Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate kinase by its product phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate

Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) is enzymatically produced when high speed supernatant fraction from bovine retina is incubated with [gamma-32P]ATP and phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PIP) as substrates. Exogenously added PIP2 inhibits PIP kinase activity 50% at equimolar concentrations of product and substrate. Ca2+-dependent phosphodiesteratic activity, resulting in the loss of PIP2 and PIP and concommitant increase in myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and myo-inositol 1,4-bisphosphate, was observed when soluble retinal fractions were incubated with heat-inactivated 32P-prelabeled guinea pig nerve ending membranes as substrate. It is suggested that polyphosphoinositides are under stringent and complex control and that upon receptor activation-mediated stimulation of phosphodiesteratic degradation release of the feedback inhibition shown here may occur and result in the synthesis and replenishment of PIP2.     

Requirement for calcium ions in acetylcholine-stimulated phosphodiesteratic cleavage of phosphatidyl-myo-inositol 4,5-bisphosphate in rabbit iris smooth muscle

1. The mechanism of acetylcholine-stimulated breakdown of phosphatidyl-myo-inositol 4,5-bisphosphate and its dependence on extracellular Ca(2+) was investigated in the rabbit iris smooth muscle. 2. Acetylcholine (50mum) increased the breakdown of phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate in [(3)H]inositol-labelled muscle by 28% and the labelling of phosphatidylinositol by 24% of that of the control. Under the same experimental conditions there was a 33 and 48% increase in the production of (3)H-labelled inositol trisphosphate and inositol monophosphate respectively. Similarly carbamoylcholine and ionophore A23187 increased the production of these water-soluble inositol phosphates. Little change was observed in the (3)H radioactivity of inositol bisphosphate. 3. Both inositol trisphosphatase and inositol monophosphatase were demonstrated in subcellular fractions of this tissue and the specific activity of the former was severalfold higher than that of the latter. 4. The acetylcholine-stimulated production of inositol trisphosphate and inositol monophosphate was inhibited by atropine (20mum), but not tubocurarine (100mum); and it was abolished by depletion of extracellular Ca(2+) with EGTA, but restored on addition of low concentrations of Ca(2+) (20mum). 5. Calcium-antagonistic agents, such as verapamil (20mum), dibenamine (20mum) or La(3+) (2mm), also abolished the production of the water-soluble inositol phosphates in response to acetylcholine. 6. Release of inositol trisphosphate from exogenous phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate by iris muscle microsomal fraction (;microsomes') was stimulated by 43% in the presence of 50mum-Ca(2+). 7. The results indicate that increased Ca(2+) influx into the iris smooth muscle by acetylcholine and ionophore A23187 markedly activates phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate phosphodiesterase and subsequently increases the production of inositol trisphosphate and its hydrolytic product inositol monophosphate. The marked increase observed in the production of inositol monophosphate could also result from Ca(2+) activation of phosphatidylinositol phosphodiesterase. However, there was no concomitant decrease in the (3)H radioactivity of this phospholipid.     

Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate hydrolysis directs actin remodeling during phagocytosis

The Rho GTPases play a critical role in initiating actin polymerization during phagocytosis. In contrast, the factors directing the disassembly of F-actin required for fission of the phagocytic vacuole are ill defined. We used fluorescent chimeric proteins to monitor the dynamics of association of actin and active Cdc42 and Rac1 with the forming phagosome. Although actin was found to disappear from the base of the forming phagosome before sealing was complete, Rac1/Cdc42 activity persisted, suggesting that termination of GTPase activity is not the main determinant of actin disassembly. Furthermore, fully internalized phagosomes engineered to associate constitutively with active Rac1 showed little associated F-actin. The disappearance of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P(2)) from the phagosomal membrane closely paralleled the course of actin disassembly. Furthermore, inhibition of PI(4,5)P(2) hydrolysis or increased PI(4,5)P(2) generation by overexpression of phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinase I prevented the actin disassembly necessary for the completion of phagocytosis. These observations suggest that hydrolysis of PI(4,5)P(2) dictates the remodeling of actin necessary for completion of phagocytosis.     

Enzymes that degrade phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate have different developmental profiles in chick brain

The activities and subcellular distributions of the hydrolases that degrade polyphosphoinositides were compared in the developing chick central nervous system. Specific activities increased 2- 3-fold and total activities increased 13- to 16-fold. Phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate phosphatase is localized in membranes (78%), but is preferentially associated with nonmyelin membranes, since the increase in specific activity preceded myelination and proportions of membrane and soluble activities were constant during accumulation of myelin membranes. Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate phosphatase is largely soluble in embryonic (57%) and myelinated brain (50%). Although specific activity increased coincident with myelination, approximately equal increases in soluble and membrane activity indicate no preferential association with myelin membranes. Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate phosphodiesterase activity increased only in the early stages of myelination, but showed some preferential association with myelin membranes, since the proportion of soluble diesterase declined from 40 to 25%.     

Phorbol myristate acetate stimulates formation of phosphatidyl inositol 4-phosphate and phosphatidyl inositol 4,5-bisphosphate in human platelets

There are conflicting data in the literature as to whether or not the Ca2+ activation of phospholipase A2 is mediated by the calcium binding protein calmodulin. In the present study the membrane-bound phospholipase A2 enzymes in rat and human platelets were shown to be absolutely Ca2+ dependent but were not stimulated by the addition of calmodulin. A partially purified phospholipase A2 from rat platelet membrane, which contained little endogenous calmodulin, also was not stimulated by calmodulin addition. Both isolated and membrane-bound phospholipase A2 were inhibited by the non-specific calmodulin antagonist trifluoperazine but the inhibition was not overcome by adding calmodulin. There was thus no evidence from these studies that phospholipase A2 is calmodulin regulated.     

Phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate kinase from rat brain. Activation by polyamines and inhibition by phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate

Phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (PtdIns-P) kinase was purified approximately 30-fold from rat brain cytosol. No contaminating activity of PtdIns kinase or of phosphomonoesterase and phospholipase C using PtdIns-P or PtdIns-P2 as substrate could be detected in the enzyme preparation. The PtdIns-P kinase activity was severalfold higher when PtdIns-P/PtdEtn vesicles rather than PtdIns-P alone were used as substrate. This might be due to increased accessibility of the enzyme for the vesicular substrate, further indicated by the lower activity obtained when PtdCho or PtdIns, phospholipids with bulky head groups, was also present in the vesicles. The product PtdIns-P2 was a competitive inhibitor with respect to PtdIns-P and 50% inhibition of enzyme activity was observed at the same product concentration regardless of whether the substrate-product mixture was presented in vesicular or micellar form, or the substrate and product were added in separate vesicles. The polyamines spermine and spermidine enhanced PtdIns-P kinase activity severalfold. Spermine also caused a shift in the MgCl2 saturation curve from sigmoidal to hyperbolic, lowering the Mg2+ concentration required for optimum kinase activity to the physiological range. Myelin basic protein enhanced the enzyme activity when PtdIns-P/PtdEtn vesicles were used as substrate, whereas it was inhibitory when PtdIns-P was added alone. The possible role of polyamines and the product PtdIns-P2 in the regulation of PtdIns-P kinase activity is discussed.     

Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate hydrolysis mediates histamine-induced KCNQ/M current inhibition

The M-type potassium channel, of which its molecular basis is constituted by KCNQ2-5 homo- or heteromultimers, plays a key role in regulating neuronal excitability and is modulated by many G protein-coupled receptors. In this study, we demonstrate that histamine inhibits KCNQ2/Q3 currents in human embryonic kidney (HEK)293 cells via phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP(2)) hydrolysis mediated by stimulation of H(1) receptor and phospholipase C (PLC). Histamine inhibited KCNQ2/Q3 currents in HEK293 cells coexpressing H(1) receptor, and this effect was totally abolished by H(1) receptor antagonist mepyramine but not altered by H(2) receptor antagonist cimetidine. The inhibition of KCNQ currents was significantly attenuated by a PLC inhibitor U-73122 but not affected by depletion of internal Ca(2+) stores or intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) buffering via pipette dialyzing BAPTA. Moreover, histamine also concentration dependently inhibited M current in rat superior cervical ganglion (SCG) neurons by a similar mechanism. The inhibitory effect of histamine on KCNQ2/Q3 currents was entirely reversible but became irreversible when the resynthesis of PIP(2) was impaired with phosphatidylinsitol-4-kinase inhibitors. Histamine was capable of producing a reversible translocation of the PIP(2) fluorescence probe PLC(delta1)-PH-GFP from membrane to cytosol in HEK293 cells by activation of H(1) receptor and PLC. We concluded that the inhibition of KCNQ/M currents by histamine in HEK293 cells and SCG neurons is due to the consumption of membrane PIP(2) by PLC.     

Legionella micdadei phosphatase catalyzes the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate in human neutrophils

The legionellae are facultative intracellular bacterial pathogens which multiply in host phagocytes. Legionella micdadei cells contain an acid phosphatase (ACP2) which blocks superoxide anion production by human neutrophils stimulated with formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLP) [A. K. Saha, et al. (1985) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 243, 150-160]. In the present study, we have purified the Legionella phosphatase to homogeneity as indicated by the finding of a single 68,000-Da band following sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. We explored the possibility that ACP2 acts by interfering with polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis and the production of the intracellular second messengers, inositol trisphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol, following neutrophil stimulation. Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) was hydrolyzed rapidly by ACP2 in vitro. The rate of hydrolysis of PIP2 was higher at pH 7.0 (Km 2.0 microM; 4 X 10(3) units/mg protein; 1 unit equals 1 nmol of Pi released/h) than at lower pH. IP3 was also a good substrate for ACP2 in vitro. When human neutrophil phosphoinositides were prelabeled with 32Pi, subsequent incubation with ACP2 resulted in an 85% loss of the labeled PIP2 over 2 h. Following fMLP stimulation of [3H]inositol-labeled neutrophils, the quantity of IP3 produced by ACP2-treated cells was reduced by 44%. Prior treatment of neutrophils with ACP2 also reduced by 45% the amount of diacylglycerol they produced when stimulated by fMLP. These results indicate that the Legionella phosphatase may compromise the neutrophils' microbicidal response to the organism by hydrolyzing PIP2, the progenitor of IP3 and diacylglycerol, and by hydrolyzing IP3 itself.     

Purification of a phospholipase C from rat liver cytosol that acts on phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate and phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate

A soluble phospholipase C from rat liver was purified to homogeneity using phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) as substrate. After ammonium sulfate fractionation, the purification involved chromatography on phosphocellulose, DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B, hydroxylapatite, Reactive Blue 2 dye-linked agarose, and Mono S cation exchanger. Under the conditions of the assay, the pure enzyme had a specific activity of 407 mumol/mg protein/min. It migrated as a single band with a molecular mass of 87 kDa on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The water-soluble product formed during the hydrolysis of PIP2 by the purified enzyme was inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate. The enzyme shows one-half of maximum velocity at 2 microM Ca2+ with PIP2 as substrate. Between 0 and 100 microM Ca2+, the enzyme shows approximately the same activity with phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PIP) as it does with PIP2, and very low activity with phosphatidylinositol. The enzyme is activated by low concentrations of basic proteins; for example, with PIP2 as substrate, 1 microgram/ml histone activates the enzyme 3.6-fold. The enzyme shows an almost absolute requirement for monovalent salts which can be met by different alkali metal halides. A second, minor peak of PIP2-hydrolyzing phospholipase C activity was resolved during chromatography of the enzyme on hydroxylapatite. The substrate specificity suggests that PIP and PIP2 are normal substrates of this enzyme. Under physiological conditions of activation, the enzyme may therefore generate inositol 1,4-bisphosphate and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate in amounts determined by the ratio of PIP and PIP2 present in the cellular membranes.     

Guanine nucleotide and pyrophosphate activate exogenous phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate hydrolysis in rat liver plasma membranes

5'-guanylylimidodiphosphate (GppNHp) in the presence of deoxycholate, stimulated the phospholipase C-mediated hydrolysis of exogenous [3H]phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate ([3H]PIP2) to myo-[3H]inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate in rat liver plasma membranes. Activation was not specific for guanine nucleotides as 5'-adenylylimidodiphosphate, imidodiphosphate and pyrophosphate stimulated the enzyme with similar efficacies and potencies. Enzyme activation by GppNHp was most pronounced when [3H]PIP2 was used as substrate. No added Ca++ was required for [3H]PIP2 breakdown but hydrolysis was inhibited by divalent ion chelators. GppNHp stimulation was apparent in the presence of Ca++ or Mg++ as well as chelator concentrations that partially inhibited the enzyme, indicating that this effect was not attributed to changes in affinity of these divalent cations for the enzyme or substrate. These results suggest that guanine nucleotides can stimulate the hydrolysis of exogenous [3H]PIP2 in rat liver membranes by a non-specific effect probably due to the interaction of the diphosphate moiety with the enzyme or substrate.     

Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate rescues TRPM4 channels from desensitization

TRPM4 is a Ca(2+)-activated nonselective cation channel that regulates membrane potential in response to intracellular Ca(2+) signaling. In lymphocytes it plays an essential role in shaping the pattern of intracellular Ca(2+) oscillations that lead to cytokine secretion. To better understand its role in this and other physiological processes, we investigated mechanisms by which TRPM4 is regulated. TRPM4 was expressed in ChoK1 cells, and currents were measured in excised patches. Under these conditions, TRPM4 currents were activated by micromolar concentrations of cytoplasmic Ca(2+) and progressively desensitized. Here we show that desensitization can be explained by a loss of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P(2)) from the channels. Poly-l-lysine, a PI(4,5)P(2) scavenger, caused rapid desensitization, whereas MgATP, at concentrations that activate lipid kinases, promoted recovery of TRPM4 currents. Application of exogenous PI(4,5)P(2) to the intracellular surface of the patch restored the properties of TRPM4 currents. Our results suggest that PI(4,5)P(2) acts to uncouple channel opening from changes in the transmembrane potential, allowing current activation at physiological voltages. These data argue that hydrolysis of PI(4,5)P(2) underlies desensitization of TRPM4 and support the idea that PI(4,5)P(2) is a general regulator for the gating of TRPM ion channels.     

Effects of bacterial lipopolysaccharide on the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate in murine peritoneal macrophages

LPS and lipid A initiated enhanced hydrolysis of PIP2 in macrophages. When murine peritoneal macrophages were labeled with [2-3H]myoinositol and stimulated with either LPS or lipid A, a rapid (within 10 sec) rise in Ins(1,4,5)P3 was observed. The breakdown pattern of Ins(1,4,5)P3 was complex; this included breakdown of Ins(1,4,5)P3 and formation of Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 (approximately 10 to 30 sec), and ultimately formation of Ins(1,3,4)P3 (approximately 60 sec). Within 10 sec after treatment, LPS caused an average increase of about fourfold to fivefold in Ins(1,4,5)P3, which declined over 5 min. When the total isomers of InsP3 were measured, levels rose about twofold in response to LPS or to lipid A and remained elevated for as long as 5 min. Lipid A, in the concentration range of 0.1 to 10 micrograms/ml, induced elevated intracellular levels of Ca2+ as quantified by fluorescence with Quin 2 or with Fura 2. When single, adherent Fura 2-loaded macrophages were treated with lipid A, basal levels of calcium rose over 10 sec from approximately 55 nM to almost 600 nM. LPS, paradoxically, did not cause such substantial increases in intracellular calcium (i.e., increases of approximately 26 nM) when judged by Fura 2 fluorescence. LPS treatment led to enhanced phosphorylation of a characteristic set of proteins, similar to those induced by stimulating protein kinase C (PKC) with phorbol myristate acetate as previously reported. The enhanced phosphorylation of pp28, pp33, and pp67 in macrophages was evident by 15 min and optimal by 30 min. Taken together, these observations indicate that LPS and lipid A cause increased breakdown of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, which led to enhanced intracellular levels of calcium and also to enhanced protein phosphorylation, presumably mediated by PKC. The data thus suggest that one major intracellular signal transduction mechanism, initiated by LPS and lipid A in macrophages, is the rapid breakdown of PIP2.     

Modulation of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate hydrolysis in rat aorta by guanine nucleotides, calcium and magnesium

Rat aortic smooth muscle homogenates and membrane preparations contain a phospholipase C which hydrolyzes phosphatidylinositol 4,5-biphosphate (PIP2). We discovered that guanyl-5'yl-imidodiphosphate (Gpp(NH)p) activated the hydrolysis of exogenous PIP2 but not of phosphatidylinositol (PI) in rat aortic membranes. Further, maximal Gpp(NH)p-dependent hydrolysis was dependent on physiological levels of calcium. Also, magnesium inhibited PIP2 hydrolysis and catalyzed the dephosphorylation of PIP2 to phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (PIP). The results imply that PIP2 is the primary substrate of the nucleotide-regulated phospholipase C in rat aorta and that calcium and magnesium are physiological regulators of this activity.     

Isoform-specific inhibition of TRPC4 channel by phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate

Full-length transient receptor potential (TRP) cation channel TRPC4alpha and shorter TRPC4beta lacking 84 amino acids in the cytosolic C terminus are expressed in smooth muscle and endothelial cells where they regulate membrane potential and Ca(2+) influx. In common with other "classical" TRPCs, TRPC4 is activated by G(q)/phospholipase C-coupled receptors, but the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Little is also known about any isoform-specific channel regulation. Here we show that TRPC4alpha but not TRPC4beta was strongly inhibited by intracellularly applied phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP(2)). In contrast, several other phosphoinositides (PI), including PI(3,4)P(2), PI(3,5)P(2), and PI(3,4,5)P(3), had no effect or even potentiated TRPC4alpha indicating that PIP(2) inhibits TRPC4alpha in a highly selective manner. We show that PIP(2) binds to the C terminus of TRPC4alpha but not that of TRPC4beta in vitro. Its inhibitory action was dependent on the association of TRPC4alpha with actin cytoskeleton as it was prevented by cytochalasin D treatment or by the deletion of the C-terminal PDZ-binding motif (Thr-Thr-Arg-Leu) that links TRPC4 to F-actin through the sodium-hydrogen exchanger regulatory factor and ezrin. PIP(2) breakdown appears to be a required step in TRPC4alpha channel activation as PIP(2) depletion alone was insufficient for channel opening, which additionally required Ca(2+) and pertussis toxin-sensitive G(i/o) proteins. Thus, TRPC4 channels integrate a variety of G-protein-dependent stimuli, including a PIP(2)/cytoskeleton dependence reminiscent of the TRPC4-like muscarinic agonist-activated cation channels in ileal myocytes.     

Hormone signalling via G-protein: regulation of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate hydrolysis by Gq.

Heterotrimeric GTP-dependent regulatory proteins (G-proteins) mediate modulation by many cell surface receptors. Activation of the G-proteins promotes dissociation of their alpha and beta gamma subunits. The similarity of behaviour of beta gamma subunits derived from a variety of G-proteins has led to their use as affinity reagents for the analysis of the more unique alpha subunits. The evolution of these uses is presented. One of the more insightful results was the isolation of a new class of G-protein alpha subunits (the alpha q subfamily) which have been shown to regulate the activity of a phospholipase C (PLC) specific for phosphatidylinositols. The experimental evidence leading to this conclusion is discussed. The activation by alpha q increases the apparent Vmax of the beta isoform of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PLC beta) and can be modulated by beta gamma subunits.     

Hypo-osmotic stress activates Plc1p-dependent phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate hydrolysis and inositol Hexakisphosphate accumulation in yeast

Polyphosphoinositide-specific phospholipases (PICs) of the delta-subfamily are ubiquitous in eukaryotes, but an inability to control these enzymes physiologically has been a major obstacle to understanding their cellular function(s). Plc1p is similar to metazoan delta-PICs and is the only PIC in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetic studies have implicated Plc1p in several cell functions, both nuclear and cytoplasmic. Here we show that a brief hypo-osmotic episode provokes rapid Plc1p-catalyzed hydrolysis of PtdIns(4,5)P2 in intact yeast by a mechanism independent of extracellular Ca2+. Much of this PtdIns(4,5)P2 hydrolysis occurs at the plasma membrane. The hydrolyzed PtdIns(4,5)P2 is mainly derived from PtdIns4P made by the PtdIns 4-kinase Stt4p. PtdIns(4,5)P2 hydrolysis occurs normally in mutants lacking Arg82p or Ipk1p, but they accumulate no InsP6, showing that these enzymes normally convert the liberated Ins(1,4,5)P3 rapidly and quantitatively to InsP6. We conclude that hypo-osmotic stress activates Plc1p-catalyzed PtdIns(4,5)P2 at the yeast plasma membrane and the liberated Ins(1,4,5)P3 is speedily converted to InsP6. This ability routinely to activate Plc1p-catalyzed PtdIns(4,5)P2 hydrolysis in vivo opens up new opportunities for molecular and genetic scrutiny of the regulation and functions of phosphoinositidases C of the delta-subfamily.     

Determination of the steady-state turnover rates of the metabolically active pools of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate in human erythrocytes.

When intact human erythrocytes are incubated at metabolic steady state in a chloride-free medium containing [32P]Pi, there is rapid labelling of the gamma-phosphate of ATP, followed by a slower labelling of the monoester phosphate groups of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PtdIns4P) and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P2] [King, Stephens, Hawkins, Guy & Michell (1987) Biochem. J. 244, 209-217]. We have analysed the early kinetics of the labelling of these phosphate groups, in order to determine: (a) the steady-state rates of the interconversions of phosphatidylinositol, PtdIns4P and PtdIns(4,5)P2; and (b) the fractions of the total cellular complement of PtdIns4P and PtdIns(4,5)P2 that participate in this steady-state turnover. The experimental data most closely fit a pattern of PtdIns4P and PtdIns(4,5)P2 turnover in which one-quarter of the total cellular complement of each lipid is in the metabolic pool that participates in rapid metabolic turnover, with rate constants of 0.028 min-1 for the interconversion of PtdIns and PtdIns4P, and of 0.010 min-1 for the PtdIns4P/PtdIns(4,5)P2 cycle. These rate constants represent metabolic fluxes of approx. 2.1 nmol of lipid/h per ml of packed erythrocytes between PtdIns and PtdIns4P and of approx. 5.7 nmol/h per ml of cells between PtdIns4P and PtdIns(4,5)P2.     

Inositol 1,2-cyclic 4,5-trisphosphate is not a product of muscarinic receptor-stimulated phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate hydrolysis in rat parotid glands.

We have employed a neutral-pH extraction technique to look for inositol 1,2-cyclic phosphate derivatives in [3H]inositol-labelled parotid gland slices stimulated with carbachol. The incubations were terminated by adding cold chloroform/methanol (1:2, v/v), the samples were dried under vacuum and inositol phosphates were extracted from the dried residues by phenol/chloroform/water partitioning. Water-soluble inositol metabolites were separated by h.p.l.c. at pH 3.7. 32P-labelled inositol phosphate standards (inositol 1-phosphate, inositol 1,2-cyclic phosphate, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and inositol 1,2-cyclic 4,5-trisphosphate) were quantitively recovered through both extraction and chromatography steps. Treatment of inositol cyclic phosphate standards with 5% (w/v) HClO4 for 10 min prior to chromatography resulted in formation of the expected non-cyclic compounds. [3H]Inositol 1-phosphate and [3H]inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate were both present in parotid gland slices and both increased during stimulation with 1 mM-carbachol. There was no evidence for significant quantities of [3H]inositol 1,2-cyclic phosphate or [3H]inositol 1,2-cyclic 4,5-trisphosphate in control or carbachol-stimulated glands. Parotid gland homogenates rapidly converted inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate to inositol bisphosphate and inositol tetrakisphosphate, but metabolism of the inositol cyclic trisphosphate was much slower. The results suggest that inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate, but not inositol 1,2-cyclic 4,5-trisphosphate, is the water-soluble product of muscarinic receptor-stimulated phospholipase C in rat parotid glands.