Oscillation of p38 activity controls efficient pro-inflammatory gene expression.

ABSTRACT: The p38 MAP kinase signalling pathway controls inflammatory responses and is an important target of anti-inflammatory drugs. Although pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1β (IL-1β) appear to induce only transient activation of p38 (over ∼ 60 min), longer cytokine exposure is necessary to induce p38-dependent effector genes. Here we study the dynamics of p38 activation in individual cells using a Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based p38 activity reporter. We find that, after an initial burst of activity, p38 MAPK activity subsequently oscillates for more than 8 h under continuous IL-1β stimulation. However, as this oscillation is asynchronous, the measured p38 activity population average is only slightly higher than basal level. Mathematical modelling, which we have exp

SUBMITTER: Tomida T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4598561 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature