scholarly journals Functional Roles of p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase in Macrophage-Mediated Inflammatory Responses

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanyan Yang ◽  
Seung Cheol Kim ◽  
Tao Yu ◽  
Young-Su Yi ◽  
Man Hee Rhee ◽  
...  

Inflammation is a natural host defensive process that is largely regulated by macrophages during the innate immune response. Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are proline-directed serine and threonine protein kinases that regulate many physiological and pathophysiological cell responses. p38 MAPKs are key MAPKs involved in the production of inflammatory mediators, including tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). p38 MAPK signaling plays an essential role in regulating cellular processes, especially inflammation. In this paper, we summarize the characteristics of p38 signaling in macrophage-mediated inflammation. In addition, we discuss the potential of using inhibitors targeting p38 expression in macrophages to treat inflammatory diseases.

2006 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 170-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Ronkina ◽  
A. Kotlyarov ◽  
O. Dittrich-Breiholz ◽  
M. Kracht ◽  
E. Hitti ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT MK2 and MK3 represent protein kinases downstream of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Deletion of the MK2 gene in mice resulted in an impaired inflammatory response although MK3, which displays extensive structural similarities and identical functional properties in vitro, is still present. Here, we analyze tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production and expression of p38 MAPK and tristetraprolin (TTP) in MK3-deficient mice and demonstrate that there are no significant differences with wild-type animals. We show that in vivo MK2 and MK3 are expressed and activated in parallel. However, the level of activity of MK2 is always significantly higher than that of MK3. Accordingly, we hypothesized that MK3 could have significant effects only in an MK2-free background and generated MK2/MK3 double-knockout mice. Unexpectedly, these mice are viable and show no obvious defects due to loss of compensation between MK2 and MK3. However, there is a further reduction of TNF production and expression of p38 and TTP in double-knockout mice compared to MK2-deficient mice. This finding, together with the observation that ectopically expressed MK3 can rescue MK2 deficiency similarly to MK2, indicates that both kinases share the same physiological function in vivo but are expressed to different levels.


2003 ◽  
Vol 23 (15) ◽  
pp. 5132-5142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hisashi Tatebe ◽  
Kazuhiro Shiozaki

ABSTRACT Eukaryotic cells utilize multiple mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) to transmit various extracellular stimuli to the nucleus. A subfamily of MAPKs that mediates environmental stress stimuli is also called stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK), which has crucial roles in cellular survival under stress conditions as well as inflammatory responses. Here we report that Cdc37, an evolutionarily conserved kinase-specific chaperone, is a positive regulator of Spc1 SAPK in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Through a genetic screen, we have identified cdc37 as a mutation that compromises signaling through Spc1 SAPK. The Cdc37 protein physically interacts with Spc1, and the cdc37 mutation affects both the cellular level of the Spc1 protein and stress-induced Spc1 phosphorylation by Wis1 MAPK kinase (MAPKK). Consistently, expression of the stress response genes regulated by the Spc1 pathway is compromised in cdc37 mutant cells. On the other hand, a mutation in Hsp90, which often cooperates with Cdc37 in chaperoning protein kinases, does not affect Spc1 SAPK. These results suggest that Spc1 SAPK is a novel client protein for the Cdc37 chaperone, and the Cdc37 function is important to maintain the stability of the Spc1 protein and to facilitate stress signaling from Wis1 MAPKK to Spc1 SAPK.


2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (03) ◽  
pp. 579-593 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Wang ◽  
Tianjing Ren ◽  
Lucong Zheng ◽  
Hubiao Chen ◽  
Joshua Kashun Ko ◽  
...  

Excessive nitric oxide (NO) and pro-inflammatory cytokines are produced during the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases and cancer. It has been demonstrated that anti-inflammation contributes Astragalus membranaceus saponins (AST)’s beneficial effects in combination of conventional anticancer drugs. However, the immunomodulating property of AST has not been well characterized. In this study, we found that AST suppressed lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced generation of NO without causing cytotoxicity in the mouse macrophage RAW264.7. The gene and protein overexpression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) as well as the production of tumor necrosis factor-[Formula: see text], evoked by LPS, was consistently down-regulated by AST. AST also inhibited the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and suppressed nuclear factor (NF)-[Formula: see text]B activation and the associated I[Formula: see text]B[Formula: see text] degradation during LPS insult. Furthermore, AST induced growth inhibition in promyelocytic leukemic HL-60 cells and T-lymphocyte leukemic Jurkat cells, but exerted no cytotoxic effects in normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). It is known that the chemotherapeutic drug 5-FU can suppress the immune system, which can be identified by a reduced white blood cell count and decreased hematocrit, while the combination of AST and 5-FU can reverse the above hematologic toxicities. To summarize, non-cytotoxic concentrations of AST suppress LPS-induced inflammatory responses via the modulation of p38 MAPK signaling and the inhibition of NO and cytokine release. Importantly, AST can alleviate the hematologic side effects of current chemotherapeutic agents. These findings can facilitate the establishment of AST in the treatment of inflammatory diseases and inflammation-mediated tumor development.


2013 ◽  
Vol 394 (9) ◽  
pp. 1115-1132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ugo Moens ◽  
Sergiy Kostenko

Abstract Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways are important signal transduction pathways that control pivotal cellular processes including proliferation, differentiation, survival, apoptosis, gene regulation, and motility. MAPK pathways consist of a relay of consecutive phosphorylation events exerted by MAPK kinase kinases, MAPK kinases, and MAPKs. Conventional MAPKs are characterized by a conserved Thr-X-Tyr motif in the activation loop of the kinase domain, while atypical MAPKs lack this motif and do not seem to be organized into the classical three-tiered kinase cascade. One functional group of conventional and atypical MAPK substrates consists of protein kinases known as MAPK-activated protein kinases. Eleven mammalian MAPK-activated protein kinases have been identified, and they are divided into five subgroups: the ribosomal-S6-kinases RSK1-4, the MAPK-interacting kinases MNK1 and 2, the mitogen- and stress-activated kinases MSK1 and 2, the MAPK-activated protein kinases MK2 and 3, and the MAPK-activated protein kinase MK5 (also referred to as PRAK). MK5/PRAK is the only MAPK-activated protein kinase that is a substrate for both conventional and atypical MAPK, while all other MAPKAPKs are exclusively phosphorylated by conventional MAPKs. This review focuses on the structure, activation, substrates, functions, and possible implications of MK5/PRAK in malignant and nonmalignant diseases.


Marine Drugs ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 355
Author(s):  
Kalahe Hewage Iresha Nadeeka Madushani Herath ◽  
Hyo Jin Kim ◽  
Jae-Hyuk Jang ◽  
Hyun-Soo Kim ◽  
Hyun Jung Kim ◽  
...  

Chromanols from marine algae are studied for drug development due to its prominent bioactive properties, and mojabanchromanol (MC), a chromanol isolated from a brown algae Sargassum horneri, is found to possess anti-oxidant potential. In this study, we hypothesized MC may attenuate particulate matter (PM)-induced and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated inflammatory responses in airways and tried to identify its potential and underlying mechanism against PM (majority <2.5 µm in diameter)-induced inflammatory responses in a lung type II alveolar epithelial cell line, MLE-12. MC attenuated PM-induced malondialdehyde (MDA), a lipid peroxidation end product, and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), the most representative DNA oxidative damage product, further validating MC’s potential in attenuating PM-induced oxidative stress. MC also suppressed PM-triggered TLR2/4/7 activation in MLE-12 cells. Moreover, MC reduced ROS-mediated phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2) and c-Jun NH (2)-terminal kinase (JNK) that were also activated in PM exposed cells. MC further inhibited the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β and IL-33) in MLE-12 cells exposed to PM. These results provide a clear evidence for MC’s potential in attenuating PM-triggered inflammatory responses in MLE-12 cells via repressing TLR2/4/7 and MAPK signaling. Therefore, MC can be developed as a therapeutic agent against PM induced airway inflammatory responses.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoting Liao ◽  
Weikang Zhang ◽  
Huijun Dai ◽  
Ren Jing ◽  
Mengling Ye ◽  
...  

Ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) is one of the most common complications of mechanical ventilation and can severely affect health. VILI appears to involve excessive inflammatory responses, but its pathogenesis has not yet been clarified. Since interleukin-17 (IL-17) plays a critical role in the immune system and the development of infectious and inflammatory diseases, we investigated here whether it plays a role in VILI. In a mouse model of VILI, mechanical ventilation with high tidal volume promoted the accumulation of lung neutrophils, leading to increased IL-17 levels in the lung, which in turn upregulated macrophage chemoattractant protein-1 via p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. Depletion of neutrophils decreases the production IL-17 in mice and inhibition of IL-17 significantly reduced HTV-induced lung injury and inflammatory response. These results were confirmed in vitro using RAW264.7 macrophage cultures. Our results suggest that IL-17 plays a pro-inflammatory role in VILI and could serve as a new target for its treatment.


Planta Medica ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 85 (04) ◽  
pp. 302-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hee-Weon Lee ◽  
JinWook Kim ◽  
Joung-Han Yim ◽  
Hong-Kum Lee ◽  
Suhkneung Pyo

Lobaric acid (LA) is a constituent of the lichen Stereocaulon alpinum. LA has multiple biological activities, including antibacterial and antioxidant ones. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of LA and its mechanism on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory responses in macrophages. Macrophages were pretreated with different concentrations of LA (0.2 – 20 µM), followed by LPS stimulation. LA treatment of LPS stimulated macrophages decreased their nitric oxide production and the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and prostaglandin E2. LA also significantly reduced the production of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin (IL)-6 by inhibiting the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). Additionally, LA inhibited the production of IL-1β and IL-18, as well as caspase-1 maturation, by inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome activation in LPS/ATP-stimulated cells. These results strongly suggest that LA could inhibit inflammation by downregulating NF-κB/MAPK pathways and NLRP3 inflammasome activation in activated macrophages. These results reveal a new therapeutic approach to modulate inflammatory diseases linked to deregulated inflammasome activities.


2009 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 351-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gwen E Dressing ◽  
Christy R Hagan ◽  
Todd P Knutson ◽  
Andrea R Daniel ◽  
Carol A Lange

Progesterone receptors (PR), members of the nuclear receptor superfamily, function as ligand-activated transcription factors and initiators of c-Src kinase and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling. Bidirectional cross-talk between PR and mitogenic protein kinases results in changes in PR post-translational modification, leading to alterations in PR transcriptional activity and promoter selectivity. PR-induced rapid activation of cytoplasmic protein kinases insures precise regulatory input to downstream cellular processes that are dependent upon nuclear PR, such as cell-cycle progression, and pro-survival signaling. Here, we review interactions between PR and mitogenic protein kinases and discuss the consequences of specific post-translational modifications on PR action in breast cancer cell-line models.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 6041
Author(s):  
Yoshitoshi Kasuya ◽  
Jun-Dal Kim ◽  
Masahiko Hatano ◽  
Koichiro Tatsumi ◽  
Shuichi Matsuda

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is one of the most symptomatic progressive fibrotic lung diseases, in which patients have an extremely poor prognosis. Therefore, understanding the precise molecular mechanisms underlying pulmonary fibrosis is necessary for the development of new therapeutic options. Stress-activated protein kinases (SAPKs), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38) are ubiquitously expressed in various types of cells and activated in response to cellular environmental stresses, including inflammatory and apoptotic stimuli. Type II alveolar epithelial cells, fibroblasts, and macrophages are known to participate in the progression of pulmonary fibrosis. SAPKs can control fibrogenesis by regulating the cellular processes and molecular functions in various types of lung cells (including cells of the epithelium, interstitial connective tissue, blood vessels, and hematopoietic and lymphoid tissue), all aspects of which remain to be elucidated. We recently reported that the stepwise elevation of intrinsic p38 signaling in the lungs is correlated with a worsening severity of bleomycin-induced fibrosis, indicating an importance of this pathway in the progression of pulmonary fibrosis. In addition, a transcriptome analysis of RNA-sequencing data from this unique model demonstrated that several lines of mechanisms are involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis, which provides a basis for further studies. Here, we review the accumulating evidence for the spatial and temporal roles of SAPKs in pulmonary fibrosis.


2021 ◽  
pp. 42-42
Author(s):  
Da Jung ◽  
Su Lim ◽  
Chang Lee

Sorbus commixta is a tree of the Rosaceae family growing in Asia that has long been used to treat asthma and neuralgia. In a previous report, the chemical isolated from the bark of S. commixta was shown to suppress the production of nitric oxide (NO) and preinflammation by down regulating the NF-?B pathway in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Vitiligo is an acquired immune disease, usually characterized by white spots on the skin; however, its exact cause has not been identified. This study assessed the effects of an ethanol extract of S. commixta twigs (STE) on melanocyte activation, as well as its antiinflammatory and antioxidant properties. STE significantly increased the proliferation and melanin content of B16 melanocytes. Because of the importance of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-? in inflammatory diseases, including the stimulation of vitiligo, the antiinflammatory effects of STE were tested in TNF-?-stimulated dermal fibroblasts and keratinocytes. STE reduced the levels of expression of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF- ? mRNA and proteins. To assess the underlying molecular mechanism, the effects of STE on the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling process were analyzed in dermal fibroblasts. Results show that STE inactivated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). In addition, STE exhibited antioxidative properties in assays of DPPH radical scavenging activity. Taken together, these findings suggest that STE has potential therapeutic activity in vitiligo.


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