Biomaterial Database

MKP2 suppresses TGF-β1-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition through JNK inhibition. 2019

Ivonne Loeffler

Department of Internal Medicine III, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany Ivonne.loeffler@med.uni-jena.de.

Interstitial fibrosis is a typical feature of end-stage renal diseases, regardless of the initial cause of kidney injury. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a mechanism that is thought to play a role in generating the interstitial matrix-producing myofibroblasts and is prominently induced by the transforming growth factor-β 1 (TGF-β1). TGF-β1 signals through a variety of Smad and non-Smad signaling pathways, including the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. In a study published in a recent issue of Clinical Science (Clin. Sci. (2018) 132(21),2339-2355), Li et al. investigated the potential role of the Mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase 2 (MKP2), also known as Dusp4, in the control of EMT and renal fibrosis. Based on results obtained with an animal model of kidney fibrosis and a proximal tubular epithelial cell line system, the authors put forward a role for MKP2 as a negative feedback regulator of TGF-β1-induced EMT and fibrosis in the kidney. Intriguingly, MKP2 is found to down-regulate activity of c-Jun, but not that of other MAPKs, extracellular signal-regulated kinases or p38, implying a role for c-Jun N-terminal kinase-dependent signaling in renal fibrosis. In this commentary, I discuss the findings of Li and co-workers in the context of the recent literature placing a focus on potential clinical/therapeutic implications.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D004847	Epithelial Cells	Cells that line the inner and outer surfaces of the body by forming cellular layers (EPITHELIUM) or masses. Epithelial cells lining the SKIN; the MOUTH; the NOSE; and the ANAL CANAL derive from ectoderm; those lining the RESPIRATORY SYSTEM and the DIGESTIVE SYSTEM derive from endoderm; others (CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM and LYMPHATIC SYSTEM) derive from mesoderm. Epithelial cells can be classified mainly by cell shape and function into squamous, glandular and transitional epithelial cells.	Adenomatous Epithelial Cells,Columnar Glandular Epithelial Cells,Cuboidal Glandular Epithelial Cells,Glandular Epithelial Cells,Squamous Cells,Squamous Epithelial Cells,Transitional Epithelial Cells,Adenomatous Epithelial Cell,Cell, Adenomatous Epithelial,Cell, Epithelial,Cell, Glandular Epithelial,Cell, Squamous,Cell, Squamous Epithelial,Cell, Transitional Epithelial,Cells, Adenomatous Epithelial,Cells, Epithelial,Cells, Glandular Epithelial,Cells, Squamous,Cells, Squamous Epithelial,Cells, Transitional Epithelial,Epithelial Cell,Epithelial Cell, Adenomatous,Epithelial Cell, Glandular,Epithelial Cell, Squamous,Epithelial Cell, Transitional,Epithelial Cells, Adenomatous,Epithelial Cells, Glandular,Epithelial Cells, Squamous,Epithelial Cells, Transitional,Glandular Epithelial Cell,Squamous Cell,Squamous Epithelial Cell,Transitional Epithelial Cell
D005355	Fibrosis	Any pathological condition where fibrous connective tissue invades any organ, usually as a consequence of inflammation or other injury.	Cirrhosis,Fibroses
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D053773	Transforming Growth Factor beta1	A subtype of transforming growth factor beta that is synthesized by a wide variety of cells. It is synthesized as a precursor molecule that is cleaved to form mature TGF-beta 1 and TGF-beta1 latency-associated peptide. The association of the cleavage products results in the formation a latent protein which must be activated to bind its receptor. Defects in the gene that encodes TGF-beta1 are the cause of CAMURATI-ENGELMANN SYNDROME.	TGF-beta1,Transforming Growth Factor-beta1,TGF-beta-1,TGF-beta1 Latency-Associated Protein,TGF-beta1LAP,Transforming Growth Factor beta 1 Latency Associated Peptide,Transforming Growth Factor beta I,Latency-Associated Protein, TGF-beta1,TGF beta 1,TGF beta1 Latency Associated Protein,TGF beta1LAP
D058750	Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition	Phenotypic changes of EPITHELIAL CELLS to MESENCHYME type, which increase cell mobility critical in many developmental processes such as NEURAL TUBE development. NEOPLASM METASTASIS and DISEASE PROGRESSION may also induce this transition.	Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transformation,Epithelial Mesenchymal Transformation,Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition,Transformation, Epithelial-Mesenchymal,Transition, Epithelial-Mesenchymal
D020935	MAP Kinase Signaling System	An intracellular signaling system involving the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascades (three-membered protein kinase cascades). Various upstream activators, which act in response to extracellular stimuli, trigger the cascades by activating the first member of a cascade, MAP KINASE KINASE KINASES; (MAPKKKs). Activated MAPKKKs phosphorylate MITOGEN-ACTIVATED PROTEIN KINASE KINASES which in turn phosphorylate the MITOGEN-ACTIVATED PROTEIN KINASES; (MAPKs). The MAPKs then act on various downstream targets to affect gene expression. In mammals, there are several distinct MAP kinase pathways including the ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) pathway, the SAPK/JNK (stress-activated protein kinase/c-jun kinase) pathway, and the p38 kinase pathway. There is some sharing of components among the pathways depending on which stimulus originates activation of the cascade.	MAP Kinase Cascade,MAP Kinase Module,MAP Kinase Signaling Cascade,MAP Kinase Signaling Pathway,MAP Kinase Signaling Pathways,ERK Pathway,ERK Signal Tranduction Pathway,ERK1 and ERK2 Pathway,ERK1-2 Pathway,JNK Pathway,JNK Signaling Pathway,MAP Kinase Modules,MAP Kinase Signaling Cascades,MEK-ERK Pathway,p38 Kinase Pathway,p38 Kinase Signaling Pathway,Cascade, MAP Kinase,ERK Pathways,ERK1 2 Pathway,ERK1-2 Pathways,JNK Pathways,JNK Signaling Pathways,Kinase Cascade, MAP,Kinase Pathway, p38,Kinase Pathways, p38,MAP Kinase Cascades,MEK ERK Pathway,MEK-ERK Pathways,Module, MAP Kinase,Pathway, ERK,Pathway, ERK1-2,Pathway, JNK,Pathway, JNK Signaling,Pathway, MEK-ERK,Pathway, p38 Kinase,Pathways, ERK,Pathways, ERK1-2,Pathways, JNK,Pathways, JNK Signaling,Pathways, MEK-ERK,Pathways, p38 Kinase,Signaling Pathway, JNK,Signaling Pathways, JNK,p38 Kinase Pathways