title: Key role of ERK1/2 molecular scaffolds in heart pathology.
abstract: The ability of cardiomyocytes to detect mechanical and humoral stimuli is critical for adaptation of the myocardium in response to new conditions and for sustaining the increased workload during stress. While certain stimuli mediate a beneficial adaptation to stress conditions, others result in maladaptive remodelling, ultimately leading to heart failure. Specific signalling pathways activating either adaptive or maladaptive cardiac remodelling have been identified. Paradoxically, however, in a number of cases, the transduction pathways involved in such opposing responses engage the same signalling proteins. A notable example is the Raf-MEK1/2-ERK1/2 signalling pathway that can control both adaptive and maladaptive remodelling. ERK1/2 signalling requires a signalosome complex where a scaffold protein drives the assembly of these three kinases into a linear pathway to facilitate their sequential phosphorylation, ultimately targeting specific effector molecules. Interestingly, a number of different Raf-MEK1/2-ERK1/2 scaffold proteins have been identified, and their role in determining the adaptive or maladaptive cardiac remodelling is a promising field of investigation for the development of therapeutic strategies capable of selectively potentiating the adaptive response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Science, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, via Nizza, 52, 10126, Turin, Italy, guido.tarone@unito.it.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tarone
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sbroggiò
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brancaccio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019390:Arrestins / Q000378:metabolism; D044387:GTP-Binding Protein beta Subunits / Q000378:metabolism; D044388:GTP-Binding Protein gamma Subunits / Q000378:metabolism; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D015398:Signal Transduction; D000071557:beta-Arrestins; D048490:raf Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019390:Arrestins; C118981:G-protein Beta gamma; D044387:GTP-Binding Protein beta Subunits; D044388:GTP-Binding Protein gamma Subunits; D000071557:beta-Arrestins; D048490:raf Kinases