title: Regulation of MEF2 by p38 MAPK and its implication in cardiomyocyte biology.
abstract: Myocyte enhancer factor-2 (MEF2), transcription factors and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) p38 are regulators of cardiac development and various pathophysiologic processes. The recent finding that p38 can directly regulate MEF2 transcription factors suggests a novel mechanism for reprogramming cardiac gene expression in response to neuroendocrine and/or stress stimulation. This review weighs the accumulating evidence for a p38 MAPK-MEF2 signal transduction cascade and discusses its role in cardiac myocyte biology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA. jhan@scripps.edu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Molkentin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D064326:MEF2 Transcription Factors; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D018006:Myogenic Regulatory Factors; D010766:Phosphorylation; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D064326:MEF2 Transcription Factors; D018006:Myogenic Regulatory Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases