Upregulation of RGS7 may contribute to tumor necrosis factor-induced changes in central nervous function

Nat Med. 1999 Aug;5(8):913-8. doi: 10.1038/11354.

Abstract

The central nervous dysfunctions of lethargy, fever and anorexia are manifestations of sepsis that seem to be mediated by increased cytokine production. Here we demonstrate that tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, an essential mediator of endotoxin-induced sepsis, prevents the proteasome-dependent degradation of RGS7, a regulator of G-protein signaling. The stabilization of RGS7 by TNF-alpha requires activation of the stress-activated protein kinase p38 and the presence of candidate mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation sites. In vivo, RGS7 is rapidly upregulated in mouse brain after exposure to either endotoxin or TNF-alpha, a response that is nearly abrogated in mice lacking TNF receptor 1. Our findings indicate that TNF-mediated upregulation of RGS7 may contribute to sepsis-induced changes in central nervous function.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, CD / genetics
  • Brain / drug effects*
  • Brain / physiology
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins*
  • Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Cell Line
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases / drug effects
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases / metabolism
  • Female
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Leupeptins / pharmacology
  • Lipopolysaccharides / pharmacology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases*
  • Multienzyme Complexes / drug effects
  • Multienzyme Complexes / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation
  • Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex
  • Protein Kinase C / metabolism
  • Proteins / genetics
  • Proteins / metabolism*
  • RGS Proteins*
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / genetics
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / pharmacology*
  • Up-Regulation
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
  • EGL-10 protein, C elegans
  • Leupeptins
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Multienzyme Complexes
  • Proteins
  • RGS Proteins
  • RGS7 protein, human
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I
  • Rgs7 protein, mouse
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Protein Kinase C
  • Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases
  • Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex
  • GTP-Binding Proteins
  • benzyloxycarbonylleucyl-leucyl-leucine aldehyde