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Downstream Signaling (downstream + signaling)
Terms modified by Downstream Signaling Selected AbstractsRegulation of NMDA receptor trafficking and function by striatal-enriched tyrosine phosphatase (STEP)EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 11 2006Steven P. Braithwaite Abstract Regulation of N -methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) receptors is critical for the normal functioning of the central nervous system. There must be precise mechanisms to allow for changes in receptor function required for learning and normal synaptic transmission, but within tight constraints to prevent pathology. Tyrosine phosphorylation is a major means by which NMDA receptors are regulated through the equilibrium between activity of Src family kinases and tyrosine phosphatases. Identification of NMDA receptor phosphatases has been difficult, the best candidate being striatal-enriched tyrosine phosphatase (STEP). Here we demonstrate that STEP is a critical regulator of NMDA receptors and reveal that the action of this tyrosine phosphatase controls the constitutive trafficking of NMDA receptors and leads to changes in NMDA receptor activity at the neuronal surface. We show that STEP binds directly to NMDA receptors in the absence of other synaptic proteins. The activity of STEP selectively affects the expression of NMDA receptors at the neuronal plasma membrane. The result of STEP's action upon the NMDA receptor affects the functional properties of the receptor and its downstream signaling. These effects are evident when STEP levels are chronically reduced, indicating that there is no redundancy amongst phosphatases to compensate for altered STEP function in the CNS. STEP may have evolved specifically to fill a pivotal role as the NMDA receptor phosphatase, having a distinct and restricted localization and compartmentalization, and unique activity towards the NMDA receptor and its signaling pathway. [source] Antipsoriatic drug anthralin induces EGF receptor phosphorylation in keratinocytes: requirement for H2O2 generationEXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 2 2004Dominik Peus Abstract: Even though anthralin is a well-established topical therapeutic agent for psoriasis, little is known about its effects and biochemical mechanisms of signal transduction. In contrast to a previous report, we found that anthralin induced time- and concentration-dependent phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor in primary human keratinocytes. Four lines of evidence show that this process is mediated by reactive oxygen species. First, we found that anthralin induces time-dependent generation of H2O2. Second, there is a correlation between a time-dependent increase in anthralin-induced epidermal growth factor receptor phosphorylation and H2O2 generation. Third, the structurally different antioxidants n -propyl gallate and N -acetylcysteine inhibited epidermal growth factor receptor phosphorylation induced by anthralin. Fourth, overexpression of catalase inhibited this process. The epidermal growth factor receptor-specific tyrosine kinase inhibitor PD153035 abrogated anthralin-induced epidermal growth factor receptor phosphorylation and activation of extracellular-regulated kinase 1/2. These findings establish the following sequence of events: (1) H2O2 generation, (2) epidermal growth factor receptor phosphorylation, and (3) extracellular-regulated kinase activation. Our data identify anthralin-induced reactive oxygen species and, more specifically, H2O2 as an important upstream mediator required for ligand-independent epidermal growth factor receptor phosphorylation and downstream signaling. [source] Activated Rac1, but not the tumorigenic variant Rac1b, is ubiquitinated on Lys 147 through a JNK-regulated processFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 2 2008Orane Visvikis Ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation have recently emerged as an additional level of regulation of activated forms of Rho GTPases. To characterize this novel regulatory pathway and to gain insight into its biological significance, we studied the ubiquitination of two constitutively activated forms of Rac1, i.e. the mutationally activated Rac1L61, and the tumorigenic splice variant Rac1b, which is defective for several downstream signaling pathways, including JNK activation. Whereas Rac1L61 undergoes polyubiquitination and subsequent proteasomal degradation in HEK293 cells, Rac1b is poorly ubiquitinated and appears to be much more resistant to proteasomal degradation than Rac1L61. Mutational analysis of all lysine residues in Rac1 revealed that the major target site for Rac1 ubiquitination is Lys147, a solvent-accessible residue that has a similar conformation in Rac1b. Like Rac1L61, Rac1b was found to be largely associated with plasma membrane, a known prerequisite for Rac1 ubiquitination. Interestingly, Rac1b ubiquitination could be stimulated by coexpression of Rac1L61, suggesting positive regulation of Rac1 ubiquitination by Rac1 downstream signaling. Indeed, ubiquitination of Rac1L61 is critically dependent on JNK activation. In conclusion: (a) Rac1b appears to be more stable than Rac1L61 with regard to the ubiquitin,proteasome system, and this may be of importance for the expression and tumorigenic capacity of Rac1b; and (b) ubiquitination of activated Rac1 occurs through a JNK-activated process, which may explain the defective ubiquitination of Rac1b. The JNK-dependent activation of Rac1 ubiquitination would create a regulatory loop allowing the cell to counteract excessive activation of Rac1 GTPase. [source] HSP27 mediates SPARC-induced changes in glioma morphology, migration, and invasionGLIA, Issue 10 2008William A. Golembieski Abstract Secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) regulates cell,extracellular matrix interactions that influence cell adhesion and migration. We have demonstrated that SPARC is highly expressed in human gliomas, and it promotes brain tumor invasion in vitro and in vivo. To further our understanding regarding SPARC function in glioma migration, we transfected SPARC-green fluorescent protein (GFP) and control GFP vectors into U87MG cells, and assessed the effects of SPARC on cell morphology, migration, and invasion after 24 h. The expression of SPARC was associated with elongated cell morphology, and increased migration and invasion. The effects of SPARC on downstream signaling were assessed from 0 to 6 h and 24 h. SPARC increased the levels of total and phosphorylated HSP27; the latter was preceded by activation of p38 MAPK and inhibited by the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580. Augmented expression of SPARC was correlated with increased levels of HSP27 mRNA. In a panel of glioma cell lines, increasing levels of SPARC correlated with increasing total and phosphorylated HSP27. SPARC and HSP27 were colocalized to invading cells in vivo. Inhibition of HSP27 mRNA reversed the SPARC-induced changes in cell morphology, migration, and invasion in vitro. These data indicate that HSP27, a protein that regulates actin polymerization, cell contraction, and migration, is a novel downstream effector of SPARC-regulated cell morphology and migration. As such, it is a potential therapeutic target to inhibit SPARC-induced glioma invasion. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Small molecule c-MET inhibitor PHA665752: Effect on cell growth and motility in papillary thyroid carcinomaHEAD & NECK: JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES & SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK, Issue 8 2008Chandrani Chattopadhyay PhD Abstract Background c-Met is upregulated in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and can be an attractive therapeutic target. We tested the effects of the small molecule c-met inhibitor PHA665752 in blocking c-met,dependent phenotypic effects in PTC cell lines. Methods PTC patient tissues and cell lines were evaluated for c-met expression. The effect of PHA665752 on c-met phosphorylation, downstream signaling, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF),dependent cell growth, and induction of apoptosis was studied. The IC50 of PHA665752 in c-met,expressing PTC cells was determined, and growth curves at 0.1×, 1×, and 10× IC50 concentrations were obtained. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and caspase-9-processing post-PHA665752 treatment were studied as markers of apoptosis, and assays analyzing HGF-dependent cell invasion and migration in the presence and absence of PHA665752 were done. Results c-Met was upregulated in most of the patient tissues with PTC and in many PTC cell lines. PHA665752 specifically inhibited c-met phosphorylation, c-met,dependent cell growth, signal transduction, cell survival, cell invasion, and migration in PTC cells with high c-met. Conclusions PHA665752 is an effective and specific inhibitor of c-met in PTC cells with high levels of c-met expression. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2008 [source] Integrin signaling through FAK in the regulation of mammary stem cells and breast cancerIUBMB LIFE, Issue 4 2010Jun-Lin Guan Abstract Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase identified as a key mediator of intracellular signaling by integrins, a major family of cell surface receptors for extracellular matrix, in the regulation of different cellular functions in a variety of cells. Upon activation by integrins through disruption of an autoinhibitory mechanism, FAK undergoes autophosphorylation and forms a complex with Src and other cellular proteins to trigger downstream signaling through its kinase activity or scaffolding function. A number of integrins are identified as surface markers for mammary stem cells (MaSCs), and both integrins and FAK are found to play crucial roles in the maintenance of MaSCs in studies using mouse models, suggesting that integrin signaling through FAK may serve as a functional marker for MaSCs. Consistent with previous studies linking increased expression and activation of FAK to human breast cancer, these findings suggest a novel cellular mechanism of FAK promotion of mammary tumorigenesis by maintaining the pools of MaSCs as targets of oncogenic transformation. Furthermore, FAK inactivation in mouse models of breast cancer also reduced the pool of mammary cancer stem cells (MaCSCs), decreased their self-renewal in vitro, and compromised their tumorigenicity and maintenance in vivo, suggesting a potential role of integrin signaling through FAK in breast cancer growth and progression through its functions in MaCSCs. This review discusses these recent advances and future studies into the mechanism of integrin signaling through FAK in breast cancer through regulation of MaCSCs that may lead to development of novel therapies for this deadly disease. © 2010 IUBMB IUBMB Life, 62(4): 268,276, 2010 [source] Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP), a Disorder of Ectopic Osteogenesis, Misregulates Cell Surface Expression and Trafficking of BMPRIA,,JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 7 2005Lourdes Serrano de la Peña Abstract FOP is a disorder in which skeletal muscle is progressively replaced with bone. FOP lymphocytes, a model system for exploring the BMP pathway in these patients, exhibit a defect in BMPRIA internalization and increased activation of downstream signaling, suggesting that altered BMP receptor trafficking underlies ectopic bone formation in this disease. Introduction: Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is a severely disabling disorder characterized by progressive heterotopic ossification of connective tissues. Whereas the genetic defect and pathophysiology of this condition remain enigmatic, BMP4 mRNA and protein are overexpressed, and mRNAs for a subset of secreted BMP antagonists are not synthesized at appropriate levels in cultured lymphocytes from FOP patients. These data suggest involvement of altered BMP signaling in the disease. In this study, we investigate whether the abnormality is associated with defective BMP receptor function in lymphocytes. Materials and Methods: Cell surface proteins were quantified by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Protein phosphorylation was assayed by immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting. Protein synthesis and degradation were examined by [35S]methionine labeling and pulse-chase assays. mRNA was detected by RT-PCR. Results: FOP lymphocytes expressed 6-fold higher levels of BMP receptor type IA (BMPRIA) on the cell surface compared with control cells and displayed a marked reduction in ligand-stimulated internalization and degradation of BMPRIA. Moreover, in control cells, BMP4 treatment increased BMPRIA phosphorylation, whereas BMPRIA showed ligand-insensitive constitutive phosphorylation in FOP cells. Our data additionally support that the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway is a major BMP signaling pathway in these cell lines and that expression of inhibitor of DNA binding and differentiation 1 (ID-1), a transcriptional target of BMP signaling, is enhanced in FOP cells. Conclusions: These data extend our previous observations of misregulated BMP4 signaling in FOP lymphocytes and show that cell surface overabundance and constitutive phosphorylation of BMPRIA are associated with a defect in receptor internalization. Altered BMP receptor trafficking may play a significant role in FOP pathogenesis. [source] TUSC4/NPRL2, a novel PDK1-interacting protein, inhibits PDK1 tyrosine phosphorylation and its downstream signalingCANCER SCIENCE, Issue 9 2008Atsuo Kurata 3-Phosphoinositide,dependent protein kinase-1 (PDK1) is a key regulator of cell proliferation and survival signal transduction. PDK1 is known to be constitutively active and is further activated by Src-mediated phosphorylation at the tyrosine-9, -373, and -376 residues. To identify novel regulators of PDK1, we performed E. coli -based two-hybrid screening and revealed that tumor suppressor candidate 4 (TUSC4), also known as nitrogen permease regulator-like 2 (NPRL2), formed a complex with PDK1 and suppressed Src-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of PDK1 in vitro and in cells. The NH2 -terminal 133 amino acid residues of TUSC4 were involved in binding to PDK1. The deletion mutant of TUSC4 that lacked the NH2 -terminal domain showed no inhibitory effects on PDK1 tyrosine phosphorylation or activation. Thus, complex formation is indispensable for TUSC4-mediated PDK1 inactivation. The siRNA-mediated down-regulation of TUSC4 induced cell proliferation, while ectopic TUSC4 expression inactivated the PDK1 downstream signaling pathway, including Akt and p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase, and increased cancer cell sensitivity to several anticancer drugs. Our results suggest that TUSC4/NPRL2, a novel PDK1-interacting protein, plays a role in regulating the Src/PDK1 signaling pathway and cell sensitivity to multiple cancer chemotherapeutic drugs. (Cancer Sci 2008; 99: 1827,1834) [source] | |||||||||||||