Tumor necrosis factor stimulates human neutrophils to release leukotriene B4 and platelet-activating factor. Induction of phospholipase A2 and acetyl-CoA:1-alkyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine O2-acetyltransferase activity and inhibition by antiproteinase

Tumor necrosis factor stimulates polymorphonuclearneutrophils to synthesize leukotriene B4 and platelet-activating factor (PAF), but alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor and alpha 1-antichymotrypsin block this response. However, proteinases such as elastase and cathepsin G induce preferentially synthesis of PAF. An acetyltransferase required, together with phospholipase A2, in the remodeling pathway of PAF synthesis is activated in polymorphonuclearneutrophils stimulated by tumor necrosis factor and elastase. In contrast, 1-oleyl-2-acetylglycerol, a protein kinase C activator, promotes PAF formation by the de novo biosynthetic pathway without activating the acetyltransferase. Staurosporine, an inhibitor of protein kinase C, blocks PAF production apparently by inhibiting phospholipase A2. This suggests that diacylglycerols are involved in activating both pathway of PAF synthesis.     

Phosphorylation and activation of nuclear Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase phosphatase (CaMKP-N/PPM1E) by Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase I (CaMKI)

Nuclear Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase phosphatase (CaMKP-N/PPM1E) is an enzyme that dephosphorylates and downregulates multifunctional Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases (CaMKs) as well as AMP-dependent protein kinase. In our previous study, we found that zebrafish CaMKP-N (zCaMKP-N) underwent proteolytic processing and translocated to cytosol in a proteasome inhibitor-sensitive manner. In the present study, we found that zCaMKP-N is regulated by phosphorylation at Ser-480. When zCaMKP-N was incubated with the activated CaMKI, time-dependent phosphorylation of the enzyme was observed. This phosphorylation was significantly reduced when Ser-480 was replaced by Ala, suggesting that CaMKI phosphorylates Ser-480 of zCaMKP-N. Phosphorylation-mimic mutants, S480D and S480E, showed higher phosphatase activities than those of wild type and S480A mutant in solution-based phosphatase assay using various substrates. Furthermore, autophosphorylation of CaMKII after ionomycin treatment was more severely attenuated in Neuro2a cells when CaMKII was cotransfected with the phosphorylation-mimic mutant of zCaMKP-N than with the wild-type or non-phosphorylatable zCaMKP-N. These results strongly suggest that phosphorylation of zCaMKP-N at Ser-480 by CaMKI activates CaMKP-N catalytic activity and thereby downregulates multifunctional CaMKs in the cytosol.     

Regulation of cyclin D1/Cdk4 complexes by calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase I

The selective inhibitor of the multifunctional calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinases (CaMK), KN-93, arrests a variety of cell types in G(1). However, the biochemical nature of this G(1) arrest point and the physiological target of KN-93 in G(1) remain controversial. Here we show that in WI-38 human diploid fibroblasts KN-93 reversibly arrested cells in late G(1) prior to detectable cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (cdk4) activation. At the KN-93 arrest point, we found that cyclin D1/cdk4 complexes had assembled with p21/p27, accumulated in the nucleus, and become phosphorylated on Thr-172, yet were relatively inactive. Additional examination of cdk4 complexes by gel filtration analysis demonstrated that, in late G(1), cyclin D1-containing complexes migrated toward lower molecular weight (M(r)) fractions and this altered migration was accompanied by the appearance of two peaks of cdk4 activity, at 150-200 and 70 kDa, respectively. KN-93 prevented both the activation of cdk4, and this shift in cyclin D1 migration and overexpression of cyclin D1/cdk4 overcame the KN-93 arrest. To determine which multifunctional CaMK acts in G(1), we expressed kinase-deficient forms of CaMKI and CaMKII. Overexpression of kinase-deficient CaMKI, but not CaMKII, prevented cdk4 activation, mimicking the KN-93 arrest point. Therefore, we hypothesize that KN-93 prevents a very late, uncharacterized step in cyclin D/cdk4 activation that involves CaMKI and follows complex assembly, nuclear entry, and phosphorylation.     

D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase A is activated by receptor activation through a calcium:calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II phosphorylation mechanism.

D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] 3-kinase, the enzyme responsible for production of D-myo-inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate, was activated 3- to 5-fold in homogenates of rat brain cortical slices after incubation with carbachol. The effect was reproduced in response to UTP in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells overexpressing Ins(1,4,5)P3 3-kinase A, the major isoform present in rat and human neuronal cells. In ortho-32P-labelled cells, the phosphorylated 53 kDa enzyme could be identified after receptor activation by immunoprecipitation. The time course of phosphorylation was very similar to that observed for carbachol (or UTP)-induced enzyme activation. Enzyme phosphorylation was prevented in the presence of okadaic acid. Calmodulin (CaM) kinase II inhibitors (i.e. KN-93 and KN-62) prevented phosphorylation of Ins(1,4,5)P3 3-kinase. Identification of the phosphorylation site in transfected CHO cells indicated that the phosphorylated residue was Thr311. This residue of the human brain sequence lies in an active site peptide segment corresponding to a CaM kinase II-mediated phosphorylation consensus site, i.e. Arg-Ala-Val-Thr. The same residue in Ins(1,4,5)P3 3-kinase A was also phosphorylated in vitro by CaM kinase II. Phosphorylation resulted in 8- to 10-fold enzyme activation and a 25-fold increase in sensitivity to the Ca2+:CaM complex. In this study, direct evidence is provided for a novel regulation mechanism for Ins(1,4,5)P3 3-kinase (isoform A) in vitro and in intact cells.     

Synthesis of 1-O-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (platelet-activating factor) in exocrine glands and its control by secretagogues

1-O-Alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholines (platelet-activating factor (PAF] stimulate exocytosis in isolated lobules from guinea pig parotid glands or pancreas by an acetylcholine-like mechanism (S?ling, H. D., Eibl, H. J., and Fest, W. (1984) Eur. J. Biochem. 144, 65-72). We show here that both tissues are able to synthetize PAF themselves. Isolated guinea pig parotid gland acini incorporate labeled acetate into the 2-position of PAF. Stimulation with A23187 or carbamoylcholine lead to a significant stimulation of this process. The newly synthetized PAF is partially released into the medium. Addition of lyso-PAF to the incubation medium does not significantly affect the rate of incorporation of labeled acetate into PAF in the absence or presence of carbamoylcholine. Isolated pancreatic lobules are also able to incorporate labeled acetate into PAF, and cholecystokinin and caerulein lead to a strong stimulation of this process. Incorporation of radioactive lyso-PAF into PAF, but not into 1-O-alkyl-2-long chain acyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine was also significantly stimulated by carbamoylcholine in isolated parotid acini. Under these conditions, the time-dependent stimulation of amylase release paralled that of lyso-PAF incorporation into PAF. The same holds for the concentration dependency of the carbachol effect on these two parameters. In isolated pancreatic lobules, caerulein also stimulated the incorporation of lyso-PAF into PAF. Pulse-chase experiments with radioactive lyso-PAF indicate that stimulation of incorporation of radioactive lyso-PAF into PAF represents increased net synthesis of PAF rather than increased PAF-turnover. Using the platelet aggregation test, substantial amounts (0.79 nmol/g) of PAF could be determined in isolated acini from guinea pig parotid glands.     

14-3-3 protein directly interacts with the kinase domain of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase (CaMKK2)

Background

Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 (CaMKK2) is a member of the Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent kinase (CaMK) family involved in adiposity regulation, glucose homeostasis and cancer. This upstream activator of CaMKI, CaMKIV and AMP-activated protein kinase is inhibited by phosphorylation, which also triggers an association with the scaffolding protein 14-3-3. However, the role of 14-3-3 in the regulation of CaMKK2 remains unknown.

Regulation of endothelial cell barrier function by calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II

Thrombin-induced endothelial cell barrier dysfunction is tightly linked to Ca(2+)-dependent cytoskeletal protein reorganization. In this study, we found that thrombin increased Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM kinase II) activities in a Ca(2+)- and time-dependent manner in bovine pulmonary endothelium with maximal activity at 5 min. Pretreatment with KN-93, a specific CaM kinase II inhibitor, attenuated both thrombin-induced increases in monolayer permeability to albumin and decreases in transendothelial electrical resistance (TER). We next explored potential thrombin-induced CaM kinase II cytoskeletal targets and found that thrombin causes translocation and significant phosphorylation of nonmuscle filamin (ABP-280), which was attenuated by KN-93, whereas thrombin-induced myosin light chain phosphorylation was unaffected. Furthermore, a cell-permeable N-myristoylated synthetic filamin peptide (containing the COOH-terminal CaM kinase II phosphorylation site) attenuated both thrombin-induced filamin phosphorylation and decreases in TER. Together, these studies indicate that CaM kinase II activation and filamin phosphorylation may participate in thrombin-induced cytoskeletal reorganization and endothelial barrier dysfunction.     

Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II regulates Tiam1 by reversible protein phosphorylation

A number of guanine nucleotide exchange factors have been identified that activate Rho family GTPases, by promoting the binding of GTP to these proteins. We have recently demonstrated that lysophosphatidic acid and several other agonists stimulate phosphorylation of the Rac1-specific exchange factor Tiam1 in Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts, and that protein kinase C is involved in Tiam1 phosphorylation (Fleming, I. N., Elliott, C. M., Collard, J. G., and Exton, J. H. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 33105-33110). We now show, through manipulation of intracellular [Ca2+] and the use of protein kinase inhibitors, that both protein kinase Calpha and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II are involved in the phosphorylation of Tiam1 in vivo. Furthermore, we show that Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II phosphorylates Tiam1 in vitro, producing an electrophoretic retardation on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Significantly, phosphorylation of Tiam1 by Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, but not by protein kinase C, enhanced its nucleotide exchange activity toward Rac1, by approximately 2-fold. Furthermore, Tiam1 was preferentially dephosphorylated by protein phosphatase 1 in vitro, and treatment with this phosphatase abolished the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II activation of Tiam1. These data demonstrate that protein kinase Calpha and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II phosphorylate Tiam1 in vivo, and that the latter kinase plays a key role in regulating the activity of this exchange factor in vitro.     

Modulation of the phosphorylation and activity of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II by zinc

Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMPK-II) is a key regulatory enzyme in living cells. Modulation of its activity, therefore, could have a major impact on many cellular processes. We found that Zn(2+) has multiple functional effects on CaMPK-II. Zn(2+) generated a Ca(2+)/CaM-independent activity that correlated with the autophosphorylation of Thr(286), inhibited Ca(2+)/CaM binding that correlated with the autophosphorylation of Thr(306), and inhibited CaMPK-II activity at high concentrations that correlated with the autophosphorylation of Ser(279). The relative level of autophosphorylation of these three sites was dependent on the concentration of zinc used. The autophosphorylation of at least these three sites, together with Zn(2+) binding, generated an increased mobility form of CaMPK-II on sodium dodecyl sulfate gels. Overall, autophosphorylation induced by Zn(2+) converts CaMPK-II into a different form than the binding of Ca(2+)/CaM. In certain nerve terminals, where Zn(2+) has been shown to play a neuromodulatory role and is present in high concentrations, Zn(2+) may turn CaMPK-II into a form that would be unable to respond to calcium signals.     

Phosphorylation and activation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase phosphatase by Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II.

Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase phosphatase (CaMKPase) is a protein phosphatase which dephosphorylates autophosphorylated Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and deactivates the enzyme (Ishida, A., Kameshita, I. and Fujisawa, H. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 1904-1910). In this study, a phosphorylation-dephosphorylation relationship between CaMKII and CaMKPase was examined. CaMKPase was not significantly phosphorylated by CaMKII under the standard phosphorylation conditions but was phosphorylated in the presence of poly-L-lysine, which is a potent activator of CaMKPase. The maximal extent of the phosphorylation was about 1 mol of phosphate per mol of the enzyme and the phosphorylation resulted in an about 2-fold increase in the enzyme activity. Thus, the activity of CaMKPase appears to be regulated through phosphorylation by its target enzyme, CaMKII.     

Regulatory domain of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. Mechanism of inhibition and regulation by phosphorylation

Regulatory mechanisms of rat brain Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM-kinase II) were probed using a synthetic peptide (CaMK-(281-309] corresponding to residues 281-309 (alpha-subunit) which contained the calmodulin (CaM)-binding and inhibitory domains and also the initial autophosphorylation site (Thr286). Kinetic analyses indicated that inhibition of a completely Ca2+/CaM-independent form of CaM-kinase II by CaMK-(281-309) was noncompetitive with respect to peptide substrate (syntide-2) but was competitive with respect to ATP. Interaction of CaMK-(281-309) with the ATP-binding site was independently confirmed since inactivation of proteolyzed CaM-kinase II by phenylglyoxal (t1/2 = 7 min) was blocked by ATP analog plus Mg2+ or by CaMK-(281-309). In the presence of Ca2+/CaM, CaMK-(281-309) no longer protected against phenylglyoxal inactivation, consistent with our previous observations (Colbran, R.J., Fong, Y.-L., Schworer, C.M., and Soderling, T.R. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 18145-18151) that binding of Ca2+/CaM to CaMK-(281-309) 1) blocks its inhibitory property, and 2) enhances its phosphorylation at Thr 286. The present study also showed that phosphorylation of CaMK-(281-309) decreased its inhibitory potency at least 10-fold without affecting its Ca2+/CaM-binding ability. Thus, CaM-kinase II is inactive in the absence of Ca2+/CaM because an inhibitory domain within residues 281-309 interacts with the catalytic domain and blocks ATP binding. Autophosphorylation of Thr286 results in a Ca2+/CaM-independent form of the kinase by disrupting the inhibitory interaction with the catalytic domain.     

Regulation of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II docking to N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors by calcium/calmodulin and alpha-actinin

Ca(2+) influx through the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)-type glutamate receptor leads to activation and postsynaptic accumulation of Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and ultimately to long term potentiation, which is thought to be the physiological correlate of learning and memory. The NMDA receptor also serves as a CaMKII docking site in dendritic spines with high affinity binding sites located on its NR1 and NR2B subunits. We demonstrate that high affinity binding of CaMKII to NR1 requires autophosphorylation of Thr(286). This autophosphorylation reduces the off rate to a level (t(12) = approximately 23 min) that is similar to that observed for dissociation of the T286D mutant CaMKII (t(12) = approximately 30 min) from spines after its glutamate-induced accumulation (Shen, K., Teruel, M. N., Connor, J. H., Shenolikar, S., and Meyer, T. (2000) Nat. Neurosci. 3, 881-886). CaMKII as well as the previously identified NR1 binding partners calmodulin and alpha-actinin bind to the short C-terminal portion of the C0 region of NR1. Like Ca(2+)/calmodulin, autophosphorylated CaMKII competes with alpha-actinin-2 for binding to NR1. We conclude that the NR1 C0 region is a key site for recruiting CaMKII to the postsynaptic site, where it may act in concert with calmodulin to modulate the stimulatory role of alpha-actinin interaction with the NMDA receptor.     

Inhibition of interleukin-1beta -induced NF-kappa B activation by calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase occurs through Akt activation associated with interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase phosphorylation and uncoupling of MyD88

Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase (CaMKK) and Akt are two multifunctional kinases involved in many cellular responses. Although Akt and Ca(2+) signals have been implicated in NF-kappaB activation in response to certain stimuli, these results are still controversial, and the mechanism(s) involved remains unknown. In this study, we show the roles that CaMKK and Akt play in regulating interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta)-induced NF-kappaB signaling. In human embryonic kidney 293 cells, IL-1beta induces IkappaB kinase beta (IKKbeta) activation, IkappaBalpha degradation, NF-kappaB transactivation, and weak Akt activation. A CaMKK inhibitor (KN-93) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitors (wortmannin and LY294002) do not inhibit IL-1beta-induced NF-kappaB activation. However, IL-1beta-induced NF-kappaB activity is attenuated by increased intracellular calcium in response to ionomycin, UTP, or thapsigargin or by overexpression of CaMKKc and/or Akt. Ionomycin and CaMKKc overexpression increases Akt phosphorylation on Thr(308) and enzyme activity. Under these conditions or upon overexpression of wild type Akt, IL-1beta-induced IKKbeta activity is diminished. Furthermore, a dominant negative mutant of Akt abolishes IKKbeta inhibition by CaMKKc and ionomycin, suggesting that Akt acts as a mediator of CaMKK signaling to inhibit IL-1beta-induced IKK activity at an upstream target site. We have also identified a novel interaction between CaMKK-stimulated Akt and interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 1 (IRAK1), which plays a key role in IL-1beta-induced NF-kappaB activation. CaMKKc and Akt overexpression decreases IRAK1-mediated NF-kappaB activity and its association with MyD88 in response to IL-1beta stimulation. Furthermore, CaMKKc and Akt overexpression increases IRAK1 phosphorylation at Thr(100), and point mutation of this site abrogates the inhibitory effect of Akt on IRAK1-mediated NF-kappaB activation. Taken together, these results indicate a novel regulatory mechanism for IL-1beta signaling and suggest that CaMKK-dependent Akt activation inhibits IL-1beta-induced NF-kappaB activation through interference with the coupling of IRAK1 to MyD88.     

Acetylcholine-like effects of 1-O-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine ('platelet-activating factor') and its analogues in exocrine secretory glands

The effect of 1-O-hexadecyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (1), 1-O-octadecyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (2) 1-O-hexadecyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (3), 1-O-octadecyl-2-O-methyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (4) and its enantiomer 3-O-octadecyl-2-O-methyl-sn-glycero-1-phosphocholine (5) on the secretion of amylase from guinea pig isolated parotid gland and exocrine pancreatic lobules was examined. Compounds 1, 2 and 4 led to a significant stimulation of amylase release in both systems, effects being already visible between 10-100 pM. Maximal stimulation with compounds 1 and 2 occurred at 5 nM, with compound 4 at 1 nM. Higher concentrations were less effective and at 0.1 microM stimulation was very low. In contrast, compound 5 showed a continuous increase in activity up to 0.01-0.1 microM without a decrease at at higher concentrations. Compound 3 had no effect. For compound 1, its effects on calcium and lipid metabolism have been analyzed and compared with those of the acetylcholine analogue carbamoylcholine. Compound 1 mimicked in every respect the effects of carbamoylcholine. It stimulated the uptake of 45Ca by isolated parotid gland lobules in a non-ionophoretic way. In isolated pancreatic lobules it enhanced the incorporation of [32P]phosphate into phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylinositol and poly(phosphoinositide), increased the formation of diacylglycerols and triacylglycerol, led to the same two-phasic responses of myo-[3H]inositol-labeled polyphosphoinositides, and initiated a rapid short-lasting formation of free inositol triphosphate. Accordingly, 'platelet activating factor(s)' can affect the function of exocrine glands at low concentrations. The effects observed resemble those produced by acetylcholine and result most likely from the interaction of platelet-activating factor with plasma membrane receptors.     

Regulation of Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase alpha by cAMP-dependent protein kinase: II. Mutational analysis

We previously reported that rat brain Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaM-kinase) IV is inactivated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) [Kameshita, I. and Fujisawa, H. (1991) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 180, 191-196]. In the preceding paper, we demonstrated that changes in the activity of CaM-kinase IV by PKA results from the phosphorylation of CaM-kinase kinase alpha by PKA and identified six phosphorylation sites, Ser(24) for autophosphorylation, and Ser(52), Ser(74), Thr(108), Ser(458), and Ser(475) for phosphorylation by PKA. In the present study, a causal relationship between the phosphorylation and change in the activity toward PKIV peptide has been studied using mutant enzymes with amino acid substitutions at the six phosphorylation sites. The following conclusions can be drawn from the experimental results: (i) Phosphorylation of Ser74 and/or unidentified sites causes an increase in activity; (ii) phosphorylation of Thr(108) or Ser(458) causes a decrease in the activity; (iii) the inhibitory effect of the phosphorylation of Thr(108) is canceled by the stimulatory effect of the phosphorylation, but that of Ser(458) is not; and (iv) the inhibitory effects of Thr(108) and Ser(458) are synergistic. In contrast to the activity toward PKIV peptide, the activity toward CaM-kinase IV appears to be decreased by the phosphorylation of Thr(108), but not significantly affected by the phosphorylation of Ser(458).     

Regulation of Cdc2/cyclin B activation in Xenopus egg extracts via inhibitory phosphorylation of Cdc25C phosphatase by Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein [corrected] kinase II

Activation of Cdc2/cyclin B kinase and entry into mitosis requires dephosphorylation of inhibitory sites on Cdc2 by Cdc25 phosphatase. In vertebrates, Cdc25C is inhibited by phosphorylation at a single site targeted by the checkpoint kinases Chk1 and Cds1/Chk2 in response to DNA damage or replication arrest. In Xenopus early embryos, the inhibitory site on Cdc25C (S287) is also phosphorylated by a distinct protein kinase that may determine the intrinsic timing of the cell cycle. We show that S287-kinase activity is repressed in extracts of unfertilized Xenopus eggs arrested in M phase but is rapidly stimulated upon release into interphase by addition of Ca2+, which mimics fertilization. S287-kinase activity is not dependent on cyclin B degradation or inactivation of Cdc2/cyclin B kinase, indicating a direct mechanism of activation by Ca2+. Indeed, inhibitor studies identify the predominant S287-kinase as Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). CaMKII phosphorylates Cdc25C efficiently on S287 in vitro and, like Chk1, is inhibited by 7-hydroxystaurosporine (UCN-01) and debromohymenialdisine, compounds that abrogate G2 arrest in somatic cells. CaMKII delays Cdc2/cyclin B activation via phosphorylation of Cdc25C at S287 in egg extracts, indicating that this pathway regulates the timing of mitosis during the early embryonic cell cycle.     

Regulation of dendritogenesis via a lipid-raft-associated Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase CLICK-III/CaMKIgamma

Ca(2+) signaling plays a central role in activity-dependent regulation of dendritic arborization, but key molecular mechanisms downstream of calcium elevation remain poorly understood. Here we show that the C-terminal region of the Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase CLICK-III (CL3)/CaMKIgamma, a membrane-anchored CaMK, was uniquely modified by two sequential lipidification steps: prenylation followed by a kinase-activity-regulated palmitoylation. These modifications were essential for CL3 membrane anchoring and targeting into detergent-resistant lipid microdomains (or rafts) in the dendrites. We found that CL3 critically contributed to BDNF-stimulated dendritic growth. Raft insertion of CL3 specifically promoted dendritogenesis of cortical neurons by acting upstream of RacGEF STEF and Rac, both present in lipid rafts. Thus, CL3 may represent a key element in the Ca(2+)-dependent and lipid-raft-delineated switch that turns on extrinsic activity-regulated dendrite formation in developing cortical neurons.     

IGFBP-2 stimulates calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 activation leading to AMP-activated protein kinase induction which is required for osteoblast differentiation

Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and insulin-like growth factor binding proteins-2 (IGFBP-2) function coordinately to stimulate osteoblast differentiation. Induction of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is required for differentiation and is stimulated by these two factors. These studies were undertaken to determine how these two peptides lead to activation of AMPK. Enzymatic inhibitors and small interfering RNA were utilized to attenuate calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 (CaMKK2) activity in osteoblasts, and both manipulations resulted in failure to activate AMPK, thereby resulting in inhibition of osteoblast differentiation. IGFBP-2 and IGF-I stimulated an increase in CaMKK2, and inhibition of IGFBP-2 binding its receptor resulted in failure to induce CaMKK2 and AMPK activation. Injection of a peptide that contained the IGFBP-2 receptor-binding domain into IGFBP-2^−/− mice activated CaMKK2 and injection of a CaMKK2 inhibitor into normal mice inhibited both CamKK2 and AMPK activation in osteoblasts. We conclude that induction of CaMKK2 by IGFBP-2 and IGF-I in osteoblasts is an important signaling event that occurs early in differentiation and is responsible for activation of AMPK, which is required for optimal osteoblast differentiation.