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The big mitogen activated protein kinase 1 (BMK1) pathway is the most recently discovered and least-studied mammalian mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascade, ubiquitously expressed in all types of cancer cells tested so far. Mitogens and oncogenic signals strongly activate this cellular MAP kinase pathway, thereby passing down proliferative, survival, chemoresistance, invasive, and angiogenic signals in tumor cells. Recently, several pharmacologic small molecule inhibitors of this pathway have been developed. Among them, the BMK1 inhibitor XMD8-92 blocks cellular BMK1 activation and significantly suppresses tumor growth in lung and cervical tumor models and is well tolerated in animals. On the other hand, MEK5 inhibitors, BIX02188, BIX02189, and compound 6, suppress cellular MEK5 activity, but no data exist to date on their effectiveness in animals. Show less

Fms-like tyrosine kinase-3 (FLT3) is a growth factor receptor normally expressed on hematopoietic progenitor cells. Approximately one third of all patients with AML carry an activating mutation in FLT3 that drives proliferation and survival of the leukemic cells. The most common activating mutation is the so-called internal tandem duplication (ITD), which involves an in-frame duplication of a segment of varying length in the region of the FLT3 gene that encodes the juxtamembrane domain. The pathways downstream of FLT3-ITD are partially known but further knowledge regarding the downstream signal transduction molecules is important in order to develop alternative strategies for pharmacological intervention. In this paper we have studied the role of MEK/ERK5 in FLT3-ITD mediated transformation. We have found that both wild-type FLT3 and FLT3-ITD activate MEK5 leading to the activation of ERK5. By use of the selective inhibitor of MEK5, BIX02188, we have shown that activation of AKT downstream of FLT3 is partially dependent on ERK5. Furthermore, inhibition of MEK5/ERK5 induces apoptosis of both FLT3-ITD transfected Ba/F3 cells as well as the FLT3-ITD carrying leukemic cell lines MV4-11 and MOLM-13. These results suggest that MEK5/ERK5 is important for FLT3-ITD induced hematopoietic transformation and may thus represent an alternative therapeutic target in the treatment of FLT3-ITD positive leukemia. Show less

The Kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) and Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) transcription factors have recently been shown to act as critical regulators of endothelial homeostasis. While several insights have been made into the signaling mechanisms orchestrating endothelial KLF2 expression, those governing the expression of KLF4 in the vascular endothelium remain largely unknown. Here, we show that diverse vasoprotective stimuli including an atheroprotective shear stress waveform, simvastatin, and resveratrol induce the expression of KLF4 in cultured human endothelial cells. We further demonstrate that the induction of KLF4 by resveratrol and atheroprotective shear stress occurs via a MEK5/MEF2-dependent signaling pathway. Since MEK5 activation is also critical for the expression of KLF2, we assessed the individual contribution of KLF4 and KLF2 to the global transcriptional activity triggered by MEK5 activation. Genome-wide transcriptional profiling of endothelial cells overexpressing KLF4, KLF2, or constitutively active MEK5 revealed that 59.2% of the genes regulated by the activation of MEK5 were similarly controlled by either KLF2 or KLF4. Collectively, our data identify a significant degree of mechanistic and functional conservation between KLF2 and KLF4, and importantly, provide further insights into the complex regulatory networks governing endothelial vasoprotection. Show less

The MEK5/Erk5 MAPK cascade has recently been implicated in the regulation of endothelial integrity and represents a candidate pathway mediating the beneficial effects of laminar flow, a major factor preventing vascular dysfunction and disease. Here we expressed a constitutively active mutant of MEK5 (MEK5D) to study the transcriptional and functional responses to Erk5 activation in human primary endothelial cells. We provide evidence that constitutive Erk5 activation elicits an overall protective phenotype characterized by increased apoptosis resistance and a decreased angiogenic, migratory, and inflammatory potential. This is supported by bioinformatic microarray analysis, which uncovered a statistical overrepresentation of corresponding functional clusters as well as a significant induction of anti-thrombotic, hemostatic, and vasodilatory genes. We identify KLF4 as a novel Erk5 target and demonstrate a critical role of this transcription factor downstream of Erk5. We show that KLF4 expression largely reproduces the protective phenotype in endothelial cells, whereas KLF4 siRNA suppresses expression of various Erk5 targets. Additionally, we show that vasoprotective statins potently induce KLF4 and KLF4-dependent gene expression via activation of Erk5. Our data underscore a major protective function of the MEK5/Erk5/KLF4 module in ECs and implicate agonistic Erk5 activation as potential strategy for treatment of vascular diseases. Show less

