title: Activation of the ERK1/2 pathway  by the CaMEK gene via adeno-associated virus serotype 9 in cardiomyocytes.
abstract: Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) is one of the mitogen-activated protein kinases, key components of the reperfusion injury salvage kinase pathway, which plays an important role in protecting the myocardium from lethal ischemia-reperfusion injury. Constitutive activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 (CaMEK) can promote ERK1/2 expression, which is thereby expected to exert protective action on the heart against ischemia-reperfusion injury. The adeno-associated virus serotype 9 vector (AVV9) is a novel tool for gene therapies targeting human diseases owing to its nonpathogenic capability for transducing nondividing cells and its long-term transgene expression. We used a recombinant AAV9 vector to deliver the CaMEK gene into cardiomyocytes and assessed whether AAV9 vector-mediated CaMEK gene transfection could enhance the long-term expression and activity of ERK1/2. Our observations suggest that AAV9-mediated gene expression is preferentially restricted to cardiomyocytes and that mediated CaMEK gene transfection enhanced the expression of ERK1/2 phosphorylation and consequently upregulated the expression of downstream components of ERK1/2 and its transcription factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Y-N
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: W-N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Y-T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: X-M
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: B-D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000229:Dependovirus / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D048369:MAP Kinase Kinase 1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D061251:Primary Cell Culture; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014161:Transduction, Genetic
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors; C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D048369:MAP Kinase Kinase 1