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Sci. Signal., 7 April 2009
Vol. 2, Issue 65, p. pe20
[DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.265pe20]

PERSPECTIVES

Brx Shines a Light on the Route from Hyperosmolarity to NFAT5

Jose Aramburu* and Cristina López-Rodríguez*

Immunology Unit, Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.

Abstract: Nuclear factor of activated T cells 5 (NFAT5) is a member of the Rel family of transcription factors and is an essential inducer of osmoprotective gene products in mammalian cells. Its activation by hypertonicity requires p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling and other pathways. A study now elucidates a signaling cascade regulated by the guanine nucleotide exchange factor Brx that leads to the activation of p38{alpha} MAPK and the induction of nfat5 messenger RNA in response to osmotic stress in lymphocytes and renal medullary cells. Brx-deficient lymphocytes showed impaired responses to hypertonicity, and brx+/– mice exhibited immune defects similar to those of nfat5-deficient mice. These findings support a major role for Brx in regulating the osmoprotective function of NFAT5 in different cell types.

* Corresponding authors. E-mail, jose.aramburu{at}upf.edu (J.A.); cristina.lopez-rodriguez{at}upf.edu (C.L.-R.)

Citation: J. Aramburu, C. López-Rodríguez, Brx Shines a Light on the Route from Hyperosmolarity to NFAT5. Sci. Signal. 2, pe20 (2009).

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