Co-purification of mitogen-activated protein kinases with phorbol ester-induced c-Jun kinase activity in U937 leukaemic cells.

Phorbol esters, such as phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), cause differentiation of U937 human monomyelocytic cells along the macrophage pathway. Within 15 min of PMA treatment DNA binding of the c-jun transcription factor is increased and is accompanied by rapid changes in the phosphate content of the c-jun protein. Phorbol esters stimulate phosphorylation of serines 63 and 73 located within the A1 transactivation domain of c-Jun that have previously been shown to positively regulate activity. A protein kinase activity is detectable in extracts of phorbol ester-treated U937 cells that specifically targets these two serines. Using novel assays, the protein kinase activity has been purified over 1000-fold. The major portion of protein kinase activity co-chromatographs over three columns with pp42/44 mitogen-activated protein kinases as judged by immunological methods. The significance of these results with respect to mitogen-induced transcription of AP-1-responsive genes is discussed.