Can activation of EGFR downregulate p-ERK? - (Jan/21/2015 )

Hi,

I am trying to test if a viral protein can activate EGFR signaling under growth factors removal. Surprisingly, after overnight starvation, I found that there are increased Y1068 p-EGFR and decreased p-ERK in these viral protein expressing cells. I was expecting elevated p-ERK and do not know how to explain this. Could anybody help me with it? Thanks!

-Caseykay

May the viral protein react with another receptor/pathway?

It is possible but I don't know. Do you have any suggestions regarding how to screen other pathways?

Screening pathways one by one, when you have no clear indication of which one may be operating is a long drawn out process. I suggest using some of the commercially available PCR arrays or Antibody arrays.

You can also select which pathways you want to screen out of a wide variety of available arrays, such as kinase array if that is your focus. From there, you can focus on the candidate gene/proteins that you discover.

You can also do a general expression microarray, do pathway analysis (i.e. ingenuity or others) and see what pathways are altered before choosing a particular array.