Helicobacter pylori-induced gastric mucosal TGF-α ectodomain shedding and EGFR transactivation involves Rac1/p38 MAPK-dependent TACE activation

Infection of gastric mucosa by H. pylori triggers a pattern of inflammatory responses characterized by the rise in proinflammatory cytokine production, up-regulation in mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, and the induction in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation. In this study, we report on the role of MAPK/p38 and Rac1 in the regulation of H. pylori LPS-induced TGF-α ectodomain shedding and EGFR transactivation. We show that stimulation of gastric mucosal cells with the LPS, reflected in p38 phosphorylation, guanine nucleotide exchange factor Dock180 activation and the rise in Rac1-GTP level, is accompanied by the activation of membrane-associated metalloprotease, (TACE) also known as ADAM17, responsible for soluble TGF-α release. Further, we reveal that the LPS-induced TGF-α shedding and EGFR transactivation involves the TACE activation through phosphorylation by p38 that requires Rac1 participation. Moreover, we demonstrate that up-regulation in H. pylori LPS-elicited Rac1-GTP membrane translocation plays a pivotal role in recruitment of the activated p38 to the membrane for TACE activation through phosphorylation on Thr⁷³⁵. Taken together, our findings provide strong evidence as to the essential function of Rac1 in TACE activation, TGF-α ectodomain shedding, and the EGFR transactivation.