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ABSTRACT: Background: Cysteinyl leukotriene (LT) induces bronchoconstriction as well as airway inflammation and remodeling. Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) is associated with remodeling in airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells in bronchial asthma. A disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM) 12 is an enzyme implicated in the ectodomain shedding of membrane-anchored proHB-EGF and release of HB-EGF. Objective: To determine the role of LTD4 in HB-EGF and ADAM12 expression and the regulatory mechanism in human ASM cells, we analyzed a functioning signaling molecule in LTD4-induced HB-EGF and ADAM12 expression in human ASM cells by focusing on the role of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades. Method: Human ASM cells were stimulated LTD4 in a time-dependent manner. We observed phosphorylation of MAPK by western blot analysis and the expression of HB-EGF and ADAM12 by quantitative PCR analysis of mRNA. Furthermore, we pretreated with specific inhibitors of MAPK and LTD4. Results: LTD4 induced an extracellular-signal regulated kinase (ERK), p38 MAPK and c-Jun-NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation in human ASM cells. LTD4 induced HB-EGF and ADAM12 mRNA expression. Furthermore, the regulation of LTD4-induced HB-EGF and ADAM12 mRNA expression is associated with ERK and p38 MAPK, not but JNK. Conclusion: we conclude that p38 MAPK and ERK are capable of regulating LTD4-induced HB-EGF and ADAM12 expression in human ASM cells. In bronchial asthma, the specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK and ERK may produce beneficial effects in controlling airway remodeling and inflammation.
Asian Pacific journal of allergy and immunology / launched by the Allergy and Immunology Society of Thailand 03/2013; 31(1):58-66. · 0.65 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: A 44-year-old woman was hospitalized with a 2-day history of cough, sputum, and fever. There was no history of atopic dermatitis or asthma. On admission, the chest X-ray revealed scattered infiltration in the left upper lung fields. Further examination revealed peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid eosinophilia. Transbronchial lung biopsy revealed eosinophilic pneumonia, with eosinophil infiltration of the alveoli, destroyed basal lumina, and connecting intraluminal fibrosis of the alveolar walls. Based on the findings, we made the diagnosis of chronic eosinophilic pneumonia. Treatment with prednisolone at 60 mg/day resulted in dramatic improvement of both the symptoms and the radiologic abnormalities.
Asian Pacific journal of allergy and immunology / launched by the Allergy and Immunology Society of Thailand 12/2012; 30(4):321-5. · 0.65 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Sepsis remains a life-threatening event and acute lung injury (ALI) is one of the complications induced by it. ALI is characterized by fibrin deposition, an indication of local activation of the coagulation cascade. Tissue factor (TF) expressed in the microvasculature acts as a critical initiator of blood coagulation in ALI. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a component of the outer envelope of all Gram-negative bacteria, is a highly proinflammatory molecule that elicits a wide range of endothelial responses, including the upregulation of TF; however, the molecular mechanism in LPS-induced TF expression in the pulmonary microvasculature has not been determined. We analyzed the role of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase (ASK1), an upstream kinase of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), in order to clarify the signaling molecule regulating LPS-induced TF expression. The results showed the following: 1) LPS induces hTF mRNA expression in normal human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC-L); 2) LPS induces ASK1 phosphorylation in HMVEC-L; 3) LPS-induced TF mRNA expression is depressed in the dominant negative form of ASK1 stably-transfected porcine artery endothelial (PAE) cells; 4) LPS stimulation induces p38 MAPK and JNK phosphorylations in HMVEC-L; 5) LPS-induced p38 MAPK and JNK phosphorylations are depressed in the dominant negative form of ASK1 stably-transfected PAE cells; and 6) SB 203580 as a specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK, but not SP 600125 as a specific inhibitor of JNK cascade, attenuates LPS-induced hTF mRNA expression. These results indicate that the ASK1-p38 MAPK cascade may regulate LPS-induced TF expression in pulmonary microvasculature.
International immunopharmacology 09/2010; 10(9):1062-7. · 2.21 Impact Factor
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Akira Onose,
Shu Hashimoto,
Shinichi Hayashi,
Shuichiro Maruoka, Fumio Kumasawa,
Kenji Mizumura,
Itsuro Jibiki,
Ken Matsumoto,
Yasuhiro Gon,
Tomoko Kobayashi,
Noriaki Takahashi,
Yasuko Shibata,
Yoshimitsu Abiko,
Toshikatsu Shibata,
Kazufumi Shimizu,
Takashi Horie
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ABSTRACT: Influenza is a major disease in humans. The reemergence of avian influenza A viruses has indicated that hyperinflammatory responses are closely related to the severity of disease. Influenza virus infection induces nuclear transcription factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation. NF-kappaB and NF-kappaB-dependent gene products promote lung inflammation and injury. Therefore, it is important to investigate the means to attenuate NF-kappaB activation. A20 is a cytoplasmic zinc finger protein that inhibits NF-kappaB activity, However, little is known about the role of A20 in influenza virus infection. Here, we have examined the role of A20 in influenza virus infection-induced NF-kappaB promoter activation in human bronchial epithelial cells. The results showed that (1) A20 protein and mRNA are inducible and expressed in the lung from mice and human bronchial epithelial cells upon influenza virus infection; (2) NF-kappaB promoter activation was induced in bronchial epithelial cells upon influenza virus infection; and (3) overexpression by transient transfection of A20 attenuated NF-kappaB promoter activation in bronchial epithelial cells. These results indicate that A20 may function as a negative regulator of NF-kappaB-mediated lung inflammation and injury upon influenza virus infection, thereby protecting the host against inflammatory response to influenza virus infection.
European Journal of Pharmacology 08/2006; 541(3):198-204. · 2.52 Impact Factor
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Fumio Kumasawa,
Shu Hashimoto,
Akira Onose,
Itsuro Jibiki,
Kenji Mizumura,
Ken Matsumoto,
Shuichiro Maruoka,
Yasuhiro Gon,
Tomoko Kobayashi,
Noriaki Takahashi,
Hidenori Ichijo,
Takashi Horie
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ABSTRACT: Cysteinyl leukotrienes (LTs) are involved in allergic disorders including bronchial asthma. Transcription factor activator protein-1 (AP-1) activation is essential for cell proliferation and differentiation. LTD(4) is shown to promote human airway smooth muscle cell proliferation; however, the effect of LTD(4) on AP-1 activation in airway smooth muscle cells and the molecular mechanism in regulating AP-1 activation have not been determined. We examined the effect LTD(4) on AP-1 activation in human airway smooth muscle cells and analyzed a role of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase1 (ASK1), an upstream kinase kinase of c-Jun-NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in LTD(4)-induced AP-1 activation to clarify the signaling molecule regulating AP-1 activation. The results showed that LTD(4) induced AP-1 activation determined by AP-1-dependent luciferase gene activity and ASK1 phosphorylation. Transient transfection of the dominant negative form of ASK1 attenuated LTD(4)-induced AP-1 activation. In addition, LTD(4)-induced AP-1 activity was depressed in the dominant negative form of ASK1-stably transfected porcine artery endothelial cells compared to that in the parental porcine artery endothelial cells. These results indicate that LTD(4) is capable of inducing AP-1 activation and ASK1 regulates AP-1 activation in LTD(4)-stimulated airway smooth muscle cells.
European Journal of Pharmacology 08/2005; 517(1-2):11-6. · 2.52 Impact Factor
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Fumio Kumasawa,
Shu Hashimoto,
Akira Onose,
Itsuro Jibiki,
Kenji Mizumura,
Ken Matsumoto,
Shuichiro Maruoka,
Yasuhiro Gon,
Tomoko Kobayashi,
Noriaki Takahashi,
Hidenori Ichijo,
Takashi Horie
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Cysteinyl leukotrienes (LTs) are involved in allergic disorders including bronchial asthma. Transcription factor activator protein-1 (AP-1) activation is essential for cell proliferation and differentiation. LTD4 is shown to promote human airway smooth muscle cell proliferation; however, the effect of LTD4 on AP-1 activation in airway smooth muscle cells and the molecular mechanism in regulating AP-1 activation have not been determined. We examined the effect LTD4 on AP-1 activation in human airway smooth muscle cells and analyzed a role of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase1 (ASK1), an upstream kinase kinase of c-Jun-NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in LTD4-induced AP-1 activation to clarify the signaling molecule regulating AP-1 activation. The results showed that LTD4 induced AP-1 activation determined by AP-1-dependent luciferase gene activity and ASK1 phosphorylation. Transient transfection of the dominant negative form of ASK1 attenuated LTD4-induced AP-1 activation. In addition, LTD4-induced AP-1 activity was depressed in the dominant negative form of ASK1-stably transfected porcine artery endothelial cells compared to that in the parental porcine artery endothelial cells. These results indicate that LTD4 is capable of inducing AP-1 activation and ASK1 regulates AP-1 activation in LTD4-stimulated airway smooth muscle cells.
European Journal of Pharmacology - EUR J PHARMACOL. 01/2005; 517(1):11-16.