Erk-5, a member of the MAPK superfamily, has a catalytic domain similar to Erk1/2 and a unique C-terminal domain enabling binding with transcription factors. Aberrant vascularization in the Erk5-null mice suggested a link to angiogenesis. Ectopic expression of constitutively active Erk5 blocks endothelial cell morphogenesis and causes HIF1-alpha destabilization/degradation. However the mechanisms by which endogenous Erk5 regulates angiogenesis remain unknown. We show that Erk5 and its activating kinase MEK5 are the upstream mediators of the anti-angiogenic signal by the natural angiogenesis inhibitor, pigment epithelial-derived factor (PEDF). We demonstrate that Erk5 phosphorylation allows activation of PPARgamma transcription factor by displacement of SMRT co-repressor. PPARgamma, in turn is critical for NFkappaB activation, PEDF-dependent apoptosis, and anti-angiogenesis. The dominant negative MEK5 mutant and Erk5 shRNA diminished PEDF-dependent apoptosis, inhibition of the endothelial cell chemotaxis, and angiogenesis. This is the first evidence of Erk5-dependent transduction of signals by endogenous angiogenesis inhibitors. Show less

Adult human bone marrow-derived multipotent progenitor cells (MPCs) are able to differentiate into a variety of specialized cell types, including chondrocytes, and are considered a promising candidate cell source for use in cartilage tissue engineering. In this study, we examined the regulation of MPC chondrogenesis by mitogen-activated protein kinases in an attempt to better understand how to generate hyaline cartilage in the laboratory that more closely resembles native tissue. Specifically, we employed the high-density pellet culture model system to assess the roles of ERK5 and ERK1/2 pathway signaling in MPC chondrogenesis. Western blotting revealed that high levels of ERK5 phosphorylation correlate with low levels of MPC chondrogenesis and that as TGF-beta 3-enhanced MPC chondrogenesis proceeds, phospho-ERK5 levels steadily decline. Conversely, levels of phospho-ERK1/2 paralleled the progression of MPC chondrogenesis. siRNA-mediated knockdown of ERK5 pathway components MEK5 and ERK5 resulted in increased MPC pellet mRNA transcript levels of the cartilage-characteristic marker genes SOX9, COL2A1, AGC, L-SOX5, and SOX6, as well as enhanced accumulation of SOX9 protein, collagen type II protein, and Alcian blue-stainable proteoglycan. In contrast, knockdown of ERK1/2 pathway members MEK1 and ERK1 decreased expression of all chondrogenic markers tested. Finally, overexpression of MEK5 and ERK5 also depressed MPC chondrogenesis, as indicated by diminished activity of a co-transfected collagen II promoter-luciferase reporter construct. In conclusion, our results suggest a novel role for the ERK5 pathway as an important negative regulator of adult human MPC chondrogenesis and illustrate that the ERK5 and ERK1/2 kinase cascades play opposing roles regulating MPC cartilage formation. Show less

Resveratrol activates Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent deacetylase which modulates metabolic homeostasis and improves several pathophysiological features present in diseases of ageing. In particular, it has been shown that SIRT1 activation improves endothelial dysfunction and suppresses vascular inflammation, two central pathophysiological processes involved in the initiation and progression of cardiovascular disease. The downstream targets of SIRT1 activation in this context, however, remain poorly defined. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to characterize mechanistically how SIRT1 activation regulates the endothelial vasoprotective phenotype. We demonstrate that SIRT1 activation by resveratrol increases the expression of the transcription factor Krüppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) in human vascular endothelial cells, resulting in the orchestrated regulation of transcriptional programs critical for conferring an endothelial vasoprotective phenotype. Moreover, we show that KLF2 upregulation by resveratrol occurs via a mitogen-activated protein kinase 5/myocyte enhancing factor 2-dependent signalling pathway. Collectively, these observations provide a new mechanistic framework to understand the vascular protective effects mediated by SIRT1 activators and define KLF2 as a critical mediator of these effects. Show less

Upregulation of endothelin 1 (ET-1) causing blood flow alteration and increased extracellular matrix production are characteristic features of diabetic angiopathy. Several glucose-induced signaling mechanisms cause ET-1 upregulation in diabetic angiopathy. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5) is a member of the MAPK family, which plays a key role in cardiovascular development. ERK kinase (MEK) 5 is the specific MEK for ERK5 activation. In this study we examined the role of glucose-induced ERK5 signaling in mediating ET-1 expression in diabetic angiopathy. We investigated retinas from 1-month STZ-induced diabetic rats and human macro- and microvascular endothelial cells to study ERK5-dependent ET-1 alterations. Glucose (25 mmol/L) caused significant upregulation of ET-1 mRNA and downregulation of ERK5 and Kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) after 24 h treatment in the endothelial cells. Simultaneously, phospho-ERK5 proteins were reduced. Activation of ERK5 by constitutively active MEK5 (caMEK5) upregulated KLF2 and suppressed ET-1 expression in both cell lines, whereas ERK5 siRNA transfection resulted in decreased ERK5 and KLF2 and increased ET-1 mRNA expression. In addition, caMEK5 prevented glucose-induced upregulation of ET-1. Furthermore, 1 month of diabetes caused a significant increase in retinal ET-1 mRNA and decrease in ERK5 mRNA expression. These data indicate that ERK5 signaling regulates glucose-induced ET-1 expression in diabetes. The ERK5/ET-1 pathway may provide a potential novel target for the treatment of diabetic angiopathy. Show less

Knowledge of restless legs syndrome (RLS) has greatly increased in recent years due to the many advances that have been made in diagnosis, management and genetics. Tools have been developed that facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of RLS, in particular the essential diagnostic criteria for RLS have been refined, severity scales (IRLS, RLS-6, JHSS) have been developed, as have instruments that improve diagnostic accuracy and assess for specific aspects of RLS such as augmentation. These newly developed tools have been used in recent population-based studies, which have provided a greater understanding of the epidemiology of RLS, and also within patient-based trials. As far as the genetics of RLS is concerned, linkage studies in RLS families have revealed eight loci but no causally related sequence variant has yet been identified using this approach. Recent genome-wide association studies have identified variants within intronic or intergenic regions of MEIS1, BTBD9, and MAP2K5/LBXCOR1, and PTPRD, raising new pathological hypotheses for RLS. An overview on therapeutic options and recent trials is given based on evidence-based management strategies for this common disorder. Show less

To test the association between Tourette syndrome (TS) and genetic variants in genomic loci MEIS1, MAP2K5/LBXCOR1, and BTBD9, for which genome-wide association studies in restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movements during sleep revealed common risk variants. Case-control association study. Movement disorder clinic in Montreal. Subjects We typed 14 single-nucleotide polymorphisms spanning the 3 genomic loci in 298 TS trios, 322 TS cases (including 298 probands from the cohort of TS trios), and 290 control subjects. Clinical diagnosis of TS, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and attention-deficit disorder. The study provided 3 single-nucleotide polymorphisms within BTBD9 associated with TS (chi(2) = 8.02 [P = .005] for rs9357271), with the risk alleles for restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movements during sleep overrepresented in the TS cohort. We stratified our group of patients with TS according to presence or absence of obsessive-compulsive disorder and/or attention-deficit disorder and found that variants in BTBD9 were strongly associated with TS without obsessive-compulsive disorder (chi(2) = 12.95 [P < .001] for rs9357271). Furthermore, allele frequency of rs9357271 inversely correlated with severity of obsessive-compulsive disorder as measured by the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale score. Variants in BTBD9 that predispose to restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movements during sleep are also associated with TS, particularly TS without obsessive-compulsive disorder. Show less

Tumors depend upon angiogenesis for growth and metastasis. It is therefore critical to understand the inhibitory signaling mechanisms in endothelial cells that control angiogenesis. Epac is a cyclic adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Rap1. In this study, we show that activation of Epac or Rap1 leads to potent inhibition of angiogenesis in vivo. Epac/Rap1 activation down-regulates inhibitor of differentiation 1 (Id1), which negatively regulates thrombospondin-1 (TSP1), an inhibitor of angiogenesis. Consistent with this mechanism, activation of Epac/Rap 1 induces expression of TSP1; conversely, depletion of Epac reduces TSP1 levels in endothelial cells. Blockade of TSP1 binding to its receptor, CD36, rescues inhibition of chemotaxis or angiogenesis by activated Epac/Rap1. Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 5, a downstream mediator of vascular endothelial growth factor, antagonizes the effects of Epac/Rap1 by inducing Id1 and suppressing TSP1 expression. Finally, TSP1 is also secreted by fibroblasts in response to Epac/Rap1 activation. These results identify Epac and Rap1 as inhibitory regulators of the angiogenic process, implicate Id1 and TSP1 as downstream mediators of Epac/Rap1, and highlight a novel interplay between pro- and antiangiogenic signaling cascades involving multiple cell types within the angiogenic microenvironment. Show less

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a sensorimotor disorder that is frequently associated with periodic leg movements (PLMS). RLS is generally considered to be a central nervous system (CNS)-related disorder although no specific lesion has been found to be associated with the syndrome. Reduced intracortical inhibition has been demonstrated in RLS by transcranial magnetic stimulation. Some MRI studies have revealed the presence of morphologic changes in the somatosensory cortex, motor cortex and thalamic gray matter. The results of SPECT and PET studies showed that the limbic and opioid systems also play important roles in the pathophysiology of RLS. A functional MRI study revealed abnormal bilateral cerebellar and thalamic activation during the manifestation of sensory symptoms, with additional red nucleus and reticular formation activity during PLMS. PLMS is likely to occur in patients with spinal cord lesions, and some patients with sensory polyneuropathy may exhibit RLS symptoms. RLS symptoms seem to depend on abnormal spinal sensorimotor integration at the spinal cord level and abnormal central somatosensory processing. PLMS appears to depend on increased excitability of the spinal cord and a decreased supraspinal inhibitory mechanism from the All diencephalic dopaminergic system. RLS symptoms respond very dramatically to dopaminergic therapy. The results of analysis by PET and SPECT studies of striatal D2 receptor binding in humans are inconclusive. However, studies in animal models suggest that the participation of the All dopaminergic system and the D3 receptor in RLS symptoms. The symptoms of RLS are aggravated in those with iron deficiency, and iron treatment ameliorates the symptoms in some patients. Neuroimaging studies, analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid, and studies on postmortem tissue and use of animal models have indicated that low brain iron concentrations and dysfunction of iron metabolism and intracellular iron may play key roles in the pathogenesis of RLS. The "iron-dopamine model" explains that iron deficiency in the brain causes an abnormality in the dopaminergic system leading to manifestation of RLS. Genetic factors are also important in the development of RLS. A positive family history for RLS has been reported by 40% to 60% of RLS patients. Five loci (RLS 1: 12q, RLS 2: 14q, RLS 3: 9p, RLS 4: 2q, RLS 5: 20p) have been described. Genome-wide association studies have identified variants within the intronic or intergenetic regions of MEIS1 (2p), LBXCOR1/MAP2K5 (15q), BTBD9 (6p), neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS1) (12q) and protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type delta (9p) genes. In conclusion, disturbances in the central dopaminergic system, disturbances in iron metabolism, and genetics seem to be the primary factors in the pathophysiology of RLS. Show less

This study was conducted to evaluate the protective mechanisms of Nelumbinis semen (NS) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced activation of BV-2 microglial cells. The anti-inflammatory effects of NS were determined by analyzing nitric oxide production and proinflammatory cytokines using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The mechanism was evaluated in BV-2 cells with or without NS treated with LPS for various lengths of time using oligonucleotide microarray and real time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The oligonucleotide microarray analysis revealed that mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway-related genes such as Fgfr3, Fgf12, Rasal2, Nfkb2, Map2k5, Mapk1, Map3k7, and NFatc2 were down-regulated in LPS activated BV-2 cells by pretreatment with NS. In addition, significant decreases in Nos1ap gene expression were observed with NS pretreatment. Cluster linked pathway analysis using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database revealed that the effects of NS were closely associated with the regulation of mitochondria functions. These results suggested that NS can affect the MAPK signaling pathway and mitochondrial functions in BV-2 cells activated with LPS. Show less

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is associated with common variants in three intronic and intergenic regions in MEIS1, BTBD9, and MAP2K5/LBXCOR1 on chromosomes 2p, 6p and 15q. Our study investigated these variants in 649 RLS patients and 1230 controls from the Czech Republic (290 cases and 450 controls), Austria (269 cases and 611 controls) and Finland (90 cases and 169 controls). Ten single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the three genomic regions were selected according to the results of previous genome-wide scans. Samples were genotyped using Sequenom platforms. We replicated associations for all loci in the combined samples set (rs2300478 in MEIS1, p = 1.26 x 10(-5), odds ratio (OR) = 1.47, rs3923809 in BTBD9, p = 4.11 x 10(-5), OR = 1.58 and rs6494696 in MAP2K5/LBXCOR1, p = 0.04764, OR = 1.27). Analysing only familial cases against all controls, all three loci were significantly associated. Using sporadic cases only, we could confirm the association only with BTBD9. Our study shows that variants in these three loci confer consistent disease risks in patients of European descent. Among the known loci, BTBD9 seems to be the most consistent in its effect on RLS across populations and is also most independent of familial clustering. Show less

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly heritable neurodevelopmental disorder of childhood onset. Clinical and biological evidence points to shared common central nervous system (CNS) pathology of ADHD and restless legs syndrome (RLS). It was hypothesized that variants previously found to be associated with RLS in two large genome-wide association studies (GWA), will also be associated with ADHD. SNPs located in MEIS1 (rs2300478), BTBD9 (rs9296249, rs3923809, rs6923737), and MAP2K5 (rs12593813, rs4489954) as well as three SNPs tagging the identified haplotype in MEIS1 (rs6710341, rs12469063, rs4544423) were genotyped in a well characterized German sample of 224 families comprising one or more affected sibs (386 children) and both parents. We found no evidence for preferential transmission of the hypothesized variants to ADHD. Subsequent analyses elicited nominal significant association with haplotypes consisting of the three SNPs in BTBD9 (chi2 = 14.8, df = 7, nominal p = 0.039). According to exploratory post hoc analyses, the major contribution to this finding came from the A-A-A-haplotype with a haplotype-wise nominal p-value of 0.009. However, this result did not withstand correction for multiple testing. In view of our results, RLS risk alleles may have a lower effect on ADHD than on RLS or may not be involved in ADHD. The negative findings may additionally result from genetic heterogeneity of ADHD, i.e. risk alleles for RLS may only be relevant for certain subtypes of ADHD. Genes relevant to RLS remain interesting candidates for ADHD; particularly BTBD9 needs further study, as it has been related to iron storage, a potential pathophysiological link between RLS and certain subtypes of ADHD. Show less

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a highly familial trait with heritability estimates of about 50%. It is a polygenetic disorder in which a number of variants contribute to the phenotype. Linkage studies in families with RLS revealed several loci but have not yet led to the identification of disease-causing sequence variants. Phenocopies, nonpenetrance, and possible intrafamilial heterogeneity make it difficult to define the exact candidate region. Genome-wide association studies identified variants within intronic or intergenic regions of MEIS1, BTBD9, and MAP2K5/LBOXCOR1. Carriers of one risk allele had a 50% increased risk of developing RLS. MEIS1 and LBXCOR1 are developmental factors and raise new pathophysiologic questions for RLS. These variants have weak and moderate effects and increase the risk of developing RLS. It is still possible that strong effects explain the occurrence of RLS in families. Therefore, linkage and association studies should be used congruently to dissect the complete genetic architecture of RLS. Show less

Despite intensive study of the mechanisms of chemotherapeutic drug resistance in human breast cancer, few reports have systematically investigated the mechanisms that underlie resistance to the chemotherapy-sensitizing agent tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. Additionally, the relationship between TNF-alpha resistance mediated by MEK5/Erk5 signaling and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a process associated with promotion of invasion, metastasis, and recurrence in breast cancer, has not previously been investigated. To compare differences in the proteome of the TNF-alpha resistant MCF-7 breast cancer cell line MCF-7-MEK5 (in which TNF-alpha resistance is mediated by MEK5/Erk5 signaling) and its parental TNF-a sensitive MCF-7 cell line MCF-7-VEC, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and high performance capillary liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry approaches were used. Differential protein expression was verified at the transcriptional level using RT-PCR assays. An EMT phenotype was confirmed using immunofluorescence staining and gene expression analyses. A short hairpin RNA strategy targeting Erk5 was utilized to investigate the requirement for the MEK/Erk5 pathway in EMT. Proteomic analyses and PCR assays were used to identify and confirm differential expression of proteins. In MCF-7-MEK5 versus MCF-7-VEC cells, vimentin (VIM), glutathione-S-transferase P (GSTP1), and creatine kinase B-type (CKB) were upregulated, and keratin 8 (KRT8), keratin 19 (KRT19) and glutathione-S-transferase Mu 3 (GSTM3) were downregulated. Morphology and immunofluorescence staining for E-cadherin and vimentin revealed an EMT phenotype in the MCF-7-MEK5 cells. Furthermore, EMT regulatory genes SNAI2 (slug), ZEB1 (delta-EF1), and N-cadherin (CDH2) were upregulated, whereas E-cadherin (CDH1) was downregulated in MCF-7-MEK5 cells versus MCF-7-VEC cells. RNA interference targeting of Erk5 reversed MEK5-mediated EMT gene expression. This study demonstrates that MEK5 over-expression promotes a TNF-alpha resistance phenotype associated with distinct proteomic changes (upregulation of VIM/vim, GSTP1/gstp1, and CKB/ckb; and downregulation of KRT8/krt8, KRT19/krt19, and GSTM3/gstm3). We further demonstrate that MEK5-mediated progression to an EMT phenotype is dependent upon intact Erk5 and associated with upregulation of SNAI2 and ZEB1 expression. Show less

Twenty human proteins encode Phox/Bem1p (PB1) domains, which are involved in forming protein heterodimers. MEKK2, MEKK3, and MEK5 are 3 serine-threonine protein kinases that have PB1 domains. MEKK2, MEKK3, and MEK5 are the MAP3Ks and the MAP2K in the ERK5 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling module. ERK5 is a critical MAPK for both development of the vasculature and vascular homeostasis in the adult, but no other MAPK has been shown to be critical in vascular maintenance in the adult animal. MEKK2 and MEKK3 are the only MAP3Ks shown to physically interact with and activate the MEK5-ERK5 signaling module. Interaction of MEKK2 or MEKK3 with MEK5 is mediated by heterodimerization of the MEKK2 (or MEKK3) PB1 and MEK5 PB1 domains. The authors have developed a homogeneous, time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer (TR-FRET) assay to monitor PB1-PB1 domain heterodimerization. The assay uses a europium-chelate conjugated GST-MEK5 PB1 domain chimera, biotinylated MEKK2 PB1 domain, and streptavidin-Cy5. Interaction of the MEKK2 and MEK5 PB1 domains gives a robust FRET signal (Z' factor = 0.93), which is completely abrogated by mutation of 2 acidic residues (64D65E-->AA) within the MEK5 PB1 domain that causes loss of stable PB1-PB1 domain interaction. This assay can be used to study the specificity of PB1-PB1 domain interactions and to screen for molecules that can regulate MEKK2/MEKK3-MEK5 interactions. Disruption of PB1 domain interactions represents a novel approach for selectively regulating the ERK5 signaling pathway independent of kinase active site-directed adenosine triphosphate competitive inhibitors. Show less

Abnormal intracellular signaling contributes to carcinogenesis and may represent novel therapeutic targets. mitogen/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase-5 (MEK5) overexpression is associated with aggressive prostate cancer. In this study, we examined the role of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK5, an MAPK and specific substrate for MEK5) in prostate cancer. ERK5 immunoreactivity was significantly upregulated in high-grade prostate cancer when compared to benign prostatic hyperplasia (P<0.0001). Increased ERK5 cytoplasmic signals correlated closely with Gleason sum score (P<0.0001), bony metastases (P=0.0044) and locally advanced disease at diagnosis (P=0.0023), with a weak association with shorter disease-specific survival (P=0.036). A subgroup of patients showed strong nuclear ERK5 localization, which correlated with poor disease-specific survival and, on multivariant analysis, was an independent prognostic factor (P<0.0001). Analysis of ERK5 expression in matched tumor pairs (before and after hormone relapse, n=26) revealed ERK5 nuclear expression was significantly associated with hormone-insensitive disease (P=0.0078). Similarly, ERK5 protein expression was increased in an androgen-independent LNCaP subline. We obtained the following in vitro and in vivo evidence to support the above expression data: (1) cotransfection of ERK5wt and MEK5D constructs in PC3 cells results in predominant ERK5 nuclear localization, similar to that observed in aggressive clinical disease; (2) ERK5-overexpressing PC3 cells have enhanced proliferative, migrative and invasive capabilities in vitro (P<0.0001), and were dramatically more efficient in forming tumors, with a shorter mean time for tumors to reach a critical volume of 1000 mm(3), in vivo (P<0.0001); (3) the MEK1 inhibitor, PD184352, blocking ERK1/2 activation at low dose, did not suppress proliferation but did significantly decrease proliferation at a higher dose required to inhibit ERK5 activation. Taken together, our results establish the potential importance of ERK5 in aggressive prostate cancer. Show less

The ligand hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF) and its receptor tyrosine kinase, c-Met, are highly expressed in most human malignant mesotheliomas (MMs) and may contribute to their increased growth and viability. Based upon our observation that RNA silencing of fos-related antigen 1 (Fra-1) inhibited c-met expression in rat mesotheliomas (1), we hypothesized that Fra-1 was a key player in HGF-induced proliferation in human MMs. In three of seven human MM lines evaluated, HGF increased Fra-1 levels and phosphorylation of both extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5) and AKT that were inhibited by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, LY290042. HGF-dependent phosphorylation and Fra-1 expression were decreased after knockdown of Fra-1, whereas overexpression of Fra-1 blocked the expression of mitogen/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinases (MEK)5 at the mRNA and protein levels. Stable MM cell lines using a dnMEK5 showed that basal Fra-1 levels were increased in comparison to empty vector control lines. HGF also caused increased MM cell viability and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression that were abolished by knockdown of MEK5 or Fra-1. Data suggest that HGF-induced effects in some MM cells are mediated via activation of a novel PI3K/ERK5/Fra-1 feedback pathway that might explain tumor-specific effects of c-Met inhibitors on MM and other tumors. Show less

The Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a heterogeneous disease. Symptomatic or secondary forms encompass iron deficiency, uremia, pregnancy, polyneuropathy, and other causes. The so-called idiopathic RLS syndrome preferentially affects patients with a younger onset before the age of 30. Here we summarize pathophysiological results along the anatomical route, beginning at the cortex and followed by the basal ganglia, thalamus, A11 neurones, substantia nigra, brainstem nuclei, and spinal cord. Genetic risk variants for RLS have recently been identified in two genes, one of them the homeobox gene MEIS1, known to be involved in embryonic development and variants in a second locus containing the genes encoding mitogen-activated protein kinase MAP2K5, and the transcription factor LBXCOR1. A third one, the BTBD9 gene with unknown function encodes a BTB(POZ) domain. Accordingly, new concepts on pathophysiology have to bridge conventional knowledge with possible consequences deriving from these findings. Furthermore, this may create a framework to help understand why dopamine, opioid, and some anticonvulsant therapies are effective in RLS patients. Show less

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5), the newest member of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family, is regulated differently than the other MAP kinases. Emerging evidence suggest the role of ERK5 signaling in promoting cell proliferation, differentiation, neuronal survival, and neuroprotection. The present study investigates whether suicide brain is associated with alterations in components of the ERK5 signaling cascade. In the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus of suicide subjects (n=28) and nonpsychiatric control subjects (n=21), we examined the catalytic activities and protein levels of ERK5 and upstream MAP kinase kinase MEK5 in various subcellular fractions; mRNA levels of ERK5 in total RNA; and DNA-binding activity of myocyte enhancer factor (MEF)2C, a substrate of ERK5. In the hippocampus of suicide subjects, we observed that catalytic activity of ERK5 was decreased in cytosolic and nuclear fractions, whereas catalytic activity of MEK5 was decreased in the total fraction. Further, decreased mRNA and protein levels of ERK5, but no change in protein level of MEK5 were noted. A decrease in MEF2C-DNA-binding activity in the nuclear fraction was also observed. No significant alterations were noted in the PFC of suicide subjects. The observed changes were not related to a specific psychiatric diagnosis. Our findings of reduced activation and/or expression of ERK5 and MEK5, and reduced MEF2C-DNA-binding activity demonstrate abnormalities in ERK5 signaling in hippocampus of suicide subjects and suggest possible involvement of this aberrant signaling in pathogenic mechanisms of suicide. Show less

MEKK3 is a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase that participates in various signaling pathways. One of its functions is to activate the ERK5 signal pathway by phosphorylating and activating MEK5. MEKK3 and MEK5 each harbors a PB1 domain in the N-terminus, and they form a heterodimer via PB1-PB1 domain interaction that was reported to be indispensable to the activation of MEK5. Using NMR spectroscopy, we show here that a prolyl isomerization of the Gln38-Pro39 bond is present in MEKK3 PB1, which is the first case of structural heterogeneity within PB1 domains. We have solved the solution structures of both isomers and found a major difference between them in the Pro39 region. Residues Gly37-Leu40 form a type VIb beta-turn in the cis conformation, whereas no obvious character of beta-turn was observed in the trans conformation. Backbone dynamics studies have unraveled internal motions in the beta3/beta4-turn on a microsecond-millisecond time scale. Further investigation of its binding properties with MEK5 PB1 has demonstrated that MEKK3 PB1 binds MEK5 PB1 tightly with a Kd of about 10(-8) M. Mutagenesis analysis revealed that residues in the basic cluster of MEKK3 PB1 contributes differently to the PB1-PB1 interaction. Residues Lys 7 and Arg 5 play important roles in the interaction with MEK5 PB1. Taken together, this study provides new insights into structural details of MEKK3 PB1 and its binding properties with MEK5 PB1. Show less

Alveolar macrophages (AM) have an important role in clearing particles from the lungs. In response to different stimuli they can release reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory mediators and promote pulmonary inflammation. We exposed rat AM to carbon black (CB) particles (0.63-20 microg/ml) and measured the eneration of ROS by using the fluorescent probe 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate. Fluorescence was elevated in a concentration dependent manner in the AM exposed to CB. Follow-up experiments using a series of enzyme inhibitors indicate that the ERK MAP kinase pathway and the p38 MAP kinase pathway may be involved in the formation of ROS. Show less

It is unclear whether cardiac hypertrophy and hypertrophy-related pathways will be induced by long-term intermittent hypoxia. Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned into three groups: normoxia, and long-term intermittent hypoxia (12% O(2), 8 h per day) for 4 weeks (4WLTIH) or for 8 weeks (8WLTIH). Myocardial morphology, trophic factors and signalling pathways in the three groups were determined by heart weight index, histological analysis, Western blotting and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction from the excised left ventricle. The ratio of whole heart weight to body weight, the ratio of left ventricular weight to body weight, the gross vertical cross-section of the heart and myocardial morphological changes were increased in the 4WLTIH group and were further augmented in the 8WLTIH group. In the 4WLTIH group, tumour necrosis factor-alpha(TNFalpha), insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-II, phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (P38), signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT)-1 and STAT-3 were significantly increased in the cardiac tissues. However, in the 8WLTIH group, in addition to the above factors, interleukin-6, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK)5 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)5 were significantly increased compared with the normoxia group. We conclude that cardiac hypertrophy associated with TNFalpha and IGF-II was induced by intermittent hypoxia. The longer duration of intermittent hypoxia further activated the eccentric hypertrophy-related pathway, as well as the interleukin 6-related MEK5-ERK5 and STAT-3 pathways, which could result in the development of cardiac dilatation and pathology. Show less

