Ask about this productRelated genes to: MAPK4 Blocking Peptide
- Gene:
- MAPK4 NIH gene
- Name:
- mitogen-activated protein kinase 4
- Previous symbol:
- PRKM4
- Synonyms:
- Erk3-related, Erk4
- Chromosome:
- 18q21.1-q21.2
- Locus Type:
- gene with protein product
- Date approved:
- 1993-11-08
- Date modifiied:
- 2018-02-13
Related products to: MAPK4 Blocking Peptide
Related articles to: MAPK4 Blocking Peptide
- Lactate, an energy source and metabolic by-product, has been implicated in cancer progression, but its role in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains incompletely understood. This study investigated the clinical significance, biological effects, and transcriptomic responses of CRC cells to lactate. In human CRC specimens, lactate levels were positively associated with advanced clinical stage and poorer disease-free survival. Functional assays showed that lactate promoted malignant cellular behaviors in both SW480 and HCT116 cells, while pH-control experiments suggested that these effects were not merely due to extracellular acidification alone. RNA sequencing in SW480 cells identified 1,418 differentially expressed genes after lactate treatment. GO and KEGG analyses revealed alterations in multiple metabolic and signaling pathways. qRT-PCR validated the alterations of representative genes, including HK2, VEGFA, JUNB, CCNB1, MAPK4, and COX2. In addition, flow cytometry showed activation of NF-κB and HIF-1α signaling following lactate treatment, and pharmacological inhibition of either pathway significantly attenuated the lactate-induced malignant phenotypes. Together, these findings provide transcriptomic and functional evidence that lactate promotes malignant phenotypes in CRC cells and offer exploratory mechanistic insights into the involvement of NF-κB and HIF-1α signaling. - Source: PubMed
Publication date: 2026/05/02
Li ShujuanFeng ShiweiLi XuannaSu RanDeng JinhuaCheng SijingHou Yujie - Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is one of the most important oilseed and food crops, and the drought stress remains the primary adverse environmental factor limiting its growth and productivity. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades play crucial roles in various signal transduction pathways, affecting a wide range of physiological processes and drought stress responses in plants; however, the systematic analysis of the MAPK gene family in peanuts remains unexplored. In this study, we identified 30, 16, and 15 MAPK genes in A. hypogaea, Arachis duranensis, and Arachis ipaensis, respectively. RNA-sequencing analysis in drought-tolerant and drought-susceptible genotypes revealed that Ah_At_MAPK4 and Ah_Bt_MAPK4 were significantly upregulated under drought stress conditions, with substantially higher induction in drought-tolerant genotypes compared to drought-susceptible ones. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis further identified a drought-responsive turquoise module highly correlated with drought tolerance traits, and both Ah_At_MAPK4 and Ah_Bt_MAPK4 were identified as core regulatory components within this module. Hub gene analysis revealed these MAPKs co-express with calmodulin-binding proteins, implicating calcium signaling in drought adaptation. Three-dimensional structural modeling confirmed both proteins possess canonical bilobed kinase architecture with properly positioned Thr-Glu-Tyr motifs and intact catalytic machinery. This genome-to-structure analysis identifies Ah_At_MAPK4 and Ah_Bt_MAPK4 as key components in drought-responsive networks and provides molecular targets for enhancing drought resilience in peanut breeding. - Source: PubMed
Zhang JieMeng QingyingSanz-Saez AlvaroChen Charles - This study explored the anticancer potential of p-cymene against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through computational and in vitro approaches. Bioinformatics analysis identified 635 potential targets of p-cymene, with 216 overlapping HCC-related proteins. Target interaction networks were constructed using STRING and Cytoscape, revealing key proteins involved in apoptosis, angiogenesis, and tumor progression. Molecular docking was performed using the molecular operating environment software, demonstrating strong binding affinities of p-cymene with key overlapping HCC targets, including hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF1A), B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2), cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9), Janus kinase 2 (JAK2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), mitogen-activated protein kinase 4 (MAPK4), tumor protein p53 (P53), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), and caspase-3 (CASP3). HepG2 cells were treated with increasing concentrations of p-cymene (5-50 mM), and cytotoxicity was assessed using MTT, crystal violet, and trypan blue exclusion assays. Antioxidant activity was measured by evaluating superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) levels. Apoptotic markers, including CASP3, P53, VEGF, and BCL2, were quantified using ELISA. Results showed a dose-dependent reduction in HepG2 cell viability, with significant cytotoxic effects at higher p-cymene concentrations (30 and 50 mM). p-Cymene reduced oxidative stress, evident from increased SOD and GSH levels, and triggered apoptosis, as indicated by increased CASP3 and P53 expression. Additionally, BCL2 and VEGF were downregulated, suggesting inhibition of cell survival and angiogenesis. These findings highlight p-cymene's multi-targeted anticancer effects in HCC cells, supporting its further evaluation in in vivo models and potential combination therapies for improved therapeutic outcomes. - Source: PubMed
Publication date: 2025/10/16
Anwar NadiaMalik Muhammad Nasir HayatAtif MuhammadAlanzi Abdullah RAlharbi Hattan AYounis WaqasAbbas MunawarSolre Gideon F B - Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is highly resistant to conventional therapies, highlighting the need for novel immunotherapeutic approaches. In the tumor microenvironment (TME), the role of proinflammatory M1 macrophages remains ambiguous. The proteins and cyclin E2 (CE2, Ccne2) are crucial for regulating hepatocyte proliferation and may be important factors driving the development of HCC. This study aimed to investigate the effects of M1 macrophages on and expression, as well as hepatocyte proliferation, in a rat model of partial hepatectomy (PH) with or without diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced HCC. (2) Methods: Twenty female Wistar rats were assigned to nonneoplastic (PH) or neoplastic (PH/DEN) groups. Gene expression (, ) was quantified via real-time PCR. (3) Results: Overexpression of and increased proliferation were observed in PH/DEN hepatocytes, whereas exposure to proinflammatory M1 macrophages significantly reduced their proliferative activity. expression patterns were modulated by the TME and significantly differ depending on macrophage activation status in both PH and PH/DEN-derived hepatocytes. (4) Conclusions: Our findings indicate that expression is upregulated in PH/DEN cells, with a notable decrease in the presence of M1 macrophages. In contrast, compared with control macrophages, M1 macrophages did not significantly affect expression. - Source: PubMed
Publication date: 2025/09/08
Wójcik MartaPozzo LuisaVornoli AndreaLongo VincenzoŚmiech AnnaCzerwik-Marcinkowska JoannaRozempolska-Rucińska IwonaChrapko AgnieszkaZmorzynski Szymon - Polystyrene (PS) particles, which have been recognized as emerging environmental pollutants, have increasingly been associated with various human diseases. However, their specific role and underlying mechanisms in prostate cancer development have not been fully elucidated. - Source: PubMed
Publication date: 2025/08/11
Lu ShengmingWu RuipengLi WeijianFu ZhenyuDing XuefeiLuan YangTianbao HuangHuang Yuhua