scholarly journals Exogenous C2-ceramide activates c-fos serum response element via Rac-dependent signalling pathway

1998 ◽  
Vol 330 (2) ◽  
pp. 1009-1014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Byung-Chul KIM ◽  
Jae-Hong KIM
Keyword(s):  
Phospholipase A2 ◽  
Reporter Gene ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Dominant Negative Mutant ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Response Element ◽  
Serum Response ◽  
Negative Mutant

Ceramide is an important regulatory molecule implicated in a variety of biological processes in response to stress and cytokines. To understand the signal transduction pathway of ceramide to the nucleus, in the present study, we examined whether C2-ceramide, a cell permeable ceramide, activates c-fos serum response element (SRE). Treatment of Rat-2 fibroblast cells with C2-ceramide caused the stimulation of c-fos SRE-dependent reporter gene activity in a dose- and time-dependent manner by transient transfection analysis. Next, we examined the role of Rho family GTPases in the ceramide-induced signalling to SRE activation. By reporter gene analysis following transient transfections with various plasmids expressing a dominant negative mutant form of Cdc42, Rac1 or RhoA, C2-ceramide-induced SRE activation was shown to be selectively repressed by pEXV-RacN17 encoding a dominant negative mutant of Rac1, suggesting that Rac activity is essential for the signalling cascade of ceramide to the nucleus. In a further study to analyse the downstream mediator of Rac in the ceramide-signalling pathway, we observed that either pretreatment with mepacrine, a potent and specific inhibitor of phospholipase A2, or co-transfection with antisense cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) oligonucleotide repressed the C2-ceramide-induced SRE activation selectively, implying a critical role of cPLA2 in C2-ceramide-induced signalling to nucleus. Consistent with these results, the translocation of cPLA2 protein as well as the release of arachidonic acid, a principal product of phospholipase A2, was rapidly induced by the addition of C2-ceramide in a Rac-dependent manner. Together, our findings suggest the critical role of ‘Rac and subsequent activation of phospholipase A2’ in ceramide-signalling to nucleus.

scholarly journals An Essential Role of the Jak-2/STAT-3/Cytosolic Phospholipase A2Axis in Platelet-derived Growth Factor BB-induced Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Motility

2004 ◽  
Vol 279 (44) ◽  
pp. 46122-46128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Indira Neeli ◽  
Zhimin Liu ◽  
Nagadhara Dronadula ◽  
Z. Alex Ma ◽  
Gadiparthi N. Rao
Keyword(s):  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Growth Factor ◽  
Tyrosine Phosphorylation ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Platelet Derived Growth Factor ◽  
Dominant Negative Mutant ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Cytosolic Phospholipase ◽  
Negative Mutant

Platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) is a potent motogen for vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). To understand its motogenic signaling events, we have studied the role of the Janus-activated kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (Jak/STAT) pathway and cytosolic phospholipase A2(cPLA2). PDGF-BB stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of Jak-2 and STAT-3 in a time-dependent manner in VSMCs. In addition, AG490 and Jak-2KEpRK5, a selective pharmacological inhibitor and a dominant negative mutant, respectively, of Jak-2, attenuated PDGF-BB-induced STAT-3 tyrosine phosphorylation and its DNA binding and reporter gene activities. PDGF-BB induced VSMC motility in a dose-dependent manner with a maximum effect at 10 ng/ml. Dominant negative mutant-dependent suppression of Jak-2 and STAT-3 blocked PDGF-BB-induced VSMC motility. PDGF-BB induced the expression of cPLA2in a Jak-2/STAT-3-dependent manner, and pharmacological inhibitors of cPLA2prevented PDGFBB-induced VSMC motility. Furthermore, either exogenous addition of arachidonic acid or forced expression of cPLA2rescued PDGF-BB-induced VSMC motility from inhibition by blockade of Jak-2 and STAT-3 activation. Together, these results for the first time show that PDGF-BB-induced VSMC motility requires activation of the Jak-2/STAT-3/cPLA2signaling axis.

scholarly journals β1-Integrin and PI 3-kinase regulate RhoA-dependent activation of skeletal α-actin promoter in myoblasts

2000 ◽  
Vol 278 (6) ◽  
pp. H1736-H1743 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Wei ◽  
Wei Zhou ◽  
Lu Wang ◽  
Robert J. Schwartz
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Promoter Activity ◽  
Serum Response Factor ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Dominant Negative Mutant ◽  
Muscle Gene Expression ◽  
Actin Promoter ◽  
Muscle Gene ◽  
Negative Mutant

RhoA GTPase, a regulator of actin cytoskeleton, is also involved in regulating c- fos gene expression through its effect on serum response factor (SRF) transcriptional activity. We have also shown that RhoA plays a critical role in myogenesis and regulates expression of SRF-dependent muscle genes, including skeletal α-actin. In the present study, we examined whether the RhoA signaling pathway cross talks with other myogenic signaling pathways to modulate skeletal α-actin promoter activity in myoblasts. We found that extracellular matrix proteins and the β1-integrin stimulated RhoA-dependent activation of the α-actin promoter. The muscle-specific isoform β1Dselectively activated the α-actin promoter in concert with RhoA but inhibited the c- fos promoter. In addition, focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase were required for full activation of the α-actin promoter by RhoA. Expression of a dominant negative mutant of FAK, application of wortmannin to cultured myoblasts, or expression of a dominant negative mutant of PI 3-kinase inhibited α-actin promoter activity induced by RhoA. These results suggest that RhoA, β1-integrin, FAK, and PI 3-kinase serve together as an important signaling network in regulating muscle gene expression.

scholarly journals Role of EGR-1 in thapsigargin-inducible apoptosis in the melanoma cell line A375-C6.

1995 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. 6262-6272 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Muthukkumar ◽  
P Nair ◽  
S F Sells ◽  
N G Maddiwar ◽  
R J Jacob ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Actinomycin D ◽  
Interleukin 1 ◽  
Growth Control ◽  
Melanoma Cells ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Dominant Negative Mutant ◽  
Functional Relevance ◽  
Antisense Oligomer ◽  
Negative Mutant

Induction of apoptosis by diverse exogenous signals is dependent on elevation of intracellular Ca2+. This process of cell death can be blocked by actinomycin D, indicating that it requires gene transcription events. To identify genes that are required for apoptosis, we used thapsigargin (TG), which inhibits endoplasmic reticulum-dependent Ca(2+)-ATPase and thereby increases cytosolic Ca2+. Exposure to TG led to induction of the zinc finger transcription factor, EGR-1, and apoptosis in human melanoma cells, A375-C6. To determine the functional relevance of EGR-1 expression in TG-inducible apoptosis, we employed a dominant negative mutant which functionally competes with EGR-1 in these cells. Interestingly, the dominant negative mutant inhibited TG-inducible apoptosis. Consistent with this observation, an antisense oligomer directed against Egr-1 also led to a diminution of the number of cells that undergo TG-inducible apoptosis. These results suggest a novel regulatory role for EGR-1 in mediating apoptosis that is induced by intracellular Ca2+ elevation. We have previously shown that in these melanoma cells, EGR-1 acts to inhibit the growth arresting action of interleukin-1. Together, these results imply that EGR-1 plays inducer-specific roles in growth control.

scholarly journals CRE and SRE mediate LPA-induced CCN1 transcription in mouse aortic smooth muscle cells

2017 ◽  
Vol 95 (3) ◽  
pp. 275-280
Author(s):  
Quanlin Dou ◽  
Feng Hao ◽  
Longsheng Sun ◽  
Xuemin Xu ◽  
Mei-Zhen Cui
Keyword(s):  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Reporter Gene ◽  
Muscle Cells ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Response Element ◽  
Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Aortic Smooth Muscle ◽  
Serum Response

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), one component of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL), is a potent bioactive phospholipid. Our recent data reveal that LPA induces matricellular protein CCN1 (also known as Cyr61) expression in aortic smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and that CCN1 bridges LPA and integrin signaling pathways leading to SMC migration. Whether and how LPA regulates the transcriptional machinery of the CCN1 gene are unknown. In this study, we found that LPA markedly induces CCN1 mRNA expression in SMCs. Using deleting mutation and reporter gene strategies, we demonstrated regions from –2038 to –1787 and from –101 to +63 of the CCN1 promoter contain the essential regulatory elements. The serum response element (SRE) and cyclic AMP-response element (CRE) are located in these regions. LPA induced time-dependent phosphorylation of serum response factor (SRF) and CRE-binding protein (CREB) in mouse SMCs. Luciferase assays of a series of deleted, mutated CCN1 promoter-reporter gene constructs and dominant negative construct revealed the distal SRE and the proximal CRE in the CCN1 promoter are required for LPA-induced CCN1 gene expression. Our results imply that elevated LPA levels may trigger SMC migration and exacerbate restenosis and atherosclerotic lesions through the induced CCN1, which communicates with a set of plasma membrane proteins and intracellular kinases.

scholarly journals The Membrane Dynamics of Pexophagy Are Influenced by Sar1p in Pichia pastoris

2008 ◽  
Vol 19 (11) ◽  
pp. 4888-4899 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura A. Schroder ◽  
Michael V. Ortiz ◽  
William A. Dunn
Keyword(s):  
Pichia Pastoris ◽  
Membrane Dynamics ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Dominant Negative Mutant ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Guanosine Triphosphate ◽  
Guanosine Diphosphate ◽  
Mutant Forms ◽  
Negative Mutant

Several Sec proteins including a guanosine diphosphate/guanosine triphosphate exchange factor for Sar1p have been implicated in autophagy. In this study, we investigated the role of Sar1p in pexophagy by expressing dominant-negative mutant forms of Sar1p in Pichia pastoris. When expressing sar1pT34N or sar1pH79G, starvation-induced autophagy, glucose-induced micropexophagy, and ethanol-induced macropexophagy are dramatically suppressed. These Sar1p mutants did not affect the initiation or expansion of the sequestering membranes nor the trafficking of Atg11p and Atg9p to these membranes during micropexophagy. However, the lipidation of Atg8p and assembly of the micropexophagic membrane apparatus, which are essential to complete the incorporation of the peroxisomes into the degradative vacuole, were inhibited when either Sar1p mutant protein was expressed. During macropexophagy, the expression of sar1pT34N inhibited the formation of the pexophagosome, whereas sar1pH79G suppressed the delivery of the peroxisome from the pexophagosome to the vacuole. The pexophagosome contained Atg8p in wild-type cells, but in cells expressing sar1pH79G these organelles contain both Atg8p and endoplasmic reticulum components as visualized by DsRFP-HDEL. Our results demonstrate key roles for Sar1p in both micro- and macropexophagy.

scholarly journals Modulation of PKCδ signaling alters the shear stress-mediated increases in endothelial nitric oxide synthase transcription: role of STAT3

2009 ◽  
Vol 296 (3) ◽  
pp. L519-L526 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neetu Sud ◽  
Sanjiv Kumar ◽  
Stephen Wedgwood ◽  
Stephen M. Black
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase ◽  
Promoter Activity ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Dominant Negative Mutant ◽  
Enos Expression ◽  
Oxide Synthase ◽  
Endothelial Nitric Oxide ◽  
Negative Mutant

We have previously shown that the regulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in endothelial cells isolated from fetal lamb under static conditions is positively regulated by PKCδ. In this study, we explore the role of PKCδ in regulating shear-induced upregulation of eNOS. We found that shear caused a decrease in PKCδ activation. Modulation of PKCδ before shear with a dominant negative mutant of PKCδ (DN PKCδ) or bryostatin (a known PKCδ activator) demonstrated that PKCδ inhibition potentiates the shear-mediated increases in eNOS expression and activity, while PKCδ activation inhibited these events. To gain insight into the mechanism by which PKCδ inhibits shear-induced eNOS expression, we examined activation of STAT3, a known target for PKCδ phosphorylation. We found that shear decreased the phosphorylation of STAT3. Further the transfection of cells with DN PKCδ reduced, while PKCδ activation enhanced, STAT3 phosphorylation in the presence of shear. Transfection of cells with a dominant negative mutant of STAT3 enhanced eNOS promoter activity and nitric oxide production in response to shear. Finally, we found that mutating the STAT3 binding site sequence within the eNOS promoter increased promoter activity in response to shear and that this was no longer inhibited by bryostatin. In conclusion, shear decreases PKCδ activity and, subsequently, reduces STAT3 binding to the eNOS promoter. This signaling pathway plays a previously unidentified role in the regulation of eNOS expression by shear stress.

scholarly journals Nuclear signalling by Rac GTPase: essential role of phospholipase A2

1997 ◽  
Vol 326 (2) ◽  
pp. 333-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Byung-Chul KIM ◽  
Jae-Hong KIM
Keyword(s):  
Phospholipase A2 ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Specific Inhibitor ◽  
Major Product ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Luciferase Reporter Gene ◽  
Inhibitory Protein ◽  
Rac Gtpase

Rac, one member of Rho family GTPases, stimulates c-fos serum response element (SRE)–luciferase reporter gene in Rat-2 fibroblast cells. By transient transfection analysis, we demonstrated that the activation of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and the subsequent production of arachidonic acid (AA) are essential for Rac-induced c-fos SRE activation, implying a critical role for PLA2 in the Rac-signalling pathway to the nucleus. Either pretreatment with mepacrine, a specific inhibitor of PLA2, or co-transfection with the expression plasmid of lipocortin-1, a proposed inhibitory protein of PLA2, selectively abolished RacV12-induced SRE activation. Further, we demonstrated that subsequent metabolism of AA, a major product of Rac-activated PLA2, by lipoxygenase (LO) is essential for Rac-induced c-fos SRE activation. In agreement with the role of the PLA2–AA–LO cascade as a potential mediator of Rac signalling to the nucleus, the addition of exogenous AA stimulated c-fos SRE-luciferase activity in an LO-dependent manner. Together, our results demonstrate that ‘Rac-activated PLA2 and subsequent AA metabolism by LO’ constitute a novel and specific pathway in Rac GTPase-induced c-fos SRE activation.

scholarly journals Microphthalmia Gene Product as a Signal Transducer in cAMP-Induced Differentiation of Melanocytes

1998 ◽  
Vol 142 (3) ◽  
pp. 827-835 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corine Bertolotto ◽  
Patricia Abbe ◽  
Timothy J. Hemesath ◽  
Karine Bille ◽  
David E. Fisher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pigment Cell ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Dominant Negative Mutant ◽  
Signal Transducer ◽  
Camp Response Element ◽  
Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone ◽  
Tyrosinase Gene ◽  
Camp Pathway

Melanocyte differentiation characterized by an increased melanogenesis, is stimulated by α-melanocyte–stimulating hormone through activation of the cAMP pathway. During this process, the expression of tyrosinase, the enzyme that controls melanin synthesis is upregulated. We previously showed that cAMP regulates transcription of the tyrosinase gene through a CATGTG motif that binds microphthalmia a transcription factor involved in melanocyte survival. Further, microphthalmia stimulates the transcriptional activity of the tyrosinase promoter and cAMP increases the binding of microphthalmia to the CATGTG motif. These observations led us to hypothesize that microphthalmia mediates the effect of cAMP on the expression of tyrosinase. The present study was designed to elucidate the mechanism by which cAMP regulates microphthalmia function and to prove our former hypothesis, suggesting that microphthalmia is a key component in cAMP-induced melanogenesis. First, we showed that cAMP upregulates the transcription of microphthalmia gene through a classical cAMP response element that is functional only in melanocytes. Then, using a dominant-negative mutant of microphthalmia, we demonstrated that microphthalmia is required for the cAMP effect on tyrosinase promoter. These findings disclose the mechanism by which cAMP stimulates tyrosinase expression and melanogenesis and emphasize the critical role of microphthalmia as signal transducer in cAMP-induced melanogenesis and pigment cell differentiation.

Targeting of GLUT6 (formerly GLUT9) and GLUT8 in rat adipose cells

2001 ◽  
Vol 358 (2) ◽  
pp. 517-522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivonne LISINSKI ◽  
Annette SCHÜRMANN ◽  
Hans-Georg JOOST ◽  
Samuel W. CUSHMAN ◽  
Hadi AL-HASANI
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Constitutive Expression ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Dominant Negative Mutant ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Subcellular Targeting ◽  
Intracellular Compartments ◽  
Adipose Cells ◽  
Negative Mutant

The subcellular targeting of the two recently cloned novel mammalian glucose transporters, GLUT6 {previously referred to as GLUT9 [Doege, Bocianski, Joost and Schürmann (2000) Biochem. J. 350, 771–776]} and GLUT8, was analysed by expression of haemagglutinin (HA)-epitope-tagged GLUTs in transiently transfected primary rat adipose cells. Similar to HA-GLUT4, both transporters, HA-GLUT6 and HA-GLUT8, were retained in intracellular compartments in non-stimulated cells. In contrast, mutation of the N-terminal dileucine motifs in both constructs led to constitutive expression of the proteins on the plasma membrane. Likewise, when endocytosis was blocked by co-expression of a dominant-negative mutant of the dynamin GTPase, wild-type HA-GLUT6 and HA-GLUT8 accumulated on the cell surface. However, in contrast with HA-GLUT4, no translocation of HA-GLUT6 and HA-GLUT8 to the plasma membrane was observed when the cells were stimulated with insulin, phorbol ester or hyperosmolarity. Thus GLUT6 and GLUT8 appear to recycle in a dynamin-dependent manner between internal membranes and the plasma membrane in rat adipose cells, but are unresponsive to stimuli that induce translocation of GLUT4.

scholarly journals The Rho effector, PKN, regulates ANF gene transcription in cardiomyocytes through a serum response element

2000 ◽  
Vol 278 (6) ◽  
pp. H1769-H1774 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael R. Morissette ◽  
Valerie P. Sah ◽  
Christopher C. Glembotski ◽  
Joan Heller Brown
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Reporter Gene ◽  
Dominant Negative ◽  
Neonatal Rat ◽  
Common Element ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Serum Response Element ◽  
Transcriptional Responses ◽  
Response Element ◽  
Serum Response

The low-molecular-weight GTP-binding protein RhoA mediates hypertrophic growth and atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) gene expression in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes. Neither the effector nor the promoter elements through which Rho exerts its regulatory effects on ANF gene expression have been elucidated. When constitutively activated forms of Rho kinase and two protein kinase C-related kinases, PKN (PRK1) and PRK2, were compared, only PKN generated a robust stimulation of a luciferase reporter gene driven by a 638-bp fragment on the ANF promoter. This ANF promoter fragment contains a proximal serum response element (SRE) and an Sp-1-like element required for the transcriptional response to phenylephrine (PE). This response was inhibited by dominant negative Rho. The ability of dominant negative Rho to inhibit the response to PE and the ability of PKN to stimulate ANF reporter gene expression were both lost when the SRE was mutated. Mutation of the Sp-1-like element also attenuated the response to PKN. A minimal promoter driven by ANF SRE sequences was sufficient to confer Rho- and PKN-mediated gene expression. Interestingly, PKN preferentially stimulated the ANF versus the c- fos SRE reporter gene. Thus PKN and Rho are able to regulate transcriptional activation of the ANF SRE by a common element that could implicate PKN as a downstream effector of Rho in transcriptional responses associated with hypertrophy.

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