title: MK2 regulates the early stages of skin tumor promotion.
abstract: The association between inflammation and tumorigenesis is well recognized. Mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase-2 (MK2) is known to play a pivotal role in inflammatory processes. Here, we studied the effect of MK2-deficiency and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-deficiency on skin tumor development in mice using the two-stage chemical carcinogenesis model. We found that MK2(-/-) mice developed significantly fewer skin tumors compared with both TNF-alpha(-/-) and wild-type mice when induced by initiation with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) and by promotion with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). The TPA-induced inflammatory response was reduced in both, TNF-alpha(-/-) mice and MK2(-/-) mice, but most pronounced in TNF-alpha(-/-) mice, indicating that a reduced inflammatory response was not the only explanation for the inhibited tumorigenesis seen in MK2(-/-) mice. Interestingly, increased numbers of apoptotic cells were detected in the epidermis of MK2(-/-) mice compared with TNF-alpha(-/-) and wild-type mice, suggesting an additional role of MK2 in the regulation of apoptosis. This was further supported by: (i) increased levels of the tumor suppressor protein p53 in MK2(-/-) mice after DMBA/TPA treatment compared with controls, (ii) reduced phosphorylation (activation) of the negative p53 regulator, murine double minute 2 in MK2(-)(/-) mouse keratinocytes in vitro and (iii) a significant decrease in the DMBA/TPA induced apoptosis in cultured MK2(-/-) keratinocytes transfected with p53 small interfering RNA. Taken together, these findings demonstrate a dual role of MK2 in the early stages of tumor promotion through regulation of both the inflammatory response and apoptosis of DNA-damaged cells. These results also identify MK2 as a putative target for future skin carcinoma therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Aarhus University Hospital, P.P. Oerumsgade 11, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Claus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Johansen
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vestergaard
authors.forename: Knud
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kragballe
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kollias
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gaestel
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Iversen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D004249:DNA Damage; D018450:Disease Progression; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D007249:Inflammation; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism; D000099190:MAP-Kinase-Activated Kinase 2
chemical_list: D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D000099190:MAP-Kinase-Activated Kinase 2