p38 Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) is a key mediator in glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis of lymphoid cells: correlation between p38 MAPK activation and site-specific phosphorylation of the human glucocorticoid receptor at serine 211

Mechanisms regulating the susceptibility of hematopoietic malignancies to glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are commonly used in the treatment of hematopoietic malignancies owing to their ability to induce apoptosis of these cancerous cells. Whereas some types of lymphoma and leukemia respond well to this drug, others are resistant. Also, GC-resistance gradually develops upon repeated treatments ultimately leading to refractory relapsed disease. Understanding the mechanisms regulating GC-induced apoptosis is therefore uttermost important for designing novel treatment strategies that overcome GC-resistance. This review discusses updated data describing the complex regulation of the cell's susceptibility to apoptosis triggered by GCs. We address both the genomic and nongenomic effects involved in promoting the apoptotic signals as well as the resistance mechanisms opposing these signals. Eventually we address potential strategies of clinical relevance that sensitize GC-resistant lymphoma and leukemia cells to this drug. The major target is the nongenomic signal transduction machinery where the interplay between protein kinases determines the cell fate. Shifting the balance of the kinome towards a state where Glycogen synthase kinase 3alpha (GSK3alpha) is kept active, favors an apoptotic response. Accumulating data show that it is possible to therapeutically modulate GC-resistance in patients, thereby improving the response to GC therapy.

Glucocorticoid induces apoptosis of osteoblast cells through the activation of glycogen synthase kinase 3beta

Glucocorticoids (GCs), which play an important role in the normal regulation of bone remodeling, are widely used as anti-inflammatory and chemotherapeutic agents. However, continued exposure to GCs results in osteoporosis, which is partially due to apoptosis of osteoblasts and osteocytes. To understand the mechanism of how GCs induce cell death in osteoblasts, we examined apoptotic effects of dexamethasone (Dex), GC, on MC3T3-E1 osteoblast cells. Results revealed that Dex-induced apoptosis was inhibited by a GC receptor antagonist, mifepristone, and a general caspase inhibitor, Z-VAD-fmk, indicating that Dex induces apoptosis of MC3T3-E1 cells through the pathways involved in GC receptor and caspase. Glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK3beta) is known to participate in apoptosis signaling in MC3T3-E1 cells. Dex activated both GSK3beta and p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). The inhibition of GSK3beta by inhibitor (LiCl) or small interference RNA (siRNA) decreased apoptosis. In contrast, the inhibition of p38-MAPK by inhibitor (SB203580) or siRNA did not decrease, but increase apoptosis. These results suggest that Dex-mediated apoptosis of osteoblasts is facilitated by GSK3beta, but prevented by p38-MAPK.

Role of RHOB in the antiproliferative effect of glucocorticoid receptor on macrophage RAW264.7 cells

Although glucocorticoid (GC) has been reported to inhibit macrophage killing activity and cytokine production in response to proinflammatory stimuli, the effect of GC on macrophage proliferation is controversial. In our previous study, we found that inhibition of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression in murine macrophage cell line RAW264.7 cells (RAW-GR(-) cells) by RNAi significantly promoted cell proliferation. In the present study, we provide the evidence that the expression of Rhob, a member of Rho GTPases with anti-cancer character, remarkably decreased in RAW-GR(-) and RAW264.7 cells transiently transfected with GR-RNAi vector. Overexpression or constitutive activation of Rhob in RAW-GR(-) and RAW264.7 cells by transfection with wild-type Rhob expression vector (Rhob-wt) or constitutively activated Rhob plasmid (Rhob-V14) resulted in decreased proliferation of the two cell lines. Oppositely, the proliferation of RAW264.7 cells was significantly increased when the expression of Rhob by RNA interference technique or the activity of Rhob by transfection with dominant negative Rhob mutant that is defective in nucleotide binding (Rhob-N19) was inhibited. In addition, enhanced activity of Akt, but not MAPK3/1 or MAPK14, was found in RAW-GR(-) cells. Blocking the pathway of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt with the specific inhibitor LY294002 decreased the proliferation and elevated RHOB protein level, indicating that PI3K/Akt signal plays its role of proliferation modulation upstream of RHOB protein. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that Rhob plays an important role in the antiproliferative effect of GR on RAW264.7 cells by GR-->Akt-->Rhob signaling and Rhob negatively regulates the proliferation of RAW264.7 cells.

Converting cell lines representing hematological malignancies from glucocorticoid-resistant to glucocorticoid-sensitive: signaling pathway interactions

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), protein kinase A (PKA) and mTOR pathways modulate the apoptotic effects of glucocorticoids (GCs) in human lymphoblastic leukemia CEM cells. We now show that manipulation of these pathways converts several cell lines, representing other lymphoid malignancies, from GC-resistant to GC-sensitive. Basal levels of phosphorylated JNK and ERK were elevated in the GC-resistant cells. Treatments that directly or indirectly reduced phosphorylated JNK and ERK resulted in Dex sensitivity in five resistant lymphoid cell lines. Sensitivity to GC-driven apoptosis correlated with GC-dependent increases in phosphorylated and total glucocorticoid receptor, and in increased levels of the pro-apoptotic protein Bim.

Molecular mechanisms of corticosteroid resistance

Most patients with asthma are successfully treated with conventional therapy. Nevertheless, there is a small proportion of asthmatic patients, including present cigarette smokers and former cigarette smokers, who fail to respond well to therapy with high-dose glucocorticoids (GCs) or with supplementary therapy. In addition, high doses of steroids have a minimal effect on the inexorable decline in lung function in COPD patients and only a small effect on reducing exacerbations. GC insensitivity, therefore, presents a profound management problem in these patients. GCs act by binding to a cytosolic GC receptor (GR), which is subsequently activated and is able to translocate to the nucleus. Once in the nucleus, the GR either binds to DNA and switches on the expression of antiinflammatory genes or acts indirectly to repress the activity of a number of distinct signaling pathways such as nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB and activator protein (AP)-1. This latter step requires the recruitment of corepressor molecules. Importantly, this latter interaction is mutually repressive in that high levels of NF-kappaB and AP-1 attenuate GR function. A failure to respond may therefore result from reduced GC binding to GR, reduced GR expression, enhanced activation of inflammatory pathways, or lack of corepressor activity. These events can be modulated by oxidative stress, T-helper type 2 cytokines, or high levels of inflammatory mediators, all of which may lead to a reduced clinical outcome. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of GR action, and inaction, may lead to the development of new antiinflammatory drugs or may reverse the relative steroid insensitivity that is characteristic of patients with these diseases.

Stepping stones in the path of glucocorticoid-driven apoptosis of lymphoid cells

Cumulative work on glucocorticoid (GC) regulation of genes in lymphoid cell cultures has revealed that apoptotic sensitivity to GCs depends on sufficient active GC receptors in the cells. The actions of the ligand-driven GC receptor that lead to apoptosis depend on interactions with other major cell-signaling systems, including the MAPK pathways, the cAMP/PKA pathway, the hedgehog pathway, the mTOR system and the c-myc system. The balance between these systems determines whether a given cell responds to GCs by undergoing apoptosis. A central core of networked genes may be found under GC control in many types of malignant, GC-sensitive cells. The partial core list identified should be tested in clinical cell samples from hematologic malignancies.

Protein kinase A (PKA) isoform RIIbeta mediates the synergistic killing effect of cAMP and glucocorticoid in acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells

Protein kinase A (PKA) or cAMP-dependent protein kinase (cAPK) mediates the synergistic effects of cAMP- and glucocorticoid (GC)-induced apoptosis in lymphoid cells. Using two human acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell (CEM) clones with respective GC-sensitive and GC-resistant phenotypes, we discovered that the PKA regulatory subunit isoform RII(beta) is preferentially expressed in the GC-sensitive clone C7-14 cells, whereas other intracellular cAMP receptors, including the exchange proteins directly activated by cAMP (Epac), are expressed at similar levels in both GC-sensitive and GC-resistant clones. High RII(beta) expression level in C7-14 cells is associated with elevated total PKA cellular activity and cAMP sensitivity, which consequently lead to an increased basal PKA activity. cAMP analogs that selectively activate type II PKA recapitulate the effects of forskolin of promoting apoptosis and antagonizing AKT/PKB activity in both GC-sensitive and GC-resistant clones, whereas type I PKA-selective agonists do not. Furthermore, down-regulation of RII(beta) leads to increased AKT/PKB activation and enhanced GC resistance in C7-14 cells. These results demonstrate that PKA RII(beta) is responsible for increased GC sensitivity, critical for cAMP-mediated synergistic cell killing in CEM cells, and may represent a novel therapeutic target for GC-resistant lymphoid malignancy.

Glucocorticoid receptor phosphorylation differentially affects target gene expression

The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is phosphorylated at multiple sites within its N terminus (S203, S211, S226), yet the role of phosphorylation in receptor function is not understood. Using a range of agonists and GR phosphorylation site-specific antibodies, we demonstrated that GR transcriptional activation is greatest when the relative phosphorylation of S211 exceeds that of S226. Consistent with this finding, a replacement of S226 with an alanine enhances GR transcriptional response. Using a battery of compounds that perturb different signaling pathways, we found that BAPTA-AM, a chelator of intracellular divalent cations, and curcumin, a natural product with antiinflammatory properties, reduced hormone-dependent phosphorylation at S211. This change in GR phosphorylation was associated with its decreased nuclear retention and transcriptional activation. Molecular modeling suggests that GR S211 phosphorylation promotes a conformational change, which exposes a novel surface potentially facilitating cofactor interaction. Indeed, S211 phosphorylation enhances GR interaction with MED14 (vitamin D receptor interacting protein 150). Interestingly, in U2OS cells expressing a nonphosphorylated GR mutant S211A, the expression of IGF-binding protein 1 and interferon regulatory factor 8, both MED14-dependent GR target genes, was reduced relative to cells expressing wild-type receptor across a broad range of hormone concentrations. In contrast, the induction of glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper, a MED14-independent GR target, was similar in S211A- and wild-type GR-expressing cells at high hormone levels, but was reduced in S211A cells at low hormone concentrations, suggesting a link between GR phosphorylation, MED14 involvement, and receptor occupancy. Phosphorylation also affected the magnitude of repression by GR in a gene-selective manner. Thus, GR phosphorylation at S211 and S226 determines GR transcriptional response by modifying cofactor interaction. Furthermore, the effect of GR S211 phosphorylation is gene specific and, in some cases, dependent upon the amount of activated receptor.

De-phosphorylation of GR at Ser203 in nuclei associates with GR nuclear translocation and GLUT5 gene expression in Caco-2 cells

Glucocorticoid hormones and p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inactivation are considered to be important in small-intestinal differentiation/maturation. In this study, we found that co-treatment with glucocorticoid hormone agonist dexamethasone and p44/42 MAPK inhibitor PD98059 in intestinal cell line Caco-2 strongly induced GLUT5 gene expression. Glucocorticoid hormone receptor (GR) was translocated from the cytoplasm to the nucleus and de-phosphorylated at serine residue 203 in the nucleus, by combined treatment with dexamethasone and PD98059. The binding of GR, as well as acetylated histones H3 and H4, to the promoter/enhancer region of GLUT5 gene was enhanced by combined treatment with dexamethasone and PD98059. These results suggest that the inactivation of p44/42 MAP kinase enhances glucocorticoid hormone-induced GLUT5 gene expression, probably through controlling the phosphorylation at serine 203 and nuclear transport of GR, as well as histone acetylation on the promoter/enhancer region of GLUT5 gene.

Mechanisms involved in tissue-specific apopotosis regulated by glucocorticoids

Physiological cell turnover is under the control of a sharp and dynamic balance of different homeostatic mechanisms such as the equilibrium between cell proliferation and cell death. These mechanisms play an important role in maintaining normal tissue function and architecture. It is well known that apoptosis is the prevalent mode of physiological cell loss in most tissues. Steroid hormones like glucocorticoids have been identified as key signals controlling cell turnover by modulating programmed cell death in a tissue- and cell-specific manner. In this sense, several reports have demonstrated that glucocorticoids are able to induce apoptosis in cells of the hematopoietic system such as monocytes, macrophages, and T lymphocytes. In contrast, they protect against apoptotic signals evoked by cytokines, cAMP, tumor suppressors, in glandular cells such as the mammary gland epithelia, endometrium, hepatocytes, ovarian follicular cells, and fibroblasts. Although several studies have provided significant information on hormone-dependent apoptosis in an specific tissue, a clearly defined pathway that mediates cell death in response to glucocorticoids in different cell types is still misunderstood. The scope of this review is held to those mechanisms by which glucocorticoids control apoptosis, emphasizing tissue-specific expression of genes that are involved in the apoptotic pathway.

Cross talk of signaling pathways in the regulation of the glucocorticoid receptor function

Several posttranslational modifications including phosphorylation have been detected on the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). However, the interdependence and combinatorial regulation of these modifications and their role in GR functions are poorly understood. We studied the effects of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)-dependent phosphorylation of GR on its sumoylation status and the impact that these modifications have on GR transcriptional activity. GR is targeted for phosphorylation at serine 246 (S246) by the JNK protein family in a rapid and transient manner. The levels of S246 phosphorylation of endogenous GR increased significantly in cells treated with UV radiation that activates JNK. S246 GR phosphorylation by JNK facilitated subsequent GR sumoylation at lysines 297 and 313. GR sumoylation increased with JNK activation and was inhibited in cells treated with JNK inhibitor. GR sumoylation in cells with activated JNK was mediated preferentially by small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO)2 rather than SUMO1. An increase in GR transcriptional activity was observed after inhibition of JNK or SUMO pathways and suppression of GR transcriptional activity after activation of both pathways in cells transfected with GR-responsive reporter genes. Endogenous GR transcriptional activity was inhibited on endogenous target genes IGF binding protein (IGFBP) and glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ) when JNK and SUMO pathways were induced individually or simultaneously. Activation of both of these signals inhibited GR-mediated regulation of human inhibitor of apoptosis gene (hIAP), whereas simultaneous activation had no effect. We conclude that phosphorylation aids GR sumoylation and that cross talk of JNK and SUMO pathways fine tune GR transcriptional activity in a target gene-specific manner, thereby modulating the hormonal response of cells exposed to stress.

Differential recruitment of glucocorticoid receptor phospho-isoforms to glucocorticoid-induced genes

The human glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is phosphorylated on its N-terminus at three major sites (S203, S211 and S226) within activation function 1 (AF1). Although GR has been shown to assemble at glucocorticoid responsive elements (GREs) in the presence of hormone, the timing and specificity of GR phospho-isoform recruitment to receptor target genes has not been established. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and GR phosphorylation site-specific antibodies, we examined GR phospho-isoform recruitment to several glucocorticoid-induced genes including tyrosine aminotransferase (tat) and sulfonyltransferase-1A1 (sult) in rat hepatoma cells, and the glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (gilz) gene in human U2OS cells. GR P-S211 and GR P-S226 isoforms were efficiently recruited to the tat, sult and gilz GREs in a hormone-dependent manner. In contrast, the GR P-S203 isoform displayed no significant recruitment to any GREs of the genes analyzed, consistent with its lack of nuclear accumulation. Interestingly, the kinetics of GR P-S211 and GR P-S226 recruitment differed among genes. Our findings indicate that GR phospho-isoforms selectively occupy GR target genes, and suggests gene specific requirements for GR phosphorylation in receptor-dependent transcriptional activation.

The glucocorticoid receptor signalling in breast cancer

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are provided as co-medication with chemotherapy in breast cancer, albeit several lines of evidence indicate that their use may have diverse effects and in fact may inhibit chemosensitivity. The molecular basis of GC-induced resistance to chemotherapy in breast cancer remains poorly defined. Recent researchers, in an attempt to clarify some aspects of the underlying pathways, provide convincing evidence that GCs induce effects that are dependent upon the glucocorticoid-receptor (GR)-mediated transcriptional regulation of specific genes known to play key roles in cellular/tissue functions, including growth, apoptosis, differentiation, metastasis and cell survival. In this review, we focus on how GC-induced chemoresistance in breast cancer is mediated by the GR, unravelling the molecular interplay of GR signalling with other signalling cascades prevalent in breast cancer. We also include a detailed description of GR structure and function, summarizing data gained during recent years into the mechanism(s) of the cross-talk between the GR and other signalling cascades and secondary messengers, via which GCs exert their pleiotropic effects.

Gene expression profiling of leukemic cells and primary thymocytes predicts a signature for apoptotic sensitivity to glucocorticoids

Background

Glucocorticoids (GC's) play an integral role in treatment strategies designed to combat various forms of hematological malignancies. GCs also are powerful inhibitors of the immune system, through regulation of appropriate cytokines and by causing apoptosis of immature thymocytes. By activating the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), GCs evoke apoptosis through transcriptional regulation of a complex, interactive gene network over a period of time preceding activation of the apoptotic enzymes. In this study we used microarray technology to determine whether several disparate types of hematologic cells, all sensitive to GC-evoked apoptosis, would identify a common set of regulated genes. We compared gene expression signatures after treatment with two potent synthetic GCs, dexamethasone (Dex) and cortivazol (CVZ) using a panel of hematologic cells. Pediatric CD4+/CD8+ T-cell leukemia was represented by 3 CEM clones: two sensitive, CEM-C7–14 and CEM-C1–6, and one resistant, CEM-C1–15, to Dex. CEM-C1–15 was also tested when rendered GC-sensitive by several treatments. GC-sensitive pediatric B-cell leukemia was represented by the SUP-B15 line and adult B-cell leukemia by RS4;11 cells. Kasumi-1 cells gave an example of the rare Dex-sensitive acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML). To test the generality of the correlations in malignant cell gene sets, we compared with GC effects on mouse non-transformed thymocytes.

Results

We identified a set of genes regulated by GCs in all GC-sensitive malignant cells. A portion of these were also regulated in the thymocytes. Because we knew that the highly Dex-resistant CEM-C1–15 cells could be killed by CVZ, we tested these cells with the latter steroid and again found that many of the same genes were now regulated as in the inherently GC-sensitive cells. The same result was obtained when we converted the Dex-resistant clone to Dex-sensitive by treatment with forskolin (FSK), to activate the adenyl cyclase/protein kinase A pathway (PKA).

Conclusion

Our results have identified small sets of genes that correlate with GC-sensitivity in cells from several hematologic malignancies. Some of these are also regulated in normal mouse thymocytes.

