p38 MAPK pathway is involved in high glucose-induced thioredoxin interacting protein induction in mouse mesangial

Yunzhuo Ren1, Yonghong Shi, Yuehua Wang

  • 1Department of Pathology, Hebei Medical University, and Department of Nephrology, Third Hospital, No. 361 East Zhongshan Road, Shijiazhuang 050017, China.

FEBS Letters
|July 14, 2010
PubMed

Insights

High glucose impairs the thioredoxin (TRX) system

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Cell Biology
  • Pathophysiology

Background:

  • Diabetic nephropathy involves excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS).
  • The thioredoxin (TRX) system is a key intracellular antioxidant regulator.
  • Understanding ROS regulation in kidney disease is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate the mechanism by which high glucose affects TRX function in kidney cells.
  • Identify key molecular players in high glucose-induced oxidative stress in diabetic nephropathy.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized mouse mesangial cells (MMCs) cultured under high glucose conditions.
  • Employed gene knockdown techniques to study thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP).
  • Assessed TRX activity, p38 MAPK activation, and synthesis of fibronectin and TGF-beta1.

Main Results:

  • High glucose inhibited TRX ROS-scavenging activity in MMCs.
  • This inhibition was mediated by p38 MAPK-induced TXNIP.
  • TXNIP knockdown reversed TRX inhibition and reduced markers of kidney damage.

Conclusions:

  • High glucose-induced TXNIP overexpression, potentially via p38 MAPK, impairs TRX function.
  • Targeting TXNIP may offer a therapeutic strategy for diabetic nephropathy.
  • The p38 MAPK/TXNIP/TRX pathway is critical in high glucose-induced kidney cell damage.

Related Concept Videos

MAPK Signaling Cascades01:07

MAPK Signaling Cascades

Mitogen-activated protein kinase, or MAPK pathway, activates three sequential kinases to regulate cellular responses such as proliferation, differentiation, survival, and apoptosis. The canonical MAPK pathway starts with a mitogen or growth factor binding to an RTK. The activated RTKs stimulate Ras, which recruits Raf or MAP3 Kinase (MAPKKK), the first kinase of the MAPK signaling cascade. Raf further phosphorylates and activates MEK or MAP2 Kinases (MAPKK), which in turn phosphorylates MAP...
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway01:22

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway

The mammalian target of rapamycin  (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates growth, proliferation, and cell survival in response to hormones, growth factors, or nutrient availability. This kinase exists in two structurally and functionally distinct forms: mTOR complex 1  (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2  (mTORC2). The first form (mTORC1) is composed of a rapamycin-sensitive Raptor and proline-rich Akt substrate, PRAS40. In contrast,  mTORC2 consists of a rapamycin-insensitive companion...
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
cAMP-dependent Protein Kinase Pathways01:25

cAMP-dependent Protein Kinase Pathways

Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate (cAMP) is an essential second messenger that activates protein kinase A (PKA) and regulates various biological processes. A single epinephrine molecule binds to GPCR and activates several heterotrimeric G proteins, each stimulating multiple adenylyl cyclase, amplifying the signal, and synthesizing large numbers of cAMP molecules. Small changes in cAMP concentration affect PKA activity. The binding of four cAMP molecules induces a conformational change in PKA,...
Cell Specific Gene Expression01:58

Cell Specific Gene Expression

Multicellular organisms contain a variety of structurally and functionally distinct cell types, but the DNA in all the cells originated from the same parent cells. The differences in the cells can be attributed to the differential gene expression. Liver cells, whose functions include detoxification of blood, production of bile to metabolize fats, and synthesis of proteins essential for metabolism, must express a specific set of genes to perform their functions. Gene expression also varies with...
TGF - β Signaling Pathway01:16

TGF - β Signaling Pathway

The TGF-β signaling pathway regulates cell growth, differentiation, adhesion, motility, and development. TGF-β ligands that induce TGF-β signaling are synthesized in their latent form. Several proteases or cell surface receptors such as integrins act upon the latent form, releasing the active ligand. There are three types of mammalian TGF-βs: (TGF-β1, TGF-β2, and TGF-β3) that bind as homodimers or heterodimers to TGF-β receptors. The TGF-β receptors are of three kinds RI, RII, and RIII. The RI...