Activation of guanylate cyclase by natriuretic peptides in mouse pituitary AtT20 cells is influenced by phosphorylation of ANP

The discovery of free and membrane-bound ectokinases raises the question whether phosphorylation is another mechanism to modulate the action of distinct neuropeptides. Atrial-natriuretic-peptide (ANP) which is widespread found in the central nervous system (CNS) and involved in the modulation of stress reactions and emotional states like anxiety contains a recognition-motif for cAMP-dependent protein kinase A. We investigated the effect of phosphorylation of ANP and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), a related peptide without phosphorylation site, on their ability to activate their receptors in mouse pituitary AtT20 cells by measuring the formation of cyclic guanosinmonophosphate (cGMP). Phosphorylation with protein kinase A inactivated ANP. Coincubation experiments adding adenosintriphosphate (ATP), ATP-analogues or inhibitors of protein kinases to the medium pointed to the presence of an intrinsic protein kinase A like ectokinase-activity on AtT20 cells. The activity of CNP was unaffected in these experiments. Phosphorylation by ectokinases may be a physiological mechanism to regulate the biological activity of ANP in different tissues, such as pituitary and CNS.     

Immunological and molecular characterization of the cAMP-dependent protein kinases in AtT20 cells

The properties of the cAMP-dependent protein kinases in AtT20 mouse pituitary tumor cells were characterized by a combination of immunological and biochemical techniques. Ninety per cent of the total cAMP-dependent protein kinase was in the 40,000 X g supernatant fraction. Protein kinases I and II were immunoprecipitated with specific antisera directed against their regulatory subunits. The immunoprecipitated kinases bound [3H]cAMP and were catalytically active when incubated with [gamma-32P]ATP-Mg and protamine or histone H2B. Immunoprecipitated protein kinases I and II bound [3H]cAMP with apparent Kb values of 1.5 and 15 nM, respectively. Regulatory subunit concentrations in AtT20 cells were measured by immunoprecipitation of [3H]cAMP-R complexes. R-I and R-II levels were 2.7 and 3.0 pmol of [3H]cAMP binding activity per mg of cytosolic protein, respectively, however, the ratio of protein kinase II to protein kinase I was 2.5 indicating the presence of a significant amount of free R-I. This was confirmed by DEAE-cellulose chromatography and the isolation of immunoreactive R-I devoid of protein kinase activity. A significant amount of R-I also coeluted with protein kinase II when AtT20 cell extracts were subjected to DEAE-cellulose chromatography. In quantitative immunoprecipitation experiments, 0.1 microliter of anti-brain R-II serum complexed up to 0.5 pmol of the [3H]cAMP-binding activity of protein kinase II prepared from bovine and rat brain, and AtT20 cells while 2 microliter of anti-brain R-II serum was required to precipitate an equal amount of protein kinase II from bovine skeletal muscle showing that the protein kinase II in AtT20 cells contained the neural-specific R-II subunit.     

Role of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase in hormone-stimulated beta-endorphin secretion in AtT20 cells.

Secretion of beta-endorphin from mouse pituitary AtT20 cells is stimulated by a variety of compounds that raise intracellular cAMP and Ca2+. To investigate the role of cAMP-dependent protein kinases in secretion, AtT20 cells were transfected with an expression vector coding for a regulatory (R) subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase containing mutations in both cAMP-binding sites. Expression of the mutant regulatory subunit in stable transformants (RAB cells) results in a dominant inhibition of cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity. Isoproterenol (1 microM) or analogs of cAMP stimulated beta-endorphin secretion from AtT20 cells, but failed to stimulate secretion in RAB cells expressing the mutant R subunit. Secretion in response to CRF (100 nM) was inhibited by 80% in these mutant clones, whereas the secretory response to vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP; 100 nM) or phorbol ester (100 nM phorbol myristate acetate) was not inhibited by the R subunit mutation. Intracellular cAMP was elevated in response to CRF (11- to 15-fold), isoproterenol (5- to 10-fold), and VIP (4- to 8-fold) in RAB cells. Similar concentrations of VIP were required to evoke beta-endorphin secretion in either RAB cells or AtT20 cells. As with most secretagogues, VIP-induced secretion was inhibited in the presence of either EGTA or a voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channel antagonist, PN200-110. The secretory response to VIP was unaffected by down-regulation of protein kinase-C. These results suggest that CRF and isoproterenol work via cAMP-dependent protein kinase to activate beta-endorphin secretion, whereas VIP can act by a different mechanism that does not involve cAMP-dependent protein kinase or protein kinase-C.     

AtT20 cells express modified forms of pp60c-src

We have compared the properties of pp60c-src from the mouse pituitary tumor cell line, AtT20, and from mouse fibroblasts. In vitro, pp60c-src phosphotransferase activity from AtT20 cells is 2- to 3-fold that of mouse NIH 3T3 fibroblast pp60c-src. In analyzing the reason for this elevation in specific activity, we found that pp60c-src from AtT20 cells differs structurally in at least three ways from pp60c-src in fibroblasts. First, AtT20 cells and primary rat anterior pituitary cells express low levels of the neuronal form of pp60c-src. Second, pp60c-src from AtT20 cells is phosphorylated at two additional N-terminal serine residues. Last, AtT20 pp60c-src is phosphorylated to a lower overall stoichiometry.     

Hormonal activation of the cAMP-dependent protein kinases in AtT20 cells. Preferential activation of protein kinase I by corticotropin releasing factor, isoproterenol, and forskolin

The hormonal regulation of adenylate cyclase, cAMP-dependent protein kinase activation, and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretion was studied in AtT20 mouse pituitary tumor cells. Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) stimulated cAMP accumulation and ACTH release in these cells. Maximal ACTH release was seen with 30 nM CRF and was accompanied by a 2-fold rise in intracellular cAMP. When cells were incubated with both 30 nM CRF and 0.5 mM 3-methylisobutylxanthine (MIX) cAMP levels were increased 20-fold, however, ACTH release was not substantially increased beyond release seen with CRF alone. The activation profiles of cAMP-dependent protein kinases I and II were studied by measuring residual cAMP-dependent phosphotransferase activity associated with immunoprecipitated regulatory subunits of the kinases. Cells incubated with CRF in the absence of MIX showed concentration-dependent activation of protein kinase I which paralleled stimulation of ACTH release. Protein kinase II was minimally activated. When cells were exposed to CRF in the presence of 0.5 mM MIX there was still a preferential activation of protein kinase I, although 50% of the cytosolic protein kinase II was activated. Complete activation of both protein kinases I and II was seen when cells were incubated with 0.5 mM MIX and 10 microM forskolin. Under these conditions cAMP levels were elevated 80-fold. CRF, isoproterenol, and forskolin stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in isolated membranes prepared from AtT20 cells. CRF and isoproterenol stimulated cyclase activity up to 5-fold while forskolin stimulated cyclase activity up to 15-fold. Our data demonstrate that ACTH secretion from AtT20 cells is mediated by small changes in intracellular levels of cAMP and activation of only a small fraction of the total cytosolic cAMP-dependent protein kinase in these cells is required for maximal ACTH secretion.     

Translocation of Protein Kinase C in Anterior Pituitary Tumor Cells

Previous studies have shown that phorbol esters and lithium each stimulate the secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) by the anterior pituitary tumor cell line AtT20/D16-16. Pretreatment with either lithium or phorbol ester desensitizes the cells to subsequent stimulation by phorbol ester. An early consequence of phorbol ester action in other systems is the translocation of protein kinase C from cytosol to membranes. We have assayed protein kinase C activity in cytosol and membranes of AtT20 cells after treatment with phorbol dibutyrate, lithium, or other agents that stimulate secretion of ACTH in these cells. Phorbol dibutyrate clearly induced translocation of protein kinase C, but lithium treatment did not cause translocation itself, nor did pretreatment with lithium affect the translocation induced by phorbol dibutyrate. These results are consistent with a role for translocation of protein kinase C in the stimulatory and desensitizing effects of phorbol esters but fail to implicate translocation in the actions of lithium on AtT20 cells.     

Growth hormone-releasing factor releases ACTH from an AtT-20 mouse pituitary tumor cell line but not from normal pituitary cells

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and both human pancreatic growth hormone-releasing factor (hp-GRF) and rat hypothalamic GRF (rh-GRF) stimulated ACTH release from neoplastic AtT-20 mouse pituitary tumor cells in a dose-dependent fashion, with CRF inducing a 10-fold increase and GRF a maximal increment of approximately one-half that of CRF. Neither rh-GRF nor hp-GRF induced ACTH release in normal anterior pituitary cells. Pretreatment with either dexamethasone or somatostatin prior to the addition of rh-GRF inhibited the increase in ACTH release. Both ovine CRF and rh-GRF stimulated adenosine 3,5-monophosphate production in AtT-20 cells. The weak but clearly discernible effect of GRF on ACTH release from AtT-20 cells may be due to an abnormality in the AtT-20 cell receptor.     

Possible involvement of p38 MAP kinase in prostaglandin E1-induced ALP activity in osteoblast-like cells

Prostaglandins are now recognized to be important regulators for both bone formation and resorption. Among them, prostaglandin E(1) (PGE(1)) has been reported to stimulate cAMP accumulation and to induce alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, a marker of differentiation, in osteoblast-like cells. Recently, we have shown that p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway regulates ALP activity in response to activation of Gi protein-coupled receptors in mouse osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells (Suzuki et al., Endocrinology 140 (1999) 3177). In the present study, we investigated whether p38 MAP kinase is involved in ALP activation by PGE(1) in MC3T3-E1 osteoblast-like cells. PGE(1) dose-dependently enhanced ALP activities in the concentration range between 1 nM and 1 microM in MC3T3-E1 cells. SB203580, a specific inhibitor of p38 MAP kinase, blocked the increase in ALP activity induced by PGE(1). Further analysis with western blotting suggested that PGE(1) induced an increase in tyrosine (Tyr) phosphorylation of p38 MAP kinase. Both Bt(2)cAMP, a permeable analogue of cAMP, and forskolin, which directly activates adenylate cyclase, also induced an increase in Tyr phosphorylation of p38 MAP kinase. H-89, a potent inhibitor of protein kinase A (PKA), significantly suppressed PGE(1)-induced Tyr phosphorylation of p38 MAP kinase. The results of this study suggest that PGE(1) stimulates p38 MAP kinase through the activation of PKA, resulting in the enhancement of ALP activity.     

In situ reassociation of the regulatory and catalytic subunits of 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase isoenzymes in AtT20 cells

Dissociation and reassociation of regulatory (R) and catalytic (C) subunits of cAMP-dependent protein kinases I and II were studied in intact AtT20 cells. Cells were stimulated with 50 microM forskolin to raise intracellular cAMP levels and induce complete dissociation of R and C subunits. After the removal of forskolin from the incubation medium cAMP levels rapidly declined to basal levels. Reassociation of R and C subunits was monitored by immunoprecipitation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity using anti-R immunoglobulins. The time course for reassociation of R and C subunits paralleled the loss of cellular cAMP. Total cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity and the ratio of protein kinase I to protein kinase II seen 30 min after the removal of forskolin was the same as in control cells. Similar results were seen using crude AtT20 cell extracts treated with exogenous cAMP and Mg2+. Our data showed that after removal of a stimulus from AtT20 cells inactivation of both cAMP-dependent protein kinase isoenzymes occurred by the rapid reassociation of R and C subunits to form holoenzyme. Our studies also showed that half of the type I regulatory subunit (RI) present in control cells contained bound cAMP. This represented approximately 30% of the cellular cAMP in nonstimulated cells. The cAMP bound to RI was resistant to hydrolysis by cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase but was dissociated from RI in the presence of excess purified bovine heart C. The RI subunits devoid of C may function to sequester cAMP and, thereby, prevent the activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity in nonstimulated AtT20 cells.     

Genistein对大鼠垂体前叶细胞增殖的抑制作用

应用细胞培养、^3H-TdR掺入、流式细胞和电镜技术,观察酪氨酸蛋白激酶（PTK）抑制剂genistein对正常大鼠垂体前叶细胞和垂体瘤细胞株AtT-20增殖的影响,并探讨其可能的机制。结果显示：genistein作用48h后可明显抑制正常大鼠垂体前叶细胞和垂体瘤细胞株AtT-20增殖。流式细胞仪检测发现,50和100μmol/L genistein可将AtT-20细胞阻断于G0／G1期及G2／M期,并出现凋亡峰,凋亡率分别灰19.9％和36.4％。电镜照片显示有凋亡细胞。结果表明,PTK抑制剂可以明显抑制正常大鼠垂体前叶细胞和垂体瘤细胞株AtT-20的殖,并诱导细胞凋亡,说明PTK活性对细胞增殖和分化有重要作用。     

Differential regulation of Raf-1 and B-Raf and Ras-dependent activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase by cyclic AMP in PC12 cells.

Growth factor stimulation of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway in fibroblasts is inhibited by cyclic AMP (cAMP) as a result of inhibition of Raf-1. In contrast, cAMP inhibits neither nerve growth factor-induced MAP kinase activation nor differentiation in PC12 pheochromocytoma cells. Instead, in PC12 cells cAMP activates MAP kinase. Since one of the major differences between the Ras/Raf/MAP kinase cascades of these cell types is the expression of B-Raf in PC12 cells, we compared the effects of cAMP on Raf-1 and B-Raf. In PC12 cells maintained in serum-containing medium, B-Raf was refractory to inhibition by cAMP, whereas Raf-1 was effectively inhibited. In contrast, both B-Raf and Raf-1 were inhibited by cAMP in serum-starved PC12 cells. The effect of cAMP is thus dependent upon growth conditions, with B-Raf being resistant to cAMP inhibition in the presence of serum. These results were extended by studies of Rat-1 fibroblasts into which B-Raf had been introduced by transfection. As in PC12 cells, B-Raf was resistant to inhibition by cAMP in the presence of serum, whereas Raf-1 was effectively inhibited. In addition, the expression of B-Raf rendered Rat-1 cells resistant to the inhibitory effects of cAMP on both growth factor-induced activation of MAP kinase and mitogenesis. These results indicate that Raf-1 and B-Raf are differentially sensitive to inhibition by cAMP and that B-Raf expression can contribute to cell type-specific differences in the regulation of the MAP kinase pathway. In contrast to the situation in PC12 cells, cAMP by itself did not stimulate MAP kinase in B-Raf-expressing Rat-1 cells. The activation of MAP kinase by cAMP in PC12 cells was inhibited by the expression of a dominant negative Ras mutant, indicating that cAMP acts on a target upstream of Ras. Thus, it appears that a signaling component upstream of Ras is also require for cAMP stimulation of MAP kinase in PC12 cells.     

Mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylates and targets inducible cAMP early repressor to ubiquitin-mediated destruction

Inducible cAMP early repressor (ICER) is an important mediator of cAMP antiproliferative activity that acts as a putative tumor suppressor gene product. In this study, we examined the regulation of ICER protein by phosphorylation and ubiquitination in human choriocarcinoma JEG-3 and mouse pituitary AtT20 cells. We found that cAMP stabilized ICER protein by inhibiting the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade. Activation of the MAPK pathway increased ICER phosphorylation. ICER phosphorylation was abrogated by inhibition of the MAPK pathway either by cAMP or directly by the MAPK inhibitor PD098059. The MAPKs extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 physically interact with ICER and mediated the phosphorylation of ICER on a critical serine residue (Ser-41). A mutant form of ICER in which Ser-41 was substituted by alanine had a half-life 4-5 h longer than its wild-type counterpart. This alteration in stability was due to the inability of the Ser-41-mutant ICER to be efficiently ubiquitinated and degraded via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. These results present a novel cell signaling cross-talk mechanism at the cell nucleus between the MAPK and cAMP pathways, whereby MAPK targets a repressor of the cAMP-dependent gene expression for ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation.     

Corticotropin-releasing hormone induces proliferation and TNF-alpha release in cultured rat microglia via MAP kinase signalling pathways

We have previously demonstrated that corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) receptor 1 (CRH-R1) is functionally expressed in rat microglia. In the present study, we show that CRH, acting on CRH-R1, promoted cell proliferation and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) release in cultured rat microglia. Exogenous CRH resulted in an increase in BrdU incorporation compared with control cells, which was observed in a range of concentrations of CRH between 10 and 500 nm, with a maximal response at 50 nm. The effect of CRH on BrdU incorporation was inhibited by a CRH antagonist astressin but not by a cAMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitor H89. Exposure of microglial cells to CRH resulted in a transient and rapid increase in TNF-alpha release in a dose-dependent manner. In the presence of astressin, the effects of CRH on TNF-alpha release were attenuated. CRH effects on TNF-alpha release were also inhibited by specific inhibitors of MEK, the upstream kinase of the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) (PD98059) or p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (SB203580), but not by H89. Furthermore, CRH induced rapid phosphorylation of ERK and p38 kinases. Astressin, PD98059, and SB230580 were able to inhibit CRH-induced kinase phosphorylation. These results suggest that CRH induces cell proliferation and TNF-alpha release in cultured microglia via MAP kinase signalling pathways, thereby providing insight into the interactions between CRH and inflammatory mediators.     

Involvement of vesicle-cytoskeleton interaction in AQP5 trafficking in AQP5-gene-transfected HSG cells

We examined the regulatory role of a reduction/oxidation (redox) control protein, thioredoxin (TRX), in tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-induced p38 MAP kinase activation and p38 MAP kinase-mediated cytokine expression utilizing TRX-transfected murine L929 cells (TRX14). The results showed that TNF-alpha-induced p38 MAP kinase activation and interleukin-6 (IL-6) production by TRX 14 were less than those by the parental L cells and the control transfected L cells (Neo-1). SB 203580 as the specific inhibitor for p38 MAP kinase activity inhibited TNF-alpha-induced IL-6 production by the parental L cells, indicating that TNF-alpha-activated p38 MAP kinase regulates IL-6 production by the cell lines used in this study. These results showed that overexpression of TRX negatively regulates p38 MAP kinase activation and p38 MAP kinase-mediated IL-6 production by TNF-alpha-stimulated cells, indicating that TRX is critical for p38 MAP kinase activation which regulates cytokine expression.     

Substrates for adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase in the rat pituitary gland

1. Substrates for cAMP-dependent protein kinase were investigated in anterior, intermediate, and neural lobes of the rat pituitary gland. In a cell-free assay system, cAMP increased phosphorylation of 17 K, 33 K, and 60 K macromolecules of the anterior lobe, 17 K, 33 K, 60 K, and 80 K macromolecules of the intermediate lobe, and 60 K, 80 K, and 85 K macromolecules of the neural lobe. 2. Other nucleotides were tested in the intermediate lobe; 8 Br-cAMP mimicked cAMP, cGMP was much less effective than cAMP or 8 Br-cAMP, and 5'-AMP showed no significant effect. The purified catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase evoked the same phosphorylation pattern as the endogenous kinase. 3. Maximum cAMP-dependent phosphorylation occurred at between 1 and 2 min of incubation; after 20 min, phosphorylation was reduced by 80%. This suggests the presence of phosphatase activity in the intermediate lobe. 4. When tested upon dispersed intermediate lobe cells permeabilized by high-voltage electrical discharges, cAMP increased phosphorylation of the 17 K and 33 K macromolecules.