Recent advances indicate a link between tumour promoters, transformation, and AP-1 activity. Protein kinase C activation increases AP-1 DNA-binding activity independently of new protein synthesis. AP-1 is also stimulated by transforming oncoproteins and growth factors. These proteins are thought to participate in a signalling cascade affecting the nuclear AP-1 complex composed of the Jun and Fos proteins. Because c-Jun is the most potent transactivator in the AP-1 complex and is elevated in Ha-ras-transformed cells, in which c-Fos is downregulated, we focused on it as a potential target. c-Jun could convert input from an oncogenic signalling cascade into changes in gene expression. Indeed, transformation of rat embryo fibroblasts by c-Jun requires an intact transcriptional activation domain and cooperation with oncogenic Ha-ras. Expression of oncogenic Ha-ras augments transactivation by c-Jun and stimulates its phosphorylation. Here we describe the mapping of the Ha-ras-responsive phosphorylation sites to serines 63 and 73 of c-Jun. Site-directed mutagenesis indicates that phosphorylation of these serines is essential for stimulation of c-Jun activity and for cooperation with Ha-ras in ocogenic transformation.

that is activated and on the cellular model analysed. In addition, the duration of the stimulus can also affect the cellular response. A wide panel of different stimuli are capable to activate the MAPK pathways, but a good correlation has been found between the types of stimulus and the function assigned to the pathway. Schematically, ERK is preferentially activated by mitogens such as the serum or growth factors and, accordingly, this pathway is an important regulator of cell cycle and cell proliferation. p38 and JNK are more responsive to various stress stimuli from UV to cytokines and they have been involved in apoptosis and/or in the response to cellular stresses. Because they have been extensively studied (see for reviews [2] [3]), these general aspects will not be detailed in this review, except for their specific relevance towards adipogenesis.Regarding the process of differentiation, the role of MAPKs is extremely complex and depends on multiple parameters. The complexity is due, firstly, to the biological process itself, which, most of the time, involves different successive steps. Furthermore, each of these steps can be modulated by MAPKs leading, sometimes, to opposite effects. Probably because this complexity renders experimental models extremely sensitive, most of the tools used for Because of its essential role in cell proliferation and the fact that adipogenic stimuli, such as insulin, activate the ERK pathway, the role of this pathway in normal and pathological adipogenesis has been intensively investigated the last decade. Indeed, obesity is due to the hypertrophy of adipocytes and to the recruitment of new adipocytes from precursor cells, two processes largely dependent on regulation of adipocyte differentiation. In addition, obesity is associated with insulin resistance both in experimental models and in humans, and the role of adipose tissue and, consequently, of adipocyte differentiation is important in this pathology. Although the implication of MAPKs in insulin resistance is largely documented, our review does not discuss this aspect in details because Gual et al. review it in this series.Although much of the knowledge originates from analysis of preadipocyte cell lines, such as 3T3-L1 or 3T3-F442A, various cellular models are now available; they are summarized in figure 2.

Ha-Ras augments c-Jun-mediated transactivation by potentiating the activity of the c-Jun activation domain. Ha-Ras also causes a corresponding increase in phosphorylation of specific sites in that part of the c-Jun protein. A Ha-Ras-induced protein kinase cascade resulting in hyperphosphorylation of the c-Jun activation domain could explain how these oncoproteins cooperate to transform rat embryo fibroblasts.