title: Differential involvement of p38 and JNK MAP kinases in HIV-1 Tat and gp120-induced apoptosis and neurite degeneration in striatal neurons.
abstract: The role of p38 and c-jun-N-terminal kinases 1/2, members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase family, in mediating the toxic effects of human immunodeficiency virus-1 transactivator of transcription (Tat) and gp120 were explored in primary mouse striatal neurons in vitro. Both Tat and gp120 caused significant increases in p38 and c-jun-N-terminal kinase mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation, caspase-3 activity, neurite losses and cell death in striatal neurons. Tat-induced increases in caspase-3 activity were significantly attenuated by an inhibitor of c-jun-N-terminal kinase (anthra[1,9-cd]pyrazol-6(2H)-one), but not by an inhibitor of p38 ([4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-methylsul-finylphenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)1 H-imidazole]), mitogen-activated protein kinase. However, despite preventing increases in caspase-3 activity, c-jun-N-terminal kinase inhibition failed to avert Tat-induced neuronal losses suggesting that the reductions in caspase-3 activity were insufficient to prevent cell death caused by Tat. Alternatively, gp120-induced increases in caspase-3 activity, neurite losses and neuronal death were prevented by p38, but not c-jun-N-terminal kinase, mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibition. Our findings suggest that gp120 induces neuronal dysfunction and death through actions at p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, while Tat kills neurons through actions that are independent of p38 or c-jun-N-terminal kinase mitogen-activated protein kinase, or through the concurrent activation of multiple proapoptotic pathways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 800 Rose Street, Lexington, KY 40536-0298, USA.
authors.forename: I N
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: El-Hage
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Lutz
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Knapp
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nath
authors.forename: K F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Hauser
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D048429:Cell Size / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015696:Gene Products, tat / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D017072:Neostriatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000503:physiopathology; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
chemical_list: D015696:Gene Products, tat; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; C505409:Casp3 protein, mouse; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases