Differential expression of extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5) in normal and degenerated human nucleus pulposus tissues and cells

作者：Liang, Weiguo^*; Fang, Dejian; Ye, Dongping; Zou, Longqiang; Shen, Yan; Dai, Libing; Xu, Jiake

来源：Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 2014, 449(4): 466-470.

DOI：10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.05.042

• Extracellular signal-regulated kinase-5
• (ERK5) pathway
• Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)
• Nucleus pulposus
• Nucleus pulposus degeneration

Extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5) is a member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family and regulates a wide variety of cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, necrosis, apoptosis and degeneration. However, the expression of ERK5 and its role in degenerated human nucleus pulposus (NP) is hitherto unknown. In this study, we observed the differential expression of ERK5 in normal and degenerated human nucleus pulposus tissues by using immunohistochemical staining and Western blot. Treatment of NP cells with Pro-inflammatory cytokine, TNT-alpha decreased ERK5 gene expression as well as NP marker gene expression; including the type II collagen and aggrecan. Suppression of ERK5 gene expression in NP cells by ERK5 siRNA resulted in decreased gene expression of type II collagen and aggrecan. Furthermore, inhibition of ERK5 activation by BIX02188 (5 mu M) decreased the gene expression of type II collagen and aggrecan in NP cells. Our results document the expression of ERK5 in degenerated nucleus pulposus tissues, and suggest a potential involvement of ERK5 in human degenerated nucleus pulposus.

• 出版日期2014-7-11
• 单位暨南大学