title: Role of p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase in spontaneous apoptosis of human neutrophils.
abstract: Neutrophils constitutively undergo apoptosis at both normal and inflamed sites: an important process that limits the toxic potential of the neutrophil. However, the signal pathway for neutrophil apoptosis is currently unknown. In this study, we evaluated the role of p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in the spontaneous apoptosis of neutrophils in vitro. We found that p38-MAPK was constitutively tyrosine phosphorylated and activated during spontaneous apoptosis of neutrophils. Inhibition of p38-MAPK by SB203580 and an antisense oligonucleotide delayed apoptosis by approximately 24 h. The antioxidants catalase and N-acetylcysteine delayed neutrophil apoptosis, but failed to inhibit phosphorylation and activation of p38-MAPK. Granulocyte-macrophage CSF and anti-Fas Ab, which altered the rate of apoptosis, did not affect phosphorylation and activation of p38-MAPK. These results suggest that the constitutive phosphorylation and activation of p38-MAPK are involved in the program of spontaneous apoptosis in neutrophils.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Chest Institute, Tokyo Women's Medical College, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aoshiba
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yasui
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tamaoki
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nagai
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases