Aim. To determine 293 and U373 cell response and ERK1/2 activation profile after CHI3L1 or CHI3L2 treatment. Methods. Specific activation and localization of ERK1/2 kinases after CHI3L1 or CHI3L2 addition to unsupplemented cell medium were evaluated by Western blots, immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy. To determine whether CHI3L1 or CHI3L2 can enhance mitogenesis, [³H]thymidine incorporation in cellular DNA was measured. Results. The obtained results show that ERK1/2 phosphorylation was stimulated in both cell types (293 and U373 cells) following addition of CHI3L2 or CHI3L1 in dose- and time-dependent manner. Unexpectedly, in opposite to CHI3L1, the dose-dependent decreasing of measured mitogenesis parameters was observed in 293 and U373 cells. In both cell types the treatment with CHI3L2 gave more sustained than CHI3L1 MAPK-pathway activation with prolonged phospho-ERK1/2 nuclear accumulation in 293 cells. Conclusions. In contrast to the activation of ERK1/2 phosphorylation by CHI3L1 cell treatment, that leads to a proliferative signal, the activation of these kinases by CHI3L2 addition inhibits cell mitogenesis and proliferation in serum starved 293 and U373 cells.

Keywords: chitinase 3-like 1 protein (CHI3L1), chitinase 3-like 2 protein (CHI3L2), MAP kinase, mitogenesis