scholarly journals Reevaluation of the Role of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 3 in Perinatal Survival and Postnatal Growth Using New Genetically Engineered Mouse Models

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathilde Soulez ◽  
Marc K. Saba-El-Leil ◽  
Benjamin Turgeon ◽  
Simon Mathien ◽  
Philippe Coulombe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mouse Models ◽  
Kinase Activity ◽  
Postnatal Growth ◽  
Mutant Mice ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase ◽  
Lung Maturation ◽  
Extracellular Signal Regulated Kinase ◽  
Extracellular Signal ◽  
Perinatal Lethality

ABSTRACT The physiological functions of the atypical mitogen-activated protein kinase extracellular signal-regulated kinase 3 (ERK3) remain poorly characterized. Previous analysis of mice with a targeted insertion of the lacZ reporter in the Mapk6 locus (Mapk6lacZ) showed that inactivation of ERK3 in Mapk6lacZ mice leads to perinatal lethality associated with intrauterine growth restriction, defective lung maturation, and neuromuscular anomalies. To further explore the role of ERK3 in physiology and disease, we generated novel mouse models expressing a catalytically inactive (Mapk6KD) or conditional (Mapk6Δ) allele of ERK3. Surprisingly, we found that mice devoid of ERK3 kinase activity or expression survive the perinatal period without any observable lung or neuromuscular phenotype. ERK3 mutant mice reached adulthood, were fertile, and showed no apparent health problem. However, analysis of growth curves revealed that ERK3 kinase activity is necessary for optimal postnatal growth. To gain insight into the genetic basis underlying the discrepancy in phenotypes of different Mapk6 mutant mouse models, we analyzed the regulation of genes flanking the Mapk6 locus by quantitative PCR. We found that the expression of several Mapk6 neighboring genes is deregulated in Mapk6lacZ mice but not in Mapk6KD or Mapk6Δ mutant mice. Our genetic analysis suggests that off-target effects of the targeting construct on local gene expression are responsible for the perinatal lethality phenotype of Mapk6lacZ mutant mice.

scholarly journals Reevaluation of the Role of ERK3 in Perinatal Survival and Post-Natal Growth Using New Genetically-Engineered Mouse Models

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathilde Soulez ◽  
Marc K. Saba-El-Leil ◽  
Benjamin Turgeon ◽  
Simon Mathien ◽  
Philippe Coulombe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mouse Models ◽  
Kinase Activity ◽  
Growth Curves ◽  
Perinatal Period ◽  
Genetically Engineered ◽  
Mutant Mice ◽  
Lung Maturation ◽  
Genetically Engineered Mouse Models ◽  
Perinatal Lethality

AbstractThe physiological functions of the atypical MAP kinase ERK3 remain poorly characterized. Previous analysis of mice with a targeted insertion of the lacZ reporter in the Mapk6 locus (Mapk6lacZ) showed that inactivation of ERK3 in Mapk6lacZ mice leads to perinatal lethality associated with intrauterine growth restriction, defective lung maturation, and neuromuscular anomalies. To further explore the role of ERK3 in physiology and disease, we generated novel mouse models expressing a catalytically-inactive (Mapk6KD) or conditional (Mapk6Δ) allele of ERK3. Surprisingly, we found that mice devoid of ERK3 kinase activity or expression survive the perinatal period without any observable lung or neuromuscular phenotype. ERK3 mutant mice reached adulthood, were fertile and showed no apparent health problem. However, analysis of growth curves revealed that ERK3 kinase activity is ncessary for optimal post-natal growth. To gain insight into the genetic basis underlying the discrepancy in phenotypes of different Mapk6 mutant mouse models, we analyzed the regulation of genes flanking the Mapk6 locus by quantitative PCR. We found that expression of several Mapk6 neighboring genes is deregulated in Mapk6lacZ mice, but not in Mapk6KD or Mapk6Δ mutant mice. Our genetic analysis suggests that off-target effects of the targeting construct on local gene expression are likely to be responsible for the perinatal lethality phenotype of Mapk6lacZ mutant mice.

ERK5 and its role in tumour development

2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 251-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela A. Lochhead ◽  
Rebecca Gilley ◽  
Simon J. Cook
Keyword(s):  
Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase ◽  
Invasion And Migration ◽  
Extracellular Signal Regulated Kinase ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Extracellular Signal ◽  
Mapk Signalling ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein ◽  
Tumour Cell Invasion ◽  
And Migration

The MEK5 [MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase)/ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) kinase 5]/ERK5 pathway is the least well studied MAPK signalling module. It has been proposed to play a role in the pathology of cancer. In the present paper, we review the role of the MEK5/ERK5 pathway using the ‘hallmarks of cancer’ as a framework and consider how this pathway is deregulated. As well as playing a key role in endothelial cell survival and tubular morphogenesis during tumour neovascularization, ERK5 is also emerging as a regulator of tumour cell invasion and migration. Several oncogenes can stimulate ERK5 activity, and protein levels are increased by a novel amplification at chromosome locus 17p11 and by down-regulation of the microRNAs miR-143 and miR-145. Together, these finding underscore the case for further investigation into understanding the role of ERK5 in cancer.

scholarly journals Impact of ERK5 on the Hallmarks of Cancer

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 1426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Stecca ◽  
Elisabetta Rovida
Keyword(s):  
Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase ◽  
Extracellular Signal Regulated Kinase ◽  
Biological Features ◽  
Promising Strategy ◽  
Biological Responses ◽  
Extracellular Signal ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein ◽  
Relevant Role ◽  
Almost All

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5) belongs to the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family that consists of highly conserved enzymes expressed in all eukaryotic cells and elicits several biological responses, including cell survival, proliferation, migration, and differentiation. In recent years, accumulating lines of evidence point to a relevant role of ERK5 in the onset and progression of several types of cancer. In particular, it has been reported that ERK5 is a key signaling molecule involved in almost all the biological features of cancer cells so that its targeting is emerging as a promising strategy to suppress tumor growth and spreading. Based on that, in this review, we pinpoint the hallmark-specific role of ERK5 in cancer in order to identify biological features that will potentially benefit from ERK5 targeting.

scholarly journals p38α Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Sensitizes Cells to Apoptosis Induced by Different Stimuli

2004 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 922-933 ◽  
Author(s):  
Almudena Porras ◽  
Susana Zuluaga ◽  
Emma Black ◽  
Amparo Valladares ◽  
Alberto M. Alvarez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Map Kinase ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase ◽  
Extracellular Signal Regulated Kinase ◽  
Survival Pathways ◽  
Proapoptotic Protein ◽  
Extracellular Signal ◽  
Survival Pathway ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein

p38α mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase is a broadly expressed signaling molecule that participates in the regulation of cellular responses to stress as well as in the control of proliferation and survival of many cell types. We have used cell lines derived from p38α knockout mice to study the role of this signaling pathway in the regulation of apoptosis. Here, we show that cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts lacking p38α are more resistant to apoptosis induced by different stimuli. The reduced apoptosis of p38α-deficient cells correlates with decreased expression of the mitochondrial proapoptotic protein Bax and the apoptosis-inducing receptor Fas/CD-95. Cells lacking p38α also have increased extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERKs) MAP kinase activity, and the up-regulation of this survival pathway seems to be at least partially responsible for the reduced levels of apoptosis in the absence of p38α. Phosphorylation of the transcription factor STAT3 on Ser-727, mediated by the extracellular signal-regulated kinase MAP kinase pathway, may contribute to the decrease in both Bax and Fas expression in p38α-/- cells. Thus, p38α seems to sensitize cells to apoptosis via both up-regulation of proapoptotic proteins and down-regulation of survival pathways.

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