Modulation of the response of bovine adrenocortical adenylate cyclase to corticotropin.

An assessment was made of some of the basic parameters responsible for the modulation of adenylate cyclase activity in a bovine adrenocortical plasma-membrane preparation. When determined at 0.1 mM-ATP, basal adenylate cyclase activity increased with increasing MgCl2 concentrations, whereas in the presence of corticotropin activity was essentially maximal at 10mM-MgCl2; high concentrations (25mM) of MgCl2 inhibited adenylate cyclase activity determined in the presence of both corticotropin and GTP. At all MgCl2 concentrations, corticotropin and GTP activated the enzyme in a synergistic fashion. The magnitude of the stimulation of basal activity produced by corticotropin was a function of Mg2+ concentration, whereas that produced by GTP appeared largely independent of Mg2+ concentration. Adenylate cyclase activity in the bovine adrenal membrane was half-maximally stimulated by corticotropin concentrations in the range 0.3--1.0 nM. The concentration of corticotropin evoking half-maximum response was not significantly affected by raising the free Mg2+ concentration from 0.4 to 4.9 mM, nor by the presence of GTP. In the presence of GTP, high concentrations (over 1 micrometer) of corticotropin inhibited adenylate cyclase activity, although no inhibition was apparent in the absence of guanine nucleotide.     

Inhibition of a Low Km GTPase Activity in Rat Striatum by Calmodulin

In rat striatum, the activation of adenylate cyclase by the endogenous Ca2+-binding protein, calmodulin, is additive with that of GTP but is not additive with that of the nonhydrolyzable GTP analog, guanosine-5'-(beta, gamma-imido)triphosphate (GppNHp). One possible mechanism for this difference could be an effect of calmodulin on GTPase activity which has been demonstrated to "turn-off" adenylate cyclase activity. We examined the effects of Ca2+ and calmodulin on GTPase activity in EGTA-washed rat striatal particulate fractions depleted of Ca2+ and calmodulin. Calmodulin inhibited GTP hydrolysis at concentrations of 10(-9)-10(-6) M but had no effect on the hydrolysis of 10(-5) and 10(-6) M GTP, suggesting that calmodulin inhibited a low Km GTPase activity. The inhibition of GTPase activity by calmodulin was Ca2+-dependent and was maximal at 0.12 microM free Ca2+. Maximal inhibition by calmodulin was 40% in the presence of 10(-7) M GTP. The IC50 for calmodulin was 100 nM. In five tissues tested, calmodulin inhibited GTP hydrolysis only in those tissues where it could also activate adenylate cyclase. Calmodulin could affect the activation of adenylate cyclase by GTP in the presence of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethylamine (DA, dopamine). Calmodulin decreased by nearly 10-fold the concentration of GTP required to provide maximal stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity by DA in the striatal membranes. The characteristics of the effect of calmodulin on GTPase activity with respect to Ca2+ and calmodulin dependence and tissue specificity parallel those of the activation of adenylate cyclase by calmodulin, suggesting that the two activities are closely related.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Calmodulin-mediated adenylate cyclase from mammalian sperm

Calmodulin (CaM), the calcium binding protein that modulates the activity of a number of key regulatory enzymes, is present at high levels in sperm. To determine whether CaM regulates adenylate cyclase in mammalian sperm, the actions of EGTA and selected CaM antagonists on a solubilized adenylate cyclase from mature equine sperm were examined. The activity of equine sperm adenylate cyclase was inhibited by EGTA in a concentration-dependent manner with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 2 mM. Equine sperm adenylate cyclase was also inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner by the CaM antagonists chlorpromazine and calmidazolium (IC50 = 400 and 50 microM, respectively). The inhibition of enzyme activity by these agents correlated with their known potency and specificity as anti-CaM agents. The activity of the enzyme in the presence of 200 microM calmidazolium was restored by the addition of authentic CaM (EC50 = 15 microM); full activity was restored by the addition of 50 microM CaM. La3+, an ion that dissociates CaM from tightly bound CaM-enzyme systems, inhibited equine sperm adenylate cyclase (IC50 = 1 mM). Incubation of equine sperm adenylate cyclase with La3+ dissociated endogenous CaM from the enzyme so that most of the enzyme bound to a CaM-Sepharose column equilibrated with Ca2+. Specific elution of CaM-binding proteins from the CaM-Sepharose column with EGTA yielded a CaM-depleted adenylate cyclase fraction that was stimulated 2-fold by the addition of exogenous CaM.     

The effects of vanadium compounds on the activation of adenylate cyclase from rat adrenal membrane

In rat adrenal membrane, vanadyl sulfate, but not vanadate, inhibits the nonhydrolyzable GTP analogs-, forskolin- and NaF-stimulated activation process of adenylate cyclase. In these reactions, the half-maximum concentration of vanadyl for inhibition was approx. 0.3 mM. The binding of [3H]guanyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate to the membrane (Kd = 2 microM) was not affected by vanadyl sulfate under the conditions in which the vanadyl sulfate inhibits the activation process. Also, the binding of ACTH to its receptor was inhibited by neither vanadyl sulfate nor vanadate, and the catalytic unit of adenylate cyclase appears to be unaffected by vanadyl sulfate. When the activation by nonhydrolyzable GTP analog was enhanced by Ca2+, vanadyl sulfate strongly inhibited the activation of adenylate cyclase.     

GTP gamma S effects on phosphatidylinositol phospholipase C alpha isoenzyme activity isolated from guinea pig uterine smooth muscle at different stages of pregnancy.

The ability of GTP gamma S to activate release of inositol polyphosphates from isolated permeabilised guinea pig uterine smooth muscle cells and from partially purified PI-PLC alpha has been studied. Streptolysin O permeabilised and [3H]inositol prelabelled cells show a time dependent release of inositol polyphosphates, predominantly inositol 4-phosphate. Ca2+ stimulated IP release with a Ka of 161 +/- 1.1 nM and this was further enhanced in an additive manner by GTP gamma S between 1-100 microM; the Ka for Ca2+ in the presence of 0.1 mM GTP gamma S was 117 +/- 0.7 nM. GTP gamma S activation of IP production did not require Ca2+ in the medium. Permeabilisation of the uterine smooth muscle cells with Streptolysin O readily released PI-PLC activity into the medium. However, unlike studies with isolated membranes 63.4 +/- 6.4% of the enzyme activity remained associated with membranes and/or particulate fractions of the cell. Studies were undertaken with PI-PLC alpha, the predominant isoenzyme form, partially purified from uterine smooth muscle at different stages of pregnancy by Q-Sepharose and Heparin-Agarose chromatography. The enzyme co-purifies with firmly associated GTP-binding activity. Enzyme prepared from near-term uterus is activated by 0.1 mM GTP gamma S, up to 100% when Ca2+ is between 0.1-1 microM, while 10 microM AlF4- under those conditions caused complete inhibition of the enzymes. Responses for enzymes prepared from non-pregnant uteri were broadly similar. In contrast enzyme preparations from guinea pig uteri at 20-60 days of pregnancy show an inhibition of activity in response to 0.1 mM GTP gamma S addition.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Inhibition of prostaglandin E1-induced activation of adenylate cyclase in human blood platelet membrane

Activation of human blood platelet adenylate cyclase is initiated through the binding of prostaglandin E1 to the membrane receptors. Incubation of platelet membrane with [3H]prostaglandin E1 at pH 7.5 in the presence of 5 mM MgCl2 showed that the binding of the autacoid was rapid, reversible and highly specific. The binding was linearly proportional to the activation of adenylate cyclase. Although the membrane-bound radioligand could not be removed either by GTP or its stable analogue 5'-guanylylimido diphosphate, 150 nM cyclic AMP displaced about 40% of the bound agonist from the membrane. Scatchard analyses of the binding of the prostanoid to the membrane in the presence or absence of cyclic AMP showed that the nucleotide specifically inhibited the high-affinity binding sites without affecting the low-affinity binding sites. Incubation of the membrane with 150 mM cyclic AMP and varying amounts of prostaglandin E1 (25 nM to 1.0 microM) showed that the percent removal of the membrane-bound autacoid was similar to the percent inhibition of adenylate cyclase at each concentration of the agonist. At a concentration of 25 nM prostaglandin E1, both the binding of the agonist and the activity of adenylate cyclase were maximally inhibited by 40%. With the increase of the agonist concentration in the assay mixture, the inhibitory effects of the nucleotide gradually decreased and at a concentration of 1.0 microM prostaglandin E1 the effect of the nucleotide became negligible. These results show that cyclic AMP inhibits the activation of adenylate cyclase by low concentrations of prostaglandin E1 through the inhibition of the binding of the agonist to high-affinity binding sites.     

Amiloride interacts with guanine nucleotide regulatory proteins and attenuates the hormonal inhibition of adenylate cyclase

The effect of amiloride on the hormonal regulation of adenylate cyclase was studied in the rat anterior pituitary. The diuretic did not alter basal adenylate cyclase but augmented the enzyme activity in an irreversible manner in the presence of guanosine 5'-O-(thiotriphosphate) (GTP gamma S) stimulated adenylate cyclase at lower concentrations and inhibited at higher concentrations. Amiloride treatment enhanced the stimulatory and abolished the inhibitory phase of GTP gamma S action. In addition, amiloride also attenuated the inhibitory effects of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF 99-126) and angiotensin II on cAMP levels and adenylate cyclase activity. On the other hand, amiloride showed an additive effect on the stimulation exerted by corticotropin-releasing factor and vasoactive intestinal peptide on adenylate cyclase in anterior pituitary and on isoproterenol-stimulated cAMP levels in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells. Pertussis toxin, in the presence of [alpha-32 P]NAD, catalyzed the ADP-ribosylation of two protein bands of Mr 41,000 and 39,000, referred to as Gi and Go, respectively, in the anterior pituitary, and 40,000-Da protein in the aorta, referred to as Gi. Amiloride treatment inhibited the labeling of all these bands in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Similarly, the pertussis toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of purified Gi from bovine brain was also inhibited by amiloride treatment. However, amiloride had no significant effect on the cholera toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of Gs. These data suggest that amiloride interacts with the guanine nucleotide regulatory proteins Gi and Go. Modification of Gi results in the attenuation of hormone-induced adenylate cyclase and cAMP inhibition. However, the interaction between amiloride and Go and the consequent Ca2+ mobilization and phosphatidylinositol turnover have to be investigated.     

GTP-dependent inhibition of insulin secretion by epinephrine in permeabilized RINm5F cells. Lack of correlation between insulin secretion and cyclic AMP levels

The mechanism by which alpha 2-adrenergic agonists inhibit exocytosis was investigated in electrically permeabilized insulin secreting RINm5F cells. In this preparation alpha 2-adrenoceptors remain coupled to adenylate cyclase, since basal- and forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP production was lowered by epinephrine and clonidine by 30-50%. Cyclic AMP levels did not correlate with the rate of insulin secretion. Thus, at low Ca2+, forskolin enhanced cyclic AMP levels 5-fold without eliciting secretion, and Ca2+-stimulated secretion was associated with decreased cyclic AMP accumulation. Epinephrine (plus propranolol) inhibited Ca2+-induced insulin secretion in a GTP-dependent manner. The maximal inhibition (43%) occurred at 500 microM GTP. Clonidine also inhibited Ca2+-stimulated secretion. Replacement of GTP by GDP or by the nonhydrolyzable GTP analog guanosine 5'-(3-O-thio)triphosphate as well as treatment of the cells with pertussis toxin prior to permeabilization abolished epinephrine inhibition of insulin secretion. Pertussis toxin did not affect Ca2+-stimulated secretion. Insulin release stimulated by 1,2-didecanoyl glycerol was also lowered by epinephrine suggesting an effect distal to the activation of protein kinase C (Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent enzyme). These results taken together with the ability of epinephrine to inhibit ionomycin-induced insulin secretion in intact cells suggest that alpha 2-adrenergic inhibition is distal to the generation of second messengers. A model is proposed for alpha 2-adrenoceptor coupling to two effector systems, namely the adenylate cyclase and the exocytotic site in insulin-secreting cells.     

Modulation of guanine nucleotide affinity does not affect the first order rate constant of activation of adenylate cyclase in native membranes

A new method was developed to follow the rate of activation of adenylate cyclase in rat brain membranes by rapid freezing and N-ethylmaleimide treatment at 0 degrees C. This method was used to investigate the relationship between the rate of activation of adenylate cyclase by p(NH)ppG and GTP gamma S and their apparent affinities. These studies established the following. 1) The kinetics of activation by p(NH)ppG and GTP gamma S were indistinguishable although the apparent affinity of p(NH)ppG was 20-fold lower than the affinity of GTP gamma S. Activation was first order, kobs varying approximately 1.5-fold (average t 1/2 = 3.5 min, 30 degrees C) between 20-90% occupancy by either guanine nucleotide. 2) Final levels of activity were strictly dependent on the concentration of the nucleotides in a saturable manner. 3) Mg2+ increased the apparent affinity of either guanine nucleotide by 10-20-fold between 0.1 microM and 3 mM free Mg2+ in the presence of 2 mM EDTA but did not enhance the rate or maximal extent of activation. 4) The effects of Mg2+ were expressed through two independent classes of sites with affinities in the nanomolar and micromolar range. 5) A Mg2+ X guanine nucleotide complex was not the substrate for activation. The affinity of Mg2+ for nucleotides was determined as 6.25 mM GTP gamma S, 0.930 mM GTP, 0.156 mM p(NH)ppG. 6) Full activation by p(NH)ppG was completely reversible but activation by GTP gamma S was only partially reversible. These results suggest that: activation of adenylate cyclase in native membranes does not require Mg2+ or irreversible binding of the guanine nucleotide and there are two independent pathways for formation of active adenylate cyclase. A minimal mechanism for activation is discussed in light of current models.     

Potent and cooperative feedback inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity by calcium in pituitary-derived GH3 cells

Calcium (Ca2+) ion concentrations that are achieved intracellularly upon membrane depolarization or activation of phospholipase C stimulate adenylate cyclase via calmodulin (CaM) in brain tissue. In the present study, this range of Ca2+ concentrations produced unanticipated inhibitory effects on the plasma membrane adenylate cyclase activity of GH3 cells. Ca2+ concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 0.8 microM exerted an increasing inhibition on enzyme activity, which reached a plateau (35-45% inhibition) at around 1 microM. This inhibitory effect was highly cooperative for Ca2+ ions, but was neither enhanced nor dependent upon the addition of CaM (1 microM) to EGTA-washed membranes. The inhibition was greatly enhanced upon stimulation of the enzyme by vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and/or GTP. Prior exposure of cultured cells to pertussis toxin did not affect the inhibition of plasma membrane adenylate cyclase activity by Ca2+, although in these membranes, hormonal (somatostatin) inhibition was significantly attenuated. Maximally effective concentrations of Ca2+ and somatostatin produced additive inhibitory effects on adenylate cyclase. The addition of phosphodiesterase inhibitors demonstrated that inhibitory effects of Ca2+ were not mediated by Ca2(+)-dependent stimulation of a phosphodiesterase activity. These observations provide a mechanism for the feedback inhibition by elevated intracellular Ca2+ levels on cAMP-facilitated Ca2+ entry into GH3 cells, as well as inhibitory crosstalk between Ca2(+)-mobilizing signals and adenylate cyclase activity.     

Biphasic Ca2+ response of adenylate cyclase. The role of calmodulin in its activation by Ca2+ ions

The Ca2+-dependent regulation of human platelet membrane adenylate cyclase has been studied. This enzyme exhibited a biphasic response to Ca2+ within a narrow range of Ca2+ concentrations (0.1-1.0 microM). At low Ca2+ (0.08-0.3 microM) adenylate cyclase was stimulated (Ka = 0.10 microM), whereas at higher Ca2+ (greater than 0.3 microM) the enzyme was inhibited to 70-80% control (Ki = 0.8 microM). Membrane fractions, prepared by washing in the presence of LaCl3 to remove endogenous calmodulin (approximately equal to 70-80% depletion), exhibited no stimulation of adenylate cyclase by Ca2+ but did show the inhibitory phase (Ki = 0.4 microM). The activation phase could be restored to La3+-washed membranes by addition of calmodulin (Ka = 3.0 nM). Under these conditions it was apparent that calmodulin reduced the sensitivity of adenylate cyclase to Ca2+ (Ki = 0.8 microM). Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) did not alter Ki or Ka values for Ca2+. Calmodulin did not alter the EC50 for PGE1 stimulation of adenylate cyclase but increased the Vmax (1.5-fold). The calmodulin antagonist trifluoperazine potently inhibited adenylate cyclase in native membranes (80%) and to a much lesser extent in La3+-washed membranes (15%). This inhibition was due to interaction of trifluoperazine with endogenous calmodulin since trifluoperazine competitively antagonized the stimulatory effect of calmodulin on adenylate cyclase in La3+-washed membranes. We propose that biphasic Ca2+ regulation of platelet adenylate cyclase functions to both dampen (low Ca2+) and facilitate (high Ca2+) the haemostatic function of platelets.     

Na+,K+,2Cl(-)-cotransport and chloride permeability of the cell membrane in mezaton and histamine regulation of electrical and contractile activity in smooth muscle cells from the guinea pig ureter

Influence of Na+,K+,2Cl(-)-cotransport and chloride permeability of the cell membrane on electrically-induced action potential and contraction of smooth muscle cells from guinea pig ureter was examined with the methods of the double sucrose gap junction. Mesatone (10 microM) and histamine (10 microM) induced prolongation of the action potential and elevation of smooth muscle cell contraction, whereas hyperosmic medium (+150 mM sucrose), and recovery of solution osmolality in hyposmic condition (70 mM NaCl) after a single contraction. Inhibitor Na+,K+,2Cl(-)-cotransport bumetanide (10 microM) and chloride permeability blockers niflumic acid (10-100 microM) and SITS (10-500 microM) attenuated stimulating effects of mesatone, histamine and hyperosmic medium. In opposite to adenylate cyclase activation with forskolin (1 microM), guanylate cyclase activation with sodium nitroprusside (SN, 100 microM) decreased both inhibitory action of bumetanide, niflumic acid and activating effects of mesatone, histamine on action potential and elevation contraction of smooth muscle cells. Influence of forskolin rather and not SN on AP and SMC C was inhibited with tetraethylammonium (5 mM). These results suggest that influence of Na+,K+,2Cl(-)-cotransport on electrical and contractil properties of ureter smooth muscle cells is mediated by stimulation of Ca(2+)-activated chloride permeability of the cell membrane and modulated by intracellular cGMP, but not triggered by Ca2+ release from sarcoplasmic reticulum.     

Hormone-sensitive adenylate cyclase of prolactin-producing rat pituitary adenoma (GH4C1) cells: molecular organization

Hormonal activation and inhibition of the GH4Cl1 cell adenylate cyclase complex is delineated. In the presence of the guanyl nucleotide GTP, enzyme activity was enhanced twofold by thyroliberin, sixfold by vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), twofold by prostaglandin E2 and twofold by isoproterenol. The diterpene, forskolin, increased, the activity 14-fold. In the presence of high GTP (400 microM) and NaCl (150 mM) concentrations, somatostatin inhibited (ED50 = 0.5 microM) the cyclase activity by 40%. In the presence of 10 microM somatostatin, the ED50 values (5 nM) for thyroliberin- and VIP-stimulated adenylate cyclase activities were shifted to 20 nM. Forskolin-elicited activation was, however, not affected by somatostatin. Cholera-toxin and pertussis-toxin pretreatment of the enzyme brought about some 20-fold and twofold activation, respectively. Inhibition by somatostatin was abolished upon pre-exposure to pertussis toxin. Mild alkylation by N-ethylmaleimide increased basal and hormone-activated adenylate cyclase while somatostatin again failed to express its inhibitory potential. Further alkylation caused a gradual decline and convergence of hormone-modulated cyclase activities towards zero. The N-ethylmaleimide-induced attenuation of thyroliberin-elicited activity was paralleled by a decrease in [3H]thyroliberin binding. Trifluoperazine and an anti-calmodulin serum reduced basal and net thyroliberin-, VIP- and forskolin-enhanced cyclase activities by some 30%, 100%, 70% and 80%, respectively. The Vmax of basal and thyroliberin-stimulated adenylate cyclase was diminished by 65%, leaving the apparent Km values (7.2 mM and 2.6 mM, respectively) for Mg2+ unaltered. Finally, the phorbol ester 12-O-tetra-decanoyl-phorbol 13-acetate (TPA) doubled the activity. This effect was counteracted by the protein kinase C inhibitor, polymyxin B, while thyroliberin-enhanced adenylate cyclase remained unaffected. In summary, we have described an adenylate cyclase with stimulatory (Rs) and inhibitory (Ri) receptors coupled to a calmodulin-sensitive holoenzyme through the Gs and Gi type of GTP-binding proteins. The ratio of the Gs to Gi is high. It appears that the GH4C1 cell adenylate cyclase is also activated by protein kinase C by interference with Gi. Apparently, thyroliberin activates the cyclase both directly through Gs and indirectly via protein kinase C stimulation.     

