One-way cross-talk between p38(MAPK) and p42/44(MAPK). Inhibition of p38(MAPK) induces low density lipoprotein receptor expression through activation of the p42/44(MAPK) cascade.
In this paper, we report that SB202190 alone, a specific inhibitor of p38(MAPK), induces low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor expression (6-8-fold) in a sterol-sensitive manner in HepG2 cells. Consistent with this finding, selective activation of the p38(MAPK) signaling pathway by expression of MKK6b(E), a constitutive activator of p38(MAPK), significantly reduced LDL receptor promoter activity. Expression of the p38(MAPK) alpha-isoform had a similar effect, whereas expression of the p38(MAPK) betaII-isoform had no significant effect on LDL receptor promoter activity. SB202190-dependent increase in LDL receptor expression was accompanied by induction of p42/44(MAPK), and inhibition of this pathway completely prevented SB202190-induced LDL receptor expression, suggesting that p38(MAPK) negatively regulates the p42/44(MAPK) cascade and the responses mediated by this kinase. Cross-talk between these kinases appears to be one-way because modulation of p42/44(MAPK) activity did not affect p38(MAPK) activation by a variety of stress inducers. Taken together, these findings reveal a hitherto unrecognized one-way communication that exists between p38(MAPK) and p42/44(MAPK) and provide the first evidence that through the p42/44(MAPK) signaling cascade, the p38(MAPK) alpha-isoform negatively regulates LDL receptor expression, thus representing a novel mechanism of fine tuning cellular levels of cholesterol in response to a diverse set of environmental cues.
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, USA.
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Singh
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Dhawan
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Golden
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Kapoor
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Mehta
D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011973:Receptors, LDL / Q000235:genetics*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005419:Flavonoids; D007093:Imidazoles; D011725:Pyridines; D011973:Receptors, LDL; D002784:Cholesterol; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C090942:4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)imidazole; C093973:2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one