title: The PI 3-kinase-Rac-p38 MAP kinase pathway is involved in the formation of signet-ring cell carcinoma.
abstract: Signet-ring cell carcinoma is classified in poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with an aggressive nature and a poor prognosis. We have shown that the activation of PI 3-kinase in highly differentiated adenocarcinomas induces loss of cell-cell contact and formation of vacuoles, giving phenotypes similar to those of signet-ring cell lines. SB203580, a potent p38 MAP kinase inhibitor, blocked this transition, and expression of an active form of MKK6 (MKK6DA), an activator of p38 MAP kinase, gave effects similar to those induced by expression of the active form of PI 3-kinase (BD110), although formation of large vacuoles was not induced. Activation of MKK3, another activator of p38 MAP kinase, was activated in native signet-ring carcinoma cell lines. Anchorage-independent growth of signet-ring cell lines was inhibited by LY294002 or SB203580. These results suggest that p38 MAP kinase is functioning downstream of PI 3-kinase in signaling of the malignant phenotype. Secretion of mucins was enhanced in BD110-expressing cells, but not in MKK6DA-expressing cells, suggesting that secretion of mucins is independent of the MKK6-p38 MAP kinase cascade. Thus, there may be at least two pathways, p38 MAP kinase-dependent and -independent, which are involved in regulation of cell-cell contact and the protein secretion system, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biological Chemistry, Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Agricultural and Life Science, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Science, University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
authors.forename: Qingyun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Karouji
authors.forename: Michimoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Sayoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ihara
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Konishi
authors.forename: Yasuhisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukui
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D018279:Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002450:Cell Communication; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002867:Chromones / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D048371:MAP Kinase Kinase 3; D048669:MAP Kinase Kinase 6; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D009025:Morpholines / Q000494:pharmacology; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020744:rac GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002867:Chromones; D007093:Imidazoles; D009025:Morpholines; D018396:Mucin-1; D011725:Pyridines; C085911:2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048371:MAP Kinase Kinase 3; D048669:MAP Kinase Kinase 6; C482530:MAP2K3 protein, human; C482566:MAP2K6 protein, human; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D020744:rac GTP-Binding Proteins; C093642:SB 203580