title: Shiga toxin 1-induced activation of c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase and p38 in the human monocytic cell line THP-1: possible involvement in the production of TNF-alpha.
abstract: Shiga toxin-producing enterohemorrhagic E. coli infections cause bloody diarrhea, which may progress to life-threatening complications such as the hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). HUS patients frequently have elevated levels of the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) detectable in urine. Thus, sequelae may develop following the localized production of proinflammatory cytokines within the kidneys. A possible source of these cytokines are macrophages, which respond to the toxins by producing TNF-alpha. We have shown previously that THP-1 cells produce soluble TNF-alpha in response to the toxins, whose production requires host-cell tyrosine-kinase activity and toxin-enzymatic activity. To further examine signaling pathways involved in TNF-alpha expression, we determined that JNK1 and -2 and p38, but not ERK1 or -2, were phosphorylated following toxin exposure. Blockade of p38 activation reduced TNF-alpha production following Shiga toxin 1 treatment. Finally, we present a model of the ribotoxic stress response triggered in human macrophages by Shiga toxins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Texas A & M University Health Science Center, College Station, Texas 77843-1114, USA.
authors.forename: Gregory H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: Vernon L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Tesh
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000276:immunology; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000276:immunology; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D022622:Shiga Toxin 1 / Q000633:toxicity*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
chemical_list: D022622:Shiga Toxin 1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases