title: Differential regulation of Jun N-terminal kinase and p38MAP kinase by Galpha12.
abstract: Based on the findings that the overexpression of the wild-type Galpha(12) (Galpha(12)WT) result in the oncogenic transformation of NIH3T3 cells in a serum-dependent manner, a model system has been established in which the mitogenic and subsequent cell transformation pathways activated by Galpha(12) can be turned on or off by the addition or removal of serum. Using this model system, our previous studies have shown that the stimulation of Galpha(12)WT or the expression of an activated mutant of Galpha(12) (Galpha(12)QL) leads to increased cell proliferation and subsequent oncogenic transformation of NIH3T3 cells, as well as persistent activation of Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs). In the present studies, we show that the stimulation of Galpha(12)WT or the expression of Galpha(12)QL results in a potent inhibition of p38MAPK, and that the mechanism by which Galpha(12) inhibits p38MAPK activity involves the dual specificity kinases upstream of p38MAPK. The results indicate that Galpha(12) attenuates the activation of MKK3 and MKK4, which are known to stimulate only p38MAPK or p38MAPK and JNK, respectively. The results also suggest that Galpha(12) activates JNKs specifically through the stimulation of the JNK-specific upstream kinase MKK7. These findings demonstrate for the first time that Galpha(12) differentially regulates JNK and p38MAPK by specifically activating MKK7, while inhibiting MKK3 and MKK4 in NIH3T3 cells. Since the stimulation of p38MAPK is often associated with apoptotic responses, our findings suggest that Galpha(12) stimulates cell proliferation and neoplastic transformation of NIH3T3 cells by attenuating p38MAPK-associated apoptotic responses, while activating the mitogenic responses through the stimulation of ERK- and JNK-mediated signaling pathways.
authors.affiliation: Fels Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Biology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dermott
authors.forename: Ji Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Chang Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dhanasekaran
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002455:Cell Division; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D044365:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, G12-G13 / Q000502:physiology*; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048371:MAP Kinase Kinase 3; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4; D048688:MAP Kinase Kinase 7; D051379:Mice; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
chemical_list: D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048371:MAP Kinase Kinase 3; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4; D048688:MAP Kinase Kinase 7; C482531:Map2k3 protein, mouse; C482562:Map2k4 protein, mouse; C482570:Map2k7 protein, mouse; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D044365:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, G12-G13