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Specific association of activated MAP kinase kinase kinase (Raf) with the plasma membranes of ras-transformed retinal cells.

Plasma membrane-enriched fractions were prepared from human embryonic retinal cells transformed with either adenovirus E1A and oncogenic ras DNA, or E1A and E1B DNA. Ras comprised 5-10% of the membrane protein from the E1A/ras transformed cells, whereas the membranes from E1A/E1B transformed cells did not overexpress Ras. The membranes from E1A/ras cells contained MAP kinase kinase kinase (MAPKKK) activity, even after washing in 0.5 M NaCl, whereas the membranes from E1A/E1B cells did not. Neither membrane fraction contained MAP kinase kinase or MAP kinase activity after washing with 0.5M NaCl. Immunoblotting experiments revealed about 10-fold more c-Raf in the membranes from E1A/ras cells than from E1A/E1B cells, and 50-60% of the MAPKKK activity in Triton X100-solubilised membranes from E1A/ras cells was immunoprecipitated with anti-Raf antibodies. A striking enrichment of c-Raf in the plasma membranes of E1A/ras cells was also demonstrated by immunocytochemistry, where it was co-localized with Ras. The MAPKKK activity in E1A/ras membranes was unaffected by incubation with protein phosphatases or by inclusion of protein phosphatase inhibitors during isolation, nor was it activated by GTP-Ras or inhibited by GDP-Ras. The results support the view that Ras and c-Raf interact with one another, but that neither c-Raf phosphorylation nor its interaction with GTP-Ras are alone sufficient for activation. The identification of MAPKKK activity in the membranes of ras-transformed cells may prove useful in elucidating the mechanism by which Raf is activated by Ras.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Lung-specific expression of active Raf kinase results in increased mortality of influenza A virus-infected mice.

Alterations in signalling via the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway interfere with influenza A virus replication in cell culture. While virus yields are reduced in cells expressing dominant-negative Raf or ERK, virus propagation is enhanced upon expression of constitutively active Raf or MEK. To study the impact of active Raf on influenza virus propagation in vivo, we investigated transgenic mice expressing an activated mutant of c-Raf (Raf-BxB) in the main target tissue of influenza virus, the lung. Raf-BxB expression results in multicentric alveolar adenomas. Influenza virus A infection of Raf-BxB mice results in increased disease symptoms and higher mortality rates. The immune response against viral pathogens in transgenic animals did not differ from wild-type mice as determined by the use of a Pseudorabies virus (PRV) as a model for a viral infection not affecting the lung. No significant differences of influenza virus titers in the lung of Raf-BxB and wild-type mice were observed. However, immunohistology revealed increased numbers of influenza NP-positive cells in the alveolar linings of Raf-BxB mice, demonstrating the strong tropism of influenza virus for cells expressing active Raf. These findings disclose the possibility to use modified influenza virus for the therapy of tumors with an activated Ras/Raf signalling pathway.

Animals↗

Control of Drosophila photoreceptor cell fates by phyllopod, a novel nuclear protein acting downstream of the Raf kinase.

The phyllopod (phyl) gene regulates the fates of a subset of cells in the developing Drosophila eye; in the absence of phyl function, the R1, R6, and R7 photoreceptors are transformed into additional cone cells, whereas ectopic phyl expression in the cone cell precursors transforms these cells into additional R7 cells. Within this group of cells, phyl expression thus mimics activation of the Raf pathway in its ability to induce photoreceptor rather than cone cell development. Furthermore, the transformation of cone cells into R7 cells in response to Raf activation is both accompanied by and dependent upon ectopic phyl expression. phyl thus represents a possible target gene of the Raf pathway during eye development, controlling the fates of a novel subset of photoreceptors.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Rationale for Ras and raf-kinase as a target for cancer therapeutics.

Improvements in our understanding of the intrinsic aberrancies in cancer cells have enabled the design and development of novel therapeutics that specifically target these changes. Among the many complex cellular pathways and mechanisms which have been unveiled by new molecular techniques, RAS-mediated signal transduction is one met with tremendous research interests. Activation of RAS initiates several signaling cascades, of which the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK pathway is among the better delineated, and is the main focus of this review. Other cellular consequences of RAS activation including interactions with the RHO-family proteins, the PI3-kinase pathway, and other mitogen activated protein kinase cascades, will be discussed. The intricate balance and coordination of multiple RAS-mediated signals lead to ultimate effects on cell growth, differentiation, cycling and survival. Pharmacological strategies such as analog development, synthesis of small molecule inhibitors, antisense technology, and vaccine therapy have been utilized to intervene with key RAS-signaling proteins, in an attempt to provide rational therapeutic solutions in malignant diseases.

Animals↗

In vitro binding of free cdc2 and raf kinase to membrane vesicles: a possible new regulatory mechanism for cdc2 kinase activation in Xenopus oocyte.

The G2-M transition of the cell cycle is under the control of the M-phase promoting factor (MPF) formed of cdc2 kinase and cyclin B. The Xenopus prophase-blocked oocyte contains a stockpile of cyclin B2-cdc2 complexes that are maintained inactive by a double inhibitory phosphorylation on Thr-14 and Tyr-15 of cdc2. Free cdc2 molecules that are not associated with cyclin, are present in excess as compared to cyclin B2-associated cdc2. This pool of free cdc2 is permanently recruited to associate with neosynthetized cyclin B2 in the resting prophase oocyte, to feed up the pre-MPF stockpile. During re-entry into meiosis, free cdc2 could generate with newly synthesized cyclin B a small level of active MPF, that could serve as starter to initiate the conversion of pre-MPF into MPF. It was, therefore, of high interest to investigate whether free cdc2 interacts with other proteins and what could be its intracellular localization. To address these questions, we developed an in vitro system of membrane vesicles. We demonstrate here that free cdc2 is recovered in association with the external layer of membrane vesicles, whereas cyclin B2-associated cdc2 is not. Cyclin is able to associate in vitro with cdc2-containing membrane vesicles. This association does not induce the inhibitory cdc2 phosphorylations. However, it does not lead to active complexes, suggesting that membrane vesicles prevent cdc2 activation. C-Raf1, another kinase activated during reentry into meiosis, is also totally recovered in association with the membrane vesicles.

Animals↗

Interaction of the protein kinase Raf-1 with 14-3-3 proteins.

Members of a family of highly conserved proteins, termed 14-3-3 proteins, were found by several experimental approaches to associate with Raf-1, a central component of a key signal transduction pathway. Optimal complex formation required the amino-terminal regulatory domain of Raf-1. The association of 14-3-3 proteins and Raf-1 was not substantially affected by the activation state of Raf.

14-3-3 Proteins↗

Opposite role of Ras in tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced cell cycle regulation: competition for Raf kinase.

Ras, a well-known oncogene, induces cell cycle stimulation through the Raf/Erk pathway and leads to cellular transformation, accompanied by other oncogenes such as c-myc and viral oncogenic protein. Here we suggest the interfering role of Ras in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-induced cell cycle regulation. In TSU-Pr1 and T24 (oncogenic Ras cell lines), TNF-alpha suppresses cell cycle progression without induction of apoptosis, whereas AGS (wild-type Ras) is stimulated in its cell cycle by TNF-alpha coupled with activation of Erk. However, in TSU-Pr1 and T24, TNF-alpha leads to dephosphorylation of Erk1/2. Inhibition or activation of Ras can restore or convert TNF-alpha-induced cell cycle regulation in the cell lines containing the oncogenic Ras (TSU-Pr1 and T24) or AGS, respectively. Regulation of Erk also shows the coincidental pattern. We suggest the competition between the Ras pathway and TNF signaling for the binding to Raf, a common downstream target, as the cause of such reciprocal response, based on co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) with antibodies against Raf and Ras or cellular Flice-inhibitory protein (c-FLIP), which have been recently identified upstream of Raf in death-ligand-induced cell cycle stimulation. Overexpression of Raf in TSU-Pr1, to reduce the competition, overcomes TNF-induced cell cycle arrest, also supporting our hypotheses.

Binding, Competitive↗