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase regulate induction of Mcl-1 and survival in glucocorticoid-treated human neutrophils

BACKGROUND

Glucocorticoids have been shown to inhibit human neutrophil apoptosis, with implications that this might help accentuate neutrophilic inflammation.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in glucocorticoid-mediated inhibition of primary human neutrophil apoptosis.

METHODS

Primary human neutrophils were isolated from peripheral blood of healthy volunteers and cultured in vitro with dexamethasone.

RESULTS

Here we confirm that dexamethasone, a classical glucocorticoid, significantly inhibited apoptosis of primary human neutrophils. This inhibition was not dependent on transrepression of proapoptotic molecules but was associated with induction of antiapoptotic Mcl-1. Remarkably, glucocorticoid-mediated enhancement of Mcl-1 and survival were significantly suppressed by pharmacologic inhibition of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase or phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. Inhibition of the above kinases also blocked glucocorticoid-induced maintenance of mitochondrial transmembrane potential and suppression of caspases.

CONCLUSION

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase are protein kinases that regulate the prosurvival effect of glucocorticoids on human neutrophils.

The Etiology of Steroid Cataract

Steroid-induced posterior subcapsular cataracts (PSCs) exhibit three main distinctive characteristics: (i) association only with steroids possessing glucocorticoid activity, (ii) involvement of aberrant migrating lens epithelial cells, and (iii) a central posterior location. The first characteristic suggests a key role for glucocorticoid receptor activation and subsequent changes to the transcription of specific genes. Glucocorticoid receptor activation is associated in many cell types with proliferation, suppressed differentiation, a reduced susceptibility to apoptosis, altered transmembrane transport, and enhancement of reactive oxygen species activity. Glucocorticoids may be capable of inducing changes to the transcription of genes in lens epithelial cells that are related to many of these cellular processes. This review examines the various mechanisms that have been proposed to account for the development of PSC in the context of recent DNA array studies. Additionally, given that the glucocorticoid receptor can also engender wide-ranging indirect activities, glucocorticoids could also indirectly affect the lens through the responses of other cells within the ocular compartment and/or through effects on cells at more remote locations. These indirect mechanisms, which, for example, could be mediated through alterations to the intraocular levels of growth factors that normally orchestrate lens development and maintain lens homeostasis, are also discussed. Although the mechanism of steroid cataract induction remains unknown, glucocorticoid-induced gene transcription events in lens epithelial cells, and also other intraocular or systemic cells, likely interact to generate steroid cataracts. Finally, although evidence for glucocorticoid-protein adduct formation in the lens is inconclusive, the generation of such adducts cannot yet be discounted as a contributing factor and must necessarily be retained in discussions of the etiology of steroid cataract.

Protein kinase A, not Epac, suppresses hedgehog activity and regulates glucocorticoid sensitivity in acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells

Cyclic AMP synergizes strongly with glucocorticoids (GC) to induce apoptosis in normal or malignant lymphoid cells. We examined the individual roles that cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and Epac (exchange protein directly activated by cAMP), two intracellular cAMP receptors, play in this synergistic effect. Our studies demonstrate that PKA is responsible for the observed synergism with GC, whereas Epac exerts a weak antagonistic effect against GC-induced apoptosis. We find that endogenous PKA activity is higher in the GC-sensitive clone than in the GC-resistant clone. In the GC-sensitive clone, higher PKA activity is associated with lower Hedgehog (Hh) activity. Moreover, inhibition of Hh activity by Hh pathway-specific inhibitors leads to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in CEM (human acute lymphoblastic leukemia, T lineage) cells, and the GC-sensitive clone is more sensitive to Hh inhibition. These results suggest that Hh activity is critical for leukemia cell growth and survival and that the level of Hh activity is in part responsible for the synergism between cAMP and GC.

Glucocorticoids induce osteocyte apoptosis by blocking focal adhesion kinase-mediated survival. Evidence for inside-out signaling leading to anoikis

Bone fragility induced by chronic glucocorticoid excess is due, at least in part, to induction of osteocyte apoptosis through direct actions on these cells. However, the molecular mechanism by which glucocorticoids shorten osteocyte life span has remained heretofore unknown. We report that apoptosis of osteocytic MLO-Y4 cells induced by the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone is abolished by the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist RU486, but not by inhibition of protein or RNA synthesis. Dexamethasone-induced apoptosis is preceded by a decrease in the number of cytoplasmic processes, an indicator of cell detachment. In addition, the focal adhesion kinase FAK prevents dexamethasone-induced apoptosis, whereas the FAK-related kinase Pyk2 increases the basal levels of apoptosis. Dexamethasone-induced apoptosis is also prevented in cells expressing kinase-deficient or phosphorylation-defective (Y402F) dominant negative mutants of Pyk2. Consistent with the requirement of tyrosine 402, dexamethasone induces rapid Pyk2 phosphorylation in this residue. Moreover, knocking down Pyk2 expression abolishes apoptosis and cell detachment induced by dexamethasone, and transfection with human Pyk2 rescues both responses. Furthermore, induction of apoptosis as well as cell detachment by dexamethasone is abolished by inhibiting the activity of JNK, a recognized downstream target of Pyk2 activation. These results demonstrate that glucocorticoids promote osteocyte apoptosis via a receptor-mediated mechanism that does not require gene transcription and that is mediated by rapid activation of Pyk2 and JNK, followed by inside-out signaling that leads to cell detachment-induced apoptosis or anoikis.

Steroid receptor phosphorylation: a key modulator of multiple receptor functions

Steroid receptors are hormone-activated transcription factors, the expression and activities of which are also highly dependent upon posttranslational modifications including phosphorylation. The remarkable number of phosphorylation sites in these receptors and the wide variety of kinases participating in their phosphorylation facilitate integration between cell-signaling pathways and steroid receptor action. Sites have been identified in all of the functional domains although the sites are predominantly in the amino-terminal portions of the receptors. Regulation of function is receptor specific, site specific, and often dependent upon activation of a specific cell-signaling pathway. This complexity explains, in part, the early difficulties in identifying roles for phosphorylation in receptor function. With increased availability of phosphorylation site-specific antibodies and better means to measure receptor activities, numerous roles for site-specific phosphorylation have been identified including sensitivity of response to hormone, DNA binding, expression, stability, subcellular localization, and protein-protein interactions that determine the level of regulation of specific target genes. This review summarizes current knowledge regarding receptor phosphorylation and regulation of function. As functional assays become more sophisticated, it is likely that additional roles for phosphorylation in receptor function will be identified.

The large clostridial toxins from Clostridium sordellii and C. difficile repress glucocorticoid receptor activity

We have previously shown that Bacillus anthracis lethal toxin represses glucocorticoid receptor (GR) transactivation. We now report that repression of GR activity also occurs with the large clostridial toxins produced by Clostridium sordellii and C. difficile. This was demonstrated using a transient transfection assay system for GR transactivation. We also report that C. sordellii lethal toxin inhibited GR function in an ex vivo assay, where toxin reduced the dexamethasone suppression of the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). Furthermore, the glucocorticoid antagonist RU-486 in combination with C. sordellii lethal toxin additively prevented glucocorticoid suppression of TNF-alpha. These findings corroborate the fact that GR is a target for the toxin and suggest a physiological role for toxin-associated GR repression in inflammation. Finally, we show that this repression is associated with toxins that inactivate p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK).

Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 differentially regulates the transcriptional activity of the glucocorticoid receptor through phosphorylation: clinical implications for the nervous system response to glucocorticoids and stress

Glucocorticoids, major end effectors of the stress response, play an essential role in the homeostasis of the central nervous system and influence diverse functions of neuronal cells. We found that cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5), which plays important roles in the morphogenesis and functions of the nervous system and whose aberrant activation is associated with development of neurodegenerative disorders, interacted with the ligand-binding domain of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) through its activator p35 or its active proteolytic fragment p25. CDK5 phosphorylated GR at multiple serines, including Ser203 and Ser211 of its N-terminal domain, and suppressed the transcriptional activity of this receptor on glucocorticoid-responsive promoters by attenuating attraction of transcriptional cofactors to DNA. In microarray analyses using rat cortical neuronal cells, the CDK5 inhibitor roscovitine differentially regulated the transcriptional activity of the GR on more than 90% of the endogenous glucocorticoid-responsive genes tested. Thus, CDK5 exerts some of its biological activities in neuronal cells through the GR, dynamically modulating GR transcriptional activity in a target promoter-dependent fashion.

Pathway interactions between MAPKs, mTOR, PKA, and the glucocorticoid receptor in lymphoid cells

Background

Glucocorticoids are frequently used as a primary chemotherapeutic agent in many types of human lymphoid malignancies because they induce apoptosis through activation of the glucocorticoid receptor, with subsequent alteration of a complex network of cellular mechanisms. Despite clinical usage for over fifty years, the complete mechanism responsible for glucocorticoid-related apoptosis or resistance remains elusive. The mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway is a signal transduction network that influences a variety of cellular responses through phosphorylation of specific target substrates, including the glucocorticoid receptor. In this study we have evaluated the pharmaceutical scenarios which converge on the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway to alter glucocorticoid sensitivity in clones of human acute lymphoblastic CEM cells sensitive and refractory to apoptosis in response to the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone.

Results

The glucocorticoid-resistant clone CEM-C1-15 displays a combination of high constitutive JNK activity and dexamethasone-induced ERK activity with a weak induction of p38 upon glucocorticoid treatment. The cells become sensitive to glucocorticoid-evoked apoptosis after: (1) inhibition of JNK and ERK activity, (2) stimulation of the cAMP/PKA pathway with forskolin, or (3) inhibition of mTOR with rapamycin. Treatments 1–3 in combination with dexamethasone alter the intracellular balance of phospho-MAPKs by lowering JNK phosphorylation and increasing the level of glucocorticoid receptor phosphorylated at serine 211, a modification known to enhance receptor activity.

Conclusion

Our data support the hypothesis that mitogen-activated protein kinases influence the ability of certain malignant lymphoid cells to undergo apoptosis when treated with glucocorticoid. Activated/phosphorylated JNK and ERK appear to counteract corticoid-dependent apoptosis. Inhibiting these MAPKs restores corticoid sensitivity to a resistant clone of CEM cells. Forskolin, which activates the cAMP pathway, and rapamycin, which inhibits mTOR, also inhibit JNK. Further, the sensitizing treatments result in a largely dexamethasone-dependent increase in the total pool of glucocorticoid receptor phosphorylated at serine 211. The phospho-serine 211 receptor is known to be more potent in activating gene transcription and apoptosis. The interactive effects demonstrated here in reverting resistant cells to corticoid sensitivity could provide therapeutic clinical potential in the treatment of lymphoid malignancies.

Genomewide identification of prednisolone-responsive genes in acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells

Glucocorticoids are keystone drugs in the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). To get more insight in signal transduction pathways involved in glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis, Affymetrix U133A GeneChips were used to identify transcriptionally regulated genes on 3 and 8 hours of prednisolone exposure in leukemic cells of 13 children as compared with nonexposed cells. Following 3 hours of exposure no significant changes in gene expression could be identified. Following 8 hours of exposure, 51 genes were differentially expressed (P < .001 and false discovery rate < 10%) with 39 genes being up-regulated (median, 2.4-fold) and 12 genes were down-regulated (median, 1.7-fold). Twenty-one of those genes have not been identified before to be transcriptionally regulated by prednisolone. Two of the 3 most highly up-regulated genes were tumor suppressor genes, that is, thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP; 3.7-fold) and zinc finger and BTB domain containing 16 (ZBTB16; 8.8-fold). About 50% of the differentially expressed genes were functionally categorized in 3 major routes, namely MAPK pathways (9 genes), NF-kappaB signaling (11 genes), and carbohydrate metabolism (5 genes). Biologic characterization of these genes and pathways might elucidate the action of glucocorticoids in ALL cells, possibly suggesting causes of glucocorticoid resistance and new potential targets for therapy.

Modulation of glucocorticoid receptor phosphorylation and transcriptional activity by a C-terminal-associated protein phosphatase

The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is phosphorylated at three major sites on its N terminus (S203, S211, and S226), and phosphorylation modulates GR-regulatory functions in vivo. We examined the phosphorylation site interdependence, the contribution of the receptor C-terminal ligand-binding domain, and the participation of protein phosphatases in GR N-terminal phosphorylation and gene expression. We found that GR phosphorylation at S203 was greater when S226 was not phosphorylated and vice versa, indicative of intersite dependency. We also observed that a GR derivative lacking the ligand-binding domain, which no longer binds the heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) complex, exhibits increased GR phosphorylation at all three sites as compared with the full-length receptor. A GR mutation (F602S) that produces a receptor less dependent on Hsp90 for function as well as treatment with the Hsp90 inhibitor geldanamycin also increased basal GR phosphorylation at a subset of sites. Pharmacological inhibition of serine/threonine protein phosphatases increased GR basal phosphorylation. Likewise, a reduction in protein phosphatase 5 protein levels enhanced GR phosphorylation at a subset of sites and selectively reduced the induction of endogenous GR target genes. Together, our findings suggest that GR undergoes a phosphorylation/dephosphorylation cycle that maintains steady-state receptor phosphorylation at a low basal level in the absence of ligand. Our findings also suggest that the ligand-dependent increase in GR phosphorylation results, in part, from the dissociation of a ligand-binding domain-linked protein phosphatase(s), and that changes in the intracellular concentration of protein phosphatase 5 differentially affect GR target gene expression.

p38-MAP kinase activation followed by BIM induction is essential for glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis in lymphoblastic leukemia cells

Glucocorticoids (GC) are common components in chemotherapeutic protocols for lymphoid malignancies. GC-induced apoptosis requires the intrinsic, BCL-2 family-regulated pathway. Treatment of CCRF-CEM (T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia) cells with the GC, dexamethasone (Dex), activates p38-mitogen activated protein kinase (p38-MAPK) and then induces mRNA transcription and synthesis levels of BIM, a BH3-only pro-apoptotic BCL-2 family member. Dex-induced apoptosis is dramatically inhibited by downregulation of BIM by shRNA or by pretreatment with a p38-MAPK inhibitor, SB203580, which also reduces BIM induction. These findings indicate that BIM induction through p38-MAPK activation is a critical pathway in GC-induced cell death.

Ubiquitous calpains promote both apoptosis and survival signals in response to different cell death stimuli

The mu- and m-calpain proteases have been implicated in both pro- or anti-apoptotic functions. Here we compared cell death responses and apoptotic or survival signaling pathways in primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) derived from wild type or capn4 knock-out mice which lack both mu- and m-calpain activities. Capn4(-/-) MEFs displayed resistance to puromycin, camptothecin, etoposide, hydrogen peroxide, ultraviolet light, and serum starvation, which was consistent with pro-apoptotic roles for calpain. In contrast, capn4(-/-) MEFs were more susceptible to staurosporine (STS) and tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced cell death, which provided evidence for anti-apoptotic signaling roles for calpain. Bax activation, release of cytochrome c, and activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3 all correlated with the observed cell death responses of wild type or capn4(-/-) MEFs to the various challenges, suggesting that calpain might play distinct roles in transducing different death signals to the mitochondria. There was no evidence that calpain cleaved Bcl-2 family member proteins that regulate mitochondrial membrane permeability including Bcl-2, Bcl-xl, Bad, Bak, Bid, or Bim. However, activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3 (PI3)-kinase/Akt survival signaling pathway was compromised in capn4(-/-) MEFs under all challenges regardless of the cell death outcome, and blocking Akt activation using the PI3-kinase inhibitor LY294002 abolished the protective effect of calpain to STS challenge. We conclude that the anti-apoptotic function of calpain in tumor necrosis factor alpha- and STS-challenged cells relates to a novel role in activating the PI3-kinase/Akt survival pathway.

Identification of glucocorticoid-response genes in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

The ability of glucocorticoids (GCs) to kill lymphoid cells led to their inclusion in essentially all chemotherapy protocols for lymphoid malignancies, particularly childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). GCs mediate apoptosis via their cognate receptor and subsequent alterations in gene expression. Previous investigations, including expression profiling studies with subgenome microarrays in model systems, have led to a number of attractive, but conflicting, hypotheses that have never been tested in a clinical setting. Here, we present a comparative whole-genome expression profiling approach using lymphoblasts (purified at 3 time points) from 13 GC-sensitive children undergoing therapy for ALL. For comparisons, expression profiles were generated from an adult patient with ALL, peripheral blood lymphocytes from GC-exposed healthy donors, GC-sensitive and -resistant ALL cell lines, and mouse thymocytes treated with GCs in vivo and in vitro. This generated an essentially complete list of GC-regulated candidate genes in clinical settings and experimental systems, allowing immediate analysis of any gene for its potential significance to GC-induced apoptosis. Our analysis argued against most of the model-based hypotheses and instead identified a small number of novel candidate genes, including PFKFB2, a key regulator of glucose metabolism; ZBTB16, a putative transcription factor; and SNF1LK, a protein kinase implicated in cell-cycle regulation.

Intracellular glucocorticoid signaling: a formerly simple system turns stochastic

Glucocorticoids contribute fundamentally to the maintenance of basal and stress-related homeostasis in all higher organisms. The major roles of these steroids in physiology are amply matched by their remarkable contributions to pathology. Glucocorticoids influence about 20% of the expressed human genome, and their effects spare almost no organs or tissues. For many years we thought that the numerous actions of glucocorticoids were mediated by a single receptor molecule: the classic glucocorticoid receptor (GR) isoform alpha, a complex, multifunctional domain protein, operating as a ligand-dependent transcription factor. The GR gene, however, encodes two 3' splicing variants, GRalpha and GRbeta, from alternative use of two distinct terminal exons (9alpha and 9beta), and each variant mRNA is translated from at least eight initiation sites into multiple GRalpha and possibly GRbeta isoforms, amounting to a minimum of 16 GR monomers and 256 different homo- or heterodimers. The translational GRalpha isoforms may be produced variably in target tissues, have varying intrinsic transcriptional activities, and influence different complements of glucocorticoid-responsive genes. It is likely that expression and functional differences might also be present between the putative GRbeta translational isoforms. The presence of multiple GR monomers and dimers in different quantities with quantitatively and qualitatively different transcriptional activities suggests that the glucocorticoid signaling system is highly stochastic.