstructed rat kidney

In vitro studies suggest that activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway plays a critical role in the proliferation of tubular epithelial and myofibroblast-like cells. However, little is known of ERK activation in individual cell types in normal or diseased kidney. The aims of this study were to (1) localize ERK activation within the kidney, and (2) examine the relationship between ERK activation and cell proliferation in the injured kidney. Unilateral ureteric obstruction (UUO) was induced in groups of six Wistar rats, which were killed at 30 minutes, 6 hours, and 1, 4, or 7 days after obstruction. Activation of ERK was identified using antibodies specific for the phosphorylated form of ERK (pERK) in Western blots and immunostaining. Proliferating cells were detected using bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). Western blotting showed abundant expression of the two ERK isoforms, ERK-1 and ERK-2, in normal rat kidney. Low levels of activated ERK (pERK-2> pERK-1) were detected in normal rat kidney by Western blotting. Immunostaining showed that ERK activation in normal kidney was largely restricted to collecting ducts in the outer medulla. Within 30 minutes of ureter obstruction, Western blotting showed a sixfold increase in ERK activation followed by a second peak (14-fold increase) on days 4 and 7. The initial peak of ERK activation was localized to medullary collecting ducts and the thick ascending limb of Henle (TALH), whereas the second peak corresponded to a progressive increase in ERK activation in dilated collecting ducts and in interstitial cells in the cortex. Proliferation of tubular epithelial cells closely followed the pattern of ERK activation, being evident first in medullary collecting ducts and TALH on day 1, and then in cortical collecting ducts from day 4. This study has identified a discrete pattern of ERK activation in normal rat kidney and an increase in ERK activation following obstruction. The temporal and spatial relationship in which ERK activation preceded tubular cell proliferation suggest that ERK signaling plays a key role in tubular epithelial cell proliferation in the injured kidney.

Transient Ca 2+-dependent activation of ERK1 and ERK2 in cytotoxic responses induced by maitotoxin in breast cancer cells

Treatment of MCF-7 breast cancer cells with the marine toxin maitotoxin (MTX) induces cell death. The cytotoxic effects are clearly detectable within 2–4 h after cell treatment with 10 −10–10 −9 M concentrations of MTX. The response was found to depend on extracellular Ca 2+, inasmuch as cell death was prevented when culture dishes received MTX, following addition of EGTA. MTX caused transient phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase isoforms 1 and 2 (ERK1 and ERK2) mitogen-activated protein kinase isoforms in MCF-7 cells, which was maximal 15 min after toxin addition to culture vessels. The effect was dependent on influx of extracellular Ca 2+, as it was abolished by EGTA, and was induced by ionophores, such as A23187 and ionomycin. Our findings show that signaling pathways involving Ca 2+ ions may cause activation of ERK1 and ERK2 in cell death responses.

Differential Regulation of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 1 and 2 Activity during 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol 13-Acetate-Induced Differentiation of HL-60 Cells

In this study we have analyzed short- and long-term changes in extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1 and 2 activity during 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA)-induced differentiation of human promyelocytic leukemia cells. Immunoprecipitation of HL-60 cellular extracts with an ERK antibody followed byin vitromyelin basic protein phosphorylation demonstrated a rapid reduction in total ERK activity by 70%. Mitogen-activated protein kinase substrate peptide phosphorylation also demonstrated that this reduction was sustained during differentiation. Immunoblot analysis revealed that ERK1 and ERK2 are the predominant ERK isoforms present in HL-60 cells and that over a 96-h period ERK1 protein was gradually reduced by 60% while ERK2 protein showed only a small, insignificant reduction. Therefore, the large, rapid decrease in total ERK activity could not be attributed to the gradual reductions in ERK1 or ERK2 amounts. Immunoblot analysis with two different phosphotyrosine antibodies revealed a rapid decrease in ERK1 phosphotyrosine and a concurrent transient increase in ERK2 phosphotyrosine. These contrasting changes in phosphorylated ERKs were paralleled by respective shifts in mobility during SDS–PAGE analysis. Together these results indicate that the rapid reduction in total ERK activity is due to rapid tyrosine and possible threonine dephosphorylation of ERK1 but not of ERK2. These results also indicate that ERK1 and ERK2 are regulated by distinct mechanisms during TPA-induced HL-60 differentiation, suggesting that their biological roles are nonredundant.

Inhibition by pentoxifylline of extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation by platelet-derived growth factor in hepatic stellate cells.

1. It has been proposed that pentoxifylline (PTF) acts an antifibrogenic agent by reducing the synthesis of extracellular matrix components, and this possibility has been confirmed in animal models of hepatic fibrosis. In this study the effects of PTF on the proliferation of extracellular matrix producing cells induced by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) were evaluated. The study was performed on hepatic stellate cells, currently indicated as the major source of extracellular matrix in fibrotic liver. 2. PTF caused a dose-dependent reduction of PDGF-induced mitogenesis with an IC50 of 170 microM, identical to the EC50 for the increase in intracellular cyclic AMP levels. Preincubation with PTF did not affect either PDGF-receptor autophosphorylation or phosphotidylinositol 3-kinase activity, whereas it markedly reduced PDGF-stimulated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activity and ERK isoform phosphorylation. PTF also reduced PDGF-induced c-fos mRNA expression, which is dependent on activation of the RAS/ERK pathway. In addition, the PDGF-induced increase in cytsolic-free calcium was almost completely prevented by pretreating the cells with PTF. 3. The results of the present study indicate that PTF, in addition to its effect on collagen deposition and degradation, may exert an antifibrogenic effect by reducing the PDGF-induced proliferation of extracellular matrix producing cells. This effect appears to be mediated by a reduction of PDGF-stimulated ERK activity as well as of other intracellular signalling pathways such as the PDGF-induced elevation of cytosolic-free calcium.

Parietal cell MAP kinases: multiple activation pathways.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a potent mitogen for many cell types; however, the best known effect of EGF on gastric parietal cell HCl secretion is inhibition of this response. Using rabbit parietal cells in primary culture, we recently showed that the effect of EGF is biphasic with acute inhibition followed by sustained enhancement of acid secretory-related responses. We hypothesized that EGF might activate a mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signaling pathway in parietal cells, and this pathway might play a role in mediating sustained and/or acute effects of EGF on parietal cell acid secretory-related functions [C. S. Chew, K. Nakamura, and A. C. Petropolous. Am. J. Physiol. 267 (Gastrointest. Liver Physiol. 30): G818-G826, 1994]. We used several methodological approaches to demonstrate the presence of MAP kinase (MAPK) isoforms, extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) 1 and 2, in parietal cells and to begin to characterize their mechanisms of activation in this highly differentiated cell type. In acutely isolated, 90-98% enriched parietal cells, EGF biphasically activated ERK-1 and ERK-2, with peak response occurring at approximately 5 min followed by a sustained lower level of activation for at least 2 h. The EC50 for EGF (1.2 +/- 0.4 nM) was similar to the previously determined EC50 for the stimulatory effect of EGF on acid secretory responses. In contrast to EGF, the phorbol ester protein kinase C activator 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) induced a sustained activation of ERK-1 and ERK-2 for at least 2 h. Carbachol also activated ERK-1 and ERK-2; however, this response was weaker and monophasic. Neither the Ca2+ ionophore ionomycin nor the adenylyl cyclase activator forskolin altered basal or stimulated ERK activity. Carbachol, but not EGF or TPA, also activated an unidentified 70-kDa protein kinase as detected with in-gel myelin basic protein (MBP) kinase renaturation assays. Parietal cell MAPK activation was not correlated to a shift in apparent relative molecular mass on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gels, suggesting that basal phosphorylation of ERK isoforms may be higher in parietal cells compared with actively proliferating cell lines. Also, in contrast to observations in neutrophils, the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PtdIns 3-kinase) inhibitor, wortmannin (0.3-3 microM), failed to inhibit ERK activation in response to EGF, carbachol, or TPA. The combined data indicate that 1) EGF, TPA, and carbachol activate overlapping as well as distinct intracellular signaling pathways in gastric parietal cells, 2) EGF activates ERKs and enhances parietal cell acid secretory related functions via receptors with similar affinities, and 3) in contrast to some cell types, the parietal cell ERK-signaling cascade does not appear to be directly modulated by the PtdIns 3-kinase pathway or by elevated intracellular free Ca2+ or adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate concentrations.