Differential activation of the transcription factor cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB) in macrophages following infection with pathogenic and nonpathogenic mycobacteria and role for CREB in tumor necrosis factor alpha production.

ABSTRACT: Previous studies in our laboratory have shown a differential activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in primary bone marrow-derived macrophages following infection with pathogenic Mycobacterium avium compared to the activation following infection with nonpathogenic Mycobacterium smegmatis. Additionally, M. smegmatis-infected macrophages produced significantly elevated levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) compared to the levels produced by M. avium-infected macrophages. The TNF-alpha production was dependent on both p38 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK 1/2) activation. However, the macrophage transcription factors downstream of the MAPKs, which were required for TNF-alpha production, remained undefined. In this study we determined that the

SUBMITTER: Roach SK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC538945 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature