Fas-induced expression of chemokines in human glioma cells: involvement of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase

Fas transduces not only apoptotic signals through various pathways but also angiogenic and proinflammatory responses in vivo. Human glioma cells express Fas although sensitivity to Fas-mediated cell death is variable, suggesting that Fas may have functions other than apoptosis in these cells. In this study, we addressed alternative functions of Fas expressed on human gliomas by Fas ligation in three human glioma cell lines, CRT-MG, U373-MG, and U87-MG, and the in vivo expression of Fas and chemokines in human glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Herein, we demonstrate that: (a) stimulation with agonistic anti-Fas monoclonal antibody CH-11 and human recombinant soluble Fas ligand induces expression of the CC chemokine MCP-1 and the CXC chemokine interleukin-8 by human glioma cell lines at the mRNA and protein levels in a dose- and time-dependent manner; (b) selective pharmacological inhibitors of MEK1 (U0126 and PD98059) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) (SB202190) suppress Fas-mediated chemokine expression in a dose-dependent manner; (c) Fas ligation on human glioma cells leads to activation of both extracellular signal-regulated kinases ERK1/ERK2 and p38 MAPK; and (d) GBM samples express higher levels of Fas compared with normal control brain, which correlates with increased interleukin 8 expression. These findings indicate that Fas ligation on human glioma cells leads to the selective induction of chemokine expression, which involves the ERK1/ERK2 and p38 MAPK signaling pathways. Therefore, the Fas-Fas ligand system in human brain tumors may be involved not only in apoptotic processes but also in the provocation of angiogenic and proinflammatory responses.     

Autotaxin hydrolyzes sphingosylphosphorylcholine to produce the regulator of migration, sphingosine-1-phosphate

Autotaxin (ATX) is an exoenzyme that potently induces tumor cell motility, and enhances experimental metastasis and angiogenesis. ATX was shown recently to be identical to serum lysophospholipase D activity, producing lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) from lyso-glycerophospholipids. LPA, itself a strong chemoattractant for tumor cells, may mediate the actions of ATX. We now extend the substrate specificity to sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC), which ATX hydrolyzes to sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P). Under migration assay conditions, this novel reaction for the production of S1P has a substrate (SPC) K(m) = 0.23 +/- 0.07 mM. In our responder cell lines (NIH3T3 clone7 and A2058), S1P exerts maximal biological effects at concentrations of 10-100 nM and is mimicked in its biological effects by ATX plus SPC. These effects include inhibition of ATX- and LPA-stimulated motility, and elevation of activated Rho. In NIH3T3 clone7 cells stimulated with platelet-derived growth factor and treated with 10-25 nM S1P, motility is not inhibited and activation of Rho is unaffected, indicating that S1P possesses specificity in its effects. The exoenzyme ATX can potentially regulate diverse processes such as motility and angiogenesis via the S1P family of receptors. Because ATX hydrolyzes nucleotides, lyso-glycerophospholipids, and phosphosphingolipids into bioactive products, it possesses the ability, depending on the availability of substrates, to act as positive or negative regulator of receptor-mediated activity in the cellular microenvironment.     

Expression of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors and lysophosphatidic acid receptors on cultured and xenografted human colon,breast, melanoma,and lung tumor cells

The lysophospholipids sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) are small lipid molecules with a variety of physiological roles. Additionally, their involvement in the initiation and progression of malignant tumors has been increasingly recognized in recent years. However, the data on the expression of S1P and LPA receptors on different cancer cells are very few. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used for the analysis of mRNA expression of five S1P_(1–5) and three LPA_(1–3) receptors on a large panel of 13 colon, breast, melanoma, and lung cancer cell lines. Furthermore, the modulation of S1P and LPA receptor mRNA expression was studied upon xenotransplantation of tumor cells into severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice. The S1P and LPA receptors were expressed to a variable degree on all tumor cell lines tested (with exception of colon cancer SW480). Most notably, tumor cell lines in vitro expressed S1P₂ mRNA that was down-regulated upon xenotransplantation, whereas LPA₂ receptor mRNA was strongly expressed both in vitro and in vivo (except by breast cancer cells). The latter was especially distinctive for small cell lung tumor cells. The S1P and LPA receptors are differentially expressed on tumor cell lines in vitro. Their expression is modulated upon xenografting into SCID mice in vivo.     

p38alpha and p38delta mitogen-activated protein kinase isoforms regulate invasion and growth of head and neck squamous carcinoma cells

Recent studies indicate that the specificity of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-mediated cellular stress responses is determined by the expression pattern of the distinct p38 isoforms. Here, we have analysed the function of distinct p38 isoforms in the growth and invasion of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). Activation of p38 MAPK by arsenite resulted in inactivation of the ERK1,2 signaling pathway by dephosphorylation of MEK1,2 in primary human epidermal keratinocytes (HEKs), whereas in HNSCC cells this p38-mediated inhibition of the ERK1,2 pathway was absent. Quantitation of p38 pathway component mRNA expression in HNSCC cell lines (n=42) compared to HEKs (n=8) revealed that p38alpha and p38delta isoforms are predominantly expressed in both cell types and that MKK3 is the primary upstream activator expressed. Inhibition of endogenous p38alpha or p38delta activity by adenoviral delivery of corresponding dominant-negative p38 isoforms potently reduced MMP-13 and MMP-1 expressions, and suppressed the invasion of HNSCC cells through collagen. Dominant-negative p38alpha and p38delta inhibited squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cell proliferation and inhibition of p38alpha activity also compromised survival of SCC cells. p38alpha and p38delta were predominantly expressed in HNSCCs (n=24) and nonneoplastic epithelium in vivo (n=6), with MKK3 being the primary upstream activator. Activation and expression of p38alpha and p38delta by tumor cells was detected in HNSCCs in vivo (n=16). Adenoviral expression of dominant-negative p38alpha or p38delta in cutaneous SCC cells potently inhibited their implantation in skin of severe combined immunodeficiency mice and growth of xenografts in vivo. Our results indicate that p38alpha and p38delta specifically promote the malignant phenotype of SCC cells by regulating cell survival, proliferation and invasion, suggesting these p38 MAPK isoforms as potential therapeutic targets in HNSCCs.     

p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway is involved in protein kinase Calpha-regulated invasion in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Protein kinase Calpha (PKCalpha) has been suggested to play an important role in tumorigenesis, invasion, and metastasis. In this study, we investigated the signal pathways selectively activated by PKCalpha in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells to determine the role of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) in PKCalpha-mediated HCC migration and invasion. A stable SK-Hep-1 cell clone (siPKCalpha-SK) expressing DNA-based small interfering RNA (siRNA) PKCalpha was established and was then characterized by cell growth, migration, and invasion. The expression of PKCalpha was decreased in siPKCalpha-SK, and cell growth, migration, and invasion were reduced. These changes were associated with the decrease in p38 MAPK phosphorylation level, but not in c-jun-NH(2)-kinase-1/2 (JNK-1/2) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2 (ERK-1/2). This phenomenon was confirmed in the SK-Hep-1 cells treated with antisense PKCalpha olignucleotide. The p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 or dominant negative p38 mutant plasmid (DN-p38) was used to evaluate the dependency of p38 MAPK in PKCalpha-regulated migration and invasion. Attenuation of cell migration and invasion was revealed in the SK-Hep-1 cells treated with the SB203580 or DN-p38, but not with ERK-1/2 inhibitor PD98059 or JNK-1/2 inhibitor SP600125. Overexpression of constitutively active MKK6 or PKCalpha may restore the inactivation of p38 and the attenuation of cell migration and invasion in siPKCalpha-SK. Similar findings were observed in the stable HA22T/VGH cell clone expressing siRNA PKCalpha. This study provides new insight into the role of p38 MAPK in PKCalpha-mediated malignant phenotypes, especially in PKCalpha-mediated cancer cell invasion, which may have valuable implications for developing new therapies for some PKCalpha-overexpressing cancers.     

Role of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway in the generation of arsenic trioxide-dependent cellular responses

Arsenic trioxide (As(2)O(3)) induces differentiation and apoptosis of leukemic cells in vitro and in vivo, but the precise mechanisms that mediate such effects are not known. In the present study, we provide evidence that the kinases MAPK kinase 3 (Mkk3) and Mkk6 are activated during treatment of leukemic cell lines with As(2)O(3) to regulate downstream engagement of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. Using cells with targeted disruption of both the Mkk3 and Mkk6 genes, we show that As(2)O(3)-dependent activation of p38 is defective in the absence of Mkk3 and Mkk6, establishing that these kinases are essential for As(2)O(3)-dependent engagement of the p38 pathway. Pharmacologic inhibition of p38 enhances As(2)O(3)-dependent activation of the c-jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK) and subsequent induction of apoptosis of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)- or acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL)-derived cell lines. In addition, in APL blasts, inhibition of p38 enhances myeloid cell differentiation in response to As(2)O(3), as well as suppression of Bcl-2 expression and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Similarly, induction of As(2)O(3)-dependent apoptosis is enhanced in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) with targeted disruption of both the Mkk3 and Mkk6 genes, establishing a key role for this pathway in the regulation of As(2)O(3)-induced apoptosis. In other studies, we show that the small-molecule p38 inhibitors SD-282 and SCIO-469 potentiate As(2)O(3)-mediated suppression of myeloid leukemic progenitor growth from CML patients, indicating a critical regulatory role for p38 in the induction of antileukemic responses. Altogether, our data indicate that the Mkk3/6-p38 signaling cascade is activated in a negative regulatory feedback manner to control induction of As(2)O(3)-mediated antileukemic effects.     

Involvement of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND: The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade is activated in response to various extracellular stimuli. The authors investigated the involvement of the p38 MAPK, a member of the MAPK superfamily, cascade in hepatoma cell lines and in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissue specimens. METHODS: Constitutively active mutant of MAPK kinase 6 (MKK6), which is upstream of p38 MAPK, was transfected into the HepG2 and HuH7 human hepatoma cell lines. The constitutive active mutant was constructed by replacing Ser-189 and Thr-193 with Glu. The growth and death of mutant MKK6-transfected hepatoma cells were analyzed by the WST-1 and sub-G1 assays. The surgically resected livers of 20 HCC patients were divided histologically into tumorous (T) and nontumorous (NT) lesions. p38 MAPK activity was analyzed using in vitro kinase assay and MKK6 activity was measured using Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Mutant MKK6 transfection increased p38 MAPK activity, cytochrome c release from the mitochondria to the cytosol, and caspase-3 activity, accompanied by apoptosis. In contrast, SB203580, a p38 MAPK-specific inhibitor, prevented MKK6-induced apoptosis in hepatoma cell lines. In the T lesions of 20 HCC parients, p38 MAPK and MKK6 activities were significantly lower compared with NT lesions (P < 0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between p38 MAPK and MKK6 activity (r = 0.507, P < 0.05). Larger tumors (> 20 mm) exhibited lower levels of p38 MAPK and MKK6 activity than did smaller tumors (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggested that reduction of the p38 MAPK cascade may account, in part, for the resistance to apoptosis, leading to the unrestricted cell growth of human HCC.     

p38MAPK在介导TNF-α诱导大鼠胶质瘤细胞凋亡中的作用

目的 :探讨p38MAPK在介导TNF α所致大鼠胶质瘤细胞C6凋亡中的作用。方法 :应用MTT法检测TNF α处理的C6细胞的增殖活性 ,采用透射电镜和流式细胞仪观察凋亡的发生 ,应用SABC法和Westernblot检测p38MAPK的表达 ,应用流式细胞仪及SABC法观察 p38MAPK特异性抑制剂SB2 0 2 1 90对TNF α诱导C6细胞凋亡的影响。结果 :TNF α(2× 1 0 5U/L)对C6细胞增殖的抑制率为 43 .75 % ,透射电镜下可见典型的凋亡细胞 ,流式细胞仪检测凋亡率为 37.5 % ,SABC法和Westernblot显示P38MAPK表达阳性 ;加入SB2 0 2 1 90后 ,其凋亡率为 7.0 % ,未见P38MAPK表达。结论 :TNF α能诱导C6细胞凋亡和 p38MAPK表达 ,p38MAPK的活化促进了C6细胞凋亡的发生     

MEKK1在肿瘤MAPK信号传导通路中作用的研究进展

目的:总结国内外关于MEKK1在肿瘤MAPK信号通路中的调控作用,及其对肿瘤转移、细胞迁移和运动影响的研究进展.方法:应用Medline及CNKI期刊全文数据库检索系统,以MEKK1、MAPK信号转导和肿瘤为关键词,检索1992-01-2008-01的相关文献,共检索到英文文献4046篇和中文文献2篇.纳入标准:1)MEKK1的来源和分子结构特征;2)MEKK1与肿瘤相关的MAPK信号通路及其他信号通路的关系;3)MEKK1与AP1的关系;4)MEKK1与肿瘤细胞凋亡的关系;5)MEKK1与肿瘤细胞迁移和运动的关系.根据纳入标准,精选55篇文献,最后纳入分析21篇文献.结果:MEKK1是MAPK信号传导通路中的重要结点,也是MAPK通路与其他信号通路的结点.MEKK1具有广泛的生物学功能,如调控NFκB和AP1,影响细胞的存活和凋亡,并且与肿瘤细胞的侵袭、迁移和运动密切相关.结论:MEKK1是抗肿瘤药物研究的潜在靶点,虽然目前还没有MEKK1的抑制剂上市,但可通过研究疾病状态下与MEKK1过表达有关的细胞功能来开发MEKK1抑制剂.     

Inhibition of c-Jun N-terminal kinase enhances temozolomide-induced cytotoxicity in human glioma cells

Meningiomas involving the cavernous sinus have traditionally posed a major challenge for neurosurgeons and neuro-oncologists. Recent advancements in surgical techniques and radiotherapy have led to new treatment strategies for these difficult tumors. In this article, we review the current literature with respect to treatment options for cavernous sinus meningiomas. Additionally, we review the recent results of our experience at the University of Utah with decompression surgery followed by radiotherapy for cavernous sinus meningiomas.     

Activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase is necessary for gemcitabine-induced cytotoxicity in human pancreatic cancer cells

BACKGROUND: Gemcitabine is a pyrimidine nucleoside analog that is clinically active against pancreatic cancer. We have recently demonstrated that p38 MAPK is specifically activated by gemcitabine and that pharmacological blockade of p38 MAPK signaling prevented gemcitabine-induced apoptosis in human pancreatic cancer cells. In this study, we further investigated the implication of p38 MAPK in the cytotoxic action of gemcitabine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cells expressing a dominant-negative mutant of p38 MAPK were generated. Clonogenic assays were used to assess the long-term effect on cancer cell viability in the human pancreatic cancer cells, PK1 and PCI43. The p38 MAPK activation level was assessed using an antibody specific to the phosphorylated form. RESULTS: Gemcitabine increased the activation level of p38 MAPK in a dose-dependent manner and induced apoptosis in the two tested human pancreatic cancer cell lines. The selective p38 MAPK inhibitors, SB203580 and SB202190, reduced gemcitabine-induced activation of p38 MAPK, prevented the gemcitabine-induced apoptosis and increased long-term clonogenic survival. Overexpression of a dominant-negative p38 mutant in cells resulted in the reduction of gemcitabine-induced p38 MAPK activation and apoptosis, and increases in clonogenic survival. CONCLUSION: These results strongly suggest that the activation of p38 MAPK signaling is necessary for gemcitabine-induced cell death in human pancreatic cancer cells. Based upon these results, we suggest that molecules of p38 MAPK signaling pathways should be listed as novel targets for gemcitabine-based therapy.     

p38MAPK信号通路与uPA在乳腺癌细胞及组织中表达的相关性

背景与目的:p38MAPK信号通路介导多种转移相关基因表达调控,尿激酶型纤溶酶原激活剂(urokinase-type plasminogen activator,uPA)在肿瘤浸润和转移中发挥着重要作用.本实验研究人乳腺癌组织中3种信号分子p-p38、p-Akt、p-Erk及uPA表达与临床病理特征的关系,并分析它们与uPA表达的相关性,探讨p38MAPK通路对乳腺癌uPA蛋白表达的影响,分析p-p38和uPA表达与乳腺癌预后的关系.方法:应用免疫组织化学(SP)法检测p-p38、p-Akt、p-Erk和uPA在60例乳腺癌组织中的表达.Western blot检测人乳腺癌细胞MDA-MB-231及MCF-7中p-p38及uPA蛋白表达及用p38MAPK特异性抑制剂SB203580阻断p38MAPK信号通路后uPA蛋白表达水平的变化.结果:p-p38、p-Akt、p-Erk、uPA蛋白在乳腺癌组织中表达阳性率分别为56.7%、95.0%、93.3%、60.0%.p-p38与uPA表达存在正相关(r=0.316,P＜0.05),并与乳腺癌的TNM分期及淋巴结转移状况相关(P＜0.05),而与患者年龄、肿瘤大小无明显相关性(P＞0.05).p-Akt、p-Erk与uPA表达无明显相关性,p-Akt和p-Erk蛋白表达与乳腺癌的淋巴结转移有关(P＜0.05)而与患者年龄、肿瘤大小、TNM分期均无明显关系(P＞0.05).乳腺癌细胞MDA-MB-231中p-p38及uPA蛋白表达水平高于MCF-7.用SB203580阻断p38MAPK通路可降低uPA蛋白表达水平,且随着SB203580浓度升高uPA表达水平逐渐降低.乳腺癌中p-p38和uPA蛋白的表达与肿瘤的预后显著相关(分别为log-rank=4.98、5.40,P=0.0256、0.0201).结论:p38MAPK信号通路可能通过上调uPA的表达促进乳腺癌的恶性进展,p38MAPK信号通路可能是乳腺癌侵袭和转移的重要途径,p-p38和uPA的表达可辅助用于乳腺癌的预后评估.     

Withanolide D induces apoptosis in leukemia by targeting the activation of neutral sphingomyelinase-ceramide cascade mediated by synergistic activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase

Background  

Ceramide is an important second messenger that has diverse cellular and biological effect. It is a specific and potent inducer of apoptosis and suppressor of cell growth. In leukemia, chemoresistance generally developed due to deregulated ceramide metabolism. In combinatorial treatment strategies of leukemia, few components have the capability to increases ceramide production. Manipulation in ceramide production by physiological and pharmacological modulators therefore will give additive effect in leukemia chemotherapy.