Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Protein Kinase Family (protein + kinase_family)
Selected AbstractsErythropoiesis and Molecular Mechanisms for Sexual Determination in Malaria ParasitesIUBMB LIFE, Issue 4 2000R. E. L. Paul Abstract Malaria parasites proliferate asexually within the vertebrate host but must undergo sexual reproduction for transmission to mosquitoes and hence infection of new hosts. The developmental pathways controlling gametocytogenesis are not known, but several protein kinases and other putative signal transduction elements possibly involved in this phenomenon have been found in Plasmodium. Recently, another developmental pathway, that of Plasmodium sex determination (male or female), has been shown to be triggered by erythropoiesis in the host. Rapid progress is being made in our understanding of the molecular basis of mammalian erythropoiesis, revealing kinase pathways that are essential to cellular responses triggered by the hormone erythropoietin. Although the molecular mechanisms whereby this hormone modulates the sex ratio of malaria parasites remain to be elucidated, it probably activates, within the parasite, transduction pathways similar to those found in other eukaryotes. Indeed, enzymes belonging to protein kinase families known to be involved in the response of mammalian cells to erythropoietin (such as the mitogen-activated protein kinases) have been identified in P. falciparum gametocytes. Some of these enzymes differ markedly from their mammalian homologs; therefore, identification of the transduction pathways of the parasite that are responsible for its developmental response to erythropoietin opens the way to the development of transmission-blocking drugs based on kinase inhibitors. [source] Characterization of a novel fibroblast-like cell line from rainbow trout and responses to sublethal anoxiaJOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2004C. G. Ossum A novel fibroblast-like cell line RTHDF was established from hypodermal connective tissue of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss and telomerase activity was demonstrated early and late in cell line development. When RTHDF cells were exposed to bioenergetic stress, i.e. anoxia, activation of the stress activated member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase family, p38MAPK and induction of heat shock protein (Hsp70) were evident. The time-course of the p38MAPK activation and the induction of Hsp70 expression in RTHDF were studied in response to chemically induced anoxia. p38MAPK was activated rapidly, with maximal activity after 10 min of anoxia. Hsp70 was induced after 30 min of anoxia, followed by overnight recovery in growth medium at 21° C. Using the p38MAPK -specific inhibitor SB203580, the enhanced expression of Hsp70 occurred independently of p38MAPK activation in RTHDF. These data suggests that RTHDF can be useful in studying biochemical responses of teleost cells to environmental stress. [source] The Salt-Inducible Kinase, SIK, Is Induced by Depolarization in BrainJOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 6 2000Jonathan D. Feldman Abstract: Membrane depolarization of neurons is thought to lead to changes in gene expression that modulate neuronal plasticity. We used representational difference analysis to identify a group of cDNAs that are induced by membrane depolarization or by forskolin, but not by neurotrophins or growth factors, in PC12 pheochromocytoma cells. One of these genes, SIK (salt- inducible kinase), is a member of the sucrose-nonfermenting 1 protein kinase/AMP-activated protein kinase protein kinase family that was also recently identified from the adrenal gland of rats treated with high-salt diets. SIK mRNA is induced up to eightfold in specific regions of the hippocampus and cortex in rats, following systemic kainic acid administration and seizure induction. [source] Epidermal growth factor stimulates urokinase-type plasminogen activator expression in human gingival fibroblasts.JOURNAL OF PERIODONTAL RESEARCH, Issue 6 2004Possible modulation by genistein, curcumin Background:, Regulation of the extracellular matrix turnover is a crucial process in wound healing and the progress of periodontal disease. It has been proposed that urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), under the control of growth factors or cytokines, provides the proteolytic potential to the accomplishment of these cellular events. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is one of the growth factors that has been shown to be active in uPA regulation. Methods:, In this study, we have assessed the effect of EGF on uPA expression in primary cultures of human gingival fibroblasts. We also studied the signaling pathways involved in this process and the role of the dietary phytoestrogens curcumin and genistein as potential modulators of this response. Results:, Human gingival fibroblasts expressed a basal uPA activity, which was inhibited by genistein, but not by curcumin. After treatment with 10 ng/ml EGF, uPA production was strongly stimulated. Exposure to genistein and curcumin inhibited EGF-stimulated urokinase production, although only genistein showed a statistically significant inhibitory response. Using more specific inhibitors, we found that the mitogen-activated extracellular kinase and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitors PD98059 and SP600125 also blocked the EGF-dependent stimulatory effect. On the other hand, SB203580, inhibitor of the p38 member of mitogen-activated protein kinase family, did not alter this response. In accordance to these findings, EGF stimulated a potent activation of JNK and a mild activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2. Finally, EGF stimulated the phosphorylation of its receptor and tyrphostin (AG1478), curcumin and genistein were able to inhibit this stimulatory effect. Conclusions:, These results indicate that EGF constitutes a strong stimuli on uPA expression in human gingival fibroblasts. Our data also shows that EGF-stimulated uPA production involves the activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 and JNK signaling pathways and might be modulated by the natural phytoestrogens curcumin and genistein. [source] Oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol inhibit MCF-7 breast cancer cell proliferation interfering with ERK1/2 activationMOLECULAR NUTRITION & FOOD RESEARCH (FORMERLY NAHRUNG/FOOD), Issue 6 2010Rosa Sirianni Abstract The growth of many breast tumors is stimulated by estradiol (E2), which activates a classic mechanism of regulation of gene expression and signal transduction pathways inducing cell proliferation. Polyphenols of natural origin with chemical similarity to estrogen have been shown to interfere with tumor cell proliferation. The aim of this study was to investigate whether hydroxytyrosol (HT) and oleuropein (OL), two polyphenols contained in extra-virgin olive oil, can affect breast cancer cell proliferation interfering with E2-induced molecular mechanisms. Both HT and OL inhibited proliferation of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Luciferase gene reporter experiments, using a construct containing estrogen responsive elements able to bind estrogen receptor alpha (ER,) and the study of the effects of HT or OL on ER, expression, demonstrated that HT and OL are not involved in ER,-mediated regulation of gene expression. However, further experiments pointed out that both OL and HT determined a clear inhibition of E2-dependent activation of extracellular regulated kinase1/2 belonging to the mitogen activating protein kinase family. Our study demonstrated that HT and OL can have a chemo-preventive role in breast cancer cell proliferation through the inhibition of estrogen-dependent rapid signals involved in uncontrolled tumor cell growth. [source] | ||||||||||