scholarly journals Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Inhibitors and T-Cell-Dependent Immunotherapy in Cancer

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandeep Kumar ◽  
Daniel R. Principe ◽  
Sunil Kumar Singh ◽  
Navin Viswakarma ◽  
Gautam Sondarva ◽  
...  

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling networks serve to regulate a wide range of physiologic and cancer-associated cell processes. For instance, a variety of oncogenic mutations often lead to hyperactivation of MAPK signaling, thereby enhancing tumor cell proliferation and disease progression. As such, several components of the MAPK signaling network have been proposed as viable targets for cancer therapy. However, the contributions of MAPK signaling extend well beyond the tumor cells, and several MAPK effectors have been identified as key mediators of the tumor microenvironment (TME), particularly with respect to the local immune infiltrate. In fact, a blockade of various MAPK signals has been suggested to fundamentally alter the interaction between tumor cells and T lymphocytes and have been suggested a potential adjuvant to immune checkpoint inhibition in the clinic. Therefore, in this review article, we discuss the various mechanisms through which MAPK family members contribute to T-cell biology, as well as circumstances in which MAPK inhibition may potentiate or limit cancer immunotherapy.

2009 ◽  
Vol 29 (8) ◽  
pp. 2082-2091 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Lin ◽  
Angus Harding ◽  
Emanuele Giurisato ◽  
Andrey S. Shaw

ABSTRACT Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are evolutionarily conserved signaling pathways that regulate cell fate decisions. They generate a wide range of signal outputs, including graded and digital responses. In T cells, MAPK activation is digital in response to T-cell-receptor stimulation; however, whether other receptors on T cells that lead to MAPK activation are graded or digital is unknown. Here we evaluate MAPK activation in T cells at the single-cell level. We show that T cells responded digitally to stimulation with superantigen-loaded antigen-presenting cells, whereas they responded in a graded manner to the chemokine SDF-1, demonstrating that the system output of the MAPK module is highly plastic and determined by components upstream of the MAPK module. These findings also confirm that different MAPK system outputs are used by T cells to control discrete biological functions. Scaffold proteins are essential for proper MAPK signaling and function as they physically assemble multiple components and regulators of MAPK cascades. We found that the scaffold protein KSR1 regulated the threshold required for MAPK activation in T cells without affecting the nature of the response. We conclude that KSR1 plays a central role in determining the sensitivity of T-cell responses and is thus well positioned as a key control point.


2007 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 930-935 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Li Ji ◽  
Maria-Carmen Gomez-Cabrera ◽  
Jose Vina

Activation of nuclear factor (NF) κB and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways in skeletal muscle has been shown to enhance the gene expression of several enzymes that play an important role in maintaining oxidant–antioxidant homeostasis, such as mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). While an acute bout of exercise activates NFκB and MAPK signaling and upregulates MnSOD and iNOS, administration of chemical agents that suppress reactive oxygen species (ROS) production can cause attenuation of exercise-induced MnSOD and iNOS expression. Thus, ROS generation during exercise may have duel effects: the infliction of oxidative stress and damage, and the stimulation of adaptive responses favoring long-term protection. This scenario explains why animals and humans involved in exercise training have demonstrated increased resistance to oxidative damage under a wide range of physiological and pathological stresses.


2009 ◽  
Vol 419 (3) ◽  
pp. 669-679 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongzheng Wu ◽  
Sheldon I. Feinstein ◽  
Yefim Manevich ◽  
Ibrul Chowdhury ◽  
Jhang Ho Pak ◽  
...  

Prdx6 (peroxiredoxin 6), a bifunctional protein with both GSH peroxidase and PLA2 (phospholipase A2) [aiPLA2 (acidic calcium-independent PLA2)] activities, is responsible for the metabolism of lung surfactant phospholipids. We propose that the aiPLA2 activity of the enzyme is regulated through phosphorylation. Incubation of isolated rat alveolar type II cells (AECII) with PMA, a PKC (protein kinase C) agonist, had no effect on Prdx6 expression but led to ∼75% increase in aiPLA2 activity that was abolished by pretreatment of cells with the MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) inhibitors, SB202190 or PD98059. Prdx6 phosphorylation after incubation of AECII with PMA was demonstrated by autoradiography after immunoprecipitation with either anti-phosphothreonine o-phosphoserine antibodies. in vitro, several active isoforms of ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) and p38 phosphorylated Prdx6, resulting in an 11-fold increase in aiPLA2 activity. The increased activity was calcium-independent and was abolished by the aiPLA2 inhibitors, surfactant protein A and hexadecyl-3-trifluorethylglycero-sn-2-phospho-methanol (MJ33). The peroxidase activity of Prdx6 was unaffected by phosphorylation. Mass spectroscopic analysis of in vitro phosphorylated Prdx6 showed a unique phosphorylation site at Thr-177 and mutation of this residue abolished protein phosphorylation and the increase in MAPK-mediated activity. These results show that the MAPKs can mediate phosphorylation of Prdx6 at Thr-177 with a consequent marked increase in its aiPLA2 activity.


2006 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 423-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotta Grånäs ◽  
Betina Kerstin Lundholt ◽  
Frosty Loechel ◽  
Hans-Christian Pedersen ◽  
Sara Petersen Bjørn ◽  
...  

The RAS-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway has a central role in regulating the proliferation and survival of both normal and tumor cells. This pathway has been 1 focus area for the development of anticancer drugs, resulting in several compounds, primarily kinase inhibitors, in clinical testing. The authors have undertaken a cell-based, high-throughput screen using a novel ERF1 Redistribution® assay to identify compounds that modulate the signaling pathway. The hit compounds were subsequently tested for activity in a functional cell proliferation assay designed to selectively detect compounds inhibiting the proliferation of MAPK pathway-dependent cancer cells. The authors report the identification of 2 cell membrane-permeable compounds that exhibit activity in the ERF1 Redistribution® assay and selectively inhibit proliferation of MAPK pathway-dependent malignant melanoma cells at similar potencies (IC50 =< 5 μM). These compounds have drug-like structures and are negative in RAF, MEK, and ERK in vitro kinase assays. Drugs belonging to these compound classes may prove useful for treating cancers caused by excessive MAPK pathway signaling. The results also show that cell-based, high-content Redistribution® screens can detect compounds with different modes of action and reveal novel targets in a pathway known to be disease relevant.


2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (43) ◽  
pp. 10699-10704 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed El-Gokha ◽  
Stefan A. Laufer ◽  
Pierre Koch

An optimized and diverse synthetic approach for the preparation of potent pyridinylimidazole-based p38α MAP kinase inhibitors is reported.


JAMA Oncology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert M. J. Purbrick ◽  
Olaoluwakitan A. Osunkunle ◽  
Denis C. Talbot ◽  
Susan M. Downes

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