Deletion of the PDZ-binding kinase (Pbk) gene does not affect male fertility in mice

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (10) ◽  
pp. 893
Author(s):  
Yuka Miki ◽  
Lalitha Devi ◽  
Yuji Imai ◽  
Naojiro Minami ◽  
Tsuyoshi Koide ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Male Fertility ◽  
Male Mice ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
P38 Kinase ◽  
Kinase C ◽  
Fertilisation Rate ◽  
Extracellular Signal ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein ◽  
Tubule Diameter

The PDZ-binding kinase (PBK) protein is localised exclusively in spermatogenic cells, such as spermatogonia, spermatocytes and round spermatids, of the adult testis. However, its role in male fertility remains unknown. Analysis of adult Pbk-knockout (KO) male mice showed no significant difference in the weight of the testes, epididymis and seminal vesicle compared with adult wild-type (WT) mice. There were no significant differences in testis morphology, tubule diameter and the number of offspring born to females mated with KO or WT male mice. Sperm number, motility and morphology did not differ significantly between KO and WT mice. The oocyte fertilisation rate and embryo development following IVF were comparable between groups fertilised using spermatozoa from KO versus WT mice (P>0.05). Further analysis revealed that the phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) p38 kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinases was dysregulated in the testis of KO mice. In conclusion, Pbk-KO male mice are fertile and their spermatozoa and testis do not show any morphological and functional abnormalities despite the dysregulated phosphorylation of MAPKs. It is likely that functional redundancy of PBK and overlapping substrate specificities of the MAPK superfamily compensated for the loss of PBK from the testis.

scholarly journals TRAF6-Dependent Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Activation Differentially Regulates the Production of Interleukin-12 by Macrophages in Response to Toxoplasma gondii

2004 ◽  
Vol 72 (10) ◽  
pp. 5662-5667 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola J. Mason ◽  
Jim Fiore ◽  
Takashi Kobayashi ◽  
Katherine S. Masek ◽  
Yongwon Choi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Signaling Pathways ◽  
Intracellular Signaling ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase ◽  
Interleukin 12 ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Kinase Activation ◽  
Extracellular Signal ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein

ABSTRACT The production of interleukin-12 (IL-12) is critical to the development of innate and adaptive immune responses required for the control of intracellular pathogens. Many microbial products signal through Toll-like receptors (TLR) and activate NF-κB family members that are required for the production of IL-12. Recent studies suggest that components of the TLR pathway are required for the production of IL-12 in response to the parasite Toxoplasma gondii; however, the production of IL-12 in response to this parasite is independent of NF-κB activation. The adaptor molecule TRAF6 is involved in TLR signaling pathways and associates with serine/threonine kinases involved in the activation of both NF-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). To elucidate the intracellular signaling pathways involved in the production of IL-12 in response to soluble toxoplasma antigen (STAg), wild-type and TRAF6−/− mice were inoculated with STAg, and the production of IL-12(p40) was determined. TRAF6−/− mice failed to produce IL-12(p40) in response to STAg, and TRAF6−/− macrophages stimulated with STAg also failed to produce IL-12(p40). Studies using Western blot analysis of wild-type and TRAF6−/− macrophages revealed that stimulation with STAg resulted in the rapid TRAF6-dependent phosphorylation of p38 and extracellular signal-related kinase, which differentially regulated the production of IL-12(p40). The studies presented here demonstrate for the first time that the production of IL-12(p40) in response to toxoplasma is dependent upon TRAF6 and p38 MAPK.

Sites of phosphorylation in tau and factors affecting their regulation

2001 ◽  
Vol 67 ◽  
pp. 73-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian H. Anderton ◽  
Joanna Betts ◽  
Walter P. Blackstock ◽  
Jean-Pierre Brion ◽  
Sara Chapman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Glycogen Synthase ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Paired Helical Filaments ◽  
Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 ◽  
P38 Kinase ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Extracellular Signal ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein ◽  
Tau Mutation

The microtubule-associated protein, tau, is the principal component of paired helical filaments (PHFs) in Alzheimer's disease. PHF-tau is highly phosphorylated and a total of 25 sites of phosphorylation have so far been identified. Many of these sites are serine or threonine residues that are immediately followed in the sequence by proline residues, and hence are candidate phosphorylation sites for proline-directed kinases. In vitro, glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3), extracellular signal-related kinase-1 and -2, and mitogen-activated protein kinases, p38 kinase and c-jun N-terminal kinase, all phosphorylate many of these sites, although with different efficiencies for particular sites. Phosphorylation studies in transfected cells and neurons show that GSK-3 phosphorylates tau more extensively than do these other proline-directed kinases. Mutations in tau have been shown to affect in vitro phosphorylation of tau by GSK-3. The Arg406-->Trp (R406W) tau mutation also affects tau phosphorylation in cells.

