酪氨酸蛋白激酶和蛋白激酶C对N—乙酰氨基葡萄糖转？…

在人肝癌细胞７７２１中研究了酪氨酸蛋白激酶（ＴＰＫ）和蛋白激酶Ｃ（ＰＫＣ）的激活剂［分别为表皮生长因子（ＥＧＦ）和佛波酯（ＰＭＡ）］和各种蛋白激酶抑制剂对Ｎ－乙酰氨基葡萄糖转移酶Ｖ（ＧｎＴ－Ｖ）活力的影响,以探讨ＴＰＫ和ＰＫＣ对ＧｎＴ－Ｖ的调节。结果发现,ＥＧＦ或ＰＭＡ处理细胞４８ｈ后,ＧｎＴ－Ｖ的活力明显增高;蛋白激酶的非特异性抑制剂槲皮素和染料木黄酮在抑制ＴＰＫ和ＰＫＣ的同时,抑制ＧｎＴ－Ｖ的     

蛋白激酶C对N－乙酰氨基葡萄糖转移酶Ⅲ的调节

人肝癌细胞株７７２１细胞的Ｎ－乙酰氨基葡萄糖转移酶Ⅲ（ＧｎＴⅢ）活性受Ｓｅｒ／Ｔｈｒ蛋白激酶的两种抑制剂ｑｕｅｒｃｅｔｉｎ和三氟吡嗪（ＴＦＰ）．蛋白激酶Ｃ（ＰＫＣ）的两种特异性抑制剂Ｄ－鞘氨醇和ｓｔａｕｒｏｓｐｏｒｉｎｅ的抑制。用ＰＭＡ处理细胞舌,ＧｎＴⅢ活力随膜性ＰＫＣ（ｍ－ＰＫＣ）活力而平行变化,但与胞液ＰＫＣ活力的变化无关。Ｑｕｅｒｃｅｔｉｎ、Ｄ－鞘氨醇和ｓｔａｕｒｏｓｐｏｒｉｎｅ还能够阻断ＰＭＡ对ＧｎＴⅢ的激活。Ｑｕｅｒｃｅｔｉｎ、ｓｔａｕｒｏｓｐｏｒｉｎｅ对ｍ－ＰＫＣ和ＧｎＴⅢ的抑制作用基本上与它们的应用浓度成正比关系。当人及大鼠肾脏的粗ＧｎＴ制剂分别用碱性磷酸酶切除磷酸基后,ＧＤＴⅢ的活力明显下降。这些结果表明ｍ－ＰＫＣ可能通过蛋白质的Ｓｅｒ／Ｔｈｒ残基上磷酸化和去磷酸化作用直接或间接地调节ＧｎＴⅢ。     

蛋白激酶和D—鞘氨醇对人肝癌细胞磷脂酶D活力的调节

为了研究蛋白激酶Ｃ（ＰＫＣ）和酪氨酸激酶（ＴＰＫ）对７７２１人肝癌细胞中磷脂酰胆碱（ＰＣ０专一性磷脂酶Ｄ（ＰＬＤ）的调节,测定了各种ＰＫＣ和ＴＰＫ抑制剂和ＰＫＣ抗体对该细胞中ＰＬＤ活力的影响。结果发现：４种ＰＫＣ抑制剂Ｃｈｅｌｅｒｙｔｈｒｉｎｅ,Ｈ－７,ＣａｌｐｈｏｓｔｉｎＣ和星形孢菌素（Ｓｔａｕｒｏｓｐｏｒｉｎｅ）,以及２种ＴＰＫ抑制剂Ｔｙｒｐｈｏｓｔｉｎ４６和木质异黄酮（Ｇｅｎｉｓｔｅｉｎ）ｆ     

佛波酯引起蛋白激酶C下降调节的专一性

探讨了佛波酯（ＰＭＡ）对蛋白激酶的下降调节是否有激酶专一性及亚型专一性．用组蛋白Ｈ１作为蛋白激酶Ｃ（ＰＫＣ）和蛋白激酶Ａ（ＰＫＡ）的受体底物,加入ＰＫＣ和ＰＫＡ的特异性激活剂区分ＰＫＣ和ＰＫＡ,用聚谷酪（４１）为酪氨酸蛋白激酶（ＴＰＫ）的专一性受体底物,以３２Ｐ－ＡＴＰ为３２Ｐ共同供体底物测定三种蛋白激酶的活力,并用免疫组化法测定ＰＫＣ亚型．结果发现ＰＭＡ对人７７２１肝癌细胞只引起ＰＫＣ而不引起ＰＫＡ和ＴＰＫ的下降调节,ＰＫＣ的非特异性抑制剂槲皮素和特异性抑制剂Ｄ－鞘氨醇能大部分取消ＰＭＡ对ＰＫＣ的下降调节,但ＴＰＫ抑制剂ｇｅｎｅｓｔｅｉｎ则没有阻断下降调节的作用．用ＨＬ－６０细胞还证明ＰＭＡ只对含量丰富的ＰＫＣα和ＰＫＣβⅡ亚型而不对含量很少的ＰＫＣβⅠ亚型发生下降调节．上述结果说明ＰＭＡ对蛋白激酶的下降调节有激酶和亚型专一性．     

丝裂素活化蛋白激酶参与内皮素刺激的兔主动脉平滑肌细胞增生

内皮素（ｅｎｄｏｔｈｅｌｉｎ,ＥＴ）是已知的体内活性最强的缩血管物质,其缩血管作用由Ｇ蛋白偶联受体所介导。但ＥＴ强大的促血管平滑肌细胞（ＶＳＭＣ）增生效应的机理尚未完全阐明。本研究选用培养的兔胸主动脉ＶＳＭＣ,探讨丝裂素活化蛋白激酶（ＭＡＰＫ）在ＥＴ促细胞增生中的作用。结果表明：ＥＴ－１呈时间和浓度依赖性地促进细胞摄取￣３Ｈ－ＴｄＲ和激活ＭＡＰＫ,此作用可被蛋白激酶Ｃ（ｐｒｏｔｅｉｎｋｉｎａｓｅＣ,ＰＫＣ）抑制剂Ｓｔａｕｒｏｓｐｏｒｉｎｅ（ＳＴＰ）,Ｈ－７和ＥＴ＿Ａ受体拮抗剂ＢＱ１２３所抑制,但不被酪氨酸激酶抑制剂ＨｅｒｂｉｍｙｃｉｎＡ（Ｈｅｒｂ）所抑制,用ＰＫＣ激动剂ＰＭＡ（Ｐｈｏｒｂｏｌｍｙｒｉｓｔａｔｅａｃｅｔａｔｅ）预处理ＶＳＭＣ,使其ＰＫＣ活性下调,可显著减弱ＥＴ－１对ＭＡＰＫ的激活能力。本结果提示：（１）ＭＡＰＫ参与ＥＴ－１所致的ＶＳＭＣ增生;（２）ＥＴ－１促细胞增生与激活ＭＡＰＫ的作用是由ＥＴ＿Ａ受体和ＰＫＣ介导的。     

细支气管肺泡细胞增生和细支气管肺泡细胞癌内生长因子和蛋白激酶C的表达

表皮生长因子（ＥＧＦ）、转化生长因子－α（ＴＧＦα）、表皮生长因子受体（ＥＧＦＲ）和蛋白激酶Ｃ（ＰＫＣ）与细胞生长、增殖分化调节和细胞癌变有密切关系。作者用免疫组织化学方法检测了细支气管肺泡细胞增生（ＢＡＨ）和细支气管肺泡细胞癌（ＢＡＣ）的ＥＧＦ、ＴＧＦα、ＥＧＦＲ和ＰＫＣ表达。结果表明：ＢＡＣ中的ＥＧＦ、ＴＧＦα阳性率和阳性强度以及ＥＧＦＲ、ＰＫＣ阳性强度均明显高于ＢＡＨ。ＢＡＨ的重度不典型增生病例,其ＥＧＦ、ＴＧＦα、ＥＧＦＲ和ＰＫＣ均呈高表达。ＴＧＦα、ＥＧＦＲ和ＰＫＣ三者在ＢＡＣ和ＢＡＨ中的表达存在明显相关性。提示：ＴＧＦα及其受体ＥＧＦＲ和ＰＫＣ是细支气管肺泡细胞增生、恶性转化和肺泡癌细胞失控生长的重要因素。     

RFP_（134）对UMR106细胞EGF受体酪氨酸蛋白激酶的调节作用

以大鼠成骨肉瘤细胞（ＵＭＲ１０６）为模型,研究了表皮生长因子（ＥＧＦ）对其受体酪氨酸蛋白激酶（ＴＰＫ）的调节作用。以本实验室从植物中提取纯化的二萜类活性物质（ＲＦＰ１３４）为诱导分化剂,观察了ＲＦＰ１３４对ＵＭＲ１０６细胞ＥＧＦ受体ＴＰＫ的活性和磷酸化作用的影响,并与ＲＡ和ＲＦＰ１３４＋ＲＡ处理细胞做了比较,结果显示ＥＧＦ与其受体结合后能激活ＴＰＫ,使ＴＰＫ活性增加２倍．ＲＦＰ１３４,ＲＡ,ＲＦＰ１３４＋ＲＡ处理细胞后,分别降低ＥＧＦ诱导的受体ＴＰＫ活性５０％,４３％,５５％,降低磷酸化ＴＰＫ含量５５％,３６％,５３％。从结果中发现无ＥＧＦ刺激的细胞也具有受体ＴＰＫ磷酸化作用,用ＲＦＰ１３４,ＲＡ,ＲＦＰ１３４＋ＲＡ处理细胞,分别降低受体磷酸化ＴＰＫ含量５９％,４０％,５７％,而且我们发现用ＥＧＦ诱导的细胞受体ＴＰＫ含量高于无ＥＧＦ作用的细胞．提示ＵＭＲ１０６细胞本身可能具有受体ＴＰＫ活性,能够引起细胞受体自动磷酸化,ＥＧＦ刺激后ＴＰＫ的磷酸化作用增强,可见ＲＦＰ１３４对ＥＧＦ诱导的ＴＰＫ磷酸化和无ＥＧＦ诱导的受体自动磷酸化都具有明显的抑制作用,（并强于ＲＡ）这可能与在第二信使水平上阻抑ＰＴＰＫ活性密切相关     

c-fos基因在内皮素-1促肺泡Ⅱ型细胞表面活性物质合成中的作用

应用反义技术探讨ｃ－ｆｏｓ基因ＥＴ－１调控肺泡Ⅱ型细胞（ＡＴⅡ）表面活性物质（ＰＳ）合成的胞内信号转导中的作用,结果显示：（１）内皮素－１（ＥＴ－１）可提高ＡＴⅡ细胞的＾３Ｈ－胆碱掺入。（２）蛋白激酶Ｃ（ＰＫＣ）激活剂ＰＭＡ可使ＡＴⅡ细胞的＾３Ｈ－胆碱掺入量增加,ＰＫＣ抑制剂Ｈ７可抑制ＥＴ－１的促ＰＳ合成效应。（３）ＥＴ－１和ＰＭＡ可显著提高Ｆｏｓ蛋白表达量,Ｈ７和ｃ－ｆｏｓ反义寡核苷酸（ＯＤＮ）     

PKC、PKA和TPK在血小板激活中的作用

利用~（３２）Ｐ－ＮａＨ_２ＰＯ_４标记猪血小板,然后以ＰＭＡ、凝血酶、ＰＧＥ_１、腺苷等处理,结果表明,随着ＰＭＡ激活ＰＫＣ,血小板发生聚集。３５μｍｏｌ／ＬＰＧＥ_１或１ｍｍｏｌ／ＬｄｂｃＡＭＰ不能抑制５０ｎｍｏｌ／ＬＰＭＡ诱导的血小板聚集,腺苷却能抑制ＰＭＡ诱导的血小板聚集（ＥＣ_（５０）＝０．１ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ）,ｄｂ－ｃＡＭＰ、腺苷都不能抑制１００ｎｍｏｌ／ＬＰＭＡ诱导的４０ｋＤ蛋白磷酸化。ＰＫＡ激活不能抑制ＰＭＡ激活的ＰＫＣ。在ＰＭＡ、凝血酶激活的血小板中,ＰＫＣ、ＴＰＫ都发生激活,４０ｋＤ底物既是ＰＫＣ的底物又是ＴＰＫ的底物,ＰＫＣ和ＴＰＫ在血小板聚集中起着重要的调节作用。     

分化剂和增殖剂对肝癌细胞N－乙酰基葡萄糖转移酶的调节

用我室建立的ＨＰＬＣ法测定分化诱导剂,视黄酸（ＲＡ）和双丁酰环磷酸腺苷（ｄｂ－ｃＡＭＰ）,及增殖促进剂,佛波醇肉桂酸乙酸酯（ＰＭＡ）对ＳＭＭＣ－７７２１人肝癌细胞Ｎ－乙酰氨基葡萄糖转移酶Ｖ和ＩＩＩ（ＧｎＴ－Ｖ,ＧｎＴ－ＩＩＩ）的影响,发现对照细胞在培养５天后ＧｎＴ－Ｖ略见升高。经ＲＡ和ｄｂ－ｃＡＭＰ处理后,可通天降低ＧｎＴ－Ｖ的活力,但不论对照或处理细胞均未测出ＧｎＴ－ＩＩＩ的活力。ＰＭＡ可增高ＧｎＴ－Ｖ和ＧｎＴ－ＩＩＩ的活力,对ＧｎＴ－ＩＩＩ的增加较ＧｕＴ－Ｖ发生较早亦较强。以上结果和我室报道的ＲＡ或ｄｂ－ｃＡＭＰ减少而ＰＭＡ增加ＳＭＭＣ－７７２１细胞表面Ｎ－糖链的天线数相符,也和大鼠化学诱发肝癌中ＧｎＴ－ＩＩＩ和Ｖ的增高相一致。     

Stimulation of Cell Elongation in Teleost Rod Photoreceptors by Distinct Protein Kinase Inhibitors

Abstract: The rod photoreceptors of teleost retinas elongate in the light. To characterize the role of protein kinases in elongation, pharmacological studies were carried out with rod fragments consisting of the motile inner segment and photosensory outer segment (RIS-ROS). Isolated RIS-ROS were cultured in the presence of membrane-permeant inhibitors that exhibit selective activity toward specific serine/threonine protein kinases. We report that three distinct classes of protein kinase inhibitors stimulated elongation in darkness: (1) cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA)-selective inhibitors (H-89 and KT5720), (2) a protein kinase C (PKC)-selective inhibitor (GF 109203X) that affects most PKC isoforms, and (3) a kinase inhibitor (H-85) that does not affect PKC and PKA in vitro. Other kinase inhibitors tested neither stimulated elongation in darkness nor inhibited light-induced elongation; these include the myosin light chain kinase inhibitors ML-7 and ML-9, the calcium-calmodulin kinase II inhibitor KN-62, and inhibitors or activators of diacylglycerol-dependent PKCs (sphingosine, calphostin C, chelerythrine, and phorbol esters). The myosin light chain kinase inhibitors as well as the PKA and PKC inhibitors H-89 and GF 109203X all enhanced light-induced elongation. These observations suggest that light-induced RIS-ROS elongation is inhibited by both PKA and an unidentified kinase or kinases, possibly a diacylglycerol-independent form of PKC.     

蛋白激酶与细胞分化—两种分化诱导剂对酪氨酸蛋白激酶的抑制

在报道视黄酸(RA)是人肝癌细胞株SMMC-7721分化诱导剂的基础上,本文继续报道8-溴-环磷酸腺苷对该细胞也有分化诱导作用,两者都抑制细胞的增殖,降低γ-谷氨酰转肽酶(γ-GT)比活力和升高(ALP)碱性磷酸酶的比活力。在10μmol/LRA和0.5mmol/L-8-Br-cAMP处理细胞1、3、5天后,胞液和膜性组分中的酪氨酸蛋白激酶(TPK)的比活力均降低,其中RA对胞液TPK的作用在早期较明显,约降低30％,而对膜性TPK的影响则随培养天数而逐渐增加,至第5天下降达50％以上。8Br-cAMP则相反,对胞浆TPK的抑制主要发生在3天以后;约抑制43—53％,而对膜性组分则抑制率逐日降低,在第一天较为明显。因TPK是一个细胞增殖恶变的标志,故RA和8-溴-cAMP对TPK的抑制进一步证明这两种分化诱导剂对SMMC-7721细胞的逆转作用。     

Protein kinase C mediates induced secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor by human glioma cells

To understand how vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production is activated in malignant glioma cells, we employed protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) and protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors to evaluate the extent to which these protein kinases were involved in signal transduction leading to VEGF production. PTK inhibitors blocked glioma proliferation and epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced VEGF secretion, while H-7, a PKC inhibitor, inhibited both EGF-induced and baseline VEGF secretion. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a non-specific activator of PKC, induced VEGF secretion by glioma cells, which was enhanced by calcium ionophore A23187, but completely blocked after prolonged treatment of cells with 1 microM PMA, by presumably depleting PKC. All inhibitors (genistein, AG18, AG213, H-7, prolonged PMA treatment) which inhibited EGF-induced VEGF secretion in glioma cells also inhibited cell proliferation at similar concentrations. However, PKC inhibition only blocked 50% of the VEGF secretion induced by growth factors (EGF, platelet-derived growth factor-BB, or basic fibroblast growth factor). This reserve capacity could be ascribed to a PKC-independent effect, or to PKC isoenzymes not down-regulated by PMA. These findings extend our previous assertion that VEGF secretion is tightly coupled with proliferation by suggesting that activation of convergent growth factor signaling pathways will lead to increased glioma VEGF secretion. Understanding of signal transduction of growth factor-induced VEGF secretion should provide a rational basis for the development of novel strategies for therapy.     

Roles for Protein Kinase C and Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase in Nicotine-Induced Secretion from Bovine Adrenal Chromaffin Cells

Abstract: Both the Ca²⁺/phospholipid-dependent protein kinases (protein kinases C, PKCs) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) have been implicated as participants in the secretory response of bovine adrenomedullary chromaffin cells. To investigate a possible role for these kinases in exocytosis and the relationship of these kinases to one another, intact chromaffin cells were treated with agents that inhibited each of the kinases and analyzed for catecholamine release and MAPK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase (MEK)/MAPK activation after stimulation with secretagogues of differential efficacy. Of the three secretagogues tested, inactivation of PKCs by long-term phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) treatment or incubation with GF109203X had the greatest inhibitory effect on nicotine-induced catecholamine release and MEK/MAPK activation, a moderate effect on KCl-induced events, and little, if any, effect on Ca²⁺ ionophore-elicited exocytosis and MEK/MAPK activation. These results indicate that PKC plays a significant role in events induced by the optimal secretagogue nicotine and a lesser role in exocytosis elicited by the suboptimal secretagogues KCl and Ca²⁺ ionophore. Treatment of cells with the MEK-activation inhibitor PD098059 completely inhibited MEK/MAPK activation (IC₅₀ 1–5 µM) and partially inhibited catecholamine release induced by all secretagogues. However, PD098059 was more effective at inhibiting exocytosis induced by suboptimal secretagogues (IC₅₀～10 µM) than that induced by nicotine (IC₅₀～30 µM). These results suggest a more prominent role for MEK/MAPK in basic secretory events activated by suboptimal secretagogues than in those activated by the optimal secretagogue nicotine. However, PD098059 also partially blocked secretion potentiated by short-term PMA treatment, suggesting that PKC can function in part by signaling through MEK/MAPK to enhance secretion. Taken together, these results provide evidence for the preferential involvement of MEK/MAPK in basic secretory events activated by the suboptimal secretagogues KCl and Ca²⁺ ionophore and the participation of both PKC and MEK/MAPK in optimal secretion induced by nicotine.     

