Cardiac muscle cell hypertrophy and apoptosis induced by distinct members of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase family.

Abstract

p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activities were significantly increased in mouse hearts after chronic transverse aortic constriction, coincident with the onset of ventricular hypertrophy. Infection of cardiomyocytes with adenoviral vectors expressing upstream activators for the p38 kinases, activated mutants of MAP kinase kinase 3b(E) (MKK3bE) and MAP kinase kinase 6b(E) (MKK6bE), elicited characteristic hypertrophic responses, including an increase in cell size, enhanced sarcomeric organization, and elevated atrial natriuretic factor expression. Overexpression of the activated MKK3bE in cardiomyocytes also led to an increase in apoptosis. The hypertrophic response was enhanced by co-infection of an adenoviral vector expressing wild type p38 beta, and was suppressed by the p38 beta dominant negative mutant. In contrast, the MKK3bE-induced cell death was increased by co-infection of an adenovirus expressing wild type p38 alpha, and was suppressed by the dominant negative p38 alpha mutant. This provides the first evidence in any cell system for divergent physiological functions for different members of the p38 MAP kinase family. The direct involvement of p38 pathways in cardiac hypertrophy and apoptosis suggests a significant role for p38 signaling in the pathophysiology of heart failure.

• Authors: Y Wang, S Huang, V P Sah, J Ross Jr, J H Brown, J Han, K R Chien
• Journal: The Journal of biological chemistry (J Biol Chem) Vol. 273 Issue 4 Pg. 2161-8 (Jan 23 1998) ISSN: 0021-9258 [Print] United States
• PMID: 9442057 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
• Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
• Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases
• Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
• p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
• MAP Kinase Kinase 3
• MAP Kinase Kinase 6
• Map2k3 protein, mouse
• Map2k6 protein, mouse
• Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases

Topics

• Adenoviridae
• Animals
• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases (metabolism)
• Cardiomegaly (enzymology, pathology)
• Cells, Cultured
• Enzyme Activation
• Gene Transfer Techniques
• MAP Kinase Kinase 3
• MAP Kinase Kinase 6
• Mice
• Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases
• Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
• Myocardium (cytology, pathology)
• Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases (metabolism)
• Protein-Tyrosine Kinases (metabolism)
• Signal Transduction
• p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases