Oncogenic mutant RAS signaling activity is rescaled by the ERK/MAPK pathway
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus (mouse)
SUBMITTER: John G Albeck
PROVIDER: S-BSST511 | bioimages |
REPOSITORIES: bioimages
Similar Datasets
Project description:The contribution of deficient telomerase activity to age-related decline in osteoblast functions and bone formation is poorly studied. We have previously demonstrated that telomerase over-expression led to enhanced osteoblast differentiation of human bone marrow skeletal (stromal) stem cells (hMSC) in vitro and in vivo. Here, we investigated the signaling pathways underlying the regulatory functions of telomerase in osteoblastic cells. Comparative microarray analysis and Western blot analysis of telomerase-over expressing hMSC (hMSC-TERT) versus primary hMSC revealed significant up-regulation of several components of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling. Specifically, a significant increase in IGF-induced AKT phosphorylation and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity were observed in hMSC-TERT. Enhanced ALP activity was reduced in presence of IGF1 receptor inhibitor: picropodophyllin. In addition, telomerase deficiency caused significant reduction in IGF signaling proteins in osteoblastic cells cultured from telomerase deficient mice (Terc(-/-)). The low bone mass exhibited by Terc(-/-) mice was associated with significant reduction in serum levels of IGF1 and IGFBP3 as well as reduced skeletal mRNA expression of Igf1, Igf2, Igf2r, Igfbp5 and Igfbp6. IGF1-induced osteoblast differentiation was also impaired in Terc(-/-) MSC. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that impaired IGF/AKT signaling contributes to the observed decreased bone mass and bone formation exhibited by telomerase deficient osteoblastic cells.
| S-EPMC4602053 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Mitochondrial antiviral-signaling protein (MAVS), an adaptor protein of retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I)-like receptors (RLRs)-mediated signal pathway, is involved in innate immunity. In this study, Cherry Valley duck MAVS (duMAVS) was cloned from the spleen and analyzed. duMAVS was determined to have a caspase activation and recruitment domain at N-terminal, followed by a proline-rich domain and a transmembrane domain at C-terminal. Quantitative real-time PCR indicated that duMAVS was expressed in all tissues tested across a broad expression spectrum. The expression of duMAVS was significantly upregulated after infection with duck Tembusu virus (DTMUV). Overexpression of duMAVS could drive the activation of interferon (IFN)-β, nuclear factor-κB, interferon regulatory factor 7, and many downstream factors (such as Mx, PKR, OAS, and IL-8) in duck embryo fibroblast cells. What is more, RNA interference further confirmed that duMAVS was an important adaptor for IFN-β activation. The antiviral assay showed that duMAVS could suppress the various viral replications (DTMUV, novel reovirus, and duck plague virus) at early stages of infection. Overall, these results showed that the main signal pathway mediated by duMAVS and it had a broad-spectrum antiviral ability. This research will be helpful to better understanding the innate immune system of ducks.
| S-EPMC5030477 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Vascular malformations are linked to mutations in RAS p21 protein activator 1 (RASA1, also known as p120RasGAP); however, due to the global expression of this gene, it is unclear how these mutations specifically affect the vasculature. Here, we tested the hypothesis that RASA1 performs a critical effector function downstream of the endothelial receptor EPHB4. In zebrafish models, we found that either RASA1 or EPHB4 deficiency induced strikingly similar abnormalities in blood vessel formation and function. Expression of WT EPHB4 receptor or engineered receptors with altered RASA1 binding revealed that the ability of EPHB4 to recruit RASA1 is required to restore blood flow in EPHB4-deficient animals. Analysis of EPHB4-deficient zebrafish tissue lysates revealed that mTORC1 is robustly overactivated, and pharmacological inhibition of mTORC1 in these animals rescued both vessel structure and function. Furthermore, overexpression of mTORC1 in endothelial cells exacerbated vascular phenotypes in animals with reduced EPHB4 or RASA1, suggesting a functional EPHB4/RASA1/mTORC1 signaling axis in endothelial cells. Tissue samples from patients with arteriovenous malformations displayed strong endothelial phospho-S6 staining, indicating increased mTORC1 activity. These results indicate that deregulation of EPHB4/RASA1/mTORC1 signaling in endothelial cells promotes vascular malformation and suggest that mTORC1 inhibitors, many of which are approved for the treatment of certain cancers, should be further explored as a potential strategy to treat patients with vascular malformations.
| S-EPMC4089464 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Resveratrol is a plant-derived phytoalexin found in grapes, red wine and many other plants used in Asian folk medicine. It is extensively studied for pleiotropic biological activity. The most crucial are anticancer and chemopreventive properties. Resveratrol has also been reported to be an antioxidant and phytoestrogen. The phytoestrogenic activity of resveratrol was assayed in different in vitro and in vivo models. Although these works brought some, on the first look, conflicting results, it is commonly accepted that resveratrol interacts with estrogen receptors and functions as a mixed agonist/antagonist. It is widely accepted that the hydroxyl groups are crucial for resveratrol's cytotoxic and antioxidative activity and are responsible for binding estrogen receptors. In this work, we assayed 11 resveratrol analogues, seven barring methoxy groups and six hydroxylated analogues in different combinations at positions 3, 4, 5 and 3',4',5'. For this purpose, recombined estrogen receptors and estrogen-dependent MCF-7 and Ishikawa cells were used. Our study was supported by in silico docking studies. We have shown that, resveratrol and 3,4,4'5'-tetrahydroxystilbene, 3,3',4,5,5'-pentahydroxystilbene and 3,3',4,4',5,5'-hexahydroxystilbene may act as selective estrogen receptor modulators.
| S-EPMC9608462 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) growth factor signaling pathway plays an important role in embryonic development and in many physiological processes, for example the generation of an immune response. The pathway is frequently activated in cancer, driving cell division and influencing the activity of other signaling pathways, such as the MAPK, JAK-STAT and TGF? pathways, to enhance tumor growth, metastasis, and therapy resistance. Drugs that inhibit the pathway at various locations, e.g., receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK), PI3K, AKT and mTOR inhibitors, are clinically available. To predict drug response versus resistance, tests that measure PI3K pathway activity in a patient sample, preferably in combination with measuring the activity of other signaling pathways to identify potential resistance pathways, are needed. However, tests for signaling pathway activity are lacking, hampering optimal clinical application of these drugs. We recently reported the development and biological validation of a test that provides a quantitative PI3K pathway activity score for individual cell and tissue samples across cancer types, based on measuring Forkhead Box O (FOXO) transcription factor target gene mRNA levels in combination with a Bayesian computational interpretation model. A similar approach has been used to develop tests for other signaling pathways (e.g., estrogen and androgen receptor, Hedgehog, TGF?, Wnt and NF?B pathways). The potential utility of the test is discussed, e.g., to predict response and resistance to targeted drugs, immunotherapy, radiation and chemotherapy, as well as (pre-) clinical research and drug development.
| S-EPMC6468721 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Activating mutations in RAS are present in ~ 30% of human tumors, and the resulting aberrations in ERK/MAPK signaling play a central role in oncogenesis. However, the form of these signaling changes is uncertain, with activating RAS mutants linked to both increased and decreased ERK activation in vivo. Rationally targeting the kinase activity of this pathway requires clarification of the quantitative effects of RAS mutations. Here, we use live-cell imaging in cells expressing only one RAS isoform to quantify ERK activity with a new level of accuracy. We find that despite large differences in their biochemical activity, mutant KRAS isoforms within cells have similar ranges of ERK output. We identify roles for pathway-level effects, including variation in feedback strength and feedforward modulation of phosphatase activity, that act to rescale pathway sensitivity, ultimately resisting changes in the dynamic range of ERK activity while preserving responsiveness to growth factor stimuli. Our results reconcile seemingly inconsistent reports within the literature and imply that the signaling changes induced by RAS mutations early in oncogenesis are subtle.
| S-EPMC7569415 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β)-activated kinase 1 (TAK1) is a key regulator in the signals transduced by proinflammatory cytokines and Toll-like receptors (TLRs). The regulatory mechanism of TAK1 in response to various tissue types and stimuli remains incompletely understood. Here, we show that ribosomal S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) negatively regulates TLR-mediated signals by inhibiting TAK1 activity. S6K1 overexpression causes a marked reduction in NF-κB and AP-1 activity induced by stimulation of TLR2 or TLR4. In contrast, S6K1(-/-) and S6K1 knockdown cells display enhanced production of inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, S6K1(-/-) mice exhibit decreased survival in response to challenge with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We found that S6K1 inhibits TAK1 kinase activity by interfering with the interaction between TAK1 and TAB1, which is a key regulator protein for TAK1 catalytic function. Upon stimulation with TLR ligands, S6K1 deficiency causes a marked increase in TAK1 kinase activity that in turn induces a substantial enhancement of NF-κB-dependent gene expression, indicating that S6K1 is negatively involved in the TLR signaling pathway by the inhibition of TAK1 activity. Our findings contribute to understanding the molecular pathogenesis of the impaired immune responses seen in type 2 diabetes, where S6K1 plays a key role both in driving insulin resistance and modulating TLR signaling.
| S-EPMC3911500 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Oxysterols (OHCs) are byproducts of cholesterol oxidation that are known to activate the Hedeghog (Hh) signaling pathway. While OHCs that incorporate hydroxyl groups throughout the scaffold are known, those that act as agonists of Hh signaling primarily contain a single hydroxyl on the alkyl side chain. We sought to further explore how side chain hydroxylation patterns affect oxysterol-mediated Hh activation, by performing a structure-activity relationship study on a series of synthetic OHCs. The most active analogue, 23(R)-OHC (35), demonstrated potent activation of Hh signaling in two Hh-dependent cell lines (EC50 values 0.54-0.65 ?M). In addition, OHC 35 was approximately 3-fold selective for the Hh pathway as compared to the liver X receptor, a nuclear receptor that is also activated by endogenous OHCs. Finally, 35 induced osteogenic differentiation and osteoblast formation in cultured cells, indicating functional agonism of the Hh pathway.
| S-EPMC4025875 | biostudies-other
Project description:Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) development is regulated by several signaling pathways and a number of key transcription factors, which include Scl/Tal1, Runx1, and members of the Smad family. However, it remains unclear how these various determinants interact. Using a genome-wide computational screen based on the well characterized Scl +19 HSC enhancer, we have identified a related Smad6 enhancer that also targets expression to blood and endothelial cells in transgenic mice. Smad6, Bmp4, and Runx1 transcripts are concentrated along the ventral aspect of the E10.5 dorsal aorta in the aorta-gonad-mesonephros region from which HSCs originate. Moreover, Smad6, an inhibitor of Bmp4 signaling, binds and inhibits Runx1 activity, whereas Smad1, a positive mediator of Bmp4 signaling, transactivates the Runx1 promoter. Taken together, our results integrate three key determinants of HSC development; the Scl transcriptional network, Runx1 activity, and the Bmp4/Smad signaling pathway.
| S-EPMC1783401 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The Notch signal transduction pathway is pivotal for various physiological processes, including immune responses, and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of many diseases. The effectiveness of various targeted Notch pathway inhibitors may vary due to variabilities in Notch pathway activity among individual patients. The quantitative measurement of Notch pathway activity is therefore essential to identify patients who could benefit from targeted treatment. We here describe a new assay that infers a quantitative Notch pathway activity score from the mRNA levels of generally conserved direct NOTCH target genes. Following the calibration and biological validation of our Notch pathway activity model over a wide spectrum of human cancer types, we assessed Notch pathway activity in a cohort of T-ALL patient samples and related it to biological and clinical parameters, including outcome. We developed an assay using 18 select direct target genes and high-grade serous ovarian cancer for calibration. For validation, seven independent human datasets (mostly cancer series) were used to quantify Notch activity in agreement with expectations. For T-ALL, the median Notch pathway activity was highest for samples with strong NOTCH1-activating mutations, and T-ALL patients of the TLX subtype generally had the highest levels of Notch pathway activity. We observed a significant relationship between ICN1 levels and the absence/presence of NOTCH1-activating mutations with Notch pathway activity scores. Patients with the lowest Notch activity scores had the shortest event-free survival compared to other patients. High Notch pathway activity was not limited to T-ALL samples harboring strong NOTCH1 mutations, including juxtamembrane domain mutations or hetero-dimerization combined with PEST-domain or FBXW7 mutations, indicating that additional mechanisms may activate Notch signaling. The measured Notch pathway activity was related to intracellular NOTCH levels, indicating that the pathway activity score more accurately reflects Notch pathway activity than when it is predicted on the basis of NOTCH1 mutations. Importantly, patients with low Notch pathway activity had a significantly shorter event-free survival compared to patients showing higher activity.
| S-EPMC7692325 | biostudies-literature