[The role of the MAPK pathway in mandibular condylar chondrocytes mechanotransduction].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression and distribution of extracellular-regulated protein kinase (ERK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase (JNK/SAPK) under the mechanical pressure in rabbit mandibular condylar chondrocytes (MCC).


METHODS
In vitro cultured MCC from two-week-old New Zealand rabbits were incubated. Under continuous pressure of 90 kPa for 60 minutes and 360 minutes by hydraulic pressure controlled cellular strain unit, the expression of ERK1 and JNK1 were evaluated by Western blot analyses. The distributions of them were observed by immunocytochemical staining.


RESULTS
The expression of ERK1 increased by 73.21%+/-1.28% under the pressure of 90 kPa for 60 minutes and 32.57%+/-1.43% under the pressure of 90 kPa for 360 minutes (P<0.01)respectively. But that of JNK1 reached the highest till 360 minutes. And the expression of it increased by 38.24%+/-1.38% under the pressure of 90 kPa for 60 minutes and 83.74%+/-1.52% for 360 minutes (P<0.01). Under the pressure, the distribution of both ERK1 and JNK1 showed translocation from cytoplasm to nuclei.


CONCLUSIONS
MAPK pathway is an important access for MCC mechanotransduction. Feasible pressure could promote the expression and translocation of both ERK1 and JNK1.
Zhang
Min
M
Department of Oral Anatomy and Physiology, School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shanxi Providence, China. zhangmin@fmmu.edu.cn
Wang
Mei-qing
MQ
Wang
Jing-jie
JJ
D000818:Animals; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D008335:Mandibular Condyle / Q000378:metabolism*; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular / Q000502:physiology*; D011817:Rabbits
D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases