The effect of histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA) on the incorporation of 32P (Pi) and 3H-palmitic acid into the phospholipids of Tetrahymena

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are able to control also the acetylation of tubulin. In the present experiments the effect of trichostatin A (TSA), a HDAC inhibitor was studied on the incorporation of 3H-palmitic acid and 32P to the phospholipids (PI, PIP, PS, PC, PA, PE) of Tetrahymena pyriformis, considering earlier observations on the microtubular system's influence on signalling in this unicellular eukaryote. Treatment with 1, 5, or 10 microM TSA was studied. The incorporation of hydrophobic tail component, palmitic acid was inhibited in a concentration dependent manner into all the phospholipids, except for PA, where the incorporation was increased. 32P incorporation was also inhibited. The possible relation between the microtubular system and signalling is discussed.     

Effect of dimethylaminoethylphosphonate on phospholipid metabolism in Tetrahymena

Dimethylaminoethylphosphonate (DMAEP) was incorporated into the phospholipids of the ciliate protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila at the expense of both phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine, but it had no effect on the levels of the 2-aminoethylphosphonolipid. The newly formed DMAEP-lipid accounted for almost 50% of the phospholipids of the organism. The DMAEP was incorporated into the phospholipids using both the ethanolaminephosphotransferase and cholinephosphotransferase pathways. The DMAEP-lipid was not methylated to the trimethyl derivative, confirming the lack of methylation of phosphonolipids by Tetrahymena.     

Effect of a phosphonic acid analog of choline phosphate on phospholipid metabolism in Tetrahymena

When Tetrahymena thermophila is grown on a medium containing increasing concentrations of N,N,N-trimethyl-2-aminoethylphosphonate (TMAEP), up to 60% of the choline phosphate in phosphatidylcholine is replaced by the phosphonic acid. There is an increase in the relative amount of quaternary ammonium-containing lipid (phosphatidylcholine plus TMAEP-lipid) at the expense of phosphatidylethanolamine. There is no effect of the TMAEP on either 2-aminoethylphosphonolipid levels or on de novo 2-aminoethylphosphonate synthesis. Higher levels of TMAEP in the medium (25 and 50 mm) lead to decreased growth of Tetrahymena and to an abnormal cell morphology.     

Effect of insulin imprinting on the 3H-amino acid uptake of the Tetrahymena

Insulin imprinting given to the unicellular Tetrahymena considerably increases the uptake and intracellular storage of amino acids even many generations after the actual contact with the hormone. On the other hand, both the first and the second contacts with insulin increase the rate of the excretion of the stored amino acids. On the basis of the results obtained it seems to be possible that both protein synthesis and exocytosis of the Tetrahymena change as an effect of imprinting, either in general or specifically due to the formation of new hormone receptors.     

Effects of choline and ethanolamine on the synthesis and breakdown of the inositol phospholipid (PI) system in Tetrahymena

Lower concentrations of choline chloride and ethanolamine (10^?3 M ; 10^?5 M ) increased phosphatidyl inositol (PI), phosphatidyl inositol monophosphate (PIP) and phosphatidyl inositol bisphosphate (PIP₂) level of Tetrahymena, while higher concentrations (10^?2 M ) decreased them. These two substances also influenced, however in a less obvious way, the transformation of inositol phospholipids. The experiments draw attention to the sensitivity of the precursors of the second messenger system at a phylogenetically low level.     

Effect of insulin on the incorporation of3H-inositol into the inositol phospholipids (PI,PIP, PIP2) and Glycosyl-phoshatidylinositols (GPIs) of Tetrahymena pyriformis

The unicellular tetrahymena contains inositol phospholipids (PI, PIP, PIP₂) and GPIs. Treatment with 10^–5M insulin decreases the total³H-inositol incorporation and incorporation into PI. 24 h after 10^–6M insulin treatment there is an elevation of these parameters. Second treatment with 10^–6M insulin doubles and 10^–5M decreases these levels. This means that the effect on phosphoinositide turnover by insulin in Tetrahymena is rather concentration dependent. Inositol incorporation into GPIs is also influenced by insulin.     

Effect of elevated potassium on phospholipid and inositol metabolism of isolated nerve endings

Synaptosomes were isolated from rat cerebra, and incubated in the presence of labelled phosphate and inositol. When the potassium concentration of the medium was increased by replacing NaCl with KCl, there was a marked increase in phosphate labeling of phosphatidic acid (PA) and phosphatidylinositol (PI). This was evident with [K⁺] above 12 mM and peaked at about 40 mM KCl. In normal calcium buffers, phosphate labeling of PI but not PA declined sharply with [KCl] above 40 mM. In low calcium buffers, the phosphate labeling response was greatly attenuated for both lipids, but PI labeling did not decline at higher [K⁺].The phosphate labeling response was confined to PA and PI, and was specific for the increase in [K⁺]₀. The same response was seen in constant (105 mM) sodium buffers, and atropine had no effect. The specific radioactivity of ATP was increased by elevated potassium, but not enough to account for the increased labeling of PA. Further, this appeared to be a result of the loss of stored ATP rather than an increase in turnover.Increasing [K⁺]₀ produced a decline in [³H]inositol incorporation into PI in parallel with the increase in its labeling by ³³PO₄. This was the same in constant sodium and in low calcium buffers. It could be attributed to an inhibition of synaptosomal uptake of labelled inositol from the medium. Synaptosomal inositol content was unaffected.Elevated potassium had a greater effect on PA labeling than on PI, and it was more effective in increasing phosphate labeling of PA than was acetylcholine (ACh). When ACh and elevated potassium were combined at their maximally effective concentration, they acted synergistically to stimulate phosphate incorporation into PA but elevated potassium blocked the increase in [³H]inositol incorporation into PI normally produced by ACh. These results indicate that elevated potassium and ACh act upon the same population of synaptosomes, but affect different biochemical steps. Elevated potassium probably effects phospholipid labeling by a calcium dependent increase in diglyceride production from lipids other than PA or PI.     

Inositol phospholipid metabolism in Arabidopsis. Characterized and putative isoforms of inositol phospholipid kinase and phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C

Phosphoinositides (PIs) constitute a minor fraction of total cellular lipids in all eukaryotic cells. They fulfill many important functions through interaction with a wide range of cellular proteins. Members of distinct inositol lipid kinase families catalyze the synthesis of these phospholipids from phosphatidylinositol. The hydrolysis of PIs involves phosphatases and isoforms of PI-specific phospholipase C. Although our knowledge of the roles played by plant PIs is clearly limited at present, there is no doubt that they are involved in many physiological processes during plant growth and development. In this review, we concentrate on inositol lipid-metabolizing enzymes from the model plant Arabidopsis for which biochemical characterization data are available, namely the inositol lipid kinases and PI-specific phospholipase Cs. The biochemical properties and structure of characterized and genome-predicted isoforms are presented and compared with those of the animal enzymes to show that the plant enzymes have some features clearly unique to this kingdom.     

Effect of a fatty acid moiety of phospholipid and ceramide on purified GalT-3 (UDP-Gal:GM2 beta 1-3 galactosyltransferase) activity from embryonic chicken brain

Galactosyltransferase, GalT-3 (UDP-Gal:GM2 beta 1-3 galactosyltransferase) has been characterized and solubilized from 19-day-old embryonic chicken brain, and purified to over 2000-fold using mixed-modal chromatography on a omega-aminohexyl Sepharose column and affinity chromatography on a UDP-hexanolamine Sepharose column. The activity of purified GalT-3 was modulated by phospholipids in vitro with stimulation observed specifically with dipalmitoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). All natural phospholipids tested (PE, PC and PI) inhibited GalT-3 activity. Enzyme activity was affected by the structure of the phospholipid vesicle. It was stabilized by the hexagonal (dipalmitoyl PE) structure and inhibited by the bilayer (dielaidoyl PE) structure. The long-chain fatty acid moiety of the glycosphingolipid substrate, GM2, was found to be necessary for optimum enzyme activity. In the absence of fatty acid, the modified substrates, lyso-GM2 and acetyl-GM2, had a 10-fold increased Km and a 4-8 fold decreased Vmax compared to the normal substrate. We postulate that GalT-3 belongs to a group of glycosyltransferases having recognition for both the carbohydrate as well as the hydrophobic domains (HY-CARS) of their substrates and that the fatty acid moiety of either the substrate (GM2) or a heterotropic effector (phospholipid) plays an important role in regulating the activity of this enzyme.     

Effect of transforming growth factor-alpha on inositol phospholipid metabolism in human epidermoid carcinoma cells

Transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) stimulates (in a dose-dependent manner) the incorporation of [32P]Pi into phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PIP), phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), and phosphatidic acid (PA) in the human epidermoid carcinoma cell line (A431). The effect of TGF-alpha on the incorporation was found to be similar to that of EGF. On the other hand, a striking difference in the activation of diacylglycerol (DG) kinase activity was seen between TGF-alpha and EGF. At least 100 times more TGF-alpha was required to achieve maximal stimulation of DG kinase activity relative to EGF. These results suggest that the activation of DG kinase by TGF-alpha may involve a mechanism independent from or subsequent to activation of the EGF receptor.     

Inhibitory effect of prostaglandin E2, forskolin, and dibutyryl cAMP on arachidonic acid release and inositol phospholipid metabolism in guinea pig neutrophils

The effect of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), forskolin, and dibutyryl cAMP on arachidonic acid release, inositol phospholipid metabolism, and Ca2+ mobilization was investigated. The chemotactic tripeptide (formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP))-induced arachidonic acid release in neutrophils was significantly inhibited by PGE2, forskolin, and dibutyryl cAMP. Among them, PGE2 was found to be the most potent inhibitor. However, when neutrophils were stimulated by Ca2+ ionophore A23187, such inhibitory effect by these agents was less marked. PGE2 also suppressed the enhanced incorporation of [32P]Pi into phosphatidic acid (PA) and phosphatidylinositol in a dose-dependent manner in fMLP-stimulated neutrophils. Also in this case, Ca2+ ionophore-induced alterations were hardly inhibited by PGE2. As well, PGE2 inhibited the fMLP-induced decrease of [3H]arachidonic acid in phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol and the increase in PA very significantly. But the inhibitory effect by PGE2 was found to be weak in Ca2+ ionophore-stimulated neutrophils. These results suggest that a certain step from receptor activation to Ca2+ influx is mainly inhibited by PGE2. Concerning polyphosphoinositide breakdown, PGE2 did not affect the fMLP-induced decrease of [32P]phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate which occurred within 10 s but inhibited the subsequent loss of [32P]phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate and [32P]phosphatidylinositol, suggesting that the compensatory resynthesis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate was inhibited. On the other hand, fMLP-induced diacylglycerol formation was suppressed for the early period until 1 min, but with further incubation, diacylglycerol formation was rather accelerated by PGE2. Moreover, the inhibition of PA formation by PGE2 became evident after a 30-s time lag, suggesting that the conversion of diacylglycerol to PA is inhibited by PGE2. The formation of water-soluble products of inositol phospholipid degradation by phospholipase C, such as inositol phosphate, inositol 1,4-bisphosphate, and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate, was also suppressed by PGE2 treatment. However, the inhibition was not so marked as that of arachidonic acid release and PA formation. Thus, PGE2 appeared to inhibit not only initial events such as polyphosphoinositide breakdown but also turnover of inositol phospholipids. PGE2, forskolin, and dibutyryl cAMP did not block the rapid elevation of intracellular Ca2+ which was observed within 10 s in fMLP-stimulated neutrophils. However, subsequent increase in intracellular Ca2+ which was caused from 10 s to 3 min after stimulation was inhibited by PGE2, forskolin, and dibutyryl cAMP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Effects of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) on the phospholipid metabolism of Tetrahymena pyriformis

The effect of (0·05 ng ml⁻¹ and 0·1 ng ml⁻¹) TNFα on the phospholipid metabolism of Tetrahymena pyriformis was studied. The amount of phosphatidyl choline (PC), phosphatidyl inositol (PI), phosphatidic acid (PA), phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE), diacylglycerol (DAG), arachidonic acid (AA) and ceramide was higher, but the phosphatidyl inositol 4 phosphate (PIP) and phosphatidyl inositol bis-phosphate (PIP₂) as well, as sphingomyelin (SM) content was lower in TNFα-treated cells than in the controls. In the culture medium (secreted forms) this situation was reversed. There were differences in the results gained by incorporation of [³H]-palmitic acid or ³²P into the phospholipids. To control the functional effects of TNFα in Tetrahymena, the rate of cell division, the condensation of chromatin, the viability of cells and morphometrical values have been studied. The cytokine reduced cell growth, altered morphometric indices and increased chromatin condensation, however cell viability was not influenced. The results demonstrate the effects of TNFα at a low level of evolution, what is realized by changes in the phospolipid metabolism participating in signalling pathways. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effect of beta-chloro D-alanine and L-cycloserine on the serine, phosphorus and palmitic acid uptake and metabolism of Tetrahymena lipids

The serine palmitoyltransferase inhibitors beta-chloro-D-alanine and L-cycloserine resulted in the uptake and metabolism of 3H-serine, 3H-palmitic acid and 32P significant alterations in the unicellular Tetrahymena pyriformis GL as compared to the untreated cells. In contrast with the higher eukariotic cells, by these treatments - except 5 mM L-cycloserine - the ceramide formation were not inhibited in Tetrahymena. L-cycloserine inhibited the conversion of phosphatidylserine (PS) to phosphatidyl-ethanolamine (PE) by decarboxylation, and the conversion of PE to phosphatidylcoline (PC) by methylation. The shorter L-cycloserine treatments caused lower, and the longer treatments higher label in glycerophospholipids. beta-chloro-D-alanine resulted in the glycerophospholids higher lipid precursor incorporation both in the shorter and longer treatments. Presumably beta-chloro-D-alanine treatments inhibit the transaminase activity, and the higher concentration (5 and 10 mM) proved to be toxic for Tetrahymena. We found differences between the metabolism of serine and palmitic acid labeled lipids in the beta-chloro-D-alanine and L-cycloserine treated groups. This phenomenon is probably due to a difference in the uptake of phospholipid head group component serine and hydrophobic tail precursor palmitic acid: the incorporation of palmitic acid in Tetrahymena is extremely quick, on the other hand, the uptake of serine is slower, a clear time dependence was measured.     

1,25-(OH)2D3 modulates growth plate chondrocytes via membrane receptor-mediated protein kinase C by a mechanism that involves changes in phospholipid metabolism and the action of arachidonic acid and PGE2.

1,25-(OH)2D3 (1,25) exerts its effects on growth plate chondrocytes through classical vitamin D (VDR) receptor-dependent mechanisms, resulting in mineralization of the extracellular matrix. Recent studies have shown that membrane-mediated mechanisms are involved as well. 1,25 targets cells in the prehypertrophic and upper hypertrophic zones of the costochondral cartilage growth plate (GC cells), resulting in increased specific activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), phospholipase A2 (PLA2), and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). At the cellular level, 1,25 action results in rapid changes in arachidonic acid (AA) release and re-incorporation, alterations in membrane fluidity and Ca ion flux, and increased prostaglandin E1 and E2 (PGE2) production. Protein kinase C (PKC) is activated in a phospholipase C (PLC) dependent-mechanism, due in part to the increased production of diacylglycerol (DAG). In addition, AA acts directly on the cell to increase PKC specific activity. AA also provides a substrate for cyclooxygenase (COX), resulting in PGE2 production. 1,25 mediates its effects through COX-1, the constitutive enzyme, but not COX-2, the inducible enzyme. Time course studies using specific inhibitors of COX-1 show that AA stimulates PKC activity and PKC then stimulates PGE2 production. PGE2 acts as a mediator of 1,25 action on the cells, also stimulating PKC activity. The rapid effects of 1,25 on PKC are nongenomic, occurring within 3 min and reaching maximal activation by 9 min. It promotes translocation of PKC to the plasma membrane. When 1,25 is incubated directly with isolated plasma membranes, PKCalpha is stimulated although PKCzeta is also present. In contrast, when isolated matrix vesicles (MVs) are incubated with 1,25, PKCzeta is inhibited and PKCalpha is unaffected. These membrane-mediated effects are due to the presence of a specific membrane vitamin D receptor (mVDR) that is distinct from the classical cytosolic VDR. Studies using 1,25 analogs with reduced binding affinity for the classical VDR, confirm that rapid activation of PKC by 1,25 is not VDR dependent. The membrane-mediated effects of 1,25 are critical to the regulation of events in the extracellular matrix produced by the chondrocytes. MVs are extracellular organelles associated with maturation of the matrix, preparing it for mineralization. MV composition is under genomic control, involving VDR-mechanisms. In the matrix, no new gene expression or protein synthesis can occur, however. Differential distribution of PKC isoforms and their nongenomic regulation by 1,25 is one way for the chondrocyte to control events at sites distant from the cell. GC cells contain 1a-hydroxylase and produce 1,25; this production is regulated by 1,25, 24,25, and dexamethasone. 1,25 stimulates MMPs in the MVs, resulting in increased proteoglycan degradation in mineralization gels, and increased activation of latent transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta1).