Signaling through the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 cascade in cardiac myocytes

2004 ◽  
Vol 82 (6) ◽  
pp. 603-609 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Clerk ◽  
Peter H Sugden
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Myocytes ◽  
Intracellular Signaling ◽  
Regulation Of Transcription ◽  
Signal Integration ◽  
Extracellular Signal Regulated Kinase ◽  
Kinase C ◽  
Extracellular Signal ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein ◽  
Protein Kinase C Isoforms ◽  
Activate Protein Kinase

The extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) are particularly implicated in the growth response of cardiac myocytes. In these cells, the ERK1/2 pathway is potently activated by Gq protein-coupled receptor agonists (such as endothelin-1 or α-adrenergic agonists), which activate protein kinase C isoforms. Here, we review the mechanisms associated with the activation of the ERK1/2 pathway by these agonists with particular emphasis on signal integration into the pathway. Signaling to the nucleus and the regulation of transcription factor activity associated with ERK1/2 activation in cardiac myocytes are also discussed.Key words: mitogen-activated protein kinases, cardiac myocytes, intracellular signaling.

scholarly journals Distorter genes of the mouse t-complex impair male fertility when heterozygous

1987 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary F. Lyon
Keyword(s):  
Male Fertility ◽  
Genetic Background ◽  
Inbred Strains ◽  
Transmission Ratio Distortion ◽  
Chromosome 17 ◽  
Male Mice ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
T Complex ◽  
Ratio Distortion ◽  
Harmful Effects

SummaryMale mice heterozygous for two distorter genes, Tcd-1 and Tcd-2, of the mouse t-complex but homozygous wild type for the responder, were generated by crossing animals carrying the partial t-haplotypes th51 and th18 to inbred strains. The fertility of these males was then compared with that of their brothers carrying normal chromosome 17s. On three of the inbred backgrounds used, C3H/HeH, C57BL/6J and TFH/H, the th51th18 + / + + + males were significantly less fertile than their normal sibs. With the fourth inbred strain used, SM/JH, both types of male were nonnally fertile. This confirmed earlier preliminary findings that when both homologues of chromosome 17 carry wild-type alleles of the responder, heterozygosity for the distorter genes is sufficient to impair fertility, but the effect varies with genetic background. These results are consistent with the concept that both the transmission ratio distortion and the male sterility caused by the t-complex are due to harmful effects of the distorter genes on wild-type alleles of the responder.

scholarly journals Involvement of Guanosine Triphosphatases and Phospholipase C-γ2 in Extracellular Signal–regulated Kinase, c-Jun NH2-terminal Kinase, and p38 Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Activation by the B Cell Antigen Receptor

1998 ◽  
Vol 188 (7) ◽  
pp. 1287-1295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ari Hashimoto ◽  
Hidetaka Okada ◽  
Aimin Jiang ◽  
Mari Kurosaki ◽  
Steven Greenberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase ◽  
B Cell ◽  
Map Kinase ◽  
B Cell Antigen Receptor ◽  
Erk Activation ◽  
Extracellular Signal Regulated Kinase ◽  
Kinase C ◽  
Extracellular Signal ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein ◽  
Pkc Activation

Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family members, including extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (  JNK), and p38 MAP kinase, have been implicated in coupling the B cell antigen receptor (BCR) to transcriptional responses. However, the mechanisms that lead to the activation of these MAP kinase family members have been poorly elucidated. Here we demonstrate that the BCR-induced ERK activation is reduced by loss of Grb2 or expression of a dominant-negative form of Ras, RasN17, whereas this response is not affected by loss of Shc. The inhibition of the ERK response was also observed in phospholipase C (PLC)-γ2–deficient DT40 B cells, and expression of RasN17 in the PLC-γ2–deficient cells completely abrogated the ERK activation. The PLC-γ2 dependency of ERK activation was most likely due to protein kinase C (PKC) activation rather than calcium mobilization, since loss of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors did not affect ERK activation. Similar to cooperation of Ras with PKC activation in ERK response, both PLC-γ2–dependent signal and GTPase are required for BCR-induced JNK and p38 responses. JNK response is dependent on Rac1 and calcium mobilization, whereas p38 response requires Rac1 and PKC activation.

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