title: Active erk regulates microtubule stability in H-ras-transformed cells.
abstract: Increasing evidence suggests that activated erk regulates cell functions, at least in part, by mechanisms that do not require gene transcription. Here we show that the map kinase, erk, decorates microtubules (MTs) and mitotic spindles in both parental and mutant active ras-transfected 10T1/2 fibroblasts and MCF10A breast epithelial cells. Approximately 20% of total cellular erk decorated MTs in both cell lines. A greater proportion of activated erk was associated with MTs in the presence of mutant active H-ras than in parental cells. Activation of erk by the ras pathway coincided with a decrease in the stability of MT, as detected by a stability marker. The MKK1 inhibitor, PD98059 and transfection of a dominant negative MKK1 blocked ras-induced instability of MTs but did not modify the association of erk with MTs or affect MT stability of the parental cells. These results indicate that the subset of active erk kinase that associates with MTs contributes to their instability in the presence of a mutant active ras. The MT-associated subset of active erk likely contributes to the enhanced invasive and proliferative abilities of cells containing mutant active H-ras.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Turley
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D011905:Genes, ras / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D048369:MAP Kinase Kinase 1; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism*; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014404:Tubulin / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D014404:Tubulin; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048369:MAP Kinase Kinase 1; C482125:MAP2K1 protein, human; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; C093973:2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one