Complete inhibition of creatine kinase in isolated perfused rat hearts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fossel, E.T.; Hoefeler, H.

1987-01-01

Transient exposure of an isolated isovolumic perfused rat heart to low concentrations (0.5 mM) of perfusate-born iodoacetamide resulted in complete inhibition of creatine kinase and partial inhibition of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in the heart. At low levels of developed pressure, hearts maintained mechanical function, ATP, and creatine phosphate levels at control values. However, iodoacetamide-inhibited hearts were unable to maintain control values of end diastolic pressure or peak systolic pressure as work load increased. Global ischemia resulted in loss of all ATP without loss of creatine phosphate, indicating lack of active creatine kinase. These results indicate that isovolumic perfused rat hearts are able to maintain normal function and normal levels of high-energy phosphates without active creatine kinase at low levels of developed pressure. 31 P-NMR of the heart was carried out

Structural coupling of SH2-kinase domains links Fes and Abl substrate recognition and kinase activation.

Science.gov (United States)

Filippakopoulos, Panagis; Kofler, Michael; Hantschel, Oliver; Gish, Gerald D; Grebien, Florian; Salah, Eidarus; Neudecker, Philipp; Kay, Lewis E; Turk, Benjamin E; Superti-Furga, Giulio; Pawson, Tony; Knapp, Stefan

2008-09-05

The SH2 domain of cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases can enhance catalytic activity and substrate recognition, but the molecular mechanisms by which this is achieved are poorly understood. We have solved the structure of the prototypic SH2-kinase unit of the human Fes tyrosine kinase, which appears specialized for positive signaling. In its active conformation, the SH2 domain tightly interacts with the kinase N-terminal lobe and positions the kinase alphaC helix in an active configuration through essential packing and electrostatic interactions. This interaction is stabilized by ligand binding to the SH2 domain. Our data indicate that Fes kinase activation is closely coupled to substrate recognition through cooperative SH2-kinase-substrate interactions. Similarly, we find that the SH2 domain of the active Abl kinase stimulates catalytic activity and substrate phosphorylation through a distinct SH2-kinase interface. Thus, the SH2 and catalytic domains of active Fes and Abl pro-oncogenic kinases form integrated structures essential for effective tyrosine kinase signaling.

Combined inhibition of β-catenin and Bcr–Abl synergistically targets tyrosine kinase inhibitor-resistant blast crisis chronic myeloid leukemia blasts and progenitors in vitro and in vivo

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, H; Mak, P Y; Mu, H; Mak, D H; Zeng, Z; Cortes, J; Liu, Q; Andreeff, M; Carter, B Z

2017-01-01

Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) resistance and progression to blast crisis (BC), both related to persistent β-catenin activation, remain formidable challenges for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). We observed overexpression of β-catenin in BC-CML stem/progenitor cells, particularly in granulocyte–macrophage progenitors, and highest among a novel CD34+CD38+CD123hiTim-3hi subset as determined by CyTOF analysis. Co-culture with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) induced the expression of β-catenin and its target CD44 in CML cells. A novel Wnt/β-catenin signaling modulator, C82, and nilotinib synergistically killed KBM5T315I and TKI-resistant primary BC-CML cells with or without BCR–ABL kinase mutations even under leukemia/MSC co-culture conditions. Silencing of β-catenin by short interfering RNA restored sensitivity of primary BCR–ABLT315I/E255V BC-CML cells to nilotinib. Combining the C82 pro-drug, PRI-724, with nilotinib significantly prolonged the survival of NOD/SCID/IL2Rγ null mice injected with primary BCR–ABLT315I/E255V BC-CML cells. The combined treatment selectively targeted CML progenitors and inhibited CD44, c-Myc, survivin, p-CRKL and p-STAT5 expression. In addition, pretreating primary BC-CML cells with C82, or the combination, but not with nilotinib alone, significantly impaired their engraftment potential in NOD/SCID/IL2Rγ-null-3/GM/SF mice and significantly prolonged survival. Our data suggest potential benefit of concomitant β-catenin and Bcr–Abl inhibition to prevent or overcome Bcr–Abl kinase-dependent or -independent TKI resistance in BC-CML. PMID:28321124

Computational dissection of allosteric inhibition of the SH2 domain of Bcr-Abl kinase by the monobody inhibitor AS25.

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Mingfei; Zheng, Guodong; Li, Xiaolong; Zhang, Zhongqin; Jv, Guanqun; Wang, Xiaowei; Wang, Jialin

2017-06-01

The deregulated breakpoint cluster region (Bcr)-Abelson tyrosine kinase (Abl) fusion protein represents an attractive pharmacological target for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The high affinity of monobody AS25 was designed to target the Src homology 2 (SH2) domain of Bcr-Abl, leading to allosteric inhibition of Bcr-Abl through formation of protein-protein interactions. An I164E mutation in the SH2 domain disrupts AS25 binding to the SH2 domain of Bcr-Abl. The detailed mechanisms, however, remain to be unresolved. Here, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and binding free energy calculations were performed to explore the conformational and energetic differences between the wild-type (WT) complexes of Bcr-Abl SH2 domain and AS25 (SH2 WT -AS25) as well as the mutated complexes (SH2 I164E -AS25). The results revealed that I164E mutation not only caused an increase in the conformational flexibility of SH2-AS25 complexes, but also weakened the binding affinity of AS25 to SH2. The comparative binding modes of SH2-AS25 complexes between WT and the I164E mutant were comprehensively analyzed to unravel the disruption of hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding interactions in the interface of the SH2-AS25 complex triggered by the I164E mutation. The results obtained may help to design the next generation of higher affinity Bcr-Abl SH2-specific peptide inhibitors.

Overcoming Bcr-Abl T315I mutation by combination of GNF-2 and ATP competitors in an Abl-independent mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khateb, Mamduh; Ruimi, Nili; Khamisie, Hazem; Najajreh, Yousef; Mian, Afsar; Metodieva, Anna; Ruthardt, Martin; Mahajna, Jamal

2012-01-01

Philadelphia positive leukemias are characterized by the presence of Bcr-Abl fusion protein which exhibits an abnormal kinase activity. Selective Abl kinase inhibitors have been successfully established for the treatment of Ph (+) leukemias. Despite high rates of clinical response, Ph (+) patients can develop resistance against these kinase inhibitors mainly due to point mutations within the Abl protein. Of special interest is the ‘gatekeeper’ T315I mutation, which confers complete resistance to Abl kinase inhibitors. Recently, GNF-2, Abl allosteric kinase inhibitor, was demonstrated to possess cellular activity against Bcr-Abl transformed cells. Similarly to Abl kinase inhibitors (AKIs), GNF-2 failed to inhibit activity of mutated Bcr-Abl carrying the T315I mutation. Ba/F3 cells harboring native or T315I mutated Bcr-Abl constructs were treated with GNF-2 and AKIs. We monitored the effect of GNF-2 with AKIs on the proliferation and clonigenicity of the different Ba/F3 cells. In addition, we monitored the auto-phosphorylation activity of Bcr-Abl and JAK2 in cells treated with GNF-2 and AKIs. In this study, we report a cooperation between AKIs and GNF-2 in inhibiting proliferation and clonigenicity of Ba/F3 cells carrying T315I mutated Bcr-Abl. Interestingly, cooperation was most evident between Dasatinib and GNF-2. Furthermore, we showed that GNF-2 was moderately active in inhibiting the activity of JAK2 kinase, and presence of AKIs augmented GNF-2 activity. Our data illustrated the ability of allosteric inhibitors such as GNF-2 to cooperate with AKIs to overcome T315I mutation by Bcr-Abl-independent mechanisms, providing a possibility of enhancing AKIs efficacy and overcoming resistance in Ph+ leukemia cells

Overcoming imatinib resistance using Src inhibitor CGP76030, Abl inhibitor nilotinib and Abl/Lyn inhibitor INNO-406 in newly established K562 variants with BCR-ABL gene amplification.

Science.gov (United States)

Morinaga, Koji; Yamauchi, Takahiro; Kimura, Shinya; Maekawa, Taira; Ueda, Takanori

2008-06-01

Because imatinib (IM) resistance in chronic myeloid leukemia is primarily caused by the re-establishment of Abl kinase, new inhibitors may be efficacious. We evaluated 3 new agents against 2 new K562 variants, IM-R1 and IM-R2 cells, which were developed having 7- and 27-fold greater IM resistance, respectively, than the parental K562 cells. Both variants possessed BCR-ABL gene amplification along with elevated levels of its transcript and protein. Greater BCR-ABL gene amplification was observed in IM-R2 cells than in IM-R1 cells, which was consistent with the higher mRNA and protein levels of Bcr-Abl, and ultimately correlated with the greater IM resistance in IM-R2 cells. No mutation in the Abl kinase domain was detected in either variant. Despite the absence of Lyn overexpression, the Src kinase inhibitor CGP76030 showed positive cooperability with IM in inhibiting cell growth of not only K562 cells but also these 2 variants. This might be because of the augmented inhibition of Erk1/2 phosphorylation. The new Abl kinase inhibitor nilotinib was 10-fold more potent than IM in inhibiting the growth of K562 cells. Nilotinib inhibited the growth of IM-R1 and IM-R2 cells as potently as K562 cells. The combination of nilotinib with CGP76030 showed little additivity, because the potency of nilotinib masked the efficacy of CGP76030. The new dual Abl/Lyn inhibitor INNO-406 (formerly NS-187) was slightly more potent than nilotinib in inhibiting the growth of all 3 cell lines. Because BCR-ABL gene amplification occurs in blast crisis, these inhibitors might overcome IM resistance in such patients' leukemia. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Tyrosine kinase fusion genes in pediatric BCR-ABL1-like acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Science.gov (United States)

Boer, Judith M.; Steeghs, Elisabeth M.P.; Marchante, João R.M.; Boeree, Aurélie; Beaudoin, James J.; Berna Beverloo, H.; Kuiper, Roland P.; Escherich, Gabriele; van der Velden, Vincent H.J.; van der Schoot, C. Ellen; de Groot-Kruseman, Hester A.; Pieters, Rob; den Boer, Monique L.

2017-01-01

Approximately 15% of pediatric B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL) is characterized by gene expression similar to that of BCR-ABL1-positive disease and unfavorable prognosis. This BCR-ABL1-like subtype shows a high frequency of B-cell development gene aberrations and tyrosine kinase-activating lesions. To evaluate the clinical significance of tyrosine kinase gene fusions in children with BCP-ALL, we studied the frequency of recently identified tyrosine kinase fusions, associated genetic features, and prognosis in a representative Dutch/German cohort. We identified 14 tyrosine kinase fusions among 77 BCR-ABL1-like cases (18%) and none among 76 non-BCR-ABL1-like B-other cases. Novel exon fusions were identified for RCSD1-ABL2 and TERF2-JAK2. JAK2 mutation was mutually exclusive with tyrosine kinase fusions and only occurred in cases with high CRLF2 expression. The non/late response rate and levels of minimal residual disease in the fusion-positive BCR-ABL1-like group were higher than in the non-BCR-ABL1-like B-others (p<0.01), and also higher, albeit not statistically significant, compared with the fusion-negative BCR-ABL1-like group. The 8-year cumulative incidence of relapse in the fusion-positive BCR-ABL1-like group (35%) was comparable with that in the fusion-negative BCR-ABL1-like group (35%), and worse than in the non-BCR-ABL1-like B-other group (17%, p=0.07). IKZF1 deletions, predominantly other than the dominant-negative isoform and full deletion, co-occurred with tyrosine kinase fusions. This study shows that tyrosine kinase fusion-positive cases are a high-risk subtype of BCP-ALL, which warrants further studies with specific kinase inhibitors to improve outcome. PMID:27894077

Structural Requirements for Yersinia YopJ Inhibition of MAP Kinase Pathways

Science.gov (United States)

Burdette, Dara; Mukherjee, Sohini; Keitany, Gladys; Goldsmith, Elizabeth; Orth, Kim

2008-01-01

MAPK signaling cascades are evolutionally conserved. The bacterial effector, YopJ, uses the unique activity of Ser/Thr acetylation to inhibit the activation of the MAPK kinase (MKK) and prevent activation by phosphorylation. YopJ is also able to block yeast MAPK signaling pathways using this mechanism. Based on these observations, we performed a genetic screen to isolate mutants in the yeast MKK, Pbs2, that suppress YopJ inhibition. One suppressor contains a mutation in a conserved tyrosine residue and bypasses YopJ inhibition by increasing the basal activity of Pbs2. Mutations on the hydrophobic face of the conserved G α-helix in the kinase domain prevent both binding and acetylation by YopJ. Corresponding mutants in human MKKs showed that they are conserved not only structurally, but also functionally. These studies reveal a conserved binding site found on the superfamily of MAPK kinases while providing insight into the molecular interactions required for YopJ inhibition. PMID:18167536

Structural requirements for Yersinia YopJ inhibition of MAP kinase pathways.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi-Heng Hao

2008-01-01

Full Text Available MAPK signaling cascades are evolutionally conserved. The bacterial effector, YopJ, uses the unique activity of Ser/Thr acetylation to inhibit the activation of the MAPK kinase (MKK and prevent activation by phosphorylation. YopJ is also able to block yeast MAPK signaling pathways using this mechanism. Based on these observations, we performed a genetic screen to isolate mutants in the yeast MKK, Pbs2, that suppress YopJ inhibition. One suppressor contains a mutation in a conserved tyrosine residue and bypasses YopJ inhibition by increasing the basal activity of Pbs2. Mutations on the hydrophobic face of the conserved G alpha-helix in the kinase domain prevent both binding and acetylation by YopJ. Corresponding mutants in human MKKs showed that they are conserved not only structurally, but also functionally. These studies reveal a conserved binding site found on the superfamily of MAPK kinases while providing insight into the molecular interactions required for YopJ inhibition.

Fluorescence Polarization Screening Assays for Small Molecule Allosteric Modulators of ABL Kinase Function.

Science.gov (United States)

Grover, Prerna; Shi, Haibin; Baumgartner, Matthew; Camacho, Carlos J; Smithgall, Thomas E

2015-01-01

The ABL protein-tyrosine kinase regulates intracellular signaling pathways controlling diverse cellular processes and contributes to several forms of cancer. The kinase activity of ABL is repressed by intramolecular interactions involving its regulatory Ncap, SH3 and SH2 domains. Small molecules that allosterically regulate ABL kinase activity through its non-catalytic domains may represent selective probes of ABL function. Here we report a screening assay for chemical modulators of ABL kinase activity that target the regulatory interaction of the SH3 domain with the SH2-kinase linker. This fluorescence polarization (FP) assay is based on a purified recombinant ABL protein consisting of the N-cap, SH3 and SH2 domains plus the SH2-kinase linker (N32L protein) and a short fluorescein-labeled probe peptide that binds to the SH3 domain. In assay development experiments, we found that the probe peptide binds to the recombinant ABL N32L protein in vitro, producing a robust FP signal that can be competed with an excess of unlabeled peptide. The FP signal is not observed with control N32L proteins bearing either an inactivating mutation in the SH3 domain or enhanced SH3:linker interaction. A pilot screen of 1200 FDA-approved drugs identified four compounds that specifically reduced the FP signal by at least three standard deviations from the untreated controls. Secondary assays showed that one of these hit compounds, the antithrombotic drug dipyridamole, enhances ABL kinase activity in vitro to a greater extent than the previously described ABL agonist, DPH. Docking studies predicted that this compound binds to a pocket formed at the interface of the SH3 domain and the linker, suggesting that it activates ABL by disrupting this regulatory interaction. These results show that screening assays based on the non-catalytic domains of ABL can identify allosteric small molecule regulators of kinase function, providing a new approach to selective drug discovery for this important

Fluorescence Polarization Screening Assays for Small Molecule Allosteric Modulators of ABL Kinase Function.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prerna Grover

Full Text Available The ABL protein-tyrosine kinase regulates intracellular signaling pathways controlling diverse cellular processes and contributes to several forms of cancer. The kinase activity of ABL is repressed by intramolecular interactions involving its regulatory Ncap, SH3 and SH2 domains. Small molecules that allosterically regulate ABL kinase activity through its non-catalytic domains may represent selective probes of ABL function. Here we report a screening assay for chemical modulators of ABL kinase activity that target the regulatory interaction of the SH3 domain with the SH2-kinase linker. This fluorescence polarization (FP assay is based on a purified recombinant ABL protein consisting of the N-cap, SH3 and SH2 domains plus the SH2-kinase linker (N32L protein and a short fluorescein-labeled probe peptide that binds to the SH3 domain. In assay development experiments, we found that the probe peptide binds to the recombinant ABL N32L protein in vitro, producing a robust FP signal that can be competed with an excess of unlabeled peptide. The FP signal is not observed with control N32L proteins bearing either an inactivating mutation in the SH3 domain or enhanced SH3:linker interaction. A pilot screen of 1200 FDA-approved drugs identified four compounds that specifically reduced the FP signal by at least three standard deviations from the untreated controls. Secondary assays showed that one of these hit compounds, the antithrombotic drug dipyridamole, enhances ABL kinase activity in vitro to a greater extent than the previously described ABL agonist, DPH. Docking studies predicted that this compound binds to a pocket formed at the interface of the SH3 domain and the linker, suggesting that it activates ABL by disrupting this regulatory interaction. These results show that screening assays based on the non-catalytic domains of ABL can identify allosteric small molecule regulators of kinase function, providing a new approach to selective drug discovery

Development and validation of an indirect pulsed electrochemical detection method for monitoring the inhibition of Abl1 tyrosine kinase.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hui; Wang, Xu; Chopra, Shruti; Adams, Erwin; Van Schepdael, Ann

2014-03-01

A new method for monitoring the enzyme inhibition of Abl1 tyrosine kinase by liquid chromatography-indirect pulsed electrochemical detection (LC-InPED) was developed. In this method, adsorption of a peptide analyte at the noble metal electrode suppresses the oxidation of polyols under alkaline condition to elicit an indirect response resulting in a negative peak of the target peptide. Among the reagents tested, D-gluconic acid sodium salt gave the best overall signal to noise (S/N) values for the indirect detection of p-Abltide, the product of Abl1 enzymatic reaction. 50 μM D-gluconic acid sodium salt dissolved in a mixture of 78% water-22% acetonitrile-0.03% trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) was used as the mobile phase. Chromatographic separation was achieved on an Alltima C18 (I.D. 5 μm; 250 mm × 4.6 mm) column with the mobile phase flow rate of 0.5 ml/min. 0.5M sodium hydroxide was added post-column to maintain alkaline conditions in the PED cell. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.2 μM for p-Abltide, which was about 50-fold lower than direct PED analysis. The residual plot of the linear calibration curve indicated a good fit with a linear model within the investigated concentration range of p-Abltide. Intra- and inter-day precision was not more than 6.5% and accuracy was from -5.75% to +1.54%. The validated LC-InPED method was successfully applied for monitoring of p-Abltide in Abl1 enzyme reaction and the inhibition study of Abl1. The determined IC50 values of model inhibitors, imatinib, nilotinib and dasatinib, were 601.4 nM (R(2)=0.99), 32.3 nM (R(2)=0.99) and 1.3 nM (R(2)=0.98), respectively. These results were consistent with literature data. To the best of our knowledge this is the first time a LC-InPED method has been used to monitor an enzyme reaction. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

β-Catenin is required for intrinsic but not extrinsic BCR-ABL1 kinase-independent resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors in chronic myeloid leukemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Eiring, A M; Khorashad, J S; Anderson, D J; Yu, F; Redwine, H M; Mason, C C; Reynolds, K R; Clair, P M; Gantz, K C; Zhang, T Y; Pomicter, A D; Kraft, I L; Bowler, A D; Johnson, K; Partlin, M Mac; O'Hare, T; Deininger, M W

2015-12-01

Activation of nuclear β-catenin and expression of its transcriptional targets promotes chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) progression, tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) resistance, and leukemic stem cell self-renewal. We report that nuclear β-catenin has a role in leukemia cell-intrinsic but not -extrinsic BCR-ABL1 kinase-independent TKI resistance. Upon imatinib inhibition of BCR-ABL1 kinase activity, β-catenin expression was maintained in intrinsically resistant cells grown in suspension culture and sensitive cells cultured in direct contact (DC) with bone marrow (BM) stromal cells. Thus, TKI resistance uncouples β-catenin expression from BCR-ABL1 kinase activity. In β-catenin reporter assays, intrinsically resistant cells showed increased transcriptional activity versus parental TKI-sensitive controls, and this was associated with restored expression of β-catenin target genes. In contrast, DC with BM stromal cells promoted TKI resistance, but had little effects on Lef/Tcf reporter activity and no consistent effects on cytoplasmic β-catenin levels, arguing against a role for β-catenin in extrinsic TKI resistance. N-cadherin or H-cadherin blocking antibodies abrogated DC-based resistance despite increasing Lef/Tcf reporter activity, suggesting that factors other than β-catenin contribute to extrinsic, BM-derived TKI resistance. Our data indicate that, while nuclear β-catenin enhances survival of intrinsically TKI-resistant CML progenitors, it is not required for extrinsic resistance mediated by the BM microenvironment.

The SH2 Domain Regulates c-Abl Kinase Activation by a Cyclin-Like Mechanism and Remodulation of the Hinge Motion

OpenAIRE

Dölker, N.; Górna, M. W.; Sutto, L.; Torralba, A. S.; Superti-Furga, G.; Gervasio, F. L.

2014-01-01

Regulation of the c-Abl (ABL1) tyrosine kinase is important because of its role in cellular signaling, and its relevance in the leukemiogenic counterpart (BCR-ABL). Both auto-inhibition and full activation of c-Abl are regulated by the interaction of the catalytic domain with the Src Homology 2 (SH2) domain. The mechanism by which this interaction enhances catalysis is not known. We combined computational simulations with mutagenesis and functional analysis to find that the SH2 domain conveys...

Structural Mechanism of the Pan-BCR-ABL Inhibitor Ponatinib (AP24534): Lessons for Overcoming Kinase Inhibitor Resistance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Tianjun; Commodore, Lois; Huang, Wei-Sheng; Wang, Yihan; Thomas, Mathew; Keats, Jeff; Xu, Qihong; Rivera, Victor M.; Shakespeare, William C.; Clackson, Tim; Dalgarno, David C.; Zhu, Xiaotian (ARIAD)

2012-01-20

The BCR-ABL inhibitor imatinib has revolutionized the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia. However, drug resistance caused by kinase domain mutations has necessitated the development of new mutation-resistant inhibitors, most recently against the T315I gatekeeper residue mutation. Ponatinib (AP24534) inhibits both native and mutant BCR-ABL, including T315I, acting as a pan-BCR-ABL inhibitor. Here, we undertook a combined crystallographic and structure-activity relationship analysis on ponatinib to understand this unique profile. While the ethynyl linker is a key inhibitor functionality that interacts with the gatekeeper, virtually all other components of ponatinib play an essential role in its T315I inhibitory activity. The extensive network of optimized molecular contacts found in the DFG-out binding mode leads to high potency and renders binding less susceptible to disruption by single point mutations. The inhibitory mechanism exemplified by ponatinib may have broad relevance to designing inhibitors against other kinases with mutated gatekeeper residues.

AP24534, a Pan-BCR-ABL Inhibitor for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, Potently Inhibits the T315I Mutant and Overcomes Mutation-Based Resistance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

O’Hare, Thomas; Shakespeare, William C.; Zhu, Xiaotian; Eide, Christopher A.; Rivera, Victor M.; Wang, Frank; Adrian, Lauren T.; Zhou, Tianjun; Huang, Wei-Sheng; Xu, Qihong; Metcalf, III, Chester A.; Tyner, Jeffrey W.; Loriaux, Marc M.; Corbin, Amie S.; Wardwell, Scott; Ning, Yaoyu; Keats, Jeffrey A.; Wang, Yihan; Sundaramoorthi, Raji; Thomas, Mathew; Zhou, Dong; Snodgrass, Joseph; Commodore, Lois; Sawyer, Tomi K.; Dalgarno, David C.; Deininger, Michael W.N.; Druker, Brian J.; Clackson, Tim; (OHSU- Cancer Instit.); (ARIAD)

2010-09-07

Inhibition of BCR-ABL by imatinib induces durable responses in many patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), but resistance attributable to kinase domain mutations can lead to relapse and a switch to second-line therapy with nilotinib or dasatinib. Despite three approved therapeutic options, the cross-resistant BCR-ABL{sup T315I} mutation and compound mutants selected on sequential inhibitor therapy remain major clinical challenges. We report design and preclinical evaluation of AP24534, a potent, orally available multitargeted kinase inhibitor active against T315I and other BCR-ABL mutants. AP24534 inhibited all tested BCR-ABL mutants in cellular and biochemical assays, suppressed BCR-ABL{sup T315I}-driven tumor growth in mice, and completely abrogated resistance in cell-based mutagenesis screens. Our work supports clinical evaluation of AP24534 as a pan-BCR-ABL inhibitor for treatment of CML.

Hepatitis C Virus Particle Assembly Involves Phosphorylation of NS5A by the c-Abl Tyrosine Kinase.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamauchi, Shota; Takeuchi, Kenji; Chihara, Kazuyasu; Sun, Xuedong; Honjoh, Chisato; Yoshiki, Hatsumi; Hotta, Hak; Sada, Kiyonao

2015-09-04

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural protein 5A (NS5A) is thought to regulate the replication of viral RNA and the assembly of virus particles in a serine/threonine phosphorylation-dependent manner. However, the host kinases that phosphorylate NS5A have not been fully identified. Here, we show that HCV particle assembly involves the phosphorylation of NS5A by the c-Abl tyrosine kinase. Pharmacological inhibition or knockdown of c-Abl reduces the production of infectious HCV (J6/JFH1) particles in Huh-7.5 cells without markedly affecting viral RNA translation and replication. NS5A is tyrosine-phosphorylated in HCV-infected cells, and this phosphorylation is also reduced by the knockdown of c-Abl. Mutational analysis reveals that NS5A tyrosine phosphorylation is dependent, at least in part, on Tyr(330) (Tyr(2306) in polyprotein numbering). Mutation of this residue to phenylalanine reduces the production of infectious HCV particles but does not affect the replication of the JFH1 subgenomic replicon. These findings suggest that c-Abl promotes HCV particle assembly by phosphorylating NS5A at Tyr(330). © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

The SH2 Domain Regulates c-Abl Kinase Activation by a Cyclin-Like Mechanism and Remodulation of the Hinge Motion

Science.gov (United States)

Dölker, Nicole; Górna, Maria W.; Sutto, Ludovico; Torralba, Antonio S.; Superti-Furga, Giulio; Gervasio, Francesco L.

2014-01-01

Regulation of the c-Abl (ABL1) tyrosine kinase is important because of its role in cellular signaling, and its relevance in the leukemiogenic counterpart (BCR-ABL). Both auto-inhibition and full activation of c-Abl are regulated by the interaction of the catalytic domain with the Src Homology 2 (SH2) domain. The mechanism by which this interaction enhances catalysis is not known. We combined computational simulations with mutagenesis and functional analysis to find that the SH2 domain conveys both local and global effects on the dynamics of the catalytic domain. Locally, it regulates the flexibility of the αC helix in a fashion reminiscent of cyclins in cyclin-dependent kinases, reorienting catalytically important motifs. At a more global level, SH2 binding redirects the hinge motion of the N and C lobes and changes the conformational equilibrium of the activation loop. The complex network of subtle structural shifts that link the SH2 domain with the activation loop and the active site may be partially conserved with other SH2-domain containing kinases and therefore offer additional parameters for the design of conformation-specific inhibitors. PMID:25299346

The SH2 domain regulates c-Abl kinase activation by a cyclin-like mechanism and remodulation of the hinge motion.

Science.gov (United States)

Dölker, Nicole; Górna, Maria W; Sutto, Ludovico; Torralba, Antonio S; Superti-Furga, Giulio; Gervasio, Francesco L

2014-10-01

Regulation of the c-Abl (ABL1) tyrosine kinase is important because of its role in cellular signaling, and its relevance in the leukemiogenic counterpart (BCR-ABL). Both auto-inhibition and full activation of c-Abl are regulated by the interaction of the catalytic domain with the Src Homology 2 (SH2) domain. The mechanism by which this interaction enhances catalysis is not known. We combined computational simulations with mutagenesis and functional analysis to find that the SH2 domain conveys both local and global effects on the dynamics of the catalytic domain. Locally, it regulates the flexibility of the αC helix in a fashion reminiscent of cyclins in cyclin-dependent kinases, reorienting catalytically important motifs. At a more global level, SH2 binding redirects the hinge motion of the N and C lobes and changes the conformational equilibrium of the activation loop. The complex network of subtle structural shifts that link the SH2 domain with the activation loop and the active site may be partially conserved with other SH2-domain containing kinases and therefore offer additional parameters for the design of conformation-specific inhibitors.

The SH2 domain regulates c-Abl kinase activation by a cyclin-like mechanism and remodulation of the hinge motion.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicole Dölker

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Regulation of the c-Abl (ABL1 tyrosine kinase is important because of its role in cellular signaling, and its relevance in the leukemiogenic counterpart (BCR-ABL. Both auto-inhibition and full activation of c-Abl are regulated by the interaction of the catalytic domain with the Src Homology 2 (SH2 domain. The mechanism by which this interaction enhances catalysis is not known. We combined computational simulations with mutagenesis and functional analysis to find that the SH2 domain conveys both local and global effects on the dynamics of the catalytic domain. Locally, it regulates the flexibility of the αC helix in a fashion reminiscent of cyclins in cyclin-dependent kinases, reorienting catalytically important motifs. At a more global level, SH2 binding redirects the hinge motion of the N and C lobes and changes the conformational equilibrium of the activation loop. The complex network of subtle structural shifts that link the SH2 domain with the activation loop and the active site may be partially conserved with other SH2-domain containing kinases and therefore offer additional parameters for the design of conformation-specific inhibitors.

The Bcr-Abl kinase inhibitor INNO-406 induces autophagy and different modes of cell death execution in Bcr-Abl-positive leukemias.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamitsuji, Y; Kuroda, J; Kimura, S; Toyokuni, S; Watanabe, K; Ashihara, E; Tanaka, H; Yui, Y; Watanabe, M; Matsubara, H; Mizushima, Y; Hiraumi, Y; Kawata, E; Yoshikawa, T; Maekawa, T; Nakahata, T; Adachi, S

2008-11-01

Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase (TK) inhibitors are promising therapeutic agents for Bcr-Abl-positive (Bcr-Abl(+)) leukemias. Although they are known to promote caspase-mediated apoptosis, it remains unclear whether caspase-independent cell death-inducing mechanisms are also triggered. Here we demonstrated that INNO-406, a second-generation Bcr-Abl TK inhibitor, induces programmed cell death (PCD) in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) cell lines through both caspase-mediated and caspase-independent pathways. The latter pathways include caspase-independent apoptosis (CIA) and necrosis-like cell death (CIND), and the cell lines varied regarding which mechanism was elicited upon INNO-406 treatment. We also observed that the propensity toward CIA or CIND in cells was strongly associated with cellular dependency on apoptosome-mediated caspase activity. Cells that undergo CIND have a high apoptosome activity potential whereas cells that undergo CIA tend to have a lower potential. Moreover, we found that INNO-406 promotes autophagy. When autophagy was inhibited with chloroquine or gene knockdown of beclin1 by shRNA, INNO-406-induced cell death was enhanced, which indicates that the autophagic response of the tumor cells is protective. These findings suggest new insights into the biology and therapy of Bcr-Abl(+) leukemias.

The Abl SH2-kinase linker naturally adopts a conformation competent for SH3 domain binding.

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Chen, Shugui; Brier, Sébastien; Smithgall, Thomas E; Engen, John R

2007-04-01

The core of the Abelson tyrosine kinase (c-Abl) is structurally similar to Src-family kinases where SH3 and SH2 domains pack against the backside of the kinase domain in the down-regulated conformation. Both kinase families depend upon intramolecular association of SH3 with the linker joining the SH2 and kinase domains for suppression of kinase activity. Hydrogen deuterium exchange (HX) and mass spectrometry (MS) were used to probe intramolecular interaction of the c-Abl SH3 domain with the linker in recombinant constructs lacking the kinase domain. Under physiological conditions, the c-Abl SH3 domain undergoes partial unfolding, which is stabilized by ligand binding, providing a unique assay for SH3:linker interaction in solution. Using this approach, we observed dynamic association of the SH3 domain with the linker in the absence of the kinase domain. Truncation of the linker before W254 completely prevented cis-interaction with SH3, while constructs containing amino acids past this point showed SH3:linker interactions. The observation that the Abl linker sequence exhibits SH3-binding activity in the absence of the kinase domain is unique to Abl and was not observed with Src-family kinases. These results suggest that SH3:linker interactions may have a more prominent role in Abl regulation than in Src kinases, where the down-regulated conformation is further stabilized by a second intramolecular interaction between the C-terminal tail and the SH2 domain.

Hierarchical modeling of activation mechanisms in the ABL and EGFR kinase domains: thermodynamic and mechanistic catalysts of kinase activation by cancer mutations.

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Anshuman Dixit

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Structural and functional studies of the ABL and EGFR kinase domains have recently suggested a common mechanism of activation by cancer-causing mutations. However, dynamics and mechanistic aspects of kinase activation by cancer mutations that stimulate conformational transitions and thermodynamic stabilization of the constitutively active kinase form remain elusive. We present a large-scale computational investigation of activation mechanisms in the ABL and EGFR kinase domains by a panel of clinically important cancer mutants ABL-T315I, ABL-L387M, EGFR-T790M, and EGFR-L858R. We have also simulated the activating effect of the gatekeeper mutation on conformational dynamics and allosteric interactions in functional states of the ABL-SH2-SH3 regulatory complexes. A comprehensive analysis was conducted using a hierarchy of computational approaches that included homology modeling, molecular dynamics simulations, protein stability analysis, targeted molecular dynamics, and molecular docking. Collectively, the results of this study have revealed thermodynamic and mechanistic catalysts of kinase activation by major cancer-causing mutations in the ABL and EGFR kinase domains. By using multiple crystallographic states of ABL and EGFR, computer simulations have allowed one to map dynamics of conformational fluctuations and transitions in the normal (wild-type and oncogenic kinase forms. A proposed multi-stage mechanistic model of activation involves a series of cooperative transitions between different conformational states, including assembly of the hydrophobic spine, the formation of the Src-like intermediate structure, and a cooperative breakage and formation of characteristic salt bridges, which signify transition to the active kinase form. We suggest that molecular mechanisms of activation by cancer mutations could mimic the activation process of the normal kinase, yet exploiting conserved structural catalysts to accelerate a conformational transition

Induction of autophagy by Imatinib sequesters Bcr-Abl in autophagosomes and down-regulates Bcr-Abl protein.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Elzinga, Baukje M

2013-06-01

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) is a disease of hematopoietic stem cells which harbor the chimeric gene Bcr-Abl. Expression levels of this constitutively active tyrosine kinase are critical for response to tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment and also disease progression, yet the regulation of protein stability is poorly understood. We have previously demonstrated that imatinib can induce autophagy in Bcr-Abl expressing cells. Autophagy has been associated with the clearance of large macromolecular signaling complexes and abnormal proteins, however, the contribution of autophagy to the turnover of Bcr-Abl protein in imatinib treated cells is unknown. In this study, we show that following imatinib treatment, Bcr-Abl is sequestered into vesicular structures that co-localize with the autophagy marker LC3 or GABARAP. This association is inhibited by siRNA mediated knockdown of autophagy regulators (Beclin 1\\/ATG7). Pharmacological inhibition of autophagy also reduced Bcr-Abl\\/LC3 co-localization in both K562 and CML patient cells. Bcr-Abl protein expression was reduced with imatinib treatment. Inhibition of both autophagy and proteasome activity in imatinib treated cells was required to restore Bcr-Abl protein levels to those of untreated cells. This ability to down-regulate Bcr-Abl protein levels through the induction of autophagy may be an additional and important feature of the activity of imatinib.

Molecular characterization of c-Abl/c-Src kinase inhibitors targeted against murine tumour progenitor cells that express stem cell markers.

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Thomas Kruewel

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The non-receptor tyrosine kinases c-Abl and c-Src are overexpressed in various solid human tumours. Inhibition of their hyperactivity represents a molecular rationale in the combat of cancerous diseases. Here we examined the effects of a new family of pyrazolo [3,4-d] pyrimidines on a panel of 11 different murine lung tumour progenitor cell lines, that express stem cell markers, as well as on the human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549, the human hepatoma cell line HepG2 and the human colon cancer cell line CaCo2 to obtain insight into the mode of action of these experimental drugs. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Treatment with the dual kinase inhibitors blocked c-Abl and c-Src kinase activity efficiently in the nanomolar range, induced apoptosis, reduced cell viability and caused cell cycle arrest predominantly at G0/G1 phase while western blot analysis confirmed repressed protein expression of c-Abl and c-Src as well as the interacting partners p38 mitogen activated protein kinase, heterogenous ribonucleoprotein K, cyclin dependent kinase 1 and further proteins that are crucial for tumour progression. Importantly, a significant repression of the epidermal growth factor receptor was observed while whole genome gene expression analysis evidenced regulation of many cell cycle regulated genes as well integrin and focal adhesion kinase (FAK signalling to impact cytoskeleton dynamics, migration, invasion and metastasis. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our experiments and recently published in vivo engraftment studies with various tumour cell lines revealed the dual kinase inhibitors to be efficient in their antitumour activity.

AP24534, a Pan-BCR-ABL Inhibitor for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, Potently Inhibits the T315I Mutant and Overcomes Mutation-Based Resistance

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O’Hare, Thomas; Shakespeare, William C.; Zhu, Xiaotian; Eide, Christopher A.; Rivera, Victor M.; Wang, Frank; Adrian, Lauren T.; Zhou, Tianjun; Huang, Wei-Sheng; Xu, Qihong; Metcalf, Chester A.; Tyner, Jeffrey W.; Loriaux, Marc M.; Corbin, Amie S.; Wardwell, Scott; Ning, Yaoyu; Keats, Jeffrey A.; Wang, Yihan; Sundaramoorthi, Raji; Thomas, Mathew; Zhou, Dong; Snodgrass, Joseph; Commodore, Lois; Sawyer, Tomi K.; Dalgarno, David C.; Deininger, Michael W.N.; Druker, Brian J.; Clackson, Tim

2009-01-01

SUMMARY Inhibition of BCR-ABL by imatinib induces durable responses in many patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), but resistance attributable to kinase domain mutations can lead to relapse and a switch to second-line therapy with nilotinib or dasatinib. Despite three approved therapeutic options, the cross-resistant BCR-ABLT315I mutation and compound mutants selected on sequential inhibitor therapy remain major clinical challenges. We report design and pre-clinical evaluation of AP24534, a potent, orally available multi-targeted kinase inhibitor active against T315I and other BCR-ABL mutants. AP24534 inhibited all tested BCR-ABL mutants in cellular and biochemical assays, suppressed BCR-ABLT315I-driven tumor growth in mice, and completely abrogated resistance in cell-based mutagenesis screens. Our work supports clinical evaluation of AP24534 as a pan-BCR-ABL inhibitor for treatment of CML. PMID:19878872

Cocoa Procyanidins Suppress Transformation by Inhibiting Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Kinase*S⃞

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Kang, Nam Joo; Lee, Ki Won; Lee, Dong Eun; Rogozin, Evgeny A.; Bode, Ann M.; Lee, Hyong Joo; Dong, Zigang

2008-01-01

Cocoa was shown to inhibit chemically induced carcinogenesis in animals and exert antioxidant activity in humans. However, the molecular mechanisms of the chemopreventive potential of cocoa and its active ingredient(s) remain unknown. Here we report that cocoa procyanidins inhibit neoplastic cell transformation by suppressing the kinase activity of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK). A cocoa procyanidin fraction (CPF) and procyanidin B2 at 5 μg/ml and 40 μm, respectively, inhibited 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced neoplastic transformation of JB6 P+ mouse epidermal (JB6 P+) cells by 47 and 93%, respectively. The TPA-induced promoter activity and expression of cyclooxygenase-2, which is involved in tumor promotion and inflammation, were dose-dependently inhibited by CPF or procyanidin B2. The activation of activator protein-1 and nuclear factor-κB induced by TPA was also attenuated by CPF or procyanidin B2. The TPA-induced phosphorylation of MEK, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, and p90 ribosomal s6 kinase was suppressed by CPF or procyanidin B2. In vitro and ex vivo kinase assay data demonstrated that CPF or procyanidin B2 inhibited the kinase activity of MEK1 and directly bound with MEK1. CPF or procyanidin B2 suppressed JB6 P+ cell transformation induced by epidermal growth factor or H-Ras, both of which are known to be involved in MEK/ERK signal activation. In contrast, theobromine (up to 80 μm) had no effect on TPA-induced transformation, cyclooxygenase-2 expression, the transactivation of activator protein-1 or nuclear factor-κB, or MEK. Notably, procyanidin B2 exerted stronger inhibitory effects compared with PD098059 (a well known pharmacological inhibitor of MEK) on MEK1 activity and neoplastic cell transformation. PMID:18519570

The First Pentacyclic Triterpenoid Gypsogenin Derivative Exhibiting Anti-ABL1 Kinase and Anti-chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Ciftci, Halil Ibrahim; Ozturk, Safiye Emirdag; Ali, Taha F S; Radwan, Mohamed O; Tateishi, Hiroshi; Koga, Ryoko; Ocak, Zeynep; Can, Mustafa; Otsuka, Masami; Fujita, Mikako

2018-04-01

The discovery of the chimeric tyrosine kinase breakpoint cluster region kinase-Abelson kinase (BCR-ABL)-targeted drug imatinib conceptually changed the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). However, some CML patients show drug resistance to imatinib. To address this issue, some artificial heterocyclic compounds have been identified as BCR-ABL inhibitors. Here we examined whether plant-derived pentacyclic triterpenoid gypsogenin and/or their derivatives show inhibitory activity against BCR-ABL. Among the three derivatives, benzyl 3-hydroxy-23-oxoolean-12-en-28-oate (1c) was found to be the most effective anticancer agent on the CML cell line K562, with an IC 50 value of 9.3 µM. In contrast, the IC 50 against normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells was 276.0 µM, showing better selectivity than imatinib. Compound 1c had in vitro inhibitory activity against Abelson kinase 1 (ABL1) (IC 50 =8.7 µM), the kinase component of BCR-ABL. In addition, compound 1c showed a different inhibitory profile against eight kinases compared with imatinib. The interaction between ATP binding site of ABL and 1c was examined by molecular docking study, and the binding mode was different from imatinib and newer generation inhibitors. Furthermore, 1c suppressed signaling downstream of BCR-ABL. This study suggests the possibility that plant extracts may be a source for CML treatment and offer a strategy to overcome drug resistance to known BCR-ABL inhibitors.

Kinase inhibition by the Jamaican ball moss, Tillandsia recurvata L.

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Lowe, Henry I C; Watson, Charah T; Badal, Simone; Toyang, Ngeh J; Bryant, Joseph

2012-10-01

This research was undertaken in order to investigate the inhibitory potential of the Jamaican ball moss, Tillandsia recurvata against several kinases. The inhibition of these kinases has emerged as a potential solution to restoring the tight regulation of normal cellular growth, the loss of which leads to cancer cell formation. Kinase inhibition was investigated using competition binding (to the ATP sites) assays, which have been previously established and authenticated. Four hundred and fifty one kinases were tested against the Jamaican ball moss extract and a dose-response was tested on 40 kinases, which were inhibited by more than 35% compared to the control. Out of the 40 kinases, the Jamaican ball moss selectively inhibited 5 (CSNK2A2, MEK5, GAK, FLT and DRAK1) and obtained Kd(50)s were below 20 μg/ml. Since MEK5 and GAK kinases have been associated with aggressive prostate cancer, the inhibitory properties of the ball moss against them, coupled with its previously found bioactivity towards the PC-3 cell line, makes it promising in the arena of drug discovery towards prostate cancer.

Rho-Kinase Inhibition Ameliorates Dasatinib-Induced Endothelial Dysfunction and Pulmonary Hypertension

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Csilla Fazakas

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The multi-kinase inhibitor dasatinib is used for treatment of imatinib-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia, but is prone to induce microvascular dysfunction. In lung this can manifest as capillary leakage with pleural effusion, pulmonary edema or even pulmonary arterial hypertension. To understand how dasatinib causes endothelial dysfunction we examined the effects of clinically relevant concentrations of dasatinib on both human pulmonary arterial macro- and microvascular endothelial cells (ECs. The effects of dasatinib was compared to imatinib and nilotinib, two other clinically used BCR/Abl kinase inhibitors that do not inhibit Src. Real three-dimensional morphology and high resolution stiffness mapping revealed softening of both macro- and microvascular ECs upon dasatinib treatment, which was not observed in response to imatinib. In a dose-dependent manner, dasatinib decreased transendothelial electrical resistance/impedance and caused a permeability increase as well as disruption of tight adherens junctions in both cell types. In isolated perfused and ventilated rat lungs, dasatinib increased mean pulmonary arterial pressure, which was accompanied by a gain in lung weight. The Rho-kinase inhibitor Y27632 partly reversed the dasatinib-induced changes in vitro and ex vivo, presumably by acting downstream of Src. Co-administration of the Rho-kinase inhibitor Y27632 completely blunted the increased pulmonary pressure in response to dasatinib. In conclusion, a dasatinib-induced permeability increase in human pulmonary arterial macro- and microvascular ECs might explain many of the adverse effects of dasatinib in patients. Rho-kinase inhibition might be suitable to ameliorate these effects.

Blockade of Y177 and Nuclear Translocation of Bcr-Abl Inhibits Proliferation and Promotes Apoptosis in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Cells.

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Li, Qianyin; Huang, Zhenglan; Gao, Miao; Cao, Weixi; Xiao, Qin; Luo, Hongwei; Feng, Wenli

2017-03-02

The gradual emerging of resistance to imatinib urgently calls for the development of new therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The fusion protein Bcr-Abl, which promotes the malignant transformation of CML cells, is mainly located in the cytoplasm, while the c-Abl protein which is expressed in the nucleus can induce apoptosis. Based on the hetero-dimerization of FKBP (the 12-kDa FK506- and rapamycin-binding protein) and FRB (the FKBP-rapamycin binding domain of the protein kinase, mTOR) mediated by AP21967, we constructed a nuclear transport system to induce cytoplasmic Bcr-Abl into nuclear. In this study, we reported the construction of the nuclear transport system, and we demonstrated that FN3R (three nuclear localization signals were fused to FRBT2098L with a FLAG tag), HF2S (two FKBP domains were in tandem and fused to the SH2 domain of Grb2 with an HA tag) and Bcr-Abl form a complexus upon AP21967. Bcr-Abl was imported into the nucleus successfully by the nuclear transport system. The nuclear transport system inhibited CML cell proliferation through mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) pathways mainly by HF2S. It was proven that nuclear located Bcr-Abl induced CML cell (including imatinib-resistant K562G01 cells) apoptosis by activation of p73 and its downstream molecules. In summary, our study provides a new targeted therapy for the CML patients even with Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (TKI)-resistance.

Blockade of Y177 and Nuclear Translocation of Bcr-Abl Inhibits Proliferation and Promotes Apoptosis in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qianyin Li

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The gradual emerging of resistance to imatinib urgently calls for the development of new therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML. The fusion protein Bcr-Abl, which promotes the malignant transformation of CML cells, is mainly located in the cytoplasm, while the c-Abl protein which is expressed in the nucleus can induce apoptosis. Based on the hetero-dimerization of FKBP (the 12-kDa FK506- and rapamycin-binding protein and FRB (the FKBP-rapamycin binding domain of the protein kinase, mTOR mediated by AP21967, we constructed a nuclear transport system to induce cytoplasmic Bcr-Abl into nuclear. In this study, we reported the construction of the nuclear transport system, and we demonstrated that FN3R (three nuclear localization signals were fused to FRBT2098L with a FLAG tag, HF2S (two FKBP domains were in tandem and fused to the SH2 domain of Grb2 with an HA tag and Bcr-Abl form a complexus upon AP21967. Bcr-Abl was imported into the nucleus successfully by the nuclear transport system. The nuclear transport system inhibited CML cell proliferation through mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK and signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5 pathways mainly by HF2S. It was proven that nuclear located Bcr-Abl induced CML cell (including imatinib-resistant K562G01 cells apoptosis by activation of p73 and its downstream molecules. In summary, our study provides a new targeted therapy for the CML patients even with Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (TKI-resistance.

Functional interaction between nonreceptor tyrosine kinase c-Abl and SR-Rich protein RBM39

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mai, Sanyue; Qu, Xiuhua; Li, Ping; Ma, Qingjun; Liu, Xuan; Cao, Cheng

2016-01-01

RBM39, also known as splicing factor HCC1.4, acts as a transcriptional coactivator for the steroid nuclear receptors JUN/AP-1, ESR1/ER-α and ESR2/ER-β. RBM39 is involved in the regulation of the transcriptional responses of these steroid nuclear receptors and promotes transcriptional initiation. In this paper, we report that RBM39 interacts with the nonreceptor tyrosine kinase c-Abl. Both the Src homology (SH) 2 and SH3 domains of c-Abl interact with RBM39. The major tyrosine phosphorylation sites on RBM39 that are phosphorylated by c-Abl are Y95 and Y99, as demonstrated by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) and mutational analysis. c-Abl was shown boost the transcriptional coactivation activity of RBM39 for ERα and PRβ in a tyrosine kinase-dependent manner. The results suggest that mammalian c-Abl plays an important role in steroid hormone receptor-mediated transcription by regulating RBM39. - Highlights: • c-Abl interacts with RBM39. • RBM39 is phosphorylated by c-Abl. • c-Abl regulates transcriptional coactivation activity of RBM39 on the ERα and PRβ.

Functional interaction between nonreceptor tyrosine kinase c-Abl and SR-Rich protein RBM39

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mai, Sanyue [Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, 27 Taiping Rd, Haidian District, Beijing 100850 (China); Qu, Xiuhua [General Navy Hospital of PLA, 6 Fucheng Rd, Haidian District, Beijing 100037 (China); Li, Ping; Ma, Qingjun [Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, 27 Taiping Rd, Haidian District, Beijing 100850 (China); Liu, Xuan, E-mail: liux931932@163.com [Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, 27 Taiping Rd, Haidian District, Beijing 100850 (China); Cao, Cheng, E-mail: cao_c@sohu.com [Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, 27 Taiping Rd, Haidian District, Beijing 100850 (China)

2016-04-22

RBM39, also known as splicing factor HCC1.4, acts as a transcriptional coactivator for the steroid nuclear receptors JUN/AP-1, ESR1/ER-α and ESR2/ER-β. RBM39 is involved in the regulation of the transcriptional responses of these steroid nuclear receptors and promotes transcriptional initiation. In this paper, we report that RBM39 interacts with the nonreceptor tyrosine kinase c-Abl. Both the Src homology (SH) 2 and SH3 domains of c-Abl interact with RBM39. The major tyrosine phosphorylation sites on RBM39 that are phosphorylated by c-Abl are Y95 and Y99, as demonstrated by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) and mutational analysis. c-Abl was shown boost the transcriptional coactivation activity of RBM39 for ERα and PRβ in a tyrosine kinase-dependent manner. The results suggest that mammalian c-Abl plays an important role in steroid hormone receptor-mediated transcription by regulating RBM39. - Highlights: • c-Abl interacts with RBM39. • RBM39 is phosphorylated by c-Abl. • c-Abl regulates transcriptional coactivation activity of RBM39 on the ERα and PRβ.

Detection of a rare BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase fusion protein in H929 multiple myeloma cells using immunoprecipitation (IP)-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS).

Science.gov (United States)

Breitkopf, Susanne B; Yuan, Min; Pihan, German A; Asara, John M

2012-10-02

Hypothesis directed proteomics offers higher throughput over global analyses. We show that immunoprecipitation (IP)-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in H929 multiple myeloma (MM) cancer cells led to the discovery of a rare and unexpected BCR-ABL fusion, informing a therapeutic intervention using imatinib (Gleevec). BCR-ABL is the driving mutation in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and is uncommon to other cancers. Three different IP-MS experiments central to cell signaling pathways were sufficient to discover a BCR-ABL fusion in H929 cells: phosphotyrosine (pY) peptide IP, p85 regulatory subunit of phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) IP, and the GRB2 adaptor IP. The pY peptides inform tyrosine kinase activity, p85 IP informs the activating adaptors and receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) involved in AKT activation and GRB2 IP identifies RTKs and adaptors leading to ERK activation. Integration of the bait-prey data from the three separate experiments identified the BCR-ABL protein complex, which was confirmed by biochemistry, cytogenetic methods, and DNA sequencing revealed the e14a2 fusion transcript. The tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 and the GAB2 adaptor protein, important for MAPK signaling, were common to all three IP-MS experiments. The comparative treatment of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) drugs revealed only imatinib, the standard of care in CML, was inhibitory to BCR-ABL leading to down-regulation of pERK and pS6K and inhibiting cell proliferation. These data suggest a model for directed proteomics from patient tumor samples for selecting the appropriate TKI drug(s) based on IP and LC-MS/MS. The data also suggest that MM patients, in addition to CML patients, may benefit from BCR-ABL diagnostic screening.

Two-state dynamics of the SH3-SH2 tandem of Abl kinase and the allosteric role of the N-cap.

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Corbi-Verge, Carles; Marinelli, Fabrizio; Zafra-Ruano, Ana; Ruiz-Sanz, Javier; Luque, Irene; Faraldo-Gómez, José D

2013-09-03

The regulation and localization of signaling enzymes is often mediated by accessory modular domains, which frequently function in tandems. The ability of these tandems to adopt multiple conformations is as important for proper regulation as the individual domain specificity. A paradigmatic example is Abl, a ubiquitous tyrosine kinase of significant pharmacological interest. SH3 and SH2 domains inhibit Abl by assembling onto the catalytic domain, allosterically clamping it in an inactive state. We investigate the dynamics of this SH3-SH2 tandem, using microsecond all-atom simulations and differential scanning calorimetry. Our results indicate that the Abl tandem is a two-state switch, alternating between the conformation observed in the structure of the autoinhibited enzyme and another configuration that is consistent with existing scattering data for an activated form. Intriguingly, we find that the latter is the most probable when the tandem is disengaged from the catalytic domain. Nevertheless, an amino acid stretch preceding the SH3 domain, the so-called N-cap, reshapes the free-energy landscape of the tandem and favors the interaction of this domain with the SH2-kinase linker, an intermediate step necessary for assembly of the autoinhibited complex. This allosteric effect arises from interactions between N-cap and the SH2 domain and SH3-SH2 connector, which involve a phosphorylation site. We also show that the SH3-SH2 connector plays a determinant role in the assembly equilibrium of Abl, because mutations thereof hinder the engagement of the SH2-kinase linker. These results provide a thermodynamic rationale for the involvement of N-cap and SH3-SH2 connector in Abl regulation and expand our understanding of the principles of modular domain organization.

BCR-ABL1 tyrosine kinase inhibitors for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Cuellar, Sandra; Vozniak, Michael; Rhodes, Jill; Forcello, Nicholas; Olszta, Daniel

2017-01-01

The management of chronic myeloid leukemia with BCR-ABL1 tyrosine kinase inhibitors has evolved chronic myeloid leukemia into a chronic, manageable disease. A patient-centered approach is important for the appropriate management of chronic myeloid leukemia and optimization of long-term treatment outcomes. The pharmacist plays a key role in treatment selection, monitoring drug-drug interactions, identification and management of adverse events, and educating patients on adherence. The combination of tyrosine kinase inhibitors with unique safety profiles and individual patients with unique medical histories can make managing treatment difficult. This review will provide up-to-date information regarding tyrosine kinase inhibitor-based treatment of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. Management strategies for adverse events and considerations for drug-drug interactions will not only vary among patients but also across tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Drug-drug interactions can be mild to severe. In instances where co-administration of concomitant medications cannot be avoided, it is critical to understand how drug levels are impacted and how subsequent dose modifications ensure therapeutic drug levels are maintained. An important component of patient-centered management of chronic myeloid leukemia also includes educating patients on the significance of early and regular monitoring of therapeutic milestones, emphasizing the importance of adhering to treatment in achieving these targets, and appropriately modifying treatment if these clinical goals are not being met. Overall, staying apprised of current research, utilizing the close pharmacist-patient relationship, and having regular interactions with patients, will help achieve successful long-term treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia in the age of BCR-ABL1 tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Two-state dynamics of the SH3–SH2 tandem of Abl kinase and the allosteric role of the N-cap

Science.gov (United States)

Corbi-Verge, Carles; Marinelli, Fabrizio; Zafra-Ruano, Ana; Ruiz-Sanz, Javier; Luque, Irene; Faraldo-Gómez, José D.

2013-01-01

The regulation and localization of signaling enzymes is often mediated by accessory modular domains, which frequently function in tandems. The ability of these tandems to adopt multiple conformations is as important for proper regulation as the individual domain specificity. A paradigmatic example is Abl, a ubiquitous tyrosine kinase of significant pharmacological interest. SH3 and SH2 domains inhibit Abl by assembling onto the catalytic domain, allosterically clamping it in an inactive state. We investigate the dynamics of this SH3–SH2 tandem, using microsecond all-atom simulations and differential scanning calorimetry. Our results indicate that the Abl tandem is a two-state switch, alternating between the conformation observed in the structure of the autoinhibited enzyme and another configuration that is consistent with existing scattering data for an activated form. Intriguingly, we find that the latter is the most probable when the tandem is disengaged from the catalytic domain. Nevertheless, an amino acid stretch preceding the SH3 domain, the so-called N-cap, reshapes the free-energy landscape of the tandem and favors the interaction of this domain with the SH2-kinase linker, an intermediate step necessary for assembly of the autoinhibited complex. This allosteric effect arises from interactions between N-cap and the SH2 domain and SH3–SH2 connector, which involve a phosphorylation site. We also show that the SH3–SH2 connector plays a determinant role in the assembly equilibrium of Abl, because mutations thereof hinder the engagement of the SH2-kinase linker. These results provide a thermodynamic rationale for the involvement of N-cap and SH3–SH2 connector in Abl regulation and expand our understanding of the principles of modular domain organization. PMID:23959873

Activation of protein kinase C inhibits synthesis and release of decidual prolactin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harman, I.; Costello, A.; Ganong, B.; Bell, R.M.; Handwerger, S.

1986-01-01

Activation of calcium-activated, phospholipid-dependent protein kinase C by diacylglycerol and phorbol esters has been shown to mediate release of hormones in many systems. To determine whether protein kinase C activation is also involved in the regulation of prolactin release from human decidual, the authors have examined the effects of various acylglycerols and phorbol esters on the synthesis and release of prolactin from cultured human decidual cells. sn-1,2-Dioctanolyglycerol (diC 8 ), which is known to stimulate protein kinase C in other systems, inhibited prolactin release in a dose-dependent manner with maximal inhibition of 53.1% at 100 μM. Diolein (100 μM), which also stimulates protein kinase C activity in some systems, inhibited prolactin release by 21.3%. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), phorbol 12,13-didecanoate, and 4β-phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate, which activate protein kinase C in other systems, also inhibited the release of prolactin, which the protein kinase C inactivate 4α-phorbol-12,13-didecanoate was without effect. The inhibition of prolactin release was secondary to a decrease in prolactin synthesis. Although diC 8 and PMA inhibited the synthesis and release of prolactin, these agents had no effect on the synthesis or release of trichloroacetic acid-precipitable [ 35 S]methionine-labeled decidual proteins and did not cause the release of the cytosolic enzymes lactic dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase. DiC 8 and PMA stimulates the specific activity of protein kinase C in decidual tissue by 14.6 and 14.0-fold, respectively. The inhibition of the synthesis and release of prolactin by diC 8 and phorbol esters strongly implicates protein kinase C in the regulation of the production and release of prolactin from the decidua

Hsp90 inhibition differentially destabilises MAP kinase and TGF-beta signalling components in cancer cells revealed by kinase-targeted chemoproteomics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haupt, Armin; Dahl, Andreas; Lappe, Michael; Lehrach, Hans; Gonzalez, Cayetano; Drewes, Gerard; Lange, Bodo MH; Joberty, Gerard; Bantscheff, Marcus; Fröhlich, Holger; Stehr, Henning; Schweiger, Michal R; Fischer, Axel; Kerick, Martin; Boerno, Stefan T

2012-01-01

The heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is required for the stability of many signalling kinases. As a target for cancer therapy it allows the simultaneous inhibition of several signalling pathways. However, its inhibition in healthy cells could also lead to severe side effects. This is the first comprehensive analysis of the response to Hsp90 inhibition at the kinome level. We quantitatively profiled the effects of Hsp90 inhibition by geldanamycin on the kinome of one primary (Hs68) and three tumour cell lines (SW480, U2OS, A549) by affinity proteomics based on immobilized broad spectrum kinase inhibitors ('kinobeads'). To identify affected pathways we used the KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathway classification. We combined Hsp90 and proteasome inhibition to identify Hsp90 substrates in Hs68 and SW480 cells. The mutational status of kinases from the used cell lines was determined using next-generation sequencing. A mutation of Hsp90 candidate client RIPK2 was mapped onto its structure. We measured relative abundances of > 140 protein kinases from the four cell lines in response to geldanamycin treatment and identified many new potential Hsp90 substrates. These kinases represent diverse families and cellular functions, with a strong representation of pathways involved in tumour progression like the BMP, MAPK and TGF-beta signalling cascades. Co-treatment with the proteasome inhibitor MG132 enabled us to classify 64 kinases as true Hsp90 clients. Finally, mutations in 7 kinases correlate with an altered response to Hsp90 inhibition. Structural modelling of the candidate client RIPK2 suggests an impact of the mutation on a proposed Hsp90 binding domain. We propose a high confidence list of Hsp90 kinase clients, which provides new opportunities for targeted and combinatorial cancer treatment and diagnostic applications

The proto-oncogene product p120CBL and the adaptor proteins CRKL and c-CRK link c-ABL, p190BCR/ABL and p210BCR/ABL to the phosphatidylinositol-3' kinase pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Sattler, M; Salgia, R; Okuda, K; Uemura, N; Durstin, M A; Pisick, E; Xu, G; Li, J L; Prasad, K V; Griffin, J D

1996-02-15

Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and some acute lymphoblastic leukemias (ALL) are caused by the t(9;22) chromosome translocation, which produces the constitutively activated BCR/ABL tyrosine kinase. When introduced into factor dependent hematopoietic cell lines, BCR/ABL induces the tyrosine phosphorylation of many cellular proteins. One prominent BCR/ABL substrate is p120CBL, the cellular homolog of the v-Cbl oncoprotein. In an effort to understand the possible contribution of p120CBL to transformation by BCR/ABL, we looked for cellular proteins which associate with p120CBL in hematopoietic cell lines transformed by BCR/ABL. In addition to p210BCR/ABL and c-ABL, p120CBL coprecipitated with an 85 kDa phosphoprotein, which was identified as the p85 subunit of PI3K. Anti-p120CBL immunoprecipitates from BCR/ABL-transformed, but not from untransformed, cell lines contained PI3K lipid kinase activity. Interestingly, the adaptor proteins CRKL and c-CRK were also found in these complexes. In vitro binding studies indicated that the SH2 domains of CRKL and c-CRK bound directly to p120CBL, while the SH3 domains of c-CRK and CRKL bound to BCR/ABL and c-ABL. The N-terminal and the C-terminal SH2 and the SH3 domain of p85PI3K bound directly in vitro to p120CBL. The ABL-SH2, but not ABL-SH3, could also bind to p120CBL. These data suggest that BCR/ABL may induce the formation of multimeric complexes of signaling proteins which include p120CBL, PI3K, c-CRK or CRKL, c-ABL and BCR/ABL itself.

Nuclear localization of Lyn tyrosine kinase mediated by inhibition of its kinase activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikeda, Kikuko; Nakayama, Yuji; Togashi, Yuuki; Obata, Yuuki; Kuga, Takahisa; Kasahara, Kousuke; Fukumoto, Yasunori; Yamaguchi, Naoto

2008-01-01

Src-family kinases, cytoplasmic enzymes that participate in various signaling events, are found at not only the plasma membrane but also subcellular compartments, such as the nucleus, the Golgi apparatus and late endosomes/lysosomes. Lyn, a member of the Src-family kinases, is known to play a role in DNA damage response and cell cycle control in the nucleus. However, it is still unclear how the localization of Lyn to the nucleus is regulated. Here, we investigated the mechanism of the distribution of Lyn between the cytoplasm and the nucleus in epitheloid HeLa cells and hematopoietic THP-1 cells. Lyn was definitely detected in purified nuclei by immunofluorescence and immunoblotting analyses. Nuclear accumulation of Lyn was enhanced upon treatment of cells with leptomycin B (LMB), an inhibitor of Crm1-mediated nuclear export. Moreover, Lyn mutants lacking the sites for lipid modification were highly accumulated in the nucleus upon LMB treatment. Intriguingly, inhibition of the kinase activity of Lyn by SU6656, Csk overexpression, or point mutation in the ATP-binding site induced an increase in nuclear Lyn levels. These results suggest that Lyn being imported into and rapidly exported from the nucleus preferentially accumulates in the nucleus by inhibition of the kinase activity and lipid modification

Cytoprotective effect of imatinib mesylate in non-BCR-ABL-expressing cells along with autophagosome formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohtomo, Tadashi; Miyazawa, Keisuke; Naito, Munekazu; Moriya, Shota; Kuroda, Masahiko; Itoh, Masahiro; Tomoda, Akio

2010-01-01

Treatment with imatinib mesylate (IM) results in an increased viable cell number of non-BCR-ABL-expressing cell lines by inhibiting spontaneous apoptosis. Electron microscopy revealed an increase of autophagosomes in response to IM. IM attenuated the cytotoxic effect of cytosine arabinoside, as well as inhibiting cell death with serum-deprived culture. Cytoprotection with autophagosome formation by IM was observed in various leukemia and cancer cell lines as well as normal murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). Complete inhibition of autophagy by knockdown of atg5 in the Tet-off atg5 -/- MEF system attenuated the cytoprotective effect of IM, indicating that the effect is partially dependent on autophagy. However, cytoprotection by IM was not mediated through suppression of ROS production via mitophagy, ER stress via ribophagy, or proapoptotic function of ABL kinase. Although the target tyrosine kinase(s) of IM remains unclear, our data provide novel therapeutic possibilities of using IM for cytoprotection.

Growth of chronic myeloid leukemia cells is inhibited by infection with Ad-SH2-HA adenovirus that disrupts Grb2-Bcr-Abl complexes.

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Peng, Zhi; Luo, Hong-Wei; Yuan, Ying; Shi, Jing; Huang, Shi-Feng; Li, Chun-Li; Cao, Wei-Xi; Huang, Zong-Gan; Feng, Wen-Li

2011-05-01

The persistence of Bcr-Abl-positive cells in patients on imatinib therapy indicates that inhibition of the Bcr-Abl kinase activity alone might not be sufficient to eradicate the leukemia cells. Many downstream effectors of Bcr-Abl have been described, including activation of both the Grb2-SoS-Ras-MAPK and Grb2-Gab2-PI3K-Akt pathways. The Bcr-Abl-Grb2 interaction, which is mediated by the direct interaction of the Grb2 SH2 domain with the phospho-Bcr-Abl Y177, is required for activation of these signaling pathways. Therefore, disrupting their interaction represents a potential therapeutic strategy for inhibiting the oncogenic downstream signals of Bcr-Abl. Adenovirus Ad-SH2-HA expressing the Grb2 SH2 domain was constructed and applied in this study. As expected, Ad-SH2-HA efficiently infected CML cells and functioned by binding to the phospho-Bcr-Abl Y177 site, competitively disrupting the Grb2 SH2-phospho-Bcr-Abl Y177 complex. They induced potent anti-proliferation and apoptosis-inducing effects in CML cell lines. Moreover, the Ras, MAPK and Akt activities were significantly reduced in the Ad-SH2-HA treated cells. These were not observed with the point-mutated control adenovirus Ad-Sm-HA with abolished phospho-Bcr-Abl Y177 binding sites. These data indicate that, in addition to the direct targeting of Bcr-Abl, selective inhibition of its downstream signaling pathways may be a therapeutic option for CML, and the Ad-SH2-HA-mediated killing strategy could be explored as a promising anti-leukemia agent in CML.

Rapid Evolution to Blast Crisis Associated with a Q252H ABL1 Kinase Domain Mutation in e19a2 BCR-ABL1 Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia

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Sarah L. McCarron

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A minority of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML patients express variant transcripts of which the e19a2 BCR-ABL1 fusion is the most common. Instances of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI resistance in e19a2 BCR-ABL1 CML patients have rarely been reported. A case of e19a2 BCR-ABL1 CML is described in whom imatinib resistance, associated with a Q252H ABL1 kinase domain mutation, became apparent soon after initiation of TKI therapy. The patient rapidly transformed to myeloid blast crisis (BC with considerable bone marrow fibrosis and no significant molecular response to a second generation TKI. The clinical course was complicated by comorbidities with the patient rapidly succumbing to advanced disease. This scenario of Q252H-associated TKI resistance with rapid BC transformation has not been previously documented in e19a2 BCR-ABL1 CML. This case highlights the considerable challenges remaining in the management of TKI-resistant BC CML, particularly in the elderly patient.

Molecular Determinants Underlying Binding Specificities of the ABL Kinase Inhibitors: Combining Alanine Scanning of Binding Hot Spots with Network Analysis of Residue Interactions and Coevolution.

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Amanda Tse

Full Text Available Quantifying binding specificity and drug resistance of protein kinase inhibitors is of fundamental importance and remains highly challenging due to complex interplay of structural and thermodynamic factors. In this work, molecular simulations and computational alanine scanning are combined with the network-based approaches to characterize molecular determinants underlying binding specificities of the ABL kinase inhibitors. The proposed theoretical framework unveiled a relationship between ligand binding and inhibitor-mediated changes in the residue interaction networks. By using topological parameters, we have described the organization of the residue interaction networks and networks of coevolving residues in the ABL kinase structures. This analysis has shown that functionally critical regulatory residues can simultaneously embody strong coevolutionary signal and high network centrality with a propensity to be energetic hot spots for drug binding. We have found that selective (Nilotinib and promiscuous (Bosutinib, Dasatinib kinase inhibitors can use their energetic hot spots to differentially modulate stability of the residue interaction networks, thus inhibiting or promoting conformational equilibrium between inactive and active states. According to our results, Nilotinib binding may induce a significant network-bridging effect and enhance centrality of the hot spot residues that stabilize structural environment favored by the specific kinase form. In contrast, Bosutinib and Dasatinib can incur modest changes in the residue interaction network in which ligand binding is primarily coupled only with the identity of the gate-keeper residue. These factors may promote structural adaptability of the active kinase states in binding with these promiscuous inhibitors. Our results have related ligand-induced changes in the residue interaction networks with drug resistance effects, showing that network robustness may be compromised by targeted mutations

Molecular Determinants Underlying Binding Specificities of the ABL Kinase Inhibitors: Combining Alanine Scanning of Binding Hot Spots with Network Analysis of Residue Interactions and Coevolution

Science.gov (United States)

Tse, Amanda; Verkhivker, Gennady M.

2015-01-01

Quantifying binding specificity and drug resistance of protein kinase inhibitors is of fundamental importance and remains highly challenging due to complex interplay of structural and thermodynamic factors. In this work, molecular simulations and computational alanine scanning are combined with the network-based approaches to characterize molecular determinants underlying binding specificities of the ABL kinase inhibitors. The proposed theoretical framework unveiled a relationship between ligand binding and inhibitor-mediated changes in the residue interaction networks. By using topological parameters, we have described the organization of the residue interaction networks and networks of coevolving residues in the ABL kinase structures. This analysis has shown that functionally critical regulatory residues can simultaneously embody strong coevolutionary signal and high network centrality with a propensity to be energetic hot spots for drug binding. We have found that selective (Nilotinib) and promiscuous (Bosutinib, Dasatinib) kinase inhibitors can use their energetic hot spots to differentially modulate stability of the residue interaction networks, thus inhibiting or promoting conformational equilibrium between inactive and active states. According to our results, Nilotinib binding may induce a significant network-bridging effect and enhance centrality of the hot spot residues that stabilize structural environment favored by the specific kinase form. In contrast, Bosutinib and Dasatinib can incur modest changes in the residue interaction network in which ligand binding is primarily coupled only with the identity of the gate-keeper residue. These factors may promote structural adaptability of the active kinase states in binding with these promiscuous inhibitors. Our results have related ligand-induced changes in the residue interaction networks with drug resistance effects, showing that network robustness may be compromised by targeted mutations of key mediating

The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor, wortmannin, inhibits insulin-induced activation of phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis and associated protein kinase C translocation in rat adipocytes.

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Standaert, M L; Avignon, A; Yamada, K; Bandyopadhyay, G; Farese, R V

1996-02-01

We questioned whether phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) and protein kinase C (PKC) function as interrelated signalling mechanisms during insulin action in rat adipocytes. Insulin rapidly activated a phospholipase D that hydrolyses phosphatidylcholine (PC), and this activation was accompanied by increases in diacylglycerol and translocative activation of PKC-alpha and PKC-beta in the plasma membrane. Wortmannin, an apparently specific PI 3-kinase inhibitor, inhibited insulin-stimulated, phospholipase D-dependent PC hydrolysis and subsequent translocation of PKC-alpha and PKC-beta to the plasma membrane. Wortmannin did not inhibit PKC directly in vitro, or the PKC-dependent effects of phorbol esters on glucose transport in intact adipocytes. The PKC inhibitor RO 31-8220 did not inhibit PI 3-kinase directly or its activation in situ by insulin, but inhibited both insulin-stimulated and phorbol ester-stimulated glucose transport. Our findings suggest that insulin acts through PI 3-kinase to activate a PC-specific phospholipase D and causes the translocative activation of PKC-alpha and PKC-beta in plasma membranes of rat adipocytes.

A Stabilized Demethoxyviridin Derivative Inhibits PI3 kinase

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Yuan, Hushan; Pupo, Monica T.; Blois, Joe; Smith, Adam; Weissleder, Ralph; Clardy, Jon; Josephson, Lee

2009-01-01

The viridins like demethoxyviridin (Dmv) and wortmannin (Wm) are nanomolar inhibitors of the PI3 kinases, a family of enzymes that play key roles in a host of regulatory processes. Central to the use of these compounds to investigate the role of PI3 kinase in biological systems, or as scaffolds for drug development, are the interrelated issues of stability, chemical reactivity, and bioactivity as inhibitors of PI3 kinase. We found that Dmv was an even more potent inhibitor of PI3 kinase than Wm. However, Dmv was notably less stable than Wm in PBS, with a half-life of 26 min vs Wm’s half-life of 3470 min. Dmv, like Wm, disappeared in culture media with a half-life of less than 1 min. To overcome Dmv’s instability, it was esterified at the C1 position, and then reacted with glycine at the C20 position. The resulting Dmv derivative, termed SA-DmvC20-Gly had a half-life of 218 min in PBS and 64 min in culture media. SA-DmvC20-Gly underwent an exchange reaction at the C20 position with N-acetyl lysine in a manner similar to a WmC20 derivative, WmC20-Proline. SA-DmvC20-Gly inhibited PI3 kinase with an IC50 of 44 nM, compared to Wm’s IC50 of 12 nM. These results indicate that the stability of Dmv can be manipulated by reactions at the C1 and C20 positions, while substantially maintaining its ability to inhibit PI3 kinase. Our results indicate it may be possible to obtain stabilized Dmv derivatives for use as PI3 kinase inhibitors in biological systems. PMID:19523825

S -Nitrosylation inhibits the kinase activity of tomato phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1)

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Liu, Jian-Zhong; Duan, Jicheng; Ni, Min; Liu, Zhen; Qiu, Wen-Li; Whitham, Steven A.; Qian, Wei-Jun

2017-09-29

It is well known that the reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide (NO), can trigger cell death in plants, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are not well understood. Here, we provide evidence that NO may trigger cell death in tomato (Solanum lycopersicon) through inhibiting the phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1) kinase activity via S-nitrosylation. Biotin-switch assays and LC-MS/MS analyses demonstrated that SlPDK1 was a target of S-nitrosylation modification, which primarily occurred on the cysteine residue at position 128 (Cys128). Accordingly, the kinase activity of SlPDK1 was inhibited by S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) both in vitro and in vivo in a concentration-dependent manner, indicating that SlPDK1 activity is regulated by S-nitrosylation. The inhibition of SlPDK1 kinase activity by GSNO was reversible in the presence of a reducing agent but synergistically enhanced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Mutation of Cys128 to serine completely abolished SlPDK1 kinase activity, suggesting that S-nitrosylation of Cys128 is responsible for the inhibition of the kinase activity of SlPDK1. In sum, our results established a potential link between NO-triggered cell death and inhibition of the kinase activity of tomato PDK1, a conserved negative regulator of cell death in yeasts, mammals and plants. Nitric oxide (NO) potentiates the induction of hypersensitive cell death in soybean cells by reactive oxygen species (ROS) (1). However, the molecular mechanism of the NO-induced cell death remains an enigma. One potential mechanism is that the activity of proteins that control cell death may be altered by a post-translational modification, S-nitrosylation. S-nitrosylation is the addition of the NO moiety to thiol groups, including cysteine (Cys) residues in proteins, to form S-nitrosothiols (SNOs). S-nitrosylation is an enzyme-independent post-translational and labile modification that can function as an on/off switch of protein activity (2- 4). Thousands of diverse

c-Abl is an upstream regulator of acid sphingomyelinase in apoptosis induced by inhibition of integrins αvβ3 and αvβ5.

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Xiuhai Ren

Full Text Available Inhibition of integrins αvβ3/αvβ5 by the cyclic function-blocking peptide, RGDfV (Arg-Gly-Asp-Phe-Val can induce apoptosis in both normal cells and tumor cells. We show that RGDfV induced apoptosis in ECV-304 carcinoma cells, increased activity and mRNA expression of acid sphingomyelinase (ASM, and increased ceramides C(16, C(18:0, C(24:0 and C(24:1 while decreasing the corresponding sphingomyelins. siRNA to ASM decreased RGDfV-induced apoptosis as measured by TUNEL, PARP cleavage, mitochondrial depolarization, and caspase-3 and caspase-8 activities, as well as by annexinV in a 3D collagen model. These findings indicate a causal role for ASM in RGDfV-induced apoptosis in ECV-304. We have shown that c-Abl, a non-receptor tyrosine kinase, also mediates RGDfV-induced apoptosis. However, c-Abl, has not been previously linked to ASM in any system. Here we show that STI-571 (imatinib, inhibitor of c-Abl inhibited RGDfV-induced ASM activity. Furthermore, STI-571 and c-Abl-siRNA both inhibited RGDfV-induced increase in ASM mRNA, but ASM-siRNA did not affect c-Abl phosphorylation or expression, supporting that c-Abl regulates the RGDfV-induced increase in ASM expression. These studies implicate ASM as a mediator of apoptosis induced by inhibition of integrins αvβ3/αvβ5, and for the first time place c-Abl as an upstream regulator of ASM expression and activity.

Chloride sensing by WNK1 kinase involves inhibition of autophosphorylation

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Piala, Alexander T.; Moon, Thomas M.; Akella, Radha; He, Haixia; Cobb, Melanie H.; Goldsmith, Elizabeth J.

2014-01-01

WNK1 [with no lysine (K)] is a serine-threonine kinase associated with a form of familial hypertension. WNK1 is at the top of a kinase cascade leading to phosphorylation of several cotransporters, in particular those transporting sodium, potassium, and chloride (NKCC), sodium and chloride (NCC), and potassium and chloride (KCC). The responsiveness of NKCC, NCC, and KCC to changes in extracellular chloride parallels their phosphorylation state, provoking the proposal that these transporters are controlled by a chloride-sensitive protein kinase. Here, we found that chloride stabilizes the inactive conformation of WNK1, preventing kinase autophosphorylation and activation. Crystallographic studies of inactive WNK1 in the presence of chloride revealed that chloride binds directly to the catalytic site, providing a basis for the unique position of the catalytic lysine. Mutagenesis of the chloride binding site rendered the kinase less sensitive to inhibition of autophosphorylation by chloride, validating the binding site. Thus, these data suggest that WNK1 functions as a chloride sensor through direct binding of a regulatory chloride ion to the active site, which inhibits autophosphorylation. PMID:24803536

Maintaining glycogen synthase kinase-3 activity is critical for mTOR kinase inhibitors to inhibit cancer cell growth.

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Koo, Junghui; Yue, Ping; Gal, Anthony A; Khuri, Fadlo R; Sun, Shi-Yong

2014-05-01

mTOR kinase inhibitors that target both mTORC1 and mTORC2 are being evaluated in cancer clinical trials. Here, we report that glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) is a critical determinant for the therapeutic response to this class of experimental drugs. Pharmacologic inhibition of GSK3 antagonized their suppressive effects on the growth of cancer cells similarly to genetic attenuation of GSK3. Conversely, expression of a constitutively activated form of GSK3β sensitized cancer cells to mTOR inhibition. Consistent with these findings, higher basal levels of GSK3 activity in a panel of human lung cancer cell lines correlated with more efficacious responses. Mechanistic investigations showed that mTOR kinase inhibitors reduced cyclin D1 levels in a GSK3β-dependent manner, independent of their effects on suppressing mTORC1 signaling and cap binding. Notably, selective inhibition of mTORC2 triggered proteasome-mediated cyclin D1 degradation, suggesting that mTORC2 blockade is responsible for GSK3-dependent reduction of cyclin D1. Silencing expression of the ubiquitin E3 ligase FBX4 rescued this reduction, implicating FBX4 in mediating this effect of mTOR inhibition. Together, our findings define a novel mechanism by which mTORC2 promotes cell growth, with potential implications for understanding the clinical action of mTOR kinase inhibitors. ©2014 AACR.

The isothiocyanate class of bioactive nutrients covalently inhibit the MEKK1 protein kinase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cross, Janet V; Foss, Frank W; Rady, Joshua M; Macdonald, Timothy L; Templeton, Dennis J

2007-01-01

Dietary isothiocyanates (ITCs) are electrophilic compounds that have diverse biological activities including induction of apoptosis and effects on cell cycle. They protect against experimental carcinogenesis in animals, an activity believed to result from the transcriptional induction of 'Phase 2' enzymes. The molecular mechanism of action of ITCs is unknown. Since ITCs are electrophiles capable of reacting with sulfhydryl groups on amino acids, we hypothesized that ITCs induce their biological effects through covalent modification of proteins, leading to changes in cell regulatory events. We previously demonstrated that stress-signaling kinase pathways are inhibited by other electrophilic compounds such as menadione. We therefore tested the effects of nutritional ITCs on MEKK1, an upstream regulator of the SAPK/JNK signal transduction pathway. The activity of MEKK1 expressed in cells was monitored using in vitro kinase assays to measure changes in catalytic activity. The activity of endogenous MEKK1, immunopurified from ITC treated and untreated LnCAP cells was also measured by in vitro kinase assay. A novel labeling and affinity reagent for detection of protein modification by ITCs was synthesized and used in competition assays to monitor direct modification of MEKK1 by ITC. Finally, immunoblots with phospho-specific antibodies were used to measure the activity of MAPK protein kinases. ITCs inhibited the MEKK1 protein kinase in a manner dependent on a specific cysteine residue in the ATP binding pocket. Inhibition of MEKK1 catalytic activity was due to direct, covalent and irreversible modification of the MEKK1 protein itself. In addition, ITCs inhibited the catalytic activity of endogenous MEKK1. This correlated with inhibition of the downstream target of MEKK1 activity, i.e. the SAPK/JNK kinase. This inhibition was specific to SAPK, as parallel MAPK pathways were unaffected. These results demonstrate that MEKK1 is directly modified and inhibited by

Inhibition of epithelial Na+ transport by atriopeptin, protein kinase c, and pertussis toxin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohrmann, M.; Cantiello, H.F.; Ausiello, D.A.

1987-01-01

The authors have recently shown the selective inhibition of an amiloride-sensitive, conductive pathway for Na + by atrial natriuretic peptide and 8-bromoguanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-BrcGMP) in the renal epithelial cell line, LLC-PK i . Using 22 Na + fluxes, they further investigated the modulation of Na + transport by atrial natriuretic peptide and by agents that increase cGMP production, activate protein kinase c, or modulate guanine nucleotide regulatory protein function. Sodium nitroprusside increases intracellular cGMP concentrations without affecting cAMP concentrations and completely inhibits amiloride-sensitive Na + uptake in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Oleoyl 2-acetylglycerol and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, activators of protein kinase c, inhibit Na + uptake by 93 ± 13 and 51 ± 10%, respectively. Prolonged incubation with phorbol ester results in the downregulation of protein kinase c activity and reduces the inhibitory effect of atrial natriuretic peptide, suggesting that the action of this peptide involves stimulation of protein kinase c. Pertussis toxin, which induces the ADP-ribosylation of a 41-kDa guanine nucleotide regulatory protein in LLC-PK i cells, inhibits 22 Na + influx to the same extent as amiloride. Thus, increasing cGMP, activating protein kinase c, and ADP-ribosylating a guanine nucleotide regulatory protein all inhibit Na + uptake. These events may be sequentially involved in the action of atrial natriuretic peptide

c-Abl phosphorylation of Yin Yang 1's conserved tyrosine 254 in the spacer region modulates its transcriptional activity.

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Daraiseh, Susan I; Kassardjian, Ari; Alexander, Karen E; Rizkallah, Raed; Hurt, Myra M

2018-05-25

Yin Yang 1 (YY1) is a multifunctional transcription factor that can activate or repress transcription depending on the promotor and/or the co-factors recruited. YY1 is phosphorylated in various signaling pathways and is critical for different biological functions including embryogenesis, apoptosis, proliferation, cell-cycle regulation and tumorigenesis. Here we report that YY1 is a substrate for c-Abl kinase phosphorylation at conserved residue Y254 in the spacer region. Pharmacological inhibition of c-Abl kinase by imatinib, nilotinib and GZD824, knock-down of c-Abl using siRNA, and the use of c-Abl kinase-dead drastically reduces tyrosine phosphorylation of YY1. Both radioactive and non-radioactive in vitro kinase assays, as well as co-immunoprecipitation in different cell lines, show that the target of c-Abl phosphorylation is tyrosine residue 254. c-Abl phosphorylation has little effect on YY1 DNA binding ability or cellular localization in asynchronous cells. However, functional studies reveal that c-Abl mediated phosphorylation of YY1 regulates YY1's transcriptional ability in vivo. In conclusion, we demonstrate the novel role of c-Abl kinase in regulation of YY1's transcriptional activity, linking YY1 regulation with c-Abl tyrosine kinase signaling pathways. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Raf Kinase Inhibitory Protein protects cells against locostatin-mediated inhibition of migration.

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Anne N Shemon

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Raf Kinase Inhibitory Protein (RKIP, also PEBP1, a member of the Phosphatidylethanolamine Binding Protein family, negatively regulates growth factor signaling by the Raf/MAP kinase pathway. Since an organic compound, locostatin, was reported to bind RKIP and inhibit cell migration by a Raf-dependent mechanism, we addressed the role of RKIP in locostatin function.We analyzed locostatin interaction with RKIP and examined the biological consequences of locostatin binding on RKIP function. NMR studies show that a locostatin precursor binds to the conserved phosphatidylethanolamine binding pocket of RKIP. However, drug binding to the pocket does not prevent RKIP association with its inhibitory target, Raf-1, nor affect RKIP phosphorylation by Protein Kinase C at a regulatory site. Similarly, exposure of wild type, RKIP-depleted HeLa cells or RKIP-deficient (RKIP(-/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs to locostatin has no effect on MAP kinase activation. Locostatin treatment of wild type MEFs causes inhibition of cell migration following wounding. RKIP deficiency impairs migration further, indicating that RKIP protects cells against locostatin-mediated inhibition of migration. Locostatin treatment of depleted or RKIP(-/- MEFs reveals cytoskeletal disruption and microtubule abnormalities in the spindle.These results suggest that locostatin's effects on cytoskeletal structure and migration are caused through mechanisms independent of its binding to RKIP and Raf/MAP kinase signaling. The protective effect of RKIP against drug inhibition of migration suggests a new role for RKIP in potentially sequestering toxic compounds that may have deleterious effects on cells.

Raf Kinase Inhibitory Protein protects cells against locostatin-mediated inhibition of migration.

Science.gov (United States)

Shemon, Anne N; Eves, Eva M; Clark, Matthew C; Heil, Gary; Granovsky, Alexey; Zeng, Lingchun; Imamoto, Akira; Koide, Shohei; Rosner, Marsha Rich

2009-06-24

Raf Kinase Inhibitory Protein (RKIP, also PEBP1), a member of the Phosphatidylethanolamine Binding Protein family, negatively regulates growth factor signaling by the Raf/MAP kinase pathway. Since an organic compound, locostatin, was reported to bind RKIP and inhibit cell migration by a Raf-dependent mechanism, we addressed the role of RKIP in locostatin function. We analyzed locostatin interaction with RKIP and examined the biological consequences of locostatin binding on RKIP function. NMR studies show that a locostatin precursor binds to the conserved phosphatidylethanolamine binding pocket of RKIP. However, drug binding to the pocket does not prevent RKIP association with its inhibitory target, Raf-1, nor affect RKIP phosphorylation by Protein Kinase C at a regulatory site. Similarly, exposure of wild type, RKIP-depleted HeLa cells or RKIP-deficient (RKIP(-/-)) mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) to locostatin has no effect on MAP kinase activation. Locostatin treatment of wild type MEFs causes inhibition of cell migration following wounding. RKIP deficiency impairs migration further, indicating that RKIP protects cells against locostatin-mediated inhibition of migration. Locostatin treatment of depleted or RKIP(-/-) MEFs reveals cytoskeletal disruption and microtubule abnormalities in the spindle. These results suggest that locostatin's effects on cytoskeletal structure and migration are caused through mechanisms independent of its binding to RKIP and Raf/MAP kinase signaling. The protective effect of RKIP against drug inhibition of migration suggests a new role for RKIP in potentially sequestering toxic compounds that may have deleterious effects on cells.

Effect of Glucuronidation on the Potential of Kaempferol to Inhibit Serine/Threonine Protein Kinases

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beekmann, Karsten; Haan, De Laura H.J.; Actis-Goretta, Lucas; Bladeren, Van Peter J.; Rietjens, Ivonne M.C.M.

2016-01-01

To study the effect of metabolic conjugation of flavonoids on the potential to inhibit protein kinase activity, the inhibitory effects of the dietary flavonol kaempferol and its major plasma conjugate kaempferol-3-O-glucuronide on protein kinases were studied. To this end, the inhibition of the

The isothiocyanate class of bioactive nutrients covalently inhibit the MEKK1 protein kinase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Macdonald Timothy L

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Dietary isothiocyanates (ITCs are electrophilic compounds that have diverse biological activities including induction of apoptosis and effects on cell cycle. They protect against experimental carcinogenesis in animals, an activity believed to result from the transcriptional induction of "Phase 2" enzymes. The molecular mechanism of action of ITCs is unknown. Since ITCs are electrophiles capable of reacting with sulfhydryl groups on amino acids, we hypothesized that ITCs induce their biological effects through covalent modification of proteins, leading to changes in cell regulatory events. We previously demonstrated that stress-signaling kinase pathways are inhibited by other electrophilic compounds such as menadione. We therefore tested the effects of nutritional ITCs on MEKK1, an upstream regulator of the SAPK/JNK signal transduction pathway. Methods The activity of MEKK1 expressed in cells was monitored using in vitro kinase assays to measure changes in catalytic activity. The activity of endogenous MEKK1, immunopurified from ITC treated and untreated LnCAP cells was also measured by in vitro kinase assay. A novel labeling and affinity reagent for detection of protein modification by ITCs was synthesized and used in competition assays to monitor direct modification of MEKK1 by ITC. Finally, immunoblots with phospho-specific antibodies were used to measure the activity of MAPK protein kinases. Results ITCs inhibited the MEKK1 protein kinase in a manner dependent on a specific cysteine residue in the ATP binding pocket. Inhibition of MEKK1 catalytic activity was due to direct, covalent and irreversible modification of the MEKK1 protein itself. In addition, ITCs inhibited the catalytic activity of endogenous MEKK1. This correlated with inhibition of the downstream target of MEKK1 activity, i.e. the SAPK/JNK kinase. This inhibition was specific to SAPK, as parallel MAPK pathways were unaffected. Conclusion These results

K-252a, a novel microbial product, inhibits smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakanishi, S.; Yamada, K.; Kase, H.; Nakamura, S.; Nonomura, Y.

1988-01-01

Effects of K-252a, purified from the culture broth of Nocardiopsis sp., on the activity of myosin (light chain kinase were investigated. 1) K-252a affected three characteristic properties of chicken gizzard myosin-B, natural actomyosin, to a similar degree: the Ca 2+ -dependent activity of ATPase, superprecipitation, and the phosphorylation of the myosin light chain. 2) K-252a inhibited the activities of the purified myosin light chain kinase and a Ca 2+ -independent form of the enzyme which was constructed by cross-linking of myosin light chain kinase and calmodulin using glutaraldehyde. The degrees of inhibition by 3 x 10 -6 M K-252a were 69 and 48% of the control activities with the purified enzyme and the cross-linked complex, respectively. Chlorpromazine (3 x 10 -4 M), a calmodulin antagonist, inhibited the native enzyme, but not the cross-linked one. These results suggested that K-252a inhibited myosin light chain kinase by direct interaction with the enzyme, whereas chlorpromazine suppressed the enzyme activation by interacting with calmodulin. 3) The inhibition by K-252a of the cross-linked kinase was affected by the concentration of ATP, a phosphate donor. The concentration causing 50% inhibition was two orders magnitude lowere in the presence of 100 μM ATP than in the presence of 2 mM ATP. 4) Kinetic analyses using [γ- 32 P]ATP indicated that the inhibitory mode of K-252a was competitive with respect to ATP. These results suggest that K-252a interacts at the ATP-binding domain of myosin light chain kinase

Identifying kinase dependency in cancer cells by integrating high-throughput drug screening and kinase inhibition data.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryall, Karen A; Shin, Jimin; Yoo, Minjae; Hinz, Trista K; Kim, Jihye; Kang, Jaewoo; Heasley, Lynn E; Tan, Aik Choon

2015-12-01

Targeted kinase inhibitors have dramatically improved cancer treatment, but kinase dependency for an individual patient or cancer cell can be challenging to predict. Kinase dependency does not always correspond with gene expression and mutation status. High-throughput drug screens are powerful tools for determining kinase dependency, but drug polypharmacology can make results difficult to interpret. We developed Kinase Addiction Ranker (KAR), an algorithm that integrates high-throughput drug screening data, comprehensive kinase inhibition data and gene expression profiles to identify kinase dependency in cancer cells. We applied KAR to predict kinase dependency of 21 lung cancer cell lines and 151 leukemia patient samples using published datasets. We experimentally validated KAR predictions of FGFR and MTOR dependence in lung cancer cell line H1581, showing synergistic reduction in proliferation after combining ponatinib and AZD8055. KAR can be downloaded as a Python function or a MATLAB script along with example inputs and outputs at: http://tanlab.ucdenver.edu/KAR/. aikchoon.tan@ucdenver.edu. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Regulatory effects of sestrin 3 (SESN3 in BCR-ABL expressing cells.

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Eliza Vakana

Full Text Available Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML and Ph+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL are characterized by the presence of the BCR-ABL oncoprotein, which leads to activation of a plethora of pro-mitogenic and pro-survival pathways, including the mTOR signaling cascade. We provide evidence that in BCR-ABL expressing cells, treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs results in upregulation of mRNA levels and protein expression of sestrin3 (SESN3, a unique cellular inhibitor of mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1. Such upregulation appears to be mediated by regulatory effects on mTOR, as catalytic inhibition of the mTOR kinase also induces SESN3. Catalytic mTOR inhibition also results in upregulation of SESN3 expression in cells harboring the TKI-insensitive T315I-BCR-ABL mutant, which is resistant to imatinib mesylate. Overexpression of SESN3 results in inhibitory effects on different Ph+ leukemic cell lines including KT-1-derived leukemic precursors, indicating that SESN3 mediates anti-leukemic responses in Ph+ cells. Altogether, our findings suggest the existence of a novel mechanism for the generation of antileukemic responses in CML cells, involving upregulation of SESN3 expression.

Aurora B kinase inhibition in mitosis: strategies for optimising the use of aurora kinase inhibitors such as AT9283.

Science.gov (United States)

Curry, Jayne; Angove, Hayley; Fazal, Lynsey; Lyons, John; Reule, Matthias; Thompson, Neil; Wallis, Nicola

2009-06-15

Aurora kinases play a key role in regulating mitotic division and are attractive oncology targets. AT9283, a multi-targeted kinase inhibitor with potent activity against Aurora A and B kinases, inhibited growth and survival of multiple solid tumor cell lines and was efficacious in mouse xenograft models. AT9283-treatment resulted in endoreduplication and ablation of serine-10 histone H3 phosphorylation in both cells and tumor samples, confirming that in these models it acts as an Aurora B kinase inhibitor. In vitro studies demonstrated that exposure to AT9283 for one complete cell cycle committed an entire population of p53 checkpoint-compromised cells (HCT116) to multinucleation and death whereas treatment of p53 checkpoint-competent cells (HMEC, A549) for a similar length of time led to a reversible arrest of cells with 4N DNA. Further studies in synchronized cell populations suggested that exposure to AT9283 during mitosis was critical for optimal cytotoxicity. We therefore investigated ways in which these properties might be exploited to optimize the efficacy and therapeutic index of Aurora kinase inhibitors for p53 checkpoint compromised tumors in vivo. Combining Aurora B kinase inhibition with paclitaxel, which arrests cells in mitosis, in a xenograft model resulted in promising efficacy without additional toxicity. These findings have implications for optimizing the efficacy of Aurora kinase inhibitors in clinical practice.

RNAi screen reveals an Abl kinase-dependent host cell pathway involved in Pseudomonas aeruginosa internalization.

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Julia F Pielage

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Internalization of the pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa by non-phagocytic cells is promoted by rearrangements of the actin cytoskeleton, but the host pathways usurped by this bacterium are not clearly understood. We used RNAi-mediated gene inactivation of approximately 80 genes known to regulate the actin cytoskeleton in Drosophila S2 cells to identify host molecules essential for entry of P. aeruginosa. This work revealed Abl tyrosine kinase, the adaptor protein Crk, the small GTPases Rac1 and Cdc42, and p21-activated kinase as components of a host signaling pathway that leads to internalization of P. aeruginosa. Using a variety of complementary approaches, we validated the role of this pathway in mammalian cells. Remarkably, ExoS and ExoT, type III secreted toxins of P. aeruginosa, target this pathway by interfering with GTPase function and, in the case of ExoT, by abrogating P. aeruginosa-induced Abl-dependent Crk phosphorylation. Altogether, this work reveals that P. aeruginosa utilizes the Abl pathway for entering host cells and reveals unexpected complexity by which the P. aeruginosa type III secretion system modulates this internalization pathway. Our results furthermore demonstrate the applicability of using RNAi screens to identify host signaling cascades usurped by microbial pathogens that may be potential targets for novel therapies directed against treatment of antibiotic-resistant infections.

Identification of small molecules that disrupt signaling between ABL and its positive regulator RIN1.

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Pamela Y Ting

Full Text Available Constitutively active BCR-ABL kinase fusions are causative mutations in the pathogenesis of hematopoietic neoplasias including chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML. Although these fusions have been successfully targeted with kinase inhibitors, drug-resistance and relapse continue to limit long-term survival, highlighting the need for continued innovative drug discovery. We developed a time-resolved Förster resonance energy transfer (TR-FRET -based assay to identify compounds that disrupt stimulation of the ABL kinase by blocking its ability to bind the positive regulator RIN1. This assay was used in a high throughput screen (HTS of two small molecule libraries totaling 444,743 compounds. 708 confirmed hits were counter-screened to eliminate off-target inhibitors and reanalyzed to prioritize compounds with IC50 values below 10 μM. The CML cell line K562 was then used to identify five compounds that decrease MAPK1/3 phosphorylation, which we determined to be an indicator of RIN1-dependent ABL signaling. One of these compounds is a thiadiazole, and the other four are structurally related acyl piperidine amides. Notably, these five compounds lower cellular BCR-ABL1 kinase activity by blocking a positive regulatory interaction rather than directly inhibiting ABL catalytic function.

A novel dual inhibitor of microtubule and Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibits survival of multiple myeloma and osteoclastogenesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Pandey, Manoj K; Gowda, Krishne; Sung, Shen-Shu; Abraham, Thomas; Budak-Alpdogan, Tulin; Talamo, Giampolo; Dovat, Sinisa; Amin, Shantu

2017-09-01

Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) regulates many vital signaling pathways and plays a critical role in cell proliferation, survival, migration, and resistance. Previously, we reported that a small molecule, KS99, is an inhibitor of tubulin polymerization. In the present study, we explored whether KS99 is a dual inhibitor of BTK and tubulin polymerization. Although it is known that BTK is required for clonogenic growth and resistance, and microtubules are essential for cancer cell growth, dual targeting of these two components has not been explored previously. Through docking studies, we predicted that KS99 interacts directly with the catalytic domain of BTK and inhibits phosphorylation at the Y223 residue and kinase activities. Treatment of KS99 reduces the cell viability of multiple myeloma (MM) and CD138 + cells, with an IC 50 of between 0.5 and 1.0 μmol/L. We found that KS99 is able to induce apoptosis in MM cells in a caspase-dependent manner. KS99 suppressed the receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced differentiation of macrophages to osteoclasts in a dose-dependent manner and, importantly, inhibited the expression of cytokines associated with bone loss. Finally, we found that KS99 inhibits the in vivo tumor growth of MM cells through the inhibition of BTK and tubulin. Overall, our results show that dual inhibition of BTK and tubulin polymerization by KS99 is a viable option in MM treatment, particularly in the inhibition of refraction and relapse. Copyright © 2017 ISEH - International Society for Experimental Hematology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Inhibition of protein kinase C induces differentiation in Neuro-2a cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minana, M.D.; Felipo, V.; Grisolia, S.

1990-01-01

1-(5-Isoquinolinylsulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H7), a potent inhibitor of protein kinase C, induced neuritogenesis in Neuro-2a cells, whereas N-(2-guanidinoethyl)-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide (HA 1004), which inhibits more efficiently cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinases, did not. The effect, noticeable after 3 hr, was maximum (13-fold increase at 500 μM H7) between 1 and 3 days and was maintained over 2 months. In controls, 90% of the cells were undifferentiated, whereas after 3 hr with 500 μM H7 only 25% of the cells remained undifferentiated. DNA synthesis decreased as the number of differentiated cells increased. Differentiation is also functional since acetylcholinesterase activity increased ∼7-fold after 48 hr with 500 μM H7. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, a specific activator of protein kinase C, prevented or reversed the induction of neuritogenesis and the inhibition of DNA synthesis by H7. There is a good correlation between the level of protein kinase C and the percentage of differentiated cells. The results indicate that protein kinase C may play a key role in the control of differentiation of neural cells. Some possible clinical implications are briefly discussed

The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor, wortmannin, inhibits insulin-induced activation of phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis and associated protein kinase C translocation in rat adipocytes.

OpenAIRE

Standaert, M L; Avignon, A; Yamada, K; Bandyopadhyay, G; Farese, R V

1996-01-01

We questioned whether phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) and protein kinase C (PKC) function as interrelated signalling mechanisms during insulin action in rat adipocytes. Insulin rapidly activated a phospholipase D that hydrolyses phosphatidylcholine (PC), and this activation was accompanied by increases in diacylglycerol and translocative activation of PKC-alpha and PKC-beta in the plasma membrane. Wortmannin, an apparently specific PI 3-kinase inhibitor, inhibited insulin-stimulat...

Maribavir Inhibits Epstein-Barr Virus Transcription through the EBV Protein Kinase

Science.gov (United States)

Whitehurst, Christopher B.; Sanders, Marcia K.; Law, Mankit; Wang, Fu-Zhang; Xiong, Jie; Dittmer, Dirk P.

2013-01-01

Maribavir (MBV) inhibits Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) replication and the enzymatic activity of the viral protein kinase BGLF4. MBV also inhibits expression of multiple EBV transcripts during EBV lytic infection. Here we demonstrate, with the use of a BGLF4 knockout virus, that effects of MBV on transcription take place primarily through inhibition of BGLF4. MBV inhibits viral genome copy numbers and infectivity to levels similar to and exceeding levels produced by BGLF4 knockout virus. PMID:23449792

Structural Analysis of DFG-in and DFG-out Dual Src-Abl Inhibitors Sharing a Common Vinyl Purine Template

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Tianjun; Commodore, Lois; Huang, Wei-Sheng; Wang, Yihan; Sawyer, Tomi K.; Shakespeare, William C.; Clackson, Tim; Zhu, Xiaotian; Dalgarno, David C. (ARIAD)

2010-09-30

Bcr-Abl is the oncogenic protein tyrosine kinase responsible for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Treatment of the disease with imatinib (Gleevec) often results in drug resistance via kinase mutations at the advanced phases of the disease, which has necessitated the development of new mutation-resistant inhibitors, notably against the T315I gatekeeper mutation. As part of our efforts to discover such mutation resistant Abl inhibitors, we have focused on optimizing purine template kinase inhibitors, leading to the discovery of potent DFG-in and DFG-out series of Abl inhibitors that are also potent Src inhibitors. Here we present crystal structures of Abl bound by two such inhibitors, based on a common N9-arenyl purine, and that represent both DFG-in and -out binding modes. In each structure the purine template is bound deeply in the adenine pocket and the novel vinyl linker forms a non-classical hydrogen bond to the gatekeeper residue, Thr315. Specific template substitutions promote either a DFG-in or -out binding mode, with the kinase binding site adjusting to optimize molecular recognition. Bcr-Abl T315I mutant kinase is resistant to all currently marketed Abl inhibitors, and is the focus of intense drug discovery efforts. Notably, our DFG-out inhibitor, AP24163, exhibits modest activity against this mutant, illustrating that this kinase mutant can be inhibited by DFG-out class inhibitors. Furthermore our DFG-out inhibitor exhibits dual Src-Abl activity, absent from the prototypical DFG-out inhibitor, imatinib as well as its analog, nilotinib. The data presented here provides structural guidance for the further design of novel potent DFG-out class inhibitors against Src, Abl and Abl T315I mutant kinases.

The chimeric ubiquitin ligase SH2-U-box inhibits the growth of imatinib-sensitive and resistant CML by targeting the native and T315I-mutant BCR-ABL.

Science.gov (United States)

Ru, Yi; Wang, Qinhao; Liu, Xiping; Zhang, Mei; Zhong, Daixing; Ye, Mingxiang; Li, Yuanchun; Han, Hua; Yao, Libo; Li, Xia

2016-06-22

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is characterized by constitutively active fusion protein tyrosine kinase BCR-ABL. Although the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) against BCR-ABL, imatinib, is the first-line therapy for CML, acquired resistance almost inevitably emerges. The underlying mechanism are point mutations within the BCR-ABL gene, among which T315I is notorious because it resists to almost all currently available inhibitors. Here we took use of a previously generated chimeric ubiquitin ligase, SH2-U-box, in which SH2 from the adaptor protein Grb2 acts as a binding domain for activated BCR-ABL, while U-box from CHIP functions as an E3 ubiquitin ligase domain, so as to target the ubiquitination and degradation of both native and T315I-mutant BCR-ABL. As such, SH2-U-box significantly inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in CML cells harboring either the wild-type or T315I-mutant BCR-ABL (K562 or K562R), with BCR-ABL-dependent signaling pathways being repressed. Moreover, SH2-U-box worked in concert with imatinib in K562 cells. Importantly, SH2-U-box-carrying lentivirus could markedly suppress the growth of K562-xenografts in nude mice or K562R-xenografts in SCID mice, as well as that of primary CML cells. Collectively, by degrading the native and T315I-mutant BCR-ABL, the chimeric ubiquitin ligase SH2-U-box may serve as a potential therapy for both imatinib-sensitive and resistant CML.

Telocinobufagin inhibits the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of breast cancer cells through the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/extracellular signal-regulated kinase/Snail signaling pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Yuxue; Shi, Lihong; Cao, Zhen; Zhu, Xuetao; Li, Feng; Wang, Ruyan; Xu, Jinyuan; Zhong, Jinyi; Zhang, Baogang; Lu, Shijun

2018-05-01

Telocinobufagin (TBG), an active ingredient of Venenumbufonis , exhibits an immunomodulatory activity. However, its antimetastatic activity in breast cancer remains unknown. The present study investigated whether TBG prevents breast cancer metastasis and evaluated its regulatory mechanism. TBG inhibited the migration and invasion of 4T1 breast cancer cells. Furthermore, TBG triggered the collapse of F-actin filaments in breast cancer. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, vimentin and fibronectin, were downregulated following TBG treatment. However, E-cadherin was upregulated following TBG treatment. Snail, a crucial transcriptional factor of EMT, was downregulated following TBG treatment. Signaling pathway markers, including phosphorylated protein kinase B (P-Akt), p-mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and p-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), were decreased following TBG treatment. The same results were obtained from in vivo experiments. In conclusion, in vitro and in vivo experiments reveal that TBG inhibited migration, invasion and EMT via the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/ERK/Snail signaling pathway in breast cancer.

Inhibition of colony-stimulating-factor-1 signaling in vivo with the orally bioavailable cFMS kinase inhibitor GW2580.

Science.gov (United States)

Conway, James G; McDonald, Brad; Parham, Janet; Keith, Barry; Rusnak, David W; Shaw, Eva; Jansen, Marilyn; Lin, Peiyuan; Payne, Alan; Crosby, Renae M; Johnson, Jennifer H; Frick, Lloyd; Lin, Min-Hwa Jasmine; Depee, Scott; Tadepalli, Sarva; Votta, Bart; James, Ian; Fuller, Karen; Chambers, Timothy J; Kull, Frederick C; Chamberlain, Stanley D; Hutchins, Jeff T

2005-11-01

Colony-stimulating-factor-1 (CSF-1) signaling through cFMS receptor kinase is increased in several diseases. To help investigate the role of cFMS kinase in disease, we identified GW2580, an orally bioavailable inhibitor of cFMS kinase. GW2580 completely inhibited human cFMS kinase in vitro at 0.06 microM and was inactive against 26 other kinases. GW2580 at 1 microM completely inhibited CSF-1-induced growth of mouse M-NFS-60 myeloid cells and human monocytes and completely inhibited bone degradation in cultures of human osteoclasts, rat calvaria, and rat fetal long bone. In contrast, GW2580 did not affect the growth of mouse NS0 lymphoblastoid cells, human endothelial cells, human fibroblasts, or five human tumor cell lines. GW2580 also did not affect lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced TNF, IL-6, and prostaglandin E2 production in freshly isolated human monocytes and mouse macrophages. After oral administration, GW2580 blocked the ability of exogenous CSF-1 to increase LPS-induced IL-6 production in mice, inhibited the growth of CSF-1-dependent M-NFS-60 tumor cells in the peritoneal cavity, and diminished the accumulation of macrophages in the peritoneal cavity after thioglycolate injection. Unexpectedly, GW2580 inhibited LPS-induced TNF production in mice, in contrast to effects on monocytes and macrophages in vitro. In conclusion, GW2580's selective inhibition of monocyte growth and bone degradation is consistent with cFMS kinase inhibition. The ability of GW2580 to chronically inhibit CSF-1 signaling through cFMS kinase in normal and tumor cells in vivo makes GW2580 a useful tool in assessing the role of cFMS kinase in normal and disease processes.

Ibrutinib Inhibits ERBB Receptor Tyrosine Kinases and HER2-Amplified Breast Cancer Cell Growth.

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Chen, Jun; Kinoshita, Taisei; Sukbuntherng, Juthamas; Chang, Betty Y; Elias, Laurence

2016-12-01

Ibrutinib is a potent, small-molecule Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor developed for the treatment of B-cell malignancies. Ibrutinib covalently binds to Cys481 in the ATP-binding domain of BTK. This cysteine residue is conserved among 9 other tyrosine kinases, including HER2 and EGFR, which can be targeted. Screening large panels of cell lines demonstrated that ibrutinib was growth inhibitory against some solid tumor cells, including those inhibited by other HER2/EGFR inhibitors. Among sensitive cell lines, breast cancer lines with HER2 overexpression were most potently inhibited by ibrutinib (ibrutinib coincided with downregulation of phosphorylation on HER2 and EGFR and their downstream targets, AKT and ERK. Irreversible inhibition of HER2 and EGFR in breast cancer cells was established after 30-minute incubation above 100 nmol/L or following 2-hour incubation at lower concentrations. Furthermore, ibrutinib inhibited recombinant HER2 and EGFR activity that was resistant to dialysis and rapid dilution, suggesting an irreversible interaction. The dual activity toward TEC family (BTK and ITK) and ERBB family kinases was unique to ibrutinib, as ERBB inhibitors do not inhibit or covalently bind BTK or ITK. Xenograft studies with HER2 + MDA-MB-453 and BT-474 cells in mice in conjunction with determination of pharmacokinetics demonstrated significant exposure-dependent inhibition of growth and key signaling molecules at levels that are clinically achievable. Ibrutinib's unique dual spectrum of activity against both TEC family and ERBB kinases suggests broader applications of ibrutinib in oncology. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(12); 2835-44. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

A critical role of CDKN3 in Bcr-Abl-mediated tumorigenesis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qinghuang Chen

Full Text Available CDKN3 (cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 3, a dual specificity protein phosphatase, dephosphorylates cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs and thus functions as a key negative regulator of cell cycle progression. Deregulation or mutations of CDNK3 have been implicated in various cancers. However, the role of CDKN3 in Bcr-Abl-mediated chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML remains unknown. Here we found that CDKN3 acts as a tumor suppressor in Bcr-Abl-mediated leukemogenesis. Overexpression of CDKN3 sensitized the K562 leukemic cells to imanitib-induced apoptosis and dramatically inhibited K562 xenografted tumor growth in nude mouse model. Ectopic expression of CDKN3 significantly reduced the efficiency of Bcr-Abl-mediated transformation of FDCP1 cells to growth factor independence. In contrast, depletion of CDKN3 expression conferred resistance to imatinib-induced apoptosis in the leukemic cells and accelerated the growth of xenograph leukemia in mice. In addition, we found that CDKN3 mutant (CDKN3-C140S devoid of the phosphatase activity failed to affect the K562 leukemic cell survival and xenografted tumor growth, suggesting that the phosphatase of CDKN3 was required for its tumor suppressor function. Furthermore, we observed that overexpression of CDKN3 reduced the leukemic cell survival by dephosphorylating CDK2, thereby inhibiting CDK2-dependent XIAP expression. Moreover, overexpression of CDKN3 delayed G1/S transition in K562 leukemic cells. Our results highlight the importance of CDKN3 in Bcr-Abl-mediated leukemogenesis, and provide new insights into diagnostics and therapeutics of the leukemia.

Insulin utilizes the PI 3-kinase pathway to inhibit SP-A gene expression in lung epithelial cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Snyder Jeanne M

2002-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background It has been proposed that high insulin levels may cause delayed lung development in the fetuses of diabetic mothers. A key event in lung development is the production of adequate amounts of pulmonary surfactant. Insulin inhibits the expression of surfactant protein A (SP-A, the major surfactant-associated protein, in lung epithelial cells. In the present study, we investigated the signal transduction pathways involved in insulin inhibition of SP-A gene expression. Methods H441 cells, a human lung adenocarcinoma cell line, or human fetal lung explants were incubated with or without insulin. Transcription run-on assays were used to determine SP-A gene transcription rates. Northern blot analysis was used to examine the effect of various signal transduction inhibitors on SP-A gene expression. Immunoblot analysis was used to evaluate the levels and phosphorylation states of signal transduction protein kinases. Results Insulin decreased SP-A gene transcription in human lung epithelial cells within 1 hour. Insulin did not affect p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK phosphorylation and the insulin inhibition of SP-A mRNA levels was not affected by PD98059, an inhibitor of the p44/42 MAPK pathway. In contrast, insulin increased p70 S6 kinase Thr389 phosphorylation within 15 minutes. Wortmannin or LY294002, both inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase, or rapamycin, an inhibitor of the activation of p70 S6 kinase, a downstream effector in the PI 3-kinase pathway, abolished or attenuated the insulin-induced inhibition of SP-A mRNA levels. Conclusion Insulin inhibition of SP-A gene expression in lung epithelial cells probably occurs via the rapamycin-sensitive PI 3-kinase signaling pathway.

Defying c-Abl signaling circuits through small allosteric compounds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefania eGonfloni

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Many extracellular and intracellular signals promote the c-Abl tyrosine kinase activity. c-Abl in turn triggers a multitude of changes either in protein phosphorylation or in gene expression in the cell. Yet, c-Abl takes part in diverse signaling routes because of several domains linked to its catalytic core. Complex conformational changes turn on and off its kinase activity. These changes affect surface features of the c-Abl kinase and likely its capability to bind actin and/or DNA. Two specific inhibitors (ATP-competitive or allosteric compounds regulate the c-Abl kinase through different mechanisms. NMR studies show that a c-Abl fragment (SH3-SH2-linker-SH1 adopts different conformational states upon binding to each inhibitor. This supports an unconventional use for allosteric compounds to unraveling physiological c-Abl signaling circuits.

Inhibition of nucleoside diphosphate kinase activity by in vitro phosphorylation by protein kinase CK2. Differential phosphorylation of NDP kinases in HeLa cells in culture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Biondi, R M; Engel, M; Sauane, M

1996-01-01

that in vitro protein kinase CK2 catalyzed phosphorylation of human NDPK A inhibits its enzymatic activity by inhibiting the first step of its ping-pong mechanism of catalysis: its autophosphorylation. Upon in vivo 32P labeling of HeLa cells, we observed that both human NDPKs, A and B, were autophosphorylated...

Selective targeting of the mTORC1/2 protein kinase complexes leads to antileukemic effects in vitro and in vivo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuster, K; Zheng, J; Arbini, A A; Zhang, C C; Scaglioni, P P

2011-01-01

The BCR/ABL tyrosine kinase promotes leukemogenesis through activation of several targets that include the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), which target BCR/ABL, induce striking clinical responses. However, therapy with TKIs is associated with limitations such as drug intolerance, inability to universally eradicate the disease and emergence of BCR/ABL drug-resistant mutants. To overcome these limitations, we tested whether inhibition of the PI3K/target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway has antileukemic effect in primary hematopoietic stem cells and BA/F3 cells expressing the BCR/ABL oncoprotein. We determined that dual inhibition of PI3K/mTOR causes growth arrest and apoptosis leading to profound antileukemic effects both in vitro and in vivo. We also established that pharmacologic inhibition of the mTORC1/mTORC2 complexes is sufficient to cause these antileukemic effects. Our results support the development of inhibitors of the mTORC1/2 complexes for the therapy of leukemias that either express BCR/ABL or display deregulation of the PI3K/mTOR signaling pathway

Dual Inhibition of PDK1 and Aurora Kinase A: An Effective Strategy to Induce Differentiation and Apoptosis of Human Glioblastoma Multiforme Stem Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Daniele, Simona; Sestito, Simona; Pietrobono, Deborah; Giacomelli, Chiara; Chiellini, Grazia; Di Maio, Danilo; Marinelli, Luciana; Novellino, Ettore; Martini, Claudia; Rapposelli, Simona

2017-01-18

The poor prognosis of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is mainly attributed to drug resistance mechanisms and to the existence of a subpopulation of glioma stem cells (GSCs). Multitarget compounds able to both affect different deregulated pathways and the GSC subpopulation could escape tumor resistance and, most importantly, eradicate the stem cell reservoir. In this respect, the simultaneous inhibition of phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 (PDK1) and aurora kinase A (AurA), each one playing a pivotal role in cellular survival/migration/differentiation, could represent an innovative strategy to overcome GBM resistance and recurrence. Herein, the cross-talk between these pathways was investigated, using the single-target reference compounds MP7 (PDK1 inhibitor) and Alisertib (AurA inhibitor). Furthermore, a new ligand, SA16, was identified for its ability to inhibit the PDK1 and the AurA pathways at once, thus proving to be a useful tool for the simultaneous inhibition of the two kinases. SA16 blocked GBM cell proliferation, reduced tumor invasiveness, and triggered cellular apoptosis. Most importantly, the AurA/PDK1 blocker showed an increased efficacy against GSCs, inducing their differentiation and apoptosis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on combined targeting of PDK1 and AurA. This drug represents an attractive multitarget lead scaffold for the development of new potential treatments for GBM and GSCs.

Inhibition of polo-like kinase-1 by DNA damage occurs in an ATM- or ATR-dependent fashion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Vugt, MATM; Smits, VAJ; Klompmaker, R; Medema, RH

2001-01-01

Polo-like kinases play multiple roles in different phases of mitosis. We have recently shown that the mammalian polo-like kinase, Plk1, is inhibited in response to DNA damage and that this inhibition may lead to cell cycle arrests at multiple points in mitosis. Here we have investigated the role of

The anthraquinone emodin inhibits the non-exported FIKK kinase from Plasmodium falciparum.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Benjamin C; Harris, Darcy R; Kirkman, Lucy M D; Perez, Astrid M; Qian, Yiwen; Schermerhorn, Janse T; Hong, Min Y; Winston, Dennis S; Xu, Lingyin; Lieber, Alexander M; Hamilton, Matthew; Brandt, Gabriel S

2017-12-01

The FIKK family of kinases is unique to parasites of the Apicomplexan order, which includes all malaria parasites. Plasmodium falciparum, the most virulent form of human malaria, has a family of 19 FIKK kinases, most of which are exported into the host red blood cell during malaria infection. Here, we confirm that FIKK 8 is a non-exported member of the FIKK kinase family. Through expression and purification of the recombinant kinase domain, we establish that emodin is a relatively high-affinity (IC 50 =2μM) inhibitor of PfFk8. Closely related anthraquinones do not inhibit PfFk8, suggesting that the particular substitution pattern of emodin is critical to the inhibitory pharmacophore. This first report of a P. falciparum FIKK kinase inhibitor lays the groundwork for developing specific inhibitors of the various members of the FIKK kinase family in order to probe their physiological function. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Danusertib, a potent pan-Aurora kinase and ABL kinase inhibitor, induces cell cycle arrest and programmed cell death and inhibits epithelial to mesenchymal transition involving the PI3K/Akt/mTOR-mediated signaling pathway in human gastric cancer AGS and NCI-N78 cells

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Yuan CX

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Chun-Xiu Yuan,1,2 Zhi-Wei Zhou,2,3 Yin-Xue Yang,4 Zhi-Xu He,3 Xueji Zhang,5 Dong Wang,6 Tianxing Yang,7 Si-Yuan Pan,8 Xiao-Wu Chen,9 Shu-Feng Zhou2 1Department of Oncology, General Hospital, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA; 3Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering Research Center and Sino-US Joint Laboratory for Medical Sciences, Guiyang Medical University, Guiyang, 4Department of Colorectal Surgery, General Hospital, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 5Research Center for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 6Cancer Center, Daping Hospital and Research Institute of Surgery, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China; 7Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah and Salt Lake Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; 8Department of Pharmacology, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 9Department of General Surgery, The First People’s Hospital of Shunde, Southern Medical University, Shunde, People’s Republic of China Abstract: Gastric cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, with a poor response to current chemotherapy. Danusertib is a pan-inhibitor of the Aurora kinases and a third-generation Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitor with potent anticancer effects, but its antitumor effect and underlying mechanisms in the treatment of human gastric cancer are unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effects of danusertib on cell growth, apoptosis, autophagy, and epithelial to mesenchymal transition and the molecular mechanisms involved in human gastric cancer AGS and NCI-N78 cells. The results showed that danusertib had potent growth-inhibitory, apoptosis-inducing, and

c-Abl inhibitors enable insights into the pathophysiology and neuroprotection in Parkinson’s disease

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Dan Lindholm

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Parkinson’s disease (PD is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder causing movement disabilities and several non-motor symptoms in afflicted patients. Recent studies in animal models of PD and analyses of brain specimen from PD patients revealed an increase in the level and activity of the non-receptor tyrosine kinase Abelson (c-Abl in dopaminergic neurons with phosphorylation of protein substrates, such as α-synuclein and the E3 ubiquitin ligase, Parkin. Most significantly inhibition of c-Abl kinase activity by small molecular compounds used in the clinic to treat human leukemia have shown promising neuroprotective effects in cell and animal models of PD. This has raised hope that similar beneficial outcome may also be observed in the treatment of PD patients by using c-Abl inhibitors. Here we highlight the background for the current optimism, reviewing c-Abl and its relationship to pathophysiological pathways prevailing in PD, as well as discussing issues related to the pharmacology and safety of current c-Abl inhibitors. Clearly more rigorously controlled and well-designed trials are needed before the c-Abl inhibitors can be used in the neuroclinic to possibly benefit an increasing number of PD patients.

The Structural Basis for Activation and Inhibition of ZAP-70 Kinase Domain.

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Huber, Roland G; Fan, Hao; Bond, Peter J

2015-10-01

ZAP-70 (Zeta-chain-associated protein kinase 70) is a tyrosine kinase that interacts directly with the activated T-cell receptor to transduce downstream signals, and is hence a major player in the regulation of the adaptive immune response. Dysfunction of ZAP-70 causes selective T cell deficiency that in turn results in persistent infections. ZAP-70 is activated by a variety of signals including phosphorylation of the kinase domain (KD), and binding of its regulatory tandem Src homology 2 (SH2) domains to the T cell receptor. The present study investigates molecular mechanisms of activation and inhibition of ZAP-70 via atomically detailed molecular dynamics simulation approaches. We report microsecond timescale simulations of five distinct states of the ZAP-70 KD, comprising apo, inhibited and three phosphorylated variants. Extensive analysis of local flexibility and correlated motions reveal crucial transitions between the states, thus elucidating crucial steps in the activation mechanism of the ZAP-70 KD. Furthermore, we rationalize previously observed staurosporine-bound crystal structures, suggesting that whilst the KD superficially resembles an "active-like" conformation, the inhibitor modulates the underlying protein dynamics and restricts it in a compact, rigid state inaccessible to ligands or cofactors. Finally, our analysis reveals a novel, potentially druggable pocket in close proximity to the activation loop of the kinase, and we subsequently use its structure in fragment-based virtual screening to develop a pharmacophore model. The pocket is distinct from classical type I or type II kinase pockets, and its discovery offers promise in future design of specific kinase inhibitors, whilst mutations in residues associated with this pocket are implicated in immunodeficiency in humans.

The Structural Basis for Activation and Inhibition of ZAP-70 Kinase Domain.

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Roland G Huber

2015-10-01

Full Text Available ZAP-70 (Zeta-chain-associated protein kinase 70 is a tyrosine kinase that interacts directly with the activated T-cell receptor to transduce downstream signals, and is hence a major player in the regulation of the adaptive immune response. Dysfunction of ZAP-70 causes selective T cell deficiency that in turn results in persistent infections. ZAP-70 is activated by a variety of signals including phosphorylation of the kinase domain (KD, and binding of its regulatory tandem Src homology 2 (SH2 domains to the T cell receptor. The present study investigates molecular mechanisms of activation and inhibition of ZAP-70 via atomically detailed molecular dynamics simulation approaches. We report microsecond timescale simulations of five distinct states of the ZAP-70 KD, comprising apo, inhibited and three phosphorylated variants. Extensive analysis of local flexibility and correlated motions reveal crucial transitions between the states, thus elucidating crucial steps in the activation mechanism of the ZAP-70 KD. Furthermore, we rationalize previously observed staurosporine-bound crystal structures, suggesting that whilst the KD superficially resembles an "active-like" conformation, the inhibitor modulates the underlying protein dynamics and restricts it in a compact, rigid state inaccessible to ligands or cofactors. Finally, our analysis reveals a novel, potentially druggable pocket in close proximity to the activation loop of the kinase, and we subsequently use its structure in fragment-based virtual screening to develop a pharmacophore model. The pocket is distinct from classical type I or type II kinase pockets, and its discovery offers promise in future design of specific kinase inhibitors, whilst mutations in residues associated with this pocket are implicated in immunodeficiency in humans.

Pan-SRC kinase inhibition blocks B-cell receptor oncogenic signaling in non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

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Battistello, Elena; Katanayeva, Natalya; Dheilly, Elie; Tavernari, Daniele; Donaldson, Maria C; Bonsignore, Luca; Thome, Margot; Christie, Amanda L; Murakami, Mark A; Michielin, Olivier; Ciriello, Giovanni; Zoete, Vincent; Oricchio, Elisa

2018-05-24

In diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), activation of the B-cell receptor (BCR) promotes multiple oncogenic signals, which are essential for tumor proliferation. Inhibition of the Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK), a BCR downstream target, is therapeutically effective only in a subgroup of patients with DLBCL. Here, we used lymphoma cells isolated from patients with DLBCL to measure the effects of targeted therapies on BCR signaling and to anticipate response. In lymphomas resistant to BTK inhibition, we show that blocking BTK activity enhanced tumor dependencies from alternative oncogenic signals downstream of the BCR, converging on MYC upregulation. To completely ablate the activity of the BCR, we genetically and pharmacologically repressed the activity of the SRC kinases LYN, FYN, and BLK, which are responsible for the propagation of the BCR signal. Inhibition of these kinases strongly reduced tumor growth in xenografts and cell lines derived from patients with DLBCL independent of their molecular subtype, advancing the possibility to be relevant therapeutic targets in broad and diverse groups of DLBCL patients. © 2018 by The American Society of Hematology.

Suppression of Heregulin-β1/HER2-Modulated Invasive and Aggressive Phenotype of Breast Carcinoma by Pterostilbene via Inhibition of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9, p38 Kinase Cascade and Akt Activation

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Min-Hsiung Pan

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Invasive breast cancer is the major cause of death among females and its incidence is closely linked to HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 overexpression. Pterostilbene, a natural analog of resveratrol, exerts its cancer chemopreventive activity similar to resveratrol by inhibiting cancer cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis. However, the anti-invasive effect of pterostilbene on HER2-bearing breast cancer has not been evaluated. Here, we used heregulin-β1 (HRG-β1, a ligand for HER3, to transactivate HER2 signaling. We found that pterostilbene was able to suppress HRG-β1-mediated cell invasion, motility and cell transformation of MCF-7 human breast carcinoma through down-regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9 activity and growth inhibition. In parallel, pterostilbene also inhibited protein and mRNA expression of MMP-9 driven by HRG-β1, suggesting that pterostilbene decreased HRG-β1-mediated MMP-9 induction via transcriptional regulation. Examining the signaling pathways responsible for HRG-β1-associated MMP-9 induction and growth inhibition, we observed that pterostilbene, as well as SB203580 (p38 kinase inhibitor, can abolish the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 kinase, a downstream HRG-β1-responsive kinase responsible for MMP-9 induction. In addition, HRG-β1-driven Akt phosphorylation required for cell proliferation was also suppressed by pterostilbene. Taken together, our present results suggest that pterostilbene may serve as a chemopreventive agent to inhibit HRG-β1/HER2-mediated aggressive and invasive phenotype of breast carcinoma through down-regulation of MMP-9, p38 kinase and Akt activation.

Rho kinase inhibition drives megakaryocyte polyploidization and proplatelet formation through MYC and NFE2 downregulation.

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Avanzi, Mauro P; Goldberg, Francine; Davila, Jennifer; Langhi, Dante; Chiattone, Carlos; Mitchell, William Beau

2014-03-01

The processes of megakaryocyte polyploidization and demarcation membrane system (DMS) formation are crucial for platelet production, but the mechanisms controlling these processes are not fully determined. Inhibition of Rho kinase (ROCK) signalling leads to increased polyploidization in umbilical cord blood-derived megakaryocytes. To extend these findings we determined the effect of ROCK inhibition on development of the DMS and on proplatelet formation. The underlying mechanisms were explored by analysing the effect of ROCK inhibition on the expression of MYC and NFE2, which encode two transcription factors critical for megakaryocyte development. ROCK inhibition promoted DMS formation, and increased proplatelet formation and platelet release. Rho kinase inhibition also downregulated MYC and NFE2 expression in mature megakaryocytes, and this down-regulation correlated with increased proplatelet formation. Our findings suggest a model whereby ROCK inhibition drives polyploidization, DMS growth and proplatelet formation late in megakaryocyte maturation through downregulation of MYC and NFE2 expression. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1/2 inhibition and angiotensin II converting inhibition in mice with cardiomyopathy caused by lamin A/C gene mutation

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Muchir, Antoine, E-mail: a.muchir@institut-myologie.org [Department of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY (United States); Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY (United States); Wu, Wei [Department of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY (United States); Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY (United States); Sera, Fusako; Homma, Shunichi [Department of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY (United States); Worman, Howard J., E-mail: hjw14@columbia.edu [Department of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY (United States); Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY (United States)

2014-10-03

Highlights: • Both ACE and MEK1/2 inhibition are beneficial on cardiac function in Lmna cardiomyopathy. • MEK1/2 inhibitor has beneficial effects beyond ACE inhibition for Lmna cardiomyopathy. • These results provide further preclinical rationale for a clinical trial of a MEK1/2 inhibitor. - Abstract: Background: Mutations in the LMNA gene encoding A-type nuclear lamins can cause dilated cardiomyopathy with or without skeletal muscular dystrophy. Previous studies have shown abnormally increased extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 activity in hearts of Lmna{sup H222P/H222P} mice, a small animal model. Inhibition of this abnormal signaling activity with a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1/2 (MEK1/2) inhibitor has beneficial effects on heart function and survival in these mice. However, such treatment has not been examined relative to any standard of care intervention for dilated cardiomyopathy or heart failure. We therefore examined the effects of an angiotensin II converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor on left ventricular function in Lmna{sup H222P/H222P} mice and assessed if adding a MEK1/2 inhibitor would provide added benefit. Methods: Male Lmna{sup H222P/H222P} mice were treated with the ACE inhibitor benazepril, the MEK1/2 inhibitor selumetinib or both. Transthoracic echocardiography was used to measure left ventricular diameters and fractional shortening was calculated. Results: Treatment of Lmna{sup H222P/H222P} mice with either benazepril or selumetinib started at 8 weeks of age, before the onset of detectable left ventricular dysfunction, lead to statistically significantly increased fractional shortening compared to placebo at 16 weeks of age. There was a trend towards a great value for fractional shortening in the selumetinib-treated mice. When treatment was started at 16 weeks of age, after the onset of left ventricular dysfunction, the addition of selumetinib treatment to benazepril lead to a statistically significant increase in left

Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1/2 inhibition and angiotensin II converting inhibition in mice with cardiomyopathy caused by lamin A/C gene mutation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muchir, Antoine; Wu, Wei; Sera, Fusako; Homma, Shunichi; Worman, Howard J.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Both ACE and MEK1/2 inhibition are beneficial on cardiac function in Lmna cardiomyopathy. • MEK1/2 inhibitor has beneficial effects beyond ACE inhibition for Lmna cardiomyopathy. • These results provide further preclinical rationale for a clinical trial of a MEK1/2 inhibitor. - Abstract: Background: Mutations in the LMNA gene encoding A-type nuclear lamins can cause dilated cardiomyopathy with or without skeletal muscular dystrophy. Previous studies have shown abnormally increased extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 activity in hearts of Lmna H222P/H222P mice, a small animal model. Inhibition of this abnormal signaling activity with a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1/2 (MEK1/2) inhibitor has beneficial effects on heart function and survival in these mice. However, such treatment has not been examined relative to any standard of care intervention for dilated cardiomyopathy or heart failure. We therefore examined the effects of an angiotensin II converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor on left ventricular function in Lmna H222P/H222P mice and assessed if adding a MEK1/2 inhibitor would provide added benefit. Methods: Male Lmna H222P/H222P mice were treated with the ACE inhibitor benazepril, the MEK1/2 inhibitor selumetinib or both. Transthoracic echocardiography was used to measure left ventricular diameters and fractional shortening was calculated. Results: Treatment of Lmna H222P/H222P mice with either benazepril or selumetinib started at 8 weeks of age, before the onset of detectable left ventricular dysfunction, lead to statistically significantly increased fractional shortening compared to placebo at 16 weeks of age. There was a trend towards a great value for fractional shortening in the selumetinib-treated mice. When treatment was started at 16 weeks of age, after the onset of left ventricular dysfunction, the addition of selumetinib treatment to benazepril lead to a statistically significant increase in left ventricular fractional

The dynamical mechanism of auto-inhibition of AMP-activated protein kinase.

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Cheng Peng

2011-07-01

Full Text Available We use a novel normal mode analysis of an elastic network model drawn from configurations generated during microsecond all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to analyze the mechanism of auto-inhibition of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK. A recent X-ray and mutagenesis experiment (Chen, et al Nature 2009, 459, 1146 of the AMPK homolog S. Pombe sucrose non-fermenting 1 (SNF1 has proposed a new conformational switch model involving the movement of the kinase domain (KD between an inactive unphosphorylated open state and an active or semi-active phosphorylated closed state, mediated by the autoinhibitory domain (AID, and a similar mutagenesis study showed that rat AMPK has the same auto-inhibition mechanism. However, there is no direct dynamical evidence to support this model and it is not clear whether other functionally important local structural components are equally inhibited. By using the same SNF1 KD-AID fragment as that used in experiment, we show that AID inhibits the catalytic function by restraining the KD into an unproductive open conformation, thereby limiting local structural rearrangements, while mutations that disrupt the interactions between the KD and AID allow for both the local structural rearrangement and global interlobe conformational transition. Our calculations further show that the AID also greatly impacts the structuring and mobility of the activation loop.

Inhibition of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 alters the wound epidermis and enhances auricular cartilage regeneration.

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Qian-Shi Zhang

Full Text Available Why regeneration does not occur in mammals remains elusive. In lower vertebrates, epimorphic regeneration of the limb is directed by the wound epidermis, which controls blastema formation to promote regrowth of the appendage. Herein, we report that knockout (KO or inhibition of Apoptosis Signal-regulated Kinase-1 (ASK1, also known as mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 5 (MAP3K5, after full thickness ear punch in mice prolongs keratinocyte activation within the wound epidermis and promotes regeneration of auricular cartilage. Histological analysis showed the ASK1 KO ears displayed enhanced protein markers associated with blastema formation, hole closure and regeneration of auricular cartilage. At seven days after punch, the wound epidermis morphology was markedly different in the KO, showing a thickened stratum corneum with rounded cell morphology and a reduction of both the granular cell layer and decreased expression of filament aggregating protein. In addition, cytokeratin 6 was expressed in the stratum spinosum and granulosum. Topical application of inhibitors of ASK1 (NQDI-1, the upstream ASK1 activator, calcium activated mitogen kinase 2 (KN93, or the downstream target, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (SP600125 also resulted in enhanced regeneration; whereas inhibition of the other downstream target, the p38 α/β isoforms, (SB203580 had no effect. The results of this investigation indicate ASK1 inhibition prolongs keratinocyte and blastemal cell activation leading to ear regeneration.

Inhibition of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 alters the wound epidermis and enhances auricular cartilage regeneration

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qian-Shi; Kurpad, Deepa S.; Mahoney, My G.; Steinbeck, Marla J.

2017-01-01

Why regeneration does not occur in mammals remains elusive. In lower vertebrates, epimorphic regeneration of the limb is directed by the wound epidermis, which controls blastema formation to promote regrowth of the appendage. Herein, we report that knockout (KO) or inhibition of Apoptosis Signal-regulated Kinase-1 (ASK1), also known as mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 5 (MAP3K5), after full thickness ear punch in mice prolongs keratinocyte activation within the wound epidermis and promotes regeneration of auricular cartilage. Histological analysis showed the ASK1 KO ears displayed enhanced protein markers associated with blastema formation, hole closure and regeneration of auricular cartilage. At seven days after punch, the wound epidermis morphology was markedly different in the KO, showing a thickened stratum corneum with rounded cell morphology and a reduction of both the granular cell layer and decreased expression of filament aggregating protein. In addition, cytokeratin 6 was expressed in the stratum spinosum and granulosum. Topical application of inhibitors of ASK1 (NQDI-1), the upstream ASK1 activator, calcium activated mitogen kinase 2 (KN93), or the downstream target, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (SP600125) also resulted in enhanced regeneration; whereas inhibition of the other downstream target, the p38 α/β isoforms, (SB203580) had no effect. The results of this investigation indicate ASK1 inhibition prolongs keratinocyte and blastemal cell activation leading to ear regeneration. PMID:29045420

Lithium chloride increases the production of amyloid-beta peptide independently from its inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase 3.

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Feyt, Christine; Kienlen-Campard, Pascal; Leroy, Karelle; N'Kuli, Francisca; Courtoy, Pierre J; Brion, Jean-Pierre; Octave, Jean-Noël

2005-09-30

Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) is able to phosphorylate tau at many sites that are found to be phosphorylated in paired helical filaments in Alzheimer disease. Lithium chloride (LiCl) efficiently inhibits GSK3 and was recently reported to also decrease the production of amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta) from its precursor, the amyloid precursor protein. Therefore, lithium has been proposed as a combined therapeutic agent, inhibiting both the hyperphosphorylation of tau and the production of Abeta. Here, we demonstrate that the inhibition of GSK3 by LiCl induced the nuclear translocation of beta-catenin in Chinese hamster ovary cells and rat cultured neurons, in which a decrease in tau phosphorylation was observed. In both cellular models, a nontoxic concentration of LiCl increased the production of Abeta by increasing the beta-cleavage of amyloid precursor protein, generating more substrate for an unmodified gamma-secretase activity. SB415286, another GSK3 inhibitor, induced the nuclear translocation of beta-catenin and slightly decreased Abeta production. It is concluded that the LiCl-mediated increase in Abeta production is not related to GSK3 inhibition.

c-Abl Mediated Tyrosine Phosphorylation of Aha1 Activates Its Co-chaperone Function in Cancer Cells

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Diana M. Dunn

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The ability of Heat Shock Protein 90 (Hsp90 to hydrolyze ATP is essential for its chaperone function. The co-chaperone Aha1 stimulates Hsp90 ATPase activity, tailoring the chaperone function to specific “client” proteins. The intracellular signaling mechanisms directly regulating Aha1 association with Hsp90 remain unknown. Here, we show that c-Abl kinase phosphorylates Y223 in human Aha1 (hAha1, promoting its interaction with Hsp90. This, consequently, results in an increased Hsp90 ATPase activity, enhances Hsp90 interaction with kinase clients, and compromises the chaperoning of non-kinase clients such as glucocorticoid receptor and CFTR. Suggesting a regulatory paradigm, we also find that Y223 phosphorylation leads to ubiquitination and degradation of hAha1 in the proteasome. Finally, pharmacologic inhibition of c-Abl prevents hAha1 interaction with Hsp90, thereby hypersensitizing cancer cells to Hsp90 inhibitors both in vitro and ex vivo.

Evidence that Autophosphorylation of the Major Sporulation Kinase in Bacillus subtilis Is Able To Occur in trans.

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Devi, Seram Nganbiton; Kiehler, Brittany; Haggett, Lindsey; Fujita, Masaya

2015-08-01

Entry into sporulation in Bacillus subtilis is governed by a multicomponent phosphorelay, a complex version of a two-component system which includes at least three histidine kinases (KinA to KinC), two phosphotransferases (Spo0F and Spo0B), and a response regulator (Spo0A). Among the three histidine kinases, KinA is known as the major sporulation kinase; it is autophosphorylated with ATP upon starvation and then transfers a phosphoryl group to the downstream components in a His-Asp-His-Asp signaling pathway. Our recent study demonstrated that KinA forms a homotetramer, not a dimer, mediated by the N-terminal domain, as a functional unit. Furthermore, when the N-terminal domain was overexpressed in the starving wild-type strain, sporulation was impaired. We hypothesized that this impairment of sporulation could be explained by the formation of a nonfunctional heterotetramer of KinA, resulting in the reduced level of phosphorylated Spo0A (Spo0A∼P), and thus, autophosphorylation of KinA could occur in trans. To test this hypothesis, we generated a series of B. subtilis strains expressing homo- or heterogeneous KinA protein complexes consisting of various combinations of the phosphoryl-accepting histidine point mutant protein and the catalytic ATP-binding domain point mutant protein. We found that the ATP-binding-deficient protein was phosphorylated when the phosphorylation-deficient protein was present in a 1:1 stoichiometry in the tetramer complex, while each of the mutant homocomplexes was not phosphorylated. These results suggest that ATP initially binds to one protomer within the tetramer complex and then the γ-phosphoryl group is transmitted to another in a trans fashion. We further found that the sporulation defect of each of the mutant proteins is complemented when the proteins are coexpressed in vivo. Taken together, these in vitro and in vivo results reinforce the evidence that KinA autophosphorylation is able to occur in a trans fashion

The novel anticancer agent JNJ-26854165 is active in chronic myeloid leukemic cells with unmutated BCR/ABL and T315I mutant BCR/ABL through promoting proteosomal degradation of BCR/ABL proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

You, Liangshun; Liu, Hui; Huang, Jian; Xie, Wanzhuo; Wei, Jueying; Ye, Xiujin; Qian, Wenbin

2017-01-31

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a clonal malignant disease caused by the expression of BCR/ABL. MDM2 (human homolog of the murine double minute-2) inhibitors such as Nutlin-3 have been shown to induce apoptosis in a p53-dependent manner in CML cells and sensitize cells to Imatinib. Here, we demonstrate that JNJ-26854165, an inhibitor of MDM2, inhibits proliferation and triggers cell death in a p53-independent manner in various BCR/ABL-expressing cells, which include primary leukemic cells from patients with CML blast crisis and cells expressing the Imatinib-resistant T315I BCR/ABL mutant. The response to JNJ-26854165 is associated with the downregulation of BCR/ABL dependently of proteosome activation. Moreover, in all tested CML cells, with the exception of T315I mutation cells, combining JNJ-26854165 and tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) Imatinib or PD180970 leads to a synergistic effect. In conclusion, our results suggest that JNJ-26854165, used either alone or in combination with TKIs, represents a promising novel targeted approach to overcome TKI resistance and improve patient outcome in CML.

Activation of GABAB receptors inhibits protein kinase B /Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 signaling

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Lu Frances Fangjia

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Accumulated evidence has suggested that potentiation of cortical GABAergic inhibitory neurotransmission may be a key mechanism in the treatment of schizophrenia. However, the downstream molecular mechanisms related to GABA potentiation remain unexplored. Recent studies have suggested that dopamine D2 receptor antagonists, which are used in the clinical treatment of schizophrenia, modulate protein kinase B (Akt/glycogen synthase kinase (GSK-3 signaling. Here we report that activation of GABAB receptors significantly inhibits Akt/GSK-3 signaling in a β-arrestin-dependent pathway. Agonist stimulation of GABAB receptors enhances the phosphorylation of Akt (Thr-308 and enhances the phosphorylation of GSK-3α (Ser-21/β (Ser-9 in both HEK-293T cells expressing GABAB receptors and rat hippocampal slices. Furthermore, knocking down the expression of β-arrestin2 using siRNA abolishes the GABAB receptor-mediated modulation of GSK-3 signaling. Our data may help to identify potentially novel targets through which GABAB receptor agents may exert therapeutic effects in the treatment of schizophrenia.

A phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1 (SGK1) pathway promotes Kv7.1 channel surface expression by inhibiting Nedd4-2 protein

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Martin Nybo; Krzystanek, Katarzyna; Petersen, Frederic

2013-01-01

Epithelial cell polarization involves several kinase signaling cascades that eventually divide the surface membrane into an apical and a basolateral part. One kinase, which is activated during the polarization process, is phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). In MDCK cells, the basolateral potassium...... channel Kv7.1 requires PI3K activity for surface-expression during the polarization process. Here, we demonstrate that Kv7.1 surface expression requires tonic PI3K activity as PI3K inhibition triggers endocytosis of these channels in polarized MDCK. Pharmacological inhibition of SGK1 gave similar results...... as PI3K inhibition, whereas overexpression of constitutively active SGK1 overruled it, suggesting that SGK1 is the primary downstream target of PI3K in this process. Furthermore, knockdown of the ubiquitin ligase Nedd4-2 overruled PI3K inhibition, whereas a Nedd4-2 interaction-deficient Kv7.1 mutant...

Inhibition of stress-activated MAP kinases induces clinical improvement in moderate to severe Crohn's disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hommes, Daan; van den Blink, Bernt; Plasse, Terry; Bartelsman, Joep; Xu, Cuiping; Macpherson, Bret; Tytgat, Guido; Peppelenbosch, Mailkel; van Deventer, Sander

2002-01-01

Background & Aims: We investigated if inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) was beneficial in Crohn's disease. Methods: Inhibition of JNK and p38 MAPK activation with CNI-1493, a guanylhydrazone, was tested in vitro. Twelve patients with severe Crohn's disease (mean baseline, CDAI

The Role of Mitochondrial DNA Damage and Repair in the Resistance of BCR/ABL-Expressing Cells to Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors

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Janusz Blasiak

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML is a hematological malignancy that arises from the transformation of stem hematopoietic cells by the fusion oncogene BCR/ABL and subsequent clonal expansion of BCR/ABL-positive progenitor leukemic cells. The BCR/ABL protein displays a constitutively increased tyrosine kinase activity that alters many regulatory pathways, leading to uncontrolled growth, impaired differentiation and increased resistance to apoptosis featured by leukemic cells. Current CML therapy is based on tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs, primarily imatinib, which induce apoptosis in leukemic cells. However, some patients show primary resistance to TKIs while others develop it in the course of therapy. In both cases, resistance may be underlined by perturbations in apoptotic signaling in leukemic cells. As mitochondria may play an important role in such signaling, alteration in mitochondrial metabolism may change resistance to pro-apoptotic action of TKIs in BCR/ABL-positive cells. Because BCR/ABL may induce reactive oxygen species and unfaithful DNA repair, it may affect the stability of mitochondrial DNA, influencing mitochondrial apoptotic signaling and in this way change the sensitivity of CML cells to TKIs. Moreover, cancer cells, including BCR/ABL-positive cells, show an increased level of glucose metabolism, resulting from the shift from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis to supply ATP for extensive proliferation. Enhanced level of glycolysis may be associated with TKI resistance and requires change in the expression of several genes regulated mostly by hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, HIF-1α. Such regulation may be associated with the impaired mitochondrial respiratory system in CML cells. In summary, mitochondria and mitochondria-associated molecules and pathways may be attractive targets to overcome TKI resistance in CML.

Selective inhibition of Sarcocystis neurona calcium-dependent protein kinase 1 for equine protozoal myeloencephalitis therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Ojo, Kayode K; Dangoudoubiyam, Sriveny; Verma, Shiv K; Scheele, Suzanne; DeRocher, Amy E; Yeargan, Michelle; Choi, Ryan; Smith, Tess R; Rivas, Kasey L; Hulverson, Matthew A; Barrett, Lynn K; Fan, Erkang; Maly, Dustin J; Parsons, Marilyn; Dubey, Jitender P; Howe, Daniel K; Van Voorhis, Wesley C

2016-12-01

Sarcocystis neurona is the most frequent cause of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, a debilitating neurological disease of horses that can be difficult to treat. We identified SnCDPK1, the S. neurona homologue of calcium-dependent protein kinase 1 (CDPK1), a validated drug target in Toxoplasma gondii. SnCDPK1 shares the glycine "gatekeeper" residue of the well-characterized T. gondii enzyme, which allows the latter to be targeted by bumped kinase inhibitors. This study presents detailed molecular and phenotypic evidence that SnCDPK1 can be targeted for rational drug development. Recombinant SnCDPK1 was tested against four bumped kinase inhibitors shown to potently inhibit both T. gondii (Tg) CDPK1 and T. gondii tachyzoite growth. SnCDPK1 was inhibited by low nanomolar concentrations of these BKIs and S. neurona growth was inhibited at 40-120nM concentrations. Thermal shift assays confirmed these bumped kinase inhibitors bind CDPK1 in S. neurona cell lysates. Treatment with bumped kinase inhibitors before or after invasion suggests that bumped kinase inhibitors interfere with S. neurona mammalian host cell invasion in the 0.5-2.5μM range but interfere with intracellular division at 2.5μM. In vivo proof-of-concept experiments were performed in a murine model of S. neurona infection. The experimental infected groups treated for 30days with compound BKI-1553 (n=10 mice) had no signs of disease, while the infected control group had severe signs and symptoms of infection. Elevated antibody responses were found in 100% of control infected animals, but only 20% of BKI-1553 treated infected animals. Parasites were found in brain tissues of 100% of the control infected animals, but only in 10% of the BKI-1553 treated animals. The bumped kinase inhibitors used in these assays have been chemically optimized for potency, selectivity and pharmacokinetic properties, and hence are good candidates for treatment of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis. Copyright © 2016

3D QSAR models built on structure-based alignments of Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

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Falchi, Federico; Manetti, Fabrizio; Carraro, Fabio; Naldini, Antonella; Maga, Giovanni; Crespan, Emmanuele; Schenone, Silvia; Bruno, Olga; Brullo, Chiara; Botta, Maurizio

2009-06-01

Quality QSAR: A combination of docking calculations and a statistical approach toward Abl inhibitors resulted in a 3D QSAR model, the analysis of which led to the identification of ligand portions important for affinity. New compounds designed on the basis of the model were found to have very good affinity for the target, providing further validation of the model itself.The X-ray crystallographic coordinates of the Abl tyrosine kinase domain in its active, inactive, and Src-like inactive conformations were used as targets to simulate the binding mode of a large series of pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines (known Abl inhibitors) by means of GOLD software. Receptor-based alignments provided by molecular docking calculations were submitted to a GRID-GOLPE protocol to generate 3D QSAR models. Analysis of the results showed that the models based on the inactive and Src-like inactive conformations had very poor statistical parameters, whereas the sole model based on the active conformation of Abl was characterized by significant internal and external predictive ability. Subsequent analysis of GOLPE PLS pseudo-coefficient contour plots of this model gave us a better understanding of the relationships between structure and affinity, providing suggestions for the next optimization process. On the basis of these results, new compounds were designed according to the hydrophobic and hydrogen bond donor and acceptor contours, and were found to have improved enzymatic and cellular activity with respect to parent compounds. Additional biological assays confirmed the important role of the selected compounds as inhibitors of cell proliferation in leukemia cells.

Autophagy suppresses RIP kinase-dependent necrosis enabling survival to mTOR inhibition.

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Kevin Bray

Full Text Available mTOR inhibitors are used clinically to treat renal cancer but are not curative. Here we show that autophagy is a resistance mechanism of human renal cell carcinoma (RCC cell lines to mTOR inhibitors. RCC cell lines have high basal autophagy that is required for survival to mTOR inhibition. In RCC4 cells, inhibition of mTOR with CCI-779 stimulates autophagy and eliminates RIP kinases (RIPKs and this is blocked by autophagy inhibition, which induces RIPK- and ROS-dependent necroptosis in vitro and suppresses xenograft growth. Autophagy of mitochondria is required for cell survival since mTOR inhibition turns off Nrf2 antioxidant defense. Thus, coordinate mTOR and autophagy inhibition leads to an imbalance between ROS production and defense, causing necroptosis that may enhance cancer treatment efficacy.

Evolution of BCR/ABL gene mutation in CML is time dependent and dependent on the pressure exerted by tyrosine kinase inhibitor.

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Shantashri Vaidya

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Mutations in the ABL kinase domain and SH3-SH2 domain of the BCR/ABL gene and amplification of the Philadelphia chromosome are the two important BCR/ABL dependent mechanisms of imatinib resistance. Here, we intended to study the role played by TKI, imatinib, in selection of gene mutations and development of chromosomal abnormalities in Indian CML patients. METHODS: Direct sequencing methodology was employed to detect mutations and conventional cytogenetics was done to identify Philadelphia duplication. RESULTS: Among the different mechanisms of imatinib resistance, kinase domain mutations (39% of the BCR/ABL gene were seen to be more prevalent, followed by mutations in the SH3-SH2 domain (4% and then BCR/ABL amplification with the least frequency (1%. The median duration of occurrence of mutation was significantly shorter for patients with front line imatinib than those pre-treated with hydroxyurea. Patients with high Sokal score (p = 0.003 showed significantly higher incidence of mutations, as compared to patients with low/intermediate score. Impact of mutations on the clinical outcome in AP and BC was observed to be insignificant. Of the 94 imatinib resistant patients, only 1 patient exhibited duplication of Philadelphia chromosome, suggesting a less frequent occurrence of this abnormality in Indian CML patients. CONCLUSION: Close monitoring at regular intervals and proper analysis of the disease resistance would facilitate early detection of resistance and thus aid in the selection of the most appropriate therapy.

The Regulatory and Kinase Domains but Not the Interdomain Linker Determine Human Double-stranded RNA-activated Kinase (PKR) Sensitivity to Inhibition by Viral Non-coding RNAs.

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Sunita, S; Schwartz, Samantha L; Conn, Graeme L

2015-11-20

Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-activated protein kinase (PKR) is an important component of the innate immune system that presents a crucial first line of defense against viral infection. PKR has a modular architecture comprising a regulatory N-terminal dsRNA binding domain and a C-terminal kinase domain interposed by an unstructured ∼80-residue interdomain linker (IDL). Guided by sequence alignment, we created IDL deletions in human PKR (hPKR) and regulatory/kinase domain swap human-rat chimeric PKRs to assess the contributions of each domain and the IDL to regulation of the kinase activity by RNA. Using circular dichroism spectroscopy, limited proteolysis, kinase assays, and isothermal titration calorimetry, we show that each PKR protein is properly folded with similar domain boundaries and that each exhibits comparable polyinosinic-cytidylic (poly(rI:rC)) dsRNA activation profiles and binding affinities for adenoviral virus-associated RNA I (VA RNAI) and HIV-1 trans-activation response (TAR) RNA. From these results we conclude that the IDL of PKR is not required for RNA binding or mediating changes in protein conformation or domain interactions necessary for PKR regulation by RNA. In contrast, inhibition of rat PKR by VA RNAI and TAR RNA was found to be weaker than for hPKR by 7- and >300-fold, respectively, and each human-rat chimeric domain-swapped protein showed intermediate levels of inhibition. These findings indicate that PKR sequence or structural elements in the kinase domain, present in hPKR but absent in rat PKR, are exploited by viral non-coding RNAs to accomplish efficient inhibition of PKR. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Pristimerin induces apoptosis in imatinib-resistant chronic myelogenous leukemia cells harboring T315I mutation by blocking NF-κB signaling and depleting Bcr-Abl

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2010-01-01

Background Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is characterized by the chimeric tyrosine kinase Bcr-Abl. Bcr-Abl-T315I is the notorious point mutation that causes resistance to imatinib and the second generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors, leading to poor prognosis. CML blasts have constitutive p65 (RelA NF-κB) transcriptional activity, and NF-κB may be a potential target for molecular therapies in CML that may also be effective against CML cells with Bcr-Abl-T315I. Results In this report, we discovered that pristimerin, a quinonemethide triterpenoid isolated from Celastraceae and Hippocrateaceae, inhibited growth and induced apoptosis in CML cells, including the cells harboring Bcr-Abl-T315I mutation. Additionally, pristimerin inhibited the growth of imatinib-resistant Bcr-Abl-T315I xenografts in nude mice. Pristimerin blocked the TNFα-induced IκBα phosphorylation, translocation of p65, and expression of NF-κB-regulated genes. Pristimerin inhibited two steps in NF-κB signaling: TAK1→IKK and IKK→IκBα. Pristimerin potently inhibited two pairs of CML cell lines (KBM5 versus KBM5-T315I, 32D-Bcr-Abl versus 32D-Bcr-Abl-T315I) and primary cells from a CML patient with acquired resistance to imatinib. The mRNA and protein levels of Bcr-Abl in imatinib-sensitive (KBM5) or imatinib-resistant (KBM5-T315I) CML cells were reduced after pristimerin treatment. Further, inactivation of Bcr-Abl by imatinib pretreatment did not abrogate the TNFα-induced NF-κB activation while silencing p65 by siRNA did not affect the levels of Bcr-Abl, both results together indicating that NF-κB inactivation and Bcr-Abl inhibition may be parallel independent pathways. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first report to show that pristimerin is effective in vitro and in vivo against CML cells, including those with the T315I mutation. The mechanisms may involve inhibition of NF-κB and Bcr-Abl. We concluded that pristimerin could be a lead compound for further drug development to

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Neutrophils Have a Distinct Phenotype and Are Resistant to Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase Inhibition.

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Juss, Jatinder K; House, David; Amour, Augustin; Begg, Malcolm; Herre, Jurgen; Storisteanu, Daniel M L; Hoenderdos, Kim; Bradley, Glyn; Lennon, Mark; Summers, Charlotte; Hessel, Edith M; Condliffe, Alison; Chilvers, Edwin R

2016-10-15

Acute respiratory distress syndrome is refractory to pharmacological intervention. Inappropriate activation of alveolar neutrophils is believed to underpin this disease's complex pathophysiology, yet these cells have been little studied. To examine the functional and transcriptional profiles of patient blood and alveolar neutrophils compared with healthy volunteer cells, and to define their sensitivity to phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibition. Twenty-three ventilated patients underwent bronchoalveolar lavage. Alveolar and blood neutrophil apoptosis, phagocytosis, and adhesion molecules were quantified by flow cytometry, and oxidase responses were quantified by chemiluminescence. Cytokine and transcriptional profiling were used in multiplex and GeneChip arrays. Patient blood and alveolar neutrophils were distinct from healthy circulating cells, with increased CD11b and reduced CD62L expression, delayed constitutive apoptosis, and primed oxidase responses. Incubating control cells with disease bronchoalveolar lavage recapitulated the aberrant functional phenotype, and this could be reversed by phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitors. In contrast, the prosurvival phenotype of patient cells was resistant to phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibition. RNA transcriptomic analysis revealed modified immune, cytoskeletal, and cell death pathways in patient cells, aligning closely to sepsis and burns datasets but not to phosphoinositide 3-kinase signatures. Acute respiratory distress syndrome blood and alveolar neutrophils display a distinct primed prosurvival profile and transcriptional signature. The enhanced respiratory burst was phosphoinositide 3-kinase-dependent but delayed apoptosis and the altered transcriptional profile were not. These unexpected findings cast doubt over the utility of phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibition in acute respiratory distress syndrome and highlight the importance of evaluating novel therapeutic strategies in patient-derived cells.

Protein kinase B/Akt1 inhibits autophagy by down-regulating UVRAG expression

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Yang, Wonseok; Ju, Ji-hyun; Lee, Kyung-min; Nam, KeeSoo; Oh, Sunhwa [Department of Life Science, College of Natural Science, Hanyang University, 17 Haengdang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Shin, Incheol, E-mail: incheol@hanyang.ac.kr [Department of Life Science, College of Natural Science, Hanyang University, 17 Haengdang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of)

2013-02-01

Autophagy, or autophagocytosis, is a selective intracellular degradative process involving the cell's own lysosomal apparatus. An essential component in cell development, homeostasis, repair and resistance to stress, autophagy may result in either cell death or survival. The targeted region of the cell is sequestered within a membrane structure, the autophagosome, for regulation of the catabolic process. A key factor in both autophagosome formation and autophagosome maturation is a protein encoded by the ultraviolet irradiation resistance-associated gene (UVRAG). Conversely, the serine/threonine-specific protein kinase B (PKB, also known as Akt), which regulates survival in various cancers, inhibits autophagy through mTOR activation. We found that Akt1 may also directly inhibit autophagy by down-regulating UVRAG both in a 293T transient transfection system and breast cancer cells stably expressing Akt1. The UVRAG with mutations at putative Akt1-phosphorylation sites were still inhibited by Akt1, and dominant-negative Akt1 also inhibited UVRAG expression, suggesting that Akt1 down-regulates UVRAG by a kinase activity-independent mechanism. We showed that Akt1 overexpression in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells down-regulated UVRAG transcription. Cells over-expressing Akt1 were more resistant than control cells to ultraviolet light-induced autophagy and exhibited the associated reduction in cell viability. Levels of the autophagosome indicator protein LC3B-II and mRFP-GFP-LC3 were reduced in cells that over-expressing Akt1. Inhibiting Akt1 by siRNA or reintroducing UVRAG gene rescued the level of LC3B-II in UV-irradiation. Altogether, these data suggest that Akt1 may inhibit autophagy by decreasing UVRAG expression, which also sensitizes cancer cells to UV irradiation.

Growth Inhibition by Bupivacaine Is Associated with Inactivation of Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinase 1

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Beigh, Mushtaq Ahmad; Showkat, Mehvish; Bashir, Basharat; Bashir, Asma; Hussain, Mahboob ul; Andrabi, Khurshid Iqbal

2014-01-01

Bupivacaine is an amide type long acting local anesthetic used for epidural anesthesia and nerve blockade in patients. Use of bupivacaine is associated with severe cytotoxicity and apoptosis along with inhibition of cell growth and proliferation. Although inhibition of Erk, Akt, and AMPK seemingly appears to mediate some of the bupivacaine effects, potential downstream targets that mediate its effect remain unknown. S6 kinase 1 is a common downstream effector of several growth regulatory pathways involved in cell growth and proliferation known to be affected by bupivacaine. We have accordingly attempted to relate the growth inhibitory effects of bupivacaine with the status of S6K1 activity and we present evidence that decrease in cell growth and proliferation by bupivacaine is mediated through inactivation of S6 kinase 1 in a concentration and time dependent manner. We also show that ectopic expression of constitutively active S6 kinase 1 imparts substantial protection from bupivacaine induced cytotoxicity. Inactivation of S6K1 though associated with loss of putative mTOR mediated phosphorylation did not correspond with loss of similar phosphorylations in 4EBP1 indicating that S6K1 inhibition was not mediated through inactivation of mTORC1 signaling pathway or its down regulation. PMID:24605337

The Pim kinases: new targets for drug development.

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Swords, Ronan; Kelly, Kevin; Carew, Jennifer; Nawrocki, Stefan; Mahalingam, Devalingam; Sarantopoulos, John; Bearss, David; Giles, Francis

2011-12-01

The three Pim kinases are a small family of serine/threonine kinases regulating several signaling pathways that are fundamental to cancer development and progression. They were first recognized as pro-viral integration sites for the Moloney Murine Leukemia virus. Unlike other kinases, they possess a hinge region which creates a unique binding pocket for ATP. Absence of a regulatory domain means that these proteins are constitutively active once transcribed. Pim kinases are critical downstream effectors of the ABL (ableson), JAK2 (janus kinase 2), and Flt-3 (FMS related tyrosine kinase 1) oncogenes and are required by them to drive tumorigenesis. Recent investigations have established that the Pim kinases function as effective inhibitors of apoptosis and when overexpressed, produce resistance to the mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) inhibitor, rapamycin . Overexpression of the PIM kinases has been reported in several hematological and solid tumors (PIM 1), myeloma, lymphoma, leukemia (PIM 2) and adenocarcinomas (PIM 3). As such, the Pim kinases are a very attractive target for pharmacological inhibition in cancer therapy. Novel small molecule inhibitors of the human Pim kinases have been designed and are currently undergoing preclinical evaluation.

Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase inhibition: Reversing the Warburg effect in cancer therapy

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Hayden Bell

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The poor efficacy of many cancer chemotherapeutics, which are often non-selective and highly toxic, is attributable to the remarkable heterogeneity and adaptability of cancer cells. The Warburg effect describes the up regulation of glycolysis as the main source of adenosine 5’-triphosphate in cancer cells, even under normoxic conditions, and is a unique metabolic phenotype of cancer cells. Mitochondrial suppression is also observed which may be implicated in apoptotic suppression and increased funneling of respiratory substrates to anabolic processes, conferring a survival advantage. The mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase complex is subject to meticulous regulation, chiefly by pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase. At the interface between glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle, the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex functions as a metabolic gatekeeper in determining the fate of glucose, making pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase an attractive candidate in a bid to reverse the Warburg effect in cancer cells. The small pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase inhibitor dichloroacetate has, historically, been used in conditions associated with lactic acidosis but has since gained substantial interest as a potential cancer chemotherapeutic. This review considers the Warburg effect as a unique phenotype of cancer cells in-line with the history of and current approaches to cancer therapies based on pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase inhibition with particular reference to dichloroacetate and its derivatives.

Partial contribution of Rho-kinase inhibition to the bioactivity of Ganoderma lingzhi and its isolated compounds: insights on discovery of natural Rho-kinase inhibitors.

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Amen, Yhiya; Zhu, Qinchang; Tran, Hai-Bang; Afifi, Mohamed S; Halim, Ahmed F; Ashour, Ahmed; Shimizu, Kuniyoshi

2017-04-01

Recent studies identified Rho-kinase enzymes (ROCK-I and ROCK-II) as important targets that are involved in a variety of diseases. Synthetic Rho-kinase inhibitors have emerged as potential therapeutic agents to treat disorders such as hypertension, stroke, cancer, diabetes, glaucoma, etc. Our study is the first to screen the total ethanol extract of the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lingzhi with thirty-five compounds for Rho-kinase inhibitory activity. Moreover, a molecular binding experiment was designed to investigate the binding affinity of the compounds at the active sites of Rho-kinase enzymes. The structure-activity relationship analysis was investigated. Our results suggest that the traditional uses of G. lingzhi might be in part due to the ROCK-I and ROCK-II inhibitory potential of this mushroom. Structure-activity relationship studies revealed some interesting features of the lanostane triterpenes that potentiate their Rho-kinase inhibition. These findings would be helpful for further studies on the design of Rho-kinase inhibitors from natural sources and open the door for contributions from other researchers for optimizing the development of natural Rho-kinase inhibitors.

Abl N-terminal cap stabilization of SH3 domain dynamics.

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Chen, Shugui; Dumitrescu, Teodora Pene; Smithgall, Thomas E; Engen, John R

2008-05-27

Crystal structures and other biochemical data indicate that the N-terminal cap (NCap) region of the Abelson tyrosine kinase (c-Abl) is important for maintaining the downregulated conformation of the kinase domain. The exact contributions that the NCap makes in stabilizing the various intramolecular interactions within c-Abl are less clear. While the NCap appears to be important for locking the SH3 and SH2 domains to the back of the kinase domain, there may be other more subtle elements of regulation. Hydrogen exchange (HX) and mass spectrometry (MS) were used to determine if the NCap contributes to intramolecular interactions involving the Abl SH3 domain. Under physiological conditions, the Abl SH3 domain underwent partial unfolding and its unfolding half-life was slowed during binding to the SH2 kinase linker, providing a unique assay for testing NCap-induced stabilization of the SH3 domain in various constructs. The results showed that the NCap stabilizes the dynamics of the SH3 domain in certain constructs but does not increase the relative affinity of the SH3 domain for the native SH2 kinase linker. The stabilization effect was absent in constructs of just the NCap and SH3 but was obvious when the SH2 domain and the SH2 kinase linker were present. These results suggest that interactions between the NCap and the SH3 domain can contribute to c-Abl stabilization in constructs that contain at least the SH2 domain, an effect that may partially compensate for the absence of the negative regulatory C-terminal tail found in the related Src family of kinases.

Aurora A kinase RNAi and small molecule inhibition of Aurora kinases with VE-465 induce apoptotic death in multiple myeloma cells.

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Evans, Robert; Naber, Claudia; Steffler, Tara; Checkland, Tamara; Keats, Jonathan; Maxwell, Christopher; Perry, Troy; Chau, Heidi; Belch, Andrew; Pilarski, Linda; Reiman, Tony

2008-03-01

The expression of RHAMM and other centrosome-associated genes are known to correlate with the extent of centrosome amplification in multiple myeloma, and with poor prognosis. RHAMM has a significant interaction with TPX2, a protein which regulates the localization and action of Aurora A kinase (AURKA) at the spindle poles. AURKA is known to be a central determinant of centrosome and spindle function and is a target for cancer therapy. Given these observations, we investigated the role of Aurora kinases as therapeutic targets in myeloma. Here we report that AURKA is expressed ubiquitously in myeloma, to varying degrees, in both cell lines and patients' bone marrow plasma cells. siRNA targeting AURKA induces apoptotic cell death in myeloma cell lines. The Aurora kinase inhibitor VE-465 also induces apoptosis and death in myeloma cell lines and primary myeloma plasma cells. The combination of VE-465 and dexamethasone improves cell killing compared with the use of either agent alone, even in cells resistant to the single agents. The phenotype of myeloma cells treated with VE-465 is consistent with published reports on the effects of Aurora kinase inhibition. Aurora kinase inhibitors should be pursued as potential treatments for myeloma.

Oncogenic Receptor Tyrosine Kinases Directly Phosphorylate Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) as a Resistance Mechanism to FAK-Kinase Inhibitors.

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Marlowe, Timothy A; Lenzo, Felicia L; Figel, Sheila A; Grapes, Abigail T; Cance, William G

2016-12-01

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a major drug target in cancer and current inhibitors targeted to the ATP-binding pocket of the kinase domain have entered clinical trials. However, preliminary results have shown limited single-agent efficacy in patients. Despite these unfavorable data, the molecular mechanisms that drive intrinsic and acquired resistance to FAK-kinase inhibitors are largely unknown. We have demonstrated that receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) can directly bypass FAK-kinase inhibition in cancer cells through phosphorylation of FAK's critical tyrosine 397 (Y397). We also showed that HER2 forms a direct protein-protein interaction with the FAK-FERM-F1 lobe, promoting direct phosphorylation of Y397. In addition, FAK-kinase inhibition induced two forms of compensatory RTK reprogramming: (i) the rapid phosphorylation and activation of RTK signaling pathways in RTK High cells and (ii) the long-term acquisition of RTKs novel to the parental cell line in RTK Low cells. Finally, HER2 +: cancer cells displayed resistance to FAK-kinase inhibition in 3D growth assays using a HER2 isogenic system and HER2 + cancer cell lines. Our data indicate a novel drug resistance mechanism to FAK-kinase inhibitors whereby HER2 and other RTKs can rescue and maintain FAK activation (pY397) even in the presence of FAK-kinase inhibition. These data may have important ramifications for existing clinical trials of FAK inhibitors and suggest that individual tumor stratification by RTK expression would be important to predict patient response to FAK-kinase inhibitors. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(12); 3028-39. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

Identification and Characterization of Amlexanox as a G Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 5 Inhibitor

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Kristoff T. Homan

2014-10-01

Full Text Available G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs have been implicated in human diseases ranging from heart failure to diabetes. Previous studies have identified several compounds that selectively inhibit GRK2, such as paroxetine and balanol. Far fewer selective inhibitors have been reported for GRK5, a target for the treatment of cardiac hypertrophy, and the mechanism of action of reported compounds is unknown. To identify novel scaffolds that selectively inhibit GRK5, a differential scanning fluorometry screen was used to probe a library of 4480 compounds. The best hit was amlexanox, an FDA-approved anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic immunomodulator. The crystal structure of amlexanox in complex with GRK1 demonstrates that its tricyclic aromatic ring system forms ATP-like interactions with the hinge of the kinase domain, which is likely similar to how this drug binds to IκB kinase ε (IKKε, another kinase known to be inhibited by this compound. Amlexanox was also able to inhibit myocyte enhancer factor 2 transcriptional activity in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes in a manner consistent with GRK5 inhibition. The GRK1 amlexanox structure thus serves as a springboard for the rational design of inhibitors with improved potency and selectivity for GRK5 and IKKε.

Restoration of adenosine deaminase-deficient human thymocyte development in vitro by inhibition of deoxynucleoside kinases.

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Joachims, Michelle L; Marble, Patrick A; Laurent, Aletha B; Pastuszko, Peter; Paliotta, Marco; Blackburn, Michael R; Thompson, Linda F

2008-12-01

Mutations in the gene encoding adenosine deaminase (ADA), a purine salvage enzyme, lead to immunodeficiency in humans. Although ADA deficiency has been analyzed in cell culture and murine models, information is lacking concerning its impact on the development of human thymocytes. We have used chimeric human/mouse fetal thymic organ culture to study ADA-deficient human thymocyte development in an "in vivo-like" environment where toxic metabolites accumulate in situ. Inhibition of ADA during human thymocyte development resulted in a severe reduction in cellular expansion as well as impaired differentiation, largely affecting mature thymocyte populations. Thymocyte differentiation was not blocked at a discrete stage; rather, the paucity of mature thymocytes was due to the induction of apoptosis as evidenced by activation of caspases and was accompanied by the accumulation of intracellular dATP. Inhibition of adenosine kinase and deoxycytidine kinase prevented the accumulation of dATP and restored thymocyte differentiation and proliferation. Our work reveals that multiple deoxynucleoside kinases are involved in the phosphorylation of deoxyadenosine when ADA is absent, and suggests an alternate therapeutic strategy for treatment of ADA-deficient patients.

Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase causes increased sensitivity to radiation through a PKB-dependent mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gottschalk, Alexander R.; Doan, Albert; Nakamura, Jean L.; Stokoe, David; Haas-Kogan, Daphne A.

2005-01-01

Purpose: To identify whether inhibition of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) causes increased radiosensitivity through inhibition of protein kinase B (PKB), implicating PKB as an important therapeutic target in prostate cancer. Methods and Materials: The prostate cancer cell line LNCaP was treated with the PI3K inhibitor LY294002, radiation, and combinations of the two therapies. Apoptosis and survival were measured by cell cycle analysis, Western blot analysis for cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, and clonogenic survival. To test the hypothesis that inhibition of PKB is responsible for LY294002-induced radiosensitivity, LNCaP cells expressing a constitutively active form of PKB were used. Results: The combination of PI3K inhibition and radiation caused an increase in apoptosis and a decrease in clonogenic survival when compared to either modality alone. The expression of constitutively activated PKB blocked apoptosis induced by combination of PI3K inhibition and radiation and prevented radiosensitization by LY294002. Conclusion: These data indicate that PI3K inhibition increases sensitivity of prostate cancer cell lines to ionizing radiation through inactivation of PKB. Therefore, PTEN mutations, which lead to PKB activation, may play an important role in the resistance of prostate cancer to radiation therapy. Targeted therapy against PKB could be beneficial in the management of prostate cancer patients

Abl N-terminal Cap stabilization of SH3 domain dynamics†

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Chen, Shugui; Dumitrescu, Teodora Pene; Smithgall, Thomas E.; Engen, John R.

2008-01-01

Crystal structures and other biochemical data indicate that the N-terminal cap (NCap) region of the Abelson tyrosine kinase (c-Abl) is important for maintaining the downregulated conformation of the kinase domain. The exact contributions that NCap makes in stabilizing the various intramolecular interactions within c-Abl are less clear. While the NCap appears important for locking the SH3/SH2 domains to the back of the kinase domain, there may be other more subtle elements of regulation. Hydro...

Tyrosine kinase inhibition: A therapeutic target for the management of chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia

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Jabbour, Elias J; Cortes, Jorge E; Kantarjian, Hagop M

2014-01-01

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a hematologic neoplasm with a progressive, ultimately terminal, disease course. In most cases, CML arises owing to the aberrant formation of a chimeric gene for a constitutively active tyrosine kinase. Inhibition of the signaling activity of this kinase has proved to be a highly successful treatment target transforming the prognosis of patients with CML. New tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) continue to improve the management of CML, offering alternative options for those resistant to or intolerant of standard TKIs. Here we review the pathobiology of CML and explore emerging strategies to optimize the management of chronic-phase CML, particularly first-line treatment. PMID:24236822

LY294002 inhibits glucocorticoid-induced COX-2 gene expression in cardiomyocytes through a phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase-independent mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Haipeng; Xu Beibei; Sheveleva, Elena; Chen, Qin M.

2008-01-01

Glucocorticoids induce COX-2 expression in rat cardiomyocytes. While investigating whether phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) plays a role in corticosterone (CT)-induced COX-2, we found that LY294002 (LY29) but not wortmannin (WM) attenuates CT from inducing COX-2 gene expression. Expression of a dominant-negative mutant of p85 subunit of PI3K failed to inhibit CT from inducing COX-2 expression. CT did not activate PI3K/AKT signaling pathway whereas LY29 and WM decreased the activity of PI3K. LY303511 (LY30), a structural analogue and a negative control for PI3K inhibitory activity of LY29, also suppressed COX-2 induction. These data suggest PI3K-independent mechanisms in regulating CT-induced COX-2 expression. LY29 and LY30 do not inhibit glucocorticoid receptor transactivity. Both compounds have been reported to inhibit Casein Kinase 2 activity and modulate potassium and calcium levels independent of PI3K, while LY29 has been reported to inhibit mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR), and DNA-dependent Protein Kinase (DNA-PK). Inhibitor of Casein Kinase 2 (CK2), mTOR or DNA-PK failed to prevent CT from inducing COX-2 expression. Tetraethylammonium (TEA), a potassium channel blocker, and nimodipine, a calcium channel blocker, both attenuated CT from inducing COX-2 gene expression. CT was found to increase intracellular Ca 2+ concentration, which can be inhibited by LY29, TEA or nimodipine. These data suggest a possible role of calcium instead of PI3K in CT-induced COX-2 expression in cardiomyocytes

Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibition in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

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Maddocks, Kami; Jones, Jeffrey A

2016-04-01

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common adult leukemia and remains incurable outside of the setting of allogeneic stem cell transplant. While the standard therapy for both initial and relapsed CLL has traditionally included monoclonal antibody therapy in combination with chemotherapy, there are patients with high-risk disease features including unmutated IgVH, del(11q22) and del(17p13) that are associated with poor overall responses to these therapies with short time to relapse and shortened overall survival. Additionally, many of these therapies have a high rate of infectious toxicity in a population already at increased risk. Targeting the B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling pathway has emerged as a promising therapeutic advance in a variety of B-cell malignancies, including CLL. Bruton agammaglobulinemia tyrosine kinase (Btk) is a tyrosine kinase in the BCR pathway critical to the survival of both normal and malignant B cells and inhibition of this kinase has shown to block the progression of CLL. Ibrutinib, a first in class oral inhibitor of Btk, has shown promise as a very effective agent in the treatment of CLL-in both relapsed and upfront therapy, alone and in combination with other therapies, and in patients of all-risk disease-which has led to its approval in relapsed CLL and as frontline therapy in patients with the high-risk del(17p13) disease. Several studies are ongoing to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ibrutinib in combination with chemotherapy as frontline treatment for CLL and investigation into newer-generation Btk inhibitors is also underway. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ethyl p-methoxycinnamate from Kaempferia galanga inhibits angiogenesis through tyrosine kinase

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Juni Ekowati

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Background Many tumors express on their receptor tyrosine kinases vascular endothelial growth factor activity associated with angiogenesis. Inhibition of angiogenesis through reduction of tyrosine kinase activity is a promising strategy for cancer therapy. The present study aimed to determine the mechanism and potency of ethyl p-methoxycinnamate (EPMC isolated from Kaempferia galanga as angiogenesis inhibitor. Methods A laboratory experimental study was conducted using chorio-allantoic membranes (CAMs of nine-day old chicken eggs induced by 60ng basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF. Ethyl p-methoxycinnamate (EPMC potency was determined at dosages of 30, 60, 90 and 120 mg and compared with celecoxib 60 mg as reference drug and one negative bFGF-induced control group. Neovascularization and endothelial cell count in CAM blood vessels were evaluated. To predict the antiangiogenic mechanism of EPMC, a docking study was performed with the Molegro Virtual Docker program on tyrosine kinase as receptor (PDB 1XKK. Results Angiogenesis stimulation by bFGF was prevented significantly (p<0.05 by EPMC at dosages of 30, 60, 90 and 120 mg and this activity was dose dependent. Molecular docking showed interaction between EPMC functional groups and tyrosine kinase amino acids at Met766, Met793, Thr854, Thr790, Gln791 and Ala743. There was an association between EPMC antiangiogenic activity and docking study results. Conclusions Ethyl p-methoxycinnamate is a potential new angiogenesis inhibitor through interaction with tyrosine kinase. EPMC could be a promising therapeutic agent for treatment of angiogenesis-related diseases.

Dasatinib inhibits both osteoclast activation and prostate cancer PC-3-cell-induced osteoclast formation.

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Araujo, John C; Poblenz, Ann; Corn, Paul; Parikh, Nila U; Starbuck, Michael W; Thompson, Jerry T; Lee, Francis; Logothetis, Christopher J; Darnay, Bryant G

2009-11-01

Therapies to target prostate cancer bone metastases have only limited effects. New treatments are focused on the interaction between cancer cells, bone marrow cells and the bone matrix. Osteoclasts play an important role in the development of bone tumors caused by prostate cancer. Since Src kinase has been shown to be necessary for osteoclast function, we hypothesized that dasatinib, a Src family kinase inhibitor, would reduce osteoclast activity and prostate cancer (PC-3) cell-induced osteoclast formation. Dasatinib inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation of bone marrow-derived monocytes with an EC(50) of 7.5 nM. PC-3 cells, a human prostate cancer cell line, were able to differentiate RAW 264.7 cells, a murine monocytic cell line, into osteoclasts, and dasatinib inhibited this differentiation. In addition, conditioned medium from PC-3 cell cultures was able to differentiate RAW 264.7 cells into osteoclasts and this too, was inhibited by dasatinib. Even the lowest concentration of dasatinib, 1.25 nmol, inhibited osteoclast differentiation by 29%. Moreover, dasatinib inhibited osteoclast activity by 58% as measured by collagen 1 release. We performed in vitro experiments utilizing the Src family kinase inhibitor dasatinib to target osteoclast activation as a means of inhibiting prostate cancer bone metastases. Dasatinib inhibits osteoclast differentiation of mouse primary bone marrow-derived monocytes and PC-3 cell-induced osteoclast differentiation. Dasatinib also inhibits osteoclast degradation activity. Inhibiting osteoclast differentiation and activity may be an effective targeted therapy in patients with prostate cancer bone metastases.

Forward genetic screening identifies a small molecule that blocks Toxoplasma gondii growth by inhibiting both host- and parasite-encoded kinases.

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Kevin M Brown

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The simultaneous targeting of host and pathogen processes represents an untapped approach for the treatment of intracellular infections. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1 is a host cell transcription factor that is activated by and required for the growth of the intracellular protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii at physiological oxygen levels. Parasite activation of HIF-1 is blocked by inhibiting the family of closely related Activin-Like Kinase (ALK host cell receptors ALK4, ALK5, and ALK7, which was determined in part by use of an ALK4,5,7 inhibitor named SB505124. Besides inhibiting HIF-1 activation, SB505124 also potently blocks parasite replication under normoxic conditions. To determine whether SB505124 inhibition of parasite growth was exclusively due to inhibition of ALK4,5,7 or because the drug inhibited a second kinase, SB505124-resistant parasites were isolated by chemical mutagenesis. Whole-genome sequencing of these mutants revealed mutations in the Toxoplasma MAP kinase, TgMAPK1. Allelic replacement of mutant TgMAPK1 alleles into wild-type parasites was sufficient to confer SB505124 resistance. SB505124 independently impacts TgMAPK1 and ALK4,5,7 signaling since drug resistant parasites could not activate HIF-1 in the presence of SB505124 or grow in HIF-1 deficient cells. In addition, TgMAPK1 kinase activity is inhibited by SB505124. Finally, mice treated with SB505124 had significantly lower tissue burdens following Toxoplasma infection. These data therefore identify SB505124 as a novel small molecule inhibitor that acts by inhibiting two distinct targets, host HIF-1 and TgMAPK1.

Insulin signaling inhibits the 5-HT2C receptor in choroid plexus via MAP kinase

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Guan Kunliang

2003-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs interact with heterotrimeric GTP-binding proteins (G proteins to modulate acute changes in intracellular messenger levels and ion channel activity. In contrast, long-term changes in cellular growth, proliferation and differentiation are often mediated by tyrosine kinase receptors and certain GPCRs by activation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP kinases. Complex interactions occur between these signaling pathways, but the specific mechanisms of such regulatory events are not well-understood. In particular it is not clear whether GPCRs are modulated by tyrosine kinase receptor-MAP kinase pathways. Results Here we describe tyrosine kinase receptor regulation of a GPCR via MAP kinase. Insulin reduced the activity of the 5-HT2C receptor in choroid plexus cells which was blocked by the MAP kinase kinase (MEK inhibitor, PD 098059. We demonstrate that the inhibitory effect of insulin and insulin-like growth factor type 1 (IGF-1 on the 5-HT2C receptor is dependent on tyrosine kinase, RAS and MAP kinase. The effect may be receptor-specific: insulin had no effect on another GPCR that shares the same G protein signaling pathway as the 5-HT2C receptor. This effect is also direct: activated MAP kinase mimicked the effect of insulin, and removing a putative MAP kinase site from the 5-HT2C receptor abolished the effect of insulin. Conclusion These results show that insulin signaling can inhibit 5-HT2C receptor activity and suggest that MAP kinase may play a direct role in regulating the function of a specific GPCR.

Oryza sativa (Rice) Hull Extract Inhibits Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammatory Response in RAW264.7 Macrophages by Suppressing Extracellular Signal-regulated Kinase, c-Jun N-terminal Kinase, and Nuclear Factor-κB Activation.

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Ha, Sang Keun; Sung, Jeehye; Choi, Inwook; Kim, Yoonsook

2016-01-01

Rice ( Oryza sativa ) is a major cereal crop in many Asian countries and an important staple food source. Rice hulls have been reported to possess antioxidant activities. In this study, we evaluated the antiinflammatory effects of rice hull extract and associated signal transduction mechanisms in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. We found that rice hull extract inhibited nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E 2 by suppressing the expression of inducible NO synthase and cyclooxygenase-2, respectively. The release of interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α was also reduced in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, rice hull extract attenuated the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), as well as the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. This suggests that rice hull extract decreases the production of inflammatory mediators by downregulating ERK and JNK and the NF-κB signal pathway in RAW 264.7 cells. Rice hull extract inhibits the lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory response in RAW264.7 macrophages.Rice hull extract inhibited nitric oxide and prostaglandin E 2 by suppressing the expression of inducible NO synthase and cyclooxygenase-2, respectively.Rice hull extract exerted anti-inflammatory effect through inhibition of nuclear factor-kappa B, extracellular signal-regulated kinase and c-Jun N-terminal kinase signaling pathways.Rice hull extract may provide a potential therapeutic approach for inflammatory diseases. Abbreviations used: COX-2: cyclooxygenase-2, ERK: extracellular signal-regulated kinase, IκB: inhibitory kappa B, IL-1β: interleukin-1β, iNOS: inducible NO synthase, JNK: c-Jun N-terminal kinase, LPS: lipopolysaccharide, MAPKs: mitogen-activated protein kinases, NF-κB: nuclear factor-κB, NO: nitric oxide, PGE2: prostaglandin E2, RHE: rice hull extract, ROS: reactive oxygen species

Suppression of bcr-abl synthesis by siRNAs or tyrosine kinase activity by Glivec alters different oncogenes, apoptotic/antiapoptotic genes and cell proliferation factors (microarray study).

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Zhelev, Zhivko; Bakalova, Rumiana; Ohba, Hideki; Ewis, Ashraf; Ishikawa, Mitsuru; Shinohara, Yasuo; Baba, Yoshinobu

2004-07-16

Short 21-mer double-stranded/small-interfering RNAs (ds/siRNAs) were designed to target bcr-abl mRNA in chronic myelogenous leukemia. The ds/siRNAs were transfected into bcr-abl-positive K-562 (derived from blast crisis chronic myelogenous leukemia), using lipofectamine. Penetrating of ds/siRNAs into the cells was detected by fluorescent confocal microscopy, using fluorescein-labeled ds/siRNAs. The cells were treated with mix of three siRNA sequences (3 x 60 nM) during 6 days with three repetitive transfections. The siRNA-treatment was accompanied with significant reduction of bcr-abl mRNA, p210, protein tyrosine kinase activity and cell proliferation index. Treatment of cells with Glivec (during 8 days with four repetitive doses, 180 nM single dose) resulted in analogous reduction of cell proliferation activity, stronger suppression of protein tyrosine kinase activity, and very low reduction of p210. siRNA-mix and Glivec did not affect significantly the viability of normal lymphocytes. Microarray analysis of siRNA- and Glivec-treated K-562 cells demonstrated that both pathways of bcr-abl suppression were accompanied with overexpression and suppression of many different oncogenes, apoptotic/antiapoptotic and cell proliferation factors. The following genes of interest were found to decrease in relatively equal degree in both siRNA- and Glivec-treated cells: Bcd orf1 and orf2 proto-oncogene, chromatin-specific transcription elongation factor FACT 140-kDa subunit mRNA, gene encoding splicing factor SF1, and mRNA for Tec protein tyrosine kinase. siRNA-mix and Glivec provoked overexpression of the following common genes: c-jun proto-oncogene, protein kinase C-alpha, pvt-1 oncogene homologue (myc activator), interleukin-6, 1-8D gene from interferon-inducible gene family, tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily (10b), and STAT-induced STAT inhibitor.

Regulation of hTERT by BCR-ABL at multiple levels in K562 cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chai, Juin Hsien; Zhang, Yong; Tan, Wei Han; Chng, Wee Joo; Li, Baojie; Wang, Xueying

2011-01-01

The cytogenetic characteristic of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) is the formation of the Philadelphia chromosome gene product, BCR-ABL. Given that BCR-ABL is the specific target of Gleevec in CML treatment, we investigated the regulation of the catalytic component of telomerase, hTERT, by BCR-ABL at multiple levels in K562 cells. Molecular techniques such as over expression, knockdown, real-time PCR, immunoprecipitation, western blotting, reporter assay, confocal microscopy, telomerase assays and microarray were used to suggest that hTERT expression and activity is modulated by BCR-ABL at multiple levels. Our results suggest that BCR-ABL plays an important role in regulating hTERT in K562 (BCR-ABL positive human leukemia) cells. When Gleevec inhibited the tyrosine kinase activity of BCR-ABL, phosphorylation of hTERT was downregulated, therefore suggesting a positive correlation between BCR-ABL and hTERT. Gleevec treatment inhibited hTERT at mRNA level and significantly reduced telomerase activity (TA) in K562 cells, but not in HL60 or Jurkat cells (BCR-ABL negative cells). We also demonstrated that the transcription factor STAT5a plays a critical role in hTERT gene regulation in K562 cells. Knockdown of STAT5a, but not STAT5b, resulted in a marked downregulation of hTERT mRNA level, TA and hTERT protein level in K562 cells. Furthermore, translocation of hTERT from nucleoli to nucleoplasm was observed in K562 cells induced by Gleevec. Our data reveal that BCR-ABL can regulate TA at multiple levels, including transcription, post-translational level, and proper localization. Thus, suppression of cell growth and induction of apoptosis by Gleevec treatment may be partially due to TA inhibition. Additionally, we have identified STAT5a as critical mediator of the hTERT gene expression in BCR-ABL positive CML cells, suggesting that targeting STAT5a may be a promising therapeutic strategy for BCR-ABL positive CML patients

Interaction between protein kinase C and protein kinase A can modulate transmitter release at the rat neuromuscular synapse.

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Santafé, M M; Garcia, N; Lanuza, M A; Tomàs, M; Tomàs, J

2009-02-15

We used intracellular recording to investigate the functional interaction between protein kinase C (PKC) and protein kinase A (PKA) signal transduction cascades in the control of transmitter release in the neuromuscular synapses from adult rats. Our results indicate that: 1) PKA and PKC are independently involved in asynchronous release. 2) Evoked acetylcholine (ACh) release is enhanced with the PKA agonist Sp-8-BrcAMP and the PKC agonist phorbol ester (PMA). 3) PKA has a constitutive role in promoting a component of normal evoked transmitter release because, when the kinase is inhibited with H-89, the release diminishes. However, the PKC inhibitor calphostin C (CaC) does not affect ACh release. 4) PKA regulates neurotransmission without PKC involvement because, after PMA or CaC modulation of the PKC activity, coupling to the ACh release of PKA can normally be stimulated with Sp-8-BrcAMP or inhibited with H-89. 5) After PKA inhibition with H-89, PKC stimulation with PMA (or inhibition with CaC) does not lead to any change in evoked ACh release. However, in PKA-stimulated preparations with Sp-8-BrcAMP, PKC becomes tonically active, thus potentiating a component of release that can now be blocked with CaC. In normal conditions, therefore, PKA was able to modulate ACh release independently of PKC activity, whereas PKA stimulation caused the PKC coupling to evoked release. In contrast, PKA inhibition prevent PKC stimulation (with the phorbol ester) and coupling to ACh output. There was therefore some dependence of PKC on PKA activity in the fine control of the neuromuscular synaptic functionalism and ACh release.

δ-Tocopherol inhibits receptor tyrosine kinase-induced AKT activation in prostate cancer cells.

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Wang, Hong; Hong, Jungil; Yang, Chung S

2016-11-01

The cancer preventive activity of vitamin E is suggested by epidemiological studies and supported by animal studies with vitamin E forms, γ-tocopherol and δ-tocopherol (δ-T). Several recent large-scale cancer prevention trials with high dose of α-tocopherol, however, yielded disappointing results. Whether vitamin E prevents or promotes cancer is a serious concern. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of action of the different forms of tocopherols would enhance our understanding of this topic. In this study, we demonstrated that δ-T was the most effective tocopherol form in inhibiting prostate cancer cell growth, by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. By profiling the effects of δ-T on the cell signaling using the phospho-kinase array, we found that the most inhibited target was the phosphorylation of AKT on T308. Further study on the activation of AKT by EGFR and IGFR revealed that δ-T attenuated the EGF/IGF-induced activation of AKT (via the phosphorylation of AKT on T308 induced by the activation of PIK3). Expression of dominant active PIK3 and AKT in prostate cancer cell line DU145 in which PIK3, AKT, and PTEN are wild type caused the cells to be reflectory to the inhibition of δ-T, supporting that δ-T inhibits the PIK3-mediated activation of AKT. Our data also suggest that δ-T interferes with the EGF-induced EGFR internalization, which leads to the inhibition of the receptor tyrosine kinase-dependent activation of AKT. In summary, our results revealed a novel mechanism of δ-T in inhibiting prostate cancer cell growth, supporting the cancer preventive activity δ-T. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Frequency of ABL gene mutations in chronic myeloid leukemia patients resistant to imatinib and results of treatment switch to second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

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Marcé, Silvia; Zamora, Lurdes; Cabezón, Marta; Xicoy, Blanca; Boqué, Concha; Fernández, Cristalina; Grau, Javier; Navarro, José-Tomás; Fernández de Sevilla, Alberto; Ribera, Josep-Maria; Feliu, Evarist; Millá, Fuensanta

2013-08-04

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) have improved the management of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). However, a significant proportion of patients do not achieve the optimal response or are resistant to TKI. ABL kinase domain mutations have been extensively implicated in the pathogenesis of TKI resistance. Treatment with second-generation TKI has produced high rates of hematologic and cytogenetic responses in mutated ABL patients. The aim of this study was to determine the type and frequency of ABL mutations in patients who were resistant to imatinib or had lost the response, and to analyze the effect of second-generation TKI on their outcome. The presence of ABL mutations in 45 CML patients resistant to imatinib was evaluated by direct sequencing and was correlated with the results of the cytogenetic study (performed in 39 cases). The outcome of these patients after therapy with nilotinib or dasatinib was analyzed. ABL mutations were detected in 14 out of 45 resistant patients. Patients with clonal cytogenetic evolution tended to develop mutations more frequently than those without clonal evolution. Nine out of the 15 patients with ABL mutation responded to a treatment switch to nilotinib (n=4), dasatinib (n=2), interferon (n=1) or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (n=2). The frequency of ABL mutations in CML patients resistant to imatinib is high and is more frequent among those with clonal cytogenetic evolution. The change to second-generation TKI can overcome imatinib resistance in most of the mutated patients. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Specific RSK kinase inhibition by dibenzyl trisulfide and implication for therapeutic treatment of cancer.

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Lowe, Henry I C; Facey, Caroline O B; Toyang, Ngeh J; Bryant, Joseph L

2014-04-01

The Jamaican "Guinea Hen Weed" (Petiveria alliacea L.) plant has been traditionally used in folklore medicine to treat a variety of diseases including cancer. In the present study we investigated on the therapeutic feasibility of dibenzyl trisulfide (DTS) (isolated from the Jamaican Guinea Hen Weed) as a potent small-molecule kinase inhibitor to treat cancer. We investigated the inhibitory effects of DTS against a large panel of kinases using a well-established competitive binding assay. Cell proliferation data were obtained using the WST-1 colorimetric assay. DTS inhibited the activity of the C-terminal kinase domain of RSK1 (80% compared to control) with a Kd of 1.3 μM. Anti-proliferative effects of DTS were observed in small lung, pancreatic, breast, and prostate cancer cells with IC50 values ranging from 0.34-0.84 μM. We have identified DTS as a highly selective and isoform-specific RSK1 kinase inhibitor with broad cancer therapeutic potential.

Differential inhibition of ex-vivo tumor kinase activity by vemurafenib in BRAF(V600E and BRAF wild-type metastatic malignant melanoma.

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Andliena Tahiri

Full Text Available Treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma patients harboring BRAF(V600E has improved drastically after the discovery of the BRAF inhibitor, vemurafenib. However, drug resistance is a recurring problem, and prognoses are still very bad for patients harboring BRAF wild-type. Better markers for targeted therapy are therefore urgently needed.In this study, we assessed the individual kinase activity profiles in 26 tumor samples obtained from patients with metastatic malignant melanoma using peptide arrays with 144 kinase substrates. In addition, we studied the overall ex-vivo inhibitory effects of vemurafenib and sunitinib on kinase activity status.Overall kinase activity was significantly higher in lysates from melanoma tumors compared to normal skin tissue. Furthermore, ex-vivo incubation with both vemurafenib and sunitinib caused significant decrease in phosphorylation of kinase substrates, i.e kinase activity. While basal phosphorylation profiles were similar in BRAF wild-type and BRAF(V600E tumors, analysis with ex-vivo vemurafenib treatment identified a subset of 40 kinase substrates showing stronger inhibition in BRAF(V600E tumor lysates, distinguishing the BRAF wild-type and BRAF(V600E tumors. Interestingly, a few BRAF wild-type tumors showed inhibition profiles similar to BRAF(V600E tumors. The kinase inhibitory effect of vemurafenib was subsequently analyzed in cell lines harboring different BRAF mutational status with various vemurafenib sensitivity in-vitro.Our findings suggest that multiplex kinase substrate array analysis give valuable information about overall tumor kinase activity. Furthermore, intra-assay exposure to kinase inhibiting drugs may provide a useful tool to study mechanisms of resistance, as well as to identify predictive markers.

Phosphotyrosine phosphatase and tyrosine kinase inhibition modulate airway pressure-induced lung injury.

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Parker, J C; Ivey, C L; Tucker, A

1998-11-01

We determined whether drugs which modulate the state of protein tyrosine phosphorylation could alter the threshold for high airway pressure-induced microvascular injury in isolated perfused rat lungs. Lungs were ventilated for successive 30-min periods with peak inflation pressures (PIP) of 7, 20, 30, and 35 cmH2O followed by measurement of the capillary filtration coefficient (Kfc), a sensitive index of hydraulic conductance. In untreated control lungs, Kfc increased by 1.3- and 3.3-fold relative to baseline (7 cmH2O PIP) after ventilation with 30 and 35 cmH2O PIP. However, in lungs treated with 100 microM phenylarsine oxide (a phosphotyrosine phosphatase inhibitor), Kfc increased by 4.7- and 16.4-fold relative to baseline at these PIP values. In lungs treated with 50 microM genistein (a tyrosine kinase inhibitor), Kfc increased significantly only at 35 cmH2O PIP, and the three groups were significantly different from each other. Thus phosphotyrosine phosphatase inhibition increased the susceptibility of rat lungs to high-PIP injury, and tyrosine kinase inhibition attenuated the injury relative to the high-PIP control lungs.

Allosteric inhibition of SHP2 phosphatase inhibits cancers driven by receptor tyrosine kinases

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Chen, Ying-Nan P.; LaMarche, Matthew J.; Chan, Ho Man; Fekkes, Peter; Garcia-Fortanet, Jorge; Acker, Michael G.; Antonakos, Brandon; Chen, Christine Hiu-Tung; Chen, Zhouliang; Cooke, Vesselina G.; Dobson, Jason R.; Deng, Zhan; Fei, Feng; Firestone, Brant; Fodor, Michelle; Fridrich, Cary; Gao, Hui; Grunenfelder, Denise; Hao, Huai-Xiang; Jacob, Jaison; Ho, Samuel; Hsiao, Kathy; Kang, Zhao B.; Karki, Rajesh; Kato, Mitsunori; Larrow, Jay; La Bonte, Laura R.; Lenoir, Francois; Liu, Gang; Liu, Shumei; Majumdar, Dyuti; Meyer, Matthew J.; Palermo, Mark; Perez, Lawrence; Pu, Minying; Price, Edmund; Quinn, Christopher; Shakya, Subarna; Shultz, Michael D.; Slisz, Joanna; Venkatesan, Kavitha; Wang, Ping; Warmuth, Markus; Williams, Sarah; Yang, Guizhi; Yuan, Jing; Zhang, Ji-Hu; Zhu, Ping; Ramsey, Timothy; Keen, Nicholas J.; Sellers, William R.; Stams, Travis; Fortin , Pascal D. (Novartis)

2016-06-29

The non-receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP2, encoded by PTPN11, has an important role in signal transduction downstream of growth factor receptor signalling and was the first reported oncogenic tyrosine phosphatase1. Activating mutations of SHP2 have been associated with developmental pathologies such as Noonan syndrome and are found in multiple cancer types, including leukaemia, lung and breast cancer and neuroblastoma1, 2, 3, 4, 5. SHP2 is ubiquitously expressed and regulates cell survival and proliferation primarily through activation of the RAS–ERK signalling pathway2, 3. It is also a key mediator of the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and B- and T-lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) immune checkpoint pathways6, 7. Reduction of SHP2 activity suppresses tumour cell growth and is a potential target of cancer therapy8, 9. Here we report the discovery of a highly potent (IC50 = 0.071 μM), selective and orally bioavailable small-molecule SHP2 inhibitor, SHP099, that stabilizes SHP2 in an auto-inhibited conformation. SHP099 concurrently binds to the interface of the N-terminal SH2, C-terminal SH2, and protein tyrosine phosphatase domains, thus inhibiting SHP2 activity through an allosteric mechanism. SHP099 suppresses RAS–ERK signalling to inhibit the proliferation of receptor-tyrosine-kinase-driven human cancer cells in vitro and is efficacious in mouse tumour xenograft models. Together, these data demonstrate that pharmacological inhibition of SHP2 is a valid therapeutic approach for the treatment of cancers.

The potent, indirect adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase activator R419 attenuates mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling, inhibits nociceptor excitability, and reduces pain hypersensitivity in mice

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Galo L. Mejia

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract. There is a great need for new therapeutics for the treatment of pain. A possible avenue to development of such therapeutics is to interfere with signaling pathways engaged in peripheral nociceptors that cause these neurons to become hyperexcitable. There is strong evidence that mitogen-activated protein kinases and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K/mechanistic target of rapamycin signaling pathways are key modulators of nociceptor excitability in vitro and in vivo. Activation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK can inhibit signaling in both of these pathways, and AMPK activators have been shown to inhibit nociceptor excitability and pain hypersensitivity in rodents. R419 is one of, if not the most potent AMPK activator described to date. We tested whether R419 activates AMPK in dorsal root ganglion (DRG neurons and if this leads to decreased pain hypersensitivity in mice. We find that R419 activates AMPK in DRG neurons resulting in decreased mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling, decreased nascent protein synthesis, and enhanced P body formation. R419 attenuates nerve growth factor (NGF-induced changes in excitability in DRG neurons and blocks NGF-induced mechanical pain amplification in vivo. Moreover, locally applied R419 attenuates pain hypersensitivity in a model of postsurgical pain and blocks the development of hyperalgesic priming in response to both NGF and incision. We conclude that R419 is a promising lead candidate compound for the development of potent and specific AMPK activation to inhibit pain hypersensitivity as a result of injury.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 inhibits ATM kinase activity in DNA damage response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Fumiaki; Fukazawa, Hidesuke; Masutani, Mitsuko; Suzuki, Hiroshi; Teraoka, Hirobumi; Mizutani, Shuki; Uehara, Yoshimasa

2004-01-01

DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) mobilize DNA-repair machinery and cell cycle checkpoint by activating the ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) mutated (ATM). Here we show that ATM kinase activity is inhibited by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) in vitro. It was shown by biochemical fractionation procedure that PARP-1 as well as ATM increases at chromatin level after induction of DSB with neocarzinostatin (NCS). Phosphorylation of histone H2AX on serine 139 and p53 on serine 15 in Parp-1 knockout (Parp-1 -/- ) mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) was significantly induced by NCS treatment compared with MEF derived from wild-type (Parp-1 +/+ ) mouse. NCS-induced phosphorylation of histone H2AX on serine 139 in Parp-1 -/- embryonic stem cell (ES) clones was also higher than that in Parp-1 +/+ ES clone. Furthermore, in vitro, PARP-1 inhibited phosphorylation of p53 on serine 15 and 32 P-incorporation into p53 by ATM in a DNA-dependent manner. These results suggest that PARP-1 negatively regulates ATM kinase activity in response to DSB

Lithium potentiates GSK-3β activity by inhibiting phosphoinositide 3-kinase-mediated Akt phosphorylation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian, Nie; Kanno, Takeshi; Jin, Yu; Nishizaki, Tomoyuki

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Lithium suppresses Akt activity by reducing PI3K-mediated Akt phosphorylation. • Lithium enhances GSK-3β activity by reducing Akt-mediated GSK-3β phosphorylation. • Lithium suppresses GSK-3β activity through its direct inhibition. - Abstract: Accumulating evidence has pointed to the direct inhibitory action of lithium, an anti-depressant, on GSK-3β. The present study investigated further insight into lithium signaling pathways. In the cell-free assay Li 2 CO 3 significantly inhibited phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-mediated phosphorylation of Akt1 at Ser473, but Li 2 CO 3 did not affect PI3K-mediated PI(3,4,5)P 3 production and 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK1)-mediated phosphorylation of Akt1 at Thr308. This indicates that lithium could enhance GSK-3β activity by suppressing Akt-mediated Ser9 phosphorylation of GSK-3β in association with inhibition of PI3K-mediated Akt activation. There was no direct effect of Li 2 CO 3 on Akt1-induced phosphorylation of GSK-3β at Ser9, but otherwise Li 2 CO 3 significantly reduced GSK-3β-mediated phosphorylation of β-catenin at Ser33/37 and Thr41. This indicates that lithium directly inhibits GSK-3β in an Akt-independent manner. In rat hippocampal slices Li 2 CO 3 significantly inhibited phosphorylation of Akt1/2 at Ser473/474, GSK-3β at Ser9, and β-catenin at Ser33/37 and Thr41. Taken together, these results indicate that lithium exerts its potentiating and inhibiting bidirectional actions on GSK-3β activity

TRESK background K(+ channel is inhibited by PAR-1/MARK microtubule affinity-regulating kinases in Xenopus oocytes.

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Gabriella Braun

Full Text Available TRESK (TWIK-related spinal cord K(+ channel, KCNK18 is a major background K(+ channel of sensory neurons. Dominant-negative mutation of TRESK is linked to familial migraine. This important two-pore domain K(+ channel is uniquely activated by calcineurin. The calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase directly binds to the channel and activates TRESK current several-fold in Xenopus oocytes and HEK293 cells. We have recently shown that the kinase, which is responsible for the basal inhibition of the K(+ current, is sensitive to the adaptor protein 14-3-3. Therefore we have examined the effect of the 14-3-3-inhibited PAR-1/MARK, microtubule-associated-protein/microtubule affinity-regulating kinase on TRESK in the Xenopus oocyte expression system. MARK1, MARK2 and MARK3 accelerated the return of TRESK current to the resting state after the calcium-dependent activation. Several other serine-threonine kinase types, generally involved in the modulation of other ion channels, failed to influence TRESK current recovery. MARK2 phosphorylated the primary determinant of regulation, the cluster of three adjacent serine residues (S274, 276 and 279 in the intracellular loop of mouse TRESK. In contrast, serine 264, the 14-3-3-binding site of TRESK, was not phosphorylated by the kinase. Thus MARK2 selectively inhibits TRESK activity via the S274/276/279 cluster, but does not affect the direct recruitment of 14-3-3 to the channel. TRESK is the first example of an ion channel phosphorylated by the dynamically membrane-localized MARK kinases, also known as general determinants of cellular polarity. These results raise the possibility that microtubule dynamics is coupled to the regulation of excitability in the neurons, which express TRESK background potassium channel.

Simultaneous inhibition of JAK and SYK kinases ameliorates chronic and destructive arthritis in mice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Llop-Guevara, A.; Porras, M.; Cendon, C.; Ceglie, I. Di; Siracusa, F.; Madarena, F.; Rinotas, V.; Gomez, L.; Lent, P.L.E.M. van; Douni, E.; Chang, H.D.; Kamradt, T.; Roman, J.

2015-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Despite the broad spectrum of antirheumatic drugs, RA is still not well controlled in up to 30-50 % of patients. Inhibition of JAK kinases by means of the pan-JAK inhibitor tofacitinib has demonstrated to be effective even in difficult-to-treat patients. Here, we discuss whether the

Dasatinib inhibits both osteoclast activation and prostate cancer PC-3 cell-induced osteoclast formation

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Araujo, John C.; Poblenz, Ann; Corn, Paul G.; Parikh, Nila U.; Starbuck, Michael W.; Thompson, Jerry T.; Lee, Francis; Logothetis, Christopher J.; Darnay, Bryant G.

2013-01-01

Purpose Therapies to target prostate cancer bone metastases have only limited effects. New treatments are focused on the interaction between cancer cells, bone marrow cells and the bone matrix. Osteoclasts play an important role in the development of bone tumors caused by prostate cancer. Since Src kinase has been shown to be necessary for osteoclast function, we hypothesized that dasatinib, a Src family kinase inhibitor, would reduce osteoclast activity and prostate cancer (PC-3) cell-induced osteoclast formation. Results Dasatinib inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation of bone marrow-derived monocytes with an EC50 of 7.5 nM. PC-3 cells, a human prostate cancer cell line, were able to differentiate RAW 264.7 cells, a murine monocytic cell line, into osteoclasts and dasatinib inhibited this differentiation. In addition, conditioned medium from PC-3 cell cultures was able to differentiate RAW 264.7 cells into osteoclasts and this too, was inhibited by dasatinib. Even the lowest concentration of dasatinib, 1.25 nmol, inhibited osteoclast differentiation by 29%. Moreover, dasatinib inhibited osteoclast activity by 58% as measured by collagen 1 release. Experimental design We performed in vitro experiments utilizing the Src family kinase inhibitor dasatinib to target osteoclast activation as a means of inhibiting prostate cancer bone metastases. Conclusion Dasatinib inhibits osteoclast differentiation of mouse primary bone marrow-derived monocytes and PC-3 cell-induced osteoclast differentiation. Dasatinib also inhibits osteoclast degradation activity. Inhibiting osteoclast differentiation and activity may be an effective targeted therapy in patients with prostate cancer bone metastases. PMID:19855158

Bcr-Abl oncoproteins bind directly to activators of the Ras signalling pathway.

OpenAIRE

Puil, L; Liu, J; Gish, G; Mbamalu, G; Bowtell, D; Pelicci, P G; Arlinghaus, R; Pawson, T

1994-01-01

The cytosolic 185 and 210 kDa Bcr-Abl protein tyrosine kinases play important roles in the development of Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph+) chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL). p185 and p210 Bcr-Abl contain identical abl-encoded sequences juxtaposed to a variable number of bcr-derived amino acids. As the mitogenic and transforming activities of tyrosine kinases involve stimulation of the Ras pathway, we analyzed Bcr-Abl oncoproteins for interacti...

The cytotoxic effects of regorafenib in combination with protein kinase D inhibition in human colorectal cancer cells

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Ning; Chu, Edward; Wu, Shao-yu; Wipf, Peter; Schmitz, John C.

2015-01-01

Metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) remains a major public health problem, and diagnosis of metastatic disease is usually associated with poor prognosis. The multi-kinase inhibitor regorafenib was approved in 2013 in the U.S. for the treatment of mCRC patients who progressed after standard therapies. However, the clinical efficacy of regorafenib is quite limited. One potential strategy to improve mCRC therapy is to combine agents that target key cellular signaling pathways, which may lead to synergistic enhancement of antitumor efficacy and overcome cellular drug resistance. Protein kinase D (PKD), a family of serine/threonine kinases, mediates key signaling pathways implicated in multiple cellular processes. Herein, we evaluated the combination of regorafenib with a PKD inhibitor in several human CRC cells. Using the Chou-Talalay model, the combination index values for this combination treatment demonstrated synergistic effects on inhibition of cell proliferation and clonal formation. This drug combination resulted in induction of apoptosis as determined by flow cytometry, increased PARP cleavage, and decreased activation of the anti-apoptotic protein HSP27. This combination also yielded enhanced inhibition of ERK, AKT, and NF-κB signaling. Taken together, PKD inhibition in combination with regorafenib appears to be a promising strategy for the treatment of mCRC. PMID:25544765

Phase I Study of INNO-406, a Dual Abl/Lyn Kinase Inhibitor, in Philadelphia Chromosome-Positive Leukemias Post-Imatinib Resistance or Intolerance

Science.gov (United States)

Kantarjian, H.; le Coutre, P.; Cortes, J.; Pinilla-Ibarz, J.; Nagler, A.; Hochhaus, A.; Kimura, S.; Ottmann, O.

2010-01-01

BACKGROUND INNO-406, an oral dual Abl/Lyn tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), demonstrates specific Lyn kinase activity with no or limited activity against other Src-family member kinases. Several Bcr-Abl kinase domain mutations are sensitive to INNO-406 in vitro, including the F317L and F317V mutations. In this study, we evaluated INNO-406 in Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome–positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) or acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) post-imatinib resistance or intolerance. METHODS A dose escalation study was conducted with a starting dose of 30mg administered orally once daily. Cohorts of at least 3 patients were treated at each dose level until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was reached. Twice-daily (BID) dosing was also evaluated. Therapy was allowed for a maximum of 24 months. RESULTS INNO-406 was administered to 56 patients with imatinib resistance (n=40) or intolerance (n=16). Other previous treatments included nilotinib (n=20), dasatinib (n=26), and dasatinib/nilotinib (n=9). Common mutations upon study entry included Y253H (n=6), G250E (n=4), T315I (n=4) and F317L (n=3). Among 31 patients with CML in chronic phase treated with INNO-406, the major cytogenetic response rate was 19%. In this study, no responses were seen in patients with CML-AP, CML-BP, or Ph-positive ALL. Dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) at INNO-406 480mg BID were liver function abnormalities and thrombocytopenia. CONCLUSIONS INNO-406 showed anti-CML efficacy in this heavily pretreated study population. Based on the classical determinations of both DLT and MTD, the recommended phase 2 dose of INNO-406 is 240mg orally BID. Lower doses of INNO-406 may be equally effective and should be explored. PMID:20310049

Inhibition of Src kinase activity attenuates amyloid associated microgliosis in a murine model of Alzheimer’s disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dhawan Gunjan

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Microglial activation is an important histologic characteristic of the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD. One hypothesis is that amyloid beta (Aβ peptide serves as a specific stimulus for tyrosine kinase-based microglial activation leading to pro-inflammatory changes that contribute to disease. Therefore, inhibiting Aβ stimulation of microglia may prove to be an important therapeutic strategy for AD. Methods Primary murine microglia cultures and the murine microglia cell line, BV2, were used for stimulation with fibrillar Aβ1-42. The non-receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, dasatinib, was used to treat the cells to determine whether Src family kinase activity was required for the Aβ stimulated signaling response and subsequent increase in TNFα secretion using Western blot analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA, respectively. A histologic longitudinal analysis was performed using an AD transgenic mouse model, APP/PS1, to determine an age at which microglial protein tyrosine kinase levels increased in order to administer dasatinib via mini osmotic pump diffusion. Effects of dasatinib administration on microglial and astroglial activation, protein phosphotyrosine levels, active Src kinase levels, Aβ plaque deposition, and spatial working memory were assessed via immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and T maze analysis. Results Aβ fibrils stimulated primary murine microglia via a tyrosine kinase pathway involving Src kinase that was attenuated by dasatinib. Dasatinib administration to APP/PS1 mice decreased protein phosphotyrosine, active Src, reactive microglia, and TNFα levels in the hippocampus and temporal cortex. The drug had no effect on GFAP levels, Aβ plaque load, or the related tyrosine kinase, Lyn. These anti-inflammatory changes correlated with improved performance on the T maze test in dasatinib infused animals compared to control animals. Conclusions These data suggest that amyloid

Oncogenic Kinase Bcr-Abl and Its Resistance to Pharmacological Inhibitors

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kryštof, Vladimír

2008-01-01

Roč. 102, č. 9 (2008), s. 795-800 E-ISSN 1213-7103 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50380511 Keywords : imatinib * inhibitor * chronic myeloid leukaemia * kinase * cancer Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry www.chemicke-listy.cz/docs/full/2008_09_795-800.pdf

Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol inhibits MRCKα kinase and demonstrates promising anti prostate cancer activity in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Lowe, Henry I C; Watson, Charah T; Badal, Simone; Toyang, Ngeh J; Bryant, Joseph

2012-11-14

Given the high occurrence of prostate cancer worldwide and one of the major sources of the discovery of new lead molecules being medicinal plants, this research undertook to investigate the possible anti-cancer activity of two natural cycloartanes; cycloartane-3,24,25-diol (extracted in our lab from Tillandsia recurvata) and cycloartane-3,24,25-triol (purchased). The inhibition of MRCKα kinase has emerged as a potential solution to restoring the tight regulation of normal cellular growth, the loss of which leads to cancer cell formation. Kinase inhibition was investigated using competition binding (to the ATP sites) assays which have been previously established and authenticated and cell proliferation was measured using the WST-1 assay. Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol demonstrated strong selectivity towards the MRCKα kinase with a Kd50 of 0.26 μM from a total of 451 kinases investigated. Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol reduced the viability of PC-3 and DU145 cell lines with IC50 values of 2.226 ± 0.28 μM and 1.67 ± 0.18 μM respectively. These results will prove useful in drug discovery as Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol has shown potential for development as an anti-cancer agent against prostate cancer.

INNO-406, a novel BCR-ABL/Lyn dual tyrosine kinase inhibitor, suppresses the growth of Ph+ leukemia cells in the central nervous system, and cyclosporine A augments its in vivo activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Yokota, Asumi; Kimura, Shinya; Masuda, Satohiro; Ashihara, Eishi; Kuroda, Junya; Sato, Kiyoshi; Kamitsuji, Yuri; Kawata, Eri; Deguchi, Yasuyuki; Urasaki, Yoshimasa; Terui, Yasuhito; Ruthardt, Martin; Ueda, Takanori; Hatake, Kiyohiko; Inui, Ken-ichi; Maekawa, Taira

2007-01-01

Central nervous system (CNS) relapse accompanying the prolonged administration of imatinib mesylate has recently become apparent as an impediment to the therapy of Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) leukemia. CNS relapse may be explained by limited penetration of imatinib mesylate into the cerebrospinal fluid because of the presence of P-glycoprotein at the blood-brain barrier. To overcome imatinib mesylate-resistance mechanisms such as bcr-abl amplification, mutations within the ABL kinase domain, and activation of Lyn, we developed a dual BCR-ABL/Lyn inhibitor, INNO-406 (formerly NS-187), which is 25 to 55 times more potent than imatinib mesylate in vitro and at least 10 times more potent in vivo. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of INNO-406 in treating CNS Ph+ leukemia. We found that INNO-406, like imatinib mesylate, is a substrate for P-glycoprotein. The concentrations of INNO-406 in the CNS were about 10% of those in the plasma. However, this residual concentration was enough to inhibit the growth of Ph+ leukemic cells which expressed not only wild-type but also mutated BCR-ABL in the murine CNS. Furthermore, cyclosporine A, a P-glycoprotein inhibitor, augmented the in vivo activity of INNO-406 against CNS Ph+ leukemia. These findings indicate that INNO-406 is a promising agent for the treatment of CNS Ph+ leukemia.

Inhibiting Src family tyrosine kinase activity blocks glutamate signalling to ERK1/2 and Akt/PKB but not JNK in cultured striatal neurones.

Science.gov (United States)

Crossthwaite, Andrew J; Valli, Haseeb; Williams, Robert J

2004-03-01

Glutamate receptor activation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signalling cascades has been implicated in diverse neuronal functions such as synaptic plasticity, development and excitotoxicity. We have previously shown that Ca2+-influx through NMDA receptors in cultured striatal neurones mediates the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and Akt/protein kinase B (PKB) through a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase)-dependent pathway. Exposing neurones to the Src family tyrosine kinase inhibitor PP2, but not the inactive analogue PP3, inhibited NMDA receptor-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and Akt/PKB in a concentration-dependent manner, and reduced cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation. To establish a link between Src family tyrosine kinase-mediated phosphorylation and PI 3-kinase signalling, affinity precipitation experiments were performed with the SH2 domains of the PI 3-kinase regulatory subunit p85. This revealed a Src-dependent phosphorylation of a focal adhesion kinase (FAK)-p85 complex on glutamate stimulation. Demonstrating that PI3-kinase is not ubiquitously involved in NMDA receptor signal transduction, the PI 3-kinase inhibitors wortmannin and LY294002 did not prevent NMDA receptor Ca2+-dependent phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1/2 (JNK1/2). Further, inhibiting Src family kinases increased NMDA receptor-dependent JNK1/2 phosphorylation, suggesting that Src family kinase-dependent cascades may physiologically limit signalling to JNK. These results demonstrate that Src family tyrosine kinases and PI3-kinase are pivotal regulators of NMDA receptor signalling to ERK/Akt and JNK in striatal neurones.

Characterization of goat inner cell mass derived cells in double kinase inhibition condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei, Qiang; Xi, Qihui; Liu, Xiaokun; Meng, Kai; Zhao, Xiaoe; Ma, Baohua

2017-01-01

The identification of small molecular inhibitors, which were reported to promote the derivation of mouse and human embryonic stem cells (ESCs), provides a potential strategy for the derivation of domesticated ungulate ESCs. In present study, goat inner cell mass (ICM) derived cells in the double inhibition (2i) condition, in which, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MAP2K) and glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) were inhibited by PD0325901 and BIO respectively, were characterized. The results showed that goat ICM derived cells in 2i medium adding leukaemia inhibitor factor (LIF) possessed a mouse ES-like morphology. But these cells had much compromised proliferation capacity, resulting in difficulty in expansion. In 2i alone medium, goat ICM derived cells possessed primate ES-like morphology. These cells expressed pluripotent markers and could differentiate into derivatives of three germ layers in vitro. However, these cells could not be proliferated in long-term (persisted for 15 passages) because of spontaneously neural differentiation. Additionally, goat ICM derived cells could be inducing differentiated into neural lineage in vitro. Although goat ESCs could not be established in PD0325901 and BIO alone medium, this derivation condition provides a useful research system to find signaling molecular those regulate early embryonic development and pluripotency in goat. - Highlights: • Goat inner cell mass derived cells possessed finite pluripotency in 2i condition. • These cells could not be proliferated in long-term in 2i condition. • These cells could spontaneously and inductively differentiate into neural lineage.

Inhibition of host extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation decreases new world alphavirus multiplication in infected cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Voss, Kelsey; Amaya, Moushimi [National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases, School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, 10650 Pyramid Place, Manassas, VA (United States); Mueller, Claudius [Center for Applied Proteomics and Personalized Medicine, George Mason University, 10900 University Boulevard, Manassas, VA (United States); Roberts, Brian [Leidos Health Life Sciences, 5202 Presidents Court, Suite 110, Frederick, MD (United States); Kehn-Hall, Kylene; Bailey, Charles [National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases, School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, 10650 Pyramid Place, Manassas, VA (United States); Petricoin, Emanuel [Center for Applied Proteomics and Personalized Medicine, George Mason University, 10900 University Boulevard, Manassas, VA (United States); Narayanan, Aarthi, E-mail: anaraya1@gmu.edu [National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases, School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, 10650 Pyramid Place, Manassas, VA (United States)

2014-11-15

New World alphaviruses belonging to the family Togaviridae are classified as emerging infectious agents and Category B select agents. Our study is focused on the role of the host extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in the infectious process of New World alphaviruses. Infection of human cells by Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) results in the activation of the ERK-signaling cascade. Inhibition of ERK1/2 by the small molecule inhibitor Ag-126 results in inhibition of viral multiplication. Ag-126-mediated inhibition of VEEV was due to potential effects on early and late stages of the infectious process. While expression of viral proteins was down-regulated in Ag-126 treated cells, we did not observe any influence of Ag-126 on the nuclear distribution of capsid. Finally, Ag-126 exerted a broad-spectrum inhibitory effect on New World alphavirus multiplication, thus indicating that the host kinase, ERK, is a broad-spectrum candidate for development of novel therapeutics against New World alphaviruses. - Highlights: • VEEV infection activated multiple components of the ERK signaling cascade. • Inhibition of ERK activation using Ag-126 inhibited VEEV multiplication. • Activation of ERK by Ceramide C6 increased infectious titers of TC-83. • Ag-126 inhibited virulent strains of all New World alphaviruses. • Ag-126 treatment increased percent survival of infected cells.

Inhibition of host extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation decreases new world alphavirus multiplication in infected cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voss, Kelsey; Amaya, Moushimi; Mueller, Claudius; Roberts, Brian; Kehn-Hall, Kylene; Bailey, Charles; Petricoin, Emanuel; Narayanan, Aarthi

2014-01-01

New World alphaviruses belonging to the family Togaviridae are classified as emerging infectious agents and Category B select agents. Our study is focused on the role of the host extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in the infectious process of New World alphaviruses. Infection of human cells by Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) results in the activation of the ERK-signaling cascade. Inhibition of ERK1/2 by the small molecule inhibitor Ag-126 results in inhibition of viral multiplication. Ag-126-mediated inhibition of VEEV was due to potential effects on early and late stages of the infectious process. While expression of viral proteins was down-regulated in Ag-126 treated cells, we did not observe any influence of Ag-126 on the nuclear distribution of capsid. Finally, Ag-126 exerted a broad-spectrum inhibitory effect on New World alphavirus multiplication, thus indicating that the host kinase, ERK, is a broad-spectrum candidate for development of novel therapeutics against New World alphaviruses. - Highlights: • VEEV infection activated multiple components of the ERK signaling cascade. • Inhibition of ERK activation using Ag-126 inhibited VEEV multiplication. • Activation of ERK by Ceramide C6 increased infectious titers of TC-83. • Ag-126 inhibited virulent strains of all New World alphaviruses. • Ag-126 treatment increased percent survival of infected cells

Investigating small molecules to inhibit germinal center kinase-like kinase (GLK/MAP4K3) upstream of PKCθ phosphorylation: Potential therapy to modulate T cell dependent immunity.

Science.gov (United States)

May-Dracka, Tricia L; Arduini, Robert; Bertolotti-Ciarlet, Andrea; Bhisetti, Govinda; Brickelmaier, Margot; Cahir-McFarland, Ellen; Enyedy, Istvan; Fontenot, Jason D; Hesson, Thomas; Little, Kevin; Lyssikatos, Joe; Marcotte, Douglas; McKee, Timothy; Murugan, Paramasivam; Patterson, Thomas; Peng, Hairuo; Rushe, Mia; Silvian, Laura; Spilker, Kerri; Wu, Ping; Xin, Zhili; Burkly, Linda C

2018-06-01

Germinal center kinase-like kinase (GLK, also known as MAP4K3) has been hypothesized to have an effect on key cellular activities, including inflammatory responses. GLK is required for activation of protein kinase C-θ (PKCθ) in T cells. Controlling the activity of T helper cell responses could be valuable for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. This approach circumvents previous unsuccessful approaches to target PKCθ directly. The use of structure based drug design, aided by the first crystal structure of GLK, led to the discovery of several inhibitors that demonstrate potent inhibition of GLK biochemically and in relevant cell lines. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fasting potentiates the anticancer activity of tyrosine kinase inhibitors by strengthening MAPK signaling inhibition

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Caffa, Irene; D'Agostino, Vito; Damonte, Patrizia; Soncini, Debora; Cea, Michele; Monacelli, Fiammetta; Odetti, Patrizio; Ballestrero, Alberto; Provenzani, Alessandro; Longo, Valter D.; Nencioni, Alessio

2015-01-01

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are now the mainstay of treatment in many types of cancer. However, their benefit is frequently short-lived, mandating the search for safe potentiation strategies. Cycles of fasting enhance the activity of chemo-radiotherapy in preclinical cancer models and dietary approaches based on fasting are currently explored in clinical trials. Whether combining fasting with TKIs is going to be potentially beneficial remains unknown. Here we report that starvation conditions increase the ability of commonly administered TKIs, including erlotinib, gefitinib, lapatinib, crizotinib and regorafenib, to block cancer cell growth, to inhibit the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway and to strengthen E2F-dependent transcription inhibition. In cancer xenografts models, both TKIs and cycles of fasting slowed tumor growth, but, when combined, these interventions were significantly more effective than either type of treatment alone. In conclusion, cycles of fasting or of specifically designed fasting-mimicking diets should be evaluated in clinical studies as a means to potentiate the activity of TKIs in clinical use. PMID:25909220

Structural Bioinformatics and Protein Docking Analysis of the Molecular Chaperone-Kinase Interactions: Towards Allosteric Inhibition of Protein Kinases by Targeting the Hsp90-Cdc37 Chaperone Machinery

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Gennady Verkhivker

2013-11-01

Full Text Available A fundamental role of the Hsp90-Cdc37 chaperone system in mediating maturation of protein kinase clients and supporting kinase functional activity is essential for the integrity and viability of signaling pathways involved in cell cycle control and organism development. Despite significant advances in understanding structure and function of molecular chaperones, the molecular mechanisms and guiding principles of kinase recruitment to the chaperone system are lacking quantitative characterization. Structural and thermodynamic characterization of Hsp90-Cdc37 binding with protein kinase clients by modern experimental techniques is highly challenging, owing to a transient nature of chaperone-mediated interactions. In this work, we used experimentally-guided protein docking to probe the allosteric nature of the Hsp90-Cdc37 binding with the cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (Cdk4 kinase clients. The results of docking simulations suggest that the kinase recognition and recruitment to the chaperone system may be primarily determined by Cdc37 targeting of the N-terminal kinase lobe. The interactions of Hsp90 with the C-terminal kinase lobe may provide additional “molecular brakes” that can lock (or unlock kinase from the system during client loading (release stages. The results of this study support a central role of the Cdc37 chaperone in recognition and recruitment of the kinase clients. Structural analysis may have useful implications in developing strategies for allosteric inhibition of protein kinases by targeting the Hsp90-Cdc37 chaperone machinery.

Cyclin-dependent kinase suppression by WEE1 kinase protects the genome through control of replication initiation and nucleotide consumption

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Beck, Halfdan; Nähse-Kumpf, Viola; Larsen, Marie Sofie Yoo

2012-01-01

Activation of oncogenes or inhibition of WEE1 kinase deregulates Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) activity and leads to replication stress, however, the underlying mechanism is not understood. We now show that elevation of CDK activity by inhibiting WEE1 kinase rapidly increases initiation of replic......Activation of oncogenes or inhibition of WEE1 kinase deregulates Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) activity and leads to replication stress, however, the underlying mechanism is not understood. We now show that elevation of CDK activity by inhibiting WEE1 kinase rapidly increases initiation...... of replication. This leads to nucleotide shortage and reduces replication fork speed, which is followed by SLX4/MUS81-mediated DNA double-strand breakage. Fork speed is normalized and DNA double-strand break (DSB) formation is suppressed when CDT1, a key factor for replication initiation, is depleted...

Phase 1 study of INNO-406, a dual Abl/Lyn kinase inhibitor, in Philadelphia chromosome-positive leukemias after imatinib resistance or intolerance.

Science.gov (United States)

Kantarjian, Hagop; le Coutre, Phillipp; Cortes, Jorge; Pinilla-Ibarz, Javier; Nagler, Arnon; Hochhaus, Andreas; Kimura, Shinya; Ottmann, Oliver

2010-06-01

: INNO-406, a dual v-abl Abelson murine leukemia viral oncogene homolog (Abl)/v-yes-1 Yamaguchi sarcoma viral-related oncogene homolog (Lyn) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), has demonstrated specific Lyn kinase inhibitory activity with no or limited activity against other sarcoma (Src) family member kinases. Several breakpoint cluster region (Bcr)-Abl kinase domain mutations are sensitive to INNO-406 in vitro, including mutations that involve a phenylalanine-to-leucine or phenylalanine-to-valine substitution at codon 317 (F317L and F317V, respectively). In the current study, the authors evaluated the use of INNO-406 in patients with Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) or acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) after imatinib resistance or intolerance. : A dose-escalation study was conducted at a starting dose of oral INNO-406 30 mg once daily. Cohorts of at least 3 patients were treated at each dose level until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was reached. Twice-daily dosing also was evaluated. Therapy was allowed to continue for a maximum of 24 months. : INNO-406 was administered to 56 patients with imatinib resistance (n = 40) or intolerance (n = 16). Other previous treatments included nilotinib (n = 20 patients), dasatinib (n = 26 patients), and dasatinib/nilotinib (n = 9 patients). Common mutations at the time of study entry included a tyrosine-to-histidine substitution at codon 253 (Y253H) (n = 6 patients), a glycine-to-glutamic acid substitution at codon 250 (G250E) (n = 4 patients), a threonine-to-isoleucine substitution at codon 315 (T315I) (n = 4 patients), and F317L (n = 3 patients). Of 31 patients with CML in chronic phase who received INNO-406, the major cytogenetic response rate was 19%. No responses were observed in patients who had CML in accelerated phase, CML in blastic phase, or Ph-positive ALL. The dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) at an INNO-406 dose of 480 mg twice daily were liver function abnormalities and

Pharmacologic ATM but not ATR kinase inhibition abrogates p21-dependent G1 arrest and promotes gastrointestinal syndrome after total body irradiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Vendetti, Frank P; Leibowitz, Brian J; Barnes, Jennifer; Schamus, Sandy; Kiesel, Brian F; Abberbock, Shira; Conrads, Thomas; Clump, David Andy; Cadogan, Elaine; O'Connor, Mark J; Yu, Jian; Beumer, Jan H; Bakkenist, Christopher J

2017-02-01

We show that ATM kinase inhibition using AZ31 prior to 9 or 9.25 Gy total body irradiation (TBI) reduced median time to moribund in mice to 8 days. ATR kinase inhibition using AZD6738 prior to TBI did not reduce median time to moribund. The striking finding associated with ATM inhibition prior to TBI was increased crypt loss within the intestine epithelium. ATM inhibition reduced upregulation of p21, an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases, and blocked G1 arrest after TBI thereby increasing the number of S phase cells in crypts in wild-type but not Cdkn1a(p21 CIP/WAF1 )-/- mice. In contrast, ATR inhibition increased upregulation of p21 after TBI. Thus, ATM activity is essential for p21-dependent arrest while ATR inhibition may potentiate arrest in crypt cells after TBI. Nevertheless, ATM inhibition reduced median time to moribund in Cdkn1a(p21 CIP/WAF1 )-/- mice after TBI. ATM inhibition also increased cell death in crypts at 4 h in Cdkn1a(p21 CIP/WAF1 )-/-, earlier than at 24 h in wild-type mice after TBI. In contrast, ATR inhibition decreased cell death in crypts in Cdkn1a(p21 CIP/WAF1 )-/- mice at 4 h after TBI. We conclude that ATM activity is essential for p21-dependent and p21-independent mechanisms that radioprotect intestinal crypts and that ATM inhibition promotes GI syndrome after TBI.

Protein kinase Cɛ inhibition restores megakaryocytic differentiation of hematopoietic progenitors from primary myelofibrosis patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Masselli, E; Carubbi, C; Gobbi, G; Mirandola, P; Galli, D; Martini, S; Bonomini, S; Crugnola, M; Craviotto, L; Aversa, F; Vitale, M

2015-11-01

Among the three classic Philadelphia chromosome-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms, primary myelofibrosis (PMF) is the most severe in terms of disease biology, survival and quality of life. Abnormalities in the process of differentiation of PMF megakaryocytes (MKs) are a hallmark of the disease. Nevertheless, the molecular events that lead to aberrant megakaryocytopoiesis have yet to be clarified. Protein kinase Cɛ (PKCɛ) is a novel serine/threonine kinase that is overexpressed in a variety of cancers, promoting aggressive phenotype, invasiveness and drug resistance. Our previous findings on the role of PKCɛ in normal (erythroid and megakaryocytic commitment) and malignant (acute myeloid leukemia) hematopoiesis prompted us to investigate whether it could be involved in the pathogenesis of PMF MK-impaired differentiation. We demonstrate that PMF megakaryocytic cultures express higher levels of PKCɛ than healthy donors, which correlate with higher disease burden but not with JAK2V617F mutation. Inhibition of PKCɛ function (by a negative regulator of PKCɛ translocation) or translation (by target small hairpin RNA) leads to reduction in PMF cell growth, restoration of PMF MK differentiation and inhibition of PKCɛ-related anti-apoptotic signaling (Bcl-xL). Our data suggest that targeting PKCɛ directly affects the PMF neoplastic clone and represent a proof-of-concept for PKCɛ inhibition as a novel therapeutic strategy in PMF.

Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol inhibits MRCKα kinase and demonstrates promising anti prostate cancer activity in vitro

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lowe Henry I C

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Given the high occurrence of prostate cancer worldwide and one of the major sources of the discovery of new lead molecules being medicinal plants, this research undertook to investigate the possible anti-cancer activity of two natural cycloartanes; cycloartane-3,24,25-diol (extracted in our lab from Tillandsia recurvata and cycloartane-3,24,25-triol (purchased. The inhibition of MRCKα kinase has emerged as a potential solution to restoring the tight regulation of normal cellular growth, the loss of which leads to cancer cell formation. Methods Kinase inhibition was investigated using competition binding (to the ATP sites assays which have been previously established and authenticated and cell proliferation was measured using the WST-1 assay. Results Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol demonstrated strong selectivity towards the MRCKα kinase with a Kd50 of 0.26 μM from a total of 451 kinases investigated. Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol reduced the viability of PC-3 and DU145 cell lines with IC50 values of 2.226 ± 0.28 μM and 1.67 ± 0.18 μM respectively. Conclusions These results will prove useful in drug discovery as Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol has shown potential for development as an anti-cancer agent against prostate cancer.

Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol inhibits MRCKα kinase and demonstrates promising anti prostate cancer activity in vitro

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background Given the high occurrence of prostate cancer worldwide and one of the major sources of the discovery of new lead molecules being medicinal plants, this research undertook to investigate the possible anti-cancer activity of two natural cycloartanes; cycloartane-3,24,25-diol (extracted in our lab from Tillandsia recurvata) and cycloartane-3,24,25-triol (purchased). The inhibition of MRCKα kinase has emerged as a potential solution to restoring the tight regulation of normal cellular growth, the loss of which leads to cancer cell formation. Methods Kinase inhibition was investigated using competition binding (to the ATP sites) assays which have been previously established and authenticated and cell proliferation was measured using the WST-1 assay. Results Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol demonstrated strong selectivity towards the MRCKα kinase with a Kd50 of 0.26 μM from a total of 451 kinases investigated. Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol reduced the viability of PC-3 and DU145 cell lines with IC50 values of 2.226 ± 0.28 μM and 1.67 ± 0.18 μM respectively. Conclusions These results will prove useful in drug discovery as Cycloartane-3,24,25-triol has shown potential for development as an anti-cancer agent against prostate cancer. PMID:23151005

LRRK2 kinase inhibition prevents pathological microglial phagocytosis in response to HIV-1 Tat protein

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Marker Daniel F

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1 associated neurocognitive disorders (HANDs are accompanied by significant morbidity, which persists despite the use of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART. While activated microglia play a role in pathogenesis, changes in their immune effector functions, including phagocytosis and proinflammatory signaling pathways, are not well understood. We have identified leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2 as a novel regulator of microglial phagocytosis and activation in an in vitro model of HANDs, and hypothesize that LRRK2 kinase inhibition will attenuate microglial activation during HANDs. Methods We treated BV-2 immortalized mouse microglia cells with the HIV-1 trans activator of transcription (Tat protein in the absence or presence of LRRK2 kinase inhibitor (LRRK2i. We used Western blot, qRT-PCR, immunocytochemistry and latex bead engulfment assays to analyze LRRK2 protein levels, proinflammatory cytokine and phagocytosis receptor expression, LRRK2 cellular distribution and phagocytosis, respectively. Finally, we utilized ex vivo microfluidic chambers containing primary hippocampal neurons and BV-2 microglia cells to investigate microglial phagocytosis of neuronal axons. Results We found that Tat-treatment of BV-2 cells induced kinase activity associated phosphorylation of serine 935 on LRRK2 and caused the formation of cytoplasmic LRRK2 inclusions. LRRK2i decreased Tat-induced phosphorylation of serine 935 on LRRK2 and inhibited the formation of Tat-induced cytoplasmic LRRK2 inclusions. LRRK2i also decreased Tat-induced process extension in BV-2 cells. Furthermore, LRRK2i attenuated Tat-induced cytokine expression and latex bead engulfment. We examined relevant cellular targets in microfluidic chambers and found that Tat-treated BV-2 microglia cells cleared axonal arbor and engulfed neuronal elements, whereas saline treated controls did not. LRRK2i was found to protect axons in the presence

Targeting of the BLT2 in chronic myeloid leukemia inhibits leukemia stem/progenitor cell function

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Xiao, Meifang; Ai, Hongmei; Li, Tao [Department of Laboratory Medicine, JingZhou Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Jingzhou (China); Rajoria, Pasupati; Shahu, Prakash [Department of Clinical Medicine, Medical School of Yangtze University, Jingzhou (China); Li, Xiansong, E-mail: lixiansongjz@hotmail.com [Department of Neurosurgery, JingZhou Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Jingzhou (China)

2016-04-15

Imatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) has significantly improved clinical outcome for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients. However, patients develop resistance when the disease progresses to the blast phase (BP) and the mechanisms are not well understood. Here we show that BCR-ABL activates BLT2 in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells to promote leukemogenesis and this involves the p53 signaling pathway. Compared to normal bone marrow (NBM), the mRNA and protein levels of BLT2 are significantly increased in BP-CML CD34{sup +} stem/progenitor cells. This is correlated with increasing BCR-ABL expression. In contrast, knockdown of BCR-ABL or inhibition of its tyrosine kinase activity decreases Blt2 protein level. BLT2 inhibition induces apoptosis, inhibits proliferation, colony formation and self-renewal capacity of CD34{sup +} cells from TKI-resistant BP-CML patients. Importantly, the inhibitory effects of BCR-ABL TKI on CML stem/progenitor cells are further enhanced upon combination with BLT2 inhibition. We further show that BLT2 activation selectively suppresses p53 but not Wnt or BMP-mediated luciferase activity and transcription. Our results demonstrate that BLT2 is a novel pathway activated by BCR-ABL and critically involved in the resistance of BP-CML CD34{sup +} stem/progenitors to TKIs treatment. Our findings suggest that BLT2 and p53 can serve as therapeutic targets for CML treatment. - Highlights: • BCR-ABL regulates BLT2 expression to promote leukemogenesis. • BLT2 is essential to maintain CML cell function. • Activation of BLT2 suppresses p53 signaling pathway in CML cells. • Inhibition of BLT2 and BCR-ABL synergize in eliminating CML CD34{sup +} stem/progenitors.

Inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3β counteracts ligand-independent activity of the androgen receptor in castration resistant prostate cancer.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefanie V Schütz

Full Text Available In order to generate genomic signals, the androgen receptor (AR has to be transported into the nucleus upon androgenic stimuli. However, there is evidence from in vitro experiments that in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC cells the AR is able to translocate into the nucleus in a ligand-independent manner. The recent finding that inhibition of the glycogen-synthase-kinase 3β (GSK-3β induces a rapid nuclear export of the AR in androgen-stimulated prostate cancer cells prompted us to analyze the effects of a GSK-3β inhibition in the castration-resistant LNCaP sublines C4-2 and LNCaP-SSR. Both cell lines exhibit high levels of nuclear AR in the absence of androgenic stimuli. Exposure of these cells to the maleimide SB216763, a potent GSK-3β inhibitor, resulted in a rapid nuclear export of the AR even under androgen-deprived conditions. Moreover, the ability of C4-2 and LNCaP-SSR cells to grow in the absence of androgens was diminished after pharmacological inhibition of GSK-3β in vitro. The ability of SB216763 to modulate AR signalling and function in CRPC in vivo was additionally demonstrated in a modified chick chorioallantoic membrane xenograft assay after systemic delivery of SB216763. Our data suggest that inhibition of GSK-3β helps target the AR for export from the nucleus thereby diminishing the effects of mislocated AR in CRPC cells. Therefore, inhibition of GSK-3β could be an interesting new strategy for the treatment of CRPC.

AT13148, a first-in-class multi-AGC kinase inhibitor, potently inhibits gastric cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xi, Yu [Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical School, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030 (China); Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832008 (China); Niu, Jianhua [Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832008 (China); Shen, Yun [Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832008 (China); Li, Dongmei [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832008 (China); Peng, Xinyu, E-mail: pppengxinyu@sina.com [Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832008 (China); Wu, Xiangwei, E-mail: wuxiangweiys@126.com [Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832008 (China)

2016-09-09

The AGC kinase family is important cell proliferation and survival. Dysregulation of this family contributes to gastric cancer progression. Here, we evaluated the potential activity of AT13148, a first-in-class multi-AGC kinase inhibitor, against gastric cancer cells. Our results showed that AT13148 exerted potent cytotoxic and anti-proliferative activities against a panel human gastric cancer cell lines (HGC-27, AGS, SNU-601, N87 and MKN-28), possibly via inducing cancer cell apoptotic death. Apoptosis inhibition by the Caspase blockers dramatically attenuated AT13148-caused cytotoxicity against gastric cancer cells. Intriguingly, same AT13148 treatment was not cytotoxic/pro-apoptotic to the non-cancerous human gastric epithelial GEC-1 cells. At the signaling level, AT13148 treatment in gastric cancer cells dramatically suppressed activation of multiple AGC kinases, including Akt (at p-Thr-308), p70S6 kinase (p70S6K), glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) and p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK). Our in vivo studies demonstrated that daily oral gavage of AT13148 at well-tolerated doses significantly inhibited HGC27 xenograft tumor growth in nude mice. AGC activity was also dramatically decreased in AT13148-administrated HGC27 tumors. Therefore, targeting AGC kinases by AT13148 demonstrates superior anti-gastric cancer activity both in vitro and in vivo. The preclinical results of this study support the progression of this molecule into future evaluation as a valuable anti-gastric cancer candidate. - Highlights: • AT13148 is cytotoxic and anti-proliferative to human gastric cancer cells. • AT13148 induces gastric cancer cell apoptotic death, inhibited by Caspase inhibitors. • AT13148 inactivates multiple AGC kinases in human gastric cancer cells. • AT13148 oral administration suppresses HGC27 xenograft growth in nude mice. • AT13148 oral administration inhibits multiple AGC kinases in HGC27 xenograft tumors.

Calcitonin causes a sustained inhibition of protein kinase C-stimulated bone resorption in contrast to the transient inhibition of parathyroid hormone-induced bone resorption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ransjoe, M.; Lerner, U.H.

1990-01-01

Calcitonin is a well known inhibitor of osteoclastic bone resortion, both in vivo and in vitro. However, it is also known that calcitonin has only a transient inhibitory effect on bone resorption. The mechanism for this so-called ''escape from inhibition'' phenomenon is not clear. In the present study, the inhibitory effect of calcitonin on phorbol ester-induced bone resorption was examined in cultured neonatal mouse calvaria. Bone resorption was assessed as the release of radioactivity from bones prelabelled in vivo with 45 Ca. Two proteon kinase C-activating phorbol esters, phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate and phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate, both stimulated 45 Ca release in 120-h cultures at a concentration of 10 nmul/l. Calcitonin (30 nmol/l) inhibited phorbol esterstimulated bone resorption without any ''escape from inhibition''. This was in contrast to the transient inhibitory effect of calcitonin on bone resorption stimulated by parathyroid hormone (10 nmol/l), prostaglandin E 2 (2 μmol/l), and bradykinin (1 μmol/l). Our results suggest that activation of protein kinase C produces a sustained inhibitory effect of calcitonin on bone resorption. (author)

Sensitive detection of pre-existing BCR-ABL kinase domain mutations in CD34+ cells of newly diagnosed chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia patients is associated with imatinib resistance: implications in the post-imatinib era.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zafar Iqbal

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: BCR-ABL kinase domain mutations are infrequently detected in newly diagnosed chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML patients. Recent studies indicate the presence of pre-existing BCR-ABL mutations in a higher percentage of CML patients when CD34+ stem/progenitor cells are investigated using sensitive techniques, and these mutations are associated with imatinib resistance and disease progression. However, such studies were limited to smaller number of patients. METHODS: We investigated BCR-ABL kinase domain mutations in CD34+ cells from 100 chronic-phase CML patients by multiplex allele-specific PCR and sequencing at diagnosis. Mutations were re-investigated upon manifestation of imatinib resistance using allele-specific PCR and direct sequencing of BCR-ABL kinase domain. RESULTS: Pre-existing BCR-ABL mutations were detected in 32/100 patients and included F311L, M351T, and T315I. After a median follow-up of 30 months (range 8-48, all patients with pre-existing BCR-ABL mutations exhibited imatinib resistance. Of the 68 patients without pre-existing BCR-ABL mutations, 24 developed imatinib resistance; allele-specific PCR and BCR-ABL kinase domain sequencing detected mutations in 22 of these patients. All 32 patients with pre-existing BCR-ABL mutations had the same mutations after manifestation of imatinib-resistance. In imatinib-resistant patients without pre-existing BCR-ABL mutations, we detected F311L, M351T, Y253F, and T315I mutations. All imatinib-resistant patients except T315I and Y253F mutations responded to imatinib dose escalation. CONCLUSION: Pre-existing BCR-ABL mutations can be detected in a substantial number of chronic-phase CML patients by sensitive allele-specific PCR technique using CD34+ cells. These mutations are associated with imatinib resistance if affecting drug binding directly or indirectly. After the recent approval of nilotinib, dasatinib, bosutinib and ponatinib for treatment of chronic myeloid

Tyrphostin AG1478 Inhibits Encephalomyocarditis Virus and Hepatitis C Virus by Targeting Phosphatidylinositol 4-Kinase IIIα

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dorobantu, Cristina M.; Harak, Christian; Klein, Rahel; van der Linden, Lonneke; Strating, Jeroen R. P. M.; van der Schaar, Hilde M.; Lohmann, Volker; van Kuppeveld, Frank J. M.

2016-01-01

Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), like hepatitis C virus (HCV), requires phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase IIIα (PI4KA) for genome replication. Here, we demonstrate that tyrphostin AG1478, a known epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor, also inhibits PI4KA activity, both in vitro and in

Phosphorylation of the Mdm2 oncoprotein by the c-Abl tyrosine kinase regulates p53 tumor suppression and the radiosensitivity of mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Carr, Michael I; Roderick, Justine E; Zhang, Hong; Woda, Bruce A; Kelliher, Michelle A; Jones, Stephen N

2016-12-27

The p53 tumor suppressor acts as a guardian of the genome by preventing the propagation of DNA damage-induced breaks and mutations to subsequent generations of cells. We have previously shown that phosphorylation of the Mdm2 oncoprotein at Ser394 by the ATM kinase is required for robust p53 stabilization and activation in cells treated with ionizing radiation, and that loss of Mdm2 Ser394 phosphorylation leads to spontaneous tumorigenesis and radioresistance in Mdm2 S394A mice. Previous in vitro data indicate that the c-Abl kinase phosphorylates Mdm2 at the neighboring residue (Tyr393) in response to DNA damage to regulate p53-dependent apoptosis. In this present study, we have generated an Mdm2 mutant mouse (Mdm2 Y393F ) to determine whether c-Abl phosphorylation of Mdm2 regulates the p53-mediated DNA damage response or p53 tumor suppression in vivo. The Mdm2 Y393F mice develop accelerated spontaneous and oncogene-induced tumors, yet display no defects in p53 stabilization and activity following acute genotoxic stress. Although apoptosis is unaltered in these mice, they recover more rapidly from radiation-induced bone marrow ablation and are more resistant to whole-body radiation-induced lethality. These data reveal an in vivo role for c-Abl phosphorylation of Mdm2 in regulation of p53 tumor suppression and bone marrow failure. However, c-Abl phosphorylation of Mdm2 Tyr393 appears to play a lesser role in governing Mdm2-p53 signaling than ATM phosphorylation of Mdm2 Ser394. Furthermore, the effects of these phosphorylation events on p53 regulation are not additive, as Mdm2 Y393F/S394A mice and Mdm2 S394A mice display similar phenotypes.

Inhibition of IGF-1 receptor kinase blocks the differentiation into cardiomyocyte-like cells of BMSCs induced by IGF-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Haibin; Wang, Xiuli; Wang, Lei; Liu, Ying; Wang, Jie; Lv, Qian; Pang, Hui; Zhang, Qinglin; Wang, Zhenquan

2017-07-01

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have the potential to transdifferentiate into cardiomyocyte‑like cells (CLCs) if an appropriate cardiac environment is provided. Insulin‑like growth factor‑1 (IGF‑1) plays an important role in the cell migration, survival and differentiation of BMSCs. However, the effect of IGF‑1 on the cellular differentiation remains unclear. In the present study, BMSCs were isolated from rat femurs and tibias and the cells were purified at passage 6 (P6). IGF‑1 and IGF‑1 receptor (IGF‑1R) kinase inhibitor I‑OMe AG538 were added to detect if IGF‑1 could induce BMSCs to transdifferentiate into CLCs and if I‑OMe AG538 could inhibit IGF‑1‑mediated receptor activation and downstream signaling. Immunostaining demonstrated that all P6 BMSCs express CD29 and CD44 but not CD45. BMSCs induced by 15 ng/ml IGF‑1 revealed positivity for cardiac troponin‑T and cardiac troponin‑I. The optimal induction time was 14 days but the expression of these proteins were incompletely inhibited by 300 nmol/l I‑OMe AG538 and completely inhibited by 10 µmol/l I‑OMe AG538. Western blotting showed that the level of IGF‑1R autophosphorylation and the expression of cTnT and cTnI were higher when BMSCs were induced for 14 days. I‑OMe AG538 selectively inhibited IGF‑1‑mediated growth and signal transduction and the inhibitory effect of I‑OMe AG538 were not reverted in the presence of exogenous IGF‑1. In addition, when a time course analysis of the effects of I‑OMe AG538 on mitogen‑activated protein kinase kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3‑kinase signaling were done, we observed a transient inhibitory effect on Erk1/2 and Akt phosphorylation, in keeping with the inhibitory effects on cell growth. Taken together, these data indicate that I‑OMe AG538 could inhibit IGF-1-induced CLCs in BMSCs and this effect is time- and concentration-dependent.

Adaptation to TKI Treatment Reactivates ERK Signaling in Tyrosine Kinase-Driven Leukemias and Other Malignancies.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruner, J Kyle; Ma, Hayley S; Li, Li; Qin, Alice Can Ran; Rudek, Michelle A; Jones, Richard J; Levis, Mark J; Pratz, Keith W; Pratilas, Christine A; Small, Donald

2017-10-15

FMS-like tyrosine kinase-3 (FLT3) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) have been tested extensively to limited benefit in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We hypothesized that FLT3/internal tandem duplication (ITD) leukemia cells exhibit mechanisms of intrinsic signaling adaptation to TKI treatment that are associated with an incomplete response. Here, we identified reactivation of ERK signaling within hours following treatment of FLT3/ITD AML cells with selective inhibitors of FLT3. When these cells were treated with inhibitors of both FLT3 and MEK in combination, ERK reactivation was abrogated and anti-leukemia effects were more pronounced compared with either drug alone. ERK reactivation was also observed following inhibition of other tyrosine kinase-driven cancer cells, including EGFR-mutant lung cancer, HER2-amplified breast cancer, and BCR-ABL leukemia. These studies reveal an adaptive feedback mechanism in tyrosine kinase-driven cancers associated with reactivation of ERK signaling in response to targeted inhibition. Cancer Res; 77(20); 5554-63. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

Towards a Molecular Understanding of the Link between Imatinib Resistance and Kinase Conformational Dynamics.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvia Lovera

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Due to its inhibition of the Abl kinase domain in the BCR-ABL fusion protein, imatinib is strikingly effective in the initial stage of chronic myeloid leukemia with more than 90% of the patients showing complete remission. However, as in the case of most targeted anti-cancer therapies, the emergence of drug resistance is a serious concern. Several drug-resistant mutations affecting the catalytic domain of Abl and other tyrosine kinases are now known. But, despite their importance and the adverse effect that they have on the prognosis of the cancer patients harboring them, the molecular mechanism of these mutations is still debated. Here by using long molecular dynamics simulations and large-scale free energy calculations complemented by in vitro mutagenesis and microcalorimetry experiments, we model the effect of several widespread drug-resistant mutations of Abl. By comparing the conformational free energy landscape of the mutants with those of the wild-type tyrosine kinases we clarify their mode of action. It involves significant and complex changes in the inactive-to-active dynamics and entropy/enthalpy balance of two functional elements: the activation-loop and the conserved DFG motif. What is more the T315I gatekeeper mutant has a significant impact on the binding mechanism itself and on the binding kinetics.

Reciprocal regulation of ARPP-16 by PKA and MAST3 kinases provides a cAMP-regulated switch in protein phosphatase 2A inhibition.

Science.gov (United States)

Musante, Veronica; Li, Lu; Kanyo, Jean; Lam, Tukiet T; Colangelo, Christopher M; Cheng, Shuk Kei; Brody, A Harrison; Greengard, Paul; Le Novère, Nicolas; Nairn, Angus C

2017-06-14

ARPP-16, ARPP-19, and ENSA are inhibitors of protein phosphatase PP2A. ARPP-19 and ENSA phosphorylated by Greatwall kinase inhibit PP2A during mitosis. ARPP-16 is expressed in striatal neurons where basal phosphorylation by MAST3 kinase inhibits PP2A and regulates key components of striatal signaling. The ARPP-16/19 proteins were discovered as substrates for PKA, but the function of PKA phosphorylation is unknown. We find that phosphorylation by PKA or MAST3 mutually suppresses the ability of the other kinase to act on ARPP-16. Phosphorylation by PKA also acts to prevent inhibition of PP2A by ARPP-16 phosphorylated by MAST3. Moreover, PKA phosphorylates MAST3 at multiple sites resulting in its inhibition. Mathematical modeling highlights the role of these three regulatory interactions to create a switch-like response to cAMP. Together, the results suggest a complex antagonistic interplay between the control of ARPP-16 by MAST3 and PKA that creates a mechanism whereby cAMP mediates PP2A disinhibition.

The Haemophilus ducreyi LspA1 protein inhibits phagocytosis by using a new mechanism involving activation of C-terminal Src kinase.

Science.gov (United States)

Dodd, Dana A; Worth, Randall G; Rosen, Michael K; Grinstein, Sergio; van Oers, Nicolai S C; Hansen, Eric J

2014-05-20

Haemophilus ducreyi causes chancroid, a sexually transmitted infection. A primary means by which this pathogen causes disease involves eluding phagocytosis; however, the molecular basis for this escape mechanism has been poorly understood. Here, we report that the LspA virulence factors of H. ducreyi inhibit phagocytosis by stimulating the catalytic activity of C-terminal Src kinase (Csk), which itself inhibits Src family protein tyrosine kinases (SFKs) that promote phagocytosis. Inhibitory activity could be localized to a 37-kDa domain (designated YL2) of the 456-kDa LspA1 protein. The YL2 domain impaired ingestion of IgG-opsonized targets and decreased levels of active SFKs when expressed in mammalian cells. YL2 contains tyrosine residues in two EPIYG motifs that are phosphorylated in mammalian cells. These tyrosine residues were essential for YL2-based inhibition of phagocytosis. Csk was identified as the predominant mammalian protein interacting with YL2, and a dominant-negative Csk rescued phagocytosis in the presence of YL2. Purified Csk phosphorylated the tyrosines in the YL2 EPIYG motifs. Phosphorylated YL2 increased Csk catalytic activity, resulting in positive feedback, such that YL2 can be phosphorylated by the same kinase that it activates. Finally, we found that the Helicobacter pylori CagA protein also inhibited phagocytosis in a Csk-dependent manner, raising the possibility that this may be a general mechanism among diverse bacteria. Harnessing Csk to subvert the Fcγ receptor (FcγR)-mediated phagocytic pathway represents a new bacterial mechanism for circumventing a crucial component of the innate immune response and may potentially affect other SFK-involved cellular pathways. Phagocytosis is a critical component of the immune system that enables pathogens to be contained and cleared. A number of bacterial pathogens have developed specific strategies to either physically evade phagocytosis or block the intracellular signaling required for

Three Paths to Better Tyrosine Kinase Inhibition Behind the Blood-Brain Barrier in Treating Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia and Glioblastoma with Imatinib

Science.gov (United States)

Kast, Richard E; Focosi, Daniele

2010-01-01

Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) can be controlled for years with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib but because imatinib poorly penetrates the blood-brain barrier (BBB), on occasion, the CML clone will thrive and evolve to an accelerated phase in the resulting imatinib sanctuary within the central nervous system. In this, CML resembles glioblastoma in that imatinib, which otherwise may be effective, cannot get to the tumor. Although a common street drug of abuse, methamphetamine is Food and Drug Administration-approved and marketed as a pharmaceutical drug to treat attention-deficit disorders. It has shown the ability to open the BBB in rodents. We have some clinical hints that it may do so in humans as well. This short note presents three new points potentially leading to better tyrosine kinase inhibition behind the BBB: 1) Pharmaceutical methamphetamine may have a useful role in treating both CML and glioblastoma by allowing higher imatinib concentrations behind the BBB. 2) The old antidepressant and monoamine oxidase inhibitor selegiline, used to treat Parkinson disease, is catabolized to methamphetamine. Selegiline, as a nonscheduled drug,may therefore be an easier way to open the BBB, allowing more effective chemotherapy with tyrosine kinases. 3) Dasatinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor with a spectrum of inhibition only partially overlapping that of imatinib and a mechanism of tyrosine kinase inhibition that is different from that of imatinib. The two should be additive. In addition, dasatinib crosses the BBB poorly, and it can therefore be expected to benefit from methamphetamine-assisted entry. PMID:20165690

Pharmacological Inhibition of Protein Kinase G1 Enhances Bone Formation by Human Skeletal Stem Cells Through Activation of RhoA-Akt Signaling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kermani, Abbas Jafari; Siersbaek, Majken S; Chen, Li

2015-01-01

for several malignant and nonmalignant conditions. We screened a library of kinase inhibitors to identify small molecules that enhance bone formation by human skeletal (stromal or mesenchymal) stem cells (hMSC). We identified H-8 (known to inhibit protein kinases A, C, and G) as a potent enhancer of ex vivo......Development of novel approaches to enhance bone regeneration is needed for efficient treatment of bone defects. Protein kinases play a key role in regulation of intracellular signal transduction pathways, and pharmacological targeting of protein kinases has led to development of novel treatments...

The novel orally bioavailable inhibitor of phosphoinositol-3-kinase and mammalian target of rapamycin, NVP-BEZ235, inhibits growth and proliferation in multiple myeloma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baumann, Philipp; Mandl-Weber, Sonja; Oduncu, Fuat; Schmidmaier, Ralf

2009-01-01

NVP-BEZ235 is a new inhibitor of phosphoinositol-3-kinase (PI3 kinase) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) whose efficacy in advanced solid tumours is currently being evaluated in a phase I/II clinical trial. Here we show that NVP-BEZ235 inhibits growth in common myeloma cell lines as well as primary myeloma cells at nanomolar concentrations in a time and dose dependent fashion. Further experiments revealed induction of apoptosis in three of four cell lines. Inhibition of cell growth was mainly due to inhibition of myeloma cell proliferation, as shown by the BrdU assay. Cell cycle analysis revealed induction of cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase, which was due to downregulation of cyclin D1, pRb and cdc25a. NVP-BEZ235 inhibited phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt), P70S6k and 4E-BP-1. Furthermore we show that the stimulatory effect of CD40-ligand (CD40L), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and conditioned medium of HS-5 stromal cells on myeloma cell growth is completely abrogated by NVP-BEZ235. In addition, synergism studies revealed synergistic and additive activity of NVP-BEZ235 together with melphalan, doxorubicin and bortezomib. Taken together, inhibition of PI3 kinase/mTOR by NVP-BEZ235 is highly effective and NVP-BEZ235 represents a potential new candidate for targeted therapy in multiple myeloma

A screen for kinase inhibitors identifies antimicrobial imidazopyridine aminofurazans as specific inhibitors of the Listeria monocytogenes PASTA kinase PrkA.

Science.gov (United States)

Schaenzer, Adam J; Wlodarchak, Nathan; Drewry, David H; Zuercher, William J; Rose, Warren E; Striker, Rob; Sauer, John-Demian

2017-10-13

Bacterial signaling systems such as protein kinases and quorum sensing have become increasingly attractive targets for the development of novel antimicrobial agents in a time of rising antibiotic resistance. The family of bacterial P enicillin-binding-protein A nd S erine/ T hreonine kinase- A ssociated (PASTA) kinases is of particular interest due to the role of these kinases in regulating resistance to β-lactam antibiotics. As such, small-molecule kinase inhibitors that target PASTA kinases may prove beneficial as treatments adjunctive to β-lactam therapy. Despite this interest, only limited progress has been made in identifying functional inhibitors of the PASTA kinases that have both activity against the intact microbe and high kinase specificity. Here, we report the results of a small-molecule screen that identified GSK690693, an imidazopyridine aminofurazan-type kinase inhibitor that increases the sensitivity of the intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes to various β-lactams by inhibiting the PASTA kinase PrkA. GSK690693 potently inhibited PrkA kinase activity biochemically and exhibited significant selectivity for PrkA relative to the Staphylococcus aureus PASTA kinase Stk1. Furthermore, other imidazopyridine aminofurazans could effectively inhibit PrkA and potentiate β-lactam antibiotic activity to varying degrees. The presence of the 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol (alkynol) moiety was important for both biochemical and antimicrobial activity. Finally, mutagenesis studies demonstrated residues in the back pocket of the active site are important for GSK690693 selectivity. These data suggest that targeted screens can successfully identify PASTA kinase inhibitors with both biochemical and antimicrobial specificity. Moreover, the imidazopyridine aminofurazans represent a family of PASTA kinase inhibitors that have the potential to be optimized for selective PASTA kinase inhibition.

Genetic inhibition of protein kinase Cε attenuates necrosis in experimental pancreatitis

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yannan; Tan, Tanya; Jia, Wenzhuo; Lugea, Aurelia; Mareninova, Olga; Waldron, Richard T.; Pandol, Stephen J.

2014-01-01

Understanding the regulation of death pathways, necrosis and apoptosis, in pancreatitis is important for developing therapies directed to the molecular pathogenesis of the disease. Protein kinase Cε (PKCε) has been previously shown to regulate inflammatory responses and zymogen activation in pancreatitis. Furthermore, we demonstrated that ethanol specifically activated PKCε in pancreatic acinar cells and that PKCε mediated the sensitizing effects of ethanol on inflammatory response in pancreatitis. Here we investigated the role of PKCε in the regulation of death pathways in pancreatitis. We found that genetic deletion of PKCε resulted in decreased necrosis and severity in the in vivo cerulein-induced pancreatitis and that inhibition of PKCε protected the acinar cells from CCK-8 hyperstimulation-induced necrosis and ATP reduction. These findings were associated with upregulation of mitochondrial Bak and Bcl-2/Bcl-xL, proapoptotic and prosurvival members in the Bcl-2 family, respectively, as well as increased mitochondrial cytochrome c release, caspase activation, and apoptosis in pancreatitis in PKCε knockout mice. We further confirmed that cerulein pancreatitis induced a dramatic mitochondrial translocation of PKCε, suggesting that PKCε regulated necrosis in pancreatitis via mechanisms involving mitochondria. Finally, we showed that PKCε deletion downregulated inhibitors of apoptosis proteins, c-IAP2, survivin, and c-FLIPs while promoting cleavage/inactivation of receptor-interacting protein kinase (RIP). Taken together, our findings provide evidence that PKCε activation during pancreatitis promotes necrosis through mechanisms involving mitochondrial proapoptotic and prosurvival Bcl-2 family proteins and upregulation of nonmitochondrial pathways that inhibit caspase activation and RIP cleavage/inactivation. Thus PKCε is a potential target for prevention and/or treatment of acute pancreatitis. PMID:25035113

Characterization of four arginine kinases in the ciliate Paramecium tetraurelia: Investigation on the substrate inhibition mechanism.

Science.gov (United States)

Yano, Daichi; Suzuki, Takaya; Hirokawa, Saki; Fuke, Kyoko; Suzuki, Tomohiko

2017-08-01

The ciliate Paramecium tetraurelia contains four arginine kinase genes (AK1-4). We detected cDNA for only three of the AKs (AK1-3) via PCR. Recombinant AK1-4 were expressed in Escherichia coli and their kinetics parameters determined. AK3 showed typical substrate inhibition toward arginine, and enzymatic activity markedly decreased when arginine concentration increased. This is the first example of substrate inhibition in wild-type phosphagen kinases. To explore the substrate inhibition mechanism, site-directed mutations were generated, targeting the amino acid sequence D-D-S-Q-V at positions 77-81 in P. tetraurelia AK3. Among the mutants, substrate inhibition was lost remarkably in the S79A mutant. In spite of high amino acid sequence identity (91%) between P. tetraurelia AK3 and AK4, the enzymatic activity of AK4 was less by 3% than that of AK3. We noticed that the conservative G298 was unusually replaced by R in P. tetraurelia AK4, and we constructed two mutants, R298G/AK4 and G298R/AK3. Enzymatic activity of the former mutant was comparable with that of the wild-type AK3, whereas that of the latter mutant was dramatically reduced. Thus, we concluded that the significantly low activity of P. tetraurelia AK4 is due to the residue R298. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prevention of pulmonary vascular and myocardial remodeling by the combined tyrosine and serine-/threonine kinase inhibitor, sorafenib, in pulmonary hypertension and right heart failure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Klein

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Inhibition of tyrosine kinases can reverse pulmonary hypertension but little is known about the role of serine-/threonine kinases in vascular and myocardial remodeling. We investigated the effects of sorafenib, an inhibitor of the tyrosine kinases VEGFR, PDGFR and c-kit as well as the serine-/threonine kinase Raf-1, in pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular (RV pressure overload. In monocrotaline treated rats, sorafenib (10 mg·kg–1·d–1 p.o. reduced pulmonary arterial pressure, pulmonary artery muscularization and RV hypertrophy, and improved systemic hemodynamics (table 1. Sorafenib prevented phosphorylation of Raf-1 and suppressed activation of downstream signaling pathways (Erk 1/2. After pulmonary banding, sorafenib, but not the PDGFR/c-KIT/ABL-inhibitor imatinib reduced RV mass and RV filling pressure significantly. Congruent with these results, sorafenib only prevented ERK phosphorylation and vasopressin induced hypertrophy of the cardiomyocyte cell line H9c2 dose dependently (IC50 = 300 nM. Combined inhibition of tyrosine and serine-/threonine kinases by sorafenib prevents vascular and cardiac remodeling in pulmonary hypertension, which is partly mediated via inhibition of the Raf kinase pathway.

A cGMP kinase mutant with increased sensitivity to the protein kinase inhibitor peptide PKI(5-24).

Science.gov (United States)

Ruth, P; Kamm, S; Nau, U; Pfeifer, A; Hofmann, F

1996-01-01

Synthetic peptides corresponding to the active domain of the heat-stable inhibitor protein PKI are very potent inhibitors of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, but are extremely weak inhibitors of cGMP-dependent protein kinase. In this study, we tried to confer PKI sensitivity to cGMP kinase by site-directed mutagenesis. The molecular requirements for high affinity inhibition by PKI were deduced from the crystal structure of the cAMP kinase/PKI complex. A prominent site of interaction are residues Tyr235 and Phe239 in the catalytic subunit, which from a sandwich-like structure with Phe10 of the PKI(5-24) peptide. To increase the sensitivity for PKI, the cGMP kinase codons at the corresponding sites, Ser555 and Ser559, were changed to Tyr and Phe. The mutant cGMP kinase was stimulated half maximally by cGMP at 3-fold higher concentrations (240 nM) than the wild type (77 nM). Wild type and mutant cGMP kinase did not differ significantly in their Km and Vmax for three different substrate peptides. The PKI(5-24) peptide inhibited phosphotransferase activity of the mutant cGMP kinase with higher potency than that of wild type, with Ki values of 42 +/- .3 microM and 160 +/- .7 microM, respectively. The increased affinity of the mutant cGMP kinase was specific for the PKI(5-24) peptide. Mutation of the essential Phe10 in the PKI(5-24) sequence to an Ala yielded a peptide that inhibited mutant and wild type cGMP kinase with similar potency, with Ki values of 160 +/- 11 and 169 +/- 27 microM, respectively. These results suggest that the mutations Ser555Tyr and Ser559Phe are required, but not sufficient, for high affinity inhibition of cGMP kinase by PKI.

Reciprocal regulation of ARPP-16 by PKA and MAST3 kinases provides a cAMP-regulated switch in protein phosphatase 2A inhibition

Science.gov (United States)

Musante, Veronica; Li, Lu; Kanyo, Jean; Lam, Tukiet T; Colangelo, Christopher M; Cheng, Shuk Kei; Brody, A Harrison; Greengard, Paul; Le Novère, Nicolas; Nairn, Angus C

2017-01-01

ARPP-16, ARPP-19, and ENSA are inhibitors of protein phosphatase PP2A. ARPP-19 and ENSA phosphorylated by Greatwall kinase inhibit PP2A during mitosis. ARPP-16 is expressed in striatal neurons where basal phosphorylation by MAST3 kinase inhibits PP2A and regulates key components of striatal signaling. The ARPP-16/19 proteins were discovered as substrates for PKA, but the function of PKA phosphorylation is unknown. We find that phosphorylation by PKA or MAST3 mutually suppresses the ability of the other kinase to act on ARPP-16. Phosphorylation by PKA also acts to prevent inhibition of PP2A by ARPP-16 phosphorylated by MAST3. Moreover, PKA phosphorylates MAST3 at multiple sites resulting in its inhibition. Mathematical modeling highlights the role of these three regulatory interactions to create a switch-like response to cAMP. Together, the results suggest a complex antagonistic interplay between the control of ARPP-16 by MAST3 and PKA that creates a mechanism whereby cAMP mediates PP2A disinhibition. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.24998.001 PMID:28613156

Marine-Derived 2-Aminoimidazolone Alkaloids. Leucettamine B-Related Polyandrocarpamines Inhibit Mammalian and Protozoan DYRK & CLK Kinases

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Nadège Loaëc

2017-10-01

Full Text Available A large diversity of 2-aminoimidazolone alkaloids is produced by various marine invertebrates, especially by the marine Calcareous sponges Leucetta and Clathrina. The phylogeny of these sponges and the wide scope of 2-aminoimidazolone alkaloids they produce are reviewed in this article. The origin (invertebrate cells, associated microorganisms, or filtered plankton, physiological functions, and natural molecular targets of these alkaloids are largely unknown. Following the identification of leucettamine B as an inhibitor of selected protein kinases, we synthesized a family of analogues, collectively named leucettines, as potent inhibitors of DYRKs (dual-specificity, tyrosine phosphorylation regulated kinases and CLKs (cdc2-like kinases and potential pharmacological leads for the treatment of several diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and Down syndrome. We assembled a small library of marine sponge- and ascidian-derived 2-aminoimidazolone alkaloids, along with several synthetic analogues, and tested them on a panel of mammalian and protozoan kinases. Polyandrocarpamines A and B were found to be potent and selective inhibitors of DYRKs and CLKs. They inhibited cyclin D1 phosphorylation on a DYRK1A phosphosite in cultured cells. 2-Aminoimidazolones thus represent a promising chemical scaffold for the design of potential therapeutic drug candidates acting as specific inhibitors of disease-relevant kinases, and possibly other disease-relevant targets.

Mercuric ions inhibit mitogen-activated protein kinase dephosphorylation by inducing reactive oxygen species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haase, Hajo; Engelhardt, Gabriela; Hebel, Silke; Rink, Lothar

2011-01-01

Mercury intoxication profoundly affects the immune system, in particular, signal transduction of immune cells. However, the mechanism of the interaction of mercury with cellular signaling pathways, such as mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK), remains elusive. Therefore, the objective of this study is to investigate three potential ways in which Hg 2+ ions could inhibit MAPK dephosphorylation in the human T-cell line Jurkat: (1) by direct binding to phosphatases; (2) by releasing cellular zinc (Zn 2+ ); and (3) by inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS). Hg 2+ causes production of ROS, measured by dihydrorhodamine 123, and triggers ROS-mediated Zn 2+ release, detected with FluoZin-3. Yet, phosphatase-inhibition is not mediated by binding of Zn 2+ or Hg 2+ . Rather, phosphatases are inactivated by at least two forms of thiol oxidation; initial inhibition is reversible with reducing agents such as Tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine. Prolonged inhibition leads to non-reversible phosphatase oxidation, presumably oxidizing the cysteine thiol to sulfinic- or sulfonic acid. Notably, phosphatases are a particularly sensitive target for Hg 2+ -induced oxidation, because phosphatase activity is inhibited at concentrations of Hg 2+ that have only minor impact on over all thiol oxidation. This phosphatase inhibition results in augmented, ROS-dependent MAPK phosphorylation. MAPK are important regulators of T-cell function, and MAPK-activation by inhibition of phosphatases seems to be one of the molecular mechanisms by which mercury affects the immune system.

The multi-targeted kinase inhibitor sorafenib inhibits enterovirus 71 replication by regulating IRES-dependent translation of viral proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Meng; Duan, Hao; Liu, Jing; Zhang, Hao; Wang, Xin; Zhu, Meng; Guo, Jitao; Zhao, Zhenlong; Meng, Lirong; Peng, Yihong

2014-06-01

The activation of ERK and p38 signal cascade in host cells has been demonstrated to be essential for picornavirus enterovirus 71 (EV71) replication and up-regulation of virus-induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)/prostaglandins E2 (PGE2) expression. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of sorafenib, a clinically approved anti-cancer multi-targeted kinase inhibitor, on the propagation and pathogenesis of EV71, with a view to its possible mechanism and potential use in the design of therapy regimes for Hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD) patients with life threatening neurological complications. In this study, non-toxic concentrations of sorafenib were shown to inhibit the yield of infectious progeny EV71 (clinical BC08 strain) by about 90% in three different cell types. A similar inhibitory effect of sorafenib was observed on the synthesis of both viral genomic RNA and the VP1 protein. Interestingly, sorafenib exerted obvious inhibition of the EV71 internal ribosomal entry site (IRES)-mediated translation, the first step in picornavirus replication, by linking it to a firefly luciferase reporter gene. Sorafenib was also able to prevent both EV71-induced CPE and the activation of ERK and p38, which contributes to up-regulation COX-2/PGE2 expression induced by the virus. Overall, this study shows that sorafenib strongly inhibits EV71 replication at least in part by regulating viral IRES-dependent translation of viral proteins, indicating a novel potential strategy for the treatment of HFMD patients with severe neurological complications. To our knowledge, this is the first report that investigates the mechanism by which sorafenib inhibits EV71 replication. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Resveratrol alleviates diabetes-induced testicular dysfunction by inhibiting oxidative stress and c-Jun N-terminal kinase signaling in rats

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Faid, Iman; Al-Hussaini, Heba; Kilarkaje, Narayana, E-mail: knarayana@hsc.edu.kw

2015-12-15

Diabetes adversely affects reproductive functions in humans and animals. The present study investigated the effects of Resveratrol on diabetes-induced alterations in oxidative stress, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling and apoptosis in the testis. Adult male Wistar rats (13–15 weeks; n = 6/group) were segregated into 1) normal control, 2) Resveratrol-treated (5 mg/kg; ip; given during last 3 weeks), 3) Streptozotocin-induced diabetic and, 4) Resveratrol-treated diabetic groups, and euthanized on day 42 after the confirmation of diabetes. Resveratrol did not normalize blood glucose levels in diabetic rats. Resveratrol supplementation recovered diabetes-induced decreases in reproductive organ weights, sperm count and motility, intra-testicular levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase and an increase in 4-hydroxynonenal activities (P < 0.05). Resveratrol also recovered diabetes-induced increases in JNK signaling pathway proteins, namely, ASK1 (apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1), JNKs (46 and 54 kDa isoforms) and p-JNK to normal control levels (P < 0.05). Interestingly, the expression of a down-stream target of ASK1, MKK4 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4) and its phosphorylated form (p-MKK4) did not change in experimental groups. Resveratrol inhibited diabetes-induced increases in AP-1 (activator protein-1) components, c-Jun and ATF2 (activating transcription factor 2), but not their phosphorylated forms, to normal control levels (P < 0.05). Further, Resveratrol inhibited diabetes-induced increase in cleaved-caspase-3 to normal control levels. In conclusion, Resveratrol alleviates diabetes-induced apoptosis in testis by modulating oxidative stress, JNK signaling pathway and caspase-3 activities, but not by inhibiting hyperglycemia, in rats. These results suggest that Resveratrol supplementation may be a useful strategy to treat diabetes-induced testicular dysfunction. - Highlights: • Resveratrol up-regulates glutathione

Resveratrol alleviates diabetes-induced testicular dysfunction by inhibiting oxidative stress and c-Jun N-terminal kinase signaling in rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faid, Iman; Al-Hussaini, Heba; Kilarkaje, Narayana

2015-01-01

Diabetes adversely affects reproductive functions in humans and animals. The present study investigated the effects of Resveratrol on diabetes-induced alterations in oxidative stress, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling and apoptosis in the testis. Adult male Wistar rats (13–15 weeks; n = 6/group) were segregated into 1) normal control, 2) Resveratrol-treated (5 mg/kg; ip; given during last 3 weeks), 3) Streptozotocin-induced diabetic and, 4) Resveratrol-treated diabetic groups, and euthanized on day 42 after the confirmation of diabetes. Resveratrol did not normalize blood glucose levels in diabetic rats. Resveratrol supplementation recovered diabetes-induced decreases in reproductive organ weights, sperm count and motility, intra-testicular levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase and an increase in 4-hydroxynonenal activities (P < 0.05). Resveratrol also recovered diabetes-induced increases in JNK signaling pathway proteins, namely, ASK1 (apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1), JNKs (46 and 54 kDa isoforms) and p-JNK to normal control levels (P < 0.05). Interestingly, the expression of a down-stream target of ASK1, MKK4 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4) and its phosphorylated form (p-MKK4) did not change in experimental groups. Resveratrol inhibited diabetes-induced increases in AP-1 (activator protein-1) components, c-Jun and ATF2 (activating transcription factor 2), but not their phosphorylated forms, to normal control levels (P < 0.05). Further, Resveratrol inhibited diabetes-induced increase in cleaved-caspase-3 to normal control levels. In conclusion, Resveratrol alleviates diabetes-induced apoptosis in testis by modulating oxidative stress, JNK signaling pathway and caspase-3 activities, but not by inhibiting hyperglycemia, in rats. These results suggest that Resveratrol supplementation may be a useful strategy to treat diabetes-induced testicular dysfunction. - Highlights: • Resveratrol up-regulates glutathione

Inflammatory Signaling by NOD-RIPK2 Is Inhibited by Clinically Relevant Type II Kinase Inhibitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Canning, Peter; Ruan, Qui; Schwerd, Tobias; Hrdinka, Matous; Maki, Jenny L; Saleh, Danish; Suebsuwong, Chalada; Ray, Soumya; Brennan, Paul E; Cuny, Gregory D; Uhlig, Holm H; Gyrd-Hansen, Mads; Degterev, Alexei; Bullock, Alex N

2015-09-17

RIPK2 mediates pro-inflammatory signaling from the bacterial sensors NOD1 and NOD2, and is an emerging therapeutic target in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. We observed that cellular RIPK2 can be potently inhibited by type II inhibitors that displace the kinase activation segment, whereas ATP-competitive type I inhibition was only poorly effective. The most potent RIPK2 inhibitors were the US Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs ponatinib and regorafenib. Their mechanism of action was independent of NOD2 interaction and involved loss of downstream kinase activation as evidenced by lack of RIPK2 autophosphorylation. Notably, these molecules also blocked RIPK2 ubiquitination and, consequently, inflammatory nuclear factor κB signaling. In monocytes, the inhibitors selectively blocked NOD-dependent tumor necrosis factor production without affecting lipopolysaccharide-dependent pathways. We also determined the first crystal structure of RIPK2 bound to ponatinib, and identified an allosteric site for inhibitor development. These results highlight the potential for type II inhibitors to treat indications of RIPK2 activation as well as inflammation-associated cancers. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Hypoxia inhibits colonic ion transport via activation of AMP kinase.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Collins, Danielle

2012-02-01

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Mucosal hypoxia is a common endpoint for many pathological processes including ischemic colitis, colonic obstruction and anastomotic failure. Previous studies suggest that hypoxia modulates colonic mucosal function through inhibition of chloride secretion. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this observation are poorly understood. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a metabolic energy regulator found in a wide variety of cells and has been linked to cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) mediated chloride secretion in several different tissues. We hypothesized that AMPK mediates many of the acute effects of hypoxia on human and rat colonic electrolyte transport. METHODS: The fluorescent chloride indicator dye N-(ethoxycarbonylmethyl)-6-methoxyquinolinium bromide was used to measure changes in intracellular chloride concentrations in isolated single rat colonic crypts. Ussing chamber experiments in human colonic mucosa were conducted to evaluate net epithelial ion transport. RESULTS: This study demonstrates that acute hypoxia inhibits electrogenic chloride secretion via AMPK mediated inhibition of CFTR. Pre-treatment of tissues with the AMPK inhibitor 6-[4-(2-piperidin-1-yl-ethoxy)-phenyl)]-3-pyridin-4-yl-pyyrazolo [1,5-a] pyrimidine (compound C) in part reversed the effects of acute hypoxia on chloride secretion. CONCLUSION: We therefore suggest that AMPK is a key component of the adaptive cellular response to mucosal hypoxia in the colon. Furthermore, AMPK may represent a potential therapeutic target in diseased states or in prevention of ischemic intestinal injury.

Identification of an hexapeptide that binds to a surface pocket in cyclin A and inhibits the catalytic activity of the complex cyclin-dependent kinase 2-cyclin A.

Science.gov (United States)

Canela, Núria; Orzáez, Mar; Fucho, Raquel; Mateo, Francesca; Gutierrez, Ricardo; Pineda-Lucena, Antonio; Bachs, Oriol; Pérez-Payá, Enrique

2006-11-24

The protein-protein complexes formed between different cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are central to cell cycle regulation. These complexes represent interesting points of chemical intervention for the development of antineoplastic molecules. Here we describe the identification of an all d-amino acid hexapeptide, termed NBI1, that inhibits the kinase activity of the cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (cdk2)-cyclin A complex through selective binding to cyclin A. The mechanism of inhibition is non-competitive for ATP and non-competitive for protein substrates. In contrast to the existing CDKs peptide inhibitors, the hexapeptide NBI1 interferes with the formation of the cdk2-cyclin A complex. Furthermore, a cell-permeable derivative of NBI1 induces apoptosis and inhibits proliferation of tumor cell lines. Thus, the NBI1-binding site on cyclin A may represent a new target site for the selective inhibition of activity cdk2-cyclin A complex.

Role of regulatory subunits and protein kinase inhibitor (PKI) in determining nuclear localization and activity of the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiley, J C; Wailes, L A; Idzerda, R L; McKnight, G S

1999-03-05

Regulation of protein kinase A by subcellular localization may be critical to target catalytic subunits to specific substrates. We employed epitope-tagged catalytic subunit to correlate subcellular localization and gene-inducing activity in the presence of regulatory subunit or protein kinase inhibitor (PKI). Transiently expressed catalytic subunit distributed throughout the cell and induced gene expression. Co-expression of regulatory subunit or PKI blocked gene induction and prevented nuclear accumulation. A mutant PKI lacking the nuclear export signal blocked gene induction but not nuclear accumulation, demonstrating that nuclear export is not essential to inhibit gene induction. When the catalytic subunit was targeted to the nucleus with a nuclear localization signal, it was not sequestered in the cytoplasm by regulatory subunit, although its activity was completely inhibited. PKI redistributed the nuclear catalytic subunit to the cytoplasm and blocked gene induction, demonstrating that the nuclear export signal of PKI can override a strong nuclear localization signal. With increasing PKI, the export process appeared to saturate, resulting in the return of catalytic subunit to the nucleus. These results demonstrate that both the regulatory subunit and PKI are able to completely inhibit the gene-inducing activity of the catalytic subunit even when the catalytic subunit is forced to concentrate in the nuclear compartment.

Inhibition of protein kinase C affects on mode of synaptic vesicle exocytosis due to cholesterol depletion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Petrov, Alexey M., E-mail: fysio@rambler.ru; Zakyrjanova, Guzalija F., E-mail: guzik121192@mail.ru; Yakovleva, Anastasia A., E-mail: nastya1234qwer@mail.ru; Zefirov, Andrei L., E-mail: zefiroval@rambler.ru

2015-01-02

Highlights: • We examine the involvement of PKC in MCD induced synaptic vesicle exocytosis. • PKC inhibitor does not decrease the effect MCD on MEPP frequency. • PKC inhibitor prevents MCD induced FM1-43 unloading. • PKC activation may switch MCD induced exocytosis from kiss-and-run to a full mode. • Inhibition of phospholipase C does not lead to similar change in exocytosis. - Abstract: Previous studies demonstrated that depletion of membrane cholesterol by 10 mM methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MCD) results in increased spontaneous exocytosis at both peripheral and central synapses. Here, we investigated the role of protein kinase C in the enhancement of spontaneous exocytosis at frog motor nerve terminals after cholesterol depletion using electrophysiological and optical methods. Inhibition of the protein kinase C by myristoylated peptide and chelerythrine chloride prevented MCD-induced increases in FM1-43 unloading, whereas the frequency of spontaneous postsynaptic events remained enhanced. The increase in FM1-43 unloading still could be observed if sulforhodamine 101 (the water soluble FM1-43 quencher that can pass through the fusion pore) was added to the extracellular solution. This suggests a possibility that exocytosis of synaptic vesicles under these conditions could occur through the kiss-and-run mechanism with the formation of a transient fusion pore. Inhibition of phospholipase C did not lead to similar change in MCD-induced exocytosis.

Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3β Inhibition as a Therapeutic Approach in the Treatment of Endometrial Cancer

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Liang Ma

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Alternative strategies beyond current chemotherapy and radiation therapy regimens are needed in the treatment of advanced stage and recurrent endometrial cancers. There is considerable promise for biologic agents targeting the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK pathway for treatment of these cancers. Many downstream substrates of the ERK signaling pathway, such as glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β, and their roles in endometrial carcinogenesis have not yet been investigated. In this study, we tested the importance of GSK3β inhibition in endometrial cancer cell lines and in vivo models. Inhibition of GSK3β by either lithium chloride (LiCl or specific GSK3β inhibitor VIII showed cytostatic and cytotoxic effects on multiple endometrial cancer cell lines, with little effect on the immortalized normal endometrial cell line. Flow cytometry and immunofluorescence revealed a G2/M cell cycle arrest in both type I (AN3CA, KLE, and RL952 and type II (ARK1 endometrial cancer cell lines. In addition, LiCl pre-treatment sensitized AN3CA cells to the chemotherapy agent paclitaxel. Administration of LiCl to AN3CA tumor-bearing mice resulted in partial or complete regression of some tumors. Thus, GSK3β activity is associated with endometrial cancer tumorigenesis and its pharmacologic inhibition reduces cell proliferation and tumor growth.

A novel quantitative kinase assay using bacterial surface display and flow cytometry.

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Sónia Troeira Henriques

Full Text Available The inhibition of tyrosine kinases is a successful approach for the treatment of cancers and the discovery of kinase inhibitor drugs is the focus of numerous academic and pharmaceutical laboratories. With this goal in mind, several strategies have been developed to measure kinase activity and to screen novel tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Nevertheless, a general non-radioactive and inexpensive approach, easy to implement and adapt to a range of applications, is still missing. Herein, using Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase, an oncogenic target and a model protein for cancer studies, we describe a novel cost-effective high-throughput screening kinase assay. In this approach, named the BacKin assay, substrates displayed on a Bacterial cell surface are incubated with Kinase and their phosphorylation is examined and quantified by flow cytometry. This approach has several advantages over existing approaches, as using bacteria (i.e. Escherichia coli to display peptide substrates provides a self renewing solid support that does not require laborious chemical strategies. Here we show that the BacKin approach can be used for kinetic and mechanistic studies, as well as a platform to characterize and identify small-molecule or peptide-based kinase inhibitors with potential applications in drug development.

Differential effects on cell motility, embryonic stem cell self-renewal and senescence by diverse Src kinase family inhibitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tamm, Christoffer, E-mail: christoffer.tamm@imbim.uu.se; Galito, Sara Pijuan, E-mail: sara.pijuan@imbim.uu.se; Anneren, Cecilia, E-mail: cecilia.anneren@imbim.uu.se

2012-02-15

The Src family of non-receptor tyrosine kinases (SFKs) has been shown to play an intricate role in embryonic stem (ES) cell maintenance. In the present study we have focused on the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for the vastly different effects induced by various commonly used SFK inhibitors. We show that several diverse cell types, including fibroblasts completely lacking SFKs, cannot undergo mitosis in response to SU6656 and that this is caused by an unselective inhibition of Aurora kinases. In contrast, PP2 and PD173952 block motility immediately upon exposure and forces cells to grow in dense colonies. The subsequent halt in proliferation of fibroblast and epithelial cells in the center of the colonies approximately 24 h post-treatment appears to be caused by cell-to-cell contact inhibition rather than a direct effect of SFK kinase inhibition. Interestingly, in addition to generating more homogenous and dense ES cell cultures, without any diverse effect on proliferation, PP2 and PD173652 also promote ES cell self-renewal by reducing the small amount of spontaneous differentiation typically observed under standard ES cell culture conditions. These effects could not be mirrored by the use of Gleevec, a potent inhibitor of c-Abl and PDGFR kinases that are also inhibited by PP2. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer SFK inhibitor SU6656 induces senescence in mouse ES cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer SU6656 inhibits mitosis in a SFK-independent manner via cross-selectivity for Aurora kinases. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer SFK inhibitor PP2 impairs cell motility in various cell lines, including mouse ES cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ensuing impeded motility, PP2 inhibits proliferation of various cells lines except for mouse ES cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer SFK inhibitors PP2 and PD173952 impede spontaneous differentiation in standard mouse ES culture maintenance.

Differential effects on cell motility, embryonic stem cell self-renewal and senescence by diverse Src kinase family inhibitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tamm, Christoffer; Galitó, Sara Pijuan; Annerén, Cecilia

2012-01-01

The Src family of non-receptor tyrosine kinases (SFKs) has been shown to play an intricate role in embryonic stem (ES) cell maintenance. In the present study we have focused on the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for the vastly different effects induced by various commonly used SFK inhibitors. We show that several diverse cell types, including fibroblasts completely lacking SFKs, cannot undergo mitosis in response to SU6656 and that this is caused by an unselective inhibition of Aurora kinases. In contrast, PP2 and PD173952 block motility immediately upon exposure and forces cells to grow in dense colonies. The subsequent halt in proliferation of fibroblast and epithelial cells in the center of the colonies approximately 24 h post-treatment appears to be caused by cell-to-cell contact inhibition rather than a direct effect of SFK kinase inhibition. Interestingly, in addition to generating more homogenous and dense ES cell cultures, without any diverse effect on proliferation, PP2 and PD173652 also promote ES cell self-renewal by reducing the small amount of spontaneous differentiation typically observed under standard ES cell culture conditions. These effects could not be mirrored by the use of Gleevec, a potent inhibitor of c-Abl and PDGFR kinases that are also inhibited by PP2. -- Highlights: ► SFK inhibitor SU6656 induces senescence in mouse ES cells. ► SU6656 inhibits mitosis in a SFK-independent manner via cross-selectivity for Aurora kinases. ► SFK inhibitor PP2 impairs cell motility in various cell lines, including mouse ES cells. ► Ensuing impeded motility, PP2 inhibits proliferation of various cells lines except for mouse ES cells. ► SFK inhibitors PP2 and PD173952 impede spontaneous differentiation in standard mouse ES culture maintenance.

RGS16 inhibits breast cancer cell growth by mitigating phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Genqing; Bansal, Geetanjali; Xie, Zhihui; Druey, Kirk M

2009-08-07

Aberrant activity of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway supports growth of many tumors including those of breast, lung, and prostate. Resistance of breast cancer cells to targeted chemotherapies including tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) has been linked to persistent PI3K activity, which may in part be due to increased membrane expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptors (HER2 and HER3). Recently we found that proteins of the RGS (regulator of G protein signaling) family suppress PI3K activity downstream of the receptor by sequestering its p85alpha subunit from signaling complexes. Because a substantial percentage of breast tumors have RGS16 mutations and reduced RGS16 protein expression, we investigated the link between regulation of PI3K activity by RGS16 and breast cancer cell growth. RGS16 overexpression in MCF7 breast cancer cells inhibited EGF-induced proliferation and Akt phosphorylation, whereas shRNA-mediated extinction of RGS16 augmented cell growth and resistance to TKI treatment. Exposure to TKI also reduced RGS16 expression in MCF7 and BT474 cell lines. RGS16 bound the amino-terminal SH2 and inter-SH2 domains of p85alpha and inhibited its interaction with the EGF receptor-associated adapter protein Gab1. These results suggest that the loss of RGS16 in some breast tumors enhances PI3K signaling elicited by growth factors and thereby promotes proliferation and TKI evasion downstream of HER activation.

Inhibition of the neutrophil oxidative burst by sphingoid long-chain bases: role of protein kinase C in the activation of the burst

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, E.; Olcott, M.C.; Bell, R.M.; Merrill, A.H.; Lambeth, J.D.

1986-01-01

The neutrophil oxidative burst is triggered by a variety of both particulate (opsonized zymosan) and soluble agonists [formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine (FMLP), arachidonate, short-chained diacylglycerols (DAG) and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)]. The authors show that the long-chain lipid bases sphinganine and sphingosine block activation of the burst in human neutrophils. Inhibition is reversible, does not alter cell viability, and does not affect phagocytosis. The inhibition affects the activation mechanism rather than the NADPH-oxidase enzyme. The structural requirements for inhibition include a hydrophobic carbon chain and an amino-containing headgroup, and the naturally occurring erythro sphinganine was more potent than the threo isomer. Activation of the oxidative burst by a variety of agonists was blocked by the same concentration of sphinganine indicating a common inhibited step. The authors suggest that the common step is protein kinase C, as evidenced by the following: 1) long-chain bases inhibit PKC in a micelle reconstituted system, 2) PMA-induced phophorylation is inhibited by sphinganine, and 3) sphinganine competes with ( 3 H)-phorbol dibutyrate for its cytosolic receptor (i.e. protein kinase C). The authors suggest that sphingoid long-chain bases play a role in the cellular regulations

Disrupting BCR-ABL in combination with secondary leukemia-specific pathways in CML cells leads to enhanced apoptosis and decreased proliferation.

Science.gov (United States)

Woessner, David W; Lim, Carol S

2013-01-07

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative disorder caused by expression of the fusion gene BCR-ABL following a chromosomal translocation in the hematopoietic stem cell. Therapeutic management of CML uses tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), which block ABL-signaling and effectively kill peripheral cells with BCR-ABL. However, TKIs are not curative, and chronic use is required in order to treat CML. The primary failure for TKIs is through the development of a resistant population due to mutations in the TKI binding regions. This led us to develop the mutant coiled-coil, CC(mut2), an alternative method for BCR-ABL signaling inhibition by targeting the N-terminal oligomerization domain of BCR, necessary for ABL activation. In this article, we explore additional pathways that are important for leukemic stem cell survival in K562 cells. Using a candidate-based approach, we test the combination of CC(mut2) and inhibitors of unique secondary pathways in leukemic cells. Transformative potential was reduced following silencing of the leukemic stem cell factor Alox5 by RNA interference. Furthermore, blockade of the oncogenic protein MUC-1 by the novel peptide GO-201 yielded reductions in proliferation and increased cell death. Finally, we found that inhibiting macroautophagy using chloroquine in addition to blocking BCR-ABL signaling with the CC(mut2) was most effective in limiting cell survival and proliferation. This study has elucidated possible combination therapies for CML using novel blockade of BCR-ABL and secondary leukemia-specific pathways.

Inhibition of Rho kinase regulates specification of early differentiation events in P19 embryonal carcinoma stem cells.

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Roman J Krawetz

Full Text Available The Rho kinase pathway plays a key role in many early cell/tissue determination events that take place in embryogenesis. Rho and its downstream effector Rho kinase (ROCK play pivotal roles in cell migration, apoptosis (membrane blebbing, cell proliferation/cell cycle, cell-cell adhesion and gene regulation. We and others have previously demonstrated that inhibition of ROCK blocks endoderm differentiation in embryonal carcinoma stem cells, however, the effect of ROCK inhibition on mesoderm and ectoderm specification has not been fully examined. In this study, the role of ROCK within the specification and differentiation of all three germ layers was examined.P19 cells were treated with the specific ROCK inhibitor Y-27623, and increase in differentiation efficiency into neuro-ectodermal and mesodermal lineages was observed. However, as expected a dramatic decrease in early endodermal markers was observed when ROCK was inhibited. Interestingly, within these ROCK-inhibited RA treated cultures, increased levels of mesodermal or ectodermal markers were not observed, instead it was found that the pluripotent markers SSEA-1 and Oct-4 remained up-regulated similar to that seen in undifferentiated cultures. Using standard and widely accepted methods for reproducible P19 differentiation into all three germ layers, an enhancement of mesoderm and ectoderm differentiation with a concurrent loss of endoderm lineage specification was observed with Y-27632 treatment. Evidence would suggest that this effect is in part mediated through TGF-β and SMAD signaling as ROCK-inhibited cells displayed aberrant SMAD activation and did not return to a 'ground' state after the inhibition had been removed.Given this data and the fact that only a partial rescue of normal differentiation capacity occurred when ROCK inhibition was alleviated, the effect of ROCK inhibition on the differentiation capacity of pluripotent cell populations should be further examined to elucidate the

Lycopene acts through inhibition of IκB kinase to suppress NF-κB signaling in human prostate and breast cancer cells.

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Assar, Emelia A; Vidalle, Magdalena Castellano; Chopra, Mridula; Hafizi, Sassan

2016-07-01

We studied the effect of the potent dietary antioxidant lycopene on multiple points along the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway in prostate and breast cancer cells. Lycopene significantly inhibited prostate and breast cancer cell growth at physiologically relevant concentrations of ≥1.25 μM. Similar concentrations also caused a 30-40 % reduction in inhibitor of kappa B (IκB) phosphorylation in the cells, as determined by western blotting. Furthermore, the same degree of inhibition by lycopene was observed for NF-κB transcriptional activity, as determined by reporter gene assay. Concomitant with this, immunofluorescence staining of lycopene-treated cells showed a significant suppression (≥25 %) of TNF-induced NF-κB p65 subunit nuclear translocation. Further probing of lycopene's effects on upstream elements of the NF-κB pathway showed a 25 % inhibition of both activity of recombinant IκB kinase β (IKKβ) kinase in a cell-free in vitro assay, as well as activity of IKKβ immunoprecipitated from MDA-MB-231 cells treated with lycopene. In conclusion, the anticancer properties of lycopene may occur through inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway, beginning at the early stage of cytoplasmic IKK kinase activity, which then leads to reduced NF-κB-responsive gene regulation. Furthermore, these effects in cancer cells were observed at concentrations of lycopene that are relevant and achievable in vivo.

The consequences of long-term glycogen synthase kinase-3 inhibition on normal and insulin resistant rat hearts.

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Flepisi, T B; Lochner, Amanda; Huisamen, Barbara

2013-10-01

Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a serine-threonine protein kinase, discovered as a regulator of glycogen synthase. GSK-3 may regulate the expression of SERCA-2a potentially affecting myocardial contractility. It is known to phosphorylate and inhibit IRS-1, thus disrupting insulin signalling. This study aimed to determine whether myocardial GSK-3 protein and its substrate proteins are dysregulated in obesity and insulin resistance, and whether chronic GSK-3 inhibition can prevent or reverse this. Weight matched male Wistar rats were rendered obese by hyperphagia using a special diet (DIO) for 16 weeks and compared to chow fed controls. Half of each group was treated with the GSK-3 inhibitor CHIR118637 (30 mg/kg/day) from week 12 to16 of the diet period. Biometric and biochemical parameters were measured and protein expression determined by Western blotting and specific antibodies. Ca(2+)ATPase activity was determined spectrophotometrically. Cardiomyocytes were prepared by collagenase perfusion and insulin stimulated 2-deoxy-glucose uptake determined. DIO rats were significantly heavier than controls, associated with increased intra-peritoneal fat and insulin resistance. GSK-3 inhibition did not affect weight but improved insulin resistance, also on cellular level. It had no effect on GSK-3 expression but elevated its phospho/total ratio and elevated IRS-2 expression. Obesity lowered SERCA-2a expression and activity while GSK-3 inhibition alleviated this. The phospho/total ratio of phospholamban underscored inhibition of SERCA-2a in obesity. In addition, signs of myocardial hypertrophy were observed in treated control rats. GSK-3 inhibition could not reverse all the detrimental effects of obesity but may be harmful in normal rat hearts. It regulates IRS-2, SERCA-2a and phospholamban expression but not IRS-1.

Dasatinib rapidly induces deep molecular response in chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia patients who achieved major molecular response with detectable levels of BCR-ABL1 transcripts by imatinib therapy.

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Shiseki, Masayuki; Yoshida, Chikashi; Takezako, Naoki; Ohwada, Akira; Kumagai, Takashi; Nishiwaki, Kaichi; Horikoshi, Akira; Fukuda, Tetsuya; Takano, Hina; Kouzai, Yasuji; Tanaka, Junji; Morita, Satoshi; Sakamoto, Junichi; Sakamaki, Hisashi; Inokuchi, Koiti

2017-10-01

With the introduction of imatinib, a first-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) to inhibit BCR-ABL1 kinase, the outcome of chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CP-CML) has improved dramatically. However, only a small proportion of CP-CML patients subsequently achieve a deep molecular response (DMR) with imatinib. Dasatinib, a second-generation TKI, is more potent than imatinib in the inhibition of BCR-ABL1 tyrosine kinase in vitro and more effective in CP-CML patients who do not achieve an optimal response with imatinib treatment. In the present study, we attempted to investigate whether switching the treatment from imatinib to dasatinib can induce DMR in 16 CP-CML patients treated with imatinib for at least two years who achieved a major molecular response (MMR) with detectable levels of BCR-ABL1 transcripts. The rates of achievement of DMR at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after switching to dasatinib treatment in the 16 patients were 44% (7/16), 56% (9/16), 63% (10/16) and 75% (12/16), respectively. The cumulative rate of achieving DMR at 12 months from initiation of dasatinib therapy was 93.8% (15/16). The proportion of natural killer cells and cytotoxic T cells in peripheral lymphocytes increased after switching to dasatinib. In contrast, the proportion of regulatory T cells decreased during treatment. The safety profile of dasatinib was consistent with previous studies. Switching to dasatinib would be a therapeutic option for CP-CML patients who achieved MMR but not DMR by imatinib, especially for patients who wish to discontinue TKI therapy.

Ribosomal protein mutations induce autophagy through S6 kinase inhibition of the insulin pathway.

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Harry F Heijnen

Full Text Available Mutations affecting the ribosome lead to several diseases known as ribosomopathies, with phenotypes that include growth defects, cytopenia, and bone marrow failure. Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA, for example, is a pure red cell aplasia linked to the mutation of ribosomal protein (RP genes. Here we show the knock-down of the DBA-linked RPS19 gene induces the cellular self-digestion process of autophagy, a pathway critical for proper hematopoiesis. We also observe an increase of autophagy in cells derived from DBA patients, in CD34+ erythrocyte progenitor cells with RPS19 knock down, in the red blood cells of zebrafish embryos with RP-deficiency, and in cells from patients with Shwachman-Diamond syndrome (SDS. The loss of RPs in all these models results in a marked increase in S6 kinase phosphorylation that we find is triggered by an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS. We show that this increase in S6 kinase phosphorylation inhibits the insulin pathway and AKT phosphorylation activity through a mechanism reminiscent of insulin resistance. While stimulating RP-deficient cells with insulin reduces autophagy, antioxidant treatment reduces S6 kinase phosphorylation, autophagy, and stabilization of the p53 tumor suppressor. Our data suggest that RP loss promotes the aberrant activation of both S6 kinase and p53 by increasing intracellular ROS levels. The deregulation of these signaling pathways is likely playing a major role in the pathophysiology of ribosomopathies.

Functional Characterization of the Canine Heme-Regulated eIF2α Kinase: Regulation of Protein Synthesis

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Kimon C. Kanelakis

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The heme-regulated inhibitor (HRI negatively regulates protein synthesis by phosphorylating eukaryotic initiation factor-2α (eIF2α thereby inhibiting protein translation. The importance of HRI in regulating hemoglobin synthesis in erythroid cells makes it an attractive molecular target in need of further characterization. In this work, we have cloned and expressed the canine form of the HRI kinase. The canine nucleotide sequence has 86%, 82%, and 81% identity to the human, mouse, and rat HRI, respectively. It was noted that an isoleucine residue in the ATP binding site of human, rat, and mouse HRI is replaced by a valine in the canine kinase. The expression of canine HRI protein by in vitro translation using wheat germ lysate or in Sf9 cells using a baculovirus expression system was increased by the addition of hemin. Following purification, the canine protein was found to be 72 kD and showed kinase activity determined by its ability to phosphorylate a synthetic peptide substrate. Quercetin, a kinase inhibitor known to inhibit mouse and human HRI, inhibits canine HRI in a concentration-dependent manner. Additionally, quercetin is able to increase de novo protein synthesis in canine reticulocytes. We conclude that the canine is a suitable model species for studying the role of HRI in erythropoiesis.

VEGF secretion during hypoxia depends on free radicals-induced Fyn kinase activity in mast cells

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Garcia-Roman, Jonathan; Ibarra-Sanchez, Alfredo; Lamas, Monica; Gonzalez Espinosa, Claudia

2010-01-01

Research highlights: → Bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs) secrete functional VEGF but do not degranulate after Cobalt chloride-induced hypoxia. → CoCl 2 -induced VEGF secretion in mast cells occurs by a Ca 2+ -insensitive but brefeldin A and Tetanus toxin-sensitive mechanism. → Trolox and N-acetylcysteine inhibit hypoxia-induced VEGF secretion but only Trolox inhibits FcεRI-dependent anaphylactic degranulation in mast cells. → Src family kinase Fyn activation after free radical production is necessary for hypoxia-induced VEGF secretion in mast cells. -- Abstract: Mast cells (MC) have an important role in pathologic conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), where hypoxia conduce to deleterious inflammatory response. MC contribute to hypoxia-induced angiogenesis producing factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), but the mechanisms behind the control of hypoxia-induced VEGF secretion in this cell type is poorly understood. We used the hypoxia-mimicking agent cobalt chloride (CoCl 2 ) to analyze VEGF secretion in murine bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs). We found that CoCl 2 promotes a sustained production of functional VEGF, able to induce proliferation of endothelial cells in vitro. CoCl 2 -induced VEGF secretion was independent of calcium rise but dependent on tetanus toxin-sensitive vesicle-associated membrane proteins (VAMPs). VEGF exocytosis required free radicals formation and the activation of Src family kinases. Interestingly, an important deficiency on CoCl 2 -induced VEGF secretion was observed in Fyn kinase-deficient BMMCs. Moreover, Fyn kinase was activated by CoCl 2 in WT cells and this activation was prevented by treatment with antioxidants such as Trolox and N-acetylcysteine. Our results show that BMMCs are able to release VEGF under hypoxic conditions through a tetanus toxin-sensitive mechanism, promoted by free radicals-dependent Fyn kinase activation.

VEGF secretion during hypoxia depends on free radicals-induced Fyn kinase activity in mast cells

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Garcia-Roman, Jonathan; Ibarra-Sanchez, Alfredo; Lamas, Monica [Departamento de Farmacobiologia, Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN (Cinvestav, IPN) (Mexico); Gonzalez Espinosa, Claudia, E-mail: cgonzal@cinvestav.mx [Departamento de Farmacobiologia, Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN (Cinvestav, IPN) (Mexico)

2010-10-15

Research highlights: {yields} Bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs) secrete functional VEGF but do not degranulate after Cobalt chloride-induced hypoxia. {yields} CoCl{sub 2}-induced VEGF secretion in mast cells occurs by a Ca{sup 2+}-insensitive but brefeldin A and Tetanus toxin-sensitive mechanism. {yields} Trolox and N-acetylcysteine inhibit hypoxia-induced VEGF secretion but only Trolox inhibits Fc{epsilon}RI-dependent anaphylactic degranulation in mast cells. {yields} Src family kinase Fyn activation after free radical production is necessary for hypoxia-induced VEGF secretion in mast cells. -- Abstract: Mast cells (MC) have an important role in pathologic conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), where hypoxia conduce to deleterious inflammatory response. MC contribute to hypoxia-induced angiogenesis producing factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), but the mechanisms behind the control of hypoxia-induced VEGF secretion in this cell type is poorly understood. We used the hypoxia-mimicking agent cobalt chloride (CoCl{sub 2}) to analyze VEGF secretion in murine bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs). We found that CoCl{sub 2} promotes a sustained production of functional VEGF, able to induce proliferation of endothelial cells in vitro. CoCl{sub 2}-induced VEGF secretion was independent of calcium rise but dependent on tetanus toxin-sensitive vesicle-associated membrane proteins (VAMPs). VEGF exocytosis required free radicals formation and the activation of Src family kinases. Interestingly, an important deficiency on CoCl{sub 2}-induced VEGF secretion was observed in Fyn kinase-deficient BMMCs. Moreover, Fyn kinase was activated by CoCl{sub 2} in WT cells and this activation was prevented by treatment with antioxidants such as Trolox and N-acetylcysteine. Our results show that BMMCs are able to release VEGF under hypoxic conditions through a tetanus toxin-sensitive mechanism, promoted by free radicals

Dual Inhibition of Topoisomerase II and Tyrosine Kinases by the Novel Bis-Fluoroquinolone Chalcone-Like Derivative HMNE3 in Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells.

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Yong-Chao Ma

Full Text Available Both tyrosine kinase and topoisomerase II (TopII are important anticancer targets, and their respective inhibitors are widely used in cancer therapy. However, some combinations of anticancer drugs could exhibit mutually antagonistic actions and drug resistance, which further limit their therapeutic efficacy. Here, we report that HMNE3, a novel bis-fluoroquinolone chalcone-like derivative that targets both tyrosine kinase and TopII, induces tumor cell proliferation and growth inhibition. The viabilities of 6 different cancer cell lines treated with a range of HMNE3 doses were detected using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT assay. Cellular apoptosis was determined using Hoechst 33258 fluorescence staining and the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL assay. The expression of activated Caspase-3 was examined by immunocytochemistry. The tyrosine kinase activity was measured with a human receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK detection kit using a horseradish peroxidase (HRP-conjugated phosphotyrosine (pY20 antibody as the substrate. The topoisomerase II activity was measured using agarose gel electrophoresis with the DNA plasmid pBR322 as the substrate. The expression levels of the P53, Bax, Bcl-2, Caspase-3, -8, -9, p-cSrc, c-Src and topoisomerase II proteins were detected by western blot analysis. The proliferation of five of the six cancer cell lines was significantly inhibited by HMNE3 at 0.312 to 10 μmol/L in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Treatment of the Capan-1 and Panc-1 cells with 1.6 to 3.2 μM HMNE3 for 48 h significantly increased the percentage of apoptotic cells (P<0.05, and this effect was accompanied by a decrease in tyrosine kinase activity. HMNE3 potentially inhibited tyrosine kinase activity in vitro with an IC50 value of 0.64±0.34 μmol/L in Capan-1 cells and 3.1±0.86 μmol/L in Panc-1 cells. The activity of c-Src was significantly inhibited by HMNE3 in a dose

Modeling of molecular interaction between apoptin, BCR-Abl and CrkL--an alternative approach to conventional rational drug design.

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Soumya Panigrahi

Full Text Available In this study we have calculated a 3D structure of apoptin and through modeling and docking approaches, we show its interaction with Bcr-Abl oncoprotein and its downstream signaling components, following which we confirm some of the newly-found interactions by biochemical methods. Bcr-Abl oncoprotein is aberrantly expressed in chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML. It has several distinct functional domains in addition to the Abl kinase domain. The SH3 and SH2 domains cooperatively play important roles in autoinhibiting its kinase activity. Adapter molecules such as Grb2 and CrkL interact with proline-rich region and activate multiple Bcr-Abl downstream signaling pathways that contribute to growth and survival. Therefore, the oncogenic effect of Bcr-Abl could be inhibited by the interaction of small molecules with these domains. Apoptin is a viral protein with well-documented cancer-selective cytotoxicity. Apoptin attributes such as SH2-like sequence similarity with CrkL SH2 domain, unique SH3 domain binding sequence, presence of proline-rich segments, and its nuclear affinity render the molecule capable of interaction with Bcr-Abl. Despite almost two decades of research, the mode of apoptin's action remains elusive because 3D structure of apoptin is unavailable. We performed in silico three-dimensional modeling of apoptin, molecular docking experiments between apoptin model and the known structure of Bcr-Abl, and the 3D structures of SH2 domains of CrkL and Bcr-Abl. We also biochemically validated some of the interactions that were first predicted in silico. This structure-property relationship of apoptin may help in unlocking its cancer-selective toxic properties. Moreover, such models will guide us in developing of a new class of potent apoptin-like molecules with greater selectivity and potency.

Discovery and Characterization of Non-ATP Site Inhibitors of the Mitogen Activated Protein (MAP) Kinases

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Comess, Kenneth M.; Sun, Chaohong; Abad-Zapatero, Cele; Goedken, Eric R.; Gum, Rebecca J.; Borhani, David W.; Argiriadi, Maria; Groebe, Duncan R.; Jia, Yong; Clampit, Jill E.; Haasch, Deanna L.; Smith, Harriet T.; Wang, Sanyi; Song, Danying; Coen, Michael L.; Cloutier, Timothy E.; Tang, Hua; Cheng, Xueheng; Quinn, Christopher; Liu, Bo; Xin, Zhili; Liu, Gang; Fry, Elizabeth H.; Stoll, Vincent; Ng, Teresa I.; Banach, David; Marcotte, Doug; Burns, David J.; Calderwood, David J.; Hajduk, Philip J. (Abbott)

2012-03-02

Inhibition of protein kinases has validated therapeutic utility for cancer, with at least seven kinase inhibitor drugs on the market. Protein kinase inhibition also has significant potential for a variety of other diseases, including diabetes, pain, cognition, and chronic inflammatory and immunologic diseases. However, as the vast majority of current approaches to kinase inhibition target the highly conserved ATP-binding site, the use of kinase inhibitors in treating nononcology diseases may require great selectivity for the target kinase. As protein kinases are signal transducers that are involved in binding to a variety of other proteins, targeting alternative, less conserved sites on the protein may provide an avenue for greater selectivity. Here we report an affinity-based, high-throughput screening technique that allows nonbiased interrogation of small molecule libraries for binding to all exposed sites on a protein surface. This approach was used to screen both the c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase Jnk-1 (involved in insulin signaling) and p38{alpha} (involved in the formation of TNF{alpha} and other cytokines). In addition to canonical ATP-site ligands, compounds were identified that bind to novel allosteric sites. The nature, biological relevance, and mode of binding of these ligands were extensively characterized using two-dimensional {sup 1}H/{sup 13}C NMR spectroscopy, protein X-ray crystallography, surface plasmon resonance, and direct enzymatic activity and activation cascade assays. Jnk-1 and p38{alpha} both belong to the MAP kinase family, and the allosteric ligands for both targets bind similarly on a ledge of the protein surface exposed by the MAP insertion present in the CMGC family of protein kinases and distant from the active site. Medicinal chemistry studies resulted in an improved Jnk-1 ligand able to increase adiponectin secretion in human adipocytes and increase insulin-induced protein kinase PKB phosphorylation in human hepatocytes, in

Detailed conformation dynamics and activation process of wild type c-Abl and T315I mutant

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Yang, Li-Jun; Zhao, Wen-Hua; Liu, Qian

2014-10-01

Bcr-Abl is an important target for therapy against chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). The synergistic effect between myristyl pocket and the ATP pocket has been found. But its detailed information based on molecular level still has not been achieved. In this study, conventional molecular dynamics (CMD) and target molecular dynamics (TMD) simulations were performed to explore the effect of T315I mutation on dynamics and activation process of Abl containing the N-terminal cap (Ncap). The CMD simulation results reveal the increasing flexibility of ATP pocket in kinase domain (KD) after T315I mutation which confirms the disability of ATP-pocket inhibitors to the Abl-T315I mutant. On the contrary, the T315I mutation decreased the flexibility of remote helix αI which suggests the synergistic effect between them. The mobility of farther regions containing Ncap, SH3, SH2 and SH2-KD linker were not affected by T315I mutation. The TMD simulation results show that the activation process of wild type Abl and Abl-T315I mutant experienced global conformation change. Their differences were elucidated by the activation motion of subsegments including A-loop, P-loop and Ncap. Besides, the T315I mutation caused decreasing energy barrier and increasing intermediate number in activation process, which results easier activation process. The TMD and CMD results indicate that a drug targeting only the ATP pocket is not enough to inhibit the Abl-T315I mutant. An effective way to inhibit the abnormal activity of Abl-T315I mutant is to combine the ATP-pocket inhibitors with inhibitors binding at non-ATP pockets mainly related to Ncap, SH2-KD linker and myristyl pocket.

The telomeric protein TRF2 binds the ATM kinase and can inhibit the ATM-dependent DNA damage response.

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Jan Karlseder

2004-08-01

Full Text Available The telomeric protein TRF2 is required to prevent mammalian telomeres from activating DNA damage checkpoints. Here we show that overexpression of TRF2 affects the response of the ATM kinase to DNA damage. Overexpression of TRF2 abrogated the cell cycle arrest after ionizing radiation and diminished several other readouts of the DNA damage response, including phosphorylation of Nbs1, induction of p53, and upregulation of p53 targets. TRF2 inhibited autophosphorylation of ATM on S1981, an early step in the activation of this kinase. A region of ATM containing S1981 was found to directly interact with TRF2 in vitro, and ATM immunoprecipitates contained TRF2. We propose that TRF2 has the ability to inhibit ATM activation at telomeres. Because TRF2 is abundant at chromosome ends but not elsewhere in the nucleus, this mechanism of checkpoint control could specifically block a DNA damage response at telomeres without affecting the surveillance of chromosome internal damage.

Inhibitory effect of PTD-OD-HA fusion protein on Bcr-Abl in K562 cells

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Miao GAO

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Objective　To study the transduction dynamics, location of PTD-OD-HA fusion protein and its interaction with Bcr-Abl oncoprotein in K562 cell lines, and explore the influence of PTD-OD-HA fusion protein on oligomerization and tyrosine kinase activity of Bcr-Abl. Methods　PTD-OD-HA fusion protein was labeled with FITC and co-cultured with K562 cells. The transduction efficiency of labeled PTD-OD-HA at different doses and time intervals was observed under fluorescence microscope. The location of labeled PTD-OD-HA fusion protein in K562 cells was detected by confocal microscopy. The interaction of PTD-OD-HA fusion protein with Bcr-Abl oncoprotein was confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation. The phosphorylation of Bcr-Abl oncoprotein was detected by Western blotting. Results　PTD-OD-HA fusion protein labeled with FITC was transduced into K562 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. PTD-OD-HA fusion protein was located in the cytoplasm of K562 cells and was consistent with the location of Bcr-Abl oncoprotein. The interaction of PTD-OD-HA fusion protein with Bcr-Abl oncoprotein was proved in K562 cells. This interaction could interrupt the homologous oligomerization of Bcr-Abl oncoprotein and reduce the phosphorylation of Bcr-Abl oncoprotein. Conclusion　PTD-OD-HA fusion protein could be transduced into K562 cells efficiently, inhibit the oligomerization and reduce the phosphorylation of Bcr-Abl oncoprotein.

Four-channel asymmetric Real-Time PCR hybridization probe assay: a rapid pre-screening method for critical BCR-ABL kinase domain mutations.

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Martinez-Serra, Jordi; Gutiérrez, Antonio; Marcús, Toni F; Soverini, Simona; Amat, Juan Carlos; Navarro-Palou, María; Ros, Teresa; Bex, Teresa; Ballester, Carmen; Bauça, Josep Miquel; SanFelix, Sara; Novo, Andrés; Vidal, Carmen; Santos, Carmen; Besalduch, Joan

2012-03-01

Within the laboratory protocols, used for the study of BCR-ABL resistance mutations in chronic myeloid leukemia patients treated with Imatinib, direct sequencing remains the reference method. Since the incidence of patients with a mutation-related loss of response is not very high, it is very useful in the routine laboratory to perform a fast pre-screening method. With this in mind, we have designed a new technique, based on a single Real-Time FRET-based PCR, followed by a study of melting peaks. This new tool, developed in a LightCycler 2.0, combines four different fluorescence channels for the simultaneous detection, in a single close tube, of critical mutations within the ABL kinase domain. Assay evaluation performed on 33 samples, previously genotyped by sequentiation, resulted in full concordance of results. This new methodology detects in a few steps the presence of critical mutations associated to Imatinib resistance. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

One isoform of Arg/Abl2 tyrosine kinase is nuclear and the other seven cytosolic isoforms differently modulate cell morphology, motility and the cytoskeleton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bianchi, Cristina; Torsello, Barbara; Di Stefano, Vitalba; Zipeto, Maria A.; Facchetti, Rita; Bombelli, Silvia; Perego, Roberto A.

2013-01-01

The non-receptor tyrosine kinase Abelson related gene (Arg/Abl2) regulates cell migration and morphogenesis by modulating the cytoskeleton. Arg promotes actin-based cell protrusions and spreading, and inhibits cell migration by attenuating stress fiber formation and contractility via activation of the RhoA inhibitor, p190RhoGAP, and by regulating focal adhesion dynamics also via CrkII phosphorylation. Eight full-length Arg isoforms with different N- and C-termini are endogenously expressed in human cells. In this paper, the eight Arg isoforms, subcloned in the pFLAG-CMV2 vector, were transfected in COS-7 cells in order to study their subcellular distribution and role in cell morphology, migration and cytoskeletal modulation. The transfected 1BSCTS Arg isoform has a nuclear distribution and phosphorylates CrkII in the nucleus, whilst the other isoforms are detected in the cytoplasm. The 1BLCTL, 1BSCTL, 1ASCTS isoforms were able to significantly decrease stress fibers, induce cell shrinkage and filopodia-like protrusions with a significant increase in p190RhoGAP phosphorylation. In contrast, 1ALCTL, 1ALCTS, 1ASCTL and 1BLCTS isoforms do not significantly decrease stress fibers and induce the formation of retraction tail-like protrusions. The 1BLCTL and 1ALCTL isoforms have different effects on cell migration and focal adhesions. All these data may open new perspectives to study the mechanisms of cell invasiveness. -Highlights: • Each of the eight Arg isoforms was transfected in COS-7 cells. • Only the 1BSCTS Arg isoform has a nuclear distribution in transfected cells. • The cytoplasmic isoforms and F-actin colocalize cortically and in cell protrusions. • Arg isoforms differently phosphorylate p190RhoGAP and CrkII. • Arg isoforms differently modulate stress fibers, cell protrusions and motility

One isoform of Arg/Abl2 tyrosine kinase is nuclear and the other seven cytosolic isoforms differently modulate cell morphology, motility and the cytoskeleton

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Bianchi, Cristina; Torsello, Barbara; Di Stefano, Vitalba; Zipeto, Maria A.; Facchetti, Rita; Bombelli, Silvia; Perego, Roberto A., E-mail: roberto.perego@unimib.it

2013-08-01

The non-receptor tyrosine kinase Abelson related gene (Arg/Abl2) regulates cell migration and morphogenesis by modulating the cytoskeleton. Arg promotes actin-based cell protrusions and spreading, and inhibits cell migration by attenuating stress fiber formation and contractility via activation of the RhoA inhibitor, p190RhoGAP, and by regulating focal adhesion dynamics also via CrkII phosphorylation. Eight full-length Arg isoforms with different N- and C-termini are endogenously expressed in human cells. In this paper, the eight Arg isoforms, subcloned in the pFLAG-CMV2 vector, were transfected in COS-7 cells in order to study their subcellular distribution and role in cell morphology, migration and cytoskeletal modulation. The transfected 1BSCTS Arg isoform has a nuclear distribution and phosphorylates CrkII in the nucleus, whilst the other isoforms are detected in the cytoplasm. The 1BLCTL, 1BSCTL, 1ASCTS isoforms were able to significantly decrease stress fibers, induce cell shrinkage and filopodia-like protrusions with a significant increase in p190RhoGAP phosphorylation. In contrast, 1ALCTL, 1ALCTS, 1ASCTL and 1BLCTS isoforms do not significantly decrease stress fibers and induce the formation of retraction tail-like protrusions. The 1BLCTL and 1ALCTL isoforms have different effects on cell migration and focal adhesions. All these data may open new perspectives to study the mechanisms of cell invasiveness. -Highlights: • Each of the eight Arg isoforms was transfected in COS-7 cells. • Only the 1BSCTS Arg isoform has a nuclear distribution in transfected cells. • The cytoplasmic isoforms and F-actin colocalize cortically and in cell protrusions. • Arg isoforms differently phosphorylate p190RhoGAP and CrkII. • Arg isoforms differently modulate stress fibers, cell protrusions and motility.

DW-MRI as a Predictive Biomarker of Radiosensitization of GBM through Targeted Inhibition of Checkpoint Kinases.

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Williams, Terence M; Galbán, Stefanie; Li, Fei; Heist, Kevin A; Galbán, Craig J; Lawrence, Theodore S; Holland, Eric C; Thomae, Tami L; Chenevert, Thomas L; Rehemtulla, Alnawaz; Ross, Brian D

2013-04-01

The inherent treatment resistance of glioblastoma (GBM) can involve multiple mechanisms including checkpoint kinase (Chk1/2)-mediated increased DNA repair capability, which can attenuate the effects of genotoxic chemotherapies and radiation. The goal of this study was to evaluate diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) as a biomarker for Chk1/2 inhibitors in combination with radiation for enhancement of treatment efficacy in GBM. We evaluated a specific small molecule inhibitor of Chk1/2, AZD7762, in combination with radiation using in vitro human cell lines and in vivo using a genetically engineered GBM mouse model. DW-MRI and T1-contrast MRI were used to follow treatment effects on intracranial tumor cellularity and growth rates, respectively. AZD7762 inhibited clonal proliferation in a panel of GBM cell lines and increased radiosensitivity in p53-mutated GBM cell lines to a greater extent compared to p53 wild-type cells. In vivo efficacy of AZD7762 demonstrated a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on GBM tumor growth rate and a reduction in tumor cellularity based on DW-MRI scans along with enhancement of radiation efficacy. DW-MRI was found to be a useful imaging biomarker for the detection of radiosensitization through inhibition of checkpoint kinases. Chk1/2 inhibition resulted in antiproliferative activity, prevention of DNA damage-induced repair, and radiosensitization in preclinical GBM tumor models, both in vitro and in vivo. The effects were found to be maximal in p53-mutated GBM cells. These results provide the rationale for integration of DW-MRI in clinical translation of Chk1/2 inhibition with radiation for the treatment of GBM.

Oral protein kinase c β inhibition using ruboxistaurin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aiello, Lloyd Paul; Vignati, Louis; Sheetz, Matthew J

2011-01-01

To evaluate efficacy, safety, and causes of vision loss among 813 patients (1,392 eyes) with moderately severe to very severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy from the Protein Kinase C β Inhibitor-Diabetic Retinopathy Study and Protein Kinase C β Inhibitor-Diabetic Retinopathy Study 2 ruboxi...

Characterization of leukemias with ETV6-ABL1 fusion

Science.gov (United States)

Zaliova, Marketa; Moorman, Anthony V.; Cazzaniga, Giovanni; Stanulla, Martin; Harvey, Richard C.; Roberts, Kathryn G.; Heatley, Sue L.; Loh, Mignon L.; Konopleva, Marina; Chen, I-Ming; Zimmermannova, Olga; Schwab, Claire; Smith, Owen; Mozziconacci, Marie-Joelle; Chabannon, Christian; Kim, Myungshin; Frederik Falkenburg, J. H.; Norton, Alice; Marshall, Karen; Haas, Oskar A.; Starkova, Julia; Stuchly, Jan; Hunger, Stephen P.; White, Deborah; Mullighan, Charles G.; Willman, Cheryl L.; Stary, Jan; Trka, Jan; Zuna, Jan

2016-01-01

To characterize the incidence, clinical features and genetics of ETV6-ABL1 leukemias, representing targetable kinase-activating lesions, we analyzed 44 new and published cases of ETV6-ABL1-positive hematologic malignancies [22 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (13 children, 9 adults) and 22 myeloid malignancies (18 myeloproliferative neoplasms, 4 acute myeloid leukemias)]. The presence of the ETV6-ABL1 fusion was ascertained by cytogenetics, fluorescence in-situ hybridization, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and RNA sequencing. Genomic and gene expression profiling was performed by single nucleotide polymorphism and expression arrays. Systematic screening of more than 4,500 cases revealed that in acute lymphoblastic leukemia ETV6-ABL1 is rare in childhood (0.17% cases) and slightly more common in adults (0.38%). There is no systematic screening of myeloproliferative neoplasms; however, the number of ETV6-ABL1-positive cases and the relative incidence of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and myeloproliferative neoplasms suggest that in adulthood ETV6-ABL1 is more common in BCR-ABL1-negative chronic myeloid leukemia-like myeloproliferations than in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The genomic profile of ETV6-ABL1 acute lymphoblastic leukemia resembled that of BCR-ABL1 and BCR-ABL1-like cases with 80% of patients having concurrent CDKN2A/B and IKZF1 deletions. In the gene expression profiling all the ETV6-ABL1-positive samples clustered in close vicinity to BCR-ABL1 cases. All but one of the cases of ETV6-ABL1 acute lymphoblastic leukemia were classified as BCR-ABL1-like by a standardized assay. Over 60% of patients died, irrespectively of the disease or age subgroup examined. In conclusion, ETV6-ABL1 fusion occurs in both lymphoid and myeloid leukemias; the genomic profile and clinical behavior resemble BCR-ABL1-positive malignancies, including the unfavorable prognosis, particularly of acute leukemias. The poor outcome suggests that treatment with

Inhibition of Cartilage Acidic Protein 1 Reduces Ultraviolet B Irradiation Induced-Apoptosis through P38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase and Jun Amino-Terminal Kinase Pathways

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Yinghong Ji

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Background/Aims: Ultraviolet B (UVB irradiation can easily induce apoptosis in human lens epithelial cells (HLECs and further lead to various eye diseases including cataract. Here for the first time, we investigated the role of cartilage acidic protein 1 (CRTAC1 gene in UVB irradiation induced-apoptosis in HLECs. Methods: Three groups of HLECs were employed including model group, empty vector group, and CRTAC1 interference group. Results: After UVB irradiation, the percentage of primary apoptotic cells was obviously fewer in CRTAC1 interference group. Meanwhile, inhibition of CRTAC1 also reduced both reactive oxygen species (ROS production and intracellular Ca2+ concentration, but the level of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm was increased in HLECs. Further studies indicated that superoxide dismutase (SOD activity and total antioxidative (T-AOC level were significantly increased in CRTAC1-inhibited cells, while the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH were significantly decreased. ELISA analysis of CRTAC1-inhibited cells showed that the concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α and interleukin-6 (IL-6 were significantly decreased, but the concentration of interleukin-10 (IL-10 was significantly increased. Western blot analyses of eight apoptosis-associated proteins including Bax, Bcl-2, p38, phospho-p38 (p-p38, Jun amino-terminal kinases (JNK1/2, phospho-JNK1/2 (p-JNK1/2, calcium-sensing receptor (CasR, and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII indicated that the inhibition of CRTAC1 alleviated oxidative stress and inflammation response, inactivated calcium-signaling pathway, p38 and JNK1/2 signal pathways, and eventually reduced UVB irradiation induced-apoptosis in HLECs. Conclusion: These results provided new insights into the mechanism of cataract development, and demonstrated that CRTAC1 could be a potentially novel target for cataract treatment.

