Betagamma subunits of G(i/o) suppress EGF-induced ERK5 phosphorylation, whereas ERK1/2 phosphorylation is enhanced

Targeting Lysophosphatidic Acid in Cancer: The Issues in Moving from Bench to Bedside

Since the clear demonstration of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)'s pathological roles in cancer in the mid-1990s, more than 1000 papers relating LPA to various types of cancer were published. Through these studies, LPA was established as a target for cancer. Although LPA-related inhibitors entered clinical trials for fibrosis, the concept of targeting LPA is yet to be moved to clinical cancer treatment. The major challenges that we are facing in moving LPA application from bench to bedside include the intrinsic and complicated metabolic, functional, and signaling properties of LPA, as well as technical issues, which are discussed in this review. Potential strategies and perspectives to improve the translational progress are suggested. Despite these challenges, we are optimistic that LPA blockage, particularly in combination with other agents, is on the horizon to be incorporated into clinical applications.

Methods to Quantify Cell Signaling and GPCR Receptor Ligand Bias: Characterization of Drugs that Target the Endocannabinoid Receptors in Huntington's Disease

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) interact with multiple intracellular effector proteins such that different ligands may preferentially activate one signal pathway over others, a phenomenon known as signaling bias. Signaling bias can be quantified to optimize drug selection for preclinical research. Here, we describe moderate-throughput methods to quantify signaling bias of known and novel compounds. In the example provided, we describe a method to define cannabinoid-signaling bias in a cell culture model of Huntington's disease (HD). Decreasing type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB₁) levels is correlated with chorea and cognitive deficits in HD. There is evidence that elevating CB₁ levels and/or signaling may be beneficial for HD patients while decreasing CB₁ levels and/or signaling may be detrimental. Recent studies have found that Gα_i/o-biased CB₁ agonists activate extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), increase CB₁ protein levels, and improve viability of cells expressing mutant huntingtin. In contrast, CB₁ agonists that are β-arrestin1-biased were found to reduce CB₁ protein levels and cell viability. Measuring agonist bias of known and novel CB₁ agonists will provide important data that predict CB₁-specific agonists that might be beneficial in animal models of HD and, following animal testing, in HD patients. This method can also be applied to study signaling bias for other GPCRs.

Somatostatin activates Ras and ERK1/2 via a G protein βγ-subunit-initiated pathway in thyroid cells

Somatostatin (SST) is one of the main regulators of thyroid function. It acts by binding to its receptors, which lead to the dissociation of G proteins into Gαi and Gβγ subunits. However, much less is known about the function of Gβγ in thyroid cells. Here, we studied the role of SST and Gβγ dimers released upon SST stimulation on the Ras-ERK1/2 pathway in FTRL-5 thyroid cells. We demonstrate that SST activates Ras through Gi proteins, since SST-induced Ras activation is inhibited by pertussis toxin. Moreover, the specific sequestration of Gβγ dimers decreases Ras-GTP and phosphorylated ERK1/2 levels, and overexpression of Gβγ increases ERK1/2 phosphorylation induced by SST, indicating that Gβγ dimers released after SST treatment mediate activation of Ras and ERK1/2. On the other hand, SST treatment does not modify the expression of the thyroid differentiation marker sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) through ERK1/2 activation. However, SST increases AKT activation and the inhibition of the Src/PI3K/AKT pathway increases NIS levels in SST-treated cells. Thus, we conclude that, in thyroid cells, signalling from SST receptors to ERK1/2 involves a Gβγ-mediated signal acting on a Ras-dependent pathway. Moreover, we demonstrate that SST might regulates NIS expression through a Src/PI3K/AKT-dependent mechanism, but not through ERK1/2 signalling, showing the main role of this hormone in thyroid function.

Phosphorylation of ERK5 on Thr732 is associated with ERK5 nuclear localization and ERK5-dependent transcription

Extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) play critical roles in numerous cellular processes, including proliferation and differentiation. ERK5 contains a kinase domain at the N-terminal, and the unique extended C-terminal includes multiple autophosphorylation sites that enhance ERK5-dependent transcription. However, the impact of phosphorylation at the various sites remain unclear. In this study, we examined the role of phosphorylation at the ERK5 C-terminal. We found that a constitutively active MEK5 mutant phosphorylated ERK5 at the TEY motif, resulting in the sequential autophosphorylation of multiple C-terminal residues, including Thr732 and Ser769/773/775. However, when ERK1/2 was selectively activated by an oncogenic RAS mutant, ERK5 phosphorylation at Thr732 was induced without affecting the phosphorylation status at TEY or Ser769/773/775. The Thr732 phosphorylation was U0126-sensitive and was observed in a kinase-dead mutant of ERK5 as well, suggesting that ERK1/2 can phosphorylate ERK5 at Thr732. This phosphorylation was also promoted by epidermal growth factor and nerve growth factor in HEK293 and PC12 cells, respectively. The ERK5–T732A mutant was localized in the cytosol under basal conditions. In contrast, ERK5 phosphorylated at Thr732 via the RAS-ERK1/2 pathway and ERK5–T732E, which mimics the phosphorylated form, were localized in both the nucleus and cytosol. Finally, ER–32A and U0126 blocked ERK5-dependent MEF2C transcriptional activity. Based on these findings, we propose a novel cross-talk mechanism in which ERK1/2, following activation by growth factor stimulation, phosphorylates ERK5 at Thr732. This phosphorylation event is responsible for ERK5 nuclear localization and ERK5-dependent transcription.

Type 1 cannabinoid receptor ligands display functional selectivity in a cell culture model of striatal medium spiny projection neurons

Modulation of type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1) activity has been touted as a potential means of treating addiction, anxiety, depression, and neurodegeneration. Different agonists of CB1 are known to evoke varied responses in vivo. Functional selectivity is the ligand-specific activation of certain signal transduction pathways at a receptor that can signal through multiple pathways. To understand cannabinoid-specific functional selectivity, different groups have examined the effect of individual cannabinoids on various signaling pathways in heterologous expression systems. In the current study, we compared the functional selectivity of six cannabinoids, including two endocannabinoids (2-arachidonyl glycerol (2-AG) and anandamide (AEA)), two synthetic cannabinoids (WIN55,212-2 and CP55,940), and two phytocannabinoids (cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)) on arrestin2-, Gα(i/o)-, Gβγ-, Gα(s)-, and Gα(q)-mediated intracellular signaling in the mouse STHdh(Q7/Q7) cell culture model of striatal medium spiny projection neurons that endogenously express CB1. In this system, 2-AG, THC, and CP55,940 were more potent mediators of arrestin2 recruitment than other cannabinoids tested. 2-AG, AEA, and WIN55,212-2, enhanced Gα(i/o) and Gβγ signaling, with 2-AG and AEA treatment leading to increased total CB1 levels. 2-AG, AEA, THC, and WIN55,212-2 also activated Gα(q)-dependent pathways. CP55,940 and CBD both signaled through Gα(s). CP55,940, but not CBD, activated downstream Gα(s) pathways via CB1 targets. THC and CP55,940 promoted CB1 internalization and decreased CB1 protein levels over an 18-h period. These data demonstrate that individual cannabinoids display functional selectivity at CB1 leading to activation of distinct signaling pathways. To effectively match cannabinoids with therapeutic goals, these compounds must be screened for their signaling bias.

Glycochenodeoxycholic acid promotes proliferation of intestinal epithelia via reduction of cyclic AMP and increase in H2AX phosphorylation after exposure to γ-rays

Bile acids (BAs) are considered to be promotive factors in colorectal carcinogenesis. We investigated whether BAs in the cellular environment influence proliferation of intestinal epithelial cell lines. Some BAs induced proliferation in several epithelial cell lines. In the proliferation assay, significant increases in IEC-6 cell proliferation were observed in response to glycodeoxycholic acid or glycochenodeoxycholic acid (GCDCA). Among the glycine-conjugated derivatives of BAs, especially GCDCA reduced cAMP production in IEC-6 cells. Pertussis toxin completely inhibited the GCDCA-induced increase in IEC-6 proliferation, suggesting GCDCA-induced proliferation required Gαi activation and cAMP reduction. Treatment with 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, also suppressed GCDCA-induced IEC-6 proliferation. We confirmed an increase in MEK1/2 phosphorylation in GCDCA-treated IEC-6 cells, and inhibition of MEK1/2 by U0126 clearly suppressed GCDCA-induced IEC-6 cell proliferation. A significant increase was observed in the phosphorylation of histone H2AX in GCDCA-treated IEC-6 cells after exposure to γ-rays. Cell cycle analysis revealed that GCDCA increased the proportion of cells in S phase only after γ-ray exposure. These results indicate that glycine-conjugated BAs in the cellular environment are potent inducers of cell proliferation accompanied by genomic instability in intestinal epithelia.

Extracellular regulated kinase5 is expressed in fetal mouse submandibular glands and is phosphorylated in response to epidermal growth factor and other ligands of the ErbB family of receptors

Growth factors and their receptors regulate development of many organs through activation of multiple intracellular signaling cascades including a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Extracellular regulated kinases (ERK)1/2, classic MAPK family members, are expressed in fetal mouse submandibular glands (SMG), and stimulate branching morphogenesis. ERK5, also called big mitogen-activated protein kinase 1, was recently found as a new member of MAPK super family, and its biological roles are still largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the expression and function of ERK5 in developing fetal mouse SMGs. Western blotting analysis showed that the expression pattern of ERK5 was different from the pattern of ERK1/2 in developing fetal SMGs. Both ERK1/2 and ERK5 were phosphorylated after exposure to ligands of the ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). Phosphorylation of ERK1/2 was strongly induced by epidermal growth factor (EGF) in SMG rudiments at embryonic day 14 (E14), E16 and E18. However, ERK5 phosphorylation induced by EGF was clearly observed at E14 and E16, but not at E18. Branching morphogenesis of cultured E13 SMG rudiments was strongly suppressed by administration of U0126, an inhibitor for ERK1/2 activation, whereas the phosphorylation of ERK5 was not inhibited by U0126. BIX02188, a specific inhibitor for ERK5 activation, also inhibited branching morphogenesis in cultured SMG rudiments. These results show that EGF-responsive ERK5 is expressed in developing fetal mouse SMG, and suggest that both ERK1/2 and ERK5 signaling cascades might play an important role in the regulation of branching morphogenesis.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling in the heart: angels versus demons in a heart-breaking tale

Among the myriad of intracellular signaling networks that govern the cardiac development and pathogenesis, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are prominent players that have been the focus of extensive investigations in the past decades. The four best characterized MAPK subfamilies, ERK1/2, JNK, p38, and ERK5, are the targets of pharmacological and genetic manipulations to uncover their roles in cardiac development, function, and diseases. However, information reported in the literature from these efforts has not yet resulted in a clear view about the roles of specific MAPK pathways in heart. Rather, controversies from contradictive results have led to a perception that MAPKs are ambiguous characters in heart with both protective and detrimental effects. The primary object of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current progress, in an effort to highlight the areas where consensus is established verses the ones where controversy remains. MAPKs in cardiac development, cardiac hypertrophy, ischemia/reperfusion injury, and pathological remodeling are the main focuses of this review as these represent the most critical issues for evaluating MAPKs as viable targets of therapeutic development. The studies presented in this review will help to reveal the major challenges in the field and the limitations of current approaches and point to a critical need in future studies to gain better understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of MAPK function and regulation in the heart.

Structure, biological functions and applications of the AB5 toxins

AB(5) toxins are important virulence factors for several major bacterial pathogens, including Bordetella pertussis, Vibrio cholerae, Shigella dysenteriae and at least two distinct pathotypes of Escherichia coli. The AB(5) toxins are so named because they comprise a catalytic A-subunit, which is responsible for disruption of essential host functions, and a pentameric B-subunit that binds to specific glycan receptors on the target cell surface. The molecular mechanisms by which the AB(5) toxins cause disease have been largely unravelled, including recent insights into a novel AB(5) toxin family, subtilase cytotoxin (SubAB). Furthermore, AB(5) toxins have become a valuable tool for studying fundamental cellular functions, and are now being investigated for potential applications in the clinical treatment of human diseases.

Inhibition of NGF-induced neurite outgrowth of rat pheochromocytoma cells (PC12) following administration of dioxyamphetamine

Amphetamine analogs are known to induce not only neurotoxicity at serotonergic axon terminals but also neocortical neuronal degeneration. However, a much less studied aspect involves the impact of amphetamine exposure on neuronal development. The present study investigated whether pretreatment of PC12 cells with dioxyamphetamine (DA) alters differentiation of PC12 cells by NGF and, if so, which components of the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK pathway known to be involved in the differentiation response to NGF are particularly affected. Though exposure of PC12 cells to DA 1h prior to NGF treatment resulted in apopotosis, several PC12 cells survived. However, neurite outgrowth of these NGF-responsive cells was repressed. Immunoblots of whole cell extracts revealed a strong induction rather than inhibition of ERK phosphorylation up to 48h after DA/NGF treatment. Our results indicate that NGF-mediated neurite outgrowth was inhibited by pretreatment with DA, and this blockage of NGF-induced neuritogenesis was not due to an inhibition of ERK phosphorylation.

The signaling pathway leading to extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5) activation via G-proteins and ERK5-dependent neurotrophic effects

Extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) or mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are involved in cellular proliferation, differentiation, migration, and gene expression. The MAPK family includes ERK1/2, c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinases 1, 2, and 3, p38MAPK alpha, beta, gamma, and -delta, and ERK5 as conventional MAPKs and ERK3, ERK4 NLK, and ERK7 as atypical MAPKs. Like other MAPKs, ERK5 is activated by variety of stimuli, including growth factors, G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) agonists, cytokines, and stress. However, the signaling pathway leading to ERK5 activation is not well understood compared with the other conventional MAPKs. For example, the pharmacological reagents that induce second messenger cAMP and Ca(2+) downstream of GPCRs do not activate ERK5 in neuronal cells. In addition, conflicting results have come from studies examining the involvement of small G-proteins in ERK5 activation by growth factors, and the details of the signaling pathway remain controversial. In addition, the physiological roles of ERK5 in neuronal cells have not been clarified. One reason was the lack of a selective ERK5 pharmacological inhibitor until the novel selective MEK5/ERK5 inhibitors BIX02188 and BIX02189 (Biochem Biophys Res Commun 377:120-125, 2008) reported last year. Another reason is that the use of interfering mutants is limited in neuronal cells because the transfection efficiency is low. Despite these difficulties, recent studies suggest that ERK5 mediates the promotion of neuronal survival and neuronal differentiation in vitro and in vivo. In this review, the signaling pathway leading to ERK5 activation through heterotrimeric and small G-proteins and the physiological roles of ERK5 in neuronal cells are summarized and discussed.

ERK5 activity is required for nerve growth factor-induced neurite outgrowth and stabilization of tyrosine hydroxylase in PC12 cells

Extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) play important physiological roles in proliferation, differentiation, and gene expression. ERK5 is approximately twice the size of ERK1/2, and its amino-terminal half contains the kinase domain that shares homology with ERK1/2 and TEY activation motif, whereas the carboxyl-terminal half is unique. In this study, we examined a physiological role of ERK5 in rat pheochromocytoma cells (PC12), comparing it with ERK1/2. Nerve growth factor (NGF) induced phosphorylation of both ERK5 and ERK1/2, whereas the cAMP analog dibutyryl cAMP (Bt(2)cAMP) caused only ERK1/2 phosphorylation. U0126, at 30 mum, that blocks ERK1/2 signaling selectively attenuated neurite outgrowth induced by NGF and Bt(2)cAMP, but BIX02188 and BIX02189, at 30 mum, that block ERK5 signaling and an ERK5 dominant-negative mutant suppressed only NGF-induced neurite outgrowth. Next, we examined the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase, a rate-limiting enzyme of catecholamine biosynthesis. Both NGF and Bt(2)cAMP increased tyrosine hydroxylase gene promoter activity in an ERK1/2-dependent manner but was ERK5-independent. However, when both ERK5 and ERK1/2 signalings were inhibited, tyrosine hydroxylase protein up-regulation by NGF and Bt(2)cAMP was abolished, because of the loss of stabilization of tyrosine hydroxylase protein by ERK5. Taking these results together, ERK5 is involved in neurite outgrowth and stabilization of tyrosine hydroxylase in PC12 cells, and ERK5, along with ERK1/2, plays essential roles in the neural differentiation process.