Regulation of Organelle Movement in Melanophores by Protein Kinase A (PKA), Protein Kinase C (PKC), and Protein Phosphatase 2A (PP2A)

We used melanophores, cells specialized for regulated organelle transport, to study signaling pathways involved in the regulation of transport. We transfected immortalized Xenopus melanophores with plasmids encoding epitope-tagged inhibitors of protein phosphatases and protein kinases or control plasmids encoding inactive analogues of these inhibitors. Expression of a recombinant inhibitor of protein kinase A (PKA) results in spontaneous pigment aggregation. α-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH), a stimulus which increases intracellular cAMP, cannot disperse pigment in these cells. However, melanosomes in these cells can be partially dispersed by PMA, an activator of protein kinase C (PKC). When a recombinant inhibitor of PKC is expressed in melanophores, PMA-induced pigment dispersion is inhibited, but not dispersion induced by MSH. We conclude that PKA and PKC activate two different pathways for melanosome dispersion. When melanophores express the small t antigen of SV-40 virus, a specific inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), aggregation is completely prevented. Conversely, overexpression of PP2A inhibits pigment dispersion by MSH. Inhibitors of protein phosphatase 1 and protein phosphatase 2B (PP2B) do not affect pigment movement. Therefore, melanosome aggregation is mediated by PP2A.     

Ca2+-Dependent and Ca2+-Independent Protein Kinase C Changes in the Brains of Patients with Alzheimer's Disease

Abstract: We examined protein kinase C (PKC) activity in Ca²⁺-dependent PKC (Ca²⁺-dependent PKC activities) and Ca²⁺-independent PKC (Ca²⁺-independent PKC activities) assay conditions in brains from Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and age-matched controls. In cytosolic and membranous fractions, Ca²⁺-dependent and Ca²⁺-independent PKC activities were significantly lower in AD brain than in control brain. In particular, reduction of Ca²⁺-independent PKC activity in the membranous fraction of AD brain was most enhanced when cardiolipin, the optimal stimulator of PKC-ε, was used in the assay; whereas Ca²⁺-independent PKC activity stimulated by phosphatidylinositol, the optimal stimulator of PKC-δ, was not significantly reduced in AD. Further studies on the protein levels of Ca²⁺-independent PKC-δ, PKC-ε, and PKC-ζ in AD brain revealed reduction of the PKC-ε level in both cytosolic and membranous fractions, although PKC-δ and PKC-ζ levels were not changed. These findings indicated that Ca²⁺-dependent and Ca²⁺-independent PKC are changed in AD, and that among Ca²⁺-independent PKC isozymes, the alteration of PKC-ε is a specific event in AD brain, suggesting its crucial role in AD pathophysiology.     

Role of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Protein Kinases 1 and 2 in Oligodendroglial Process Extension

Abstract: The relationship between extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) activation and process extension in cultured bovine oligodendrocytes (OLGs) was investigated. Process extension was induced through the exposure of cultured OLGs to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), an activator of protein kinase C (PKC), for various intervals. During the isolation of these OLGs from bovine brain, the original processes were lost. Therefore, any reinitiation of process extension via PMA stimulation was easily discernible through morphological monitoring. It was found that exposure of OLGs to PMA for 10 min was enough to induce OLG process extension 24–72 h later. Furthermore, this extension was still evident at least 1 week after the initial PMA stimulation, indicating that OLGs do not need continuous PKC activation to sustain process extension. Control and PMA-stimulated OLGs were also subjected to immunocytochemistry using an anti-ERK antibody selective for the mitogen-activated protein kinases p42 Erk2 (ERK2) and p44 Erk1 (ERK1) isoforms. ERK immunoreactivity in the nucleus was evident after PMA stimulation of OLGs but not in control OLGs. In parallel experiments, the control and PMA-stimulated OLGs were purified by Mono Q fractionation and subjected to ERK phosphotransferase assays using [γ-³²P]ATP and either myelin basic protein (MBP) or a synthetic peptide substrate based on the Thr⁹⁷ phosphorylation site in MBP. These assays indicated that in PMA-treated OLGs, ERK activation was at least 12-fold higher than in control OLGs. Anti-ERK and anti-phosphotyrosine western blots of the assay fractions verified an enhanced phosphorylation of ERK1 and ERK2 in PMA-treated fractions relative to control fractions. When OLGs were pretreated for 15 min with the ERK kinase (MEK) inhibitor PD 098059 before PMA stimulation, they exhibited a 67% decrease in ERK activation as compared with cells treated with PMA alone. Furthermore, these MEK inhibitor-pretreated cells were still viable but showed no process extensions up to 1 week later. Therefore, we propose that a threshold level of ERK activity is required for the initiation of OLG process extension.     

Protein kinase C regulates the activity and stability of serotonin N-acetyltransferase

Effects of protein kinase C on protein stability and activity of rat AANAT were investigated in vitro and in vivo. When COS-7 cells transfected with AANAT cDNA were treated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), both the activity and protein level of AANAT were increased. These effects of PMA were blocked by GF109203X, a specific inhibitor of PKC. Moreover, PMA increased the phosphorylation of AANAT and induced the formation of AANAT/14-3-3zeta complex. PMA did not affect the basal level of cAMP and did not involve the potentiation of the cAMP production by forskolin, indicating that PKC-dependent activation of adenylyl cyclase was excluded in transfected COS-7 cells. To identify which amino acids were phosphorylated by PKC, several conserved Thr and Ser residues in AANAT were targeted for site-directed mutagenesis. Mutations of Thr29 and Ser203 prevented the increase of enzymatic activity and protein level mediated by PMA. To explore the nature of AANAT phosphorylation, purified rat AANAT was subjected to in vitro PKC kinase assay. PKC directly phosphorylated the rat recombinant AANAT. The phosphopeptides identified by mass spectrometric analysis, and western blotting indicated that Thr29 was one of target sites for PKC. To confirm the effects of the physiological activation of PKC, rat pineal glands were treated with alpha(1)-adrenergic specific agonist phenylephrine. Phenylephrine caused the phosphorylation of endogenous AANAT whereas GF109203X or prazosin, an alpha(1)-adrenergic-specific antagonist, markedly inhibited it. These results suggest that AANAT was phosphorylated at Thr29 by PKC activation through the alpha(1)-adrenergic receptor in rat pineal glands, and that its phosphorylation might contribute to the stability and the activity of AANAT.     

Role of protein kinases of human red cell membrane in deformability and aggregation changes

The proteomic analysis has showed that red cell membrane contains several kinases and phosphatases. Therefore the aim of this study was to investigate the role of protein kinases of human red cell membrane in deformability and aggregation changes. Exposure of red blood cells (RBCs) to some chemical compounds led to change in the RBC microrheological properties. When forskolin (10 microM), an adenylyl cyclase (AC) and a protein kinase A (PKA) stimulator was added to RBC suspension, the RBC deformability (RBCD) was increased by 20% (p < 0.05). Somewhat more significant deformability rise appeared after RBC incubation with dB-AMP (by 26%; p < 0.01). Red cell aggregation (RBCA) was significantly decreased under these conditions (p < 0.01). Markedly less changes of deformability was found after RBC incubation with protein kinase stimulator C (PKC)--phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). This drug reduced red cell aggregation only slightly. It was inhibited red cell tyrosine phosphotase activity by N-vanadat and was obtained a significant RBCD rise and RBCA lowering. The similar effect was found when cells were incubated with cisplatin as a tyrosine protein kinase (TPK) activator. It is important to note that a selective TPK inhibitor--lavendustin eliminated the above mention effects. On the whole the total data clearly show that the red cell aggregation and deformation changes were connected with an activation of the different intracellular signaling pathways.