We previously reported that bupivacaine induces reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation and nuclear factor-kappa B activation, resulting in an increase in expression of WD repeat-containing protein 35 (WDR35) in mouse neuroblastoma Neuro2a cells. However, the identity of signaling upstream of p38 MAPK pathways to WDR35 expression remains ...

BACKGROUND Inhibition of intracellular signal transduction is considered to be an interesting target for treatment in inflammation. p38 MAPK inhibitors, especially, have been developed and are now in phase II clinical trials for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). OBJECTIVE To investigate the influence of p38 MAPK inhibition on acute phase protein (APP) production, which is dependent on both JAK/STAT ...

The phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) is responsible for the production and signal transduction of cytokines and chemokines. This study hypothesized that p38 MAPK activation is required for spontaneous autoimmune renal injury in MRL-Fas(lpr) mice, resembling human lupus erythematosus. FR167653, a specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK, is orally administrated from 3 or 4 mo...

BACKGROUND Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has over thousands-of-years history of use. Chaihu-Shugan-San (CSS), and Shen-ling-bai-zhu-San (SLBZS), are famous traditional Chinese herbal medicine formulas, which have been used in China, for the treatment of many chronic diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of CSS and SLBZS on signaling molecu...

Effects of diverse stimuli, including insulin, muscle contraction, and phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), were determined on phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling modules (c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase [JNK], p38 MAPK, and extracellular signal-related kinase [ERK1/2]) in skeletal muscle from lean and ob/ob mice. Insulin increased phosphorylation of JNK, p38 MAPK...

Because high D-glucose significantly stimulates endothelial cell death, we examined the molecular mechanisms of high D-glucose-induced endothelial apoptosis. Treatment of human aortic endothelial cells with high D-glucose (25 mmol/l), but not mannitol and L-glucose, resulted in a significant decrease in cell number and a significant increase in apoptotic cells as compared with a physiological c...

Previous studies have shown that interaction of GnRH with its serpentine, G protein-coupled receptor results in activation of the extracellular signal regulated protein kinase (ERK) and the Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK) pathways in pituitary gonadotropes. In the present study, we examined GnRH-stimulated activation of an additional member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) sup...

While mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various glomerular diseases, including nephrotic syndrome (NS), its specific role in podocyte injury is not known. We hypothesized that MK-2, a downstream substrate of p38 MAPK, mediates the adverse effects of this pathway and that inhibition of MK-2 would protect podocytes from NS-related injury...

The serotonin transporter (SERT) is regulated by various signaling mechanisms that may operate to maintain appropriate levels of synaptic serotonin (5-HT). We demonstrate that one of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), p38 MAPK, regulates SERT. Treatment of rat midbrain synaptosomes with p38 MAPK-specific inhibitors, PD169316 [4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)-1H-imi...

Rapid cold hardening (RCH) is an adaptation enabling insects to quickly respond to low temperature, but little is known about the molecular events that trigger this response. In this study of the flesh fly Sarcophaga crassipalpis, we explore a possible role for mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in the low temperature signaling that elicits RCH. We report that p38 MAPK from S. crassipalp...