title: Azoles activate Atf1-mediated transcription through MAP kinase pathway for antifungal effects in fission yeast.
abstract: Azole antifungals directly inhibit enzymes for ergosterol biosynthesis, and this direct action is thought to underlie antifungal actions of these drugs. Recent studies showed that azoles alter expression of genes for various cellular functions. However, transcription factors regulated by azoles and their roles in antifungal actions remain poorly characterized. Using luciferase assay, we found that miconazole increased luciferase activity under the promoter containing the cAMP response element (CRE) motif. This azole-induced activation of CRE reporter was abolished in Atf1-deficient cells, suggesting that azoles induce Atf1 activation. As Atf1 is activated by stress-activated MAP kinase Sty1 upon various stressors, we examined its involvement. Azoles increased phosphorylation of Sty1 for its activation, and Sty1 deletion impaired azole-induced CRE reporter activation. In contrast, deletion of Pyp1, a tyrosine phosphatase which negatively regulates Sty1, increased CRE reporter activation. In addition, cells deficient in Atf1 and stress-activated MAP kinase pathway showed resistance to azoles, whereas cells lacking Pyp1 increased azole susceptibility, suggesting a critical role for azole-induced activation of MAP kinase-Atf1 pathway in antifungal actions of azoles. Collectively, these results suggest that azoles activate stress-activated MAP kinase pathway, thereby facilitating Atf1-mediated transcription for antifungal effects.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, 650-0017, Japan.
authors.forename: Lingling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biopharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, 650-0017, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hayafuji
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, 650-0017, Japan.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, 650-0017, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Furuyashiki
mesh_terms: D051696:Activating Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001393:Azoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases / Q000378:metabolism; D012568:Schizosaccharomyces / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D051696:Activating Transcription Factors; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D001393:Azoles; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C095409:sty1 protein, S pombe; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases; C097097:pyp1 protein, S pombe