Value of 3D CT in diagnosis and treatment of fractures of the tibial plateau]

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a signaling molecule for brain cells including astrocytes. In these cells, it has been shown that ATP stimulates myelin basic protein (MBP) kinase activity which is believed to represent the Erk family of MAP kinases. Indeed, we show that ATP activates simultaneously MBP kinase activity and phosphotyrosine incorporation in p42 Erk2 and p44 Erk1. Maximal effect of ATP is obtained at 50 microM after 5 min and disappears after 60 min. Effect of ATP is mimicked by 2-methylthio-ATP whereas alpha beta-methyleneadenosine 5' triphosphate (AMP-CPP) and adenosine do not promote any effect. Uridine triphosphate (UTP) activates also p42 and p44 MAP kinases. These observations indicate that p42-p44 MAP kinases activation can be obtained through P2v and P2u receptors. Purinergic stimulation of Erk is insensitive to pertussis toxin which inactivates heterotrimeric Gi protein. It is not inhibited by a PLA2 inhibitor (4 bromophenacyl bromide [B phi B]) and the PI3 kinase inhibitor, wortmannin. In contrast, purinergic stimulation of Erk is partially inhibited by the PKC inhibitor. GF109203X, at 5 microM and suppressed when extracellular calcium is complexed by ethylene glycol-bis(2-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA).     

Astrocyte progression from G1 to S phase of the cell cycle depends upon multiple protein interaction

The proliferation of cultured astrocytes is positively and negatively regulated, respectively, by the endogenous neuropeptides, endothelin-3 (ET-3) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). Here, we determined the important steps for the modulation by ET and ANP of G1 to S phase cell cycle progression. ET-3 stimulated an increased number of fetal rat diencephalic astrocytes to progress through G1/S, and this was blocked significantly by ANP. ET augmented the gene expression and/or protein production of D-type, A and E cyclins, whereas ANP inhibited these events significantly. ET also stimulated the activation of the cyclin-dependent kinases Cdk2, Cdk4, and Cdk6, directed against the retinoblastoma protein pRb, and this was inhibited by as much as 80% by ANP. As an additional mechanism of cell cycle restraint, ANP stimulated the production of multiple cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitory (CKI) proteins, including p16, p27, and p57. This was critical because antisense oligonucleotides to each CKI reversed ANP-induced inhibition of ET-stimulated DNA synthesis by as much as 85%. CKI antisense oligonucleotides also reversed the ANP inhibition of Cdk phosphorylation of pRb. In turn, ET inhibited ANP-stimulated production of the CKIs, thereby promoting cell cycle progression. Specific and changing associations of the CKI with Cdk2 and Cdk4 were stimulated by ANP and inhibited by ET. Our findings identify several mechanisms by which endogenous modulators of astrocyte proliferation can control the G1-S progression and indicate that multiple CKIs are necessary to restrain cell cycle progression in these cells.     

Atrial natriuretic peptide inhibits endothelin-1-induced activation of JNK in glomerular mesangial cells

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) has been shown to counteract various actions of endothelin-1 (ET-1) in mesangial cells. We have reported that both extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) are activated by ET-1 and ET-1-induced activation of ERK is inhibited by ANP. To further clarify the action of ANP, we examined the effect of ANP on ET-1-induced activation of JNK. ANP inhibited ET-1-induced activation of JNK in a dose-dependent manner. This inhibitory effect of ANP was reversed by HS-142-1, an antagonist for biological receptors of ANP, while C-ANP, an analog specific to clearance receptors of ANP, failed to inhibit ET-1-induced activation of JNK. 8-Bromo-cGMP and sodium nitroprusside were also able to inhibit ET-1-induced activation of JNK, suggesting cGMP-dependent action of ANP. In contrast, ANP failed to inhibit interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta)-induced activation of JNK. Since an increase in intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) was shown to be necessary for ET-1-induced activation of JNK in mesangial cells, we measured [Ca2+]i using fura-2. ANP attenuated the ET-1-induced increase in [Ca2+]i in concentrations enough to inhibit ET-1-induced activation of JNK. Finally, ANP was able to inhibit ET-1-, but not IL-1 beta-induced increase in DNA-binding activity of AP-1 by gel shift assay. These results indicate that ANP is able to inhibit ET-1-induced activation of AP-1 by inhibiting both ERK and JNK, suggesting that ANP might be able to counteract the expression of AP-1-dependent genes induced by ET-1.     

Endothelin-induced activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases in glomerular mesangial cells from normotensive and stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats

1. Kinase assay in myelin basic protein (MBP) containing polyacrylamide gels revealed that endothelin-1 (ET-1) and ET-3 increased MBP kinase activities in glomerular mesangial cells (MC) from Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats and spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHRSP). ET-1 stimulated MBP kinase activities more potently than ET-3. 2. Immunoprecipitation with anti-41-kDa MAPK antiserum showed that the MBP kinases activated by ET-1 correspond to 43- and 41-kDa MAPK. 3. Since Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, a direct activator of protein kinase C, also activated MAPK, protein kinase C was suggested to mediate ET-induced activation of MAPK. 4. These results suggest that MAPK may mediate the ET actions in glomerular mesangial cells from normotensive rats as well as spontaneously hypertensive rats. Since ET is produced by vascular endothelial cells of the kidney and glomerular mesangial cells, the ET signalling pathway may have some physiological and pathophysiological significance in vivo glomerulus.     

Activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway is involved in and sufficient for megakaryocytic differentiation of CMK cells

Activation of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway has been associated with both cell proliferation and differentiation. Constitutively activated forms of Mek (MAP kinase/Erk kinase) and Erk (MAP kinase) have been previously shown capable of inducing differentiation or proliferation in nonhematopoietic cells. To specifically examine the role of Erk activation in megakaryocytic growth and development, we activated the MAP kinase pathway by the transfection of constitutively activated Mek or Erk cDNA into a human megakaryoblastic cell line, CMK, by electroporation. The CMK transfectant clones that expressed constitutively activated Mek or Erk showed morphologic changes of differentiation. Transfected cells also showed expression of mature megakaryocytic cell surface markers. The MAP kinase pathway was also activated by treatment of the hematopoietic cells with a cytokine that activates Erk. The treatment of CMK cells with stem cell factor (SCF ) caused MAP kinase activation and induced differentiation by the expression of mature megakaryocytic cell surface markers. The effects of the SCF treatment were inhibited by pretreatment with a specific inhibitor of the MAP kinase pathway, PD98059. In this report, we conclude that activation of the MAP kinase pathway was both necessary and sufficient to induce differentiation in this megakaryoblastic cell line.     

c-Src activation plays a role in endothelin-dependent hypertrophy of the cardiac myocyte

Activation of the atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) gene is regarded as one of the earliest and most reliable markers of hypertrophy in the ventricular cardiac myocyte. We have examined the role of the nonreceptor tyrosine kinases in the signaling mechanism(s) leading to hypertrophy using human ANP gene promoter activity as a marker. Endothelin (ET), a well known hypertrophic agonist, increased activity of c-Src, c-Yes, and Fyn within minutes and promoted a selective redistribution of each of these kinases within the cell. Overexpression of c-Src effected a significant increase in activity of a cotransfected human ANP promoter-driven chloramphenicol acetyl transferase reporter, while expression of either c-Yes or Fyn was considerably less effective in this regard. ET-dependent stimulation of the human ANP gene promoter was partially inhibited by co-transfection with dominant negative Ras or dominant negative Src or Csk or by treatment with the potent Src family-selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor PP1, suggesting that the Src family kinases are involved in signaling ET-dependent activation of this promoter. Both ET- and Src-dependent activation of the ANP promoter required the presence of a CArG motif in a serum response element-like structure between -422 and -413 but did not appear to require assembly of a ternary complex for full activity. These findings support a role for Src in the activation of ANP gene expression and suggest that this kinase may contribute in an important way to the signaling mechanisms that activate hypertrophy in the cardiac myocyte.