A novel site of action of a high affinity A1 adenosine receptor antagonist

XAC, a high affinity antagonist of the A1 adenosine receptor, enhances adenylate cyclase activity by 1.3-2 fold with an EC50 of approximately 47 nM in adipocyte membranes pretreated with adenosine deaminase to eliminate adenosine and in the presence of total phosphodiesterase inhibition by 100 microM papaverine. This effect of XAC is observed only at concentrations of GTP sufficient to activate Gi (approximately 5 x 10(-6) M GTP) and is not evident in the absence or presence of lower GTP concentrations. ADP ribosylation of Gi by pertussis toxin treatment also abolishes this stimulatory action of XAC. Furthermore, in the presence of GTP activation of inhibitory prostaglandin E1 receptors diminishes the stimulatory effect of XAC on adenylate cyclase. In addition, XAC interferes with GTP-mediated inhibition of forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in a noncompetitive manner. Finally, XAC is only a weak inhibitor of the low Km cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase, producing approximately 40% inhibition of phosphodiesterase activity at a concentration of 100 microM. These data suggest that XAC increases adenylate cyclase activity in absence of endogenous adenosine by inhibiting tonic Gi activity in a reversible manner.     

Regulation of ciliary adenylate cyclase by Ca2+ in Paramecium.

In the ciliated protozoan Paramecium, Ca2+ and cyclic nucleotides are believed to act as second messengers in the regulation of the ciliary beat. Ciliary adenylate cyclase was activated 20-30-fold (half-maximal at 0.8 microM) and inhibited by higher concentrations (10-20 microM) of free Ca2+ ion. Ca2+ activation was the result of an increase in Vmax., not a change in Km for ATP. The activation by Ca2+ was seen only with Mg2+ATP as substrate; with Mn2+ATP the basal adenylate cyclase activity was 10-20-fold above that with Mg2+ATP, and there was no further activation by Ca2+. The stimulation by Ca2+ of the enzyme in cilia and ciliary membranes was blocked by the calmodulin antagonists calmidazolium (half-inhibition at 5 microM), trifluoperazine (70 microM) and W-7 (50-100 microM). When ciliary membranes (which contained most of the ciliary adenylate cyclase) were prepared in the presence of Ca2+, their adenylate cyclase was insensitive to Ca2+ in the assay. However, the inclusion of EGTA in buffers used for fractionation of cilia resulted in full retention of Ca2+-sensitivity by the ciliary membrane adenylate cyclase. The membrane-active agent saponin specifically suppressed the Ca2+-dependent adenylate cyclase without inhibiting basal activity with Mg2+ATP or Mn2+ATP. The ciliary adenylate cyclase was shown to be distinct from the Ca2+-dependent guanylate cyclase; the two activities had different kinetic parameters and different responses to added calmodulin and calmodulin antagonists. Our results suggest that Ca2+ influx through the voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channels in the ciliary membrane may influence intraciliary cyclic AMP concentrations by regulating adenylate cyclase.     

Photolytic studies on the carbon monoxide complex of sulphaemoglobin.

Salivary-gland homogenates contain 5-hydroxytryptamine-stimulated adenylate cyclase. Half-maximal stimulation was obtained with 0.1 microM-5-hydroxytryptamine in the presence of added guanine nucleotides. Gramine antagonized the stimulation of cyclase caused by 5-hydroxytryptamine. In the presence of hormone, guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate produced a marked activation of adenylate cyclase activity. Stimulation of adenylate cyclase by forskolin or fluoride did not require the addition of guanine nucleotides or hormone. In the presence of EGTA, Ca2+ produced a biphasic activation of cyclase activity. Ca2+ at 1-100 microM increased activity, whereas 2000 microM-Ca2+ inhibited cyclase activity. The neuroleptic drugs trifluoperazine and chlorpromazine non-specifically inhibited adenylate cyclase activity even in the absence of Ca2+. The cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity in homogenates was not affected by Ca2+ or exogenous calmodulin. This enzyme was also inhibited by trifluoperazine in the absence of Ca2+. These results indicate that Ca2+ elevates adenylate cyclase activity, but had no effect on cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase of salivary-gland homogenates.     

Glutamate Inhibits Adenylate Cyclase Activity in Dispersed Rat Hippocampal Cells Directly via an N-Methyl-d-Aspartate-Like Metabotropic Receptor

Three major subtypes of glutamate receptors that are coupled to cation channels--N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), kainate, and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate (AMPA) receptors--are known as ionotropic receptors in the mammalian CNS. Recently, an additional subtype that is coupled to GTP binding proteins and stimulates (or inhibits) metabolism of phosphoinositides has been proposed as a metabotropic receptor. Incubation of dispersed hippocampal cells from adult rats with glutamate or NMDA decreased forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP (cAMP) accumulation; half-maximal effects were obtained with 5.6 +/- 2.2 and 6.4 +/- 2.3 microM, respectively. Kainate and quisqualate were less potent. The effect of glutamate was antagonized by 2,3-diaminopropionate and 2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate, NMDA/glutamate receptor antagonists, but not by 0.5 microM Joro spider toxin, a specific blocker of the AMPA receptor. The inhibitory effect of glutamate on cAMP formation was not blocked by 2 microM tetrodotoxin or by the absence of Ca2+. In hippocampal membranes, glutamate, similar to carbachol, inhibited adenylate cyclase activity in a GTP-dependent manner. These findings suggest that the glutamate inhibition of adenylate cyclase is direct and is not due to a result of the release of other neurotransmitters. The effect of glutamate on cAMP accumulation was observed in an assay medium containing 0.7 mM MgCl2, which is known to inhibit both ionotropic NMDA receptor/channels in the hippocampus and metabotropic NMDA receptors in the cerebellum. The inhibitory effect of glutamate was abolished by pertussis toxin treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) and guanosine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) activate G proteins and potentiate fibroblast growth factor-induced DNA synthesis in hamster fibroblasts

Addition of guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTP gamma S) to intact Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts (CCL39) depolarized by high K+ concentrations results in activation of phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PLC) (at GTP gamma S concentrations greater than 0.1 mM), inhibition of adenylate cyclase (between 10 microM and 0.5 mM), and activation of adenylate cyclase (above 0.5 mM). Since GTP gamma S-induced activation of PLC is dramatically enhanced upon receptor-mediated stimulation of PLC by alpha-thrombin, we conclude that in depolarized CCL39 cells GTP gamma S directly activates various guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins) coupled to PLC (Gp(s)) and to adenylate cyclase (Gi and Gs). Pretreatment of cells with pertussis toxin strongly inhibits GTP gamma S-induced activation of PLC and inhibition of adenylate cyclase. GTP gamma S cannot be replaced by other nucleotides, except by guanosine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) (GDP beta S), which mimics after a lag period of 15-20 min all the effects of GTP gamma S, with the same concentration dependence and the same sensitivity to pertussis toxin. We suggest that GDP beta S is converted in cells into GTP beta S, which acts as GTP gamma S. Since cell viability is not affected by a transient depolarization, these observations provide a simple method to examine long-term effects of G protein activation on DNA synthesis. We show that a transient exposure of G0-arrested CCL39 cells to GTP gamma S or GDP beta S under depolarizing conditions is not sufficient by itself to induce a significant mitogenic response, but markedly potentiates the mitogenic action of fibroblast growth factor, a mitogen known to activate a receptor-tyrosine kinase. The potentiating effect is maximal after 60 min of pretreatment with 2 mM GTP gamma S. GDP beta S is equally efficient but only after a lag period of 15-20 min. Mitogenic effects of both guanine nucleotide analogs are suppressed by pertussis toxin. Since the activation of G proteins by GTP gamma S under these conditions vanishes after a few hours, we conclude that a transient activation of G proteins facilitates the transition G0----G1 in CCL39 cells, whereas tyrosine kinase-induced signals are sufficient to mediate the progression into S phase.     

