Activating Protein 1 (AP-1) plays a vital role in cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. While de-regulation of AP-1 has been linked to many cancers, little is known regarding its downstream transcriptional targets that associate with cellular transformation. Previous studies identified PAK3, a serine/threonine kinase, as a potential AP-1 target gene. PAK3 has been implicated in a v...

Intracellular protein trafficking through secretory and endocytic pathways depends on the function of adaptor proteins that bind motifs on cargo proteins. The adaptor proteins then recruit coat proteins such as clathrin, enabling the formation of a transport vesicle. While studying the role of the clathrin adaptor proteins, AP-1, AP-2 and AP-3 in viral protein trafficking, we discovered that AP...

1. Diadenosine polyphosphates (Ap(n)As, n=2 - 7) are considered as stress mediators in the cardiovascular system. They act both via identified P2 purinoceptors and via yet to be characterized receptors. This study analyses the actions of Ap(n)As in clones of rat brain capillary endothelial cells that express P2Y(1) receptors (B10 cells) or both P2Y(1) and P2Y(2) receptors (B7 cells). 2. B10 cel...

The capacity of human poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) to interact with intact apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites in DNA has been demonstrated. In cell extracts, sodium borohydride reduction of the PARP-1/AP site DNA complex resulted in covalent cross-linking of PARP-1 to DNA; the identity of cross-linked PARP-1 was confirmed by mass spectrometry. Using purified human PARP-1, the specificit...

The AP-1 complex recycles between membranes and the cytoplasm and dissociates from membranes during clathrin-coated-vesicle uncoating, but also independently of vesicular transport. The μ1A N-terminal 70 amino acids are involved in regulating AP-1 recycling. In a yeast two-hybrid library screen we identified the cytoplasmic prolyl-oligopeptidase-like protein PREPL as an interaction partner of t...

Clathrin associated adaptor protein is involved in endocytosis at the plasma membrane (AP-2) and protein sorting at the Golgi membrane (AP-1). There is a great deal of information available on the structure, function and binding characteristics of AP-2, however, there is little quantitative data on the AP-2 distribution at the membrane. Image correlation spectroscopy is a technique which yields...

Induction of phase 2 detoxification enzymes by phenolic antioxidants can account for prevention of tumor initiation but cannot explain why these compounds inhibit tumor promotion. Phase 2 genes are induced through an antioxidant response element (ARE). Although the ARE resembles an AP-1 binding site, we show that the major ARE binding and activating protein is not AP-1. Interestingly, AP-1 DNA ...

Post-traumatic inflammatory reaction may contribute to progressive tissue damage after spinal cord injury (SCI). Two key transcription factors, nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) and activator protein-1 (AP-1), are activated in inflammation. An increase in NF-kappaB binding activity has been shown in the injured spinal cord. We report activation of AP-1 after SCI. Electrophoretic mobility shift ...