Journal
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Volume 102, Issue 26, Pages 9188-9193Publisher
NATL ACAD SCIENCES
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0501196102
Keywords
cell signaling; cell cycle; peripheral nerve; human; Mycobacterium leprae
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Funding
- NINDS NIH HHS [R01 NS045187-02, R01 NS45187, R01 NS045187-03, R01 NS045187, R01 NS045187-01] Funding Source: Medline
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Activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) 1/2, which plays a critical role in diverse cellular processes, including cell proliferation, is known to be mediated by the canonical Raf-mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) kinase cascade. Alternative MEK-independent signaling pathways for Erk1/2 activation in mammalian cells are not known. During our studies of human primary Schwann cell response to long-term infection of Mycobacterium leprae, the causative organism of leprosy, we identified that intracellular M. leprae activated Erk1/2 directly by lymphoid cell kinase (p56Lck), a Src family member, by means of a PKC epsilon-dependent and MEK-independent signaling pathway. Activation of this signaling induced nuclear accumulation of cyclin D1 G(1)/S-phase progression, and continuous proliferation, but without transformation. Thus, our data reveal a previously unknown signaling mechanism of glial cell proliferation, which might play a role in dedifferentiation as well as nerve regeneration and degeneration. Our findings may also provide a potential mechanism by which an obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen like M. leprae subverts nervous system signaling to propagate its cellular niche for colonization and long-term bacterial survival.
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