Biochemistry and Pharmacology - Research Publications

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    Oxidative stress impairs multiple regulatory events to drive persistent cytokine-stimulated STAT3 phosphorylation
    Huang, C-T ; Huang, D-Y ; Hu, C-J ; Wu, D ; Lin, W-W (ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV, 2014-03)
    Although cytokine-driven STAT3 phosphorylation and activation are often transient, persistent activation of STAT3 is a hallmark of a range of pathologies and underpins altered transcriptional responses. As triggers in disease frequently include combined increases in inflammatory cytokine and reactive oxygen species levels, we report here how oxidative stress impacts on cytokine-driven STAT3 signal transduction events. In the model system of murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), combined treatment with the interleukin-6 family cytokine Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) drove persistent STAT3 phosphorylation whereas STAT3 phosphorylation increased only transiently in response to LIF alone and was not increased by H2O2 alone. Surprisingly, increases in transcript levels of the direct STAT3 gene target SOCS3 were delayed during the combined LIF + H2O2 treatment, leading us to probe the impact of oxidative stress on STAT3 regulatory events. Indeed, LIF + H2O2 prolonged JAK activation, delayed STAT3 nuclear localisation, and caused relocalisation of nuclear STAT3 phosphatase TC-PTP (TC45) to the cytoplasm. In exploring the nuclear import/ export pathways, we observed disruption of nuclear/cytoplasmic distributions of Ran and importin-alpha3 in cells exposed to H2O2 and the resultant reduced nuclear trafficking of Classical importin-alpha/3-dependent protein cargoes. CRM1-mediated nuclear export persisted despite the oxidative stress insult, with sustained STAT3 Y705 phosphorylation enhancing STAT3 nuclear residency. Our studies thus reveal for the first time the striking impact of oxidative stress to sustain STAT3 phosphorylation and nuclear retention following disruption of multiple regulatory events, with significant implications for STAT3 function.
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    Intracellular mobility and nuclear trafficking of the stress-activated kinase JNK1 are impeded by hyperosmotic stress
    Misheva, M ; Kaur, G ; Ngoei, KRW ; Yeap, YY ; Ng, IHW ; Wagstaff, KM ; Ng, DCH ; Jans, DA ; Bogoyevitch, MA (ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV, 2014-02)
    The c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) are a group of stress-activated protein kinases that regulate gene expression changes through specific phosphorylation of nuclear transcription factor substrates. To address the mechanisms underlying JNK nuclear entry, we employed a semi-intact cell system to demonstrate for the first time that JNK1 nuclear entry is dependent on the importin α2/β1 heterodimer and independent of importins α3, α4, β2, β3, 7 and 13. However, quantitative image analysis of JNK1 localization following exposure of cells to either arsenite or hyperosmotic stress did not indicate its nuclear accumulation. Extending our analyses to define the dynamics of nuclear trafficking of JNK1, we combined live cell imaging analyses with fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) protocols. Subnuclear and subcytoplasmic bleaching protocols revealed the slowed movement of JNK1 in both regions in response to hyperosmotic stress. Strikingly, while movement into the nucleus of green fluorescent protein (GFP) or transport of a GFP-T-antigen fusion protein as estimated by initial rates and time to reach half-maximal recovery (t1/2) measures remained unaltered, hyperosmotic stress slowed the nuclear entry of GFP-JNK1. In contrast, arsenite exposure which did not alter the initial rates of nuclear accumulation of GFP, GFP-T-antigen or GFP-JNK1, decreased the t1/2 for nuclear accumulation of both GFP and GFP-JNK1. Thus, our results challenge the paradigm of increased nuclear localization of JNK broadly in response to all forms of stress-activation and are consistent with enhanced interactions of stress-activated JNK1 with scaffold and substrate proteins throughout the nucleus and the cytosol under conditions of hyperosmotic stress.