title: Induction of Egr-1 expression by the retinoid AHPN in human lung carcinoma cells is dependent on activated ERK1/2.
abstract: The novel retinoid 6-[3-(1-adamantyl)-4-hydroxyphenyl]-2-naphthalene carboxylic acid (AHPN/CD437) inhibits cell proliferation and is a very effective inducer of apoptosis in a variety of carcinoma cell lines. In order to obtain greater insight into the mechanism of AHPN-induced growth arrest and apoptosis, we began to examine AHPN-induced changes in gene expression by cDNA array screening using human lung carcinoma H460 cells. This analysis identified several AHPN-inducible genes, including the immediate-early genes Egr-1 and Nur77. AHPN was able to increase Egr-1 and Nur77 mRNA expression and protein in a variety of carcinoma cell lines. This induction appeared to be regulated at the transcriptional level and was specific for AHPN since an RAR- and an RXR-selective retinoid were inactive. These results suggest that the induction of Egr-1 and Nur77 by AHPN is independent of nuclear retinoid receptors and involves a novel mechanism. Overexpression of Bcl-2, which inhibits AHPN-induced apoptosis but not growth arrest in human T cell lymphoma Molt-4 cells, did not block the induction of immediate-early gene expression. Treatment of H460 cells with AHPN induced activation of the p38 MAP-kinase but not the ERK1/2 signaling pathway. However, inhibition of the ERK1/2 signaling pathway by PD98059 blocked the induction of Egr-1 and Nur77 mRNA while the p38 MAPK inhibitor PD169316 had little effect. Expression of a dominant-negative ERK1 completely abolished the increase in Egr-1 mRNA. Treatment with MAPK inhibitors or expression of dnERK1 reduced but did not block AHPN-induced apoptosis. Our results suggest that the induction of Egr-1 in H460 by AHPN requires active ERK1/2 and is independent of p38 activation. Egr-1, in cooperation with several other growth-suppressor proteins, is likely involved in AHPN-induced inhibition of cell growth and cell death.
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology Section, Laboratory of Pulmonary Pathobiology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, NC 27709, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakaue
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Jetten
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002455:Cell Division; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006801:Humans; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000502:physiology; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012176:Retinoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C099555:CD 437; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C497325:EGR1 protein, human; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D012176:Retinoids; D014157:Transcription Factors; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases