Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) have been shown to promote the chondrogenic and gliogenic specification of mouse mesencephalic neural crest cells through Notch signaling [Nakanishi, K., Chan, S.Y., Ito, K., 2007. Notch signaling is required for the chondrogenic specification of mouse mesencephalic neural crest cells. Mech. Dev. 124, 190-203; Ijuin, K., Nakanishi, K., Ito, K., 2008. Different d...

BACKGROUND Glucocorticoids (GCs) are a first-line treatment for asthma for their anti-inflammatory effects, but they also hinder the repair of airway epithelial injury. The anti-inflammatory protein GC-induced leucine zipper (GILZ) is reported to inhibit the activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway, which promotes th...

Background Poly cystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is known as a common endocrine disorder in women at reproductive ages and may cause developmental abnormality in oocyte. ERK has found as a regulator protein of Gap junctions (GJ) function and the level of exchanges between two neighbors cells, for example oocyte and surrounding cumulus cells (CCs) in the mammalian ovary. Such exchange is essential...

Tubulointerstitial fibrosis (TIF) is the final common pathway in the end-stage renal disease. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is considered a major contributor to the TIF by increasing the number of myofibroblasts. Curcumin, a polyphenolic compound derived from rhizomes of Curcuma, has been shown to possess potent anti-fibrotic properties but the mechanism remains elusive. We found t...

Much evidence now exists regarding radiation-induced bystander effects, but the mechanisms involved in the transduction of the signal are still unclear. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways have been linked to growth factor-mediated regulation of cellular events such as proliferation, senescence, differentiation and apoptosis. Activation of multiple MAPK pathways such as the ERK...

It is estimated that up to 20% of all types of human cancers worldwide are attributed to viruses. The genome of oncogenic viruses carries genes that have protein products that act as oncoproteins in cell proliferation and transformation. The modulation of cell cycle control mechanisms, cellular regulatory and signaling pathways by oncogenic viruses, plays an important role in viral carcinogenes...

Familial dysautonomia (FD) is a genetic disorder manifested due to abnormal development and progressive degeneration of the sensory and autonomic nervous system. FD is caused by a point mutation in the IKBKAP gene encoding the IKAP protein, resulting in decreased protein levels. A promising potential treatment for FD is phosphatidylserine (PS); however, the manner by which PS elevates IKAP leve...

Interleukin- (IL-) 2 is the major growth factor for T-cell activation and proliferation. IL-2 has multiple functions in the regulation of immunological processes. Although most studies focus on T-cell immunomodulation, T-cell activation by IL-2 is the foundation of priming the feedback loop. Here, we investigated the effect of MAPK/ERK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways on IL-2-induced cell activa...

IL-4 has pleiotropic effects on B cells. These effects include alteration of subsequent BCR-triggered responses. To identify a molecular basis for this receptor cross-talk, we examined ERK activation and NF-kappaB induction. We found that treatment with IL-4, but not other cytokines, affected subsequent BCR signaling by creating a new pathway in which the need for PI3K in ERK activation was eli...