title: Extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase, but not c-Jun N-terminal kinase, is activated by type II gonadotropin-releasing hormone involved in the inhibition of ovarian cancer cell proliferation.
abstract: Although a novel second form of GnRH (GnRH-II) has been reported to have an antiproliferative effect on gynecologic cancer cells, its biological mechanism remains to be elucidated. We have previously demonstrated that GnRH-II activates p38 MAPK. There is accumulating evidence that activation of MAPKs by GnRH-I and -II is important for cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. In the present study, we further investigated the involvement of GnRH-II in the inhibition of cell proliferation and activation of ERK1/2 and c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase/stress-activated protein kinase (JNK/SAPK) in ovarian cancer cells, OVCAR-3. The [(3)H]thymidine incorporation and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays revealed that treatment with GnRH-II suppresses cell proliferation of ovarian cancer cells. Western blot analysis demonstrated that ERK1/2 was activated by GnRH-II (100 nm). Moreover, PD98059 (10 mum), an inhibitor of a MAPK/ERK kinase, reversed the activation of ERK1/2 induced by GnRH-II. The activation of ERK1/2 by GnRH-II subsequently phosphorylated Elk-1 as a downstream pathway, which was blocked by PD98059. On the other hand, it is not likely that GnRH-II activates the JNK/SAPK pathway. Taken together, these results indicate that the ERK1/2 pathway is involved in the effect of GnRH-II on antiproliferation and may be an important target for ovarian cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of British Columbia, Room 2H-30, 4490 Oak Street Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Ki-Yon
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyung-Chul
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Se-Hyung
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Nelly
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Auersperg
authors.forename: Peter C K
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Leung
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D050807:ets-Domain Protein Elk-1
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C494112:ELK1 protein, human; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D050807:ets-Domain Protein Elk-1; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; C047717:LHRH, His(5)-Trp(7)-Tyr(8)-; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3