The Bäcklund transformations between the constrained dispersionless KP hierarchy (cdKPH) and the constrained dispersionless mKP hieararchy (cdmKPH) and between the dispersionless KP hieararchy with self-consistent sources (dKPHSCS) and the dispersionless mKP hieararchy with self-consistent sources (dmKPHSCS) are constructed. The auto-Bäcklund transformations for the cdmKPH and for the dmKPHSCS ...

Marginal keratoderma of the palms (MKP), also known as degenerative collagenous plaques of the hands, is an infrequent disease affecting individuals with photoaged skin and submitted to mechanical trauma of the hands. The aim of the study was to study the expression of keratin 14 (K14) in the basal layer and keratins 10 (K10) and 16 (K16) in the suprabasal layer, and to establish the effect of ...

In this study, we examined the role of insulin in the control of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration in the normal vasculature. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) increased VSMC migration, which was inhibited by pretreatment with insulin in a dose-dependent manner. Insulin also caused a 60% decrease in PDGF-stimulated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation and activ...

Dental fluorosis is characterized by hypomineralization of tooth enamel caused ingestion excessive fluoride during formation. Excess could have effects on the ERK signaling, which essential for ameloblasts differentiation and development. MAP kinase phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) plays a critical role in regulating related kinases. However, MKP-1 ameloblast mechanisms MKP-1/ERK signaling pathogenesis de...

We reported previously that Ro-318220 blocked expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) induced by tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and subsequently caused apopotosis in mesangial cells (Y.-L. Guo, B. Kang, and J. R. Williamson. J. Biol. Chem. 273: 10362-10366, 1998). These data support our hypothesis that a TNF-α-inducible phosphatase may be responsible for preventing...

Mapracorat is a novel selective glucocorticoid receptor agonist (SEGRA), structurally distinct from corticosteroids. In preclinical studies, mapracorat potently inhibits the production of a variety of inflammatory mediators including cytokines and prostaglandin E2 (PGE(2)), with limited side effects associated with traditional corticosteroids. The objective of this study was to delineate the me...

The intracellular pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) causes tuberculosis, and one of its secreted effector proteins, called enhanced intracellular survival (Eis) protein, enhances its survival in macrophages. Mtb Eis activates JNK-specific dual-specificity protein phosphatase 16 (DUSP16)/mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-7 (MKP-7) through the acetylation on Lys55, thus inactiv...

Anthracyclines are commonly used chemotherapeutics, and in some models enhance p44/42-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway signaling by effects on upstream kinases. To evaluate the impact of anthracyclines on p44/42-MAPK in breast cancer, A1N4-myc human mammary and BT-474 and MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma cells were studied. Treatment with doxorubicin or epirubicin resulted in increase...

The mechanisms by which corticosteroids reduce airway inflammation are not completely understood. Traditionally, corticosteroids were thought to inhibit cytokines exclusively at the transcriptional level. Our recent evidence, obtained in airway smooth muscle (ASM), no longer supports this view. We have found that corticosteroids do not act at the transcriptional level to reduce TNF-alpha-induce...

Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) is the archetypal member of the dual-specificity protein phosphatase family, the expression of which can be rapidly induced by a variety of growth factors and cellular stress. Since MKP-1 protein localizes in the nucleus, it has been suggested to play an important role in the feedback control of MAP kinase-regulated gene transcription...