title: Bone morphogenetic protein-2 inhibits MAPK-dependent Elk-1 transactivation and DNA synthesis induced by EGF in mesangial cells.
abstract: Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) is a member of the TGFbeta superfamily of growth and differentiation factors. We investigated the effect of BMP-2 on epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced mitogenic signaling in kidney glomerular mesangial cells. BMP-2 dose-dependently inhibits EGF-induced DNA synthesis. Maximum effect was obtained at a concentration of 100 ng/ml. BMP-2 had no inhibitory effect on the EGF receptor (EGFR)-associated tyrosine kinase activity indicating that inhibition of DNA synthesis is due to regulation of post-receptor signaling event(s). EGF stimulates MAPK activity in mesangial cells in a time-dependent manner. Inhibition of MAPK by the MEK inhibitor PD098059 blocks EGF-induced DNA synthesis indicating the requirement of this enzyme activity in EGF-mediated mitogenic signaling. Furthermore, we show that exposure of mesangial cells to BMP-2 blocks EGF-induced MAPK activity which leads to phosphorylattion of Elk-1 transcription factor. Using a GAL-4 DNA binding-domain-Elk-1 transactivation domain fusion protein-based reporter assay, we demonstrate that BMP-2 inhibits EGF-induced Elk-1-mediated transcription. These data provide the first evidence that BMP-2 signaling in mesangial cells initiates a negative regulatory cross-talk with MAPK-based transcription to inhibit EGF-induced DNA synthesis.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000187:drug effects*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D005920:Glomerular Mesangium / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D014157:Transcription Factors; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D050807:ets-Domain Protein Elk-1