Role of calcium in the potentiating effect of phorbol ester on KCl-induced vasocontraction

The mechanism of the potentiating effect of phorbol ester on potassium-induced contraction in rat aorta was investigated. The contractile response to KCl in the medium containing 0.5 mM CaCl2 was significantly increased by pretreatment with 10(-8) M phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), but not with 10(-7) M 4 alpha-phorbol. The dose-response curve to calcium in 30 mM KCl-induced contraction was shifted to the left by PMA pretreatment and the EC50 value (the concentration producing a half maximal response) of calcium was significantly lower in aorta pretreated with PMA than in the control. On the other hand, calcium influx stimulated by 30 mM KCl was not changed by PMA pretreatment. Both the contractile response and the corresponding calcium influx induced by 30 mM KCl were abolished by preincubation with 10(-6) M verapamil for 45 min. These results suggest that activation of protein kinase C potentiates the contractile response to KCl by increasing the sensitivity of the intracellular contractile apparatus for calcium.     

Contrasting effects of phorbol dibutyrate and phorbol myristate acetate in rabbit aorta

In rat hepatocytes, active phorbol esters inhibited the alpha 1-adrenergic stimulation of phosphatidylinositol labeling with the expected potency order: phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) greater than phorbol dibutyrate (PDB). In contrast, in rabbit aorta the alpha 1-adrenergic action was inhibited dose-dependently by PDB but not by PMA. Similarly PDB (but not PMA) induced a strong contraction in rabbit aorta. The phorbol ester-induced contraction developed slowly, was dose-dependent and independent of extracellular calcium. These effects of PDB in rabbit aorta were neither inhibited by the protein kinase inhibitor H-7 nor mimicked by the synthetic diacylglycerol, OAG. Our results raise some doubts on the mechanism(s) through which the actions of PDB take place in rabbit aorta.     

Regulation of S6 kinase activity in Madin-Darby canine kidney renal epithelial cells

Mitogenic stimulation of mammalian cells results in increased serine phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6. Phorbol esters, which stimulate protein kinase C activity, can also increase S6 phosphorylation. In order to further investigate the role of protein kinase C in the activation S6 kinase, we studied the stimulation of an S6 kinase activity in response to phorbol ester and epinephrine in a renal epithelial cell line, Madin-Darby canine kidney cells (MDCK). In these cells, S6 phosphorylating activity in cytosolic extracts was increased following the addition of phorbol ester to the intact cells. S6 kinase and protein kinase C activities were measured in separate fractions prepared by DEAE-Sephacel fractionation of cytosolic extracts prepared from the same cells. The time course and dose-response curves for the effects of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) on S6 kinase activity were similar to those for its effects on protein kinase C binding to the membrane fraction, indicating that S6 kinase activation was correlated with protein kinase C activation. Epinephrine, acting via alpha1-adrenergic receptors, also stimulated S6 kinase activity in MDCK cells; the magnitude of this effect was similar to that of PMA. However, epinephrine causes only a slight and transient association of protein kinase C with the membrane. The effect of epinephrine on S6 kinase activity, unlike that of PMA, was dependent on the presence of extracellular calcium. A23187, a calcium ionophore, could also stimulate S6 kinase activity. These results suggest that S6 kinase can be activated through more than one signaling pathway in MDCK cells. The properties of the PMA-stimulated S6 kinase were further investigated following partial purification of the enzyme. The S6 kinase was distinct from protein kinase C by several criteria. Noteably, the S6 kinase was highly specific for S6 as substrate. These results show that phorbol esters, acting through protein kinase C, stimulate the activity of a unique S6 kinase. This S6 kinase can also be activated through a signaling pathway that appears to be dependent on increased intracellular calcium.     

Phorbol ester effects on alpha 1-adrenoceptor binding and phosphatidylinositol metabolism in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells

Tumor promoting phorbol esters stimulate Ca++ phospholipid-dependent protein kinase C. It has been suggested that this enzyme regulates the functional properties of different cell membrane receptors. In this study we investigated the effect of phorbol esters on alpha 1-adrenoceptor binding and phosphatidylinositol metabolism in cultured smooth muscle cells derived from rabbit aorta. Treatment of these cells with biologically active phorbol esters for 15 min. to 2 hours caused a marked decrease of norepinephrine stimulation of inositol phospholipid metabolism and a 3 fold decrease in agonist affinity for 125I-HEAT binding to alpha 1-adrenoceptors in the intact smooth muscle cells. The ability of phorbol esters to modulate alpha 1-adrenoceptor responsiveness suggests that activation of protein kinase C may represent an important mechanism regulating alpha 1-adrenergic receptor functional properties.     

Myosin light chain phosphorylation in 32P-labeled rabbit aorta stimulated by phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate and phenylephrine

The mechanism(s) of force development in vascular smooth muscle following pharmacological activation of protein kinase C by phorbol esters are not known. In this study, we examined the myosin light chain phosphorylation response following stimulation by phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDB) or phenylephrine in rabbit aorta which had been incubated with 32PO4 in order to label ATP pools. Through tryptic phosphopeptide mapping of myosin light chain from intact tissue and comparison to controls using purified components, we inferred that Ca2+-dependent force stimulated by PDB was associated with small increases in serine-19 phosphorylation, consistent with a contractile mechanism involving indirect activation of myosin light chain kinase. Additional residues, consistent with the in vitro substrate specificity of protein kinase C, were also observed to be phosphorylated in response to PDB and represented proportionately a larger fraction of the total phosphorylated myosin light chain in Ca2+-depleted tissues. Stimulation by an alpha 1-adrenergic agonist (phenylephrine) resulted in phosphorylation of residues which were consistent with an activation mechanism involving myosin light chain kinase only. These results indicate that in rabbit aorta the contractile effects of PDB may be partially mediated by Ca2+-dependent activation of myosin light chain kinase. However, the data do not rule out a component of the PDB-stimulated contractile response which is independent of myosin light chain phosphorylation on the serine-19 residue. In addition, activation by a more physiological stimulus, phenylephrine, does not result in protein kinase C-mediated myosin light chain phosphorylation.     

Activation of classical protein kinase C reduces the expression of human cationic amino acid transporter 3 (hCAT-3) in the plasma membrane

We have previously shown that activation of PKC (protein kinase C) results in internalization of hCAT-1 [human CAT-1 (cationic amino acid transporter 1)] and a decrease in arginine transport [Rotmann, Strand, Martiné and Closs (2004) J. Biol. Chem. 279, 54185-54192]. However, others found increased transport rates for arginine in response to PKC activation, suggesting a differential effect of PKC on different CAT isoforms. Therefore we investigated the effect of PKC on hCAT-3, an isoform expressed in thymus, brain, ovary, uterus and mammary gland. In Xenopus laevis oocytes and human U373MG glioblastoma cells, hCAT-3-mediated L-arginine transport was significantly reduced upon treatment with compounds that activate classical PKC. In contrast, inactive phorbol esters and an activator of novel PKC isoforms had no effect. PKC inhibitors (including the PKCalpha-preferring Ro 31-8280) reduced the inhibitory effect of the PKC-activating compounds. Microscopic analyses revealed a PMA-induced reduction in the cell-surface expression of fusion proteins between hCAT-3 and enhanced green fluorescent protein expressed in X. laevis oocytes and glioblastoma cells. Western-blot analysis of biotinylated surface proteins demonstrated a PMA-induced decrease in hCAT-3 in the plasma membrane, but not in total protein lysates. Pretreatment with a PKC inhibitor also reduced this PMA effect. It is concluded that similar to hCAT-1, hCAT-3 activity is decreased by PKC via reduction of transporter molecules in the plasma membrane. Classical PKC isoforms seem to be responsible for this effect.     

Protein phosphorylation and protein kinase activities in BC3H-1 myocytes. Differences between the effects of insulin and phorbol esters

To determine whether insulin activates protein kinase C in BC3H-1 myocytes, we evaluated changes in protein phosphorylation, protein kinase activities, and the intracellular translocation of protein kinase C activity in response to insulin and phorbol esters. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), but not insulin, stimulated the phosphorylation of an acidic Mr 80,000 protein which has been shown to be an apparently specific marker for protein kinase C activation. In addition, PMA, but not insulin, stimulated the rapid association of protein kinase C activity with a cellular particulate fraction. In contrast to these differences, both insulin and PMA stimulated the phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 and activated a ribosomal protein S6 kinase in cell-free extracts from cells exposed to these agents. In cells exposed to high concentrations of PMA for 16 h, protein kinase C activity and immunoreactivity were abolished, without changes in cellular morphology. Under these conditions, insulin, but not PMA, stimulated phosphorylation of the ribosomal protein S6 in intact cells and activated the S6 kinase in cell-free extracts derived from insulin-treated intact cells. We conclude that: insulin does not appear to activate protein kinase C in BC3H-1 myocytes, at least as assessed by phosphorylation of the Mr 80,000 protein; both insulin and PMA activate an S6 protein kinase in these cells; and insulin can promote S6 phosphorylation and activate the S6 kinase normally in protein kinase C-deficient cells. Activation of the S6 kinase by insulin and PMA, although apparently proceeding through different mechanisms, may explain some of the similar biological actions of these compounds in BC3H-1 myocytes.     

Enhancement of phorbol ester-induced protein kinase activity in human neutrophils by platelet-activating factor

We have shown that platelet-activating factor (PAF), a weak primary stimulus for neutrophil superoxide generation, synergistically enhances neutrophil oxidative responses to the tumor promoter phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). Since PMA is known to cause cytosol-to-membrane shift of calcium-activated, phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase c, PKC) in human neutrophils, we investigated the role of PAF in modifying PMA-induced PKC activation/translocation. Protein kinase activity was measured as the incorporation of 32P from gamma-32P-ATP into histone H1 induced by enzyme in cytosolic and particulate fractions from sonicated human neutrophils. PAF did not alter the sharp decrease in cytosolic PKC activity induced by PMA. However, in the presence of PAF and PMA, total particulate protein kinase activity increased markedly over that detected in the presence of PMA alone (144 +/- 9 pmoles 32P/10(7)PMN/minute in cells treated with 20 ng/ml PMA compared to 267 +/- 24 pmoles 32P in cells exposed to PMA and 10(-6)M PAF). The increase in total particulate protein kinase activity was synergistic for the two stimuli, required the presence of cytochalasin B during stimulation, and occurred at PAF concentrations of 10(-7) M and above. Both PKC and calcium-, phospholipid-independent protein kinase activities in whole particulate fractions were augmented by PAF as were both activities in detergent-extractable particulate subfractions. PAF did not directly activate PKC obtained from control or PMA-treated neutrophils. However, the PKC-enhancing effect of PAF was inhibited in the absence of calcium during cellular stimulation. PAF also increased particulate protein kinase activity in cells simultaneously exposed to FMLP but the effect was additive for these stimuli. These results suggest that PAF enhances PMA-induced particulate PKC activity by a calcium-dependent mechanism. The enhancing effect of PAF may be directly involved in the mechanism whereby the phospholipid "primes" neutrophils for augmented oxidative responses to PMA.     

1,2-Diacylglycerols, but not phorbol esters, activate a potential inhibitory pathway for protein kinase C in GH3 pituitary cells. Evidence for involvement of a sphingomyelinase

It has been suggested that sphingoid bases may serve as physiologic inhibitors of protein kinase C. Because 1,2-diacylglycerols, but not phorbol esters, enhance sphingomyelin degradation via a sphingomyelinase in GH3 pituitary cells (Kolesnick, R. N. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 16759-16762), the effects of phorbol esters, 1,2-diacylglycerols, and sphingomyelinase on protein kinase C activation were assessed. Under basal conditions, the inactive cytosolic form of protein kinase C predominated. 1,2-Diacylglycerols stimulated transient protein kinase C redistribution to the membrane. 1,2-Dioctanoylglycerol (200 micrograms/ml) reduced cytosolic protein kinase C activity to 67% of control from 72 to 48 pmol.min-1.10(6) cells-1 and enhanced membrane-bound activity to 430% of control from 6 to 25 pmol.min-1.10(6) cells-1 after 4 min of stimulation. Thereafter, protein kinase C activity returned to the cytosol. In contrast, the phorbol ester, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), stimulated redistribution to the membrane without return to the cytosol. Exogenous sphingomyelinase reduced membrane-bound protein kinase C activity to 30% of control, yet did not alter cytosolic activity. Sphingomyelinase, added after phorbol ester-induced redistribution was completed, restored activity to the cytosol. In these studies, TPA (10(-8) M) reduced cytosolic activity to 62% of control and elevated membrane-bound protein kinase C activity to 650% of control. Sphingomyelinase restored cytosolic activity to 84% of control and reduced membrane-bound activity to 297% of control. Similarly, the free sphingoid bases, sphingosine, sphinganine, and phytosphingosine, reversed phorbol ester-induced protein kinase C redistribution. Since 1,2-diacylglycerols activate a sphingomyelinase and sphingomyelinase action can reverse protein kinase C activation, these studies suggest that a pathway involving a sphingomyelinase might comprise a physiologic negative effector system for protein kinase C. Further, the failure of phorbol esters to activate this system might account for some differences between these agents.     

Modes of inhibitory action of 4 beta-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate in thrombin-stimulated arachidonic acid release in intact and permeabilized platelets

The tumor-promoting phorbol ester 4 beta-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) inhibited thrombin-stimulated arachidonic acid (AA) release in rabbit and human platelets. PMA was effective over the same concentration range that activates protein kinase C in intact rabbit platelets: IC50 vs thrombin = 0.5 nM, greater than 90% inhibition at 10 nM. Suppression of thrombin-stimulated AA release was evident within 5 min of pretreatment with 1 nM PMA. A non-tumor-promoting phorbol ester, 4-O-methyl PMA, showed a very weak ability to inhibit AA release. Thrombin-stimulated serotonin secretion was progressively inhibited by PMA pretreatment in platelets, while PMA was a stimulus for secretion at higher concentrations. 1-(5-Isoquinolinylsulfonyl)-2-methyl-piperazine (H-7), a selective inhibitor of protein kinase C, blocked PMA-induced inhibition of AA release. Furthermore, H-7 enhanced the effect of thrombin on AA release. PMA pretreatment reduced the inhibitory effect of thrombin on forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation, but had no effect on nonstimulated cAMP metabolism in the presence of thrombin. PMA did not inhibit AA release caused by A23187 or melittin. In digitonin-permeabilized platelets, thrombin plus guanosine 5'-(3-O-thio)triphosphate (GTP gamma S)-stimulated AA release, but not GTP gamma S- and AIF4(-)-stimulated AA release, was abolished by PMA pretreatment. These results suggest that activation of protein kinase C may exert negative feedback on the receptor-mediated activation of phospholipase A2. A possible uncoupling of thrombin receptor to GTP-binding protein leading to activation of phospholipase A2 by PMA pretreatment is discussed.     

Ca2+ and phorbol ester activation of protein kinase C at intracellular Ca2+ concentrations and the effect of TMB-8

A calcium-activated, phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C) was purified to near homogeneity from human polymorphonuclear leukocytes and shown to be identical to bovine protein kinase C. The Ca2+ activation of the enzyme was studied and the Ca2+ concentrations required to activate the enzyme were compared to free cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations in resting and activated polymorphonuclear leukocytes. The free calcium concentrations in the cytosol and in the enzyme assay mixture were determined using the calcium indicator quin 2. The enzyme activity was almost totally dependent upon phosphatidylserine and could be strongly activated by Ca2+ concentrations in the micromolar range, but was not activated by phosphatidylserine at Ca2+ concentrations corresponding to the intracellular free Ca2+ concentration under resting conditions. However, at similar Ca2+ concentrations (less than 2.5 X 10(-7) M) the enzyme was highly activated by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) or diolein in the presence of phosphatidylserine. It was demonstrated that PMA stimulation of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes did not induce any increase in the level of the intracellular free calcium concentration. It was concluded that PMA activation of protein kinase C occurred independently of a rise in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration. K0.5 (half-maximal activation) for the PMA activation of purified protein kinase C was shown to be equivalent to the K0.5 for PMA stimulation of superoxide (O-2) production in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes, suggesting that protein kinase C is involved in activation of the NADPH oxidase. The presumed intracellular Ca2+ antagonist TMB-8 inhibited the PMA-induced superoxide production, but neither by an intracellular Ca2+ antagonism nor by a direct inhibition of protein kinase C activity.     

Mitogenic activity of phorbol esters and insulin-like growth factor 1 in chemically transformed mouse fibroblasts BP-A31: independent effects and differential sensitivity to inhibition by 3-isobutyl-1-methyl xanthine

Mitogenic effects of agents activating either the protein kinase C (PDGF; phorbol esters) or the insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1)-receptor pathway were studied in quiescent chemically transformed mouse fibroblasts (BP-A31), by evaluating the rate of [3H]thymidine incorporation. Each of these pathways alone was found to be sufficient to sustain progression through the entire cell division cycle. The mitogenic activity of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) but not that of insulin was blocked by staurosporine (an inhibitor of protein kinase C), in support of the notion that protein kinase C activation was required for the PMA-induced cell cycle progression. The mitogenic effects of PMA were potentiated by cycloheximide pretreatment, and they were abolished by 3-isobutyl-1-methyl xanthine (IBMX; a cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase inhibitor). PDGF (known to activate the phospholipase C-protein kinase C pathway) also displayed mitogenic activity in the cycloheximide-pretreated BP-A31 cells, and its effects were prevented by IBMX. In contrast, the mitogenic effects of insulin (at concentrations where it activates the IGF1 receptor) or of IGF1 neither were notably influenced by cycloheximide pretreatment nor were inhibited by IBMX (in the presence of IBMX, the onset of S-phase was delayed by several hours). The expression of the c-fos gene was absent at quiescence; its induction by growth factors was not proportional to their mitogenic potency. Thus, c-fos expression was strongly induced by PMA but only weakly by insulin. IBMX was a powerful inducer of c-fos gene expression but caused a decrease in the level of c-myc mRNA.     

Phorbol esters inhibit the fMet-Leu-Phe- and leukotriene B4-stimulated calcium mobilization and enzyme secretion in rabbit neutrophils

The tumor co-promoter phorbol 12, myristate 13, acetate (PMA) has previously been shown to stimulate several of the characteristic functions (aggregation, degranulation, and the oxidative burst) of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (neutrophils). We describe here a novel feature of the action of PMA on neutrophils, namely its ability to inhibit the chemotactic factor-induced increased in the enzyme secretion and in the intracellular concentration of free calcium. The inhibition is maximal within 3 min of the addition of PMA and is concentration-dependent (IC50 = 8.5 ng/ml). The site of action of PMA is distal to the binding of the chemotactic factors. PMA inhibits both the release of intracellular calcium and the permeability changes to calcium induced by chemotactic factors, but does not affect the stimulation of the rate of influx of sodium produced by the same agents. The PMA analog 4 alpha-phorbol 12, 13-didecanoate, which lack tumorigenicity and the ability to activate the calcium- and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C), does not inhibit any of the above fMet-Leu-Phe-stimulated neutrophil functions. The present results thus demonstrate that phorbol esters, either directly or indirectly, possibly through the activation of protein kinase C, inhibit the signal(s) responsible for the stimulated mobilization of calcium in rabbit neutrophils.     

Role of ras-dependent ERK activation in phorbol ester-induced endothelial cell barrier dysfunction

The treatment of endothelial cell monolayers with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a direct protein kinase C (PKC) activator, leads to disruption of endothelial cell monolayer integrity and intercellular gap formation. Selective inhibition of PKC (with bisindolylmaleimide) and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs; with PD-98059, olomoucine, or ERK antisense oligonucleotides) significantly attenuated PMA-induced reductions in transmonolayer electrical resistance consistent with PKC- and ERK-mediated endothelial cell barrier regulation. An inhibitor of the dual-specificity ERK kinase (MEK), PD-98059, completely abolished PMA-induced ERK activation. PMA also produced significant time-dependent increases in the activity of Raf-1, a Ser/Thr kinase known to activate MEK ( approximately 6-fold increase over basal level). Similarly, PMA increased the activity of Ras, which binds and activates Raf-1 ( approximately 80% increase over basal level). The Ras inhibitor farnesyltransferase inhibitor III (100 microM for 3 h) completely abolished PMA-induced Raf-1 activation. Taken together, these data suggest that the sequential activation of Ras, Raf-1, and MEK are involved in PKC-dependent endothelial cell barrier regulation.     

Regulation of Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport and [3H]bumetanide binding site density by phorbol esters in HT29 cells

The involvement of protein kinase C in the regulation of Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport was investigated in cultured HT29 human colonic adenocarcinoma cells. We have demonstrated previously the presence of a Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport pathway in HT29 cells (Kim, H.D., Tsai, Y-S., Franklin, C.C., and Turner, J.T. (1989) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 946, 397-404). Treatment of cells with the phorbol esters phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) caused an increase in membrane-associated protein kinase C activity that was accompanied by a concomitant decrease in cytosolic protein kinase C activity. PMA also produced a rapid transient increase in cotransport to 137% of control values by 5 min followed by a progressive decrease to 19% of control values by 2 h. To determine the underlying mechanism for the reduction in Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport, changes in cotransporter number and/or affinity were determined in radioligand binding studies using [3H]bumetanide. PMA and PDBu produced essentially identical time- and dose-dependent decreases in specific [3H]bumetanide binding that were similar to the observed decreases in cotransport. Analysis of saturation and competition binding data indicated that the decrease in binding was due to a lowered Bmax with no change in affinity. Both the decrease in binding and the changes in cotransport elicited by PMA were prevented by the protein kinase inhibitor H7. These findings suggest that phorbol esters cause a decrease in the number of cotransporters in HT29 cells, resulting in a reduction in Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport activity.     

Phorbol esters down-regulate protein kinase C in rat brain cerebral cortical slices

The effect of phorbol esters on cyclic AMP production in rat cerebral cortical slices was studied using a prelabelling technique to measure cyclic nucleotide accumulation. Cholera toxin-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation was enhanced approximately 2-fold by phorbol 12-myristate, 13-acetate (PMA) which alone had no effect on cyclic AMP production. The augmentation by PMA was maximal within the first hour of incubation, decreasing progressively thereafter. Protein kinase C activity was decreased 80-90% during a 3 hr exposure to PMA, as was 3H-phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate binding. Both phosphatidyl serine and arachidonic acid were found to enhance protein kinase C activity in a concentration-dependent manner, an effect that was attenuated by prolonged incubation of the brain tissue with PMA. The results indicate that exposure of brain slices to phorbol esters causes a down-regulation of rat brain protein kinase C, and that this modification corresponds with a decrease in the ability of PMA to augment cyclic AMP production, suggesting a functional relationship between the two systems in rat brain.     

Survival of Chick Embryonic Sensory Neurons in Culture Is Supported by Phorbol Esters

Sensory neurons of the chick embryo are supported in culture by several neurotrophic factors, including the phorbol esters. Because phorbol esters are known to activate one of the second messengers, namely, protein kinase C, it was of interest to see if the neurotrophic action of phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDB) was related to the activation of protein kinase C in sensory neurons. Sensory neurons were obtained from dorsal root ganglia of 10-day-old chick embryos and maintained in a serum-free medium for several days to quantify survival and analyze protein kinase C activity. PDB (30 nM) supported the survival of approximately 50% of the total number of neurons plated. This value was comparable to that supported by nerve growth factor (NGF; 40 ng/ml). If PDB and NGF were added together, there was no additive effect on the survival. The protein kinase C activity of the particulate and cytosolic fractions of sensory neurons supported by NGF for 3 days was 1.26 +/- 0.1 and 2.9 +/- 0.32 pmol/min/mg of protein, respectively. In contrast, neurons supported by PDB showed an approximately 500% increase in enzyme activity in their particulate fraction. The enzyme activity of the cytosolic fraction was decreased by approximately 40%. If NGF-supported neurons were treated with PDB (30 nM) for 15 min, protein kinase C activity increased greater than 400% in the particulate fraction, whereas an approximately 50% decrease was observed in the cytosolic fraction. The protein kinase C value, expressed as a ratio of the activities in the particulate to cytosol fractions, showed large increases after phorbol treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Individual C1 domains of PKD3 in phorbol ester-induced plasma membrane translocation of PKD3 in intact cells

Protein kinase D3 is a novel member of the serine/threonine kinase family PKD. The regulatory region of PKD contains a tandem repeat of C1 domains designated C1a and C1b that bind diacylglycerol and phorbol esters, and are important membrane targeting modules. Here, we investigate the activities of individual C1 domains of PKD3 and their roles in phorbol ester-induced plasma membrane translocation of PKD3. Truncated C1a of PKD3 binds [(3)H]phorbol 12, 13-dibutyrate with high affinity, but no binding activity is detected for C1b. Meanwhile, mutations in C1a of truncated C1ab of PKD3 lead to the loss of binding affinity, while these mutations in C1b have little impact, indicating that C1a is responsible for most of the phorbol ester-binding activities of PKD3. C1a and C1b of the GFP-tagged full length PKD3 are then mutated to assess their roles in phorbol ester-induced plasma membrane translocation in intact cells. At low concentration of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), the plasma membrane translocations of the C1a and C1ab mutants are significantly impaired, reflecting an important role of C1a in this process. However, at higher PMA concentrations, all C1 mutants exhibit increased rates of translocation as compared to that of wild-type PKD3, which parallel their enhanced activation by PMA, implying that PKD3 kinase activity affects membrane targeting. In line with this, a constitutive active PKD3-GFP translocates similarly as wild-type PKD3, while a kinase-inactive PKD3 shows little translocation up to 2 muM PMA. In addition, RO 31-8220, a potent PKC inhibitor that blocks PMA-induced PKD3 activation in vivo, significantly attenuates the plasma membrane translocation of wild-type PKD3 at different doses of PMA. Taken together, our results indicate that both C1a and the kinase activity of PKD3 are necessary for the phorbol ester-induced plasma membrane translocation of PKD3. PKC, by directly activating PKD3, regulates its plasma membrane localization in intact cells.     

Activators of protein kinase C trigger cortical granule exocytosis, cortical contraction, and cleavage furrow formation in Xenopus laevis oocytes and eggs

Prophase I oocytes, free of follicle cells, and metaphase II eggs of the amphibian Xenopus laevis were subjected to transient treatments with the protein kinase C activators, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), phorbol 12,13-didecanoate, and 1-olyeoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol. In both oocytes and eggs, these treatments triggered early events of amphibian development: cortical granule exocytosis, cortical contraction, and cleavage furrow formation. Surprisingly, activation of oocytes occurred in the absence of meiotic resumption, resulting in cells with an oocytelike nucleus and interior cytoplasm, but with a zygotelike cortex. PMA-induced activation of oocytes and eggs did not require external calcium, a prerequisite for normal activation of eggs. PMA-induced activation of eggs was inhibited by retinoic acid, a known inhibitor of protein kinase C. In addition, pretreatment of eggs with retinoic acid prevented activation by mechanical stimulation and inhibited activation by calcium ionophore A23187. The results suggest that protein kinase C activation is an integral component of the Xenopus fertilization pathway.