La voie de signalisation Notch contient quatre récepteurs transmembranaires qui sont activés de façon ligand dépendant. Les contacts cellulaires permettent l'activation des récepteurs et la relâche entre autres du fragment actif Notch 1 clivé (NIC1). Ensuite, il transloque au noyau pour s'associer à son co-activateur, CSL afin de permettre la formation d'un complexe transcriptionnel actif. La signalisation Notch est régulée à divers niveaux cellulaires. La voie Notch est très engagée durant le développement du pancréas. De plus, différents modèles ont été générés afin de mieux comprendre l'implication de la voie Notch dans le phénomène de la prolifération des cellules pancréatiques Ainsi, la voie Notch est active dans le pancréas immature et est réprimée dans le tissu adulte. La signalisation Notch est très importante pendant la carcinogenèse pancréatique. Il a été démontré que l'inhibition de la voie Notch induit une répression de la croissance cellulaire et bloque la tumorigenèse pancréatique. Une autre voie de signalisation très impliquée dans le cancer du pancréas est la voie KRas qui est mutée dans 90% des adénocarcinomes. Une coopération entre les voies Notch et KRas a été reportée dans différents types de carcinogenèse. De plus, il a été suggéré que la collaboration Notch et KRas passe spécifiquement par la cascade Mek/Erk en aval de KRas. De plus, l'inhibition de la voie Mek/Erk mène à l'inhibition de l'expression d'Hes1, une cible de la voie Notch. Ainsi, nous avions supposé que la cascade KRas/Raf/Mek/Erk favorise la transcription induite par la voie de signalisation Notch. Pour y répondre, il était donc important de déterminer l'impact de la voie Mek/Erk sur l'expression de Notch 1 clivé (NIC1) et de clarifier l'effet de cette voie sur son activité transcriptionnelle. Nous avons observé que la suractivation de la voie Mek/Erk induit un retard de migration de la protéine NIC1 qui est complètement aboli par l'inhibition de la voie Mek/Erk. Des études plus approfondies ont révélé que ces formes de plus haut poids moléculaires étaient des formes phosphorylées de NIC 1 qui pouvaient être associées directement à l'action des Erk 1. Nous avons découvert que ces modifications permettent de réguler l'activité transcriptionnelle de Notch. Ainsi, la phosphorylation de NIC1 induite par la voie Mek/Erk est associée à une augmentation de l'activité transcriptionnelle dépendante de Notch qui mène à l'expression du gène cible, Hes1. Il semble aussi que le domaine PEST de NIC 1 est essentiel afin de permettre les phosphorylations Erk-dépendantes. D'autres effets spécifiques de la voie Mek/Erk sur Notch restent à être découverts. Enfin, le potentiel de cette collaboration entre les voies Notch et KRas/Raf/Mek/Erk pourrait être impliquée dans divers processus cellulaires.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 115-129). / Microfiche. / ix, 129 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm

Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosopy (PhD) / Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate-limiting enzyme in catecholamine biosynthesis, is regulated acutely by a combination of phosphorylation of three key serine (Ser) residues (Ser19, Ser31 and Ser40), and feedback inhibition by the catecholamines. Phosphorylation of Ser40 directly increases TH activity by relieving feedback inhibition of the enzyme. The phosphorylation of Ser19 or Ser31 can potentiate the phosphorylation of Ser40 in a process known as hierarchical phosphorylation. The 2 major human TH isoforms, hTH1 and hTH2, are differentially regulated by hierarchical phosphorylation in vitro. In this study, the human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line has been transfected with hTH1 and hTH2, and it has been demonstrated that phosphorylation of Ser31 potentiates the phosphorylation of Ser40 in hTH1. Phosphorylation of the equivalent Ser31 residue in hTH2 was not detectable, and thus this enzyme is not subject to Ser31-mediated hierarchical phosphorylation of Ser40 in situ. This is the first study to demonstrate that hTH1 and hTH2 are differentially regulated in situ. In addition, we have examined the nature of feedback inhibition of TH by the catecholamines. In addition to the high affinity, non-dissociable dopamine binding that is relieved by Ser40 phosphorylation, we have identified a second low affinity, readily dissociable binding site which regulates TH activity both in vitro and in situ regardless of the phosphorylation state of the enzyme. This low affinity binding site responds to changes in cytosolic catecholamine levels in situ in order to regulate TH activity. This work has contributed to our understanding of the complex nature of the regulation of TH activity.

Macrophages serve key roles in host defence by initiating inflammatory responses to infection and/or injury. They contribute to innate immunity by secreting a range of pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g. TNF and IL-6) upon activation as well as by phagocytosing pathogens and dead cells, which is necessary for the resolution of inflammation and effective wound repair. Macrophages also contribute to adaptive immunity by functioning as antigen presenting cells.Colony stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1) is the major growth factor governing the differentiation, proliferation and survival of macrophages. Although not as well appreciated, CSF-1 also regulates some of the immune functions of macrophages, such as cytokine secretion and phagocytosis. However, the mechanisms by which CSF-1 governs the immune functions of macrophages are poorly understood. Cytokine secretion, phagocytosis and antigen presentation involve various vesicle trafficking and membrane fusion events, processes in which SNARE proteins play vital roles. Thus, the hypothesis tested in this thesis was that CSF-1 modulates the immune functions of macrophages by regulating the expression and/or activity of SNARE proteins that regulate endocytic and exocytic processes.In this study, the endosomal SNARE protein syntaxin 7 was identified, via microarray analysis, as a CSF-1 inducible gene in primary mouse macrophages. Syntaxin 7 has previously been detected in phagosomal membranes in macrophages. Furthermore, syntaxin 7 has recently been implicated in the secretion of cytokines (e.g. TNF) from macrophages by forming a novel complex with syntaxin 6, Vti1b and VAMP3.

Mammalian cells can initiate intracellular signalling pathways that activate pro-survival changes to maintain their integrity following their exposure to a range of extracellular stresses. One group of changes preserves cellular integrity through the regulation of cytoskeletal organization. Despite the recognised importance of maintaining microtubule (MT) networks, the specific mechanisms regulating cytoskeleton organisation in response to stress remain relatively poorly explored. Among the numerous proteins that regulate MT organisation, stathmin (STMN) is a key MT destabilising protein that regulates MT disassembly through its ability to bind tubulin dimers. The actions of STMN can be regulated by a number of growth factor-activated and cell cycle regulatory protein kinases. In preliminary work, our studies suggest the potential regulation of STMN by c-Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) in cells exposed to stress. Specifically, we observed changes in STMN phosphorylation which were coordinated with JNK activation. / This project has explored the contribution of stress-activated c-Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) to STMN phosphorylation observed during osmotic stress. More detailed in vitro biochemical analysis has revealed that JNK directly phosphorylates STMN. In addition, we have compared STMN phosphorylation by different MAPK family member. In particular, our results illustrated that JNK predominantly phosphorylate STMN on serine residue 38 (S38) whereas ERK most likely targeted STMN S25. By examining specifically the phosphorylation of the four regulatory serine residues in vitro, we proposed a model of hierarchical phosphorylation among STMN serine residues. Specifically, our results demonstrated that phosphorylation of S38 was a pre-requisite for S25 phosphorylation by JNK in vitro. Furthermore, our results also demonstrated the impacts of JNK binding domain (JBD) and tubulin on STMN phosphorylation in vitro. Overall, this project identified STMN as a novel JNK substrate. The results have broadened our understanding on the JNK-mediated STMN phosphorylation as the first step to provide deeper insights into the different functions of JNK in the mammalian stress response.

Tip growth, the mechanism by which hyphae, pollen tubes, root hairs, and algal rhizoids extend, is a complex and dynamic process that is characterised by localised extension at the extreme apex of the cell and morphological polarity. Its complexity suggests that high degree of regulation is needed to ensure that the characteristics of a particular cell type are maintained during growth. Regulation is likely to come about through bidirectional interplay between the cell wall and cytoplasm, although the mechanisms by which such cross-talk might occur are unknown. Results of this thesis present immunocytochemical data that indicate the presence of, and a close association between β4 integrin subunit-like proteins and proteins containing phosphorylated tyrosine residues in the oomycete Achlya bisexualis. When hyphae were plasmolysed, these proteins were present in wall-membrane attachment sites where there was also F-actin. A combination of immunoblots, ELISA, and a coupled enzyme assay suggest that phosphorylation may occur by both autophosphorylation and through the possible action of a tyrosine kinase. Tyrphostins, which are inhibitors of tyrosine kinases, abolished the anti-phosphotyrosine staining, inhibited the kinase activity, slowed tip growth and affected the organisation of the actin cytoskeleton, in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, results show A. bisexualis contains proteins epitopically similar to the rod domain of animal talin. However, these proteins do not co-localise with F-actin, and mainly locate at the sub-apical region in hyphae. For comparative purposes, Saccharomyces cerevisiae was also used to investigate the presence of β4 integrin subunit-like proteins and tyrosine phosphorylation. Immunoblotting showed that S. cereviaise contains a protein, which is found in the microsomal pellet fraction, that cross reacts with anti-β4 integrin subunit antibody. Furthermore, there are a number of proteins containing phosphotyrosine residues. Immunocytochemistry shows that this anti-β4 integrin staining is at the cortical site but anti-phosphotyrosine residues are distributed throughout cells. On the basis of an ELISA and a coupled enzyme assay, it is suggested that a soluble fraction of S. cerevisiae contains tyrosine kinase activity. This activity is strongly inhibited by tyrphostins.

[Truncated abstract] Cells need to be able to detect changes in their surrounding environment and transduce these signals into the appropriate cellular compartments. One of the major ways that the cell achieves this signal transduction is through the process of phosphorylation. Protein kinases are the enzymes responsible for catalysing this transfer of phosphate groups from ATP to amino acid residues of their specific substrates. A subfamily of serine/threonine kinases known as the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (MAPKs) is essential in a diverse range of cell processes including growth, metabolism, differentiation and death. The first identified MAPKs, the Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinases (ERKs), were found to be activated in response to mitogenic stimuli such as growth factors. However, since the discovery of the ERKs, other pathways leading to the activation of related kinases have been recognised. These kinases are preferentially activated in response to stress, and are thus termed “Stress-Activated Protein Kinases” or SAPKs. They consist of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase isoforms 1, 2 and 3 (also called SAPK1γ, SAPK1α and SAPKβ respectively) and the p38 MAPKs, p38α, p38β, p38γ and p38δ (also called SAPK2a, SAPK2b, SAPK3 and SAPK4 respectively). A major challenge in this field has been to identify the substrates and functions of the SAPKs. This has been partly achieved by the development of inhibitors for the JNK MAPKs and SAPK2a/b. However, no inhibitors currently exist that specifically inhibit SAPK3 and SAPK4. Therefore, elucidating the function of these SAPKs has proved more difficult. Recent studies suggest that SAPK3 may play a unique role in the cell compared to other members of the p38 MAPK family. For example, several signalling proteins appear to specifically activate SAPK3 in certain circumstances while not activating other members of the p38 MAPK family. In addition, SAPK3 contains a unique sequence motif that allows it to bind to specialised domains known as PDZ domains. The interaction of SAPK3 with proteins containing these domains may regulate its subcellular localisation and interactions with other proteins in the cell. This project was undertaken to expand the knowledge on the expression, localisation, substrate specificity and binding partners of SAPK3. In Chapter 3 of this thesis, a SAPK3 monoclonal antibody was evaluated for its ability to specifically recognise endogenous SAPK3 protein. SAPK3 was found to be expressed in immortalised cell lines and primary cultures of neonatal rat myocytes, and to be colocalised with the mitochondria of these cells. This co-localisation remained unaltered in response to treatment with the nuclear export inhibitor Leptomycin B, and with exposure to osmotic shock, suggesting that SAPK3 substrates may be localised at the mitochondria

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- McMaster University, 1997 / Includes bibliographical references. Also available via World Wide Web.

Thesis (M. Med. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2007.