Induced Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Activation Research Articles

Signal transduction in arteriosclerosis: mechanical stress-activated MAP kinases in vascular smooth muscle cells (review).

Vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation is a key event in the development of (spontaneous) atherosclerosis, hypertension-related arteriosclerosis, angioplasty-induced restenosis and venous bypass graft arteriosclerosis. Many factors or environmental stimuli are believed to be responsible for SMC growth or hypertrophy in the vessel wall. How these environmental stimuli or signals applied onto the surface of SMCs are transduced into the cell nucleus resulting in quantitative and qualitative changes in gene expression in SMCs of arterial walls is largely unknown. Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases are rapidly activated in cells stimulated with various extracellular signals by dual phosphorylation of tyrosine and threonine residues. They are thought to play a pivotal role in transmitting transmembrane signals required for cell growth and differentiation. Recent studies have focused on the signalling events in vascular tissues in vivo and in cultured SMCs in vitro. It has been demonstrated that acute hypertension and angioplasty rapidly induced MAP kinase activation in the arterial wall. Kinase activation is followed by an increase in c-fos and c-jun gene expression and enhanced transcription factor AP-1 DNA-binding activity. A similar MAP kinase activation can be mimicked in in vitro cultured SMCs stimulated by either shear stress or cyclic strain stretch, suggesting direct effects of mechanical force. Interestingly, physical forces rapidly resulted in phosphorylation of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor, an activated state, in cultured SMCs. Thus, mechanical stresses may directly perturb the cell surface or alter receptor conformation, thereby initiating signalling pathways usually used by growth factors. These findings have significantly enhanced our knowledge concerning the pathogenesis of arteriosclerosis and provide a basis for therapeutic intervention on vascular diseases.

Endothelin-1 stimulates DNA synthesis of vascular smooth-muscle cells through transactivation of epidermal growth factor receptor.

To elucidate the molecular mechanism of the mitogenic effect of endothelin-1 (ET-1) on vascular smooth-muscle cells (VSMCs), we studied the effect of AG1478, a novel epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase inhibitor, on p42/44 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activation, c-Fos expression, and DNA synthesis stimulated by ET-1. AG1478 dose-dependently (2.5 x 10(-8) M-2.5 x 10(-7) M) inhibited ET-1-induced MAP kinase activation. The ET-1-induced c-Fos protein expression was inhibited by AG1478 (2.5 x 10(-7) M). AG1478 also dose-dependently inhibited ET-1-stimulated [3H]thymidine incorporation. These data suggest that ET-1 induces MAP kinase activation, c-Fos expression, and promotes proliferation of VSMCs via transactivation of EGFR.

Norepinephrine Stimulates Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Activity in GT1–1 Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Neuronal Cell Lines

The GT1-1 GnRH neuronal cell lines exhibit highly differentiated properties of GnRH neurons. We have used GT1-1 cells to study the roles of norepinephrine (NE), membrane depolarization, calcium influx, and phorbol esters in the regulation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase. NE, which is known to stimulate the release of GnRH, induced MAP kinase activity, the tyrosine phosphorylation of MAP kinase, and MAP kinase kinase activity. Forskolin led to activation of MAP kinase comparable with that induced by NE, and a selective inhibitor of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, H8, attenuated the NE-induced activation of MAP kinase. On the other hand, elimination of extracellular calcium by EGTA completely blocked NE-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of MAP kinase, and a selective inhibitor of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, KN-62, attenuated the NE-induced activation of MAP kinase. Furthermore, depolarization of GT1-1 cells with 75 mM KCl, 10 microM BayK 8644, or 1 microM calcium ionophore (A23187) induced rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of MAP kinase. The omission of calcium from the extracellular medium completely abolished these effects of tyrosine phosphorylation of MAP kinase. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) also induced MAP kinase activity, but pretreatment of the cultured cells with PMA to down-regulate protein kinase C did not abolish the activation of MAP kinase by NE. In addition, although phosphorylation of Raf-1 kinase was stimulated by PMA, this phosphorylation was not induced by either NE or A23187. These results demonstrate that NE activates MAP kinase directly in GT1-1 cells, and that the effect of NE is mediated by increase in the cAMP level and by calcium influx, but not by PMA-sensitive protein kinase C or Raf-1 kinase.

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and IL-5 activate mitogen-activated protein kinase through Jak2 kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhuman eosinophils

Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases are activated by the sequential activation of Ras, Raf, and MEK (MAP kinase kinase) and regulate a wide variety of cell functions. To determine the kinase cascade for granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)– and IL-5–induced MAP kinase activation in eosinophils, we studied the effect of inhibitors of Jak2 kinase, tyrosine kinases, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, and protein kinase C on GM-CSF– and IL-5–induced MAP kinase activation in human eosinophils. GM-CSF and IL-5 activated 40, 42, and 44 kilodalton MAP kinase isoforms in eosinophils. This was indicated by the electrophoretic mobility shift of the three isoforms of MAP kinase in immunoblotting with anti-MAP kinase antibody and also by in-gel MAP kinase assay. MAP kinase activation was time- and dose-dependent, becoming maximal 3 to 15 minutes after stimulation. A Jak2 kinase inhibitor AG-490, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein, and a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor wortmannin inhibited GM-CSF– and IL-5–induced MAP kinase activation in eosinophils, whereas a protein kinase C inhibitor staurosporine had a weak inhibitory effect. Furthermore, AG-490 and genistein prevented GM-CSF–induced tyrosine phosphorylation of Jak2 kinase in eosinophils. Taken together, these results indicate that GM-CSF and IL-5 activate MAP kinases through the signaling pathway of Jak2 kinase–tyrosine phosphorylated β chain–phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase–Ras in eosinophils. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 1997;100:S45-51.)

Mechanisms of inhibition by heparin of PDGF stimulated MAP kinase activation in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Heparin and heparan are potent inhibitors of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation. To investigate the mechanisms by which heparin suppresses growth factor stimulated mitogenesis, the present experiments investigated the effects of heparin on platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) stimulated signal transduction pathways. Heparin treatment substantially inhibited PDGF-BB stimulated rat VSMC growth. Western analysis showed a 30 min PDGF-BB treatment of VSMC induced the tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple protein bands; cotreatment with heparin inhibited mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase tyrosine phosphorylation but had little effect on PDGF receptor tyrosine phosphorylation. In-gel kinase assays demonstrated that heparin inhibited PDGF-BB stimulated MAP kinase activity at late (25 min) but not early (10 min) time points. These data indicate that heparin does not inhibit the initial signalling events after PDGF-BB binding but instead acts through an alternate mechanism to inhibit MAP kinase. To investigate if heparin directly stimulates tyrosine phosphatase-mediated suppression of MAP kinase, we treated VSMC with orthovanadate, a tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor. Heparin inhibited MAP kinase tyrosine phosphorylation after orthovanadate treatment, indicating that heparin does not suppress MAP kinase by enlistment of a tyrosine phosphatase. Experiments were performed to investigate signalling pathways upstream of MAP kinase. To determine if protein kinase C (PKC) mediates PDGF-BB, serum, and EGF stimulation of MAP kinase, we treated VSMC overnight with phorbol ester (PMA) to downregulate PKC. Abolition of conventional and novel PKC activity significantly suppressed both serum and PDGF-BB induced MAP kinase activation, indicating protein kinase C is an important mediator for these mitogens. In contrast, downregulation of these PKC isoforms had little effect on EGF stimulation of MAP kinase. As heparin inhibits PDGF and serum but not EGF stimulation of MAP kinase, there data precisely correlate heparin inhibition of MAP kinase with activation through PKC-dependent pathways. Immunoprecipitation analysis found that heparin inhibited serum, PMA, and PDGF but not EGF induced raf-1 phosphorylation. These studies demonstrate that heparin did not block PDGF-BB receptor activation, which initiates the mitogenic signalling cascade. Heparin did inhibit specific postreceptor second messenger signals, such as the late phase activation of MAP kinase, which may be mediated by suppression of PKC-dependent pathways.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase activation in hepatocyte growth factor-stimulated rat hepatocytes: Involvement of protein tyrosine kinase and protein kinase C

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) stimulated mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases and MAP kinase kinase in primary cultured rat hepatocytes. Inhibitors for protein kinase C (PKC), Ro31-8425, H-7, and calphostin C, reduced HGF-induced MAP kinase activity. A PKC activator, phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), induced MAP kinase activation in a concentration-dependent manner. Protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitors, genistein, and ST638 also inhibited HGF-induced MAP kinase activation. Furthermore, HGF increased formation of Ras guanosine triphosphate (GTP) complex, indicating Ras activation. Genistein inhibited HGF-induced Ras activation, but Ro31-8425 was without effect. On the other hand, Ro31-8425 decreased HGF-induced [3H]arachidonic acid (AA) release and [3H]thymidine incorporation. Genistein also prevented [3H]AA release and [3H]-thymidine incorporation. Moreover, a commonly used phospholipase A2 (PLA2) inhibitor, quinacrine, decreased HGF- induced [3H]AA release and [3H]thymidine incorporation. The inhibitory profile of [3H]AA release was well correlated with that of [3H]thymidine incorporation in Ro31-8425-, genistein-, and quinacrine- treated cells. A cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin, which suppressed HGF-induced DNA synthesis, had minimal effect on MAP kinase activation. In contrast, prostaglandin (PG) E1, E2, or F2 alpha, which stimulate [3H]thymidine incorporation to the same level as that caused by HGF in hepatocytes, caused very weak activation of MAP kinases. These results suggest that PTK, Ras, and PKC play roles in MAP kinase activation induced by HGF and that MAP kinase activation resulting in AA release is involved in DNA synthesis in rat hepatocytes. (Hepatology 1996 May;23(5):1244-53)

Mitogen-activated protein kinase activation in hepatocyte growth factor-stimulated rat hepatocytes: Involvement of protein tyrosine kinase and protein kinase C

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) stimulated mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases and MAP kinase kinase in primary cultured rat hepatocytes. Inhibitors for protein kinase C (PKC), Ro31-8425, H-7, and calphostin C, reduced HGF-induced MAP kinase activity. A PKC activator, phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), induced MAP kinase activation in a concentration-dependent manner. Protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitors, genistein, and ST638 also inhibited HGF-induced MAP kinase activation. Furthermore, HGF increased formation of Ras guanosine triphosphate (GTP) complex, indicating Ras activation. Genistein inhibited HGF-induced Ras activation, but Ro31-8425 was without effect. On the other hand, Ro31-8425 decreased HGF-induced [3H]arachidonic acid (AA) release and [3H]thymidine incorporation. Genistein also prevented [3H]AA release and [3H]-thymidine incorporation. Moreover, a commonly used phospholipase A2 (PLA2) inhibitor, quinacrine, decreased HGF- induced [3H]AA release and [3H]thymidine incorporation. The inhibitory profile of [3H]AA release was well correlated with that of [3H]thymidine incorporation in Ro31-8425-, genistein-, and quinacrine- treated cells. A cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin, which suppressed HGF-induced DNA synthesis, had minimal effect on MAP kinase activation. In contrast, prostaglandin (PG) E1, E2, or F2α, which stimulate [3H]thymidine incorporation to the same level as that caused by HGF in hepatocytes, caused very weak activation of MAP kinases. These results suggest that PTK, Ras, and PKC play roles in MAP kinase activation induced by HGF and that MAP kinase activation resulting in AA release is involved in DNA synthesis in rat hepatocytes.

Thrombin activates mitogen‐activated protein kinase in primary astrocyte cultures

Thrombin is known to evoke numerous inflammatory and proliferative responses in a wide variety of its target cells. Recent studies have demonstrated morphoregulatory and mitogenic effects of thrombin on astroglial cells (astrocytes). The present study deals with thrombin-induced activation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase in primary cultures of rat astrocytes. Treatment of serum-starved astrocytes with thrombin resulted in a rapid activation of tyrosine (Tyr) phosphorylation of a set of proteins including a prominent one with a molecular mass of 42 kDa (p42). The identity of p42 with MAP kinase was confirmed by MAP kinase-immunoreactivity of isolated [i.e., immunoprecipitated with anti-phosphotyrosine (PY) antibodies] p42 and by increased myelin basic protein (MBP) kinase activity present in MAP kinase immunoprecipitates of thrombin-treated cultures. Pertussis toxin (PTX) pretreatment failed to inhibit thrombin stimulation of p42 phosphorylation, indicating the lack of involvement of PTX sensitive G proteins in the mechanism of activation of MAP kinase by thrombin. Chronic exposure of cultures to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate to down-regulate PKC resulted in an attenuation of thrombin-induced p42 Tyr phosphorylation, although H-7, a known PKC inhibitor, failed to block thrombin effect. However, staurosporine, a nonspecific protein kinase inhibitor, prevented the activation of p42 phosphorylation. It is concluded that thrombin induces MAP kinase activation in astrocytes by a mechanism involving a staurosporine-sensitive pathway.

Angiotensin II and other hypertrophic stimuli mediated by G protein-coupled receptors activate tyrosine kinase, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and 90-kD S6 kinase in cardiac myocytes. The critical role of Ca(2+)-dependent signaling.

Many hypertrophic stimuli such as angiotensin II (Ang II) activate phospholipases through G protein-coupled receptors in cardiac myocytes. However, it is not known whether these stimuli also activate the tyrosine phosphorylation-dependent signaling pathway, which plays an essential role in growth factor-induced mitogenic responses in other cell types. Serine/threonine kinases such as mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases and 90-kD S6 kinase (RSK) are activated in response to many growth stimuli and are important downstream signaling pathways of tyrosine kinases. Therefore, we examined whether Ang II activates these protein kinases in primary cultures of cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts from neonatal rats. Ang II rapidly induced tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple proteins, including 42-, 44-, 75- to 80-, and 120- to 130-kD proteins, in both cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts. This was accompanied by an increase in tyrosine kinase activity. The 42- and 44-kD proteins were immunologically related to an extracellular signal-regulated kinase family (MAP kinases). Ang II rapidly increased kinase activity of MAP kinases and their downstream kinase, RSK. The Ang II-induced tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of MAP kinases and RSK were AT1 receptor-mediated. Activation of protein kinase C (PKC) by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate or an increase in intracellular Ca2+ by the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 was sufficient to cause tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple proteins and activation of MAP kinase and RSK. Although downregulation of PKC did not suppress Ang II-induced activation of MAP kinase and RSK, chelating intracellular Ca2+ by BAPTA-AM completely abolished Ang II-induced activation of these kinases. Activation of MAP kinases and RSK was also observed in myocytes stimulated with other agonists for Gq protein-coupled receptors, such as phenylephrine, norepinephrine, and endothelin 1, but not with agonists to Gs protein-coupled receptors, such as isoproterenol. These results suggest that Ang II and other hypertrophic stimuli, known to act through Gq protein-coupled receptors, rapidly cause tyrosine phosphorylation of several intracellular substrates through activation of tyrosine kinase and activate MAP kinases and RSK in cardiac myocytes as well as in cardiac fibroblasts. Furthermore, intracellular Ca2+, rather than PKC, seems to be critical for Ang II-induced activation of these protein kinases in cardiac myocytes.

Ras Activity Is Required for Phenylephrine-Induced Activation of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase in Cardiac Muscle Cells

The mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases are a family of kinases whose activity is implicated in a number of growth and differentiation responses. Recently, we and others have shown that these kinases are activated by agonists which induce cardiac muscle cell hypertrophy. Inhibition of MAP kinase activation prevents some of the phenotypes associated with phenylephrine-induced cardiac cell hypertrophy, indicating that this activation is of functional significance. In this communication, we show that active Ras can induce MAP kinase activation in cardiac muscle cells. In addition, phenylephrine-induced activation of the MAP kinases requires Ras activity since a dominant negative Ras mutant (Ala15 Ras) and a Ras-blocking, Raf mutant (C4B Raf) prevent activation of the MAP kinase Erk2 by phenylephrine. These data indicate that phenylephrine signaling to the MAP kinases is mediated through Ras.

Hydrogen peroxide stimulates mitogen-activated protein kinase in bovine tracheal myocytes: implications for human airway disease.

We have shown that hyperoxic exposure of immature rats induces airway smooth muscle layer thickening and cell turnover parallel to that found in the airways of patients with bronchopulmonary dysplasia and chronic, severe asthma. We hypothesized that reactive oxygen species could promote the observed airway remodeling by directly stimulating signal transduction pathways that regulate cell growth. To test this hypothesis in cultured cells, we assessed the effects of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activation in bovine tracheal myocytes. The MAP kinases are a family of 40 to 46 kD cytosolic serine/threonine kinases that participate in the transduction of mitogenic signals to the cell nucleus. Quiescent cells were exposed to H2O2 (25 to 200 microns; 2 to 60 min), after which SDS-PAGE of cell extracts was performed. Western analysis using an anti-MAP kinase antiserum revealed a decrease in the mobility of the 42 and 44 kD MAP kinase bands after H2O2 exposures of 5 to 30 min, reflecting the phosphorylation at threonine and tyrosine residues required for enzymatic activity. MAP kinase activation was demonstrated by kinase renaturation assays, which showed an almost 4-fold increase in 42 and 44 kD MAP kinase activity. Down-regulation of protein kinase C (PKC) with phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) partially reduced H2O2-stimulated MAP kinase activity, suggesting that H2O2 induces MAP kinase activation via both PKC-dependent and PKC-independent pathways. Western analysis using a phosphotyrosine monoclonal antibody revealed increased tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins with approximate molecular weights of 72 and 125 kD after H2O2 exposure, demonstrating that H2O2 can stimulate the tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple cytosolic proteins, including MAP kinase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Okadaic acid activates p42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase; ERK-2) in B-lymphocytes but inhibits rather than augments cellular proliferation: contrast with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate

Ligation of the membrane immunoglobulin M receptor as well as stimulation with the protein kinase C agonist phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate leads to a B-lymphocyte proliferation and differentiation. Both stimuli activate p42 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase in human B-lymphocytes [Casillas, Hanekom, Williams, Katz and Nel (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 19088-19094]. MAP kinase activation is dependent on tyrosine as well as threonine phosphorylation of the kinase and its activity is inhibited by tyrosine as well as threonine/serine phosphatases. Okadaic acid, a specific inhibitor of type 1 and 2A serine/threonine phosphatases, induced MAP kinase activity in a potent and dose-dependent fashion, but failed to induce [3H]thymidine incorporation into normal human tonsil B-cells. Moreover, in combination with membrane immunoglobulin M ligation, okadaic acid decreased rather than increased [3H]thymidine incorporation. The kinetics of MAP kinase activation by okadaic acid differed from phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and anti-membrane immunoglobulin M stimulation. Okadaic acid induced tyrosine phosphorylation of 42 kDa and 44 kDa proteins which co-electrophoresed and co-chromatographed with ERK-2 and ERK-1 respectively. Ramos cells also contained a constitutively active 46 kDa MAP kinase which appeared as a separate peak in chromatography and could be immunoprecipitated by an antiserum against a rat ERK-1 fusion protein.