Inhibition of Cartilage Acidic Protein 1 Reduces Ultraviolet B Irradiation Induced-Apoptosis through P38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase and Jun Amino-Terminal Kinase Pathways.

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Ji, Yinghong; Rong, Xianfang; Li, Dan; Cai, Lei; Rao, Jun; Lu, Yi

2016-01-01

Ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation can easily induce apoptosis in human lens epithelial cells (HLECs) and further lead to various eye diseases including cataract. Here for the first time, we investigated the role of cartilage acidic protein 1 (CRTAC1) gene in UVB irradiation induced-apoptosis in HLECs. Three groups of HLECs were employed including model group, empty vector group, and CRTAC1 interference group. After UVB irradiation, the percentage of primary apoptotic cells was obviously fewer in CRTAC1 interference group. Meanwhile, inhibition of CRTAC1 also reduced both reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and intracellular Ca2+ concentration, but the level of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) was increased in HLECs. Further studies indicated that superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and total antioxidative (T-AOC) level were significantly increased in CRTAC1-inhibited cells, while the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were significantly decreased. ELISA analysis of CRTAC1-inhibited cells showed that the concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were significantly decreased, but the concentration of interleukin-10 (IL-10) was significantly increased. Western blot analyses of eight apoptosis-associated proteins including Bax, Bcl-2, p38, phospho-p38 (p-p38), Jun amino-terminal kinases (JNK1/2), phospho-JNK1/2 (p-JNK1/2), calcium-sensing receptor (CasR), and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) indicated that the inhibition of CRTAC1 alleviated oxidative stress and inflammation response, inactivated calcium-signaling pathway, p38 and JNK1/2 signal pathways, and eventually reduced UVB irradiation induced-apoptosis in HLECs. These results provided new insights into the mechanism of cataract development, and demonstrated that CRTAC1 could be a potentially novel target for cataract treatment. © 2016 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

PI3 kinase inhibition improves vascular malformations in mouse models of hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia.

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Ola, Roxana; Dubrac, Alexandre; Han, Jinah; Zhang, Feng; Fang, Jennifer S; Larrivée, Bruno; Lee, Monica; Urarte, Ana A; Kraehling, Jan R; Genet, Gael; Hirschi, Karen K; Sessa, William C; Canals, Francesc V; Graupera, Mariona; Yan, Minhong; Young, Lawrence H; Oh, Paul S; Eichmann, Anne

2016-11-29

Activin receptor-like kinase 1 (ALK1) is an endothelial serine-threonine kinase receptor for bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) 9 and 10. Inactivating mutations in the ALK1 gene cause hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia type 2 (HHT2), a disabling disease characterized by excessive angiogenesis with arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Here we show that inducible, endothelial-specific homozygous Alk1 inactivation and BMP9/10 ligand blockade both lead to AVM formation in postnatal retinal vessels and internal organs including the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in mice. VEGF and PI3K/AKT signalling are increased on Alk1 deletion and BMP9/10 ligand blockade. Genetic deletion of the signal-transducing Vegfr2 receptor prevents excessive angiogenesis but does not fully revert AVM formation. In contrast, pharmacological PI3K inhibition efficiently prevents AVM formation and reverts established AVMs. Thus, Alk1 deletion leads to increased endothelial PI3K pathway activation that may be a novel target for the treatment of vascular lesions in HHT2.

Extensive gene-specific translational reprogramming in a model of B cell differentiation and Abl-dependent transformation.

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Jamie G Bates

Full Text Available To what extent might the regulation of translation contribute to differentiation programs, or to the molecular pathogenesis of cancer? Pre-B cells transformed with the viral oncogene v-Abl are suspended in an immortalized, cycling state that mimics leukemias with a BCR-ABL1 translocation, such as Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML and Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL. Inhibition of the oncogenic Abl kinase with imatinib reverses transformation, allowing progression to the next stage of B cell development. We employed a genome-wide polysome profiling assay called Gradient Encoding to investigate the extent and potential contribution of translational regulation to transformation and differentiation in v-Abl-transformed pre-B cells. Over half of the significantly translationally regulated genes did not change significantly at the level of mRNA abundance, revealing biology that might have been missed by measuring changes in transcript abundance alone. We found extensive, gene-specific changes in translation affecting genes with known roles in B cell signaling and differentiation, cancerous transformation, and cytoskeletal reorganization potentially affecting adhesion. These results highlight a major role for gene-specific translational regulation in remodeling the gene expression program in differentiation and malignant transformation.

SHP-1, a novel peptide isolated from seahorse inhibits collagen release through the suppression of collagenases 1 and 3, nitric oxide products regulated by NF-kappaB/p38 kinase.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryu, BoMi; Qian, Zhong-Ji; Kim, Se-Kwon

2010-01-01

Considerable efforts have been taken to identify natural peptides as potential bioactive substances. In this study, novel peptide (SHP-1) derived from seahorse (Hippocampus, Syngnathidae) hydrolysate was explored for its inhibitory effects on collagen release in arthritis with the investigation of its underlying mechanism of action. The efficacy of SHP-1 was determined on cartilage protective effects such as inhibition of collagen and GAG release. SHP-1 was able to suppress not only the expression of collagenases 1 and 3, but also the production of NO via down-regulation of iNOS. However, it presented an irrelevant effect on the level of GAG release in chondrocytic and osteoblastic cells. Inhibition of collagen release by SHP-1 is associated with restraining the phosphorylation of NF-kappaB and p38 kinase cascade. Therefore, it could be suggested that SHP-1 has a potential to be used in arthritis treatment.

An inhibition of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase delays the platelet storage lesion.

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Andrey Skripchenko

Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Platelets during storage undergo diverse alterations collectively known as the platelet storage lesion, including metabolic, morphological, functional and structural changes. Some changes correlate with activation of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK. Another MAPK, extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK, is involved in PLT activation. The aim of this study was to compare the properties of platelets stored in plasma in the presence or absence of p38 and ERK MAPK inhibitors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A single Trima apheresis platelet unit (n = 12 was aliquoted into five CLX storage bags. Two aliquots were continuously agitated with or without MAPK inhibitors. Two aliquots were subjected to 48 hours of interruption of agitation with or without MAPK inhibitors. One aliquot contained the same amount of solvent vehicle used to deliver the inhibitor. Platelets were stored at 20-24°C for 7 days and sampled on Days 1, 4, and 7 for 18 in vitro parameters. RESULTS: Inhibition of p38 MAPK by VX-702 leads to better maintenance of all platelet in vitro storage parameters including platelet mitochondrial function. Accelerated by interruption of agitation, the platelet storage lesion of units stored with VX-702 was diminished to that of platelets stored with continuous agitation. Inhibition of ERK MAPK did not ameliorate decrements in any in vitro platelet properties. CONCLUSION: Signaling through p38 MAPK, but not ERK, is associated with platelet deterioration during storage.

In chronic myeloid leukemia patients on second-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy, deep sequencing of BCR-ABL1 at the time of warning may allow sensitive detection of emerging drug-resistant mutants.

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Soverini, Simona; De Benedittis, Caterina; Castagnetti, Fausto; Gugliotta, Gabriele; Mancini, Manuela; Bavaro, Luana; Machova Polakova, Katerina; Linhartova, Jana; Iurlo, Alessandra; Russo, Domenico; Pane, Fabrizio; Saglio, Giuseppe; Rosti, Gianantonio; Cavo, Michele; Baccarani, Michele; Martinelli, Giovanni

2016-08-02

Imatinib-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients receiving second-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy with dasatinib or nilotinib have a higher risk of disease relapse and progression and not infrequently BCR-ABL1 kinase domain (KD) mutations are implicated in therapeutic failure. In this setting, earlier detection of emerging BCR-ABL1 KD mutations would offer greater chances of efficacy for subsequent salvage therapy and limit the biological consequences of full BCR-ABL1 kinase reactivation. Taking advantage of an already set up and validated next-generation deep amplicon sequencing (DS) assay, we aimed to assess whether DS may allow a larger window of detection of emerging BCR-ABL1 KD mutants predicting for an impending relapse. a total of 125 longitudinal samples from 51 CML patients who had acquired dasatinib- or nilotinib-resistant mutations during second-line therapy were analyzed by DS from the time of failure and mutation detection by conventional sequencing backwards. BCR-ABL1/ABL1%(IS) transcript levels were used to define whether the patient had 'optimal response', 'warning' or 'failure' at the time of first mutation detection by DS. DS was able to backtrack dasatinib- or nilotinib-resistant mutations to the previous sample(s) in 23/51 (45 %) pts. Median mutation burden at the time of first detection by DS was 5.5 % (range, 1.5-17.5 %); median interval between detection by DS and detection by conventional sequencing was 3 months (range, 1-9 months). In 5 cases, the mutations were detectable at baseline. In the remaining cases, response level at the time mutations were first detected by DS could be defined as 'Warning' (according to the 2013 ELN definitions of response to 2nd-line therapy) in 13 cases, as 'Optimal response' in one case, as 'Failure' in 4 cases. No dasatinib- or nilotinib-resistant mutations were detected by DS in 15 randomly selected patients with 'warning' at various timepoints, that later turned into optimal

The inhibition of cAMP-dependent protein kinase by full-length hepatitis C virus NS3/4A complex is due to ATP hydrolysis.

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Aoubala, M; Holt, J; Clegg, R A; Rowlands, D J; Harris, M

2001-07-01

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an important cause of chronic liver disease, but the molecular mechanisms of viral pathogenesis remain to be established. The HCV non-structural protein NS3 complexes with NS4A and has three enzymatic activities: a proteinase and a helicase/NTPase. Recently, catalytically inactive NS3 fragments containing an arginine-rich motif have been reported to interact with, and inhibit, the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA C-subunit). Here we demonstrate that full-length, catalytically active NS3/4A, purified from recombinant baculovirus-infected insect cells, is also able to inhibit PKA C-subunit in vitro. This inhibition was abrogated by mutation of either the arginine-rich motif or the conserved helicase motif II, both of which also abolished NTPase activity. As PKA C-subunit inhibition was also enhanced by poly(U) (an activator of NS3 NTPase activity), we hypothesized that PKA C-subunit inhibition could be due to NS3/4A-mediated ATP hydrolysis. This was confirmed by experiments in which a constant ATP concentration was maintained by addition of an ATP regeneration system--under these conditions PKA C-subunit inhibition was not observed. Interestingly, the mutations also abrogated the ability of wild-type NS3/4A to inhibit the PKA-regulated transcription factor CREB in transiently transfected hepatoma cells. Our data are thus not consistent with the previously proposed model in which the arginine-rich motif of NS3 was suggested to act as a pseudosubstrate inhibitor of PKA C-subunit. However, in vivo effects of NS3/4A suggest that ATPase activity may play a role in viral pathology in the infected liver.

Inhibition of Vascular Smooth Muscle Growth via Signaling Crosstalk between AMP-Activated Protein Kinase and cAMP-Dependent Protein Kinase

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Joshua Daniel Stone

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Abnormal vascular smooth muscle (VSM growth is central in the pathophysiology of vascular disease yet fully effective therapies to curb this growth are lacking. Recent findings from our lab and others support growth control of VSM by adenosine monophosphate (AMP-based approaches including the metabolic sensor AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK and cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA. Molecular crosstalk between AMPK and PKA has been previously suggested, yet the extent to which this occurs and its biological significance in VSM remains unclear. Considering their common AMP backbone and similar signaling characteristics, we hypothesized that crosstalk exists between AMPK and PKA in the regulation of VSM growth. Using rat primary VSM cells, the AMPK agonist AICAR increased AMPK activity and phosphorylation of the catalytic Thr172 site on AMPK. Interestingly, AICAR also phosphorylated a suspected PKA-inhibitory Ser485 site on AMPK, and these cumulative events were reversed by the PKA inhibitor PKI suggesting possible PKA-mediated regulation of AMPK. AICAR also increased PKA activity in a reversible fashion. The cAMP stimulator forskolin increased PKA activity and completely ameliorated Ser/Thr protein phosphatase-2C activity, suggesting a potential mechanism of AMPK modulation by PKA since inhibition of PKA by PKI reduced AMPK activity. Functionally, AMPK inhibited serum-stimulated cell cycle progression and cellular proliferation; however, PKA failed to do so. Moreover, AMPK and PKA reduced PDGF-β-stimulated VSM cell migration. Collectively, these results show that AMPK is capable of reducing VSM growth in both anti-proliferative and anti-migratory fashions. Furthermore, these data suggest that AMPK may be modulated by PKA and that positive feedback may exist between these two systems. These findings reveal a discrete nexus between AMPK and PKA in VSM and provide basis for metabolically-directed targets in reducing pathologic VSM growth.

n-Butyrate inhibits Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase activation and cytokine transcription in mast cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diakos, Christos; Prieschl, Eva E.; Saeemann, Marcus D.; Boehmig, Georg A.; Csonga, Robert; Sobanov, Yury; Baumruker, Thomas; Zlabinger, Gerhard J.

2006-01-01

Mast cells are well known to contribute to type I allergic conditions but only recently have been brought in association with chronic relapsing/remitting autoimmune diseases such as celiac disease and ulcerative colitis. Since the bacterial metabolite n-butyrate is considered to counteract intestinal inflammation we investigated the effects of this short chain fatty acid on mast cell activation. Using RNAse protection assays and reporter gene technology we show that n-butyrate downregulates TNF-α transcription. This correlates with an impaired activation of the Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK) but not other MAP kinases such as ERK and p38 that are largely unaffected by n-butyrate. As a consequence, we observed a decreased nuclear activity of AP-1 and NF-AT transcription factors. These results indicate that n-butyrate inhibits critical inflammatory mediators in mast cells by relatively selectively targeting the JNK signalling

The role of p38 MAP kinase and c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase signaling in the differentiation and apoptosis of immortalized neural stem cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Se-Ran; Cho, Sung-Dae; Ahn, Nam-Shik; Jung, Ji-Won; Park, Joon-Suk; Jo, Eun-Hye; Hwang, Jae-Woong; Kim, Sung-Hoon; Lee, Bong-Hee; Kang, Kyung-Sun; Lee, Yong-Soon

2005-01-01

The two distinct members of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK) and p38 MAP kinase, play an important role in central nervous system (CNS) development and differentiation. However, their role and functions are not completely understood in CNS. To facilitate in vitro study, we have established an immortal stem cell line using SV40 from fetal rat embryonic day 17. In these cells, MAP kinase inhibitors (SP600125, SB202190, and PD98059) were treated for 1, 24, 48, and 72 h to examine the roles of protein kinases. Early inhibition of JNK did not alter phenotypic or morphological changes of immortalized cells, however overexpression of Bax and decrease of phosphorylated AKT was observed. The prolonged inhibition of JNK induced polyploidization of immortalized cells, and resulted in differentiation and inhibition of cell proliferation. Moreover, JNK and p38 MAP kinase but not ERK1/2 was activated, and p21, p53, and Bax were overexpressed by prolonged inhibition of JNK. These results indicate that JNK and p38 MAP kinase could play dual roles on cell survival and apoptosis. Furthermore, this established cell line could facilitate study of the role of JNK and p38 MAP kinase on CNS development or differentiation/apoptosis

Protein Kinase-A Inhibition Is Sufficient to Support Human Neural Stem Cells Self-Renewal.

Science.gov (United States)

Georges, Pauline; Boissart, Claire; Poulet, Aurélie; Peschanski, Marc; Benchoua, Alexandra

2015-12-01

Human pluripotent stem cell-derived neural stem cells offer unprecedented opportunities for producing specific types of neurons for several biomedical applications. However, to achieve it, protocols of production and amplification of human neural stem cells need to be standardized, cost effective, and safe. This means that small molecules should progressively replace the use of media containing cocktails of protein-based growth factors. Here we have conducted a phenotypical screening to identify pathways involved in the regulation of hNSC self-renewal. We analyzed 80 small molecules acting as kinase inhibitors and identified compounds of the 5-isoquinolinesulfonamide family, described as protein kinase A (PKA) and protein kinase G inhibitors, as candidates to support hNSC self-renewal. Investigating the mode of action of these compounds, we found that modulation of PKA activity was central in controlling the choice between self-renewal or terminal neuronal differentiation of hNSC. We finally demonstrated that the pharmacological inhibition of PKA using the small molecule HA1004 was sufficient to support the full derivation, propagation, and long-term maintenance of stable hNSC in absence of any other extrinsic signals. Our results indicated that tuning of PKA activity is a core mechanism regulating hNSC self-renewal and differentiation and delineate the minimal culture media requirement to maintain undifferentiated hNSC in vitro. © 2015 AlphaMed Press.

Effective intracellular inhibition of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase by microinjection of a modified form of the specific inhibitor peptide PKi in living fibroblasts.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez, A; Mery, J; Vandromme, M; Basset, M; Cavadore, J C; Lamb, N J

1991-08-01

In order to obtain a peptide retaining its biological activity following microinjection into living cells, we have modified a synthetic peptide [PKi(m)(6-24)], derived from the specific inhibitor protein of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (A-kinase) in two ways: (1) substitution of the arginine at position 18 for a D-arginine; (2) blockade of the side chain on the C-terminal aspartic acid by a cyclohexyl ester group. In an in vitro assay, PKi(m) has retained a specific inhibitory activity against A-kinase as assessed against six other kinases, with similar efficiency to that of the unmodified PKi(5-24) peptide. Microinjection of PKi(m) into living fibroblasts reveals its capacity to prevent the changes in cell morphology and cytoskeleton induced by drugs which activate endogenous A-kinase, whereas the original PKi peptide failed to do so. This inhibition of A-kinase in vivo by PKi(m) lasts between 4 and 6 h after injection. In light of its effective half-life, this modified peptide opens a route for the use of biologically active peptides in vivo, an approach which has been hampered until now by the exceedingly short half-life of peptides inside living cells. By providing a direct means of inhibiting A-kinase activity for sufficiently long periods to observe effects on cellular functions in living cells, PKi(m) represents a powerful tool in studying the potential role of cAMP-dependent phosphorylation in vivo.

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation for patients harboring T315I BCR-ABL mutated leukemias

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nicolini, Franck Emmanuel; Basak, Grzegorz W; Soverini, Simona

2011-01-01

T315I(+) Philadelphia chromosome-positive leukemias are inherently resistant to all licensed tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and therapeutic options remain limited. We report the outcome of allogeneic stem cell transplantation in 64 patients with documented BCR-ABL(T315I) mutations. Median follow......) as unfavorable factors. We conclude that allogeneic stem cell transplantation represents a valuable therapeutic tool for eligible patients with BCR-ABL(T315I) mutation, a tool that may or may not be replaced by third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors....

Protein kinase activity of phosphoinositide 3-kinase regulates cytokine-dependent cell survival.

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Daniel Thomas

Full Text Available The dual specificity protein/lipid kinase, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K, promotes growth factor-mediated cell survival and is frequently deregulated in cancer. However, in contrast to canonical lipid-kinase functions, the role of PI3K protein kinase activity in regulating cell survival is unknown. We have employed a novel approach to purify and pharmacologically profile protein kinases from primary human acute myeloid leukemia (AML cells that phosphorylate serine residues in the cytoplasmic portion of cytokine receptors to promote hemopoietic cell survival. We have isolated a kinase activity that is able to directly phosphorylate Ser585 in the cytoplasmic domain of the interleukin 3 (IL-3 and granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF receptors and shown it to be PI3K. Physiological concentrations of cytokine in the picomolar range were sufficient for activating the protein kinase activity of PI3K leading to Ser585 phosphorylation and hemopoietic cell survival but did not activate PI3K lipid kinase signaling or promote proliferation. Blockade of PI3K lipid signaling by expression of the pleckstrin homology of Akt1 had no significant impact on the ability of picomolar concentrations of cytokine to promote hemopoietic cell survival. Furthermore, inducible expression of a mutant form of PI3K that is defective in lipid kinase activity but retains protein kinase activity was able to promote Ser585 phosphorylation and hemopoietic cell survival in the absence of cytokine. Blockade of p110α by RNA interference or multiple independent PI3K inhibitors not only blocked Ser585 phosphorylation in cytokine-dependent cells and primary human AML blasts, but also resulted in a block in survival signaling and cell death. Our findings demonstrate a new role for the protein kinase activity of PI3K in phosphorylating the cytoplasmic tail of the GM-CSF and IL-3 receptors to selectively regulate cell survival highlighting the importance of targeting

Meliae cortex extract exhibits anti-allergic activity through the inhibition of Syk kinase in mast cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jun Ho; Ko, Na Young; Kim, Nam Wook; Mun, Se Hwan; Kim, Jie Wan; Her, Erk; Kim, Bo Kyung; Seo, Dong Wan; Chang, Hyun Wook; Moon, Tae Chul; Han, Jeung Whan; Kim, Young Mi; Choi, Wahn Soo

2007-01-01

The anti-allergic action of various Oriental medicinal herbs was investigated using in vitro and in vivo experimental models. Of these extracts, the ethanol extract of Meliae cortex (MC) exhibited the most potent activity in mast cells; its IC 50 values were 29 ± 1.5 μg/ml for antigen stimulation and 57 ± 3.4 μg/ml for thapsigargin stimulation. It inhibited compound-48/80-induced systemic anaphylaxis by 52.9% at a dose of 300 mg/kg in mice; it also inhibited the expression of the proinflammatory mediator TNF-α. With regard to its mechanism of action, MC suppressed the activating phosphorylation of Syk, a key enzyme in mast-cell signaling processes and that of Akt in a dose-dependent manner. It also inhibited the MAP kinase ERK1/2, which is critical for the production of inflammatory cytokines in mast cells, as indicated by the suppression of the activating phosphorylation of ERK1/2. Taken together, these results suggest that the anti-allergic activity of MC may be due to the inhibition of histamine secretion and cytokine expression through the Syk inhibition in mast cells

Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 Inhibitors in the Next Horizon for Alzheimer's Disease Treatment

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Ana Martinez

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3, a proline/serine protein kinase ubiquitously expressed and involved in many cellular signaling pathways, plays a key role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD being probably the link between β-amyloid and tau pathology. A great effort has recently been done in the discovery and development of different new molecules, of synthetic and natural origin, able to inhibit this enzyme, and several kinetics mechanisms of binding have been described. The small molecule called tideglusib belonging to the thiadiazolidindione family is currently on phase IIb clinical trials for AD. The potential risks and benefits of this new kind of disease modifying drugs for the future therapy of AD are discussed in this paper.

Inhibition of the pentose phosphate shunt by 2,3-diphosphoglycerate in erythrocyte pyruvate kinase deficiency.

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Tomoda, A; Lachant, N A; Noble, N A; Tanaka, K R

1983-07-01

Pentose phosphate shunt activity was studied by the release of 14CO2 from 14C-1-glucose and 14C-2-glucose in the red cells of five patients with pyruvate kinase deficiency and found to be significantly decreased after new methylene blue stimulation when compared to high reticulocyte controls. Incubated Heinz body formation was increased and the ascorbate cyanide test was positive in blood from these patients. The activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) as well as that of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD) was inhibited to 20% of baseline in normal red cell haemolysate by 4 mM 2,3-diphosphoglycerate at pH 7.1. 2,3-Diphosphoglycerate was a competitive inhibitor with 6-phosphogluconate (Ki=1.05 mM) and a noncompetitive inhibitor with NADP (Ki=3.3 mM) for 6PGD. Since the intracellular concentrations of glucose-6-phosphate, 6-phosphogluconate and NADP are below their Kms for G6PD and 6PGD, the kinetic data suggest that increased concentrations of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate in pyruvate kinase deficient red cells are sufficiently high to suppress pentose phosphate shunt activity. This suppression may be an additional factor contributing to the haemolytic anaemia of pyruvate kinase deficiency, particularly during periods of infection or metabolic stress.

The antitumor natural product tanshinone IIA inhibits protein kinase C and acts synergistically with 17-AAG.

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Chao; Zeng, Hua-Wu; Wang, Jin-Xin; Yuan, Xing; Zhang, Chuang; Fang, Ting; Yang, Pei-Ming; Wu, Tong; Zhou, Yu-Dong; Nagle, Dale G; Zhang, Wei-Dong

2018-02-07

Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA), the primary bioactive compound derived from the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, has been reported to possess antitumor activity. However, its antitumor mechanisms are not fully understood. To resolve the potential antitumor mechanism(s) of Tan IIA, its gene expression profiles from our database was analyzed by connectivity map (CMAP) and the CMAP-based mechanistic predictions were confirmed/validated in further studies. Specifically, Tan IIA inhibited total protein kinase C (PKC) activity and selectively suppressed the expression of cytosolic and plasma membrane PKC isoforms ζ and ε. The Ras/MAPK pathway that is closely regulated by the PKC signaling is also inhibited by Tan IIA. While Tan IIA did not inhibit heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90), it synergistically enhanced the antitumor efficacy of the Hsp90 inhibitors 17-AAG and ganetespib in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells. In addition, Tan IIA significantly inhibited PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling, and induced both cell cycle arrest and autophagy. Collectively, these studies provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms responsible for antitumor activity of Tan IIA.

Multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitors in preclinical studies for pediatric CNS AT/RT: Evidence for synergy with Topoisomerase-I inhibition

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Jayanthan Aarthi

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Currently, Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor (AT/RT constitutes one of the most difficult to treat malignancies in pediatrics. Hence, new knowledge of potential targets for therapeutics and the development of novel treatment approaches are urgently needed. We have evaluated the presence of cytokine pathways and the effects of two clinically available multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitors for cytotoxicity, target modulation and drug combinability against AT/RT cell lines. Results AT/RT cell lines expressed measurable quantities of VEGF, FGF, PDGF and SDF-1, although the absolute amounts varied between the cell lines. The targeted receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor sorafenib inhibited the key signaling molecule Erk, which was activated following the addition of own conditioned media, suggesting the existence of autocrine/paracrine growth stimulatory pathways. The multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitors sorafenib and sunitinib also showed significant growth inhibition of AT/RT cells and their activity was enhanced by combination with the topoisomerase inhibitor, irinotecan. The loss of cytoplasmic NF-kappa-B in response to irinotecan was diminished by sorafenib, providing evidence for a possible benefit for this drug combination. Conclusions In addition to previously described involvement of insulin like growth factor (IGF family of cytokines, a multitude of other growth factors may contribute to the growth and survival of AT/RT cells. However, consistent with the heterogeneous nature of this tumor, quantitative and qualitative differences may exist among different tumor samples. Multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitors appear to have effective antitumor activity against all cell lines studied. In addition, the target modulation studies and drug combinability data provide the groundwork for additional studies and support the evaluation of these agents in future treatment protocols.

Partial purification and characterization of a wortmannin-sensitive and insulin-stimulated protein kinase that activates heart 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase.

OpenAIRE

Deprez, J; Bertrand, L; Alessi, D R; Krause, U; Hue, L; Rider, M H

2000-01-01

A wortmannin-sensitive and insulin-stimulated protein kinase (WISK), which phosphorylates and activates cardiac 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase (PFK-2), was partially purified from perfused rat hearts. Immunoblotting showed that WISK was devoid of protein kinase B (PKB), serum- and glucocorticoid-regulated protein kinase and protein kinase Czeta (PKCzeta). Comparison of the inhibition of WISK, PKCalpha and PKCzeta by different protein kinase inhibitors suggested that WISK was not a member of the PKC...

Early BCR-ABL1 Transcript Decline after 1 Month of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Therapy as an Indicator for Treatment Response in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia.

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Mohamed El Missiry

Full Text Available In chronic myeloid leukemia (CML, early treatment prediction is important to identify patients with inferior overall outcomes. We examined the feasibility of using reductions in BCR-ABL1 transcript levels after 1 month of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI treatment to predict therapy response. Fifty-two first-line TKI-treated CML patients were included (imatinib n = 26, dasatinib n = 21, nilotinib n = 5, and BCR-ABL1 transcript levels were measured at diagnosis (dg and 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, and 36 months. The fold change of the BCR-ABL1 transcripts at 1 month compared to initial BCR-ABL1 transcript levels was used to indicate early therapy response. In our cohort, 21% of patients had no decrease in BCR-ABL1 transcript levels after 1 month and were classified as poor responders. Surprisingly, these patients had lower BCR-ABL1 transcript levels at dg compared to responders (31% vs. 48%, p = 0.0083. Poor responders also significantly more often had enlarged spleen (55% vs. 15%; p<0.01 and a higher percentage of Ph+ CD34+CD38- cells in the bone marrow (91% vs. 75%, p<0.05. The major molecular response rates were inferior in the poor responders (at 12m 18% vs. 64%, p<0.01; 18m 27% vs. 75%, p<0.01; 24m 55% vs. 87%, p<0.01. In conclusion, early treatment response analysis defines a biologically distinct patient subgroup with inferior long-term outcomes.

An integrated chemical biology approach identifies specific vulnerability of Ewing's sarcoma to combined inhibition of Aurora kinases A and B.

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Winter, Georg E; Rix, Uwe; Lissat, Andrej; Stukalov, Alexey; Müllner, Markus K; Bennett, Keiryn L; Colinge, Jacques; Nijman, Sebastian M; Kubicek, Stefan; Kovar, Heinrich; Kontny, Udo; Superti-Furga, Giulio

2011-10-01

Ewing's sarcoma is a pediatric cancer of the bone that is characterized by the expression of the chimeric transcription factor EWS-FLI1 that confers a highly malignant phenotype and results from the chromosomal translocation t(11;22)(q24;q12). Poor overall survival and pronounced long-term side effects associated with traditional chemotherapy necessitate the development of novel, targeted, therapeutic strategies. We therefore conducted a focused viability screen with 200 small molecule kinase inhibitors in 2 different Ewing's sarcoma cell lines. This resulted in the identification of several potential molecular intervention points. Most notably, tozasertib (VX-680, MK-0457) displayed unique nanomolar efficacy, which extended to other cell lines, but was specific for Ewing's sarcoma. Furthermore, tozasertib showed strong synergies with the chemotherapeutic drugs etoposide and doxorubicin, the current standard agents for Ewing's sarcoma. To identify the relevant targets underlying the specific vulnerability toward tozasertib, we determined its cellular target profile by chemical proteomics. We identified 20 known and unknown serine/threonine and tyrosine protein kinase targets. Additional target deconvolution and functional validation by RNAi showed simultaneous inhibition of Aurora kinases A and B to be responsible for the observed tozasertib sensitivity, thereby revealing a new mechanism for targeting Ewing's sarcoma. We further corroborated our cellular observations with xenograft mouse models. In summary, the multilayered chemical biology approach presented here identified a specific vulnerability of Ewing's sarcoma to concomitant inhibition of Aurora kinases A and B by tozasertib and danusertib, which has the potential to become a new therapeutic option.

G protein-coupled receptor 30 (GPR30) forms a plasma membrane complex with membrane-associated guanylate kinases (MAGUKs) and protein kinase A-anchoring protein 5 (AKAP5) that constitutively inhibits cAMP production.

Science.gov (United States)

Broselid, Stefan; Berg, Kelly A; Chavera, Teresa A; Kahn, Robin; Clarke, William P; Olde, Björn; Leeb-Lundberg, L M Fredrik

2014-08-08

GPR30, or G protein-coupled estrogen receptor, is a G protein-coupled receptor reported to bind 17β-estradiol (E2), couple to the G proteins Gs and Gi/o, and mediate non-genomic estrogenic responses. However, controversies exist regarding the receptor pharmacological profile, effector coupling, and subcellular localization. We addressed the role of the type I PDZ motif at the receptor C terminus in receptor trafficking and coupling to cAMP production in HEK293 cells and CHO cells ectopically expressing the receptor and in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells expressing the native receptor. GPR30 was localized both intracellularly and in the plasma membrane and subject to limited basal endocytosis. E2 and G-1, reported GPR30 agonists, neither stimulated nor inhibited cAMP production through GPR30, nor did they influence receptor localization. Instead, GPR30 constitutively inhibited cAMP production stimulated by a heterologous agonist independently of Gi/o. Moreover, siRNA knockdown of native GPR30 increased cAMP production. Deletion of the receptor PDZ motif interfered with inhibition of cAMP production and increased basal receptor endocytosis. GPR30 interacted with membrane-associated guanylate kinases, including SAP97 and PSD-95, and protein kinase A-anchoring protein (AKAP) 5 in the plasma membrane in a PDZ-dependent manner. Knockdown of AKAP5 or St-Ht31 treatment, to disrupt AKAP interaction with the PKA RIIβ regulatory subunit, decreased inhibition of cAMP production, and St-Ht31 increased basal receptor endocytosis. Therefore, GPR30 forms a plasma membrane complex with a membrane-associated guanylate kinase and AKAP5, which constitutively attenuates cAMP production in response to heterologous agonists independently of Gi/o and retains receptors in the plasma membrane. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Effect of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase inhibition on ovotoxicity caused by 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide and 7, 12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene in neonatal rat ovaries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keating, Aileen F.; Mark, Connie J.; Sen, Nivedita; Sipes, I. Glenn; Hoyer, Patricia B.

2009-01-01

4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD) is an ovotoxicant that specifically destroys primordial and small primary follicles in the ovaries of mice and rats. In contrast, 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) is ovotoxic to all ovarian follicle classes. This study investigated phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase signaling involvement in VCD- and DMBA-induced ovotoxicity. Postnatal day (PND) 4 Fischer 344 (F344) rat whole ovaries were cultured for 2-12 days in vehicle control, VCD (30 μM), or DMBA (1 μM), ± PI3 kinase inhibitor LY294002 (20 μM) or its inactive analog LY303511 (20 μM). Following culture, ovaries were histologically evaluated, and healthy follicles were classified and counted. PI3 kinase inhibition had no effect on primordial follicle number, but reduced (P 0.05) at any time, but did cause loss (P < 0.05) of small primary follicles. DMBA exposure caused primordial and small primary follicle loss (P < 0.05) on day 6. Further, DMBA-induced primordial and small primary follicle loss was greater with PI3 kinase inhibition (P < 0.05) than with DMBA alone. These results support that (1) PI3 kinase mediates primordial to small primary follicle recruitment, (2) VCD, but not DMBA, enhances ovotoxicity by increasing primordial to small primary follicle recruitment, and (3) in addition to xenobiotic-induced ovotoxicity, VCD is also a useful model chemical with which to elucidate signaling mechanisms involved in primordial follicle recruitment.

Administration of Menadione, Vitamin K3, Ameliorates Off-Target Effects on Corneal Epithelial Wound Healing Due to Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibition.

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Rush, Jamie S; Bingaman, David P; Chaney, Paul G; Wax, Martin B; Ceresa, Brian P

2016-11-01

The antiangiogenic receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (RTKi), 3-[(4-bromo-2,6-difluorophenyl)methoxy]-5-[[[[4-(1-pyrrolidinyl) butyl] amino] carbonyl]amino]-4-isothiazolecarboxamide hydrochloride, targets VEGFR2 (half maximal inhibitory concentration [IC50] = 11 nM); however, off-target inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) occurs at higher concentrations. (IC50 = 5.8 μM). This study was designed to determine the effect of topical RTKi treatment on EGF-mediated corneal epithelial wound healing and to develop new strategies to minimize off-target EGFR inhibition. In vitro corneal epithelial wound healing was measured in response to EGF using a transformed human cell line (hTCEpi cells). In vivo corneal wound healing was assessed using a murine model. In these complementary assays, wound healing was measured in the presence of varying RTKi concentrations. Immunoblot analysis was used to examine EGFR and VEGFR2 phosphorylation and the kinetics of EGFR degradation. An Alamar Blue assay measured VEGFR2-mediated cell biology. Receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor exposure caused dose-dependent inhibition of EGFR-mediated corneal epithelial wound healing in vitro and in vivo. Nanomolar concentrations of menadione, a vitamin K3 analog, when coadministered with the RTKi, slowed EGFR degradation and ameliorated the inhibitory effects on epithelial wound healing both in vitro and in vivo. Menadione did not alter the RTKi's IC50 against VEGFR2 phosphorylation or its inhibition of VEGF-induced retinal endothelial cell proliferation. An antiangiogenic RTKi exhibited off-target effects on the corneal epithelium that can be minimized by menadione without deleteriously affecting its on-target VEGFR2 blockade. These data indicate that menadione has potential as a topical supplement for individuals suffering from perturbations in corneal epithelial homeostasis, especially as an untoward side effect of kinase inhibitors.

Phorbol-ester-induced down-regulation of protein kinase C in mouse pancreatic islets. Potentiation of phase 1 and inhibition of phase 2 of glucose-induced insulin secretion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thams, P; Capito, K; Hedeskov, C J

1990-01-01

and potentiated phase 1 of glucose-induced secretion. Furthermore, perifusion of islets in the presence of staurosporine (1 microM), an inhibitor of protein kinase C, potentiated phase 1 and inhibited phase 2 of glucose-induced secretion. In addition, down-regulation of protein kinase C potentiated phase 1...

Toscana virus NSs protein promotes degradation of double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalveram, Birte; Ikegami, Tetsuro

2013-04-01

Toscana virus (TOSV), which is transmitted by Phlebotomus spp. sandflies, is a major etiologic agent of aseptic meningitis and encephalitis in the Mediterranean. Like other members of the genus Phlebovirus of the family Bunyaviridae, TOSV encodes a nonstructural protein (NSs) in its small RNA segment. Although the NSs of Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) has been identified as an important virulence factor, which suppresses host general transcription, inhibits transcription from the beta interferon promoter, and promotes the proteasomal degradation of double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR), little is known about the functions of NSs proteins encoded by less-pathogenic members of this genus. In this study we report that TOSV is able to downregulate PKR with similar efficiency as RVFV, while infection with the other phleboviruses-i.e., Punta Toro virus, sandfly fever Sicilian virus, or Frijoles virus-has no effect on cellular PKR levels. In contrast to RVFV, however, cellular transcription remains unaffected during TOSV infection. TOSV NSs protein promotes the proteasome-dependent downregulation of PKR and is able to interact with kinase-inactive PKR in infected cells.

Chronic inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3 protects against rotenone-induced cell death in human neuron-like cells by increasing BDNF secretion.

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Giménez-Cassina, Alfredo; Lim, Filip; Díaz-Nido, Javier

2012-12-07

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a common feature of many neurodegenerative disorders. Likewise, activation of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) has been proposed to play an important role in neurodegeneration. This multifunctional protein kinase is involved in a number of cellular functions and we previously showed that chronic inhibition of GSK-3 protects neuronal cells against mitochondrial dysfunction-elicited cell death, through a mechanism involving increased glucose metabolism and the translocation of hexokinase II (HKII) to mitochondria. Here, we sought to gain deeper insight into the molecular basis of this neuroprotection. We found that chronic inhibition of GSK-3, either genetically or pharmacologically, elicited a marked increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) secretion, which in turn conferred resistance to mitochondrial dysfunction through subcellular re-distribution of HKII. These results define a molecular pathway through which chronic inhibition of GSK-3 may protect neuronal cells from death. Moreover, they highlight the potential benefits of enhanced neurotrophic factor secretion as a therapeutic approach to treat neurodegenerative diseases. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

New Genome Sequence of an Echinaceapurpurea Endophyte, Arthrobacter sp. Strain EpSL27, Able To Inhibit Human-Opportunistic Pathogens.

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Miceli, Elisangela; Presta, Luana; Maggini, Valentina; Fondi, Marco; Bosi, Emanuele; Chiellini, Carolina; Fagorzi, Camilla; Bogani, Patrizia; Di Pilato, Vincenzo; Rossolini, Gian Maria; Mengoni, Alessio; Firenzuoli, Fabio; Perrin, Elena; Fani, Renato

2017-06-22

We announce here the draft genome sequence of Arthrobacter sp. strain EpSL27, isolated from the stem and leaves of the medicinal plant Echinacea purpurea and able to inhibit human-pathogenic bacterial strains. The genome sequencing of this strain may lead to the identification of genes involved in the production of antimicrobial molecules. Copyright © 2017 Miceli et al.

Anti-diabetes drug pioglitazone ameliorates synaptic defects in AD transgenic mice by inhibiting cyclin-dependent kinase5 activity.

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Jinan Chen

Full Text Available Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5 is a serine/threonine kinase that is activated by the neuron specific activators p35/p39 and plays many important roles in neuronal development. However, aberrant activation of Cdk5 is believed to be associated with the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD and Parkinson's disease (PD. Here in the present study, enhanced Cdk5 activity was observed in mouse models of AD; whereas soluble amyloid-β oligomers (Aβ, which contribute to synaptic failures during AD pathogenesis, induced Cdk5 hyperactivation in cultured hippocampal neurons. Inhibition of Cdk5 activity by pharmacological or genetic approaches reversed dendritic spine loss caused by soluble amyloid-β oligomers (Aβ treatment. Interestingly, we found that the anti-diabetes drug pioglitazone could inhibit Cdk5 activity by decreasing p35 protein level. More importantly, pioglitazone treatment corrected long-term potentiation (LTP deficit caused by Aβ exposure in cultured slices and pioglitazone administration rescued impaired LTP and spatial memory in AD mouse models. Taken together, our study describes an unanticipated role of pioglitazone in alleviating AD and reveals a potential therapeutic drug for AD curing.

Inhibition of swallowing reflex following phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase in nucleus tractus solitarii neurons in rats with masseter muscle nociception.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsujimura, Takanori; Kitagawa, Junichi; Ueda, Koichiro; Iwata, Koichi

2009-02-06

Pain is associated with swallowing abnormalities in dysphagic patients. Understanding neuronal mechanisms underlying the swallowing abnormalities associated with orofacial abnormal pain is crucial for developing new methods to treat dysphagic patients. However, how the orofacial abnormal pain is involved in the swallowing abnormalities is not known. In order to evaluate neuronal mechanisms of modulation of the swallows by masticatory muscle pain, here we first induced swallows by topical administration of distilled water to the pharyngolaryngeal region. The swallowing reflex was significantly inhibited after capsaicin (10, 30mM) injection into the masseter muscle compared to vehicle injection. Moreover the number of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase-like immunoreactive (pERK-LI) neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) was significantly increased in the rats with capsaicin injection into the masseter muscle compared to that with vehicle injection. Rostro-caudal distribution of pERK-LI neurons in the NTS was peaked at the obex level. The capsaicin-induced inhibitory effect on swallowing reflex was reversed after intrathecal administration of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase (MEK) inhibitor, PD98059. The present findings suggest that phosphorylation of ERK in NTS neurons may be involved in capsaicin-induced inhibition of swallowing reflex.

Antitumor activity of TY-011 against gastric cancer by inhibiting Aurora A, Aurora B and VEGFR2 kinases

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Wang Liu

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Overexpression of Aurora A and B has been reported in a wide range of tumor types, including gastric cancer. Anti-angiogenesis has been considered as an important therapeutic modality in advanced gastric cancer. Here we identified a novel compound TY-011 with promising antitumor activity by targeting mitotic kinases (Aurora A and B and angiogenic receptor tyrosine kinase (VEGFR2. Methods HTRF® KinEASE™ assay was used to detect the effect of TY-011 against Aurora A, Aurora B and VEGFR2 activities. Docking simulation study was performed to predict the binding mode of TY-011 with Aurora A and B kinases. CCK-8 assay was used to test cell growth. Cell cycle and cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. Gastric cancer cell xenograft mouse models were used for in vivo study. TUNEL kit was used to determine the apoptosis of tumor tissues. Immunohistochemistry analysis and HUVEC tube formation assay were performed to determine the anti-angiogenesis ability. Immunofluorescence and western blot were used to test protein expression. Results TY-011 was identified as a potential Aurora A and B inhibitor by HTRF® KinEASE™ assay. It effectively inhibited cellular Aurora A and B activities in a concentration-dependent manner. TY-011 occupied the ATP-binding site of both Aurora A and B kinases. TY-011 demonstrated prominent inhibitory effects on proliferation of gastric cancer cells. TY-011 treatment induced an obvious accumulation of cells at G2/M phase and a modest increase of cells with >4 N DNA content, which then underwent apoptosis. Meaningfully, orally administration of TY-011 demonstrated superior efficacy against the tumor growth in gastric cancer cell xenograft, with ~90% inhibition rate and 100% tumor regression at 9 mg/kg dose, and TY-011 did not affect the body weight of mice. Interestingly, we observed that TY-011 also antagonized tumor angiogenesis by targeting VEGFR2 kinase. Conclusions These results indicate that

Torin1-mediated TOR kinase inhibition reduces Wee1 levels and advances mitotic commitment in fission yeast and HeLa cells.

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Atkin, Jane; Halova, Lenka; Ferguson, Jennifer; Hitchin, James R; Lichawska-Cieslar, Agata; Jordan, Allan M; Pines, Jonathon; Wellbrock, Claudia; Petersen, Janni

2014-03-15

The target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase regulates cell growth and division. Rapamycin only inhibits a subset of TOR activities. Here we show that in contrast to the mild impact of rapamycin on cell division, blocking the catalytic site of TOR with the Torin1 inhibitor completely arrests growth without cell death in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. A mutation of the Tor2 glycine residue (G2040D) that lies adjacent to the key Torin-interacting tryptophan provides Torin1 resistance, confirming the specificity of Torin1 for TOR. Using this mutation, we show that Torin1 advanced mitotic onset before inducing growth arrest. In contrast to TOR inhibition with rapamycin, regulation by either Wee1 or Cdc25 was sufficient for this Torin1-induced advanced mitosis. Torin1 promoted a Polo and Cdr2 kinase-controlled drop in Wee1 levels. Experiments in human cell lines recapitulated these yeast observations: mammalian TOR (mTOR) was inhibited by Torin1, Wee1 levels declined and mitotic commitment was advanced in HeLa cells. Thus, the regulation of the mitotic inhibitor Wee1 by TOR signalling is a conserved mechanism that helps to couple cell cycle and growth controls.

Inhibition of the MEK-1/p42 MAP kinase reduces aryl hydrocarbon receptor-DNA interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yim, Sujin; Oh, Myoungsuk; Choi, Su Mi; Park, Hyunsung

2004-01-01

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) induces expression of the cytochrome P450 1A1 gene, cyp1a1, by binding to its receptor, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). TCDD-bound AhR translocates to the nucleus and forms a heterodimer with its partner protein, AhR nuclear translocator (Arnt). The AhR/Arnt heterodimer then binds to the dioxin-response elements (DREs) in the cyp1a1 enhancer and stimulates transcription of cyp1a1. We tested whether kinase pathways are involved in this process by treating Hepa1c1c7 cells with kinase inhibitors. The MEK-1 inhibitor PD98059 reduced TCDD-induced transcription of cyp1a1. TCDD treatment results in phosphorylation of p44/p42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), a substrate of MEK-1. Overexpression of dominant negative form of p42 MAPK suppressed TCDD-dependent transcription of a reporter gene controlled by dioxin-response elements (DREs), and pretreatment with PD98059 also blocked this transcription. PD98059 pretreatment also inhibited TCDD-induced DRE binding of the AhR/Arnt heterodimer. Together these results indicate that TCDD activates the MEK-1/p44/p42 MAPK pathway, which in turn activates AhR and so facilitates binding of AhR to the cyp1a1 DRE

A comprehensive protein-protein interactome for yeast PAS kinase 1 reveals direct inhibition of respiration through the phosphorylation of Cbf1.

Science.gov (United States)

DeMille, Desiree; Bikman, Benjamin T; Mathis, Andrew D; Prince, John T; Mackay, Jordan T; Sowa, Steven W; Hall, Tacie D; Grose, Julianne H

2014-07-15

Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) kinase is a sensory protein kinase required for glucose homeostasis in yeast, mice, and humans, yet little is known about the molecular mechanisms of its function. Using both yeast two-hybrid and copurification approaches, we identified the protein-protein interactome for yeast PAS kinase 1 (Psk1), revealing 93 novel putative protein binding partners. Several of the Psk1 binding partners expand the role of PAS kinase in glucose homeostasis, including new pathways involved in mitochondrial metabolism. In addition, the interactome suggests novel roles for PAS kinase in cell growth (gene/protein expression, replication/cell division, and protein modification and degradation), vacuole function, and stress tolerance. In vitro kinase studies using a subset of 25 of these binding partners identified Mot3, Zds1, Utr1, and Cbf1 as substrates. Further evidence is provided for the in vivo phosphorylation of Cbf1 at T211/T212 and for the subsequent inhibition of respiration. This respiratory role of PAS kinase is consistent with the reported hypermetabolism of PAS kinase-deficient mice, identifying a possible molecular mechanism and solidifying the evolutionary importance of PAS kinase in the regulation of glucose homeostasis. © 2014 DeMille et al. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Up-regulation of insulin-like growth factor 2 by ketamine requires glycogen synthase kinase-3 inhibition

Science.gov (United States)

Grieco, Steven F.; Cheng, Yuyan; Eldar-Finkelman, Hagit; Jope, Richard S.; Beurel, Eléonore

2016-01-01

An antidepressant dose of the rapidly-acting ketamine inhibits glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) in mouse hippocampus, and this inhibition is required for the antidepressant effect of ketamine in learned helplessness depression-like behavior. Here we report that treatment with an antidepressant dose of ketamine (10 mg/kg) increased expression of insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) in mouse hippocampus, an effect that required ketamine-induced inhibition of GSK3. Ketamine also inhibited hippocampal GSK3 and increased expression of hippocampal IGF2 in mice when administered after the induction of learned helplessness. Treatment with the specific GSK3 inhibitor L803-mts was sufficient to up-regulate hippocampal IGF2 expression. Administration of IGF2 siRNA reduced ketamine's antidepressant effect in the learned helplessness paradigm. Mice subjected to the learned helplessness paradigm were separated into two groups, those that were resilient (non-depressed) and those that were susceptible (depressed). Non-depressed resilient mice displayed higher expression of IGF2 than susceptible mice. These results indicate that IGF2 contributes to ketamine's antidepressant effect and that IGF2 may confer resilience to depression-like behavior. PMID:27542584

Receptor tyrosine kinase inhibition causes simultaneous bone loss and excess bone formation within growing bone in rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nurmio, Mirja; Joki, Henna; Kallio, Jenny; Maeaettae, Jorma A.; Vaeaenaenen, H. Kalervo; Toppari, Jorma; Jahnukainen, Kirsi; Laitala-Leinonen, Tiina

2011-01-01

During postnatal skeletal growth, adaptation to mechanical loading leads to cellular activities at the growth plate. It has recently become evident that bone forming and bone resorbing cells are affected by the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitor imatinib mesylate (STI571, Gleevec (registered) ). Imatinib targets PDGF, ABL-related gene, c-Abl, c-Kit and c-Fms receptors, many of which have multiple functions in the bone microenvironment. We therefore studied the effects of imatinib in growing bone. Young rats were exposed to imatinib (150 mg/kg on postnatal days 5-7, or 100 mg/kg on postnatal days 5-13), and the effects of RTK inhibition on bone physiology were studied after 8 and 70 days (3-day treatment), or after 14 days (9-day treatment). X-ray imaging, computer tomography, histomorphometry, RNA analysis and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate bone modeling and remodeling in vivo. Imatinib treatment eliminated osteoclasts from the metaphyseal osteochondral junction at 8 and 14 days. This led to a resorption arrest at the growth plate, but also increased bone apposition by osteoblasts, thus resulting in local osteopetrosis at the osteochondral junction. The impaired bone remodelation observed on day 8 remained significant until adulthood. Within the same bone, increased osteoclast activity, leading to bone loss, was observed at distal bone trabeculae on days 8 and 14. Peripheral quantitative computer tomography (pQCT) and micro-CT analysis confirmed that, at the osteochondral junction, imatinib shifted the balance from bone resorption towards bone formation, thereby altering bone modeling. At distal trabecular bone, in turn, the balance was turned towards bone resorption, leading to bone loss. - Research highlights: → 3-Day imatinib treatment. → Causes growth plate anomalies in young rats. → Causes biomechanical changes and significant bone loss at distal trabecular bone. → Results in loss of osteoclasts at osteochondral junction.

Pharmacological Inhibition of the Protein Kinase MRK/ZAK Radiosensitizes Medulloblastoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Markowitz, Daniel; Powell, Caitlin; Tran, Nhan L; Berens, Michael E; Ryken, Timothy C; Vanan, Magimairajan; Rosen, Lisa; He, Mingzu; Sun, Shan; Symons, Marc; Al-Abed, Yousef; Ruggieri, Rosamaria

2016-08-01

Medulloblastoma is a cerebellar tumor and the most common pediatric brain malignancy. Radiotherapy is part of the standard care for this tumor, but its effectiveness is accompanied by significant neurocognitive sequelae due to the deleterious effects of radiation on the developing brain. We have previously shown that the protein kinase MRK/ZAK protects tumor cells from radiation-induced cell death by regulating cell-cycle arrest after ionizing radiation. Here, we show that siRNA-mediated MRK depletion sensitizes medulloblastoma primary cells to radiation. We have, therefore, designed and tested a specific small molecule inhibitor of MRK, M443, which binds to MRK in an irreversible fashion and inhibits its activity. We found that M443 strongly radiosensitizes UW228 medulloblastoma cells as well as UI226 patient-derived primary cells, whereas it does not affect the response to radiation of normal brain cells. M443 also inhibits radiation-induced activation of both p38 and Chk2, two proteins that act downstream of MRK and are involved in DNA damage-induced cell-cycle arrest. Importantly, in an animal model of medulloblastoma that employs orthotopic implantation of primary patient-derived UI226 cells in nude mice, M443 in combination with radiation achieved a synergistic increase in survival. We hypothesize that combining radiotherapy with M443 will allow us to lower the radiation dose while maintaining therapeutic efficacy, thereby minimizing radiation-induced side effects. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(8); 1799-808. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

The ROCO Kinase QkgA Is Necessary for Proliferation Inhibition by Autocrine Signals in Dictyostelium discoideum▿

OpenAIRE

Phillips, Jonathan E.; Gomer, Richard H.

2010-01-01

AprA and CfaD are secreted proteins that function as autocrine signals to inhibit cell proliferation in Dictyostelium discoideum. Cells lacking AprA or CfaD proliferate rapidly, and adding AprA or CfaD to cells slows proliferation. Cells lacking the ROCO kinase QkgA proliferate rapidly, with a doubling time 83% of that of the wild type, and overexpression of a QkgA-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion protein slows cell proliferation. We found that qkgA− cells accumulate normal levels of ex...

Specific Inhibition of SRC Kinase Impairs Malignant Glioma Growth In Vitro and In Vivo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanna Stedt

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Malignant glioma is a severe cancer with a poor prognosis. Local occurrence and rare metastases of malignant glioma make it a suitable target for gene therapy. Several studies have demonstrated the importance of Src kinase in different cancers. However, these studies have focused mainly on Src-deficient mice or pharmacological inhibitors of Src. In this study we have used Src small hairpin RNAs (shRNAs in a lentiviral backbone to mimic a long-term stable treatment and determined the role of Src in tumor tissues. Efficacy of Src shRNAs was confirmed in vitro demonstrating up to 90% target gene inhibition. In a mouse malignant glioma model, Src shRNA tumors were almost 50-fold smaller in comparison to control tumors and had significantly reduced vascularity. In a syngenic rat intracranial glioma model, Src shRNA-transduced tumors were smaller and these rats had a survival benefit over the control rats. In vivo treatment was enhanced by chemotherapy and histone deacetylase inhibition. Our results emphasise the importance of Src in tumorigenesis and demonstrate that it can be efficiently inhibited in vitro and in vivo in two independent malignant glioma models. In conclusion, Src is a potential target for RNA interference-mediated treatment of malignant glioma.

Torilin Inhibits Inflammation by Limiting TAK1-Mediated MAP Kinase and NF-κB Activation

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Mehari Endale

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Torilin, a sesquiterpene isolated from the fruits of Torilis japonica, has shown antimicrobial, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, data on the mechanism of torilin action against inflammation is limited. This study aimed at determining the anti-inflammatory property of torilin in LPS-induced inflammation using in vitro model of inflammation. We examined torilin’s effect on expression levels of inflammatory mediators and cytokines in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. The involvement of NF-kB and AP-1, MAP kinases, and adaptor proteins were assessed. Torilin strongly inhibited LPS-induced NO release, iNOS, PGE2, COX-2, NF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and GM-CSF gene and protein expressions. In addition, MAPKs were also suppressed by torilin pretreatment. Involvement of ERK1/2, P38MAPK, and JNK1/2 was further confirmed by PD98059, SB203580, and SP600125 mediated suppression of iNOS and COX-2 proteins. Furthermore, torilin attenuated NF-kB and AP-1 translocation, DNA binding, and reporter gene transcription. Interestingly, torilin inhibited TAK1 kinase activation with the subsequent suppression of MAPK-mediated JNK, p38, ERK1/2, and AP-1 (ATF-2 and c-jun activation and IKK-mediated I-κBα degradation, p65/p50 activation, and translocation. Together, the results revealed the suppression of NF-κB and AP-1 regulated inflammatory mediator and cytokine expressions, suggesting the test compound’s potential as a candidate anti-inflammatory agent.

DNA-dependent protein kinase participates in the radiation activation of NF-kB

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenzweig, Kenneth E.; Youmell, Matthew B.; Price, Brendan D.

1997-01-01

The NF-kB transcription factor is maintained in an inactive state by binding to the lkBa inhibitory protein. Activation requires phosphorylation and degradation of lkBa, releasing active NF-kB. NF-kB can be activated by cytokines, antigens, free radicals and X-ray irradiation. The protein kinase responsible for phosphorylation of lkBa in vivo has not been fully characterized. Here, we have examined the role of the DNA-dependent protein kinases (DNA-PK) in the radiation-activation of NF-kB. Wortmannin is an inhibitor of DNA-PK and related kinases. Exposure of SW480 cells to wortmannin inhibited the radioactivation of NF-kB DNA-binding. Analysis of lkBa levels by western blotting indicated that wortmannin blocked the radiation induced degradation of lkBa. In in vitro experiments, purified DNA-PK was able to efficiently phosphorylate lkBa, and this phosphorylation was inhibited by wortmannin. In contrast, the induction of NF-kB activity by TNFa was unaffected by wortmannin. The results suggest that DNA-PK may phosphorylate lkBa following irradiation, leading to degradation of lkBa and the release of active NF-kB. The inability of wortmannin to block TNFa activation of NF-kB indicates there may be more than one pathway for the activation of NF-kB

Insulin promotes Rip11 accumulation at the plasma membrane by inhibiting a dynamin- and PI3-kinase-dependent, but Akt-independent, internalisation event.

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Boal, Frédéric; Hodgson, Lorna R; Reed, Sam E; Yarwood, Sophie E; Just, Victoria J; Stephens, David J; McCaffrey, Mary W; Tavaré, Jeremy M

2016-01-01

Rip11 is a Rab11 effector protein that has been shown to be important in controlling the trafficking of several intracellular cargoes, including the fatty acid transporter FAT/CD36, V-ATPase and the glucose transporter GLUT4. We have previously demonstrated that Rip11 translocates to the plasma membrane in response to insulin and here we examine the basis of this regulated phenomenon in more detail. We show that Rip11 rapidly recycles between the cell interior and surface, and that the ability of insulin to increase the appearance of Rip11 at the cell surface involves an inhibition of Rip11 internalisation from the plasma membrane. By contrast the hormone has no effect on the rate of Rip11 translocation towards the plasma membrane. The ability of insulin to inhibit Rip11 internalisation requires dynamin and class I PI3-kinases, but is independent of the activation of the protein kinase Akt; characteristics which are very similar to the mechanism by which insulin inhibits GLUT4 endocytosis. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Interaction of human biliverdin reductase with Akt/protein kinase B and phosphatidylinositol-dependent kinase 1 regulates glycogen synthase kinase 3 activity: a novel mechanism of Akt activation.

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Miralem, Tihomir; Lerner-Marmarosh, Nicole; Gibbs, Peter E M; Jenkins, Jermaine L; Heimiller, Chelsea; Maines, Mahin D

2016-08-01

Biliverdin reductase A (BVR) and Akt isozymes have overlapping pleiotropic functions in the insulin/PI3K/MAPK pathway. Human BVR (hBVR) also reduces the hemeoxygenase activity product biliverdin to bilirubin and is directly activated by insulin receptor kinase (IRK). Akt isoenzymes (Akt1-3) are downstream of IRK and are activated by phosphatidylinositol-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1) phosphorylating T(308) before S(473) autophosphorylation. Akt (RxRxxSF) and PDK1 (RFxFPxFS) binding motifs are present in hBVR. Phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) isoforms α/β by Akts inhibits their activity; nonphosphorylated GSK3β inhibits activation of various genes. We examined the role of hBVR in PDK1/Akt1/GSK3 signaling and Akt1 in hBVR phosphorylation. hBVR activates phosphorylation of Akt1 at S(473) independent of hBVR's kinase competency. hBVR and Akt1 coimmunoprecipitated, and in-cell Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) and glutathione S-transferase pulldown analyses identified Akt1 pleckstrin homology domain as the interactive domain. hBVR activates phosphorylation of Akt1 at S(473) independent of hBVR's kinase competency. Site-directed mutagenesis, mass spectrometry, and kinetic analyses identified S(230) in hBVR (225)RNRYLSF sequence as the Akt1 target. Underlined amino acids are the essential residues of the signaling motifs. In cells, hBVR-activated Akt1 increased both GSK3α/β and forkhead box of the O class transcription class 3 (FoxO3) phosphorylation and inhibited total GSK3 activity; depletion of hBVR released inhibition and stimulated glucose uptake. Immunoprecipitation analysis showed that PDK1 and hBVR interact through hBVR's PDK1 binding (161)RFGFPAFS motif and formation of the PDK1/hBVR/Akt1 complex. sihBVR blocked complex formation. Findings identify hBVR as a previously unknown coactivator of Akt1 and as a key mediator of Akt1/GSK3 pathway, as well as define a key role for hBVR in Akt1 activation by PDK1.-Miralem, T., Lerner

Targetable kinase-activating lesions in Ph-like acute lymphoblastic leukemia | Office of Cancer Genomics

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Publication Abstract:  Philadelphia chromosome-like acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph-like ALL) is characterized by a gene-expression profile similar to that of BCR-ABL1-positive ALL, alterations of lymphoid transcription factor genes, and a poor outcome. The frequency and spectrum of genetic alterations in Ph-like ALL and its responsiveness to tyrosine kinase inhibition are undefined, especially in adolescents and adults. We performed genomic profiling of 1725 patients with precursor B-cell ALL and detailed genomic analysis of 154 patients with Ph-like ALL.

Effects of epidermal growth factor receptor kinase inhibition on radiation response in canine osteosarcoma cells.

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Mantovani, Fernanda B; Morrison, Jodi A; Mutsaers, Anthony J

2016-05-31

Radiation therapy is a palliative treatment modality for canine osteosarcoma, with transient improvement in analgesia observed in many cases. However there is room for improvement in outcome for these patients. It is possible that the addition of sensitizing agents may increase tumor response to radiation therapy and prolong quality of life. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression has been documented in canine osteosarcoma and higher EGFR levels have been correlated to a worse prognosis. However, effects of EGFR inhibition on radiation responsiveness in canine osteosarcoma have not been previously characterized. This study examined the effects of the small molecule EGFR inhibitor erlotinib on canine osteosarcoma radiation responses, target and downstream protein expression in vitro. Additionally, to assess the potential impact of treatment on tumor angiogenesis, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in conditioned media were measured. Erlotinib as a single agent reduced clonogenic survival in two canine osteosarcoma cell lines and enhanced the impact of radiation in one out of three cell lines investigated. In cell viability assays, erlotinib enhanced radiation effects and demonstrated single agent effects. Erlotinib did not alter total levels of EGFR, nor inhibit downstream protein kinase B (PKB/Akt) activation. On the contrary, erlotinib treatment increased phosphorylated Akt in these osteosarcoma cell lines. VEGF levels in conditioned media increased after erlotinib treatment as a single agent and in combination with radiation in two out of three cell lines investigated. However, VEGF levels decreased with erlotinib treatment in the third cell line. Erlotinib treatment promoted modest enhancement of radiation effects in canine osteosarcoma cells, and possessed activity as a single agent in some cell lines, indicating a potential role for EGFR inhibition in the treatment of a subset of osteosarcoma patients. The relative radioresistance of

Computational study of molecular electrostatic potential, docking and dynamics simulations of gallic acid derivatives as ABL inhibitors.

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Raghi, K R; Sherin, D R; Saumya, M J; Arun, P S; Sobha, V N; Manojkumar, T K

2018-04-05

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a hematological malignancy arises due to the spontaneous fusion of the BCR and ABL gene, resulting in a constitutively active tyrosine kinase (BCR-ABL). Pharmacological activity of Gallic acid and 1,3,4-Oxadiazole as potential inhibitors of ABL kinase has already been reported. Objective of this study is to evaluate the ABL kinase inhibitory activity of derivatives of Gallic acid fused with 1,3,4-Oxadiazole moieties. Attempts have been made to identify the key structural features responsible for drug likeness of the Gallic acid and the 1,3,4-Oxadiazole ring using molecular electrostatic potential maps (MESP). To investigate the inhibitory activity of Gallic acid derivatives towards the ABL receptor, we have applied molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation approaches. A comparative study was performed using Bosutinib as the standard which is an approved CML drug acting on the same receptor. Furthermore, the novel compounds designed and reported here in were evaluated for ADME properties and the results indicate that they show acceptable pharmacokinetic properties. Accordingly these compounds are predicted to be drug like with low toxicity potential. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3β attenuates glucocorticoid-induced suppression of myogenic differentiation in vitro.

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Zhenyu Ma

Full Text Available Glucocorticoids are the only therapy that has been demonstrated to alter the progress of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD, the most common muscular dystrophy in children. However, glucocorticoids disturb skeletal muscle metabolism and hamper myogenesis and muscle regeneration. The mechanisms involved in the glucocorticoid-mediated suppression of myogenic differentiation are not fully understood. Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β is considered to play a central role as a negative regulator in myogenic differentiation. Here, we showed that glucocorticoid treatment during the first 48 h in differentiation medium decreased the level of phosphorylated Ser9-GSK-3β, an inactive form of GSK-3β, suggesting that glucocorticoids affect GSK-3β activity. We then investigated whether GSK-3β inhibition could regulate glucocorticoid-mediated suppression of myogenic differentiation in vitro. Two methods were employed to inhibit GSK-3β: pharmacological inhibition with LiCl and GSK-3β gene knockdown. We found that both methods resulted in enhanced myotube formation and increased levels of muscle regulatory factors and muscle-specific protein expression. Importantly, GSK-3β inhibition attenuated glucocorticoid-induced suppression of myogenic differentiation. Collectively, these data suggest the involvement of GSK-3β in the glucocorticoid-mediated impairment of myogenic differentiation. Therefore, the inhibition of GSK-3β may be a strategy for preventing glucocorticoid-induced muscle degeneration.

Radiosensitization in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Effect of polo-like kinase 1 inhibition

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Chen, Jenny Ling-Yu [National Taiwan University, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine and College of Engineering, Taipei (China); National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch, Department of Radiation Oncology, Hsin-Chu (China); National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Taipei (China); Chen, Jo-Pai [National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Taipei (China); National Taiwan University Hospital Yun-Lin Branch, Department of Oncology, Yun-Lin (China); Huang, Yu-Sen [National Taiwan University, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine and College of Engineering, Taipei (China); National Taiwan University Hospital, Department of Medical Imaging, Taipei (China); National Taiwan University Hospital Yun-Lin Branch, Department of Medical Imaging, Yun-Lin (China); Tsai, Yuan-Chun; Tsai, Ming-Hsien; Jaw, Fu-Shan [National Taiwan University, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine and College of Engineering, Taipei (China); Cheng, Jason Chia-Hsien; Kuo, Sung-Hsin [National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Taipei (China); National Taiwan University, Graduate Institute of Oncology, Taipei (China); Shieh, Ming-Jium [National Taiwan University, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine and College of Engineering, Taipei (China); National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Taipei (China)

2016-04-15

This study examined the efficacy of polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) inhibition on radiosensitivity in vitro and in vivo by a pharmacologic approach using the highly potent PLK1 inhibitor volasertib. Human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cell lines KYSE 70 and KYSE 150 were used to evaluate the synergistic effect of volasertib and irradiation in vitro using cell viability assay, colony formation assay, cell cycle phase analysis, and western blot, and in vivo using ectopic tumor models. Volasertib decreased ESCC cell proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Combination of volasertib and radiation caused G2/M cell cycle arrest, increased cyclin B levels, and induced apoptosis. Volasertib significantly enhanced radiation-induced death in ESCC cells by a mechanism involving the enhancement of histone H3 phosphorylation and significant cell cycle interruption. The combination of volasertib plus irradiation delayed the growth of ESCC tumor xenografts markedly compared with either treatment modality alone. The in vitro results suggested that targeting PLK1 might be a viable approach to improve the effects of radiation in ESCC. In vivo studies showed that PLK1 inhibition with volasertib during irradiation significantly improved local tumor control when compared to irradiation or drug treatment alone. (orig.) [German] Diese Studie untersucht die Wirksamkeit der Polo-like -Kinase 1-(PLK1-)Inhibition auf die Strahlenempfindlichkeit in vitro und in vivo beim oesophagealen Plattenepithelkarzinom durch eine pharmakologische Herangehensweise mit dem hochwirksamen PLK1-Inhibitor Volasertib. Menschliche Zelllinien des oesophagealen Plattenepithelkarzinoms (ESCC), KYSE 70 und KYSE 150, wurden verwendet, um den synergistischen Effekt von Volasertib und Bestrahlung in vitro zu bewerten. Hierzu wurden Zellviabilitaets- und Koloniebildungsuntersuchungen sowie Zellwachstumsanalysen, Immunblots und ektopische In-vivo-Tumormodelle herangezogen. Volasertib verminderte die ESCC

Phosphatidylinositol 4-kinases: Function, structure, and inhibition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boura, Evzen; Nencka, Radim

2015-01-01

The phosphatidylinositol 4-kinases (PI4Ks) synthesize phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PI4P), a key member of the phosphoinositide family. PI4P defines the membranes of Golgi and trans-Golgi network (TGN) and regulates trafficking to and from the Golgi. Humans have two type II PI4Ks (α and β) and two type III enzymes (α and β). Recently, the crystal structures were solved for both type II and type III kinase revealing atomic details of their function. Importantly, the type III PI4Ks are hijacked by +RNA viruses to create so-called membranous web, an extensively phosphorylated and modified membrane system dedicated to their replication. Therefore, selective and potent inhibitors of PI4Ks have been developed as potential antiviral agents. Here we focus on the structure and function of PI4Ks and their potential in human medicine

Phosphatidylinositol 4-kinases: Function, structure, and inhibition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boura, Evzen, E-mail: boura@uochb.cas.cz; Nencka, Radim, E-mail: nencka@uochb.cas.cz

2015-10-01

The phosphatidylinositol 4-kinases (PI4Ks) synthesize phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PI4P), a key member of the phosphoinositide family. PI4P defines the membranes of Golgi and trans-Golgi network (TGN) and regulates trafficking to and from the Golgi. Humans have two type II PI4Ks (α and β) and two type III enzymes (α and β). Recently, the crystal structures were solved for both type II and type III kinase revealing atomic details of their function. Importantly, the type III PI4Ks are hijacked by +RNA viruses to create so-called membranous web, an extensively phosphorylated and modified membrane system dedicated to their replication. Therefore, selective and potent inhibitors of PI4Ks have been developed as potential antiviral agents. Here we focus on the structure and function of PI4Ks and their potential in human medicine.

Nimesulide inhibits protein kinase C epsilon and substance P in sensory neurons – comparison with paracetamol

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Vellani V

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Vittorio Vellani1, Silvia Franchi2, Massimiliano Prandini1, Sarah Moretti2, Giorgia Pavesi1, Chiara Giacomoni3, Paola Sacerdote21Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy; 2Dipartimento di Farmacologia Chemioterapia e Tossicologia Medica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy; 3Dipartimento di Economia e Tecnologia, Università degli Studi della Repubblica di San Marino, Montegiardino, Repubblica di San MarinoAbstract: In this paper we describe new actions of nimesulide and paracetamol in cultured peripheral neurons isolated from rat dorsal root ganglia (DRG. Both drugs were able to decrease in a dose-dependent fashion the number of cultured DRG neurons showing translocation of protein kinase C epsilon (PKCε caused by exposure to 1 µM bradykinin or 100 nM thrombin. In addition, the level of substance P (SP released by DRG neurons and the level of preprotachykinin mRNA expression were measured in basal conditions and after 70 minutes or 36 hours of stimulation with nerve growth factor (NGF or with an inflammatory soup containing bradykinin, thrombin, endothelin-1, and KCl. Nimesulide (10 µM significantly decreased the mRNA levels of the SP precursor preprotachykinin in basal and in stimulated conditions, and decreased the amount of SP released in the medium during stimulation of neurons with NGF or with the inflammatory soup. The effects of paracetamol (10 µM on such response was lower. Nimesulide completely inhibited the release of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 from DRG neurons, either basal or induced by NGF and by inflammatory soup, while paracetamol decreased PGE2 release only partially. Our data demonstrate, for the first time, a direct effect of two drugs largely used as analgesics on DRG neurons. The present results suggest that PKCε might be a target for the effect of nimesulide and paracetamol, while inhibition of SP synthesis and release is clearly more relevant for nimesulide than for

Effects of Src Kinase Inhibition on Expression of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B after Brain Hypoxia in a Piglet Animal Model

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Dimitrios Angelis

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs in conjunction with protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs regulate cellular processes by posttranslational modifications of signal transduction proteins. PTP nonreceptor type 1B (PTP-1B is an enzyme of the PTP family. We have previously shown that hypoxia induces an increase in activation of a class of nonreceptor PTK, the Src kinases. In the present study, we investigated the changes that occur in the expression of PTP-1B in the cytosolic component of the brain of newborn piglets acutely after hypoxia as well as long term for up to 2 weeks. Methods. Newborn piglets were divided into groups: normoxia, hypoxia, hypoxia followed by 1 day and 15 days in FiO2 0.21, and hypoxia pretreated with Src kinase inhibitor PP2, prior to hypoxia followed by 1 day and 15 days. Hypoxia was achieved by providing 7% FiO2 for 1 hour and PTP-1B expression was measured via immunoblotting. Results. PTP-1B increased posthypoxia by about 30% and persisted for 2 weeks while Src kinase inhibition attenuated the expected PTP-1B-increased expression. Conclusions. Our study suggests that Src kinase mediates a hypoxia-induced increased PTP-1B expression.

Frequency of janus associated kinase 2 (jak2) mutation in patients of bcr-abl negative myeloproliferative neoplasms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sadiq, M.A.; Ahmed, S.; Ali, N.

2013-01-01

To determine the frequency of Janus associated kinase 2 mutation in the patients of BCR-ABL negative classical myeloproliferative neoplasms. Study Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study Place and Duration of Study: Molecular Department of Haematology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), Rawalpindi from Jul 2011 to Jul 2012. Patients and Methods: Ninety three consecutive patients of Polycythaemia vera (PV), Essential thrombocythaemia (ET) and Idiopathic myelofibrosis (IMF) diagnosed by the conventional haematological criteria were included in the study. All patients were screened for G-T point mutation (V617F) in the JAK2 gene on chromosome 9 by an allele specific PCR. Results: Out of the 93 myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) patients, 33(35%) had polycythaemia vera, 36(39%) had essential thrombocythaemia and 24(26%) had idiopathic myelofibrosis. JAK2 mutation was seen in 64/93 (69%) patients including 33/33(100%) in PV, 19/36(52.6%) in ET and 12/24(50%) in IMF. Conclusion: Classical myeloproliferative neoplasms are an important group of heamatological disorder in our country. JAK2 gene mutation is seen in significant proportion of these disorders (69%). JAK2 mutation analysis can be used to differentiate between polycythemia vera and secondary polycythemia in most cases with near certainty, where it was found in 100% of the cases. (author)

Inhibition of IκB Kinase Attenuates the Organ Injury and Dysfunction Associated with Hemorrhagic Shock.

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Sordi, Regina; Chiazza, Fausto; Johnson, Florence L; Patel, Nimesh S A; Brohi, Karim; Collino, Massimo; Thiemermann, Christoph

2015-06-18

Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation is widely implicated in multiple organ failure (MOF); however, a direct inhibitor of IκB kinase (IKK), which plays a pivotal role in the activation of NF-κB, has not been investigated in shock. Thus, the aim of the present work was to investigate the effects of an IKK inhibitor on the MOF associated with hemorrhagic shock (HS). Therefore, rats were subjected to HS and were resuscitated with the shed blood. Rats were treated with the inhibitor of IKK or vehicle at resuscitation. Four hours later, blood and organs were assessed for organ injury and signaling events involved in the activation of NF-κB. Additionally, survival following serum deprivation was assessed in HK-2 cells treated with the inhibitor of IKK. HS resulted in renal dysfunction, lung, liver and muscular injury, and increases in serum inflammatory cytokines. Kidney and liver tissue from HS rats revealed increases in phosphorylation of IKKαβ and IκBα, nuclear translocation of NF-κB and expression of inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). IKK16 treatment upon resuscitation attenuated NF-κB activation and activated the Akt survival pathway, leading to a significant attenuation of all of the above parameters. Furthermore, IKK16 exhibited cytoprotective effects in human kidney cells. In conclusion, the inhibitor of IKK complex attenuated the MOF associated with HS. This effect may be due to the inhibition of the NF-κB pathway and activation of the survival kinase Akt. Thus, the inhibition of the IKK complex might be an effective strategy for the prevention of MOF associated with HS.

Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase promotes tumor cell resistance to chemotherapeutic agents via a mechanism involving delay in cell cycle progression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDonald, Gail T.; Sullivan, Richard; Pare, Genevieve C.; Graham, Charles H.

2010-01-01

Approaches to overcome chemoresistance in cancer cells have involved targeting specific signaling pathways such as the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway, a stress response pathway known to be involved in the regulation of cell survival, apoptosis and growth. The present study determined the effect of PI3K inhibition on the clonogenic survival of human cancer cells following exposure to various chemotherapeutic agents. Treatment with the PI3K inhibitors LY294002 or Compound 15e resulted in increased survival of MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma cells after exposure to doxorubicin, etoposide, 5-fluorouracil, and vincristine. Increased survival following PI3K inhibition was also observed in DU-145 prostate, HCT-116 colon and A-549 lung carcinoma cell lines exposed to doxorubicin. Increased cell survival mediated by LY294002 was correlated with a decrease in cell proliferation, which was linked to an increase in the proportion of cells in the G 1 phase of the cell cycle. Inhibition of PI3K signaling also resulted in higher levels of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21 Waf1/Cip1 and p27 Kip1 ; and knockdown of p27 kip1 with siRNA attenuated resistance to doxorubicin in cells treated with LY294002. Incubation in the presence of LY294002 after exposure to doxorubicin resulted in decreased cell survival. These findings provide evidence that PI3K inhibition leads to chemoresistance in human cancer cells by causing a delay in cell cycle; however, the timing of PI3K inhibition (either before or after exposure to anti-cancer agents) may be a critical determinant of chemosensitivity.

PTP1B Inhibition Causes Rac1 Activation by Enhancing Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Signaling

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Ayako Tsuchiya

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Background/Aims: The present study investigated the signaling pathway underlying Rac1 activation induced by the linoleic acid derivative 8-[2-(2-pentyl-cyclopropylmethyl-cyclopropyl]-octanoic acid (DCP-LA. Methods: Activity of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B was assayed under cell-free conditions. Western blot was carried out to quantify phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1 and Akt in PC-12 cells. Rac1 activity was monitored in the föerster resonance energy transfer (FRET analysis using living and fixed PC-12 cells. Results: DCP-LA markedly suppressed PTP1B activity in a concentration (100 pM-100 µM-dependent manner. In the DCP-LA binding assay, fluorescein-conjugated DCP-LA produced a single fluorescent signal band at 60 kDa, corresponding to the molecule of PTP1B, and the signal was attenuated or abolished by co-treatment or pretreatment with non-conjugated DCP-LA. DCP-LA significantly enhanced nerve growth factor (NGF-stimulated phosphorylation of IRS-1 at Tyr1222 and Akt1/2 at Thr308/309 and Ser473/474 in PC-12 cells. In the FRET analysis, DCP-LA significantly enhanced NGF-stimulated Rac1 activation, which is abrogated by the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K inhibitor wortmannin, the 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1 (PDK1 inhibitor BX912, or the Akt inhibitor MK2206. Conclusion: The results of the present study show that DCP-LA-induced PTP1B inhibition, possibly through its direct binding, causes Rac1 activation by enhancing a pathway along a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK/IRS-1/PI3K/Akt/Rac1 axis.

Sphingosine kinase inhibition alleviates endothelial permeability induced by thrombin and activated neutrophils.

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Itagaki, Kiyoshi; Zhang, Qin; Hauser, Carl J

2010-04-01

Inflammation and microvascular thrombosis are interrelated causes of acute lung injury in the systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Neutrophils (polymorphonuclear neutrophil [PMN]) and endothelial cells (EC) activated by systemic inflammatory response syndrome interact to increase pulmonary vascular permeability, but the interactions between PMN and EC are difficult to study. Recently, we reported that sphingosine 1-phosphate is a second messenger eliciting store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) in response to inflammatory agonists in both PMN and EC. Store-operated calcium entry is therefore a target mechanism for the therapeutic modulation of inflammatory PMN-EC interactions. Here, we isolated, modeled, and studied the effects of pharmacologic SOCE inhibition using real-time systems to monitor EC permeability after exposure to activated PMN. We created systems to continuously assess permeability of human pulmonary artery endothelial cells and human microvascular endothelial cells from lung. Endothelial cells show increased permeability after challenge by activated PMN. Such permeability increases can be attenuated by exposure of the cocultures to sphingosine kinase (SK) inhibitors (SKI-2, N,N-dimethylsphingosine [DMS]) or Ca2+ entry inhibitors (Gd3+, MRS-1845). Human microvascular endothelial cells from lung pretreated with SKI-2 or DMS showed decreased permeability when later exposed to activated PMN. Likewise, when PMNs were activated with thapsigargin (TG) in the presence of SKI-2, DMS, Gd, or MRS-1845, their ability to cause EC permeability subsequently was reduced. SKI-2 also inhibited the activation of human pulmonary artery ECs by thrombin. These studies will provide a firm mechanistic foundation for understanding how systemic SOCE inhibition may be used to prevent acute lung injury in vivo.

Calcineurin B homologous protein 3 negatively regulates cardiomyocyte hypertrophy via inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase 3 phosphorylation.

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Kobayashi, Soushi; Nakamura, Tomoe Y; Wakabayashi, Shigeo

2015-07-01

Cardiac hypertrophy is a leading cause of serious heart diseases. Although many signaling molecules are involved in hypertrophy, the functions of some proteins in this process are still unknown. Calcineurin B homologous protein 3 (CHP3)/tescalcin is an EF-hand Ca(2+)-binding protein that is abundantly expressed in the heart; however, the function of CHP3 is unclear. Here, we aimed to identify the cardiac functions of CHP3. CHP3 was expressed in hearts at a wide range of developmental stages and was specifically detected in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVMs) but not in cardiac fibroblasts in culture. Moreover, knockdown of CHP3 expression using adenoviral-based RNA interference in NRVMs resulted in enlargement of cardiomyocyte size, concomitant with increased expression of a pathological hypertrophy marker ANP. This same treatment elevated glycogen synthase kinase (GSK3α/β) phosphorylation, which is known to inhibit GSK3 function. In contrast, CHP3 overexpression blocked the insulin-induced phosphorylation of GSK3α/β without affecting the phosphorylation of Akt, which is an upstream kinase of GSK3α/β, in HEK293 cells, and it inhibited both IGF-1-induced phosphorylation of GSK3β and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in NRVMs. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that GSK3β interacted with CHP3. However, a Ca(2+)-binding-defective mutation of CHP3 (CHP3-D123A) also interacted with GSK3β and had the same inhibitory effect on GSK3α/β phosphorylation, suggesting that the action of CHP3 was independent of Ca(2+). These findings suggest that CHP3 functions as a novel negative regulator of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy via inhibition of GSK3α/β phosphorylation and subsequent enzymatic activation of GSK3α/β. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lycopene depresses glutamate release through inhibition of voltage-dependent Ca2+ entry and protein kinase C in rat cerebrocortical nerve terminals.

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Lu, Cheng-Wei; Hung, Chi-Feng; Jean, Wei-Horng; Lin, Tzu-Yu; Huang, Shu-Kuei; Wang, Su-Jane

2018-05-01

Lycopene is a natural dietary carotenoid that was reported to exhibit a neuroprotective profile. Considering that excitotoxicity and cell death induced by glutamate are involved in many brain disorders, the effect of lycopene on glutamate release in rat cerebrocortical nerve terminals and the possible mechanism involved in such effect was investigated. We observed here that lycopene inhibited 4-aminopyridine (4-AP)-evoked glutamate release and intrasynaptosomal Ca 2+ concentration elevation. The inhibitory effect of lycopene on 4-AP-evoked glutamate release was markedly reduced in the presence of the Ca v 2.2 (N-type) and Ca v 2.1 (P/Q-type) channel blocker ω-conotoxin MVIIC, but was insensitive to the intracellular Ca 2+ -release inhibitors dantrolene and CGP37157. Furthermore, in the presence of the protein kinase C inhibitors GF109203X and Go6976, the action of lycopene on evoked glutamate release was prevented. These results are the first to suggest that lycopene inhibits glutamate release from rat cortical synaptosomes by suppressing presynaptic Ca 2+ entry and protein kinase C activity.

The cytomegalovirus homolog of interleukin-10 requires phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity for inhibition of cytokine synthesis in monocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Spencer, Juliet V

2007-02-01

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) has evolved numerous strategies for evading host immune defenses, including piracy of cellular cytokines. A viral homolog of interleukin-10, designated cmvIL-10, binds to the cellular IL-10 receptor and effects potent immune suppression. The signaling pathways employed by cmvIL-10 were investigated, and the classic IL-10R/JAK1/Stat3 pathway was found to be activated in monocytes. However, inhibition of JAK1 had little effect on cmvIL-10-mediated suppression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) production. Inhibition of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway had a more significant impact on TNF-alpha levels but did not completely relieve the immune suppression, demonstrating that cmvIL-10 stimulates multiple signaling pathways to modulate cell function.

Regulation of the interaction between protein kinase C-related protein kinase 2 (PRK2) and its upstream kinase, 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK1)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dettori, Rosalia; Sonzogni, Silvina; Meyer, Lucas

2009-01-01

of numerous AGC kinases, including the protein kinase C-related protein kinases (PRKs). Here we studied the docking interaction between PDK1 and PRK2 and analyzed the mechanisms that regulate this interaction. In vivo labeling of recombinant PRK2 by (32)P(i) revealed phosphorylation at two sites......, the activation loop and the Z/TM in the C-terminal extension. We provide evidence that phosphorylation of the Z/TM site of PRK2 inhibits its interaction with PDK1. Our studies further provide a mechanistic model to explain different steps in the docking interaction and regulation. Interestingly, we found...... that the mechanism that negatively regulates the docking interaction of PRK2 to the upstream kinase PDK1 is directly linked to the activation mechanism of PRK2 itself. Finally, our results indicate that the mechanisms underlying the regulation of the interaction between PRK2 and PDK1 are specific for PRK2 and do...

Cyanidin-3-glucoside inhibits UVB-induced oxidative damage and inflammation by regulating MAP kinase and NF-κB signaling pathways in SKH-1 hairless mice skin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pratheeshkumar, Poyil; Son, Young-Ok; Wang, Xin; Divya, Sasidharan Padmaja; Joseph, Binoy; Hitron, John Andrew; Wang, Lei; Kim, Donghern; Yin, Yuanqin; Roy, Ram Vinod; Lu, Jian; Zhang, Zhuo; Wang, Yitao

2014-01-01

Skin cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the United States. Exposure to ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation induces inflammation and photocarcinogenesis in mammalian skin. Cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G), a member of the anthocyanin family, is present in various vegetables and fruits especially in edible berries, and displays potent antioxidant and anticarcinogenic properties. In this study, we have assessed the in vivo effects of C3G on UVB irradiation induced chronic inflammatory responses in SKH-1 hairless mice, a well-established model for UVB-induced skin carcinogenesis. Here, we show that C3G inhibited UVB-induced skin damage and inflammation in SKH-1 hairless mice. Our results indicate that C3G inhibited glutathione depletion, lipid peroxidation and myeloperoxidation in mouse skin by chronic UVB exposure. C3G significantly decreased the production of UVB-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6 and TNF-α, associated with cutaneous inflammation. Likewise, UVB-induced inflammatory responses were diminished by C3G as observed by a remarkable reduction in the levels of phosphorylated MAP kinases, Erk1/2, p38, JNK1/2 and MKK4. Furthermore, C3G also decreased UVB-induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), PGE 2 and iNOS levels, which are well-known key mediators of inflammation and cancer. Treatment with C3G inhibited UVB-induced nuclear translocation of NF-κB and degradation of IκBα in mice skin. Immunofluorescence assay revealed that topical application of C3G inhibited the expression of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, and cyclin D1 in chronic UVB exposed mouse skin. Collectively, these data indicates that C3G can provide substantial protection against the adverse effects of UVB radiation by modulating UVB-induced MAP kinase and NF-κB signaling pathways. - Highlights: • C3G inhibited UVB-induced oxidative damage and inflammation. • C3G inhibited UVB-induced COX-2, iNOS and PGE 2 production. • C3G inhibited

Cyanidin-3-glucoside inhibits UVB-induced oxidative damage and inflammation by regulating MAP kinase and NF-κB signaling pathways in SKH-1 hairless mice skin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pratheeshkumar, Poyil; Son, Young-Ok; Wang, Xin; Divya, Sasidharan Padmaja [Center for Research on Environmental Disease, University of Kentucky, 1095 VA Drive, Lexington, KY 40536 (United States); Graduate Center for Toxicology, University of Kentucky, 1095 VA Drive, Lexington, KY 40536 (United States); Joseph, Binoy [Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center and Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536-0509 (United States); Hitron, John Andrew; Wang, Lei [Center for Research on Environmental Disease, University of Kentucky, 1095 VA Drive, Lexington, KY 40536 (United States); Graduate Center for Toxicology, University of Kentucky, 1095 VA Drive, Lexington, KY 40536 (United States); Kim, Donghern [Graduate Center for Toxicology, University of Kentucky, 1095 VA Drive, Lexington, KY 40536 (United States); Yin, Yuanqin [Graduate Center for Toxicology, University of Kentucky, 1095 VA Drive, Lexington, KY 40536 (United States); Cancer Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang (China); Roy, Ram Vinod [Center for Research on Environmental Disease, University of Kentucky, 1095 VA Drive, Lexington, KY 40536 (United States); Graduate Center for Toxicology, University of Kentucky, 1095 VA Drive, Lexington, KY 40536 (United States); Lu, Jian [Graduate Center for Toxicology, University of Kentucky, 1095 VA Drive, Lexington, KY 40536 (United States); Institute of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013 (China); Zhang, Zhuo [Graduate Center for Toxicology, University of Kentucky, 1095 VA Drive, Lexington, KY 40536 (United States); Wang, Yitao [State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau (China); and others

2014-10-01

Skin cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the United States. Exposure to ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation induces inflammation and photocarcinogenesis in mammalian skin. Cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G), a member of the anthocyanin family, is present in various vegetables and fruits especially in edible berries, and displays potent antioxidant and anticarcinogenic properties. In this study, we have assessed the in vivo effects of C3G on UVB irradiation induced chronic inflammatory responses in SKH-1 hairless mice, a well-established model for UVB-induced skin carcinogenesis. Here, we show that C3G inhibited UVB-induced skin damage and inflammation in SKH-1 hairless mice. Our results indicate that C3G inhibited glutathione depletion, lipid peroxidation and myeloperoxidation in mouse skin by chronic UVB exposure. C3G significantly decreased the production of UVB-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6 and TNF-α, associated with cutaneous inflammation. Likewise, UVB-induced inflammatory responses were diminished by C3G as observed by a remarkable reduction in the levels of phosphorylated MAP kinases, Erk1/2, p38, JNK1/2 and MKK4. Furthermore, C3G also decreased UVB-induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), PGE{sub 2} and iNOS levels, which are well-known key mediators of inflammation and cancer. Treatment with C3G inhibited UVB-induced nuclear translocation of NF-κB and degradation of IκBα in mice skin. Immunofluorescence assay revealed that topical application of C3G inhibited the expression of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, and cyclin D1 in chronic UVB exposed mouse skin. Collectively, these data indicates that C3G can provide substantial protection against the adverse effects of UVB radiation by modulating UVB-induced MAP kinase and NF-κB signaling pathways. - Highlights: • C3G inhibited UVB-induced oxidative damage and inflammation. • C3G inhibited UVB-induced COX-2, iNOS and PGE{sub 2} production. • C3G

Isolation of a novel protein, P12-from adult Drosophila melanogaster that inhibits deoxyribonucleoside and protein kinase activities and activates 3'-5'-exonuclease activity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Louise Slot; Zanten, Gabriella van; Berenstein, Dvora

2016-01-01

We have previously found that Drosophila melanogaster only has one deoxyribonucleoside kinase, Dm-dNK, however, capable to phosphorylate all four natural deoxyribonucleosides. Dm-dNK was originally isolated from an embryonic cell line. We wanted to study the expression of Dm-dNK during development......-dNK, also inhibited the two protein kinases to the same degree. Furthermore, testing P12 in a DNA polymerase based assay we found that the 3'-5'-exonuclease part of the DNA polymerase (Klenow polymerase) was activated....

Proteasome inhibition-induced p38 MAPK/ERK signaling regulates autophagy and apoptosis through the dual phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Cheol-Hee; Lee, Byung-Hoon; Ahn, Sang-Gun; Oh, Seon-Hee

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► MG132 induces the phosphorylation of GSK3β Ser9 and, to a lesser extent, of GSK3β Thr390 . ► MG132 induces dephosphorylation of p70S6K Thr389 and phosphorylation of p70S6K Thr421/Ser424 . ► Inactivation of p38 dephosphorylates GSK3β Ser9 and phosphorylates GSK3β Thr390 . ► Inactivation of p38 phosphorylates p70S6K Thr389 and increases the phosphorylation of p70S6K Thr421/Ser424 . ► Inactivation of p38 decreases autophagy and increases apoptosis induced by MG132. -- Abstract: Proteasome inhibition is a promising approach for cancer treatment; however, the underlying mechanisms involved have not been fully elucidated. Here, we show that proteasome inhibition-induced p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase regulates autophagy and apoptosis by modulating the phosphorylation status of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) and 70 kDa ribosomal S6 kinase (p70S6K). The treatment of MDA-MB-231 cells with MG132 induced endoplasmic reticulum stress through the induction of ATF6a, PERK phosphorylation, and CHOP, and apoptosis through the cleavage of Bax and procaspase-3. MG132 caused the phosphorylation of GSK3β at Ser 9 and, to a lesser extent, Thr 390 , the dephosphorylation of p70S6K at Thr 389 , and the phosphorylation of p70S6K at Thr 421 and Ser 424 . The specific p38 inhibitor SB203080 reduced the p-GSK3β Ser9 and autophagy through the phosphorylation of p70S6K Thr389 ; however, it augmented the levels of p-ERK, p-GSK3β Thr390 , and p-70S6K Thr421/Ser424 induced by MG132, and increased apoptotic cell death. The GSK inhibitor SB216763, but not lithium, inhibited the MG132-induced phosphorylation of p38, and the downstream signaling pathway was consistent with that in SB203580-treated cells. Taken together, our data show that proteasome inhibition regulates p38/GSK Ser9 /p70S6K Thr380 and ERK/GSK3β Thr390 /p70S6K Thr421/Ser424 kinase signaling, which is involved in cell survival and cell death.

Glycogen synthase kinase-3 inhibition attenuates fibroblast activation and development of fibrosis following renal ischemia-reperfusion in mice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shailendra P. Singh

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β is a serine/threonine protein kinase that plays an important role in renal tubular injury and regeneration in acute kidney injury. However, its role in the development of renal fibrosis, often a long-term consequence of acute kidney injury, is unknown. Using a mouse model of renal fibrosis induced by ischemia-reperfusion injury, we demonstrate increased GSK3β expression and activity in fibrotic kidneys, and its presence in myofibroblasts in addition to tubular epithelial cells. Pharmacological inhibition of GSK3 using TDZD-8 starting before or after ischemia-reperfusion significantly suppressed renal fibrosis by reducing the myofibroblast population, collagen-1 and fibronectin deposition, inflammatory cytokines, and macrophage infiltration. GSK3 inhibition in vivo reduced TGF-β1, SMAD3 activation and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels. Consistently in vitro, TGF-β1 treatment increased GSK3β expression and GSK3 inhibition abolished TGF-β1-induced SMAD3 activation and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA expression in cultured renal fibroblasts. Importantly, overexpression of constitutively active GSK3β stimulated α-SMA expression even in the absence of TGF-β1 treatment. These results suggest that TGF-β regulates GSK3β, which in turn is important for TGF-β–SMAD3 signaling and fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation. Overall, these studies demonstrate that GSK3 could promote renal fibrosis by activation of TGF-β signaling and the use of GSK3 inhibitors might represent a novel therapeutic approach for progressive renal fibrosis that develops as a consequence of acute kidney injury.

Arsenic trioxide inhibits Ewing's sarcoma cell invasiveness by targeting p38(MAPK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shuai; Guo, Wei; Ren, Ting-Ting; Lu, Xin-Chang; Tang, Guo-Qing; Zhao, Fu-Long

2012-01-01

Ewing's sarcoma is the second most frequent primary malignant bone tumor, mainly affecting children and young adults. The notorious metastatic capability of this tumor aggravates patient mortality and remains a problem to be overcome. We investigated the effect of arsenic trioxide (As₂O₃) on the metastasis capability of Ewing's sarcoma cells. We performed 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide assays to choose appropriate concentrations of As₂O₃ for the experiments. Migration, invasion, and adhesion assays were performed to assess the effect of As₂O₃ on the metastasis of Ewing's sarcoma. Immunofluorescent staining was used to observe cytoskeleton reorganization in Ewing's sarcoma cells treated with As₂O₃. Changes in matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway were investigated using western blot. Inhibitors of p38(MAPK) (sb202190) and c-Jun NH₂-terminal kinase (JNK, sp600125) were used in invasion assays to determine the effect of p38(MAPK) and JNK. We found that As₂O₃ may markedly inhibit the migration and invasion capacity of Ewing's sarcoma cells with structural rearrangements of the actin cytoskeleton. The expressions of matrix metalloproteinase-9, phosphor-p38(MAPK), and phosphor-JNK were suppressed by As₂O₃ treatment in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitors of p38(MAPK) (sb202190) and JNK (sp600125) enhanced the inhibition induced by As₂O₃, which was counteracted by anisomycin, an activating agent of p38(MAPK) and JNK. Taken together, our results demonstrate that As₂O₃ can inhibit the metastasis capability of RD-ES and A-673 cells and may have new therapeutic value for Ewing's sarcoma.

Resorufin: a lead for a new protein kinase CK2 inhibitor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sandholt, Iben Skjøth; Olsen, Birgitte Brinkmann; Guerra, Barbara

2009-01-01

Screening a natural compound library led to the identification of resorufin as a highly selective and potent inhibitor of protein kinase CK2. Out of 52 kinases tested, only CK2 was inhibited, in contrast to emodin, a structurally related, known CK2 inhibitor that, in addition to CK2, inhibited te...

Inhibition of spinal astrocytic c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK activation correlates with the analgesic effects of ketamine in neuropathic pain

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Wang Wen

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We have previously reported that inhibition of astrocytic activation contributes to the analgesic effects of intrathecal ketamine on spinal nerve ligation (SNL-induced neuropathic pain. However, the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK, a member of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK family, has been reported to be critical for spinal astrocytic activation and neuropathic pain development after SNL. Ketamine can decrease lipopolysaccharide (LPS-induced phosphorylated JNK (pJNK expression and could thus exert its anti-inflammatory effect. We hypothesized that inhibition of astrocytic JNK activation might be involved in the suppressive effect of ketamine on SNL-induced spinal astrocytic activation. Methods Immunofluorescence histochemical staining was used to detect SNL-induced spinal pJNK expression and localization. The effects of ketamine on SNL-induced mechanical allodynia were confirmed by behavioral testing. Immunofluorescence histochemistry and Western blot were used to quantify the SNL-induced spinal pJNK expression after ketamine administration. Results The present study showed that SNL induced ipsilateral pJNK up-regulation in astrocytes but not microglia or neurons within the spinal dorsal horn. Intrathecal ketamine relieved SNL-induced mechanical allodynia without interfering with motor performance. Additionally, intrathecal administration of ketamine attenuated SNL-induced spinal astrocytic JNK activation in a dose-dependent manner, but not JNK protein expression. Conclusions The present results suggest that inhibition of JNK activation may be involved in the suppressive effects of ketamine on SNL-induced spinal astrocyte activation. Therefore, inhibition of spinal JNK activation may be involved in the analgesic effects of ketamine on SNL-induced neuropathic pain.

Inhibition of spinal astrocytic c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation correlates with the analgesic effects of ketamine in neuropathic pain

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background We have previously reported that inhibition of astrocytic activation contributes to the analgesic effects of intrathecal ketamine on spinal nerve ligation (SNL)-induced neuropathic pain. However, the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), a member of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family, has been reported to be critical for spinal astrocytic activation and neuropathic pain development after SNL. Ketamine can decrease lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced phosphorylated JNK (pJNK) expression and could thus exert its anti-inflammatory effect. We hypothesized that inhibition of astrocytic JNK activation might be involved in the suppressive effect of ketamine on SNL-induced spinal astrocytic activation. Methods Immunofluorescence histochemical staining was used to detect SNL-induced spinal pJNK expression and localization. The effects of ketamine on SNL-induced mechanical allodynia were confirmed by behavioral testing. Immunofluorescence histochemistry and Western blot were used to quantify the SNL-induced spinal pJNK expression after ketamine administration. Results The present study showed that SNL induced ipsilateral pJNK up-regulation in astrocytes but not microglia or neurons within the spinal dorsal horn. Intrathecal ketamine relieved SNL-induced mechanical allodynia without interfering with motor performance. Additionally, intrathecal administration of ketamine attenuated SNL-induced spinal astrocytic JNK activation in a dose-dependent manner, but not JNK protein expression. Conclusions The present results suggest that inhibition of JNK activation may be involved in the suppressive effects of ketamine on SNL-induced spinal astrocyte activation. Therefore, inhibition of spinal JNK activation may be involved in the analgesic effects of ketamine on SNL-induced neuropathic pain. PMID:21255465

Inhibition of ErbB2 by receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors causes myofibrillar structural damage without cell death in adult rat cardiomyocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pentassuglia, Laura; Graf, Michael; Lane, Heidi; Kuramochi, Yukio; Cote, Gregory; Timolati, Francesco; Sawyer, Douglas B.; Zuppinger, Christian; Suter, Thomas M.

2009-01-01

Inhibition of ErbB2 (HER2) with monoclonal antibodies, an effective therapy in some forms of breast cancer, is associated with cardiotoxicity, the pathophysiology of which is poorly understood. Recent data suggest, that dual inhibition of ErbB1 (EGFR) and ErbB2 signaling is more efficient in cancer therapy, however, cardiac safety of this therapeutic approach is unknown. We therefore tested an ErbB1-(CGP059326) and an ErbB1/ErbB2-(PKI166) tyrosine kinase inhibitor in an in-vitro system of adult rat ventricular cardiomyocytes and assessed their effects on 1. cell viability, 2. myofibrillar structure, 3. contractile function, and 4. MAPK- and Akt-signaling alone or in combination with Doxorubicin. Neither CGP nor PKI induced cardiomyocyte necrosis or apoptosis. PKI but not CGP caused myofibrillar structural damage that was additive to that induced by Doxorubicin at clinically relevant doses. These changes were associated with an inhibition of excitation-contraction coupling. PKI but not CGP decreased p-Erk1/2, suggesting a role for this MAP-kinase signaling pathway in the maintenance of myofibrils. These data indicate that the ErbB2 signaling pathway is critical for the maintenance of myofibrillar structure and function. Clinical studies using ErbB2-targeted inhibitors for the treatment of cancer should be designed to include careful monitoring for cardiac dysfunction.

Radiosensitization in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Effect of polo-like kinase 1 inhibition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Jenny Ling-Yu; Chen, Jo-Pai; Huang, Yu-Sen; Tsai, Yuan-Chun; Tsai, Ming-Hsien; Jaw, Fu-Shan; Cheng, Jason Chia-Hsien; Kuo, Sung-Hsin; Shieh, Ming-Jium

2016-01-01

This study examined the efficacy of polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) inhibition on radiosensitivity in vitro and in vivo by a pharmacologic approach using the highly potent PLK1 inhibitor volasertib. Human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cell lines KYSE 70 and KYSE 150 were used to evaluate the synergistic effect of volasertib and irradiation in vitro using cell viability assay, colony formation assay, cell cycle phase analysis, and western blot, and in vivo using ectopic tumor models. Volasertib decreased ESCC cell proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Combination of volasertib and radiation caused G2/M cell cycle arrest, increased cyclin B levels, and induced apoptosis. Volasertib significantly enhanced radiation-induced death in ESCC cells by a mechanism involving the enhancement of histone H3 phosphorylation and significant cell cycle interruption. The combination of volasertib plus irradiation delayed the growth of ESCC tumor xenografts markedly compared with either treatment modality alone. The in vitro results suggested that targeting PLK1 might be a viable approach to improve the effects of radiation in ESCC. In vivo studies showed that PLK1 inhibition with volasertib during irradiation significantly improved local tumor control when compared to irradiation or drug treatment alone. (orig.) [de

Inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3 enhances the differentiation and reduces the proliferation of adult human olfactory epithelium neural precursors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manceur, Aziza P.; Tseng, Michael; Holowacz, Tamara; Witterick, Ian; Weksberg, Rosanna; McCurdy, Richard D.; Warsh, Jerry J.; Audet, Julie

2011-01-01

The olfactory epithelium (OE) contains neural precursor cells which can be easily harvested from a minimally invasive nasal biopsy, making them a valuable cell source to study human neural cell lineages in health and disease. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) has been implicated in the etiology and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders and also in the regulation of murine neural precursor cell fate in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we examined the impact of decreased GSK-3 activity on the fate of adult human OE neural precursors in vitro. GSK-3 inhibition was achieved using ATP-competitive (6-bromoindirubin-3'-oxime and CHIR99021) or substrate-competitive (TAT-eIF2B) inhibitors to eliminate potential confounding effects on cell fate due to off-target kinase inhibition. GSK-3 inhibitors decreased the number of neural precursor cells in OE cell cultures through a reduction in proliferation. Decreased proliferation was not associated with a reduction in cell survival but was accompanied by a reduction in nestin expression and a substantial increase in the expression of the neuronal differentiation markers MAP1B and neurofilament (NF-M) after 10 days in culture. Taken together, these results suggest that GSK-3 inhibition promotes the early stages of neuronal differentiation in cultures of adult human neural precursors and provide insights into the mechanisms by which alterations in GSK-3 signaling affect adult human neurogenesis, a cellular process strongly suspected to play a role in the etiology of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Andrographolide inhibits hypoxia-inducible factor-1 through phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT pathway and suppresses breast cancer growth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li J

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Jie Li,1 Chao Zhang,1 Hongchuan Jiang,1 Jiao Cheng21Department of General Surgery, 2Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaAbstract: Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1 is a master regulator of the transcriptional response to hypoxia. HIF-1α is one of the most compelling anticancer targets. Andrographolide (Andro was newly identified to inhibit HIF-1 in T47D cells (a half maximal effective concentration [EC50] of 1.03×10-7 mol/L, by a dual-luciferase reporter assay. It suppressed HIF-1α protein and gene accumulation, which was dependent on the inhibition of upstream phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K/AKT pathway. It also abrogated the expression of HIF-1 target vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF gene and protein. Further, Andro inhibited T47D and MDA-MB-231 cell proliferation and colony formation. In addition, it exhibited significant in vivo efficacy and antitumor potential against the MDA-MB-231 xenograft in nude mice. In conclusion, these results highlighted the potential effects of Andro, which inhibits HIF-1, and hence may be developed as an antitumor agent for breast cancer therapy in future.Keywords: Andrographolide (Andro, HIF-1α, inhibit, breast cancer, hypoxia, PI3k/AKT/mTOR pathway

The role of Src kinase in the biology and pathogenesis of Acanthamoeba castellanii

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Siddiqui Ruqaiyyah

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Acanthamoeba species are the causative agents of fatal granulomatous encephalitis in humans. Haematogenous spread is thought to be a primary step, followed by blood–brain barrier penetration, in the transmission of Acanthmaoeba into the central nervous system, but the associated molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we evaluated the role of Src, a non-receptor protein tyrosine kinase in the biology and pathogenesis of Acanthamoeba. Methods Amoebistatic and amoebicidal assays were performed by incubating amoeba in the presence of Src kinase-selective inhibitor, PP2 (4-amino-5-(4-chlorophenyl-7-(t-butylpyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine and its inactive analog, PP3 (4-amino-7-phenylpyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine. Using this inhibitor, the role of Src kinase in A. castellanii interactions with Escherichia coli was determined. Zymographic assays were performed to study effects of Src kinase on extracellular proteolytic activities of A. castellanii. The human brain microvascular endothelial cells were used to determine the effects of Src kinase on A. castellanii adhesion to and cytotoxicity of host cells. Results Inhibition of Src kinase using a specific inhibitor, PP2 (4-amino-5-(4 chlorophenyl-7-(t-butylpyrazolo [3,4-d] pyrimidine but not its inactive analog, PP3 (4-amino-7-phenylpyrazolo[3,4-d] pyrimidine, had detrimental effects on the growth of A. castellanii (keratitis isolate, belonging to the T4 genotype. Interestingly, inhibition of Src kinase hampered the phagocytic ability of A. castellanii, as measured by the uptake of non-invasive bacteria, but, on the contrary, invasion by pathogenic bacteria was enhanced. Zymographic assays revealed that inhibition of Src kinases reduced extracellular protease activities of A. castellanii. Src kinase inhibition had no significant effect on A. castellanii binding to and cytotoxicity of primary human brain microvascular endothelial cells, which constitute the blood–brain barrier

Intramolecular dynamics within the N-Cap-SH3-SH2 regulatory unit of the c-Abl tyrosine kinase reveal targeting to the cellular membrane.

Science.gov (United States)

de Oliveira, Guilherme A P; Pereira, Elen G; Ferretti, Giulia D S; Valente, Ana Paula; Cordeiro, Yraima; Silva, Jerson L

2013-09-27

c-Abl is a key regulator of cell signaling and is under strict control via intramolecular interactions. In this study, we address changes in the intramolecular dynamics coupling within the c-Abl regulatory unit by presenting its N-terminal segment (N-Cap) with an alternative function in the cell as c-Abl becomes activated. Using small angle x-ray scattering, nuclear magnetic resonance, and confocal microscopy, we demonstrate that the N-Cap and the Src homology (SH) 3 domain acquire μs-ms motions upon N-Cap association with the SH2-L domain, revealing a stabilizing synergy between these segments. The N-Cap-myristoyl tether likely triggers the protein to anchor to the membrane because of these flip-flop dynamics, which occur in the μs-ms time range. This segment not only presents the myristate during c-Abl inhibition but may also trigger protein localization inside the cell in a functional and stability-dependent mechanism that is lost in Bcr-Abl(+) cells, which underlie chronic myeloid leukemia. This loss of intramolecular dynamics and binding to the cellular membrane is a potential therapeutic target.

Calcium-dependent but calmodulin-independent protein kinase from soybean

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harmon, A.C.; Putnam-Evans, C.; Cormier, M.J.

1987-01-01

A calcium-dependent protein kinase activity from suspension-cultured soybean cells (Glycine max L. Wayne) was shown to be dependent on calcium but not calmodulin. The concentrations of free calcium required for half-maximal histone H1 phosphorylation and autophosphorylation were similar (≥ 2 micromolar). The protein kinase activity was stimulated 100-fold by ≥ 10 micromolar-free calcium. When exogenous soybean or bovine brain calmodulin was added in high concentration (1 micromolar) to the purified kinase, calcium-dependent and -independent activities were weakly stimulated (≤ 2-fold). Bovine serum albumin had a similar effect on both activities. The kinase was separated from a small amount of contaminating calmodulin by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. After renaturation the protein kinase autophosphorylated and phosphorylated histone H1 in a calcium-dependent manner. Following electroblotting onto nitrocellulose, the kinase bound 45 Ca 2+ in the presence of KCl and MgCl 2 , which indicated that the kinase itself is a high-affinity calcium-binding protein. Also, the mobility of one of two kinase bands in SDS gels was dependent on the presence of calcium. Autophosphorylation of the calmodulin-free kinase was inhibited by the calmodulin-binding compound N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalene sulfonamide (W-7), showing that the inhibition of activity by W-7 is independent of calmodulin. These results show that soybean calcium-dependent protein kinase represents a new class of protein kinase which requires calcium but not calmodulin for activity

Inhibition of the Receptor Tyrosine Kinase AXL Restores Paclitaxel Chemosensitivity in Uterine Serous Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Palisoul, Marguerite L; Quinn, Jeanne M; Schepers, Emily; Hagemann, Ian S; Guo, Lei; Reger, Kelsey; Hagemann, Andrea R; McCourt, Carolyn K; Thaker, Premal H; Powell, Matthew A; Mutch, David G; Fuh, Katherine C

2017-12-01

Uterine serous cancer (USC) is aggressive, and the majority of recurrent cases are chemoresistant. Because the receptor tyrosine kinase AXL promotes invasion and metastasis of USC and is implicated in chemoresistance in other cancers, we assessed the role of AXL in paclitaxel resistance in USC, determined the mechanism of action, and sought to restore chemosensitivity by inhibiting AXL in vitro and in vivo We used short hairpin RNAs and BGB324 to knock down and inhibit AXL. We assessed sensitivity of USC cell lines to paclitaxel and measured paclitaxel intracellular accumulation in vitro in the presence or absence of AXL. We also examined the role of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in AXL-mediated paclitaxel resistance. Finally, we treated USC xenografts with paclitaxel, BGB324, or paclitaxel plus BGB324 and monitored tumor burden. AXL expression was higher in chemoresistant USC patient tumors and cell lines than in chemosensitive tumors and cell lines. Knockdown or inhibition of AXL increased sensitivity of USC cell lines to paclitaxel in vitro and increased cellular accumulation of paclitaxel. AXL promoted chemoresistance even in cells that underwent the EMT in vitro Finally, in vivo studies of combination treatment with BGB324 and paclitaxel showed a greater than 51% decrease in tumor volume after 2 weeks of treatment when compared with no treatment or single-agent treatments ( P USC. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(12); 2881-91. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

The phosphoinositide 3-kinase α selective inhibitor BYL719 enhances the effect of the protein kinase C inhibitor AEB071 in GNAQ/GNA11-mutant uveal melanoma cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Musi, Elgilda; Ambrosini, Grazia; de Stanchina, Elisa; Schwartz, Gary K

2014-05-01

G-protein mutations are one of the most common mutations occurring in uveal melanoma activating the protein kinase C (PKC)/mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathways. In this study, we described the effect of dual pathway inhibition in uveal melanoma harboring GNAQ and GNA11 mutations via PKC inhibition with AEB071 (sotrastaurin) and PI3K/AKT inhibition with BYL719, a selective PI3Kα inhibitor. Growth inhibition was observed in GNAQ/GNA11-mutant cells with AEB071 versus no activity in wild-type cells. In the GNAQ-mutant cells, AEB071 decreased phosphorylation of myristoylated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate, a substrate of PKC, along with ERK1/2 and ribosomal S6, but persistent AKT activation was present. BYL719 had minimal antiproliferative activity in all uveal melanoma cell lines, and inhibited phosphorylation of AKT in most cell lines. In the GNA11-mutant cell line, similar effects were observed with ERK1/2 inhibition, mostly inhibited by BYL719. With the combination treatment, both GNAQ- and GNA11-mutant cell lines showed synergistic inhibition of cell proliferation and apoptotic cell death. In vivo studies correlated with in vitro findings showing reduced xenograft tumor growth with the combination therapy in a GNAQ-mutant model. These findings suggest a new therapy treatment option for G-protein-mutant uveal melanoma with a focus on specific targeting of multiple downstream pathways as part of combination therapy.

Lithocholic acid is an Eph-ephrin ligand interfering with Eph-kinase activation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmine Giorgio

Full Text Available Eph-ephrin system plays a central role in a large variety of human cancers. In fact, alterated expression and/or de-regulated function of Eph-ephrin system promotes tumorigenesis and development of a more aggressive and metastatic tumour phenotype. In particular EphA2 upregulation is correlated with tumour stage and progression and the expression of EphA2 in non-transformed cells induces malignant transformation and confers tumorigenic potential. Based on these evidences our aim was to identify small molecules able to modulate EphA2-ephrinA1 activity through an ELISA-based binding screening. We identified lithocholic acid (LCA as a competitive and reversible ligand inhibiting EphA2-ephrinA1 interaction (Ki =  49 µM. Since each ephrin binds many Eph receptors, also LCA does not discriminate between different Eph-ephrin binding suggesting an interaction with a highly conserved region of Eph receptor family. Structurally related bile acids neither inhibited Eph-ephrin binding nor affected Eph phosphorylation. Conversely, LCA inhibited EphA2 phosphorylation induced by ephrinA1-Fc in PC3 and HT29 human prostate and colon adenocarcinoma cell lines (IC(50  = 48 and 66 µM, respectively without affecting cell viability or other receptor tyrosine-kinase (EGFR, VEGFR, IGFR1β, IRKβ activity. LCA did not inhibit the enzymatic kinase activity of EphA2 at 100 µM (LANCE method confirming to target the Eph-ephrin protein-protein interaction. Finally, LCA inhibited cell rounding and retraction induced by EphA2 activation in PC3 cells. In conclusion, our findings identified a hit compound useful for the development of molecules targeting ephrin system. Moreover, as ephrin signalling is a key player in the intestinal cell renewal, our work could provide an interesting starting point for further investigations about the role of LCA in the intestinal homeostasis.

Inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase 3beta ameliorates triptolide-induced acute cardiac injury by desensitizing mitochondrial permeability transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Wenwen; Yang, Yanqin; Xiong, Zhewen; Kong, Jiamin; Fu, Xinlu; Shen, Feihai; Huang, Zhiying

2016-01-01

Triptolide (TP), a diterpene triepoxide, is a major active component of Tripterygium wilfordii extracts, which are prepared as tablets and has been used clinically for the treatment of inflammation and autoimmune disorders. However, TP's therapeutic potential is limited by severe adverse effects. In a previous study, we reported that TP induced mitochondria dependent apoptosis in cardiomyocytes. Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) is a multifunctional serine/threonine kinase that plays important roles in the necrosis and apoptosis of cardiomyocytes. Our study aimed to investigate the role of GSK-3β in TP-induced cardiotoxicity. Inhibition of GSK-3β activity by SB 216763, a potent and selective GSK-3 inhibitor, prominently ameliorated the detrimental effects in C57BL/6J mice with TP administration, which was associated with a correction of GSK-3β overactivity. Consistently, in TP-treated H9c2 cells, SB 216763 treatment counteracted GSK-3β overactivity, improved cell viability, and prevented apoptosis by modulating the expression of Bcl-2 family proteins. Mechanistically, GSK-3β interacted with and phosphorylated cyclophilin F (Cyp-F), a key regulator of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP). GSK-3β inhibition prevented the phosphorylation and activation of Cyp-F, and desensitized mPTP. Our findings suggest that pharmacological targeting of GSK-3β could represent a promising therapeutic strategy for protecting against cardiotoxicity induced by TP. - Highlights: • GSK-3β inhibition ameliorates TP-induced cardiotoxicity in vitro and in vivo. • GSK-3β controls Cyp-F activation, and regulates mPTP and apoptosis in H9c2 cells. • The protective effect is attributed to GSK-3β activity rather than to protein level. • GSK-3β may be a promising target against TP-induced cardiotoxicity.

Inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase 3beta ameliorates triptolide-induced acute cardiac injury by desensitizing mitochondrial permeability transition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Wenwen; Yang, Yanqin; Xiong, Zhewen; Kong, Jiamin [School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Fu, Xinlu [Laboratory Animals Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Shen, Feihai, E-mail: shenfh3@mail.sysu.edu.cn [School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Huang, Zhiying, E-mail: hzhiying@mail.sysu.edu.cn [School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006 (China)

2016-12-15

Triptolide (TP), a diterpene triepoxide, is a major active component of Tripterygium wilfordii extracts, which are prepared as tablets and has been used clinically for the treatment of inflammation and autoimmune disorders. However, TP's therapeutic potential is limited by severe adverse effects. In a previous study, we reported that TP induced mitochondria dependent apoptosis in cardiomyocytes. Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) is a multifunctional serine/threonine kinase that plays important roles in the necrosis and apoptosis of cardiomyocytes. Our study aimed to investigate the role of GSK-3β in TP-induced cardiotoxicity. Inhibition of GSK-3β activity by SB 216763, a potent and selective GSK-3 inhibitor, prominently ameliorated the detrimental effects in C57BL/6J mice with TP administration, which was associated with a correction of GSK-3β overactivity. Consistently, in TP-treated H9c2 cells, SB 216763 treatment counteracted GSK-3β overactivity, improved cell viability, and prevented apoptosis by modulating the expression of Bcl-2 family proteins. Mechanistically, GSK-3β interacted with and phosphorylated cyclophilin F (Cyp-F), a key regulator of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP). GSK-3β inhibition prevented the phosphorylation and activation of Cyp-F, and desensitized mPTP. Our findings suggest that pharmacological targeting of GSK-3β could represent a promising therapeutic strategy for protecting against cardiotoxicity induced by TP. - Highlights: • GSK-3β inhibition ameliorates TP-induced cardiotoxicity in vitro and in vivo. • GSK-3β controls Cyp-F activation, and regulates mPTP and apoptosis in H9c2 cells. • The protective effect is attributed to GSK-3β activity rather than to protein level. • GSK-3β may be a promising target against TP-induced cardiotoxicity.

Protein kinase inhibitor peptide (PKI): a family of endogenous neuropeptides that modulate neuronal cAMP-dependent protein kinase function.

Science.gov (United States)

Dalton, George D; Dewey, William L

2006-02-01

Signal transduction cascades involving cAMP-dependent protein kinase are highly conserved among a wide variety of organisms. Given the universal nature of this enzyme it is not surprising that cAMP-dependent protein kinase plays a critical role in numerous cellular processes. This is particularly evident in the nervous system where cAMP-dependent protein kinase is involved in neurotransmitter release, gene transcription, and synaptic plasticity. Protein kinase inhibitor peptide (PKI) is an endogenous thermostable peptide that modulates cAMP-dependent protein kinase function. PKI contains two distinct functional domains within its amino acid sequence that allow it to: (1) potently and specifically inhibit the activity of the free catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase and (2) export the free catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase from the nucleus. Three distinct PKI isoforms (PKIalpha, PKIbeta, PKIgamma) have been identified and each isoform is expressed in the brain. PKI modulates neuronal synaptic activity, while PKI also is involved in morphogenesis and symmetrical left-right axis formation. In addition, PKI also plays a role in regulating gene expression induced by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Future studies should identify novel physiological functions for endogenous PKI both in the nervous system and throughout the body. Most interesting will be the determination whether functional differences exist between individual PKI isoforms which is an intriguing possibility since these isoforms exhibit: (1) cell-type specific tissue expression patterns, (2) different potencies for the inhibition of cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity, and (3) expression patterns that are hormonally, developmentally and cell-cycle regulated. Finally, synthetic peptide analogs of endogenous PKI will continue to be invaluable tools that are used to elucidate the role of cAMP-dependent protein kinase in a variety of cellular processes throughout the nervous

Structural Basis for Inhibition of Mycobacterial and Human Adenosine Kinase by 7-Substituted 7-(Het)aryl-7-deazaadenine Ribonucleosides

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Snášel, Jan; Nauš, Petr; Dostál, Jiří; Hnízda, Aleš; Fanfrlík, Jindřich; Brynda, Jiří; Bourderioux, Aurelie; Dušek, Michal; Dvořáková, H.; Stolaříková, J.; Zábranská, Helena; Pohl, Radek; Konečný, P.; Džubák, P.; Votruba, Ivan; Hajdúch, M.; Řezáčová, Pavlína; Veverka, Václav; Hocek, Michal; Pichová, Iva

2014-01-01

Roč. 57, č. 20 (2014), s. 8268-8279 ISSN 0022-2623 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP207/11/0344; GA MŠk LO1302; GA MŠk(CZ) LK11205 EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 241587 - SYSTEMTB Grant - others:GA MŠk(CZ) LM2011020 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 ; RVO:68378271 Keywords : 7-(het)aryl-7-deazaadenine ribonucleosides * enzyme inhibition * adenosine kinase * cytostatic activity Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry Impact factor: 5.447, year: 2014

Optimising measles virus-guided radiovirotherapy with external beam radiotherapy and specific checkpoint kinase 1 inhibition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Touchefeu, Yann; Khan, Aadil A.; Borst, Gerben; Zaidi, Shane H.; McLaughlin, Martin; Roulstone, Victoria; Mansfield, David; Kyula, Joan; Pencavel, Tim; Karapanagiotou, Eleni M.; Clayton, Jamie; Federspiel, Mark J.; Russell, Steve J.; Garrett, Michelle; Collins, Ian; Harrington, Kevin J.

2013-01-01

Background and purpose: We previously reported a therapeutic strategy comprising replication-defective NIS-expressing adenovirus combined with radioiodide, external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and DNA repair inhibition. We have now evaluated NIS-expressing oncolytic measles virus (MV-NIS) combined with NIS-guided radioiodide, EBRT and specific checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) inhibition in head and neck and colorectal models. Materials and methods: Anti-proliferative/cytotoxic effects of individual agents and their combinations were measured by MTS, clonogenic and Western analysis. Viral gene expression was measured by radioisotope uptake and replication by one-step growth curves. Potential synergistic interactions were tested in vitro by Bliss independence analysis and in in vivo therapeutic studies. Results: EBRT and MV-NIS were synergistic in vitro. Furthermore, EBRT increased NIS expression in infected cells. SAR-020106 was synergistic with EBRT, but also with MV-NIS in HN5 cells. MV-NIS mediated 131 I-induced cytotoxicity in HN5 and HCT116 cells and, in the latter, this was enhanced by SAR-020106. In vivo studies confirmed that MV-NIS, EBRT and Chk1 inhibition were effective in HCT116 xenografts. The quadruplet regimen of MV-NIS, virally-directed 131 I, EBRT and SAR-020106 had significant anti-tumour activity in HCT116 xenografts. Conclusion: This study strongly supports translational and clinical research on MV-NIS combined with radiation therapy and radiosensitising agents

Drug design with Cdc7 kinase: a potential novel cancer therapy target

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Masaaki Sawa

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Masaaki Sawa1, Hisao Masai21Carna Biosciences, Inc., Kobe, Japan; 2Genome Dynamics Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, JapanAbstract: Identification of novel molecular targets is critical in development of new and efficient cancer therapies. Kinases are one of the most common drug targets with a potential for cancer therapy. Cell cycle progression is regulated by a number of kinases, some of which are being developed to treat cancer. Cdc7 is a serine-threonine kinase originally discovered in budding yeast, which has been shown to be necessary to initiate the S phase. Inhibition of Cdc7 in cancer cells retards the progression of the S phase, accumulates DNA damage, and induces p53-independent cell death, but the same treatment in normal cells does not significantly affect viability. Low-molecular-weight compounds that inhibit Cdc7 kinase with an IC50 of less than 10 nM have been identified, and shown to be effective in the inhibition of tumor growth in animal models. Thus Cdc7 kinase can be recognized as a novel molecular target for cancer therapy.Keywords: Cdc7 kinase, cell cycle, replication fork, genome stability, DNA damages, ATP-binding pocket, kinase inhibitor

Identification of a Bis-guanylhydrazone [4,4'-Diacetyldiphenylurea-bis(guanylhydrazone); NSC 109555] as a novel chemotype for inhibition of Chk2 kinase.

Science.gov (United States)

Jobson, Andrew G; Cardellina, John H; Scudiero, Dominic; Kondapaka, Sudhir; Zhang, Hongliang; Kim, Hijoo; Shoemaker, Robert; Pommier, Yves

2007-10-01

Chk2 is a protein kinase involved in the ATM-dependent checkpoint pathway (http://discover.nci.nih.gov/mim). This pathway is activated by genomic instability and DNA damage and results in either cell cycle arrest, to allow DNA repair to occur, or cell death (apoptosis). Chk2 is activated by ATM-mediated phosphorylation and autophosphorylation and in turn phosphorylates its downstream targets (Cdc25A, Cdc25C, BRCA1, p53, Hdmx, E2F1, PP2A, and PML). Inhibition of Chk2 has been proposed to sensitize p53-deficient cells as well as protect normal tissue after exposure to DNA-damaging agents. We have developed a drug-screening program for specific Chk2 inhibitors using a fluorescence polarization assay, immobilized metal ion affinity-based fluorescence polarization (IMAP). This assay detects the degree of phosphorylation of a fluorescently linked substrate by Chk2. From a screen of over 100,000 compounds from the NCI Developmental Therapeutics Program, we identified a bis-guanylhydrazone [4,4'-diacetyldiphenylureabis(guanylhydrazone); NSC 109555] as a lead compound. In vitro data show the specific inhibition of Chk2 kinase activity by NSC 109555 using in vitro kinase assays and kinase-profiling experiments. NSC 109555 was shown to be a competitive inhibitor of Chk2 with respect to ATP, which was supported by docking of NSC 109555 into the ATP binding pocket of the Chk2 catalytic domain. The potency of NSC 109555 was comparable with that of other known Chk2 inhibitors, such as debromohymenialdisine and 2-arylbenzimidazole. These data define a novel chemotype for the development of potent and selective inhibitors of Chk2. This class of drugs may ultimately be useful in combination with current DNA-damaging agents used in the clinic.

Genistein and tyrphostin AG556 decrease ultra-rapidly activating delayed rectifier K+ current of human atria by inhibiting EGF receptor tyrosine kinase.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Guo-Sheng; Zhang, Yan-Hui; Wu, Wei; Sun, Hai-Ying; Wang, Yan; Li, Gui-Rong

2017-03-01

The ultra-rapidly activating delayed rectifier K + current I Kur (encoded by K v 1.5 or KCNA5) plays an important role in human atrial repolarization. The present study investigates the regulation of this current by protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs). Whole-cell patch voltage clamp technique and immunoprecipitation and Western blotting analysis were used to investigate whether the PTK inhibitors genistein, tyrphostin AG556 (AG556) and PP2 regulate human atrial I Kur and hKv1.5 channels stably expressed in HEK 293 cells. Human atrial I Kur was decreased by genistein (a broad-spectrum PTK inhibitor) and AG556 (a highly selective EGFR TK inhibitor) in a concentration-dependent manner. Inhibition of I Kur induced by 30 μM genistein or 10 μM AG556 was significantly reversed by 1 mM orthovanadate (a protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor). Similar results were observed in HEK 293 cells stably expressing hK v 1.5 channels. On the other hand, the Src family kinase inhibitor PP2 (1 μM) slightly enhanced I Kur and hK v 1.5 current, and the current increase was also reversed by orthovanadate. Immunoprecipitation and Western blotting analysis showed that genistein, AG556, and PP2 decreased tyrosine phosphorylation of hK v 1.5 channels and that the decrease was countered by orthovanadate. The PTK inhibitors genistein and AG556 decrease human atrial I Kur and cloned hK v 1.5 channels by inhibiting EGFR TK, whereas the Src kinase inhibitor PP2 increases I Kur and hK v 1.5 current. These results imply that EGFR TK and the soluble Src kinases may have opposite effects on human atrial I Kur . © 2017 The British Pharmacological Society.

Inhibition of polo-like kinase 1 leads to the suppression of osteosarcoma cell growth in vitro and in vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xianzhe; Choy, Edwin; Harmon, David; Yang, Shuhua; Yang, Cao; Mankin, Henry; Hornicek, Francis J; Duan, Zhenfeng

2011-06-01

Osteosarcoma is the most common type of primary bone cancer in children and adolescents. Treatment options for osteosarcoma may include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Unfortunately, many patients eventually relapse, resulting in an unsatisfactory outcome. The serine/threonine-specific polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) is a kinase that plays an important role in mitosis and the maintenance of genomic stability. PLK1 has been found to be highly expressed in the malignant cells of osteosarcoma. Here, we describe the in-vitro and in-vivo effects of BI 2536, a small-molecule inhibitor of PLK1, which through inhibiting PLK1 enzymatic activity, causes mitotic arrest and eventually induces cancer cell apoptosis. In this study, we show that the PLK1 inhibitor, BI 2536, inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in two-dimensional and three-dimensional cultures of osteosarcoma cell lines, KHOS and U-2OS. A proliferation assay performed both in two-dimensional and three-dimensional culture showed that the growth of both cell lines was inhibited by BI 2536. Cell cycle analysis showed that the cells treated with BI 2536 were mainly arrested in the G2/M phase. Immunofluorescence and western blotting analysis confirmed that the administration of BI 2536 led to significant decrease of PLK1 and Mcl-1 protein expression levels in dose-dependent and time-dependent manners. Furthermore, BI 2536-induced apoptosis in the osteosarcoma cell lines was shown by poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage and caspase assay. Finally, in mouse osteosarcoma xenografts, BI 2536-treated mice had significantly smaller tumors compared with the control mice. These findings offer evidence of the potential role for targeting PLK1 in osteosarcoma therapy.

Curcumin Attenuates Opioid Tolerance and Dependence by Inhibiting Ca2+/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II α Activity

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Xiaoyu; Huang, Fang; Szymusiak, Magdalena

2015-01-01

Chronic use of opioid analgesics has been hindered by the development of opioid addiction and tolerance. We have reported that curcumin, a natural flavonoid from the rhizome of Curcuma longa, attenuated opioid tolerance, although the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that curcumin may inhibit Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II α (CaMKIIα), a protein kinase that has been previously proposed to be critical for opioid tolerance and dependence. In this study, we used state-of-the-art polymeric formulation technology to produce poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-curcumin nanoparticles (nanocurcumin) to overcome the drug’s poor solubility and bioavailability, which has made it extremely difficult for studying in vivo pharmacological actions of curcumin. We found that PLGA-curcumin nanoparticles reduced the dose requirement by 11- to 33-fold. Pretreatment with PLGA-curcumin (by mouth) prevented the development of opioid tolerance and dependence in a dose-dependent manner, with ED50 values of 3.9 and 3.2 mg/kg, respectively. PLGA-curcumin dose-dependently attenuated already-established opioid tolerance (ED50 = 12.6 mg/kg p.o.) and dependence (ED50 = 3.1 mg/kg p.o.). Curcumin or PLGA-curcumin did not produce antinociception by itself or affect morphine (1–10 mg/kg) antinociception. Moreover, we found that the behavioral effects of curcumin on opioid tolerance and dependence correlated with its inhibition of morphine-induced CaMKIIα activation in the brain. These results suggest that curcumin may attenuate opioid tolerance and dependence by suppressing CaMKIIα activity. PMID:25515789

TG101209, a small molecule JAK2-selective kinase inhibitor potently inhibits myeloproliferative disorder-associated JAK2V617F and MPLW515L/K mutations.

Science.gov (United States)

Pardanani, A; Hood, J; Lasho, T; Levine, R L; Martin, M B; Noronha, G; Finke, C; Mak, C C; Mesa, R; Zhu, H; Soll, R; Gilliland, D G; Tefferi, A

2007-08-01

JAK2V617F and MPLW515L/K represent recently identified mutations in myeloproliferative disorders (MPD) that cause dysregulated JAK-STAT signaling, which is implicated in MPD pathogenesis. We developed TG101209, an orally bioavailable small molecule that potently inhibits JAK2 (IC(50)=6 nM), FLT3 (IC(50)=25 nM) and RET (IC(50)=17 nM) kinases, with significantly less activity against other tyrosine kinases including JAK3 (IC(50)=169 nM). TG101209 inhibited growth of Ba/F3 cells expressing JAK2V617F or MPLW515L mutations with an IC(50) of approximately 200 nM. In a human JAK2V617F-expressing acute myeloid leukemia cell line, TG101209-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, and inhibited phosphorylation of JAK2V617F, STAT5 and STAT3. Therapeutic efficacy of TG101209 was demonstrated in a nude mouse model. Furthermore, TG101209 suppressed growth of hematopoietic colonies from primary progenitor cells harboring JAK2V617F or MPL515 mutations.

Furosin, an ellagitannin, suppresses RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation and function through inhibition of MAP kinase activation and actin ring formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Eui Kyun; Kim, Myung Sunny; Lee, Seung Ho; Kim, Kyung Hee; Park, Ju-Young; Kim, Tae-Ho; Lee, In-Seon; Woo, Je-Tae; Jung, Jae-Chang; Shin, Hong-In; Choi, Je-Yong; Kim, Shin-Yoon

2004-01-01

Phenolic compounds including tannins and flavonoids have been implicated in suppression of osteoclast differentiation/function and prevention of bone diseases. However, the effects of hydrolysable tannins on bone metabolism remain to be elucidated. In this study, we found that furosin, a hydrolysable tannin, markedly decreased the differentiation of both murine bone marrow mononuclear cells and Raw264.7 cells into osteoclasts, as revealed by the reduced number of tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive multinucleated cells and decreased TRAP activity. Furosin appears to target at the early stage of osteoclastic differentiation while having no cytotoxic effect on osteoclast precursors. Analysis of the inhibitory mechanisms of furosin revealed that it inhibited the receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)/activating protein-1 (AP-1). Furthermore, furosin reduced resorption pit formation in osteoclasts, which was accompanied by disruption of the actin rings. Taken together, these results demonstrate that naturally occurring furosin has an inhibitory activity on both osteoclast differentiation and function through mechanisms involving inhibition of the RANKL-induced p38MAPK and JNK/AP-1 activation as well as actin ring formation

Inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3 enhances the differentiation and reduces the proliferation of adult human olfactory epithelium neural precursors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manceur, Aziza P. [Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering (IBBME), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Tseng, Michael [Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Pathophysiology, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); Holowacz, Tamara [Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Witterick, Ian [Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Toronto, ON (Canada); Weksberg, Rosanna [Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); The Hospital for Sick Children, Research Institute, Program in Genetics and Genomic Biology, Toronto, Ontario Canada (Canada); McCurdy, Richard D. [The Hospital for Sick Children, Research Institute, Program in Genetics and Genomic Biology, Toronto, Ontario Canada (Canada); Warsh, Jerry J. [Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Pathophysiology, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); Audet, Julie, E-mail: julie.audet@utoronto.ca [Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering (IBBME), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada)

2011-09-10

The olfactory epithelium (OE) contains neural precursor cells which can be easily harvested from a minimally invasive nasal biopsy, making them a valuable cell source to study human neural cell lineages in health and disease. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) has been implicated in the etiology and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders and also in the regulation of murine neural precursor cell fate in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we examined the impact of decreased GSK-3 activity on the fate of adult human OE neural precursors in vitro. GSK-3 inhibition was achieved using ATP-competitive (6-bromoindirubin-3'-oxime and CHIR99021) or substrate-competitive (TAT-eIF2B) inhibitors to eliminate potential confounding effects on cell fate due to off-target kinase inhibition. GSK-3 inhibitors decreased the number of neural precursor cells in OE cell cultures through a reduction in proliferation. Decreased proliferation was not associated with a reduction in cell survival but was accompanied by a reduction in nestin expression and a substantial increase in the expression of the neuronal differentiation markers MAP1B and neurofilament (NF-M) after 10 days in culture. Taken together, these results suggest that GSK-3 inhibition promotes the early stages of neuronal differentiation in cultures of adult human neural precursors and provide insights into the mechanisms by which alterations in GSK-3 signaling affect adult human neurogenesis, a cellular process strongly suspected to play a role in the etiology of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Proteasome inhibition-induced p38 MAPK/ERK signaling regulates autophagy and apoptosis through the dual phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase 3{beta}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Cheol-Hee [Research Center for Resistant Cells, Chosun University, Seosuk-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju 501-759 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Seosuk-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju 501-759 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Byung-Hoon [College of Pharmacy and Multiscreening Center for Drug Development, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Ahn, Sang-Gun [Department of Pathology, College of Dentistry, Chosun University, Gwangju 501-759 (Korea, Republic of); Oh, Seon-Hee, E-mail: oshccw@hanmail.net [Research Center for Resistant Cells, Chosun University, Seosuk-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju 501-759 (Korea, Republic of)

2012-02-24

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer MG132 induces the phosphorylation of GSK3{beta}{sup Ser9} and, to a lesser extent, of GSK3{beta}{sup Thr390}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer MG132 induces dephosphorylation of p70S6K{sup Thr389} and phosphorylation of p70S6K{sup Thr421/Ser424}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Inactivation of p38 dephosphorylates GSK3{beta}{sup Ser9} and phosphorylates GSK3{beta}{sup Thr390}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Inactivation of p38 phosphorylates p70S6K{sup Thr389} and increases the phosphorylation of p70S6K{sup Thr421/Ser424}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Inactivation of p38 decreases autophagy and increases apoptosis induced by MG132. -- Abstract: Proteasome inhibition is a promising approach for cancer treatment; however, the underlying mechanisms involved have not been fully elucidated. Here, we show that proteasome inhibition-induced p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase regulates autophagy and apoptosis by modulating the phosphorylation status of glycogen synthase kinase 3{beta} (GSK3{beta}) and 70 kDa ribosomal S6 kinase (p70S6K). The treatment of MDA-MB-231 cells with MG132 induced endoplasmic reticulum stress through the induction of ATF6a, PERK phosphorylation, and CHOP, and apoptosis through the cleavage of Bax and procaspase-3. MG132 caused the phosphorylation of GSK3{beta} at Ser{sup 9} and, to a lesser extent, Thr{sup 390}, the dephosphorylation of p70S6K at Thr{sup 389}, and the phosphorylation of p70S6K at Thr{sup 421} and Ser{sup 424}. The specific p38 inhibitor SB203080 reduced the p-GSK3{beta}{sup Ser9} and autophagy through the phosphorylation of p70S6K{sup Thr389}; however, it augmented the levels of p-ERK, p-GSK3{beta}{sup Thr390}, and p-70S6K{sup Thr421/Ser424} induced by MG132, and increased apoptotic cell death. The GSK inhibitor SB216763, but not lithium, inhibited the MG132-induced phosphorylation of p38, and the downstream signaling pathway was consistent with that in SB203580-treated cells. Taken together, our

Inhibition of AMPK catabolic action by GSK3

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Tsukasa; Bridges, Dave; Nakada, Daisuke; Skiniotis, Georgios; Morrison, Sean J.; Lin, Jiandie; Saltiel, Alan R.; Inoki, Ken

2013-01-01

SUMMARY AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) regulates cellular energy homeostasis by inhibiting anabolic and activating catabolic processes. While AMPK activation has been extensively studied, mechanisms that inhibit AMPK remain elusive. Here we report that glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) inhibits AMPK function. GSK3 forms a stable complex with AMPK through interactions with the AMPK β regulatory subunit and phosphorylates the AMPK α catalytic subunit. This phosphorylation enhances the accessibility of the activation loop of the α subunit to phosphatases, thereby inhibiting AMPK kinase activity. Surprisingly, PI3K-Akt signaling, which is a major anabolic signaling and normally inhibits GSK3 activity, promotes GSK3 phosphorylation and inhibition of AMPK, thus revealing how AMPK senses anabolic environments in addition to cellular energy levels. Consistently, disrupting GSK3 function within the AMPK complex sustains higher AMPK activity and cellular catabolic processes even under anabolic conditions, indicating that GSK3 acts as a critical sensor for anabolic signaling to regulate AMPK. PMID:23623684

Phosphatidylinositol 4-kinases: Function, structure, and inhibition

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bouřa, Evžen; Nencka, Radim

2015-01-01

Roč. 337, č. 2 (2015), s. 136-145 ISSN 0014-4827 R&D Projects: GA ČR GJ15-21030Y; GA MŠk LO1302; GA ČR GA15-09310S EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 333916 - STARPI4K Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase * inhibitor * crystal structure * virus Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry Impact factor: 3.378, year: 2015

Corynoxeine isolated from the hook of Uncaria rhynchophylla inhibits rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation through the blocking of extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2 phosphorylation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Tack-Joong; Lee, Ju-Hyun; Lee, Jung-Jin; Yu, Ji-Yeon; Hwang, Bang-Yeon; Ye, Sang-Kyu; Shujuan, Li; Gao, Li; Pyo, Myoung-Yun; Yun, Yeo-Pyo

2008-11-01

The proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) induced by injury to the intima of arteries is an important etiologic factor in vascular proliferative disorders such as atherosclerosis and restenosis. Uncaria rhynchophylla is traditional Chinese herb that has been applied to the treatment of convulsive disorders, such as epilepsy, in China. In the present study, we examined whether corynoxeine exerts inhibitory effects on platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB-induced rat aortic VSMC proliferation and the possible mechanism of such effects. Pre-treatment of VSMCs with corynoxeine (5-50 microM) for 24 h resulted in significant decreases in cell number without any cytotoxicity; the inhibition percentages were 25.0+/-12.5, 63.0+/-27.5 and 88.0+/-12.5% at 5, 20 and 50 microM, respectively. Also, corynoxeine significantly inhibited the 50 ng/ml PDGF-BB-induced DNA synthesis of VSMCs in a concentration-dependent manner without any cytotoxicity; the inhibitions were 32.8+/-11.0, 51.8+/-8.0 and 76.9+/-7.4% at concentrations of 5, 20 and 50 microM, respectively. Pre-incubation of VSMCs with corynoxeine significantly inhibited PDGF-BB-induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) activation, whereas corynoxeine had no effects on mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK/ERK)-activating kinase 1 and 2 (MEK1/2), Akt, or phospholipase C (PLC)gamma1 activation or on PDGF receptor beta (PDGF-Rbeta) phosphorylation. These results suggest that corynoxeine is a potent ERK1/2 inhibitor of key PDGF-BB-induced VSMC proliferation and may be useful in the prevention and treatment of vascular diseases and restenosis after angioplasty.

Inhibition of gap junctional Intercellular communication in WB-F344 rat liver epithelial cells by triphenyltin chloride through MAPK and PI3-kinase pathways

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Tsai Ming-Che

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Organotin compounds (OTCs have been widely used as stabilizers in the production of plastic, agricultural pesticides, antifoulant plaints and wood preservation. The toxicity of triphenyltin (TPT compounds was known for their embryotoxic, neurotoxic, genotoxic and immunotoxic effects in mammals. The carcinogenicity of TPT was not well understood and few studies had discussed the effects of OTCs on gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC of cells. Method In the present study, the effects of triphenyltin chloride (TPTC on GJIC in WB-F344 rat liver epithelial cells were evaluated, using the scrape-loading dye transfer technique. Results TPTC inhibited GJIC after a 30-min exposure in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Pre-incubation of cells with the protein kinase C (PKC inhibitor did not modify the response, but the specific MEK 1 inhibitor PD98059 and PI3K inhibitor LY294002 decreased substantially the inhibition of GJIC by TPTC. After WB-F344 cells were exposed to TPTC, phosphorylation of Cx43 increased as seen in Western blot analysis. Conclusions These results show that TPTC inhibits GJIC in WB-F344 rat liver epithelial cells by altering the Cx43 protein expression through both MAPK and PI3-kinase pathways.

RhoA/Rho Kinase Mediates Neuronal Death Through Regulating cPLA2 Activation.

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Wu, Xiangbing; Walker, Chandler L; Lu, Qingbo; Wu, Wei; Eddelman, Daniel B; Parish, Jonathan M; Xu, Xiao-Ming

2017-11-01

Activation of RhoA/Rho kinase leads to growth cone collapse and neurite retraction. Although RhoA/Rho kinase inhibition has been shown to improve axon regeneration, remyelination and functional recovery, its role in neuronal cell death remains unclear. To determine whether RhoA/Rho kinase played a role in neuronal death after injury, we investigated the relationship between RhoA/Rho kinase and cytosolic phospholipase A 2 (cPLA 2 ), a lipase that mediates inflammation and cell death, using an in vitro neuronal death model and an in vivo contusive spinal cord injury model performed at the 10th thoracic (T10) vertebral level. We found that co-administration of TNF-α and glutamate induced spinal neuron death, and activation of RhoA, Rho kinase and cPLA 2 . Inhibition of RhoA, Rho kinase and cPLA 2 significantly reduced TNF-α/glutamate-induced cell death by 33, 52 and 43 %, respectively (p < 0.001). Inhibition of RhoA and Rho kinase also significantly downregulated cPLA 2 activation by 66 and 60 %, respectively (p < 0.01). Furthermore, inhibition of RhoA and Rho kinase reduced the release of arachidonic acid, a downstream substrate of cPLA 2 . The immunofluorescence staining showed that ROCK 1 or ROCK 2 , two isoforms of Rho kinase, was co-localized with cPLA 2 in neuronal cytoplasm. Interestingly, co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assay showed that ROCK 1 or ROCK 2 bonded directly with cPLA 2 and phospho-cPLA 2 . When the Rho kinase inhibitor Y27632 was applied in mice with T10 contusion injury, it significantly decreased cPLA 2 activation and expression and reduced injury-induced apoptosis at and close to the lesion site. Taken together, our results reveal a novel mechanism of RhoA/Rho kinase-mediated neuronal death through regulating cPLA 2 activation.

Cooperation of imipramine blue and tyrosine kinase blockade demonstrates activity against chronic myeloid leukemia

Science.gov (United States)

Laidlaw, Kamilla M.E.; Berhan, Samuel; Liu, Suhu; Silvestri, Giovannino; Holyoake, Tessa L.; Frank, David A.; Aggarwal, Bharat; Bonner, Michael Y.; Perrotti, Danilo

2016-01-01

The use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), including nilotinib, has revolutionized the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). However current unmet clinical needs include combating activation of additional survival signaling pathways in persistent leukemia stem cells after long-term TKI therapy. A ubiquitous signaling alteration in cancer, including CML, is activation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling, which may potentiate stem cell activity and mediate resistance to both conventional chemotherapy and targeted inhibitors. We have developed a novel nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase inhibitor, imipramine blue (IB) that targets ROS generation. ROS levels are known to be elevated in CML with respect to normal hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells and not corrected by TKI. We demonstrate that IB has additive benefit with nilotinib in inhibiting proliferation, viability, and clonogenic function of TKI-insensitive quiescent CD34+ CML chronic phase (CP) cells while normal CD34+ cells retained their clonogenic capacity in response to this combination therapy in vitro. Mechanistically, the pro-apoptotic activity of IB likely resides in part through its dual ability to block NF-κB and re-activate the tumor suppressor protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). Combining BCR-ABL1 kinase inhibition with NADPH oxidase blockade may be beneficial in eradication of CML and worthy of further investigation. PMID:27438151

Inhibition of PIM1 kinase attenuates inflammation-induced pro-labour mediators in human foetal membranes in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Ratana; Barker, Gillian; Lappas, Martha

2017-06-01

Does proviral integration site for Moloney murine leukaemic virus (PIM)1 kinase play a role in regulating the inflammatory processes of human labour and delivery? PIM1 kinase plays a critical role in foetal membranes in regulating pro-inflammatory and pro-labour mediators. Infection and inflammation have strong causal links to preterm delivery by stimulating pro-inflammatory cytokines and collagen degrading enzymes, which can lead to rupture of membranes. PIM1 has been shown to have a role in immune regulation and inflammation in non-gestational tissues; however, its role has not been explored in the field of human labour. PIM1 expression was analysed in myometrium and/or foetal membranes obtained at term and preterm (n = 8-9 patients per group). Foetal membranes, freshly isolated amnion cells and primary myometrial cells were used to investigate the effect of PIM1 inhibition on pro-labour mediators (n = 5 patients per treatment group). Foetal membranes, from term and preterm, were obtained from non-labouring and labouring women, and from preterm pre-labour rupture of membranes (PPROM) (n = 9 per group). Amnion was collected from women with and without preterm chorioamnionitis (n = 8 per group). Expression of PIM1 kinase was determined by qRT-PCR and western blotting. To determine the effect of PIM1 kinase inhibition on the expression of pro-inflammatory and pro-labour mediators induced by bacterial products lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (10 μg/ml) and flagellin (1 μg/ml) and pro-inflammatory cytokine tumour necrosis factor (TNF) (10 ng/ml), chemical inhibitors SMI-4a (20 μM) and AZD1208 (50 μM) were used in foetal membrane explants and siRNA against PIM1 was used in primary amnion cells. Statistical significance was set at P membranes after spontaneous term labour compared to no labour at term and in amnion with preterm chorioamnionitis compared to preterm with no chorioamnionitis. There was no change in PIM1 expression with preterm labour or PPROM

Arg deficiency does not influence the course of Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein (MOG35-55)-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Freja Aksel; Hulst, Camilla; Bäckström, Thomas

2016-01-01

Background: Inhibition of Abl kinases has an ameliorating effect on the rodent model for multiple sclerosis, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, and arrests lymphocyte activation. The family of Abl kinases consists of the Abl1/Abl and Abl2/Arg tyrosine kinases. While the Abl kinase has bee...... encephalomyelitis is not dependent on Arg, but Arg plays a role for the number of B cells in immunized mice. This might suggest a novel role for the Arg kinase in B-cell trafficking or regulation. Furthermore, the results suggest that Arg is important for normal embryonic development....

Structure of Human G Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 2 in Complex with the Kinase Inhibitor Balanol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tesmer, John J.G.; Tesmer, Valerie M.; Lodowski, David T.; Steinhagen, Henning; Huber, Jochen (Sanofi); (Michigan); (Texas)

2010-07-19

G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) is a pharmaceutical target for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction, and hypertension. To better understand how nanomolar inhibition and selectivity for GRK2 might be achieved, we have determined crystal structures of human GRK2 in complex with G{beta}{gamma} in the presence and absence of the AGC kinase inhibitor balanol. The selectivity of balanol among human GRKs is assessed.

Rift Valley fever virus NSs inhibits host transcription independently of the degradation of dsRNA-dependent Protein Kinase PKR

OpenAIRE

Kalveram, Birte; Lihoradova, Olga; Indran, Sabarish V.; Lokugamage, Nandadeva; Head, Jennifer A.; Ikegami, Tetsuro

2012-01-01

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) encodes one major virulence factor, the NSs protein. NSs suppresses host general transcription, including interferon (IFN)-β mRNA synthesis, and promotes degradation of the dsRNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR). We generated a novel RVFV mutant (rMP12-NSsR173A) specifically lacking the function to promote PKR degradation. rMP12-NSsR173A infection induces early phosphorylation of eIF2α through PKR activation, while retaining the function to inhibit host general tr...

Roles of Apicomplexan protein kinases at each life cycle stage.

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, Kentaro; Sugi, Tatsuki; Iwanaga, Tatsuya

2012-06-01

Inhibitors of cellular protein kinases have been reported to inhibit the development of Apicomplexan parasites, suggesting that the functions of protozoan protein kinases are critical for their life cycle. However, the specific roles of these protein kinases cannot be determined using only these inhibitors without molecular analysis, including gene disruption. In this report, we describe the functions of Apicomplexan protein kinases in each parasite life stage and the potential of pre-existing protein kinase inhibitors as Apicomplexan drugs against, mainly, Plasmodium and Toxoplasma. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lithium chloride ameliorates learning and memory ability and inhibits glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta activity in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Shengqiang Chen; Xuegang Luo; Quan Yang; Weiwen Sun; Kaiyi Cao; Xi Chen; Yueling Huang; Lijun Dai; Yonghong Yi

2011-01-01

In the present study, Fmr1 knockout mice (KO mice) were used as the model for fragile X syndrome. The results of step-through and step-down tests demonstrated that Fmr1 KO mice had shorter latencies and more error counts, indicating a learning and memory disorder. After treatment with 30, 60, 90, 120, or 200 mg/kg lithium chloride, the learning and memory abilities of the Fmr1 KO mice were significantly ameliorated, in particular, the 200 mg/kg lithium chloride treatment had the most significant effect. Western blot analysis showed that lithium chloride significantly enhanced the expression of phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta, an inactive form of glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta, in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the Fmr1 KO mice. These results indicated that lithium chloride improved learning and memory in the Fmr1 KO mice, possibly by inhibiting glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta activity.

Puerarin activates endothelial nitric oxide synthase through estrogen receptor-dependent PI3-kinase and calcium-dependent AMP-activated protein kinase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Yong Pil; Kim, Hyung Gyun; Hien, Tran Thi; Jeong, Myung Ho; Jeong, Tae Cheon; Jeong, Hye Gwang

2011-01-01

The cardioprotective properties of puerarin, a natural product, have been attributed to the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)-mediated production of nitric oxide (NO) in EA.hy926 endothelial cells. However, the mechanism by which puerarin activates eNOS remains unclear. In this study, we sought to identify the intracellular pathways underlying eNOS activation by puerarin. Puerarin induced the activating phosphorylation of eNOS on Ser1177 and the production of NO in EA.hy926 cells. Puerarin-induced eNOS phosphorylation required estrogen receptor (ER)-mediated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling and was reversed by AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) inhibition. Importantly, puerarin inhibited the adhesion of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-stimulated monocytes to endothelial cells and suppressed the TNF-α induced expression of intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1. Puerarin also inhibited the TNF-α-induced nuclear factor-κB activation, which was attenuated by pretreatment with N G -nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, a NOS inhibitor. These results indicate that puerarin stimulates eNOS phosphorylation and NO production via activation of an estrogen receptor-mediated PI3K/Akt- and CaMKII/AMPK-dependent pathway. Puerarin may be useful for the treatment or prevention of endothelial dysfunction associated with diabetes and cardiovascular disease. -- Highlights: ► Puerarin induced the phosphorylation of eNOS and the production of NO. ► Puerarin activated eNOS through ER-dependent PI3-kinase and Ca 2+ -dependent AMPK. ► Puerarin-induced NO was involved in the inhibition of NF-kB activation. ► Puerarin may help for prevention of vascular dysfunction and diabetes.

PIM kinases as potential therapeutic targets in a subset of peripheral T cell lymphoma cases.

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Esperanza Martín-Sánchez

Full Text Available Currently, there is no efficient therapy for patients with peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL. The Proviral Integration site of Moloney murine leukemia virus (PIM kinases are important mediators of cell survival. We aimed to determine the therapeutic value of PIM kinases because they are overexpressed in PTCL patients, T cell lines and primary tumoral T cells. PIM kinases were inhibited genetically (using small interfering and short hairpin RNAs and pharmacologically (mainly with the pan-PIM inhibitor (PIMi ETP-39010 in a panel of 8 PTCL cell lines. Effects on cell viability, apoptosis, cell cycle, key proteins and gene expression were evaluated. Individual inhibition of each of the PIM genes did not affect PTCL cell survival, partially because of a compensatory mechanism among the three PIM genes. In contrast, pharmacological inhibition of all PIM kinases strongly induced apoptosis in all PTCL cell lines, without cell cycle arrest, in part through the induction of DNA damage. Therefore, pan-PIMi synergized with Cisplatin. Importantly, pharmacological inhibition of PIM reduced primary tumoral T cell viability without affecting normal T cells ex vivo. Since anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALK+ ALCL cell lines were the most sensitive to the pan-PIMi, we tested the simultaneous inhibition of ALK and PIM kinases and found a strong synergistic effect in ALK+ ALCL cell lines. Our findings suggest that PIM kinase inhibition could be of therapeutic value in a subset of PTCL, especially when combined with ALK inhibitors, and might be clinically beneficial in ALK+ ALCL.

The atypical structure and function of newborn arterial endothelium is mediated by Rho/Rho kinase signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Flavahan, Sheila; Flavahan, Nicholas A

2014-08-15

Endothelium of fetal or newborn arteries is atypical, displaying actin stress fibers and reduced nitric oxide (NO)-mediated dilatation. This study tested the hypothesis that Rho/Rho kinase signaling, which promotes endothelial stress fibers and inhibits endothelial dilatation, contributed to this phenotype. Carotid arteries were isolated from newborn [postnatal day 1 (P1)], P7, and P21 mice. Endothelial dilatation to acetylcholine (pressure myograph) was minimal at P1, increased at P7, and further increased at P21. Inhibition of Rho (C3 transferase) or Rho kinase (Y27632, fasudil) significantly increased dilatation to acetylcholine in P1 arteries but had no effect in P7 or P21 arteries. After inhibition of NO synthase (N(G)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester), Rho kinase inhibition no longer increased acetylcholine responses in P1 arteries. Rho kinase inhibition did not affect dilatation to the NO donor DEA-NONOate. The endothelial actin cytoskeleton was labeled with phalloidin and visualized by laser-scanning microscopy. In P1 arteries, the endothelium had prominent transcytoplasmic stress fibers, whereas in P7 and P21 arteries, the actin fibers had a significantly reduced intensity and were restricted to cell borders. Phosphorylation of myosin light chains, a Rho kinase substrate, was highest in P1 endothelium and significantly reduced in P7 and P21 endothelium (laser-scanning microscopy). In P1 arteries, inhibition of Rho (C3 transferase) or Rho kinase (Y27632) significantly reduced the intensity of actin fibers, which were restricted to cell borders. Similarly, in P1 arteries, Rho inhibition significantly reduced endothelial levels of phosphorylated myosin light chains. These results indicate that the atypical function and morphology of newborn endothelium is mediated by Rho/Rho kinase signaling. Copyright © 2014 the American Physiological Society.

Exposure to a specific time-varying electromagnetic field inhibits cell proliferation via cAMP and ERK signaling in cancer cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Buckner, Carly A; Buckner, Alison L; Koren, Stan A; Persinger, Michael A; Lafrenie, Robert M

2018-04-01

Exposure to specific electromagnetic field (EMF) patterns can affect a variety of biological systems. We have shown that exposure to Thomas-EMF, a low-intensity, frequency-modulated (25-6 Hz) EMF pattern, inhibited growth and altered cell signaling in malignant cells. Exposure to Thomas-EMF for 1 h/day inhibited the growth of malignant cells including B16-BL6 mouse melanoma cells, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, BT-20, and MCF-7 human breast cancer and HeLa cervical cancer cells but did not affect non-malignant cells. The Thomas-EMF-dependent changes in cell proliferation were mediated by adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) and extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathways. Exposure of malignant cells to Thomas-EMF transiently changed the level of cellular cAMP and promoted ERK phosphorylation. Pharmacologic inhibitors (SQ22536) and activators (forskolin) of cAMP production both blocked the ability of Thomas-EMF to inhibit cell proliferation, and an inhibitor of the MAP kinase pathway (PD98059) was able to partially block Thomas-EMF-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation. Genetic modulation of protein kinase A (PKA) in B16-BL6 cells also altered the effect of Thomas-EMF on cell proliferation. Cells transfected with the constitutively active form of PKA (PKA-CA), which interfered with ERK phosphorylation, also interfered with the Thomas-EMF effect on cell proliferation. The non-malignant cells did not show any EMF-dependent changes in cAMP levels, ERK phosphorylation, or cell growth. These data indicate that exposure to the specific Thomas-EMF pattern can inhibit the growth of malignant cells in a manner dependent on contributions from the cAMP and MAP kinase pathways. Bioelectromagnetics. 39;217-230, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Tyrosol Suppresses Allergic Inflammation by Inhibiting the Activation of Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase in Mast Cells.

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In-Gyu Je

Full Text Available Allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis, rhinitis, asthma, and anaphylaxis are attractive research areas. Tyrosol (2-(4-hydroxyphenylethanol is a polyphenolic compound with diverse biological activities. In this study, we investigated whether tyrosol has anti-allergic inflammatory effects. Ovalbumin-induced active systemic anaphylaxis and immunoglobulin E-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis models were used for the immediate-type allergic responses. Oral administration of tyrosol reduced the allergic symptoms of hypothermia and pigmentation in both animal models. Mast cells that secrete allergic mediators are key regulators on allergic inflammation. Tyrosol dose-dependently decreased mast cell degranulation and expression of inflammatory cytokines. Intracellular calcium levels and activation of inhibitor of κB kinase (IKK regulate cytokine expression and degranulation. Tyrosol blocked calcium influx and phosphorylation of the IKK complex. To define the molecular target for tyrosol, various signaling proteins involved in mast cell activation such as Lyn, Syk, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K, and Akt were examined. Our results showed that PI3K could be a molecular target for tyrosol in mast cells. Taken together, these findings indicated that tyrosol has anti-allergic inflammatory effects by inhibiting the degranulation of mast cells and expression of inflammatory cytokines; these effects are mediated via PI3K. Therefore, we expect tyrosol become a potential therapeutic candidate for allergic inflammatory disorders.

Regulation of p73 by Hck through kinase-dependent and independent mechanisms

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Radha Vegesna

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background p73, a p53 family member is a transcription factor that plays a role in cell cycle, differentiation and apoptosis. p73 is regulated through post translational modifications and protein interactions. c-Abl is the only known tyrosine kinase that phosphorylates and activates p73. Here we have analyzed the role of Src family kinases, which are involved in diverse signaling pathways, in regulating p73. Results Exogenously expressed as well as cellular Hck and p73 interact in vivo. In vitro binding assays show that SH3 domain of Hck interacts with p73. Co-expression of p73 with Hck or c-Src in mammalian cells resulted in tyrosine phosphorylation of p73. Using site directed mutational analysis, we determined that Tyr-28 was the major site of phosphorylation by Hck and c-Src, unlike c-Abl which phosphorylates Tyr-99. In a kinase dependent manner, Hck co-expression resulted in stabilization of p73 protein in the cytoplasm. Activation of Hck in HL-60 cells resulted in tyrosine phosphorylation of endogenous p73. Both exogenous and endogenous Hck localize to the nuclear as well as cytoplasmic compartment, just as does p73. Ectopically expressed Hck repressed the transcriptional activity of p73 as determined by promoter assays and semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis of the p73 target, Ipaf and MDM2. SH3 domain- dependent function of Hck was required for its effect on p73 activity, which was also reflected in its ability to inhibit p73-mediated apoptosis. We also show that Hck interacts with Yes associated protein (YAP, a transcriptional co-activator of p73, and shRNA mediated knockdown of YAP protein reduces p73 induced Ipaf promoter activation. Conclusion We have identified p73 as a novel substrate and interacting partner of Hck and show that it regulates p73 through mechanisms that are dependent on either catalytic activity or protein interaction domains. Hck-SH3 domain-mediated interactions play an important role in the inhibition of p73

Mesenchymal stem cells are sensitive to treatment with kinase inhibitors and ionizing radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nicolay, Nils H.; Debus, Juergen; Huber, Peter E. [Heidelberg University Hospital, Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg (Germany); German Cancer Research Center (dkfz), Department of Molecular and Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg (Germany); Sommer, Eva; Lopez Perez, Ramon; Wirkner, Ute [German Cancer Research Center (dkfz), Department of Molecular and Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg (Germany); Bostel, Tilman [Heidelberg University Hospital, Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg (Germany); Ho, Anthony D.; Saffrich, Rainer [Heidelberg University Hospital, Department of Hematology, Oncology and Rheumatology, Heidelberg (Germany); Lahn, Michael [Lilly Research Laboratories, Oncology Early Clinical Investigation, Indianapolis, IN (United States)

2014-11-15

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can regenerate damaged tissues and may therefore be of importance for normal tissue repair after cancer treatment. Small molecule receptor kinase inhibitors (RKIs) have recently been introduced into cancer treatment. However, the influence of these drugs - particularly in combination with radiotherapy - on the survival of MSCs is largely unknown. The sensitivity of human primary MSCs from healthy volunteers and primary human fibroblast cells to small molecule kinase inhibitors of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) receptors, as well to inhibitors of c-Kit, was examined in combination with ionizing radiation (IR); cell survival and proliferation were assessed. Expression patterns of different kinase receptors and ligands were investigated using gene arrays. MSCs were highly sensitive to the tyrosine kinase inhibitors SU14816 (imatinib) and SU11657 (sunitinib), but showed only moderate sensitivity to the selective TGFβ receptor 1 inhibitor LY2109761. Primary adult human fibroblasts were comparably resistant to all three inhibitors. The addition of IR had an additive or supra-additive effect in the MSCs, but this was not the case for differentiated fibroblasts. Proliferation was markedly reduced in MSCs following kinase inhibition, both with and without IR. Gene expression analysis revealed high levels of the PDGF α and β receptors, and lower levels of the TGFβ receptor 2 and Abl kinase. IR did not alter the expression of kinase receptors or their respective ligands in either MSCs or adult fibroblasts. These data show that MSCs are highly sensitive to RKIs and combination treatments incorporating IR. Expression analyses suggest that high levels of PDGF receptors may contribute to this effect. (orig.) [German] Mesenchymale Stammzellen (MSCs) koennen die Geweberegeneration unterstuetzen und haben daher moeglicherweise eine Rolle bei der Reparatur

Pim kinase inhibition sensitizes FLT3-ITD acute myeloid leukemia cells to topoisomerase 2 inhibitors through increased DNA damage and oxidative stress

Science.gov (United States)

Doshi, Kshama A.; Trotta, Rossana; Natarajan, Karthika; Rassool, Feyruz V.; Tron, Adriana E.; Huszar, Dennis; Perrotti, Danilo; Baer, Maria R.

2016-01-01

Internal tandem duplication of fms-like tyrosine kinase-3 (FLT3-ITD) is frequent (30 percent) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and is associated with short disease-free survival following chemotherapy. The serine threonine kinase Pim-1 is a pro-survival oncogene transcriptionally upregulated by FLT3-ITD that also promotes its signaling in a positive feedback loop. Thus inhibiting Pim-1 represents an attractive approach in targeting FLT3-ITD cells. Indeed, co-treatment with the pan-Pim kinase inhibitor AZD1208 or expression of a kinase-dead Pim-1 mutant sensitized FLT3-ITD cell lines to apoptosis triggered by chemotherapy drugs including the topoisomerase 2 inhibitors daunorubicin, etoposide and mitoxantrone, but not the nucleoside analog cytarabine. AZD1208 sensitized primary AML cells with FLT3-ITD to topoisomerase 2 inhibitors, but did not sensitize AML cells with wild-type FLT3 or remission bone marrow cells, supporting a favorable therapeutic index. Mechanistically, the enhanced apoptosis observed with AZD1208 and topoisomerase 2 inhibitor combination treatment was associated with increased DNA double-strand breaks and increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and co-treatment with the ROS scavenger N-acetyl cysteine rescued FLT3-ITD cells from AZD1208 sensitization to topoisomerase 2 inhibitors. Our data support testing of Pim kinase inhibitors with topoisomerase 2 inhibitors, but not with cytarabine, to improve treatment outcomes in AML with FLT3-ITD. PMID:27374090

Inhibition of Rho Kinase Induces Antioxidative Molecules and Suppresses Reactive Oxidative Species in Trabecular Meshwork Cells

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Tomokazu Fujimoto

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. To investigate the effect of rho kinase inhibitors on oxidative stress in trabecular meshwork (TM cells. Methods. TM cells were isolated from the eyes of cynomolgus monkeys. Y-27632 and menadione were used to inhibit rho kinase and induce production of reactive oxygen species (ROS, respectively. The cynomolgus monkey array and 12,613 probes were used in DNA microarray analysis, and the affected genes were categorized using gene ontology analysis. The mRNA levels of the target genes were confirmed by real-time RT-PCR. Intracellular oxidative stress was detected using a fluorescent reagent sensitive to ROS. Cell viability was assessed by the WST-8 assay. Results. Gene ontology analysis revealed upregulation of genes involved in antioxidant activity, and upregulation of catalase was confirmed by real-time RT-PCR after 30 min treatment with Y-27632. Production of ROS was increased by menadione, and the effect was partly suppressed by pretreatment with Y-27632. At a lower dose of menadione, Y-27632 stimulated TM cells and significantly increased their viability following menadione treatment compared to control cells. Conclusion. Using microarray analysis, Y-27632 was shown to upregulate antioxidative genes including catalase and partially reduce ROS production and cell death by oxidative stress caused by menadione.

Prostate Cancer Cell Growth: Stimulatory Role of Neurotensin and Mechanism of Inhibition by Flavonoids as Related to Protein Kinase C

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

cell lines (NCI-N417, NCI-H345, NCI-N592) were found to convert exogenous NT into the fragments NT1 –8 and NT9–13, reflecting the presence of...secrete NT. However, exogenous NT was degraded primarily to NT1 –11, consistent with the presence of neutral endopeptidase 3.4.24.11 in these cells . This...TITLE: Prostate Cancer Cell Growth: Stimulatory Role of Neurotensin and Mechanism of Inhibition by Flavonoids as Related to Protein Kinase C

Computational methods for analysis and inference of kinase/inhibitor relationships

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Fabrizio eFerrè

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The central role of kinases in virtually all signal transduction networks is the driving motivation for the development of compounds modulating their activity. ATP-mimetic inhibitors are essential tools for elucidating signaling pathways and are emerging as promising therapeutic agents. However, off-target ligand binding and complex and sometimes unexpected kinase/inhibitor relationships can occur for seemingly unrelated kinases, stressing that computational approaches are needed for learning the interaction determinants and for the inference of the effect of small compounds on a given kinase. Recently published high-throughput profiling studies assessed the effects of thousands of small compound inhibitors, covering a substantial portion of the kinome. This wealth of data paved the road for computational resources and methods that can offer a major contribution in understanding the reasons of the inhibition, helping in the rational design of more specific molecules, in the in silico prediction of inhibition for those neglected kinases for which no systematic analysis has been carried yet, in the selection of novel inhibitors with desired selectivity, and offering novel avenues of personalized therapies.

Therapeutic Targeting of AXL Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibits Tumor Growth and Intraperitoneal Metastasis in Ovarian Cancer Models

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Pinar Kanlikilicer

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Despite substantial improvements in the treatment strategies, ovarian cancer is still the most lethal gynecological malignancy. Identification of drug treatable therapeutic targets and their safe and effective targeting is critical to improve patient survival in ovarian cancer. AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK has been proposed to be an important therapeutic target for metastatic and advanced-stage human ovarian cancer. We found that AXL-RTK expression is associated with significantly shorter patient survival based on the The Cancer Genome Atlas patient database. To target AXL-RTK, we developed a chemically modified serum nuclease-stable AXL aptamer (AXL-APTAMER, and we evaluated its in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity using in vitro assays as well as two intraperitoneal animal models. AXL-aptamer treatment inhibited the phosphorylation and the activity of AXL, impaired the migration and invasion ability of ovarian cancer cells, and led to the inhibition of tumor growth and number of intraperitoneal metastatic nodules, which was associated with the inhibition of AXL activity and angiogenesis in tumors. When combined with paclitaxel, in vivo systemic (intravenous [i.v.] administration of AXL-aptamer treatment markedly enhanced the antitumor efficacy of paclitaxel in mice. Taken together, our data indicate that AXL-aptamers successfully target in vivo AXL-RTK and inhibit its AXL activity and tumor growth and progression, representing a promising strategy for the treatment of ovarian cancer.

Inhibition of Glycogen Synthase Kinase or the Apoptotic Protein p53 Lowers the Threshold of Helium Cardioprotection In Vivo: The Role of Mitochondrial Permeability Transition

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Pagel, Paul S.; Krolikowski, John G.; Pratt, Phillip F.; Shim, Yon Hee; Amour, Julien; Warltier, David C.; Weihrauch, Dorothee

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND Prosurvival signaling kinases inhibit glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) activity and stimulate apoptotic protein p53 degradation. Helium produces cardioprotection by activating prosurvival kinases, but whether GSK and p53 inhibition mediate this process is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that inhibition of GSK or p53 lowers the threshold of helium cardioprotection via a mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP)-dependent mechanism. METHODS Rabbits (n = 85) instrumented for hemodynamic measurement and subjected to a 30 min left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) occlusion and 3 h reperfusion received 0.9% saline (control), or 1, 3, or 5 cycles of 70% helium-30% oxygen administered for 5 min interspersed with 5 min of an air-oxygen mixture (fraction of inspired oxygen concentration = 0.30) before LAD occlusion. Other rabbits received the GSK inhibitor SB 216763 (SB21; 0.2 or 0.6 mg/kg), the p53 inhibitor pifithrin-α (PIF; 1.5 or 3.0 mg/kg), or SB21 (0.2 mg/kg) or PIF (1.5 mg/kg) plus helium (1 cycle) before LAD occlusion in the presence or absence of the mPTP opener atractyloside (5 mg/kg). RESULTS Helium reduced (P < 0.05) myocardial infarct size (35 ± 6 [n = 7], 25 ± 4 [n = 7], and 20 ± 3% [n = 6] of area at risk, 1, 3, and 5 cycles, respectively) compared with control (44 ± 6% [n = 7]). SB21 (0.6 [n = 7] but not 0.2 mg/kg [n = 6]) and PIF (3.0 [n = 6] but not 1.5 mg/kg [n = 7]) also reduced necrosis. SB21 (0.2 mg/kg) or 1.5 mg/kg PIF (1.5 mg/kg) plus helium (1 cycle; n = 6 per group) decreased infarct size to an equivalent degree as three cycles of helium alone, and this cardioprotection was blocked by atractyloside (n = 7 per group). CONCLUSIONS Inhibition of GSK or p53 lowers the threshold of helium-induced preconditioning via a mPTP-dependent mechanism in vivo. PMID:18713881

Coumestrol suppresses hypoxia inducible factor 1α by inhibiting ROS mediated sphingosine kinase 1 in hypoxic PC-3 prostate cancer cells.

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Cho, Sung-Yun; Cho, Sunmi; Park, Eunkyung; Kim, Bonglee; Sohn, Eun Jung; Oh, Bumsuk; Lee, Eun-Ok; Lee, Hyo-Jeong; Kim, Sung-Hoon

2014-06-01

Among many signals to regulate hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), sphingosine kinase 1 (SPHK1) is also involved in various biological activities such as cell growth, survival, invasion, angiogenesis, and carcinogenesis. Thus, in the present study, molecular mechanisms of coumestrol were investigated on the SPHK1 and HIF-1α signaling pathway in hypoxic PC-3 prostate cancer cells. Coumestrol significantly suppressed SPHK1 activity and accumulation of HIF-1α in a time- and concentration-dependent manner in hypoxic PC-3 cells. In addition, coumestrol inhibited the phosphorylation status of AKT and glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK 3β) signaling involved in cancer metabolism. Furthermore, SPHK1 siRNA transfection, sphigosine kinase inhibitor (SKI), reactive oxygen species (ROS) enhanced the inhibitory effect of coumestrol on the accumulation of HIF-1α and the expression of pAKT and pGSK 3β in hypoxic PC-3 cells by combination index. Overall, our findings suggest that coumestrol suppresses the accumulation of HIF-1α via suppression of SPHK1 pathway in hypoxic PC-3 cells. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Structural Basis for Selective Small Molecule Kinase Inhibition of Activated c-Met

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Rickert, Keith W.; Patel, Sangita B.; Allison, Timothy J.; Byrne, Noel J.; Darke, Paul L.; Ford, Rachael E.; Guerin, David J.; Hall, Dawn L.; Kornienko, Maria; Lu, Jun; Munshi, Sanjeev K.; Reid, John C.; Shipman, Jennifer M.; Stanton, Elizabeth F.; Wilson, Kevin J.; Young, Jonathon R.; Soisson, Stephen M.; Lumb, Kevin J. (Merck)

2012-03-15

The receptor tyrosine kinase c-Met is implicated in oncogenesis and is the target for several small molecule and biologic agents in clinical trials for the treatment of cancer. Binding of the hepatocyte growth factor to the cell surface receptor of c-Met induces activation via autophosphorylation of the kinase domain. Here we describe the structural basis of c-Met activation upon autophosphorylation and the selective small molecule inhibiton of autophosphorylated c-Met. MK-2461 is a potent c-Met inhibitor that is selective for the phosphorylated state of the enzyme. Compound 1 is an MK-2461 analog with a 20-fold enthalpy-driven preference for the autophosphorylated over unphosphorylated c-Met kinase domain. The crystal structure of the unbound kinase domain phosphorylated at Tyr-1234 and Tyr-1235 shows that activation loop phosphorylation leads to the ejection and disorder of the activation loop and rearrangement of helix {alpha}C and the G loop to generate a viable active site. Helix {alpha}C adopts a orientation different from that seen in activation loop mutants. The crystal structure of the complex formed by the autophosphorylated c-Met kinase domain and compound 1 reveals a significant induced fit conformational change of the G loop and ordering of the activation loop, explaining the selectivity of compound 1 for the autophosphorylated state. The results highlight the role of structural plasticity within the kinase domain in imparting the specificity of ligand binding and provide the framework for structure-guided design of activated c-Met inhibitors.

Pim kinases phosphorylate multiple sites on Bad and promote 14-3-3 binding and dissociation from Bcl-XL

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Hastie C James

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Pim-1, 2 and 3 are a group of enzymes related to the calcium calmodulin family of protein kinases. Over-expression of Pim-1 and Pim-2 in mice promotes the development of lymphomas, and up-regulation of Pim expression has been observed in several human cancers. Results Here we show that the pim kinases are constitutively active when expressed in HEK-293 cells and are able to phosphorylate the Bcl-2 family member Bad on three residues, Ser112, Ser136 and Ser155 in vitro and in cells. In vitro mapping showed that Pim-2 predominantly phosphorylated Ser112, while Pim-1 phosphorylated Ser112, but also Ser136 and Ser155 at a reduced rate compared to Ser112. Pim-3 was found to be the least specific for Ser112, and the most effective at phosphorylating Ser136 and Ser155. Pim-3 was also able to phosphorylate other sites in Bad in vitro, including Ser170, another potential in vivo site. Mutation of Ser136 to alanine prevented the phosphorylation of Ser112 and Ser155 by Pim kinases in HEK-293 cells, suggesting that this site must be phosphorylated first in order to make the other sites accessible. Pim phosphorylation of Bad was also found to promote the 14-3-3 binding of Bad and block its association with Bcl-XL. Conclusion All three Pim kinase family members predominantly phosphorylate Bad on Ser112 and in addition are capable of phosphorylating Bad on multiple sites associated with the inhibition of the pro-apoptotic function of Bad in HEK-293 cells. This would be consistent with the proposed function of Pim kinases in promoting cell proliferation and preventing cell death.

Role of ERK1/2 kinase in the expression of iNOS by NDMA in human neutrophils.

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Ratajczak-Wrona, Wioletta; Jablonska, Ewa; Garley, Marzena; Jablonski, Jakub; Radziwon, Piotr

2013-01-01

Potential role of ERK1/2 kinase in conjunction with p38 in the regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression and nitric oxide (NO) production, and superoxide anion generation by human neutrophils (PMNs) exposed to N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) was determined. Increased synthesis of NO due to the involvement of iNOS in neutrophils exposed to NDMA was observed. In addition, intensified activation of ERK1/2 and p38 kinases was determined in these cells. Inhibition of kinase regulated by extracellular signals (ERK1/2) pathway, in contrast to p38 pathway, led to an increased production of NO and expression of iNOS in PMNs. Moreover, as a result of inhibition of ERK1/2 pathway, a decreased activation of p38 kinase was observed in neutrophils, while inhibition of p38 kinase did not affect activation of ERK1/2 pathway in these cells. An increased ability to release superoxide anion by the studied PMNs was observed, which decreased after ERK1/2 pathway inhibition. In conclusion, in human neutrophils, ERK1/2 kinase is not directly involved in the regulation of iNOS and NO production induced by NDMA; however, the kinase participates in superoxide anion production in these cells.

Alteration of radiation response by two tyrosine kinase inhibitors: STI571 (Glivec) and BIBW 2992

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huguet, F.

2010-01-01

Concurrent chemo-radiation is one of the main weapon in the treatment of cancer. The targeted therapies may act on the mechanisms of tumor resistance to radiation and are therefore very promising in combination with radiotherapy. The STI571 (imatinib or Gleevec) inhibits specifically the Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase. It leads to radiosensitization in K562 chronic myeloid leukemia cell line by alterations of the cell cycle. The BIBW2992 is a selective inhibitor of EGFR and HER2. The BIBW 2992 shows cytotoxic and radiosensitizing effects on pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells BxPC3 and Capan-2, regardless of KRAS status. The mechanism underlying this radiosensitization is not unequivocal, involving both changes in the cell cycle and induction of mitotic death. Our results show that the combination of an inhibitor of tyrosine kinase with ionizing radiation may lead to a radiosensitization in vitro with mechanisms depending on the type of cell line. (author)

Puerarin activates endothelial nitric oxide synthase through estrogen receptor-dependent PI3-kinase and calcium-dependent AMP-activated protein kinase

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Hwang, Yong Pil; Kim, Hyung Gyun [Department of Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Hien, Tran Thi [College of Pharmacy, Chosun University, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of); Jeong, Myung Ho [Heart Research Center, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of); Jeong, Tae Cheon, E-mail: taecheon@ynu.ac.kr [College of Pharmacy, Yeungnam University, Gyungsan (Korea, Republic of); Jeong, Hye Gwang, E-mail: hgjeong@cnu.ac.kr [Department of Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2011-11-15

The cardioprotective properties of puerarin, a natural product, have been attributed to the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)-mediated production of nitric oxide (NO) in EA.hy926 endothelial cells. However, the mechanism by which puerarin activates eNOS remains unclear. In this study, we sought to identify the intracellular pathways underlying eNOS activation by puerarin. Puerarin induced the activating phosphorylation of eNOS on Ser1177 and the production of NO in EA.hy926 cells. Puerarin-induced eNOS phosphorylation required estrogen receptor (ER)-mediated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling and was reversed by AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) inhibition. Importantly, puerarin inhibited the adhesion of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-{alpha}-stimulated monocytes to endothelial cells and suppressed the TNF-{alpha} induced expression of intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1. Puerarin also inhibited the TNF-{alpha}-induced nuclear factor-{kappa}B activation, which was attenuated by pretreatment with N{sup G}-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, a NOS inhibitor. These results indicate that puerarin stimulates eNOS phosphorylation and NO production via activation of an estrogen receptor-mediated PI3K/Akt- and CaMKII/AMPK-dependent pathway. Puerarin may be useful for the treatment or prevention of endothelial dysfunction associated with diabetes and cardiovascular disease. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Puerarin induced the phosphorylation of eNOS and the production of NO. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Puerarin activated eNOS through ER-dependent PI3-kinase and Ca{sup 2+}-dependent AMPK. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Puerarin-induced NO was involved in the inhibition of NF-kB activation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Puerarin may help for prevention of vascular dysfunction and diabetes.

MHC-I-induced apoptosis in human B-lymphoma cells is dependent on protein tyrosine and serine/threonine kinases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Anders Elm; Bregenholt, S; Johansen, B

1999-01-01

B lymphoma cells, is dependent on protein tyrosine kinases and the phosphatidylinositol 3 (PI-3) kinase. Functional studies showed that MHC-I crosslinking induced almost complete inhibition of the spontaneous proliferation of the B lymphoma cells as early as 6 h post-crosslinking and apoptosis 24 h...... post-crosslinking. Preincubation with either protein tyrosine kinase or protein serine/threonine kinase inhibitors reduced the MHC-I-induced apoptosis to background levels, whereas inhibition of PI-3 kinase had no effect. These data demonstrate a pivotal role for protein tyrosine and serine...

ATR kinase regulates its attenuation via PPM1D phosphatase ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

In eukaryotes, in response to replication stress, DNA damage response kinase, ATR is activated, whose signalling abrogationleads to cell lethality due to aberrant fork remodelling and excessive origin firing. Here we report that inhibition ofATR kinase activity specifically during replication stress recovery results in persistent ...

Uncaria rhynchophylla inhibits the production of nitric oxide and interleukin-1β through blocking nuclear factor κB, Akt, and mitogen-activated protein kinase activation in macrophages.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Ji-Hee; Bae, Chang Hwan; Park, Sun Young; Lee, Sang Joon; Kim, YoungHee

2010-10-01

The stems with hook of Uncaria rhynchophylla have been used in traditional medicine as an antipyretic, antihypertensive, and anticonvulsant in China and Korea. In this study, we investigated the mechanism responsible for anti-inflammatory effects of U. rhynchophylla in RAW 264.7 macrophages. The aqueous extract of U. rhynchophylla inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) and interleukin (IL)-1β secretion as well as inducible NO synthase (iNOS) expression, without affecting cell viability. Furthermore, U. rhynchophylla suppressed LPS-induced nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) activation, phosphorylation, and degradation of inhibitory protein IκB (IκB)-α, phosphorylation of Akt, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, p38 kinase, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase. These results suggest that U. rhynchophylla has the inhibitory effects on LPS-induced NO and IL-1β production in macrophages through blockade in the phosphorylation of Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinases, following IκB-α degradation and NF-κB activation.

Endothelial epithelial sodium channel inhibition activates endothelial nitric oxide synthase via phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt in small-diameter mesenteric arteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez, Francisco R; Venegas, Fabiola; González, Magdalena; Andrés, Sergio; Vallejos, Catalina; Riquelme, Gloria; Sierralta, Jimena; Michea, Luis

2009-06-01

Recent studies have shown that the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) is expressed in vascular tissue. However, the role that ENaC may play in the responses to vasoconstrictors and NO production has yet to be addressed. In this study, the contractile responses of perfused pressurized small-diameter rat mesenteric arteries to phenylephrine and serotonin were reduced by ENaC blockade with amiloride (75.1+/-3.2% and 16.9+/-2.3% of control values, respectively; P<0.01) that was dose dependent (EC(50)=88.9+/-1.6 nmol/L). Incubation with benzamil, another ENaC blocker, had similar effects. alpha, beta, and gamma ENaC were identified in small-diameter rat mesenteric arteries using RT-PCR and Western blot with specific antibodies. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry localized ENaC expression to the tunica media and endothelium of small-diameter rat mesenteric arteries. Patch-clamp experiments demonstrated that primary cultures of mesenteric artery endothelial cells expressed amiloride-sensitive sodium currents. Mechanical ablation of the endothelium or inhibition of eNOS with N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine inhibited the reduction in contractility caused by ENaC blockers. ENaC inhibitors increased eNOS phosphorylation (Ser 1177) and Akt phosphorylation (Ser 473). The presence of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitor LY294002 blunted Akt phosphorylation and eNOS phosphorylation and the decrease in the response to phenylephrine caused by blockers of ENaC, indicating that the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathway was activated after ENaC inhibition. Finally, we observed that the effects of blockers of ENaC were flow dependent and that the vasodilatory response to shear stress was enhanced by ENaC blockade. Our results identify a previously unappreciated role for ENaC as a negative modulator of eNOS and NO production in resistance arteries.

Arctigenin protects against steatosis in WRL68 hepatocytes through activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B and AMP-activated protein kinase pathways.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Kung-Yen; Lin, Jui-An; Yao, Han-Yun; Hsu, An-Chih; Tai, Yu-Ting; Chen, Jui-Tai; Hsieh, Mao-Chih; Shen, Tang-Long; Hsu, Ren-Yi; Wu, Hong-Tan; Wang, Guey Horng; Ho, Bing-Ying; Chen, Yu-Pei

2018-04-01

Arctigenin (ATG), a lignin extracted from Arctium lappa (L.), exerts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. We hypothesized that ATG exerts a protective effect on hepatocytes by preventing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) progression associated with lipid oxidation-associated lipotoxicity and inflammation. We established an in vitro NAFLD cell model by using normal WRL68 hepatocytes to investigate oleic acid (OA) accumulation and the potential bioactive role of ATG. The results revealed that ATG inhibited OA-induced lipid accumulation, lipid peroxidation, and inflammation in WRL68 hepatocytes, as determined using Oil Red O staining, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance assay, and inflammation antibody array assays. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that ATG significantly mitigated the expression of acetylcoenzyme A carboxylase 1 and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 and significantly increased the expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha. The 40 targets of the Human Inflammation Antibody Array indicated that ATG significantly inhibited the elevation of the U937 lymphocyte chemoattractant, ICAM-1, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-6sR, IL-7, and IL-8. ATG could activate the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathways and could increase the phosphorylation levels of Akt and AMPK to mediate cell survival, lipid metabolism, oxidation stress, and inflammation. Thus, we demonstrated that ATG could inhibit NAFLD progression associated with lipid oxidation-associated lipotoxicity and inflammation, and we provided insights into the underlying mechanisms and revealed potential targets to enable a thorough understanding of NAFLD progression. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Structure of the intact ATM/Tel1 kinase

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xuejuan; Chu, Huanyu; Lv, Mengjuan; Zhang, Zhihui; Qiu, Shuwan; Liu, Haiyan; Shen, Xuetong; Wang, Weiwu; Cai, Gang

2016-05-01

The ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) protein is an apical kinase that orchestrates the multifaceted DNA-damage response. Normally, ATM kinase is in an inactive, homodimer form and is transformed into monomers upon activation. Besides a conserved kinase domain at the C terminus, ATM contains three other structural modules, referred to as FAT, FATC and N-terminal helical solenoid. Here we report the first cryo-EM structure of ATM kinase, which is an intact homodimeric ATM/Tel1 from Schizosaccharomyces pombe. We show that two monomers directly contact head-to-head through the FAT and kinase domains. The tandem N-terminal helical solenoid tightly packs against the FAT and kinase domains. The structure suggests that ATM/Tel1 dimer interface and the consecutive HEAT repeats inhibit the binding of kinase substrates and regulators by steric hindrance. Our study provides a structural framework for understanding the mechanisms of ATM/Tel1 regulation as well as the development of new therapeutic agents.

CYT387, a selective JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor: in vitro assessment of kinase selectivity and preclinical studies using cell lines and primary cells from polycythemia vera patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Pardanani, A; Lasho, T; Smith, G; Burns, C J; Fantino, E; Tefferi, A

2009-08-01

Somatic mutations in Janus kinase 2 (JAK2), including JAK2V617F, result in dysregulated JAK-signal transducer and activator transcription (STAT) signaling, which is implicated in myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) pathogenesis. CYT387 is an ATP-competitive small molecule that potently inhibits JAK1/JAK2 kinases (IC(50)=11 and 18 nM, respectively), with significantly less activity against other kinases, including JAK3 (IC(50)=155 nM). CYT387 inhibits growth of Ba/F3-JAK2V617F and human erythroleukemia (HEL) cells (IC(50) approximately 1500 nM) or Ba/F3-MPLW515L cells (IC(50)=200 nM), but has considerably less activity against BCR-ABL harboring K562 cells (IC=58 000 nM). Cell lines harboring mutated JAK2 alleles (CHRF-288-11 or Ba/F3-TEL-JAK2) were inhibited more potently than the corresponding pair harboring mutated JAK3 alleles (CMK or Ba/F3-TEL-JAK3), and STAT-5 phosphorylation was inhibited in HEL cells with an IC(50)=400 nM. Furthermore, CYT387 selectively suppressed the in vitro growth of erythroid colonies harboring JAK2V617F from polycythemia vera (PV) patients, an effect that was attenuated by exogenous erythropoietin. Overall, our data indicate that the JAK1/JAK2 selective inhibitor CYT387 has potential for efficacious treatment of MPN harboring mutated JAK2 and MPL alleles.

A Requirement for ZAK Kinase Activity in Canonical TGF-β Signaling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shyam Nyati

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The sterile alpha motif and leucine zipper containing kinase ZAK (AZK, MLT, MLK7, is a MAPK-kinase kinase (MKKK. Like most MAPKKKs which are known to activate the c-Jun. amino-terminal kinase (JNK pathway, ZAK has been shown to participate in the transduction of Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β-mediated non-canonical signaling. A role for ZAK in SMAD-dependent, canonical TGF-β signaling has not been previously appreciated. Using a combination of functional genomics and biochemical techniques, we demonstrate that ZAK regulates canonical TGFβRI/II signaling in lung and breast cancer cell lines and may serve as a key node in the regulation of TGFBR kinase activity. Remarkably, we demonstrate that siRNA mediated depletion of ZAK strongly inhibited TGF-β dependent SMAD2/3 activation and subsequent promoter activation (SMAD binding element driven luciferase expression; SBE4-Luc. A ZAK specific inhibitor (DHP-2, dose-dependently activated the bioluminescent TGFBR-kinase activity reporter (BTR, blocked TGF-β induced SMAD2/3 phosphorylation and SBE4-Luc activation and cancer cell-invasion. In aggregate, these findings identify a novel role for the ZAK kinase in canonical TGF-β signaling and an invasive cancer cell phenotype thus providing a novel target for TGF-β inhibition.

Taurine Inhibits K+-Cl− Cotransporter KCC2 to Regulate Embryonic Cl− Homeostasis via With-no-lysine (WNK) Protein Kinase Signaling Pathway*

Science.gov (United States)

Inoue, Koichi; Furukawa, Tomonori; Kumada, Tatsuro; Yamada, Junko; Wang, Tianying; Inoue, Rieko; Fukuda, Atsuo

2012-01-01

GABA inhibits mature neurons and conversely excites immature neurons due to lower K+-Cl− cotransporter 2 (KCC2) expression. We observed that ectopically expressed KCC2 in embryonic cerebral cortices was not active; however, KCC2 functioned in newborns. In vitro studies revealed that taurine increased KCC2 inactivation in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. When Thr-906 and Thr-1007 residues in KCC2 were substituted with Ala (KCC2T906A/T1007A), KCC2 activity was facilitated, and the inhibitory effect of taurine was not observed. Exogenous taurine activated the with-no-lysine protein kinase 1 (WNK1) and downstream STE20/SPS1-related proline/alanine-rich kinase (SPAK)/oxidative stress response 1 (OSR1), and overexpression of active WNK1 resulted in KCC2 inhibition in the absence of taurine. Phosphorylation of SPAK was consistently higher in embryonic brains compared with that of neonatal brains and down-regulated by a taurine transporter inhibitor in vivo. Furthermore, cerebral radial migration was perturbed by a taurine-insensitive form of KCC2, KCC2T906A/T1007A, which may be regulated by WNK-SPAK/OSR1 signaling. Thus, taurine and WNK-SPAK/OSR1 signaling may contribute to embryonic neuronal Cl− homeostasis, which is required for normal brain development. PMID:22544747

Ceramide-mediated macroautophagy involves inhibition of protein kinase B and up-regulation of beclin 1.

Science.gov (United States)

Scarlatti, Francesca; Bauvy, Chantal; Ventruti, Annamaria; Sala, Giusy; Cluzeaud, Françoise; Vandewalle, Alain; Ghidoni, Riccardo; Codogno, Patrice

2004-04-30

The sphingolipid ceramide is involved in the cellular stress response. Here we demonstrate that ceramide controls macroautophagy, a major lysosomal catabolic pathway. Exogenous C(2)-ceramide stimulates macroautophagy (proteolysis and accumulation of autophagic vacuoles) in the human colon cancer HT-29 cells by increasing the endogenous pool of long chain ceramides as demonstrated by the use of the ceramide synthase inhibitor fumonisin B(1). Ceramide reverted the interleukin 13-dependent inhibition of macroautophagy by interfering with the activation of protein kinase B. In addition, C(2)-ceramide stimulated the expression of the autophagy gene product beclin 1. Ceramide is also the mediator of the tamoxifen-dependent accumulation of autophagic vacuoles in the human breast cancer MCF-7 cells. Monodansylcadaverine staining and electron microscopy showed that this accumulation was abrogated by myriocin, an inhibitor of de novo synthesis ceramide. The tamoxifen-dependent accumulation of vacuoles was mimicked by 1-phenyl-2-decanoylamino-3-morpholino-1-propanol, an inhibitor of glucosylceramide synthase. 1-Phenyl-2-decanoylamino-3-morpholino-1-propanol, tamoxifen, and C(2)-ceramide stimulated the expression of beclin 1, whereas myriocin antagonized the tamoxifen-dependent up-regulation. Tamoxifen and C(2)-ceramide interfere with the activation of protein kinase B, whereas myriocin relieved the inhibitory effect of tamoxifen. In conclusion, the control of macroautophagy by ceramide provides a novel function for this lipid mediator in a cell process with major biological outcomes.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors and mesenchymal stromal cells: effects on self-renewal, commitment and functions

Science.gov (United States)

Borriello, Adriana; Caldarelli, Ilaria; Bencivenga, Debora; Stampone, Emanuela; Perrotta, Silverio; Oliva, Adriana; Ragione, Fulvio Della

2017-01-01

The hope of selectively targeting cancer cells by therapy and eradicating definitively malignancies is based on the identification of pathways or metabolisms that clearly distinguish “normal” from “transformed” phenotypes. Some tyrosine kinase activities, specifically unregulated and potently activated in malignant cells, might represent important targets of therapy. Consequently, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) might be thought as the “vanguard” of molecularly targeted therapy for human neoplasias. Imatinib and the successive generations of inhibitors of Bcr-Abl1 kinase, represent the major successful examples of TKI use in cancer treatment. Other tyrosine kinases have been selected as targets of therapy, but the efficacy of their inhibition, although evident, is less definite. Two major negative effects exist in this therapeutic strategy and are linked to the specificity of the drugs and to the role of the targeted kinase in non-malignant cells. In this review, we will discuss the data available on the TKIs effects on the metabolism and functions of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). MSCs are widely distributed in human tissues and play key physiological roles; nevertheless, they might be responsible for important pathologies. At present, bone marrow (BM) MSCs have been studied in greater detail, for both embryological origins and functions. The available data are evocative of an unexpected degree of complexity and heterogeneity of BM-MSCs. It is conceivable that this grade of intricacy occurs also in MSCs of other organs. Therefore, in perspective, the negative effects of TKIs on MSCs might represent a critical problem in long-term cancer therapies based on such inhibitors. PMID:27750212