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A Ahlers

Publications and source records attributed to A Ahlers.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

MAPKAP kinase 2 is activated by heat shock and TNF-alpha: in vivo phosphorylation of small heat shock protein results from stimulation of the MAP kinase cascade.

The activation of MAPKAP kinase 2 was investigated under heat-shock conditions in mouse Ehrlich ascites tumor cells and after treatment of human MO7 cells with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). MAPKAP kinase 2 activity was determined using the small heat-shock proteins (sHsps) Hsp25 and Hsp27 as substrates. In both cell types, about a threefold increase in MAPKAP kinase 2 activity could be detected in a time interval of about 10-15 min after stimulation either by heat shock or TNF-alpha. Phosphorylation of MAPKAP kinase 2, but not the level of MAPKAP kinase 2 mRNA, was increased after heat shock in EAT cells. It is further shown that activation of MAPKAP kinase 2 in MO7 cells is accompanied by increased MAP kinase activity. These data strongly suggest that increased phosphorylation of the sHsps after heat shock or TNF-alpha treatment results from phosphorylation by MAPKAP kinase 2, which itself is activated by phosphorylation through MAP kinases. Hence, we demonstrate that MAPKAP kinase 2 is responsible not only for phosphorylation of sHsps in vitro but also in vivo. The findings link sHsp phosphorylation to the MAP kinase cascade, explaining the early phosphorylation of sHsp that is stimulated by a variety of inducers such as mitogens, phorbol esters, thrombin, calcium ionophores, and heat shock.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

The activity of transcription factor PBP, which binds to the proximal sequence element of mammalian U6 genes, is regulated during differentiation of F9 cells.

Mouse F9 embryonic carcinoma (EC) cells differentiate in culture to parietal endoderm (PE) cells upon induction with retinoic acid and cyclic AMP. In the course of this process, the expression of polymerase III transcripts, e.g., 5S rRNA and U6 small nuclear RNA, is dramatically reduced. This reduction of endogenous RNA content is accompanied by a loss of transcriptional capacity in cell extracts from PE cells. Partial purification of such extracts reveals that the DNA-binding activity of transcription factor PBP, binding specifically to the proximal sequence element (PSE) sequence of vertebrate U6 genes, is significantly reduced. This finding is corroborated by a loss in the transcriptional activity of this factor in reconstitution assays with partially purified polymerase III transcription components. In contrast, the activity of TFIIIA and TFIIIB and the amount of free TATA-binding protein remain unchanged during the differentiation process analyzed here. These data show for the first time that the PSE-binding protein PBP is essentially involved in the differential regulation of polymerase III genes governed by external promoters.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Interleukin (IL)-6 signaling leads to phosphorylation of the small heat shock protein (Hsp)27 through activation of the MAP kinase and MAPKAP kinase 2 pathway in monocytes and monocytic leukemia cells.

Interleukin-6 is a multifunctional cytokine which regulates various aspects of the host immune response. Here we show that signaling events transferred by IL-6 in monocytes and the U937 human monocytic leukemia cell line lead to the phosphorylation of the small heat shock protein (Hsp)27. Phosphorylation of Hsp27 is both dose- and time-dependent. In the absence of NaF, a serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitor, IL-6 failed to initiate Hsp27 phosphorylation in vitro. IL-6 also failed to phosphorylate Hsp27 when cells had been deactivated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as genistein. The capacity of cellular extracts to phosphorylate Hsp27 could be, however, restored when either immunoprecipitated activated MAP kinase or purified MAPKAP kinase 2 was added to cell lysates. These findings suggest that IL-6-mediated phosphorylation of Hsp27 results from activation of MAPKAP kinase 2, a serine/threonine kinase which is activated by MAP kinase. Taking together, our findings indicate that IL-6-induced activation of MAP kinase by IL-6 entails the activation of MAPKAP kinase 2 and subsequent phosphorylation of the Hsp27.

Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases↗
PubMed1994

Interleukin-3 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor induce activation of the MAPKAP kinase 2 resulting in in vitro serine phosphorylation of the small heat shock protein (Hsp 27).

Interleukin-3 (IL-3) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) have previously been reported to induce rapid phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase. However, little is known about signaling events initiated by both hematopoietins that occur downstream of the MAP kinase. MAP kinase has been shown to phosphorylate the AP-1 transcription factor and also to activate two kinases designated insulin-stimulated protein kinase-1 and MAP kinase-activated protein (MAP-KAP) kinase 2. We show here that IL-3 and GM-CSF induce MAPKAP kinase 2 activity in the human megakaryoblastic leukemia cell line MO7 and phosphorylate the human small heat shock protein Hsp 27 on serine residues in vitro. GM-CSF also induced Hsp 27 phosphorylation in neutrophils in a range similar to that observed in MO7 cells, suggesting that MAPKAP kinase 2-mediated Hsp 27 activation occurs independently of proliferation. Hsp 27 phosphorylation was dose-dependent, occurred as early as 5 minutes after factor exposure, and was inhibited by the tyrosine kinase inhibitors genistein and herbimycin A. Furthermore, the protein phosphatase A2 abolished IL-3- and GM-CSF-induced serine phosphorylation of Hsp 27. Taken together, our findings indicate that tyrosine phosphorylation of MAP kinase is a prerequisite for serine phosphorylation of Hsp 27, which is mediated by MAPKAP kinase 2. Hsp 27 has shown activation-dependent translocation from the cytosolic to the nuclear region and has been linked to the cellular stress response. However, its precise function is largely unknown. Our data identify Hsp 27 as a target of the IL-3/GM-CSF stimulation pathway that involves MAP kinase and MAPKAP kinase 2. In addition, our results indicate that Hsp 27 may be target of phosphorylation events not only in the stress response but also in unstressed cells responding to cytokine stimulation.

