• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.10 no.12
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• pp.1155-1163
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• 2004

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway is one of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal transduction pathways. This pathway is known as pivotal in many signaling networks that govern proliferation, differentiation and cell survival. The ERK signaling pathway comprises positive and negative feedback loops, depending on whether the terminal kinase stimulates or inhibits the activation of the initial level. In this paper, we attempt to model the ERK pathway by considering both of the positive and negative feedback mechanisms based on Michaelis-Menten kinetics. In addition, we propose a fraction ratio model based on the mass action law. We first develop a mathematical model of the ERK pathway with fraction ratios. Secondly, we analyze the dynamical properties of the fraction ratio model based on simulation studies. Furthermore, we propose a concept of an inhibitor, catalyst, and substrate (ICS) controller which regulates the inhibitor, catalyst, and substrate concentrations of the ERK signal transduction pathway. The ICS controller can be designed through dynamical analysis of the ERK signaling transduction pathway within limited concentration ranges.

• BMB Reports
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.194-199
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• 2018

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown great potential in treating bone deficiency. Human adipose-derived stem cells (HASCs) are multipotent progenitor cells with multi-lineage differentiation potential. Human amnion-derived mesenchymal stem cells (HAMSCs) are capable of promoting osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. In this study, we investigated the effect of HAMSCs on HASCs by a transwell co-culture system. HAMSCs promoted proliferation, osteogenic differentiation, angiogenic potential and adiponectin (APN) secretion of HASCs. Moreover, the positive effect of HAMSCs was significantly inhibited by U0126, a highly selective inhibitor of extracellular signaling-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. These observations suggested that HAMSCs induced bone regeneration in HASCs via ERK1/2 MAPK signaling pathway.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.196-200
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• 2005

The neurofibromatosis type2 (NF2) tumor suppressor gene product, merlin, is structurally related to the ezrin-radixin-moesin (ERM) family of proteins that anchor the actin cytoskeleton to specific membrane proteins and participate in cell signaling. However, the basis of the tumor suppressing activity of merlin is not well understood. Previously, we identified a role of merlin as an inhibitor of the Ras-ERK signaling pathway. Recent studies have suggested that phosphorylation of merlin, as of other ERM proteins, may regulate its function. To determine whether phosphorylation of merlin affects its suppression of Ras-ERK signaling, we generated plasmids expressing full-length merlin with substitutions of serine 518, a potential phosphorylation site. A substitution that mimics constitutive phosphorylation (S518D) abrogated the ability of merlin to suppress effects of the Ras-ERK signaling pathway such as Ras-induced SRE transactivation, Elk-mediated SRE transactivation, Ras-induced ERK phosphorylation and Ras-induced focus formation. On the other hand, an S518A mutant, which mimics nonphosphorylated merlin, acted like wild type merlin. These observations show that mimicking merlin phosphorylation impairs not only growth suppression by merlin but also its inhibitory action on the Ras-ERK signaling pathway.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.113-123
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• 2020

Metformin has been widely used as an antidiabetic drug, and reported to inhibit cell proliferation in many cancers including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In NSCLC cells, metformin suppresses PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, but effect of metformin on RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK signaling pathway is controversial; several studies showed the inhibition of ERK activity, while others demonstrated the activation of ERK in response to metformin exposure. Metformin-induced activation of ERK is therapeutically important, since metformin could enhance cell proliferation through RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK pathway and lead to impairment of its anticancer activity suppressing PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, requiring blockade of both signaling pathways for more efficient antitumor effect. The present study tested the combination therapy of metformin and trametinib by monitoring the alterations of regulatory effector proteins of cell signaling pathways and the effect of the combination on cell viability in NCI-H2087 NSCLC cells with NRAS and BRAF mutations. We show that metformin alone blocks PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway but induces the activation and phosphorylation of ERK. The combination therapy synergistically decreased cell viability in treatment with low doses of two drugs, while it gave antagonistic effect with high doses. These findings suggest that the efficacy of metformin and trametinib combination therapy may depend on the alteration of ERK activity induced by metformin and specific cellular context of cancer cells.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.81-85
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• 2008

Isorhamnetin isolated from Oenanthe javanica significantly inhibited proliferation and collagen production in HSC-T6 cells in concentration- and time-dependent manners. Pretreatment of HSC-T6 cells with isorhamnetin significantly inhibited serum-induced ERK phosphorylation, in a similar manner as PD98059, a known MEK inhibitor. These results suggested that isorhamnetin reduced collagen production in HSC-T6 cells, in part, via inhibition of ERK signaling pathway.

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.7
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• pp.370-375
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• 2016

Ras oncoproteins are small molecular weight GTPases known for their involvement in oncogenesis, which operate in a complex signaling network with multiple effectors. Approximately 25% of human tumors possess mutations in a member of this family. The Raf1/MEK/Erk1/2 pathway is one of the most intensively studied signaling mechanisms. Different levels of regulation account for the inactivation of MAP kinases by MAPK phosphatases in a cell type- and stimuli-dependent manner. In the present study, using three inducible Ras-expressing NIH/3T3 cell lines, we demonstrated that MKP3 upregulation requires the activation of the Erk1/2 pathway, which correlates with the shutdown of this pathway. We also demonstrated, by applying pharmacological inhibitors and effector mutants of Ras, that induction of MKP3 at the protein level is positively regulated by the oncogenic Ras/Raf/MEK/Erk1/2 signaling pathway.

• BMB Reports
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.468-474
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• 1998

Membrane depolarization in PC12 cells induces calcium influx via an L-type voltage-sensitive calcium channel (L-VSCC) and increases intracellular free calcium, which leads to tyrosine phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor and the associated adaptor protein, She. This activated EGF receptor complex then can activate mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, as in nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor activation. In the present study, we investigated the role of EGF receptor in the signaling pathway initiated by membrane depolarization of PC12 cells. Prolonged membrane depolarization induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) within 1 min in undifferentiated PC12 cells. Pretreatment of PC12 cells with the calcium chelator EGTA abolished depolarization-stimulated ERK phosphorylation, but NGF-induced phosphorylation of ERK was not affected. The chronic treatment of phorbol ester, which down-regulated the activity of protein kinase C (PKC), did not affect the phosphorylation of ERK upon depolarization. In the presence of an inhibitor of EGF receptor, neither depolarization nor calcium ionophore increased the level of ERK phosphorylation. These data imply that the EGF receptor is functionally necessary to activate ERK and neurite outgrowth in response to the prolonged depolarization in PC12 cells, and also that PKC is apparently not involved in this signaling pathway.

• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.242-247
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• 2008

MSS, a comprising mixture of maesil (Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc) concentrate, disodium succinate and Span80 (3.6 : 4.6 : 1 ratio) showed a significant improvement of memory when daily administered (460 mg/kg day, p.o.) into the normal rats for 3 weeks. During the spatial learning of 4 days in Morris water maze test, both working memory and short-term working memory index were significantly increased when compared to untreated controls. We investigated a molecular signal transduction mechanism of MSS on the behaviors of spatial learning and memory. MSS treatment increased hippocampal mRNA levels of NR2B and TrkB without changes of NR1, NR2A, ERK1, ERK2 and CREB. However, the protein levels of pERK/ERK and pCREB/CREB were all significantly increased to $1.5{\pm}0.17$ times. These results suggest that the improving effect of spatial memory for MSS is linked to MAPK/ERK signaling pathway that ends up in the phosphorylation of CREB through TrkB and/or NR2B of NMDA receptor.

• BMB Reports
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.301-302
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• 2015

Hypoxia is associated with many pathological conditions as well as the normal physiology of metazoans. We identified a lactate-dependent signaling pathway in hypoxia, mediated by the oxygen- and lactate-regulated protein NDRG family member 3 (NDRG3). Oxygen negatively regulates NDRG3 expression at the protein level via the PHD2/VHL system, whereas lactate, produced in excess under prolonged hypoxia, blocks its proteasomal degradation by binding to NDRG3. We also found that the stabilized NDRG3 protein promotes angiogenesis and cell growth under hypoxia by activating the Raf-ERK pathway. Inhibiting cellular lactate production abolishes NDRG3-mediated hypoxia responses. The NDRG3-Raf-ERK axis therefore provides the genetic basis for lactate-induced hypoxia signaling, which can be exploited for the development of therapies targeting hypoxia-induced diseases in addition to advancing our understanding of the normal physiology of hypoxia responses. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(6): 301-302]

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.321-328
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• 2017

Steroid sulfatase (STS) is an enzyme responsible for the hydrolysis of aryl and alkyl sulfates. STS plays a pivotal role in the regulation of estrogens and androgens that promote the growth of hormone-dependent tumors, such as those of breast or prostate cancer. However, the molecular function of STS in tumor growth is still not clear. To elucidate the role of STS in cancer cell proliferation, we investigated whether STS is able to regulate the integrin signaling pathway. We found that overexpression of STS in HeLa cells increases the protein and mRNA levels of integrin ${\beta}1$ and fibronectin, a ligand of integrin ${\alpha}5{\beta}1$. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), one of the main metabolites of STS, also increases mRNA and protein expression of integrin ${\beta}1$ and fibronectin. Further, STS expression and DHEA treatment enhanced phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) at the Tyr 925 residue. Moreover, increased phosphorylation of ERK at Thr 202 and Tyr 204 residues by STS indicates that STS activates the MAPK/ERK pathway. In conclusion, these results suggest that STS expression and DHEA treatment may enhance MAPK/ERK signaling through up-regulation of integrin ${\beta}1$ and activation of FAK.