MAPK信号传导途径是存在于真核细胞中的最广泛的一种调节机制,它与心血管的发育、心肌肥大等心脏疾病的发生有着密切的关系。利用荧光素酶的活性分析讨论人hole基因在MAPK信号途径中的作用。实验表明,COS-7细胞中过表达hole蛋白能够强烈抑制MAPK信号途径的2个下游转录因子AP-1和SRE的转录活性。hole的突变体报道基因分析表明,hole基因可能是通过其N′端的ERK结合区和C′端的多聚脯氨酸序列来行使其抑制作用的。研究表明,该基因可能通过参与MAPK信号途径而在心脏发育的过程中起作用。

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal transduction pathways are among the most widespread mechanisms of eukaryotic cell regulation, and MAPK has a close relationship with cardiovascular development and diseases such as cardiomyotrophy. Overexpression of hole in the COS-7 cells inhibits strongly the transcriptional activities of AP-1 and SRE. Hole functions as a inhibitor probably through its ERK D-domian in N-terminal and proline-rich region in C-terminal. The results suggest that hole might be involved in heart development through MAPK signaling pathway.