Up-regulation of DUSP5 and DUSP6 by gonadotropin-releasing hormone in cultured hypothalamic neurons, GT1-7 cells
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH-TOKYO
Authors: Higa, Teruyuki; Takahashi, Hana; Higa-Nakamine, Sayomi; Suzuki, Mikio; Yamamoto, Hideyuki
Abstract
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is secreted from hypothalamic neurons (GnRH neurons) and stimulates anterior pituitary gonadotrophs to synthesize and secrete gonadotropins. In addition to gonadotrophs, GnRH neurons also express GnRH receptors, and the autocrine action of GnRH is reportedly involved in the regulation of functions of GnRH neurons. There is accumulating evidence that extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), one of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), is activated by GnRH and involved in various effects of GnRH in GnRH neurons. In the present study, we performed microarray analysis to examine the types of genes whose expression was regulated by GnRH in immortalized mouse GnRH neurons (GT1-7 cells). We found that 257 genes among 55,681 genes examined were up-regulated after 30-min treatment of GT1-7 cells with GnRH. These up-regulated genes included four dual-specificity MAPK phosphatases (DUSPs), DUSP1, DUSP2, DUSP5, and DUSP6. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis confirmed that the mRNA levels of DUSP5 and DUSP6 were robustly increased within 30 min. U0126, an inhibitor of ERK activation, completely inhibited the increases in the mRNA levels of DUSP5 and DUSP6. Immunoblotting analysis revealed that ERK activation peaked at 5 min and declined steeply at 60 min, whereas DUSP5 and DUSP6 proteins were increased from 60 min. It was notable that down-regulation of DUSP6 augmented GnRH-induced ERK activation approximately 1.7-fold at 60 min. These results suggested that the up-regulation of DUSP6 regulates the duration of ERK activation at least in part.
Activation of ERK1/2 Causes Pazopanib Resistance via Downregulation of DUSP6 in Synovial Sarcoma Cells
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
Authors: Yokoyama, Nobuhiko; Matsunobu, Tomoya; Matsumoto, Yoshihiro; Fukushi, Jun-ichi; Endo, Makoto; Hatano, Mihoko; Nabeshima, Akira; Fukushima, Suguru; Okada, Seiji; Iwamoto, Yukihide
Abstract
Synovial sarcoma (SS) is a rare high-grade malignant mesenchymal tumour with a relatively poor prognosis despite intensive multimodal therapy. Although pazopanib, a multi-kinase inhibitor, is often used for advanced SS, most cases eventually become resistant to pazopanib. In the present study, we investigated the mechanisms of acquired pazopanib resistance in SS. To examine acquired pazopanib resistance, two SS cell lines, SYO-1 and HS-SY-II, were isolated after multiple selection steps with increasing concentrations of pazopanib. SYO-1 was also used in vivo. Then, pazopanib-resistant clones were investigated to assess potential mechanisms of acquired pazopanib resistance. Stable pazopanib-resistant clones were established and exhibited enhanced cell cycle progression, cell growth with increased ERK1/2 phosphorylation, and higher sensitivity than parental cells to a MEK-inhibitor, trametinib, both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, addition of low-dose trametinib partially reversed the pazopanib resistance. In the pazopanib-resistant clones, dual specificity phosphatase 6 (DUSP6) was downregulated. Inhibition of DUSP6 expression in parental HS-SY-II cells partially recapitulated acquired pazopanib resistance. Acquired pazopanib resistance in SS was associated with activation of ERK1/2 through downregulation of DUSP6 expression. Simultaneous treatment with pazopanib and a MEK inhibitor could be a promising strategy to overcome pazopanib resistance in SS.