Modulation of signal-transduction pathways by chemopreventive agents

2000 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 7-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. M. Manson ◽  
K. A. Holloway ◽  
L. M. Howells ◽  
E. A. Hudson ◽  
S. M. Plummer ◽  
...  

For a disease such as cancer, where a number of alterations to normal cell function accumulate over time, there are several opportunities to inhibit, slow down or even reverse the process. Many of the changes which drive the disease process occur in cell-signalling pathways that regulate proliferation and apoptosis. As our knowledge of these complicated signalling networks improves, it is becoming clear that many molecules, both drugs and naturally occurring dietary constituents, can interact beneficially with deregulated pathways. Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as natural compounds present in plants such as green vegetables and tea, can modulate signalling by affecting kinase activity and therefore phosphorylation of key molecules. Examples of pathways which can be modulated by these agents include activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor κB by tumour promoters or cytokines, signalling by growth factors through the growth-factor receptor/extracellular-regulated protein kinase pathways and by a number of other molecules through the stress-activated c-Jun N-terminal kinase and p38 pathways. These mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways regulate a number of transcription factors including c-Fos and c-Jun. Evidence exists, at least from in vitro experiments, that by targeting such pathways, certain dietary compounds may be able to restore abnormal rates of apoptosis and proliferation to more normal levels.

2005 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 701-704 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Kashfi ◽  
B. Rigas

Nitric-oxide-donating aspirin (NO-ASA), consisting of ASA (aspirin) plus an -ONO2 moiety linked to it via a molecular spacer, is a new drug for cancer prevention. NO-ASA seems to overcome the low potency and toxicity of traditional ASA. The -ONO2 moiety is responsible for releasing NO, and it appears to be required for biological activity. In studies in vitro, NO-ASA inhibits the growth of colon, pancreatic, prostate, lung, skin, leukaemia and breast cancer cells, and is up to 6000-fold more potent than traditional ASA. This effect is owing to cell kinetics [inhibition of proliferation, induction of apoptosis (multiple criteria) and blocking the G1 to S cell-cycle transition] and cell signalling [inhibition of Wnt signalling (IC50=0.2 μM), inhibition of NF-κB (nuclear factor κB) activation (IC50=7.5 μM), inhibition of nitric oxide synthase-2 expression (IC50=48 μM), inhibition of MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) signalling (IC50=10 μM) and induction of cyclo-oxygenase-2 at approx. 10 μM]. In studies in vivo, NO-ASA inhibits intestinal carcinogenesis in Min mice (tumour multiplicity was reduced by 59% after 3 weeks, with no effect in control animals and no side effects) and in the N-nitrosobis(2-oxopropyl)amine model of pancreatic cancer, where there was an 89% reduction in NO-ASA (3000 p.p.m. in the diet)-treated animals (P<0.001). There was no statistically significant effect by traditional ASA at equimolar doses. Our data indicate that NO-ASA is a highly promising agent for the prevention and/or treatment of cancer.


2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (9) ◽  
pp. 1159-1170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ibolya E András ◽  
Hong Pu ◽  
Jing Tian ◽  
Mária A Deli ◽  
Avindra Nath ◽  
...  

Exposure of brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMEC) to human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) Tat protein can decrease expression and change distribution of tight junction proteins, including claudin-5. Owing to the importance of claudin-5 in maintaining the blood–brain barrier (BBB) integrity, the present study focused on the regulatory mechanisms of Tat-induced alterations of claudin-5 mRNA and protein levels. Real-time reverse-transcription-polymerase chain reaction revealed that claudin-5 mRNA was markedly diminished in BMEC exposed to Tat. However, U0126 (an inhibitor of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase1/2, MEK1/2) protected against this effect. In addition, inhibition of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor type 2 (VEGFR-2) by SU1498, phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI-3 K) by LY294002, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) by peptide SN50, and intracellular calcium by BAPTA/AM partially prevented Tat-mediated alterations in claudin-5 protein levels and immunoreactivity patterns. In contrast, inhibition of protein kinase C did not affect claudin-5 expression in Tat-treated cells. The present findings indicate that activation of VEGFR-2 and multiple redox-regulated signal transduction pathways are involved in Tat-induced alterations of claudin-5 expression. Because claudins constitute the major backbone of tight junctions, the present data are relevant to the disturbances of the BBB in the course of HIV-1 infection.


2007 ◽  
Vol 403 (3) ◽  
pp. 451-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandrine Pacquelet ◽  
Jennifer L. Johnson ◽  
Beverly A. Ellis ◽  
Agnieszka A. Brzezinska ◽  
William S. Lane ◽  
...  

Exposure of neutrophils to LPS (lipopolysaccharide) triggers their oxidative response. However, the relationship between the signalling downstream of TLR4 (Toll-like receptor 4) after LPS stimulation and the activation of the oxidase remains elusive. Phosphorylation of the cytosolic factor p47phox is essential for activation of the NADPH oxidase. In the present study, we examined the hypothesis that IRAK-4 (interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase-4), the main regulatory kinase downstream of TLR4 activation, regulates the NADPH oxidase through phosphorylation of p47phox. We show that p47phox is a substrate for IRAK-4. Unlike PKC (protein kinase C), IRAK-4 phosphorylates p47phox not only at serine residues, but also at threonine residues. Target residues were identified by tandem MS, revealing a novel threonine-rich regulatory domain. We also show that p47phox is phosphorylated in granulocytes in response to LPS stimulation. LPS-dependent phosphorylation of p47phox was enhanced by the inhibition of p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase), confirming that the kinase operates upstream of p38 MAPK. IRAK-4-phosphorylated p47phox activated the NADPH oxidase in a cell-free system, and IRAK-4 overexpression increased NADPH oxidase activity in response to LPS. We have shown that endogenous IRAK-4 interacts with p47phox and they co-localize at the plasma membrane after LPS stimulation, using immunoprecipitation assays and immunofluorescence microscopy respectively. IRAK-4 was activated in neutrophils in response to LPS stimulation. We found that Thr133, Ser288 and Thr356, targets for IRAK-4 phosphorylation in vitro, are also phosphorylated in endogenous p47phox after LPS stimulation. We conclude that IRAK-4 phosphorylates p47phox and regulates NADPH oxidase activation after LPS stimulation.


1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 5659-5669 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Tyers ◽  
B Futcher

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the Cdc28 protein kinase controls commitment to cell division at Start, but no biologically relevant G1-phase substrates have been identified. We have studied the kinase complexes formed between Cdc28 and each of the G1 cyclins Cln1, Cln2, and Cln3. Each complex has a specific array of coprecipitated in vitro substrates. We identify one of these as Far1, a protein required for pheromone-induced arrest at Start. Treatment with alpha-factor induces a preferential association and/or phosphorylation of Far1 by the Cln1, Cln2, and Cln3 kinase complexes. This induced interaction depends upon the Fus3 protein kinase, a mitogen-activated protein kinase homolog that functions near the bottom of the alpha-factor signal transduction pathway. Thus, we trace a path through which a mitogen-activated protein kinase regulates a Cdc2 kinase.


2018 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingyu Hou ◽  
Wenhui Wang ◽  
Feizi Hu ◽  
Yuanxing Zhang ◽  
Dahai Yang ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Bacterial phosphothreonine lyases have been identified to be type III secretion system (T3SS) effectors that irreversibly dephosphorylate host mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling to promote infection. However, the effects of phosphothreonine lyase on nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling remain largely unknown. In this study, we detected significant phosphothreonine lyase-dependent p65 degradation during Edwardsiella piscicida infection in macrophages, and this degradative effect was blocked by the protease inhibitor MG132. Further analysis revealed that phosphothreonine lyase promotes the dephosphorylation and ubiquitination of p65 by inhibiting the phosphorylation of mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinase-1 (MSK1) and by inhibiting the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-related kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), p38α, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). Moreover, we revealed that the catalytic active site of phosphothreonine lyase plays a critical role in regulating the MAPK-MSK1-p65 signaling axis. Collectively, the mechanism described here expands our understanding of the pathogenic effector in not only regulating MAPK signaling but also regulating p65. These findings uncover a new mechanism by which pathogenic bacteria overcome host innate immunity to promote pathogenesis.


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