Rhabdastrellic acid-A is an isomalabaricane triterpenoid isolated from the sponge Rhabdastrella globostellata from South China Sea. Our previous study indicated that rhabdastrellic acid-A can inhibit the proliferation of many types of tumor cells with minor toxicity. This study was to investigate the apoptosis of human leukemia HL-60 cells induced by rhabdastrellic acid-A and its possible mechanisms. Inhibitory effect of rhabdastrellic acid-A on the proliferation of HL-60 cells was evaluated by MTT assay. DNA fragmentation was analyzed by agarose electrophoresis. Cell morphology was observed under fluorescent microscope. The protein levels of Caspase-3, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), P73, Bcl-2 and Bax were analyzed by Western blot. The expression profile of apoptosis-related genes was analyzed by gene microarray. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was conducted to confirm some altered genes identified by gene microarray. Rhabdastrellic acid-A inhibited the proliferation of HL-60 cells and the 50% inhibition concentration (IC50) was (0.64+/-0.21) microg/ml. When treated with 1 microg/ml rhabdastrellic acid-A for 36 h, condensation of nuclear chromatin of HL-60 cells was observed under fluorescent microscope and DNA fragmentation was observed by agarose electrophoresis. Also, rhabdastrellic acid-A induced cleavage of PARP and Caspase-3. The mRNA levels of 44 genes, including p73, JunD, TNFAIP3 and GADD45A, were up-regulated and the mRNA levels of 16 genes, including MAP2K5 and IGF2R, were down-regulated. The results were further confirmed by RT-PCR. The protein level of P73 was up-regulated after rhabdastrellic acid-A treatment. Rhabdastrellic acid-A could induce the apoptosis of HL-60 cells which may be related to the up-regulation of apoptosis-related genes such as p73 and JunD, and the down-regulation of MAP2K5 and IGF2R. Show less

Big mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (BMK1), also known as extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5), is a newly identified member of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family. Recently, several studies have suggested that BMK1 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. To clarify the pathophysiological significance of BMK1 in the process of vascular remodeling, we explored the molecular mechanisms of BMK1 activation in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). From the results of co-immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting analyses, it was found that platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), a known potent mitogen, activated BMK1 and triggered the Gab1-SHP-2 interaction in rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMCs). The abrogation of SHP-2 phosphatase activity by transfection of the SHP-2-C/S mutant suppressed PDGF-stimulated BMK1 activation. Infection with an adenoviral vector expressing dominant-negative MEK5alpha, which can suppress PDGF-stimulated BMK1 activation to the control level, inhibited PDGF-induced RASMC migration. Moreover, we observed an increase of BMK1 activation in injured mouse femoral arteries. From these findings, it is suggested that BMK1 activation leads to VSMC migration induced by PDGF via Gab1-SHP-2 interaction, and that BMK1-mediated VSMC migration may play a role in the pathogenesis of vascular remodeling. Show less

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a frequent neurological disorder characterized by an imperative urge to move the legs during night, unpleasant sensation in the lower limbs, disturbed sleep and increased cardiovascular morbidity. In a genome-wide association study we found highly significant associations between RLS and intronic variants in the homeobox gene MEIS1, the BTBD9 gene encoding a BTB(POZ) domain as well as variants in a third locus containing the genes encoding mitogen-activated protein kinase MAP2K5 and the transcription factor LBXCOR1 on chromosomes 2p, 6p and 15q, respectively. Two independent replications confirmed these association signals. Each genetic variant was associated with a more than 50% increase in risk for RLS, with the combined allelic variants conferring more than half of the risk. MEIS1 has been implicated in limb development, raising the possibility that RLS has components of a developmental disorder. Show less

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5), a member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase family, plays an important role in growth factor signaling to the nucleus. However, molecular mechanisms regulating subcellular localization of ERK5 have remained unclear. Here, we show that nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of ERK5 is regulated by a bipartite nuclear localization signal-dependent nuclear import mechanism and a CRM1-dependent nuclear export mechanism. Our results show that the N-terminal half of ERK5 binds to the C-terminal half and that this binding is necessary for nuclear export of ERK5. They further show that the activating phosphorylation of ERK5 by MEK5 results in the dissociation of the binding between the N- and C-terminal halves and thus inhibits nuclear export of ERK5, causing its nuclear import. These results reveal the mechanism by which the activating phosphorylation of ERK5 induces its nuclear import and suggest a novel example of a phosphorylation-dependent control mechanism for nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of proteins. Show less