title: Redox regulates COX-2 upregulation and cell death in the neuronal response to cadmium.
abstract: We reported previously that cadmium, an oxidative stressor, induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) upregulation in mouse neuronal cells that culminated in cell death. Herein, we show that cadmium induces reactive oxygen species (ROS) that activate c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and their substrates, activating transcription factor 2 (ATF-2), CRE-binding protein (CREB) and c-Jun. This response is accompanied by induction of heme-oxygenase-1 (HO-1), poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage and a caspase-independent cell death. Inhibition of p38 MAPK, but not JNK, suppressed COX-2 protein expression and the cytotoxic response induced by cadmium. Selective inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3-K), LY294002, and flavoproteins, dipheneylene iodonium chloride (DPI), attenuated cadmium-induced ROS and stress kinase activation, suggesting that ROS can signal the COX-2 upregulation and neuronal cell death mediated by p38 MAPK. Collectively, these findings implicate PI3-K, a flavoprotein, p38 MAPK and COX-2 in a neuronal redox-regulated pathway that mediates cadmium-induced oxidative stress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College of The City University of New York, New York, NY 10021, USA. rockwell@genectr.hunter.cuny.edu
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rockwell
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: Luena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Papa
authors.forename: Evan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gomes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016923:Cell Death; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism*; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4; D051379:Mice; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D007527:Isoenzymes; D002104:Cadmium; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases