Sphingosine reverses growth inhibition caused by activation of protein kinase C in vascular smooth muscle cells.

In certain cell systems, including neonatal vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells, phorbol esters are growth inhibitory. Here we show that 1,2-dioctanoyl-sn-glycerol (DiC8), when added 2 h after alpha-thrombin, reverses by greater than 95% the induction of DNA synthesis in VSM cells by alpha-thrombin. Sphingosine, a naturally occurring lysosphingolipid inhibitor of protein kinase C, and its synthetic analogues N-acetylsphingosine and C11-sphingosine were used to investigate this phenomenon further. Neither phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA;200 ng/ml) nor sphingosine (up to 10 microM) alone had any effect upon basal DNA synthesis in VSM cells. Like DiC8, PMA totally blocked the induction of DNA synthesis by alpha-thrombin. This inhibitory effect of PMA was reversed by sphingosine in a dose-dependent manner with complete reversal at 10 microM. Neither N-acetylsphingosine nor C11-sphingosine exhibited any effect on DNA synthesis in VSM cells. The effect of sphingosine and its analogues on the activity of protein kinase C extracted from VSM cells was measured by histone III-S phosphorylation. Protein kinase C activity was inhibited 50% by 300 microM sphingosine, but less than 15% by similar concentrations of N-acetylsphingosine and C11-sphingosine. To assess the effects of sphingosine and analogues on protein kinase C in intact cells, we examined the effect of the lipids on [3H]phorbol dibutyrate binding. Sphingosine (at greater than 5 microM), but not N-acetylsphingosine or C11-sphingosine, blocked [3H]phorbol dibutyrate binding in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. Thus the mechanism of growth inhibition by DiC8 and PMA in neonatal VSM cells appears to be through activation of protein kinase C by these compounds. Sphingosine reverses this growth inhibition through interference with the binding to protein kinase C of phorbol esters or other activators of this enzyme.     

Sphingosine stimulates cellular proliferation via a protein kinase C-independent pathway

Sphingosine, a metabolite of membrane sphingolipids, is generally considered to be cytotoxic for a variety of cell types. However, we have found that sphingosine at low concentrations stimulates DNA synthesis and acts synergistically with known growth factors to induce proliferation of quiescent Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts. Structurally related analogs of sphingosine, such as N-stearoylsphingosine and other long chain aliphatic amines, had no mitogenic effects, suggesting that sphingosine did not induce nonspecific membrane perturbations. Sphingosine, which has been proposed to be a physiological inhibitor of protein kinase C, also markedly potentiates the mitogenic effect of the tumor promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Sphingosine still stimulates DNA synthesis in cells made protein kinase C deficient by prolonged treatment with phorbol ester. At mitogenic concentrations, sphingosine does not bind to protein kinase C as shown by its lack of effect on phorbol dibutyrate binding. Only at higher concentrations, in the cytotoxic range, was there a displacement of phorbol dibutyrate from its cellular-binding sites. In contrast to sphingosine, H-7, a known inhibitor of protein kinase C, inhibited the mitogenic response to TPA and the TPA-induced phosphorylation of the 80 kDa cellular substrate of protein kinase C. Our results suggest that sphingosine may play an important role as a positive regulator of cell growth acting in a fundamentally different, protein kinase C-independent pathway.     

Pattern of protein phosphorylation in aortic endothelial cells. Modulation by adenine nucleotides and bradykinin

In bovine aortic endothelial cells, ATP (10-100 microM) and bradykinin (0.1-1.0 microM) enhanced the phosphorylation of two major protein substrates with apparent molecular masses of 95 and 28 kDa. The action of ATP involved P2y purinoceptors. The kinetics were distinct for the two phosphopeptides. The phosphorylation of the 95-kDa protein was rapid (within 30 s) but transient (maintained for only 2 min). This time course agrees with that observed for the increase of the cytosolic Ca2+ level induced by ATP in these cells. Ionophore A23187 (greater than or equal to 100 nM) induced this phosphorylation for a longer period (5-10 min), whereas phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) was completely inactive. The enhancement of the 28-kDa protein phosphorylation was detectable after a 5-min lag and was maintained for at least 20 min. PMA (50 nM) stimulated weakly the phosphorylation of the 28-kDa protein, whereas A23187 (100-300 nM) was even more effective than ATP and bradykinin. The 95-kDa phosphoprotein seems to be related to a 100-kDa substrate of calmodulin-dependent protein kinase III recently identified as elongation factor-2. The 28-kDa protein, which was resolved as three variants in bidimensional gel electrophoresis, appears very similar to a slightly heavier phosphoprotein from thrombin-stimulated human platelets. In addition, bidimensional electrophoresis allowed the detection of at least 10 substrates (from 18 to 46 kDa) whose phosphorylation was enhanced equally well by ATP, bradykinin, and A23187 and only partially by PMA. In conclusion, protein phosphorylation induced by ATP and bradykinin in aortic endothelial cells seems to be catalyzed mostly by Ca2+-dependent kinases, distinct from protein kinase C.     

Characterization of a cyclic nucleotide- and calcium-independent neurofilament protein kinase activity in axoplasm from the squid giant axon

The phosphorylation activity associated with a neurofilament-enriched cytoskeletal preparation isolated from the squid giant axon has been studied and compared to the phosphorylation activities in intact squid axoplasm. The high molecular weight (greater than 300 kDa) and 220-kDa neurofilament proteins are the major endogenous substrates for the kinases in the axoplasm and the neurofilament preparation, whereas 95- and less than 60-kDa proteins are the major phosphoproteins in the ganglion cell preparation. The squid axon neurofilament (SANF) protein kinase activity appeared to be both cAMP and Ca2+ independent and could phosphorylate both casein (Km = 40 microM) and histone (Km = 180 microM). The SANF protein kinase could utilize either ATP or GTP in the phosphotransferase reaction, with a Km for ATP of 58 microM and 129.4 microM for GTP when casein was used as the exogenous substrate; and 25 and 98.1 microM for ATP and GTP, respectively, when the endogenous neurofilament proteins were used as substrates. The SANF protein kinase activity was only slightly inhibited by 2,3-diphosphoglycerate and various polyamines at high concentrations and was poorly inhibited by heparin (34% inhibition at 100 micrograms/ml). The failures of heparin to significantly inhibit and the polyamines to stimulate the SANF protein kinase indicate that it is not a casein type II kinase. The relative efficacy of GTP as a phosphate donor indicates that SANF protein kinase differs from known casein type I kinases. Phosphorylated (32P-labeled) neurofilament proteins were only slightly dephosphorylated in the presence of axoplasm or stellate ganglion cell supernatants, and the neurofilament-enriched preparation did not dephosphorylate 32P-labeled neurofilament proteins. The axoplasm and neurofilament preparations had no detectable protein kinase inhibitor activity, but a strong inhibitor activity, which was not dialyzable but was heat inactivatable, was found in ganglion cells. This inhibitor activity may account for the low phosphorylation activity found in the stellate ganglion cells and may indicate inhibitory regulation of SANF protein kinase activity in the ganglion cell bodies.     

Two alternative mechanisms control the interconversion of functional states of the epidermal growth factor receptor

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor alpha bind to a common receptor at the cell surface. Both the affinity and the tyrosine protein kinase activity of the receptor are regulated by exogenous factors, such as platelet-derived growth factor. A protein kinase C-dependent (Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent enzyme) and independent regulatory mechanism have been described. The protein kinase C-dependent mechanism results in the inhibition of the affinity and tyrosine kinase activity of the EGF receptor. We describe in this report an alternative mechanism of regulation of the receptor that is mediated by sphingosine. Treatment of WI-38 human fetal lung fibroblasts with 5 microM sphingosine for 2 min at 37 degrees C caused a marked increase in the affinity of the EGF receptor. Similar results were obtained when isolated plasma membranes prepared from these cells were incubated with sphingosine. A stimulation of the EGF receptor tyrosine protein kinase activity was also observed after sphingosine-treatment of plasma membranes. Sphingosine caused a decrease in the Km for ATP and an increase in the Vmax for the tyrosine phosphorylation of a synthetic peptide substrate. Control experiments demonstrated that these actions of sphingosine were not secondary to the inhibition of protein kinase C. These data indicate that sphingosine causes the functional conversion of the EGF receptor into an activated state that expresses both a high affinity for EGF and an increased tyrosine kinase activity. We conclude that sphingosine is a bioactive molecule in human fibroblasts.     

Polyamine-stimulated phosphorylation of prostatic spermine-binding protein is mediated only by cyclic AMP-independent protein kinases.

Spermine-binding protein (a rat ventral prostatic protein with high affinity for spermine) was phosphorylated in situ through the action of intrinsic cellular protein kinase(s), suggesting it to be a phosphoprotein in vivo. The purified protein served as a substrate in a number of cyclic AMP-independent protein kinase reactions in vitro, but not for cyclic AMP-dependent, Ca2+ + calmodulin-dependent or Ca2+ + phospholipid-dependent protein kinases. Available data indicate that at least one of the cyclic AMP-independent protein kinases (cytosolic protein kinase C2) may be physiologically relevant in mediating the phosphorylation of this protein. The phosphorylation reaction was stimulated several-fold in the presence of spermine. Spermidine was somewhat less effective, whereas putrescine, cadaverine and 1,6-hexanediamine were minimally active. Phospho amino acid analysis of 32P-labelled spermine-binding protein indicated that phosphoserine was the only labelled phospho amino acid. Spermine-binding protein did not undergo autophosphorylation, or modify the stimulative effect of spermine on the phosphorylation of other substrates such as non-histone proteins. In situ the phosphorylation of spermine-binding protein in tissue from castrated rats was markedly diminished as compared with the normal. Since the phosphorylation of spermine-binding protein appears to be mediated by cyclic AMP-independent protein kinase(s) whose activity in the prostate is under androgenic control, it is suggested that androgen-dependent modulation of the protein kinase(s) exerts a regulatory control (via phosphorylation-dephosphorylation) on the spermine-binding activity and stability of this protein in vivo. Further, since this protein is a substrate for only the cyclic AMP-independent protein kinases, it could serve as a tool for the investigation of such kinases.     

Regulation of the epidermal growth factor receptor phosphorylation state by sphingosine in A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cells

The regulation of protein phosphorylation by sphingosine in A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cells was examined. Sphingosine is a competitive inhibitor of phorbol ester binding to protein kinase C (Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent enzyme) and potently inhibits phosphotransferase activity in vitro. Addition of sphingosine to intact A431 cells caused an inhibition of the phorbol ester-stimulated phosphorylation of two protein kinase C substrates, epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor threonine 654 and transferrin receptor serine 24. We conclude that sphingosine inhibits the activity of protein kinase C in intact A431 cells. However, further experiments demonstrated that sphingosine-treatment of A431 cells resulted in the regulation of the EGF receptor by a mechanism that was independent of protein kinase C. First, sphingosine caused an increase in the threonine phosphorylation of the EGF receptor on a unique tryptic peptide. Second, sphingosine caused an increase in the affinity of the EGF receptor in A431 and in Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing wild-type (Thr654) and mutated (Ala654) EGF receptors. Sphingosine was also observed to cause an increase in the number of EGF-binding sites expressed at the surface of A431 cells. Examination of the time course of sphingosine action demonstrated that the effects on EGF binding were rapid (maximal at 2 mins) and were observed prior to the stimulation of receptor phosphorylation (maximal at 20 mins). We conclude that sphingosine is a potently bioactive molecule that modulates cellular functions by: 1) inhibiting protein kinase C; 2) stimulating a protein kinase C-independent pathway of protein phosphorylation; and 3) increasing the affinity and number of cell surface EGF receptors.     

Sphingosine inhibits thyrotropin-releasing hormone binding to pituitary cells by a mechanism independent of protein kinase C

Sphingosine inhibited [3H]methylhistidine-thyrotropin-releasing hormone (MeTRH) binding to intact GH3 cells and to GH3 membranes. This inhibition was dependent on the concentration of sphingosine and on the ratio of sphingosine to cell number (or membrane protein) and was partly reversed by washing. In intact cells, the IC50 was 63 microM (1.8 X 10(6) cells/ml; 2 nM MeTRH), and 100 microM sphingosine was found, by Scatchard analysis, to increase the apparent dissociation constant (Kd) from 1.1 +/- 0.3 to 6.5 +/- 2.3 nM and to decrease the maximal binding capacity (Bmax) to 41 +/- 9.5% of control. Kinetic analysis showed that the major effect of sphingosine on Kd was due to a marked decrease in the apparent association rate constant for MeTRH from 2.5 +/- 0.4 X 10(5) M-1 s-1 to 0.10 +/- 0.015 X 10(5) M-1 s-1. At 100 microM, sterylamine was as effective as sphingosine in inhibiting MeTRH binding, whereas sphinganine was less effective, and psychosine and steroylsphingosine were without effect. The following observations show that sphingosine inhibition of MeTRH binding did not involve protein kinase C. The IC50 for sphingosine inhibition of MeTRH binding was the same in GH3 cells that had been incubated with 1 microM phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate for 16 h, to "down-regulate" protein kinase C, as in control cells. Sphingosine inhibited MeTRH binding to membranes isolated from GH3 cells that contain very little protein kinase C activity. In GH3 membranes, 100 microM sphingosine increased the Kd for MeTRH from 3.4 +/- 0.1 to 13 +/- 3.1 nM but did not significantly decrease Bmax (12 +/- 5.0% of control, p greater than 0.05). And, 1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine dihydrochloride, an inhibitor of protein kinase C, failed to decrease MeTRH binding to intact GH3 cells or to membranes, and did not interfere with the effects of sphingosine. These data show that sphingosine and its analogs have complex actions to inhibit MeTRH binding to GH3 cells, at least some of which are independent of protein kinase C, and thereby demonstrate that sphingolipids cannot be used as specific inhibitors of protein kinase C.     

Retinoblastoma protein dephosphorylation induced by D-erythro-sphingosine.

The retinoblastoma gene product (Rb), a nuclear phosphoprotein, functions as a tumor suppressor that is inactivated in retinoblastoma and other malignancies. The hypophosphorylated forms of Rb are observed in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle, whereas the hyperphosphorylated forms predominate in S and G2/M phases, suggesting that phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of Rb may regulate progression through the growth cycle. However, little is known about the intracellular signals that regulate phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of Rb. We show that D-erythro-sphingosine potently induces early dephosphorylation of Rb. Initial dephosphorylation was observed as early as 1 h after treatment of hematopoietic cells with sphingosine, whereas complete shift to the dephosphorylated form was seen 4 h after treatment. These effects occurred at concentrations of sphingosine as low as 100-500 nM, with maximal effects observed at 1-2.5 microM. These effects were specific to sphingosine, inasmuch as other lipids, amphiphiles, and long chain amino bases, as well as structural analogs of sphingosine, failed to induce dephosphorylation of Rb. Also, activation of second messenger systems including protein kinase C, cAMP-dependent kinases, and calcium ionophores, as well as inhibition of serine/threonine protein phosphatases, failed to induce dephosphorylation of Rb. Induction of Rb dephosphorylation by sphingosine preceded inhibition of growth and a specific arrest in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle. These studies, for the first time, identify an intracellular activator of Rb.     

Characterization of calcium-activated neutral protease (CANP)-associated protein kinase from bovine brain and its phosphorylation of neurofilaments

Calcium-activated neutral protease with low affinity for calcium (CANP II, Mr 76,000) can be purified to apparent homogeneity by casein affinity chromatography but contains cyclic-AMP dependent protein kinase activity. CANP II-associated kinase from bovine brain copurifies with protease activity through multiple chromatographic procedures but can be separated by cyclic-AMP affinity chromatography. Isolated protein kinase has subunits of Mr 80,000, 53,000 and 42,000. The kinase preferentially "autophosphorylates" CANP II, but histones, phosphorylase b and neurofilament proteins are also good substrates. The concentrations for half-maximal phosphorylation activity (Km) of cyclic-AMP, (32P)ATP and Mr 150,000 neurofilament protein substrate are 0.2, 6.0 and 0.5 microM, respectively. The specific activity of CANP II associated kinase in phosphorylating neurofilament proteins is intermediate between that of neurofilament- and MAPs 2-associated kinases.     

Daphnetin, one of coumarin derivatives, is a protein kinase inhibitor.

Protein kinases play key roles in the control of cell proliferation, differentiation and metabolism. In this work, we studied the effect of coumarin and its derivatives, including daphnetin, esculin, 2-OH-coumarin, 4-OH-coumarin and 7-OH-coumarin, on the activity of protein kinases. It was found that, in these compounds, only daphnetin was a protein kinase inhibitor. This compound inhibited tyrosine-specific protein kinase, EGF receptor (IC(50) = 7.67 microM), and serine/threonine-specific protein kinases, including cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) (IC(50) = 9.33 microM) and protein kinase C (PKC) (IC(50) = 25.01 microM) in vitro. The inhibition of EGF receptor tyrosine kinase by daphnetin was competitive to ATP and non-competitive to the peptide substrate. The inhibition of EGF-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of EGF receptor by daphnetin was not observed in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. The structural comparison of daphnetin with coumarin and other coumarin derivatives suggests that the hydroxylation at C8 may be required for daphnetin acting as a protein kinase inhibitor.     

Collagen-induced platelet activation mainly involves the protein kinase C pathway.

This study analyses early biochemical events in collagen-induced platelet activation. An early metabolic event occurring during the lag phase was the activation of PtdIns(4,5)P2-specific phospholipase C. Phosphatidic acid (PtdOH) formation, phosphorylation of P43 and P20, thromboxane B2 (TXB2) synthesis and platelet secretion began after the lag phase, and were similarly time-dependent, except for TXB2 synthesis, which was delayed. Collagen induced extensive P43 phosphorylation, whereas P20 phosphorylation was weak and always lower than with thrombin. The dose-response curves of P43 phosphorylation and granule secretion were similar, and both reached a peak at 7.5 micrograms of collagen/ml, a dose which induced half-maximal PtdOH and TXB2 formation. Sphingosine, assumed to inhibit protein kinase C, inhibited P43 phosphorylation and secretion in parallel. However, sphingosine was not specific for protein kinase C, since a 15 microM concentration, which did not inhibit P43 phosphorylation, blocked TXB2 synthesis by 50%. Sphingosine did not affect PtdOH formation at all, even at 100 microM, suggesting that collagen itself induced this PtdOH formation, independently of TXB2 generation. The absence of external Ca2+ allowed the cleavage of polyphosphoinositides and the accumulation of InsP3 to occur, but impaired P43 phosphorylation, PtdOH and TXB2 formation, and secretion; these were only restored by adding 0.11 microM-Ca2+. In conclusion, stimulation of platelet membrane receptors for collagen initiates a PtdInsP2-specific phospholipase C activation, which is independent of external Ca2+, and might be the immediate receptor-linked response. A Ca2+ influx is indispensable to the triggering of subsequent platelet responses. This stimulation predominantly involves the protein kinase C pathway associated with secretion, and appears not to be mediated by TXB2, at least during its initial stage.     

Sphingosine inhibits angiotensin-stimulated aldosterone synthesis.

Sphingosine and other protein kinase C inhibitors were tested for their ability to inhibit aldosterone synthesis by bovine adrenal glomerulosa cells. Sphingosine inhibited angiotensin (AII)-stimulated aldosterone synthesis (IC50 of 5 microM). At doses that totally blocked steroidogenesis, sphingosine did not affect protein synthesis or [125I]AII binding to cells. Sphingosine also inhibited dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbcAMP)-stimulated aldosterone synthesis. Sphingosine inhibited pregnenolone synthesis from cholesterol, but not the conversion of progesterone or 20 alpha-hydroxycholesterol to aldosterone. These results suggest that sphingosine inhibits steroidogenesis at a locus close to that where stimulation occurs by AII and dbcAMP. Other protein kinase C inhibitors were tested. Retinal, 1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine dihydrochloride (H-7), and staurosporine inhibited aldosterone synthesis stimulated by AII and dbcAMP. Retinal and H-7 also inhibited progesterone conversion to aldosterone, and retinal blocked [125I]AII binding. Staurosporine was more specific, inhibiting AII-stimulated aldosteronogenesis at concentrations which had little effect on conversion of progesterone to aldosterone. Because they inhibited dbcAMP stimulation, none of the inhibitors was sufficiently specific to use as a probe of the role of protein kinase C. The IC50 of sphingosine suggests that this or related products of lipid hydrolysis could act as endogenous regulators of adrenal cell function.     

Differential responses of cyclic GMP-dependent and cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases to synthetic peptide inhibitors.

The peptide Arg-Lys-Arg-Ala-Arg-Lys-Glu was synthesized and tested as an inhibitor of cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase. This synthetic peptide is a non-phosphorylatable analogue of a substrate peptide corresponding to a phosphorylation site (serine-32) in histone H2B. The peptide was a competitive inhibitor of cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase with respect to synthetic peptide substrates, with a Ki value of 86 microM. However, it did not inhibit phosphorylation of intact histones by cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase under any conditions tested. Arg-Lys-Arg-Ala-Arg-Lys-Glu competitively inhibited the phosphorylation of either peptides or histones by the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, with similar Ki values (550 microM) for both of these substrates. The peptide Leu-Arg-Arg-Ala-Ala-Leu-Gly, which was previously reported to be a selective inhibitor of both peptide and histone phosphorylation by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, was a poor inhibitor of cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase acting on peptide substrates (Ki = 800 microM), but did not inhibit phosphorylation of histones by cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase. The selectivity of these synthetic peptide inhibitors toward either cyclic GMP-dependent or cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases is probably based on differences in the determinants of substrate specificity recognized by these two enzymes. It is concluded that histones interact differently with cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase from the way they do with the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.     

Sphingosine inhibition of protein kinase C activity and of phorbol dibutyrate binding in vitro and in human platelets

Sphingosine inhibited protein kinase C activity and phorbol dibutyrate binding. When the mechanism of inhibition of activity and phorbol dibutyrate binding was investigated in vitro using Triton X-100 mixed micellar methods, sphingosine inhibition was subject to surface dilution; 50% inhibition occurred when sphingosine was equimolar with sn-1,2-dioleoylglycerol (diC18:1) or 40% of the phosphatidylserine (PS) present. Sphingosine inhibition was modulated by Ca2+ and by the mole percent of diC18:1 and PS present. Sphingosine was a competitive inhibitor with respect to diC18:1, phorbol dibutyrate, and Ca2+. Increasing levels of PS markedly reduced inhibition by sphingosine. Since protein kinase C activity shows a cooperative dependence on PS, the kinetic analysis of competitive inhibition was only suggestive. Sphingosine inhibited phorbol dibutyrate binding to protein kinase C but did not cause protein kinase C to dissociate from the mixed micelle surface. Sphingosine addition to human platelets blocked thrombin and sn-1,2-dioctanoylglycerol-dependent phosphorylation of the 40-kDa (47 kDa) dalton protein. Moreover, sphingosine was subject to surface dilution in platelets. The mechanism of sphingosine inhibition is discussed in relation to a previously proposed model of protein kinase C activation. The possible physiological role of sphingosine as a negative effector of protein kinase C is suggested and a plausible cycle for its generation is presented. The potential physiological significance of sphingosine inhibition of protein kinase C is further established in accompanying papers on HL-60 cells (Merrill, A. H., Jr., Sereni, A. M., Stevens, V. L., Hannun, Y. A., Bell, R. M., Kinkade, J. M., Jr. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 12010-12615) and human neutrophils (Wilson, E., Olcott, M. C., Bell, R. M., Merrill, A. H., Jr., and Lambeth, J. D. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 12616-12623). These results also suggest that sphingosine will be a useful inhibitor for investigating the function of protein kinase C in vitro and in living cells.     

Inhibition of the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase by sphingosine.

Sphingosine inhibits autophosphorylation of the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase in vitro and in situ. This lysosphingolipid has been shown previously to inhibit the Ca2+/lipid-dependent protein kinase C. Here we show that insulin-dependent autophosphorylation of partially purified insulin receptor is half-maximally inhibited by 145 microM sphingosine (9 mol %) in Triton X-100 micelles. Half-maximal inhibition of protein kinase C autophosphorylation occurs with 60 microM sphingosine (3.4 mol %) in Triton X-100 mixed micelles containing phosphatidylserine and diacylglycerol. Sphingomyelin does not inhibit significantly the insulin receptor, suggesting that, as with protein kinase C, the free amino group may be essential for inhibition. Similar to the effects observed for protein kinase C, inhibition of the insulin receptor kinase by sphingosine is reduced in the presence of other lipids. However, the reduction displays a marked dependence on the lipid species: phosphatidylserine, but not a mixture of lipids compositionally similar to the cell membrane, markedly reduces the potency of sphingosine inhibition. The inhibition occurs at the level of the protein/membrane interaction: a soluble form of the insulin receptor comprising the cytoplasmic kinase domain is resistant to sphingosine inhibition. Lastly, sphingosine inhibits the insulin-stimulated rate of tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor in NIH 3T3 cells expressing the human insulin receptor. These results suggest that sphingosine alters membrane function independently of protein kinase C.     

Characterization of human neutrophil ecto-protein kinase activity released by kinase substrates.

Although most studies of protein phosphorylation have focused on intracellular protein kinases, evidence for protein kinase activity on the surface of several types of cells has been described. Evidence was recently provided for the existence of ecto-protein kinase activity on the surface of human neutrophils. Evidence for three distinct ecto-protein kinase activities was detected, one that phosphorylates endogenous surface proteins, one that phosphorylates exogenous substrates in a cAMP-independent manner and is released in the presence of substrate, and a low level of activity of one that phosphorylates exogenous Kemptide in a cAMP-dependent manner. To begin to elucidate its role in neutrophil function, we have characterized several properties of the releasable ecto-protein kinase activity on human neutrophils. This enzyme activity was inhibited by impermeant stilbene disulfonic acids, which are known to alter neutrophil function, as well as by impermeant sulfhydryl reactive agents. Enzyme activity was detectable at physiologic concentrations of Mg2+, but was higher in the presence of Mn2+. Protein kinase activity was strongly inhibited by heparin, whereas trifluoperazine, cAMP, and cGMP had little effect on kinase activity. Protein kinase activity was selectively removed from the cell surface by incubation with the ecto-kinase substrates casein and phosvitin, but the enzyme was not released by phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C. Repeated exposure of neutrophils to substrate depleted ecto-protein kinase activity from the cell surface, but activity was rapidly restored by incubation in buffer lacking substrate. The released protein kinase had a Km for ATP of approximately 0.5 microM and a pH maximum between 7.0 and 7.5. At least four ecto-protein kinase substrates were detected in serum; vitronectin was identified as one of these substrates by immunoprecipitation studies. Although the exact role of ecto-protein kinase activity in neutrophil function remains undefined, the identification of vitronectin as a serum substrate suggests that it interacts with a physiologically important substrate.     

Weak inhibition of protein kinase C coupled with various non-specific effects make sphingosine an unsuitable tool in platelet signal transduction studies

The effects of sphingosine, the newly described inhibitor of the enzyme protein kinase C, on human platelet activation, were studied in order to gain further information on the role of protein kinase in platelet responses. Concentrations of the drug (5-20 microM) which had little effect on protein kinase C activation as measured by the phosphorylation of the 45 kDa and 20 kDa protein substrates induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and thrombin, strongly inhibited platelet aggregation induced by these agonists, as well as aggregation induced by ADP and ionomycin, which caused no detectable protein kinase C activation or 5-hydroxy[14C]tryptamine[( 14C]5HT) secretion. At approx. 10-fold higher concentrations (150-200 microM), sphingosine had significant inhibitory effects on PMA and thrombin-induced 45 kDa and 20 kDa protein phosphorylation. However, at these high concentrations, the drug caused extensive membrane damage/leakiness as suggested by the substantial release of [14C]5HT and [3H]adenine from pre-loaded platelets (50-70% release of both markers), and the total quenching of quin2 fluorescence by Mn2+ in the presence of the drug. Due to the increased membrane leakiness in the presence of the drug, an apparent potentiation of agonist-induced intracellular Ca2+ elevations in quin2-loaded platelets, as well as an increase in quin2 fluorescence with the drug alone (more than 50 microM) were also observed. Despite this, however, thrombin-induced [3H]arachidonate release was severely reduced in the presence of sphingosine, underlining the inhibitory effects at the membrane level. It is concluded that the weak, if any, inhibitory effects on protein kinase C at concentrations not affecting membrane integrity, as well as the inhibitory effects of sphingosine on platelet aggregation, make it an unsuitable compound as a tool for studies on platelet stimulus-response coupling.     

Properties of several protein kinases that copurify with rat spinal cord neurofilaments

Several protein kinases that copurify with neurofilaments (NF) were identified and each kinase was assessed for its ability to phosphorylate NF proteins. NFs were isolated using an axonal flotation procedure and the kinases were extracted from NFs with 0.8 M KCl. NF kinases were incubated with peptide substrates for selected protein kinases, [32P]ATP and protein kinase cofactors and inhibitors to characterize the kinases. Using peptide substrates, three types of kinase were identified, and a fourth was identified using NF protein as substrate. The first three kinases were the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, calcium-calmodulin dependent protein kinase II and a cofactor-independent kinase that phosphorylated prepro VIP sequence 156-170 and was inhibited by heparin. Using NF proteins as substrate, a fourth kinase was identified which was cofactor-independent and was not inhibited by heparin. Neither cofactor-independent kinase was casein kinase II. NF proteins were phosphorylated in vitro on serine and threonine, primarily by the two cofactor-independent kinases. Using [alpha-32P]8-N3ATP for affinity labeling, one kinase of 43,800 Da was identified. Thus, in addition to cAMP-dependent protein kinase and calcium-calmodulin dependent protein kinase II, two kinases have been found which are primarily responsible for NF phosphorylation in vitro and are cofactor-independent.     

Protein kinase C and platelet inhibition by D-erythro-sphingosine: comparison with N,N-dimethylsphingosine and commercial preparation

Sphingosine has been shown to be a potent and specific inhibitor of protein kinase C in vitro and in cell systems including human platelets. Questions have been raised as to the validity of commercial sphingosine as a protein kinase C inhibitor and whether sphingosine or N,N-dimethylsphingosine is the active species. In the present study, we compared the effects of synthetic D-erythro-sphingosine, N,N-dimethylsphingosine and commercial sphingosine on purified protein kinase C in vitro and washed human platelets. These three compounds were found to be of high purity and well-defined structure based on [1H]NMR, FAB-mass Spectrometry, and TLC analysis. Both synthetic D-erythro-sphingosine and commercial sphingosine inhibited protein kinase C in vitro using vesicle as well as mixed micellar assays. N,N-dimethylsphingosine also significantly inhibited purified protein kinase C in vitro. Both preparations of sphingosine inhibited phosphorylation for 40 kD protein, a known substrate of protein kinase C in platelets. Similarly both sphingosine preparations inhibited aggregation and secretion of human platelets induced by 8 nM gamma-thrombin. These results indicate that sphingosine from commercial source, synthetic sphingosine and N,N-dimethylsphingosine are equipotent in inhibiting protein kinase C. These studies also validate the utility of sphingosine as a phamarcologic inhibitor of protein kinase C in vitro and in cell systems.