Involvement of Ni protein in the functional coupling of the atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) receptor to adenylate cyclase in rat lung plasma membranes

In the presence of 1 microM atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) and low (0.1 mM) Mg2+ concentrations, the initial rate of binding of [3H]guanosine 5'-[beta, gamma-imido)triphosphate [( 3H]p[NH]ppG) to rat lung plasma membranes was increased twofold to threefold. ANF-dependent stimulation of the initial rate of [3H]p[NH]ppG binding was reduced at high (5 mM) Mg2+ concentrations. Preincubation of membranes with p[NH]ppG (5 min at 37 degrees C) eliminated the ANF-dependent effect on [3H]p[NH]ppG binding whereas ANF-dependent [3H]p[NH]ppG binding was unaffected by similar pretreatment with guanosine 5'-[beta-thio]diphosphate (GDP[beta S]). An increase in ANF concentration from 10 pM to 1 microM caused a 40% decrease in forskolin-stimulated or isoproterenol-stimulated adenylate cyclase activities (IC50 5 nM) in rat lung plasma membranes. GTP (100 microM) was obligatory for the ANF-dependent inhibition of adenylate cyclase, which could be completely overcome by the presence of 100 microM GDP[beta S] or the addition of 10 mM Mn2+. Reduction of Na2+ concentration from 120 mM to 20 mM had the same effect. Pertussis toxin eliminated ANF-dependent inhibition of adenylate cyclase by catalyzing ADP-ribosylation of membrane-bound Ni protein (41-kDa alpha subunit of the inhibitory guanyl-nucleotide-binding protein of adenylate cyclase). The data support the notion that one of the ANF receptors in rat lung plasma membranes is negatively coupled to a hormone-sensitive adenylate cyclase complex via the GTP-binding Ni protein.     

Effects of NaCl concentration on adenylate cyclase regulation by prostaglandins and guanine nucleotides

Na+ has been implicated as a requirement for the inhibition of adenylate cyclase by hormones and neurotransmitters. This study examines effects of salt concentration on neuroblastoma plasma membranes that occur in the absence of an inhibitory hormone. The adenylate cyclase response to stimulatory agonists (GTP plus PGE1 (3), PGI2 or PGE2) was influenced by NaCl. As the [NaCl] increased to 150 mM, an increase in maximal activity and a decrease in apparent affinity was observed. At concentrations above 150 mM, NaCl decreased prostaglandin affinity and progressively decreased maximal activation. The GTP requirement was not altered by 30 or 150 mM NaCl in the presence of PGE1 or PGI2. The rate of Gpp(NH)p stimulated activity increased as the [NaCl] was increased in the assay. This increased rate was conserved when membranes activated in the presence of Gpp(NH)p and NaCl were reassayed in the absence of guanine nucleotide or salt. The salt evoked rate increase was proportionally greater at submaximal MgCl2 concentrations. The concentration requirement for Mg2+ was reduced by salt for adenylate cyclase in the presence of GTP or Gpp(NH)p. However, the enzyme stimulated by hormone exhibited a Mg2+ requirement that was low in the absence of salt and could not be further reduced by increased [NaCl]. Alternative monovalent cations (150 mM Li+, K+, Cs+, but not choline or tetramethylammonium) and anions (SO4=) substituted for NaCl. The observed effects were reversible upon washing the membranes and neither ouabain nor tetrodotoxin altered the response. These effects may result from a conformational alteration of a protein particularly sensitive to neutral salts in the assay.