Benzoquinones↗
PubMed1994

Raf-1 is a necessary component of the mitogenic response of the human megakaryoblastic leukemia cell line MO7 to human stem cell factor, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interleukin 3, and interleukin 9.

We have examined the role of Raf-1 in the mitogenic response of the factor-deprived human megakaryoblastic leukemia cell line MO7 to recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interleukin 3, interleukin 9, and stem cell factor by using c-raf antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides. Uptake of oligodeoxyribonucleotides by MO7 cells was maximal at 5-10 h in culture, and oligomers remained stable in these cells for at least 24 h. Treatment of MO7 cells with the antisense oligomer resulted in intracellular oligomer/mRNA duplex formation followed by efficient translation blockade of c-raf-1. In contrast, sense and non-sense oligodeoxyribonucleotides failed to form intracellular duplexes and did not interfere with translation of c-raf-1, suggesting specific elimination of c-raf-1 by the antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotide. Furthermore, exposure of MO7 cells to c-raf-1 antisense prevented factor-induced nuclear translocation of Raf-1. Most importantly, proliferation of MO7 cells ([3H]thymidine incorporation) enabled by these growth factors was significantly reduced when the c-raf-1 antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotide was added to cultures, whereas the mitogenic response to these factors remained almost unaffected in the presence of sense and non-sense oligodeoxyribonucleotides.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Interleukin-1-induced intracellular signaling pathways converge in the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase and mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase 2 and the subsequent phosphorylation of the 27-kilodalton heat shock protein in monocytic cells.

Interleukin (IL)-1 plays a central role in human host defense. Binding of IL-1 to its receptor is associated with phosphorylation of various cellular target proteins, most of which are unidentified. The kinases responsible for target protein phosphorylation after IL-1 stimulation are also still not completely understood. We report here that IL-1 induced activation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase in primary monocytes and in the human monocytic leukemia cell line U-937. Activation of MAP kinase was followed by activation of MAP kinase-activated protein (MAPKAP) kinase 2, a serine/threonine kinase, leading to subsequent phosphorylation of the small heat shock protein [27-kDa heat shock protein (Hsp27)]. Phosphorylation of Hsp27 triggered by IL-1 was both dose and time dependent. IL-1 failed to phosphorylate Hsp27 when cells had been previously deactivated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as genistein. In those cells, however, Hsp27 phosphorylation could be reconstituted when activated immunoprecipitated MAP kinase or purified MAPKAP kinase 2 was added. Phosphorylation of Hsp27 could also be inhibited when NaF, a serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitor, was omitted. Taken together, our findings indicate that IL-1-induced intracellular signaling pathways converge in the activation of MAP kinase and MAPKAP kinase 2 and the subsequent phosphorylation of Hsp27.

Cell Line↗
PubMed1993

Phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate down-regulates expression of the c-kit proto-oncogene product.

Modulation of expression of the c-kit proto-oncogene product, the receptor for the recently identified stem cell factor, was studied on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-stimulated cultures of CD34+ normal bone marrow progenitor cells, blast cells from patients with primary acute myelogenous leukemia, cells from the leukemia cell lines HEL and MO7E, as well as cultured HMC-1 mast cells. Expression of c-kit was assessed on both RNA and protein level employing standard Northern blotting, reverse transcription, and polymerase chain reaction-based Southern blotting, as well as cell surface labeling with anti-c-kit mAb YB5.B8. Treatment of virtually all cell types with nontoxic concentrations of TPA (10(-9) M) for at least 48 h was associated with down-regulation of synthesis of c-kit transcripts and stem cell factor-receptor surface expression. Studies on the mechanism of action of TPA utilizing the HEL erythroleukemia line showed that TPA was primarily acting by accelerating the turnover of c-kit RNA most likely through induction of a destabilizing protein. The effect of TPA on c-kit expression levels was independent of TPA-mediated induction of differentiation since other compounds including IFN-gamma, vitamin D3, retinoic acid, arabinofuranosylcytosine, butyric acid, and camptothecin, which also effectively induced differentiation of HEL cells, failed to alter levels of c-kit expression.

Base Sequence↗