title: Role of MAPK phosphatase-1 in sustained activation of JNK during ethanol-induced apoptosis in hepatocyte-like VL-17A cells.
abstract: Ethanol metabolism plays a central role in activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade leading to inflammation and apoptosis. Sustained activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), one of the MAPKs, has been shown to induce apoptosis in hepatocytes. MAPK phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) has been shown to dephosphorylate MAPKs in several cells. The aim of the study is to evaluate the role of MKP-1 in sustained JNK activation as a mechanism to explain ethanol-induced hepatocyte apoptosis. VL-17A cells (HepG2 cells overexpressing alcohol dehydrogenase and cytochrome P450-2E1) were exposed to ethanol for different time periods. Western blots were performed for MKP-1, phospho-JNK, phosphotyrosine, and protein kinase Cdelta (PKCdelta). Electrophoretic mobility shift assays for AP-1 were performed. Apoptosis was measured by caspase-3 activity assay, TUNEL, and 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining. Reactive oxygen species were neutralized by overexpressing both superoxide dismutase-3 and catalase genes using lentiviral vectors in VL-17A cells. Ethanol incubation markedly decreased the MKP-1 protein levels to 15% of control levels and was associated with sustained phosphorylation of p46 JNK and p54 JNK, as well as increased apoptosis. VL-17A cells overexpressing superoxide dismutase-3 and catalase, treatment with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, or incubation of the cells with PKCdelta small interference RNAs significantly inhibited the ethanol-induced MKP-1 degradation and apoptosis. Ethanol-induced oxidative stress enhanced the tyrosine phosphorylation of PKCdelta, which in turn caused the proteasomal degradation of MKP-1, leading to sustained JNK activation and increased apoptosis in VL-17A cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Transplant Research Program, UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California 95817, USA.
authors.forename: Senthil K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Venugopal
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yanhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Dahn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Clemens
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Follenzi
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Zern
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D054638:Dual Specificity Phosphatase 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D051745:Protein Kinase C-delta / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol; D051745:Protein Kinase C-delta; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D054638:Dual Specificity Phosphatase 1