Unlike other members of the MAPK family, ERK5 contains a large C-terminal domain with transcriptional activation capability in addition to an N-terminal canonical kinase domain. Genetic deletion of ERK5 is embryonic lethal and tissue-restricted deletions have profound effects on erythroid development, cardiac function and neurogenesis. In addition, depletion of ERK5 is anti-inflammatory and anti-tumorigenic. Small molecule inhibition of ERK5 has been shown to have promising activity in cell and animal models of inflammation and oncology. Here we report the synthesis and biological characterization of potent, selective ERK5 inhibitors. In contrast to both genetic depletion/deletion of ERK5 and inhibition with previously reported compounds, inhibition of the kinase with the most selective of the new inhibitors had no anti-inflammatory or anti-proliferative activity. The source of efficacy in previously reported ERK5 inhibitors is shown to be off-target activity on bromodomains (BRDs), conserved protein modules involved in recognition of acetyl-lysine residues during transcriptional processes. It is likely that phenotypes reported from genetic deletion or depletion of ERK5 arise from removal of a non-catalytic function of ERK5. The newly reported inhibitors should be useful in determining which of the many reported phenotypes are due to kinase activity, and delineate which can be pharmacologically targeted. Overall design: Two cellular models with reported ERK5-regulated signaling were used: Pam3CSK4-stimulated HUVECs as a model of inflammation, and EGF-stimulated HeLa cells as an established cell model of ERK5 regulation. Cells were pre-incubated with DMSO vehicle, AX15836 (ERK5 inhibitor), AX15839 (dual ERK5/BRD inhibitor), or I-BET762 (BRD inhibitor), then stimulated with agonist. Cellular responses were verified by immunoassays and western blots using replicate wells in the same experiment.
ERK5 kinase activity is dispensable for cellular immune response and proliferation.
Specimen part, Subject, Compound
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Genome-wide characterization reveals complex interplay between TP53 and TP63 in response to genotoxic stress.
Treatment
View SamplesIn response to genotoxic stress the TP53 tumour suppressor activates target gene expression to induce cell cycle arrest or apoptosis depending on the extent of DNA damage. These canonical activities can be repressed by TP63 in normal stratifying epithelia to maintain proliferative capacity or drive proliferation of squamous cell carcinomas, where TP63 is frequently overexpressed/amplified. Here we use ChIP-sequencing, integrated with microarray analysis, to define the genome wide interplay between TP53 and TP63 in response to genotoxic stress in normal cells. We reveal that TP53 and TP63 bind to overlapping, but distinct cistromes of sites through utilization of distinctive consensus motifs and that TP53 is constitutively bound to a number of sites. We demonstrate that cisplatin and adriamycin elicit distinct effects on TP53 and TP63 binding events, through which TP53 can induce or repress transcription of an extensive network of genes by direct binding and/or modulation of TP63 activity. Collectively, this results in a global TP53 dependent repression of cell cycle progression, mitosis and DNA damage repair concomitant with activation of anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic canonical target genes. Further analyses reveals that in the absence of genotoxic stress TP63 plays an important role in maintaining expression of DNA repair genes, loss of which results in defective repair
Genome-wide characterization reveals complex interplay between TP53 and TP63 in response to genotoxic stress.
Treatment
View SamplesInflammation has a causal role in many cancers. In prostate cancers, epidemiological data suggest a link between prostatitis and subsequent cancer development, but a proof for this concept in a tumor model has been lacking. A constitutively active version of the IkappaB kinase 2 (IKK2), the molecule activated by a plethora of inflammatory stimuli, was expressed specifically in the prostate epithelium. Signaling of the IKK2/NF-kappaB axis was insufficient for transformation of prostate tissue. However, while PTEN+/- epithelia exhibited intraepithelial neoplasias only recognizable by nuclear alterations, additional IKK2 activation led to an increase in tumor size and formation of cribriform structures and to a fiber increase in the fibroblastic stroma. This phenotype was coupled with inflammation in the prostate gland characterized by infiltration of granulocytes and macrophages. Molecular characterization of the tissues showed a specific loss of smooth muscle markers as well as expression of chemokines attracting immune cells. Isolation of epithelial and stromal cells showed differential chemokine expression by these cells. Correlation studies showed the inflammatory phenotype coupled to loss of smooth muscle in infiltrated glands, but maintenance of the phenotype in glands where inflammation had decreased. Despite the loss of the smooth muscle barrier, tumors were not invasive in a stable genetic background. Data mining revealed that smooth muscle markers are downregulated in human prostate cancers and literature data show that loss of these markers in primary tumors is associated with subsequent metastasis. Our data show that loss of smooth muscle and invasiveness of the tumor are not coupled. Thus, inflammation during early steps of tumorigenesis can lead to increased tumor size and a potential change in the subsequent metastatic potential, but the tumor requires an additional transformation to become a carcinoma.
Persistent inflammation leads to proliferative neoplasia and loss of smooth muscle cells in a prostate tumor model.
Age, Specimen part
View SamplesStudy designed to explore the effects of endothelial cell/MSC co-culture on individual gene expression profile of each cell type
Mesenchymal stem cells regulate blood-brain barrier integrity through TIMP3 release after traumatic brain injury.
Specimen part
View SamplesCytosolic acetyl-coenzyme A is a precursor for many biotechnologically relevant compounds produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In this yeast, cytosolic acetyl-CoA synthesis and growth strictly depend on expression of either the Acs1 or Acs2 isoenzyme of acetyl-CoA synthetase (ACS). Since hydrolysis of ATP to AMP and pyrophosphate in the ACS reaction constrains maximum yields of acetyl-CoA-derived products, this study explores replacement of ACS by two ATP-independent pathways for acetyl-CoA synthesis. After evaluating expression of different bacterial genes encoding acetylating acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (A-ALD) and pyruvate-formate lyase (PFL), acs1 acs2 S. cerevisiae strains were constructed in which A-ALD or PFL successfully replaced ACS. In A-ALD-dependent strains, aerobic growth rates of up to 0.27 h-1 were observed, while anaerobic growth rates of PFL-dependent S. cerevisiae (0.21 h-1) were stoichiometrically coupled to formate production. In glucose-limited chemostat cultures, intracellular metabolite analysis did not reveal major differences between A-ALD-dependent and reference strains. However, biomass yields on glucose of A-ALD- and PFL-dependent strains were lower than those of the reference strain. Transcriptome analysis suggested that reduced biomass yields were caused by acetaldehyde and formate in A-ALD- and PFL-dependent strains, respectively. Transcript profiles also indicated that a previously proposed role of Acs2 in histone acetylation is probably linked to cytosolic acetyl-CoA levels rather than to direct involvement of Acs2 in histone acetylation. While, for the first time, demonstrating that yeast ACS can be fully replaced by alternative reactions, this study demonstrates that further modifications are needed to achieve optimal in vivo efficiencies of the supply of acetyl-CoA as product precursor.
Replacement of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae acetyl-CoA synthetases by alternative pathways for cytosolic acetyl-CoA synthesis.
No sample metadata fields
View SamplesTo explore functionally crucial tumor-suppressive (TS)-miRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we performed integrative function- and expression-based screenings of TS-miRNAs in six HCC cell lines. The screenings identified seven miRNAs, which showed growth-suppressive activities through the overexpression of each miRNA and were endogenously downregulated in HCC cell lines. Further expression analyses using a large panel of HCC cell lines and primary tumors demonstrated four miRNAs, miR-101, -195, -378 and -497, as candidate TS-miRNAs frequently silenced in HCCs. Among them, two clustered miRNAs miR-195 and miR-497 showed significant growth-suppressive activity with induction of G1 arrest. Comprehensive exploration of their targets using Argonute2-immunoprecipitation-deep-sequencing (Ago2-IP-seq) and genome-wide expression profiling after their overexpression, successfully identified a set of cell-cycle regulators, including CCNE1, CDC25A, CCND3, CDK4, and BTRC. Our results suggest the molecular pathway regulating cell cycle progression to be integrally altered by downregulation of miR-195 and miR-497 expression, leading to aberrant cell proliferation in hepatocarcinogenesis. Identification of miR-195 and miR-497 target genes by sequencing Ago2-binding mRNAs and total mRNAs of miR-195 or miR-497 overexpressed, or non-treated Hep G2 cell. Overall design: Deep sequencing of RNAs in Ago2-IP fraction and mRNAs extracted from miR-195 or miR-497 overexpressed, or non-treated Hep G2 cell.
The tumor-suppressive miR-497-195 cluster targets multiple cell-cycle regulators in hepatocellular carcinoma.
Cell line, Treatment, Subject, Time
View SamplesThe energetic (ATP) cost of biochemical pathways critically determines the maximum yield of metabolites of vital or commercial relevance. Cytosolic acetyl-CoA is a key precursor for biosynthesis in eukaryotes and for many industrially relevant product pathways that have been introduced into Saccharomyces cerevisiae, such as isoprenoids or lipids. In this yeast, synthesis of cytosolic acetyl-CoA via acetyl-CoA synthetase (ACS) involves hydrolysis of ATP to AMP and pyrophosphate. Here, we demonstrate that expression and assembly in the yeast cytosol of a pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDH) from Enterococcus faecalis can fully replace the ACS-dependent pathway for cytosolic acetyl-CoA synthesis. In vivo activity of E. faecalis PDH required the simultaneous expression of E. faecalis genes encoding its E1a, E1ß, E2 and E3 subunits, as well as genes involved in lipoylation of E2 and addition of lipoate to growth media. A strain lacking ACS, that expressed these E. faecalis genes, grew at near-wild-type rates on glucose synthetic medium supplemented with lipoate, under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. A physiological comparison of the engineered strain and an isogenic Acs+ reference strain showed small differences in biomass yields and metabolic fluxes. Cellular fractionation and gel filtration studies revealed that the E. faecalis PDH subunits were assembled in the yeast cytosol, with a subunit ratio and enzyme activity similar to values reported for PDH purified from E. faecalis. This study indicates that cytosolic expression and assembly of PDH in eukaryotic industrial micro-organisms is a promising option for minimizing the energy costs of precursor supply in acetyl-CoA-dependent product pathways. Overall design: For both strains - mutant strain IMY104 and reference strain CEN.PK113-7D'' three independent chemostat cultures were performed. Each of the chemosta was sampled for transcriptome analysis. Samples were processed as described below.
Engineering acetyl coenzyme A supply: functional expression of a bacterial pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in the cytosol of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Cell line, Subject
View SamplesDevelopment of LNA gapmers, antisense oligonucleotides used for efficient inhibition of target RNA expression, is limited by non-target mediated hepatotoxicity issues. In the present study, we investigated hepatic transcription profiles of mice receiving non-toxic and toxic LNA gapmers after a single and repeat administration.
Comparison of hepatic transcription profiles of locked ribonucleic acid antisense oligonucleotides: evidence of distinct pathways contributing to non-target mediated toxicity in mice.
Sex, Specimen part
View SamplesAs a critical cellular stress sensor, p53 mediates a variety of defensive processes including cell-cycle arrest, apoptosis, and senescence to prevent propagation of hyperproliferative cells or cells with a damaged genome, hence the formation of neoplasia. Transactivation of downstream genes plays an important while sometimes controversial role in regulating these cellular processes. To evaluate the dependence on transcriptional activation in p53s activities, we generated genetically-modified mouse lines carrying mutations in the transactivation domains (TADs) of p53. These transactivatio-deficient mutants serve as unique reagents to probe the dependence on robust transactivation in p53-mediated cellular functions, as well as the underneath mechanisms. To identify genes differentially regulated by these p53 mutants, we performed gene expression profiling analysis on mouse embryonic fibroblast cells (MEFs) from these mice in the context of oncogenic Ras-induced premature cellular senescence.
Distinct p53 transcriptional programs dictate acute DNA-damage responses and tumor suppression.
Specimen part
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