A novel kinase cascade mediated by mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 6 and MKK3

Murine p38-delta mitogen-activated protein kinase, a developmentally regulated protein kinase that is activated by stress and proinflammatory cytokines

The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) play a crucial role in stress and inflammatory responses and are also involved in activation of the human immunodeficiency virus gene expression. We have isolated the murine cDNA clones encoding p38-delta MAPK, and we have localized the p38-delta gene to mouse chromosome 17A3-B and human chromosome 6p21.3. By using Northern and in situ hybridization, we have examined the expression of p38-delta in the mouse adult tissues and embryos. p38-delta was expressed primarily in the lung, testis, kidney, and gut epithelium in the adult tissues. Although p38-delta was expressed predominantly in the developing gut and the septum transversum in the mouse embryo at 9.5 days, its expression began to be expanded to many specific tissues in the 12.5-day embryo. At 15.5 days, p38-delta was expressed virtually in most developing epithelia in embryos, suggesting that p38-delta is a developmentally regulated MAPK. Interestingly, p38-delta and p38-alpha were similar serine/threonine kinases but differed in substrate specificity. Overall, p38-delta resembles p38-gamma, whereas p38-beta resembles p38-alpha. Moreover, p38-delta is activated by environmental stress, extracellular stimulants, and MAPK kinase-3, -4, -6, and -7, suggesting that p38-delta is a unique stress-responsive protein kinase.

p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase can be involved in transforming growth factor beta superfamily signal transduction in Drosophila wing morphogenesis

p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38) has been extensively studied as a stress-responsive kinase, but its role in development remains unknown. The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has two p38 genes, D-p38a and D-p38b. To elucidate the developmental function of the Drosophila p38's, we used various genetic and pharmacological manipulations to interfere with their functions: expression of a dominant-negative form of D-p38b, expression of antisense D-p38b RNA, reduction of the D-p38 gene dosage, and treatment with the p38 inhibitor SB203580. Expression of a dominant-negative D-p38b in the wing imaginal disc caused a decapentaplegic (dpp)-like phenotype and enhanced the phenotype of a dpp mutant. Dpp is a secretory ligand belonging to the transforming growth factor beta superfamily which triggers various morphogenetic processes through interaction with the receptor Thick veins (Tkv). Inhibition of D-p38b function also caused the suppression of the wing phenotype induced by constitutively active Tkv (TkvCA). Mosaic analysis revealed that D-p38b regulates the Tkv-dependent transcription of the optomotor-blind (omb) gene in non-Dpp-producing cells, indicating that the site of D-p38b action is downstream of Tkv. Furthermore, forced expression of TkvCA induced an increase in the phosphorylated active form(s) of D-p38(s). These results demonstrate that p38, in addition to its role as a transducer of emergency stress signaling, may function to modulate Dpp signaling.

Cooperation of p38 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways during granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-induced hemopoietic cell proliferation

Hemopoietic cytokines such as interleukin-3 and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) are potent activators of hemopoietic cell growth and strongly induce activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases. However, the role of these kinases is unclear. Using specific chemical inhibitors for MEK and p38, we demonstrate here that both ERK and p38 pathways are critically involved in the transduction of a proliferative signal and cooperate in G-CSF-induced cell proliferation. We show that, like ERK and JNK activation, activation of p38 and its downstream substrate MAP kinase-activated protein kinase 2 by interleukin-3 or G-CSF requires Ras activation. We demonstrate that two distinct cytoplasmic regions of the G-CSF receptor are involved in activation of the p38 pathway: a region within the 100 membrane-proximal amino acids is sufficient to induce low levels of p38 and MAP kinase-activated protein kinase 2 activation, whereas the membrane-distal phosphorylation site Tyr763 mediates strong activation of these kinases. The levels of p38 activation correlate closely with those of Ras activation by G-CSF, suggesting that the degree of Ras activation is a critical determinant for the extent of p38 activation by hemopoietic cytokines.

Application of a rapid method (targeted display) for the identification of differentially expressed mRNAs following NGF-induced neuronal differentiation in PC12 cells

Nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced differentiation of the rat pheochromocytoma, PC12, cell line presents a model system for the study of early gene expression changes involved in neuronal differentiation. Rapid alterations in mRNA expression patterns were investigated in PC12 cells following exposure to NGF using a set of statistically designed primers that exhibit coding-strand bias, and the products were analyzed on agarose gels. This simple and rapid method (targeted display) generated reproducible expression profiles, indicating a complex pattern of gene regulation, and resulted in the identification of a number of NGF-regulated transcripts. Thirty-two of these were selected at random and sequenced, revealing 19 known and 13 novel genes (or ESTs). Northern blot analysis and RT-PCR confirmed the differential regulation of 22 genes (16 known, 6 novel) and demonstrated 1 false positive result. Antisense application of one isolated gene product, the serine/threonine kinase MARK1, prevented neuronal differentiation in transiently transfected PC12 cells.

The MKK7 gene encodes a group of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase kinases

The c-Jun NH2-terminal protein kinase (JNK) is a member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) group and is an essential component of a signaling cascade that is activated by exposure of cells to environmental stress. JNK activation is regulated by phosphorylation on both Thr and Tyr residues by a dual-specificity MAPK kinase (MAPKK). Two MAPKKs, MKK4 and MKK7, have been identified as JNK activators. Genetic studies demonstrate that MKK4 and MKK7 serve nonredundant functions as activators of JNK in vivo. We report here the molecular cloning of the gene that encodes MKK7 and demonstrate that six isoforms are created by alternative splicing to generate a group of protein kinases with three different NH2 termini (alpha, beta, and gamma isoforms) and two different COOH termini (1 and 2 isoforms). The MKK7alpha isoforms lack an NH2-terminal extension that is present in the other MKK7 isoforms. This NH2-terminal extension binds directly to the MKK7 substrate JNK. Comparison of the activities of the MKK7 isoforms demonstrates that the MKK7alpha isoforms exhibit lower activity, but a higher level of inducible fold activation, than the corresponding MKK7beta and MKK7gamma isoforms. Immunofluorescence analysis demonstrates that these MKK7 isoforms are detected in both cytoplasmic and nuclear compartments of cultured cells. The presence of MKK7 in the nucleus was not, however, required for JNK activation in vivo. These data establish that the MKK4 and MKK7 genes encode a group of protein kinases with different biochemical properties that mediate activation of JNK in response to extracellular stimuli.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase: conservation of a three-kinase module from yeast to human

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) are serine-threonine protein kinases that are activated by diverse stimuli ranging from cytokines, growth factors, neurotransmitters, hormones, cellular stress, and cell adherence. Mitogen-activated protein kinases are expressed in all eukaryotic cells. The basic assembly of MAPK pathways is a three-component module conserved from yeast to humans. The MAPK module includes three kinases that establish a sequential activation pathway comprising a MAPK kinase kinase (MKKK), MAPK kinase (MKK), and MAPK. Currently, there have been 14 MKKK, 7 MKK, and 12 MAPK identified in mammalian cells. The mammalian MAPK can be subdivided into five families: MAPKerk1/2, MAPKp38, MAPKjnk, MAPKerk3/4, and MAPKerk5. Each MAPK family has distinct biological functions. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, there are five MAPK pathways involved in mating, cell wall remodelling, nutrient deprivation, and responses to stress stimuli such as osmolarity changes. Component members of the yeast pathways have conserved counterparts in mammalian cells. The number of different MKKK in MAPK modules allows for the diversity of inputs capable of activating MAPK pathways. In this review, we define all known MAPK module kinases from yeast to humans, what is known about their regulation, defined MAPK substrates, and the function of MAPK in cell physiology.

Human mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase mediates the stress-induced activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase cascades

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades represent one of the important signalling mechanisms in response to environmental stimuli. We report the identification of a human MAPK kinase kinase, MAPKKK4, via sequence similarity with other MAPKKKs. When truncated MAPKKK4 (DeltaMAPKKK4) was overexpressed in HEK293 cells, it was constitutively active and induced the activation of endogenous p38alpha, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)1/2 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)2 in vivo. Kinase-inactive DeltaMAPKKK4 partly inhibited the activation of p38alpha, JNK1/2 and ERK2 induced by stress, tumour necrosis factor alpha or epidermal growth factor, suggesting that MAPKKK4 might be physiologically involved in all three MAPK cascades. Co-expressed MAP kinase kinase (MKK)-1, MKK-4, MKK-3 and MKK-6 were activated in vivo by DeltaMAPKKK4. All of the above MKKs purified from Escherichia coli were phosphorylated and activated by DeltaMAPKKK4 immunoprecipitates in vitro. When expressed by lower plasmid doses, DeltaMAPKKK4 preferentially activated MKK-3 and p38alpha in vivo. Overexpression of DeltaMAPKKK4 did not activate the NF-kappaB pathway. Immunoprecipitation of endogenous MAPKKK4 by specific antibodies showed that MAPKKK4 was activated after the treatment of K562 cells with various stress conditions. As a broadly distributed kinase, MAPKKK4 might serve as a stress responder. MAPKKK4 is 91% identical with the recently described murine MEKK-4beta and might be its human homologue. It is also identical with the recently cloned human MAP three kinase 1 except for the lack of an internal sequence homologous to the murine MEKK-4alpha isoform. Differences in the reported functional activities of the three kinases are discussed.

Downstream factors in transforming growth factor-beta family signaling

The recently identified family of Smad proteins has given insight in the understanding of how members of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) family relay their signal to the nucleus. Besides Smad proteins, G proteins and MAPKs are also involved in the downstream signaling of TGF-beta family members. The identification of elements that function downstream in the TGF-beta signaling pathway and the fact that these downstream players can interact with the signaling cascade of other growth factors, may give insight into the diverse biological responses evoked by the TGF-beta family members.

From Vanadis to Atropos: vanadium compounds as pharmacological tools in cell death signalling

Vanadium compounds exert a variety of biological responses, the most notable being their effects as insulin mimetics. More recently, they have been used as pharmacological tools to investigate signalling pathways. Some peroxovanadium compounds act as powerful protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitors, modulating both the extent and duration of phosphotyrosine signals at the level of the transmembrane growth factor receptors and targets in the cytoplasm and nucleus. A brief history of vanadium compounds, selected chemical properties of vanadium compounds and the ability of peroxovanadium complexes to modulate the activities of protein tyrosine phosphatases and tyrosine kinases are presented in this review by Anne Morinville, Dusica Maysinger and Alan Shaver. From the range of biological activities of these compounds, this review focuses on cytotoxic effects and possible roles of mitogen-activated protein kinases in mediating the effects exerted by vanadium compounds.

Purification and activation of recombinant p38 isoforms alpha, beta, gamma, and delta

p38 is a proline-directed serine/threonine kinase that is activated by inflammatory cytokines and cellular stress. At present, four isoforms of p38 have been identified and termed alpha, beta, gamma, and delta. We expressed each p38 homolog in Escherichia coli and purified the recombinant isoforms. p38alpha and C-terminal Flag-tagged p38beta were purified by Q-Sepharose fast flow, hydroxyapatite, and Q-Sepharose high-performance chromatography. His-tagged p38gamma was purified using Ni2+-NTA resin followed by Mono Q chromatography. Glutathione S-transferase-Flag p38delta was purified using M2 affinity agarose and gel-filtration chromatography. Upstream activators of p38, constitutively active (ca) MKK3 and MKK6, were also cloned, purified, and used to activate each p38 isoform. p38 alpha, gamma, and delta were phosphorylated by both MKK6 and caMKK3. p38beta was phosphorylated only by MKK6. Mass spectrometry analysis and kinase assays showed that MKK6 was the superior reagent for phosphorylating and activating all p38 isoforms.

Selective suppression of stress-activated protein kinase pathway by protein phosphatase 2C in mammalian cells

Protein phosphatase 2Calpha (PP2Calpha) or PP2Cbeta-1 expressed in COS7 cells suppressed anisomycin- and NaCl-enhanced phosphorylations of p38 co-expressed in the cells. PP2Calpha or PP2Cbeta-1 expression also suppressed both basal and stress-enhanced phosphorylations of MKK3b and MKK6b, which are upstream protein kinases of p38, and of MKK4, which is one of the major upstream protein kinases of JNK. Basal activity of MKK7, another upstream protein kinase of JNK, was also suppressed by PP2Calpha or PP2Cbeta-1 expression. However, basal as well as serum-activated phosphorylation of MKK1alpha, an upstream protein kinase of ERKs, was not affected by PP2Cbeta or PP2Cbeta-1. A catalytically inactive mutant of PP2Cbeta-1 further enhanced the NaCl-stimulated phosphorylations of MMK3b, MKK4 and MKK6b, suggesting that this mutant PP2Cbeta-1 works as a dominant negative form. These results suggest that PP2C selectively inhibits the SAPK pathways through suppression of MKK3b, MKK4, MKK6b and MKK7 activities in mammalian cells.

Differential roles of ERK and p38 MAP kinase pathways in positive and negative selection of T lymphocytes

Clonal selection of T lymphocytes is essential for establishing self/non-self discrimination of immune recognition. It is known that cell surface signals such as avidity and valency of TCR-ligand interactions influence the fate of individual thymocytes, founding a primary repertoire of T cells. However, intracellular signals that govern positive and negative selection in the thymus have been unclear. The present study using the retroviral gene transfer technique shows that MKK1 activation in developing T cells is sufficient for providing positive selection signals. We also show that the MKK6-p38 signaling pathway is critically involved in inducing negative selection of thymocytes. These results suggest that intracellular signals through different MAP kinase cascades selectively guide positive and negative selection of T lymphocytes.

A role for the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase/Hsp 27 pathway in cholecystokinin-induced changes in the actin cytoskeleton in rat pancreatic acini

Cholecystokinin (CCK) and other pancreatic secretagogues have recently been shown to activate signaling kinase cascades in pancreatic acinar cells, leading to the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases and Jun N-terminal kinases. We now show the presence of a third kinase cascade activating p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase in isolated rat pancreatic acini. CCK and osmotic stress induced by sorbitol activated p38 MAP kinase within minutes; their effects were dose-dependent, with maximal activation of 2.8- and 4.4-fold, respectively. The effects of carbachol and bombesin on p38 MAP kinase activity were similar to those of CCK, whereas phorbol ester, epidermal growth factor, and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide stimulated p38 MAP kinase by 2-fold or less. Both CCK and sorbitol also increased the tyrosyl phosphorylation of p38 MAP kinase. Using the specific inhibitor of p38 MAP kinase, SB 203580, we found that p38 MAP kinase activity was required for MAP kinase-activated protein kinase-2 activation in pancreatic acini. SB 203580 reduced the level of basal phosphorylation and blocked the increased phosphorylation of Hsp 27 after stimulation with either CCK or sorbitol. CCK treatment induced an initial rapid decrease in total F-actin content of acini, followed by an increase after 40 min. Preincubation with SB 203580 significantly inhibited these changes in F-actin content. Staining of the actin cytoskeleton with rhodamine-conjugated phalloidin and analysis by confocal fluorescence microscopy showed disruption of the actin cytoskeleton after 10 and 40 min of CCK stimulation. Pretreatment with SB 203580 reduced these changes. These findings demonstrate that the activation of p38 MAP kinase is involved not only in response to stress, but also in physiological signaling by gastrointestinal hormones such as CCK, where activation of Gq-coupled receptors stimulates a cascade in which p38 MAP kinase activates MAP kinase-activated protein kinase-2, resulting in Hsp 27 phosphorylation. Activation of p38 MAP kinase, most likely through phosphorylation of Hsp 27, plays a role in the organization of the actin cytoskeleton in pancreatic acini.

Identification of stathmin as a novel substrate for p38 delta

p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) are a family of kinases that are activated by cellular stresses and inflammatory cytokines. Although there are many similarities shared by the isoforms of p38 (alpha, beta, gamma, and delta), p38 delta differs from the others in some respects such as inhibitor sensitivity and substrate specificity. Utilizing in a solution kinase assay, we identified a novel p38 delta substrate as stathmin. Stathmin is a cytoplasmic protein that was previously reported to be a substrate of several intracellular signaling kinases and has recently been linked to regulation of microtubule dynamics. p38 delta has significantly higher in vitro phosphorylating activity against stathmin than other p38 isoforms or related MAPKs. In transient expression studies, we found that in addition to different stimuli osmotic stress activates p38 delta to phosphorylate stathmin. The sites of phosphorylation were mapped to Ser-25 and Ser-38, both in vitro and in cells.

Differential activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases by palytoxin and ouabain, two ligands for the Na+,K+-ATPase

We previously demonstrated that the marine toxin and skin tumor promoter palytoxin activates the stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), but not the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), which is typically activated by mitogenic agents. JNK, ERK, and p38, another stress-activated protein kinase, are members of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family of serine/threonine kinases, which coordinate the transmission of various signals through the cell. The Na+,K+-ATPase is the putative palytoxin receptor. Therefore, we hypothesized that the Na+,K+-ATPase inhibitor ouabain might also stimulate signaling pathways that activate MAP kinases. Using HeLa and COS7 cells, we found that, although there are similarities between the protein kinase cascades by which palytoxin and ouabain activate JNK, there are also significant differences between the activation of specific MAP kinases by palytoxin and ouabain. Transient expression of dominant negative mutants indicates that ouabain, like palytoxin, activates JNK through a protein kinase cascade that involves the JNK kinase SEK1 but does not require the GTPase Ras. Palytoxin activates JNK and p38 to a greater extent than ouabain. By contrast, ouabain activates ERK to a greater extent than palytoxin. Ouabain blocked palytoxin-stimulated activation of JNK and p38, but not anisomycin-stimulated activation of these kinases, supporting the conclusion that ouabain and palytoxin bind to the same site on the Na+,K+-ATPase. These results suggest that the Na+,K+-ATPase can differentially mediate the activation of MAP kinases by two diverse ligands, palytoxin and ouabain.

TNF Receptor-Associated Factor-3 Signaling Mediates Activation of p38 and Jun N-Terminal Kinase, Cytokine Secretion, and Ig Production Following Ligation of CD40 on Human B Cells

CD40 engagement induces a variety of functional outcomes following association with adaptor molecules of the TNF receptor-associated factor (TRAF) family. Whereas TRAF2, -5, and -6 initiate NF-κB activation, the outcomes of TRAF3-initiated signaling are less characterized. To delineate CD40-induced TRAF3-dependent events, Ramos B cells stably transfected with a dominant negative TRAF3 were stimulated with membranes expressing recombinant CD154/CD40 ligand. In the absence of TRAF3 signaling, activation of p38 and control of Ig production were abrogated, whereas Jun N-terminal kinase activation and secretion of IL-10, lymphotoxin-α, and TNF-α were partially blocked. By contrast, induction of apoptosis, activation of NF-κB, generation of granulocyte-macrophage CSF, and up-regulation of CD54, MHC class II, and CD95 were unaffected by the TRAF3 dominant negative. Together, these results indicate that TRAF3 initiates independent signaling pathways via p38 and JNK that are associated with specific functional outcomes.

Frabin, a novel FGD1-related actin filament-binding protein capable of changing cell shape and activating c-Jun N-terminal kinase

We purified from rat brain a novel F-actin-binding protein with a Mr of about 105,000 (p105), which was estimated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. We cloned its cDNA from a rat brain cDNA library and characterized it. p105 was a protein of 766 amino acids and showed a calculated Mr of 86,449. p105 consisted of one F-actin-binding domain at the N-terminal region, one Dbl homology domain and one pleckstrin homology domain at the middle region, and one cysteine-rich domain at the C-terminal region. This domain organization of p105 was similar to that of FGD1, which has been determined to be the genetic locus responsible for faciogenital dysplasia or Aarskog-Scott syndrome. We therefore named p105 frabin (FGD1-related F-actin-binding protein). Frabin bound along the sides of F-actin and showed F-actin-cross-linking activity. Overexpression of frabin in Swiss 3T3 cells and COS7 cells induced cell shape change and c-Jun N-terminal kinase activation, respectively, as described for FGD1. Because FGD1 has been shown to serve as a GDP/GTP exchange protein for Cdc42 small G protein, it is likely that frabin is a direct linker between Cdc42 and the actin cytoskeleton.

Induction of apoptosis by SB202190 through inhibition of p38beta mitogen-activated protein kinase

p38, a subfamily of the mitogen-activated protein kinase, regulates gene expression in response to various extracellular stimuli. The pyridinyl imidazoles like SB202190 are specific inhibitors of p38alpha and p38beta and have been widely used in investigation of the biological functions of p38. Here we show that SB202190 by itself was sufficient to induce cell death, with typical apoptotic features such as nucleus condensation and intranucleosomal DNA fragmentation. SB202190 stimulated the activity of CPP32-like caspases, and its apoptotic effect was completely blocked by the protease inhibitor benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethyl ketone and expression of bcl-2. In addition, SB202190 was able to potentiate apoptosis induced by Fas(APO-1) ligation or UV irradiation. Expression of p38beta attenuated the apoptotic effect of SB202190 and the cell death induced by Fas ligation and UV irradiation. In contrast, expression of p38alpha induced cell death mildly. These results indicate that SB202190 induces apoptosis through activation of CPP32-like caspases and suggest that distinct members of the p38 subfamily of mitogen-activated protein kinase have different functions in apoptosis.

Interferon-gamma expression by Th1 effector T cells mediated by the p38 MAP kinase signaling pathway

Signal transduction via MAP kinase pathways plays a key role in a variety of cellular responses, including growth factor-induced proliferation, differentiation and cell death. In mammalian cells, p38 MAP kinase can be activated by multiple stimuli, such as pro-inflammatory cytokines and environmental stress. Although p38 MAP kinase is implicated in the control of inflammatory responses, the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Upon activation, CD4+ T cells differentiate into Th2 cells, which potentiate the humoral immune response or pro-inflammatory Th1 cells. Here, we show that pyridinyl imidazole compounds (specific inhibitors of p38 MAP kinase) block the production of interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) by Th1 cells without affecting IL-4 production by Th2 cells. These drugs also inhibit transcription driven by the IFNgamma promoter. In transgenic mice, inhibition of the p38 MAP kinase pathway by the expression of dominant-negative p38 MAP kinase results in selective impairment of Th1 responses. In contrast, activation of the p38 MAP kinase pathway by the expression of constitutivelyactivated MAP kinase kinase 6 in transgenic mice caused increased production of IFNgamma during the differentiation and activation of Th1 cells. Together, these data demonstrate that the p38 MAP kinase is relevant for Th1 cells, not Th2 cells, and that inhibition of p38 MAP kinase represents a possible site of therapeutic intervention in diseases where a predominant Th1 immune response leads to a pathological outcome. Moreover, our study provides an additional mechanism by which the p38 MAP kinase pathway controls inflammatory responses.

T lymphocyte activation signals for interleukin-2 production involve activation of MKK6-p38 and MKK7-SAPK/JNK signaling pathways sensitive to cyclosporin A

p38/CSBP, a subgroup member of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) superfamily molecules, is known to be activated by proinflammatory cytokines and environmental stresses. We report here that p38 is specifically activated by signals that lead to interleukin-2 (IL-2) production in T lymphocytes. A p38 activator MKK6 was also markedly activated by the same stimulation. Pretreatment of cells with SB203580, a specific inhibitor of p38, as well as expression of a dominant-negative mutant of MKK6, suppressed the transcriptional activation of the IL-2 promoter. We also demonstrated that MKK7, a recently described MAPK kinase family member, plays a major role in the activation of stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK)/c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) in T lymphocytes. Moreover, a dominant-negative mutant of MKK7 abrogated the transcriptional activation of the distal nuclear factor of activated T cells response element in the IL-2 promoter. Cyclosporin A, a potent immunosuppressant, inhibited activation of both p38 and SAPK/JNK pathways but not the MAPK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway. Our results indicate that both MKK6 to p38 and MKK7 to SAPK/JNK signaling pathways are activated in a cyclosporin A-sensitive manner and contribute to IL-2 gene expression in T lymphocytes.

Activation of the protein kinase p38 in the spindle assembly checkpoint and mitotic arrest

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) superfamily comprises classical MAPK (also called ERK), c-Jun amino-terminal or stress-activated protein kinase (JNK or SAPK), and p38. Although MAPK is essential for meiotic processes in Xenopus oocytes and the spindle assembly checkpoint in Xenopus egg extracts, the role of members of the MAPK superfamily in M phase or the spindle assembly checkpoint during somatic cell cycles has not been elucidated. The kinase p38, but not MAPK or JNK, was activated in mammalian cultured cells when the cells were arrested in M phase by disruption of the spindle with nocodazole. Addition of activated recombinant p38 to Xenopus cell-free extracts caused arrest of the extracts in M phase, and injection of activated p38 into cleaving embryos induced mitotic arrest. Treatment of NIH 3T3 cells with a specific inhibitor of p38 suppressed activation of the checkpoint by nocodazole. Thus, p38 functions as a component of the spindle assembly checkpoint in somatic cell cycles.

Role of TAK1 and TAB1 in BMP signaling in early Xenopus development

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) superfamily members elicit signals through stimulation of serine/threonine kinase receptors. Recent studies of this signaling pathway have identified two types of novel mediating molecules, the Smads and TGF-beta activated kinase 1 (TAK1). Smads were shown to mimic the effects of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), activin and TGF-beta. TAK1 and TAB1 were identified as a MAPKKK and its activator, respectively, which might be involved in the up-regulation of TGF-beta superfamily-induced gene expression, but their biological role is poorly understood. Here, we have examined the role of TAK1 and TAB1 in the dorsoventral patterning of early Xenopus embryos. Ectopic expression of Xenopus TAK1 (xTAK1) in early embryos induced cell death. Interestingly, however, concomitant overexpression of bcl-2 with the activated form of xTAK1 or both xTAK1 and xTAB1 in dorsal blastomeres not only rescued the cells but also caused the ventralization of the embryos. In addition, a kinase-negative form of xTAK1 (xTAK1KN) which is known to inhibit endogenous signaling could partially rescue phenotypes generated by the expression of a constitutively active BMP-2/4 type IA receptor (BMPR-IA). Moreover, xTAK1KN could block the expression of ventral mesoderm marker genes induced by Smad1 or 5. These results thus suggest that xTAK1 and xTAB1 function in the BMP signal transduction pathway in Xenopus embryos in a cooperative manner.

TGF-beta-activated kinase 1 stimulates NF-kappa B activation by an NF-kappa B-inducing kinase-independent mechanism

Several mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinases (MAPKKKs), including NF-kappa B-inducing kinase (NIK), play critical roles in NF-kappa B activation. We isolated cDNA for human TGF-beta activated kinase 1 (TAK1), a member of the MAPKKK family, and evaluated its ability to stimulate NF-kappa B activation. Overexpression of TAK1 together with its activator protein, TAK1 binding protein 1 (TAB1), induced the nuclear translocation of NF-kappa B p50/p65 heterodimer accompanied by the degradation of I kappa B alpha and I kappa B beta, and the expression of kappa B-dependent reporter gene. A dominant negative mutant of NIK did not inhibit TAK1-induced NF-kappa B activation. These results suggest that TAK1 induces NF-kappa B activation through a novel NIK-independent signaling pathway.

Selective activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase isoforms by the MAP kinase kinases MKK3 and MKK6

The cellular response to treatment with proinflammatory cytokines or exposure to environmental stress is mediated, in part, by the p38 group of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases. We report the molecular cloning of a novel isoform of p38 MAP kinase, p38 beta 2. This p38 MAP kinase, like p38 alpha, is inhibited by the pyridinyl imidazole drug SB203580. The p38 MAP kinase kinase MKK6 is identified as a common activator of p38 alpha, p38 beta 2, and p38 gamma MAP kinase isoforms, while MKK3 activates only p38 alpha and p38 gamma MAP kinase isoforms. The MKK3 and MKK6 signal transduction pathways are therefore coupled to distinct, but overlapping, groups of p38 MAP kinases.

Autoantibody to thioredoxin reductase in an ovarian cancer patient

In a patient with ovarian cancer, anti-nuclear antibodies were found by indirect immunofluorescence analysis in cultured cells. The patient's serum was used for immunoscreening of a cDNA library. Three overlapping positive clones were partial cDNA clones of thioredoxin reductase (TR), which is a member of the pyridine nucleotide-disulfide oxidoreductase family of flavoenzymes. Human autoantibodies affinity-purified with bacterial recombinant TR reacted to approximately 60-kDa polypeptide in HeLa extract in immunoblotting analysis and strongly stained around chromosome of metaphase of HeLa cells in immunofluorescence studies. Autoantibodies against recombinant TR were not found in our 100 patients with systemic autoimmune diseases. Immunoblotting analysis with bovine purified TR confirmed that the human serum had reactivities to TR. This is the first report of autoantibodies against a redox member in a cancer patient. TR has diverse functions in cell growth, death, and transformation through redox modulation with thioredoxin. Since dysregulation of TR in cancer cells is considered to be involved in some redox states of tumorigenesis, the observed antibody response in this patient could have arisen due to immunoreaction to the abnormally regulated protein.

Dymple, a novel dynamin-like high molecular weight GTPase lacking a proline-rich carboxyl-terminal domain in mammalian cells

We have cloned human dymple, a novel dynamin family member. The full-length cDNA sequence encodes a protein composed of 736 amino acids with a molecular mass of 80 kDa. This amino acid sequence most resembles yeast DNM1P and VPS1P. Dymple lacks a proline-rich carboxyl-terminal domain through which dynamin binds to SH3 domains to be activated. Northern blot analysis revealed two transcript sizes of 2.5 and 4.2 kilobases with alternative polyadenylation at the highest levels in brain, skeletal muscle, and testis. It was further established that there are three patterns of alternative splicing producing in-frame deletions in the coding sequence of dymple in a tissue-specific manner. When overexpressed, wild-type dymple exhibited a punctate perinuclear cytoplasmic pattern, whereas an amino-terminal deletion mutant formed large aggregates bounded by a trans-Golgi network marker. Since dynamin participates in clathrin-mediated endocytosis through a well-characterized mechanism, the existence of a dynamin-like molecule in each specific vesicle transport pathway has been predicted. Our findings suggest that dymple may be the first example of such a subfamily in mammalian cells other than dynamin itself, although its precise role and membrane localization remain to be resolved.

The MAP kinase kinase kinase MLK2 co-localizes with activated JNK along microtubules and associates with kinesin superfamily motor KIF3

The MLK (mixed lineage) ser/thr kinases are most closely related to the MAP kinase kinase kinase family. In addition to a kinase domain, MLK1, MLK2 and MLK3 each contain an SH3 domain, a leucine zipper domain and a potential Rac/Cdc42 GTPase-binding (CRIB) motif. The C-terminal regions of the proteins are essentially unrelated. Using yeast two-hybrid analysis and in vitro dot-blots, we show that MLK2 and MLK3 interact with the activated (GTP-bound) forms of Rac and Cdc42, with a slight preference for Rac. Transfection of MLK2 into COS cells leads to strong and constitutive activation of the JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase) MAP kinase cascade, but also to activation of ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) and p38. When expressed in fibroblasts, MLK2 co-localizes with active, dually phosphorylated JNK1/2 to punctate structures along microtubules. In an attempt to identify proteins that affect the activity and localization of MLK2, we have screened a yeast two-hybrid cDNA library. MLK2 and MLK3 interact with members of the KIF3 family of kinesin superfamily motor proteins and with KAP3A, the putative targeting component of KIF3 motor complexes, suggesting a potential link between stress activation and motor protein function.

rhoB encoding a UV-inducible Ras-related small GTP-binding protein is regulated by GTPases of the Rho family and independent of JNK, ERK, and p38 MAP kinase

The small GTPase RhoB is immediate-early inducible by DNA damaging treatments and thus part of the early response of eukaryotic cells to genotoxic stress. To investigate the regulation of this cellular response, we isolated the gene for rhoB from a mouse genomic library. Sequence analysis of the rhoB gene showed that its coding region does not contain introns. The promoter region of rhoB harbors regulatory elements such as TATA, CAAT, and Sp1 boxes but not consensus sequences for AP-1, Elk-1, or c-Jun/ATF-2. The rhoB promoter was activated by UV irradiation, but not by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate treatment. rhoB promoter deletion constructs revealed a fragment of 0.17 kilobases in size which was sufficient in eliciting the UV response. This minimal promoter fragment contains TATA and CAAT boxes but no other known regulatory elements. Neither MEK inhibitor PD98059 nor p38 kinase inhibitor SB203580 blocked stimulation of rhoB by UVC (UV light, 254 nm) which indicates that ERK or p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase are not involved in the UV induction of rhoB. Also, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor wortmannin, which blocks UV stimulation of both JNK and p38 MAP kinase, did not inhibit rhoB activation. Furthermore, activation of JNK by interleukin-1beta did not affect rhoB expression. These data indicate that JNK is not involved in the regulation of rhoB. Overexpression of wild-type Rac as well as the Rho guanine-dissociation inhibitor caused activation of rhoB. Wild-type RhoB inhibited both basal and UV-stimulated rhoB promoter activity, indicating a negative regulatory feedback by RhoB itself. The data provide evidence both for a signal transduction pathway independent of JNK, ERK, and p38 MAP kinase to be involved in the induction of rhoB by genotoxic stress, and furthermore, indicate autoregulation of rhoB.

A novel SAPK/JNK kinase, MKK7, stimulated by TNFalpha and cellular stresses

Stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK)/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), a member of the MAP kinase (MAPK) superfamily, is thought to play a key role in a variety of cellular responses. To date, SEK1/MKK4, one of the MAP kinase kinase (MAPKK) family of molecules, is the only SAPK/JNK kinase that has been cloned. Here we have cloned, identified and characterized a novel member of the mammalian MAPKKs, designated MKK7. MKK7 is most similar to the mediator of morphogenesis, hemipterous (hep), in Drosophila. Immunochemical studies have identified MKK7 as one of the major SAPK/JNK-activating kinases in osmotically shocked cells. While SEK1/MKK4 can activate both the SAPK/JNK and p38 subgroups of the MAPK superfamily, MKK7 is specific for the SAPK/JNK subgroup. MKK7 is activated strongly by tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) as well as by environmental stresses, whereas SEK1/MKK4 is not activated by TNFalpha. Column fractionation studies have shown that MKK7 is a major activator for SAPK/JNK in the TNFalpha-stimulated pathway. Moreover, we have found that overexpression of MKK7 enhances transcription from an AP-1-dependent reporter construct. Thus, MKK7 is an evolutionarily conserved MAPKK isoform which is specific for SAPK/JNK, is involved in AP-1-dependent transcription and may be a crucial mediator of TNFalpha signalling.

Identification of a novel nuclear speckle-type protein, SPOP

A novel antigen recognized by serum from a scleroderma patient was identified by expression cloning from the HeLa cell cDNA library. The cloned cDNA encoded a 374-amino acid protein with a relative molecular mass of 47,000 and a predicted amino acid sequence 62.7% identical to the hypothetical protein of Caenorhabditis elegans, T16H12.5. The deduced amino acid sequence had a typical POZ domain and an unidentified region conserved during evolution. No zinc finger or RNA recognition motifs were found in this clone. The 2 kbp mRNA encoding the novel clone SPOP (speckle-type POZ protein) was found to be expressed in all human tissues examined. HA-tagged SPOP, transfected and overexpressed in COS7 cells, exhibited a discrete speckled pattern in the nuclei and was co-localized with the splicing factor, snRNP B'/B. Deletion analysis revealed that both the POZ domain and the evolutionarily conserved region at the amino-terminus are required for the nuclear speckled accumulation of SPOP.

Fas induces cytoplasmic apoptotic responses and activation of the MKK7-JNK/SAPK and MKK6-p38 pathways independent of CPP32-like proteases

IL-1beta converting enzyme (ICE) family cysteine proteases are subdivided into three groups; ICE-, CPP32-, and Ich-1-like proteases. In Fas-induced apoptosis, activation of ICE-like proteases is followed by activation of CPP32-like proteases which is thought to be essential for execution of the cell death. It was recently reported that two subfamily members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase superfamily, JNK/SAPK and p38, are activated during Fas-induced apoptosis. Here, we have shown that MKK7, but not SEK1/ MKK4, is activated by Fas as an activator for JNK/ SAPK and that MKK6 is a major activator for p38 in Fas signaling. Then, to dissect various cellular responses induced by Fas, we used several peptide inhibitors for ICE family proteases in Fas-treated Jurkat cells and KB cells. While Z-VAD-FK which inhibited almost all the Fas-induced cellular responses blocked the activation of JNK/SAPK and p38, Ac-DEVD-CHO and Z-DEVD-FK, specific inhibitors for CPP32-like proteases, which inhibited the Fas-induced chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation did not block the activation of JNK/SAPK and p38. Interestingly, these DEVD-type inhibitors did not block the Fas-induced morphological changes (cell shrinkage and surface blebbing), induction of Apo2.7 antigen, or the cell death (as assessed by the dye exclusion ability). These results suggest that the Fas-induced activation of the JNK/SAPK and p38 signaling pathways does not require CPP32-like proteases and that CPP32-like proteases, although essential for apoptotic nuclear events (such as chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation), are not required for other apoptotic events in the cytoplasm or the cell death itself. Thus, the Fas signaling pathway diverges into multiple, separate processes, each of which may be responsible for part of the apoptotic cellular responses.

Cloning and characterization of a human STE20-like protein kinase with unusual cofactor requirements

We cloned and characterized a novel human member of the STE20 serine/threonine protein kinase family named mst-3. Based on its domain structure, mst-3 belongs to the SPS1 subgroup of STE20-like proteins, which includes germinal center (GC) kinase, hematopoietic progenitor kinase (HPK), kinase homologous to STE20/SPS-1 (KHS), kinases responsive to stress (KRS1/2), the mammalian STE20-like kinases (mst1/2), and the recently published STE20/oxidant stress response kinase SOK-1. mst-3 is most closely related to SOK-1, with 88% amino acid similarity in the kinase domain. The similarity of the mst-3 kinase domain to STE20 is 42%. The mst-3 transcript is ubiquitously expressed, and the protein was found in all human, mouse, and monkey cell lines tested. An in vitro kinase assay showed that mst-3 can phosphorylate basic exogenous substrates as well as itself. Interestingly, mst-3 prefers Mn2+ to Mg2+ as a divalent cation and can use both GTP and ATP as phosphate donors. Like SOK-1, mst-3 is activated by autophosphorylation. However, a physiological stimulus of mst-3 activity was not identified. mst-3 activity does not change upon exposure to several mitogenic and stress stimuli. Overexpression of mst-3 wild-type or kinase dead protein affects neither the extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2 or ERK6), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38, nor pp70S6 kinase, suggesting that mst-3 is part of a novel signaling pathway.

Activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase by signaling through G protein-coupled receptors. Involvement of Gbetagamma and Galphaq/11 subunits

Various extracellular stimuli activate three classes of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs): extracellular signal-regulated kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and p38 MAPK. In mammalian cells, p38 MAPK is activated by endotoxins, inflammatory cytokines, and environmental stresses. We show here that p38 MAPK is also activated upon stimulation of G protein-coupled receptors (Gq/G11-coupled m1 and Gi-coupled m2 muscarinic acetylcholine and Gs-coupled beta-adrenergic receptors) in human embryonal kidney 293 cells. The activation of p38 MAPK through the m2 and beta-adrenergic receptors was completely inhibited by coexpression of Galphao, whereas the activation by the m1 receptor was only partially inhibited. Furthermore, we show that overexpression of Gbetagamma or a constitutively activated mutant of Galpha11, but not Galphas and Galphai, can stimulate p38 MAPK. These results suggest that the signal from the m2 and beta-adrenergic receptors to p38 MAPK is mediated by Gbetagamma, whereas the signal from the m1 receptor is mediated by both Gbetagamma and Galphaq/11.

Low frequency of autoantibodies against Ki-67 antigen in Japanese patients with systemic autoimmune diseases

The Ki-67 antigen, which is recognized by the monoclonal antibody Ki-67, is a marker of cell proliferation. During cDNA cloning using sera from a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus, we obtained a positive clone encoding part of Ki-67. We determined the frequency of autoantibodies against Ki-67 in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases. Serum samples from 252 patients with rheumatic diseases were examined by immunoblotting with HeLa nuclear extract and the recombinant N-terminus of the Ki-67 antigen. Autoantibodies against Ki-67 antigen were detected in two out of 76 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and one out of 90 patients with scleroderma. While, in a previous report, anti-Ki-67 antibodies were frequently targeted by a certain strain of autoimmune mice, our results indicated that Ki-67 was a minor target of autoantibodies among Japanese patients with systemic autoimmune diseases.

Reactive oxygen species and antioxidants in signal transduction and gene expression

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced by cellular metabolic reactions, and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases, including atherosclerosis, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease. Interestingly, clinical and epidemiologic studies have, in some cases, indicated that antioxidant nutrients may be effective in disease prevention. However, the efficacy of specific antioxidants in disease prevention is often both controversial and inconclusive. In an effort to elucidate the role of ROS and antioxidants in disease development and prevention, the chemistries of ROS and antioxidants have been examined extensively. Recently, molecular and cellular approaches have demonstrated that ROS and antioxidants can directly affect the cellular signaling apparatus and, consequently, the control of gene expression. This new research provides the link between ROS and antioxidant chemistries and the mechanisms of disease processes and prevention. This review illustrates how ROS function as potential intracellular and extracellular signaling molecules and how antioxidants can affect this process.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase

The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) are activated by cellular stresses and play an important role in regulating gene expression. We have isolated a cDNA encoding a novel protein kinase that has significant homology (57% amino acid identity) to human p38alpha/CSBP. The novel kinase, p38delta, has a nucleotide sequence encoding a protein of 365 amino acids with a putative TGY dual phosphorylation motif. Dot-blot analysis of p38delta mRNA in 50 human tissues revealed a distribution profile of p38delta that differs from p38alpha. p38delta is highly expressed in salivary gland, pituitary gland, and adrenal gland, whereas p38alpha is highly expressed in placenta, cerebellum, bone marrow, thyroid gland, peripheral leukocytes, liver, and spleen. Like p38alpha, p38delta is activated by cellular stress and proinflammatory cytokines. p38delta phosphorylates ATF-2 and PHAS-I, but not MAPK-activated protein kinase-2 and -3, known in vivo and in vitro substrates of p38alpha. We also observed that p38delta was strongly activated by MKK3 and MKK6, while p38alpha was preferentially activated by MKK6. Other experiments showed that a potent p38alpha kinase inhibitor AMG 2372 minimally inhibited the kinase activity of p38delta. Taken together, these data indicate that p38delta is a new member of the p38 MAPK family and that p38delta likely has functions distinct from that of p38alpha.

Activation of the hematopoietic progenitor kinase-1 (HPK1)-dependent, stress-activated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway by transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta)-activated kinase (TAK1), a kinase mediator of TGF beta signal transduction

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta)-activated kinase (TAK1) is known for its involvement in TGF-beta signaling and its ability to activate the p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. This report shows that TAK1 is also a strong activator of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). Both the wild-type and a constitutively active mutant of TAK1 stimulated JNK in transient transfection assays. Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4 (MKK4)/stress-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (SEK1), a dual-specificity kinase that phosphorylates and activates JNK, synergized with TAK1 in activating JNK. Conversely, a dominant-negative (MKK4/SEK1 mutant inhibited TAK1-induced JNK activation. A kinasedefective mutant of TAK1 effectively suppressed hematopoietic progenitor kinase-1 (HPK1)-induced JNK activity but had little effect on germinal center kinase activation of JNK. There are two additional MAPK kinase kinases, MEKK1 and mixed lineage kinase 3 (MLK3), that are also downstream of HPK1 and upstream of MKK4/SEK mutant. However, because the dominant-negative mutants of MEKK1 and MLK3 did not inhibit TAK1-induced JNK activity, we conclude that activation of JNK1 by TAK1 is independent of MEKK1 and MLK3. In addition to TAK1, TGF-beta also stimulated JNK activity. Taken together, these results identify TAK1 as a regulator in the HPK1 --> TAK1 --> MKK4/SEK1 --> JNK kinase cascade and indicate the involvement of JNK in the TGF-beta signaling pathway. Our results also suggest the potential roles of TAK1 not only in the TGF-beta pathway but also in the other HPK1/JNK1-mediated pathways.

LOK is a novel mouse STE20-like protein kinase that is expressed predominantly in lymphocytes

We have identified a new gene, designated lok (lymphocyte-oriented kinase), that encodes a 966-amino acid protein kinase whose catalytic domain at the N terminus shows homology to that of the STE20 family members involved in mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascades. The non-catalytic domain of LOK does not have any similarity to that of other known members of the family. There is a proline-rich motif with Src homology region 3 binding potential, followed by a long coiled-coil structure at the C terminus. LOK is expressed as a 130-kDa protein, which was detected predominantly in lymphoid organs such as spleen, thymus, and bone marrow, in contrast to other mammalian members of the STE20 family. LOK phosphorylated itself as well as substrates such as myelin basic protein and histone IIA on serine and threonine residues but not on tyrosine residues, establishing LOK as a novel serine/threonine kinase. When coexpressed in COS7 cells with the known MAP kinase isoforms (ERK, JNK, and p38), LOK activated none of them in contrast to PAK- and GCK-related kinases. These results suggest that LOK could be involved in a novel signaling pathway in lymphocytes, which is distinct from the known MAP kinase cascades.

Stress-activated protein kinases: activation, regulation and function

The response of cells to extracellular stimuli is mediated in part by a number of intracellular kinase and phosphatase enzymes. Within this area of research the activation of the p42 and p44 isoforms of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases have been extensively described and characterised as central components of the signal transduction pathways stimulated by both growth factors and G-protein-coupled receptor agonists. Signaling events mediated by these kinases are fundamental to cellular functions such as proliferation and differentiation. More recently, homologues of the p42 and p44 isoforms of MAP kinase have been described, namely the stress-activated protein kinases (SAPKs) or alternatively the c-jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) and p38 MAP kinase (the mammalian homologue of yeast HOG1). These MAP kinase homologues are integral components of parallel MAP kinase cascades activated in response to a number of cellular stresses including inflammatory cytokines (e.g., Interleukin-1 (Il-1) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), heat and chemical shock, bacterial endotoxin and ischaemia/cellular ATP depletion. Activation of these MAP kinase homologues mediates the transduction of extracellular signals to the nucleus and are pivotal events in the regulation of the transcription events that determine functional outcome in response to such stresses. In this review we highlight the identification and characterisation of the stress-activated MAP kinase homologues, their role as components of parallel MAP kinase pathways and the regulation of cellular responses following exposure to cellular stress.

p38-2, a novel mitogen-activated protein kinase with distinct properties

Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases are involved in many cellular processes. Here we describe the cloning and characterization of a new MAP kinase, p38-2. p38-2 belongs to the p38 subfamily of MAP kinases and shares with it the TGY phosphorylation motif. The complete p38-2 cDNA was isolated by polymerase chain reaction. It encodes a 364-amino acid protein with 73% identity to p38. Two shorter isoforms missing the phosphorylation motif were identified. Analysis of various tissues demonstrated that p38-2 is differently expressed from p38. Highest expression levels were found in heart and skeletal muscle. Like p38, p38-2 is activated by stress-inducing signals and proinflammatory cytokines. The preferred upstream kinase is MEK6. Although p38-2 and p38 phosphorylate the same substrates, the site specificity of phosphorylation can differ as shown by two-dimensional phosphopeptide analysis of Sap-1a. Additionally, kinetic studies showed that p38-2 appears to be about 180 times more active than p38 on certain substrates such as ATF2. Both kinases are inhibited by a class of pyridinyl imidazoles. p38-2 phosphorylation of ATF2 and Sap-1a but not Elk1 results in increased transcriptional activity of these factors. A sequential kinetic mechanism of p38-2 is suggested by steady state kinetic analysis. In conclusion, p38-2 may be an important component of the stress response required for the homeostasis of a cell.

Activation of p38 MAP Kinase Pathway by Erythropoietin and Interleukin-3

Activation of p38 MAP kinase (p38) as well as JNK/SAPK has been described as being induced by a variety of environmental stresses such as osmotic shock, ultraviolet radiation, and heat shock, or the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1 (IL-3). We found that the hematopoietic cytokines erythropoietin (Epo) and IL-3, which regulate growth and differentiation of erythroids and hematopoietic progenitors, respectively, also activate a p38 cascade. Immunoblot analyses and in vitro kinase assay clearly showed that Epo and IL-3 rapidly and transiently phosphorylated and activated p38 in Epo– or IL-3–dependent mouse hematopoietic progenitor cells. p38 can generally be activated by the upstream kinase MKK3 or MKK6. However, in vitro kinase assays in the immunoprecipitates with anti-MKK6 antibody and anti-phosphorylated MKK3/MKK6 antibody showed that activation of neither MKK3 nor MKK6 was detected after Epo or IL-3 stimulation, while osmotic shock clearly induced activation of both MKK3/MKK6 and p38. Together with previous observations, these results suggest that both p38 and JNK cascades play an important role not only in stress and proinflammatory cytokine responses but also in hematopoietic cytokine actions.

Activation of p38 MAP Kinase Pathway by Erythropoietin and Interleukin-3

Activation of p38 MAP kinase (p38) as well as JNK/SAPK has been described as being induced by a variety of environmental stresses such as osmotic shock, ultraviolet radiation, and heat shock, or the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1 (IL-3). We found that the hematopoietic cytokines erythropoietin (Epo) and IL-3, which regulate growth and differentiation of erythroids and hematopoietic progenitors, respectively, also activate a p38 cascade. Immunoblot analyses and in vitro kinase assay clearly showed that Epo and IL-3 rapidly and transiently phosphorylated and activated p38 in Epo– or IL-3–dependent mouse hematopoietic progenitor cells. p38 can generally be activated by the upstream kinase MKK3 or MKK6. However, in vitro kinase assays in the immunoprecipitates with anti-MKK6 antibody and anti-phosphorylated MKK3/MKK6 antibody showed that activation of neither MKK3 nor MKK6 was detected after Epo or IL-3 stimulation, while osmotic shock clearly induced activation of both MKK3/MKK6 and p38. Together with previous observations, these results suggest that both p38 and JNK cascades play an important role not only in stress and proinflammatory cytokine responses but also in hematopoietic cytokine actions.

Specific activation of a c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase isoform and induction of neurite outgrowth in PC-12 cells by staurosporine

Staurosporine, a protein kinase inhibitor, is known to mimic the effect of nerve growth factor (NGF) in promoting neurite outgrowth. To elucidate the mechanism by which staurosporine induces neurite outgrowth in PC-12 cells, we performed an in-gel kinase assay using myelin basic protein as a substrate, and found that staurosporine induced the activation of a kinase with an apparent molecular mass of 57 kDa. The dose of staurosporine required to activate this kinase was consistent with that required to induce neurite outgrowth. Interestingly, the staurosporine-activated kinase was immunoprecipitated by anti-c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) isoforms antibody, but not by anti-JNK1-specific antibody or anti-ERK1 antibody, raising the possibility that this kinase is a novel JNK isoform. The substrate specificity of the kinase was distinct from those of osmotic shock-activated JNKs and NGF-activated ERK1. The kinase phosphorylates transcription factors including c-Jun, Elk-1, and ATF2, as well as myelin basic protein, suggesting that it plays a role in gene induction. Furthermore, staurosporine induced immediate-early genes including Nur77 and fos, but not jun. The activation of the staurosporine-activated kinase, as well as the induction of neurite outgrowth, did not require Ras function, while Ras was required for the activation of ERKs and neurite outgrowth induced by NGF. Taken together, these results indicate staurosporine specifically activates a JNK isoform, which may contribute to biological activities including neurite outgrowth.

TGFbeta regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinases in human breast cancer cells

We demonstrate herein the ability of transforming growth factor-beta-2 (TGFbeta2) to potently activate extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) in the highly TGFbeta-sensitive breast cancer cell (BCC) line Hs578T. The ERK2 isoform was activated by 3-fold within 5 min of TGFbeta2 addition to Hs578T cells. However, TGFbeta2 only slightly activated ERK2 (1.5-fold) in the partially TGFbeta-responsive BCC line MDA-MB-23 1. The magnitude of the difference in activation of ERK2 by TGFbeta2 in the two cell lines paralleled the difference in the IC50 values for TGFbeta inhibition of DNA synthesis; the IC50 value in the MDA-MB-231 cells was 32-fold greater than that in the Hs578T cells. Further, our data demonstrate that TGFbeta2 activated the stress-activated protein kinase/Jun N-terminal kinase (SAPK/JNK) type of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs); maximal induction levels were 2.5-fold above basal values and were attained at 30 min after TGFbeta2 treatment. Transient co-transfection of a luciferase reporter construct (3TP-Lux) containing three AP-1 sites and the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) promoter, in conjunction with a construct that directs expression of a dominant-negative mutant ERK2 (TAYF) protein, did not block the ability of TGFbeta to induce AP-1 or PAI-1 activity. In contrast, TAYF ERK2 was able to block EGF and insulin-induced 3TP-Lux-reporter activity. These results indicate that in these BCCs, the activation of ERK2 by TGFbeta is more tightly linked to the ability of TGFbeta to inhibit DNA synthesis than to the ability to stimulate promoter regions important for TGFbeta production and control of the extracellular matrix. In addition, this is the first demonstration that TGFbeta can activate the SAPK/JNK type of MAPK in TGFbeta-sensitive human BCCs.

Transforming growth factor-beta: the breaking open of a black box

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and its related proteins regulate broad aspects of body development, including cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and gene expression, in various organisms. Deregulated TGF-beta function has been causally implicated in the generation of human fibrotic disorders and in tumor progression. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms of TGF-beta action remained essentially unknown until recently. Here, we discuss recent progress in our understanding of the mechanism of TGF-beta signal transduction with respect to the regulation of gene expression, the control of cell phenotype and the potential usage of TGF-beta for the treatment of human diseases.

Expression, purification, and characterization of an activated cytokine-suppressive anti-inflammatory drug-binding protein 2 (CSBP2) kinase from baculovirus-infected insect cells

An activated form of the human cytokine-suppressive anti-inflammatory drug-binding protein 2 (CSBP2) kinase was expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda (SF9) cells from a baculovirus vector. To maximize expression and to facilitate purification of the recombinant protein, CSBP2 kinase was expressed as a carboxy-terminal fusion protein to glutathione S-transferase (GST). Under optimal conditions, 2-3 mg of GST-CSBP2 could be obtained per liter of infected cell culture. The fusion protein was easily purified from the soluble fraction of the total cell lysate under nondenaturing conditions by using a glutathione-Sepharose 4B affinity resin. As expected, the purified GST-CSBP2 fusion protein was approximately 68 kDa as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis and reacted with antibodies directed toward either the GST or the CSBP amino terminus. To obtain activated CSBP2, SF9 cells were coinfected with two recombinant baculovirus vectors: one that directed the synthesis of the GST-CSBP2 fusion protein and a second vector that directed the synthesis of a constitutively active form of the CSBP activating kinase, MKK3. Coexpression of GST-CSBP2 kinase with the MKK3 activator increased GST-CSBP2 activity 8- to 10-fold based on the ability of GST-CSBP2 to phosphorylate the substrate, myelin basic protein (MBP), and the ATF2 transcription factor, in vitro. Moreover, activated GST-CSBP2 was capable of activating a bacterially derived mitogen-activated protein kinase-activating protein kinase 2 in vitro. The activity of insect-derived GST-CSBP2 was also inhibited by the CSBP inhibitor, SB202190. We anticipate that the preparation and purification techniques described in this study will facilitate further biochemical characterization of this kinase.