Vasopressin and epinephrine stimulation of phosphatidylinositol breakdown in the plasma membrane of rat hepatocytes

Hepatocytes obtained from rats injected 18 hours previously with tritiated inositol showed significant phosphatidylinositol breakdown after treatment with 20 mU/ml vasopressin or 10 uM epinephrine. Vasopressin produced only a 4.7% and 7.4% decrease in breakdown of total phosphatidylinositol at 5 and 15 minutes. The subcellular localization of vasopressin and epinephrine induced phosphatidy linositol breakdown was examined in prelabeled hepatocytes incubated with 20 mU/ml vasopressin or 10 uM epinephrine for 5 minutes. There was an appreciable loss (16 to 19%) of labeled phosphatidylinositol from the plasma membrane of isolated hepatocytes exposed to epinephrine or vasopressin for 5 minutes. There was no significant breakdown of the labeled phosphatidylinositol present in endoplasmic reticulum. These results indicate that vasopressin and epinephrine stimulate phosphatidylinositol breakdown in the plasma membrane after activation of cell surface receptors.     

Phosphatidylinositol metabolism in rat hepatocytes stimulated by vasopressin.

In isolated rat hepatocytes, vasopressin evoked a large increase in the incorporation of [32P]Pi into phosphatidylinositol, accompanied by smaller increases in the incorporation of [1-14C]oleate and [U-14C]glycerol. Incorporation of these precursors into the other major phospholipids was unchanged during vasopressin treatment. Vasopressin also promoted phosphatidylinositol breakdown in hepatocytes. Half-maximum effects on phosphatidylinositol breakdown and on phosphatidylinositol labelling occurred at about 5 nM-vasopressin, a concentration at which approximately half of the hepatic vasopressin receptors are occupied but which is much greater than is needed to produce half-maximal activation of glycogen phosphorylase. Insulin did not change the incorporation of [32P]Pi into the phospholipids of hepatocytes and it had no effect on the response to vasopressin. Although the incorporation of [32P]Pi into hepatocyte lipids was decreased when cells were incubated in a Ca2+-free medium, vasopressin still provoked a substantial stimulation of phosphatidylinositol labelling under these conditions. Studies with the antagonist [1-(beta-mercapto-beta, beta-cyclopentamethylenepropionic acid),8-arginine]vasopressin indicated that the hepatic vasopressin receptors that control phosphatidylinositol metabolism are similar to those that mediate the vasopressor response in vivo. When prelabelled hepatocytes were stimulated for 5 min and then subjected to subcellular fractionation. The decrease in [3H]phosphatidylinositol content in each cell fraction with approximately in proportion to its original phosphatidylinositol content. This may be a consequence of phosphatidylinositol breakdown at a single site, followed by rapid phosphatidylinositol exchange between membranes leading to re-establishment of an equilibrium distribution.     

Relationship between inositol polyphosphate production and the increase of cytosolic free Ca2+ induced by vasopressin in isolated hepatocytes

Addition of vasopressin to rat hepatocytes prelabeled with myo-[2-3H]inositol resulted in a very rapid decrease [3H]phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (Ptd-Ins-4,5-P2) which was paralleled by increases of up to 3-fold in the levels of [3H]inositol trisphosphate (Ins-P3) and [3H]inositol bisphosphate (Ins-P2). Increases of [3H]inositol phosphate (Ins-P) were not detected until about 5 min after hormone addition. These data indicate that the major pathway for hormone-induced lipid breakdown in liver is through a phosphodiesterase for PtdIns-4,5-P2 and that decreases of phosphatidylinositol are a secondary result of increased PtdIns-4,5-P2 resynthesis. Using the fluorescent Ca2+ indicator Quin 2, cytosolic free Ca2+ increased from 160 nM to about 400 nM after vasopressin addition to hepatocytes and preceded the conversion of phosphorylase b to a. Half-maximal and maximal increases of cytosolic free Ca2+ and phosphorylase a activity were observed at 0.2 and 1 nM vasopressin, respectively. The dose-response curve for the initial rate of cytosolic free Ca2+ increase was very similar to those obtained for the initial rates of Ins-P3 production and PtdIns-4,5-P2 breakdown. Pretreatment of hepatocytes with Li+ caused a 3--4-fold potentiation of vasopressin-induced elevations of Ins-P, Ins-P2, and Ins-P3, with half-maximal effects at 0.5, 1, and 5 mM, respectively. The calculated maximal concentrations of Ins-P3 in cells treated with 20 nM vasopressin were 10 and 30 microM, respectively, without and with Li+. Lithium did not affect the initial rate of inositol polyphosphate production or Ca2+ mobilization. The increase of Ins-P3 which correlated with peak cytosolic free Ca2+ elevation was about 0.6 microM. In a saponin-permeabilized hepatocyte preparation, Ins-P3 (1 microM) caused Ca2+ release from a vesicular, ATP-dependent Ca2+ pool. The data presented here suggest that Ins-P3 may be a second messenger for the mobilization of intracellular Ca2+ by hormones in liver.     

Phosphoinositide phosphorylation and hydrolysis in pancreatic islet cell membrane

Membranes were isolated from dispersed rat pancreatic islet cells by attachment to Sephadex beads. When these membranes were exposed to [gamma-32P]ATP, formation of 32P-labeled phosphatidate, phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate, and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate was observed. Carbamylcholine, added 10 s prior to lipid extraction, caused a dose-related fall in 32P-labeled phospholipids. The effect of the cholinergic agent was suppressed by atropine, ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N'-tetraacetic acid, and verapamil, and simulated, in part, by an increase in Ca2+ concentration. When the membranes were derived from islet cells prelabeled with [U-14C]arachidonate, carbamylcholine stimulation, in addition to decreasing labeled polyphosphoinositides, was accompanied by an increased production of labeled diacylglycerol, without a concomitant increase in labeled phosphatidylinositol. These results indicate that activation of a plasma membrane-associated phospholipase C directed against polyphosphoinositides represents a primary event in the functional response of the pancreatic beta cell to cholinergic agents.     

Action of insulin on the subcellular metabolism of polyphosphoinositides in isolated rat hepatocytes

The effect of insulin on 32Pi incorporation into phospholipids in various subcellular sites of isolated rat hepatocytes was investigated. After labeling the phospholipids of hepatocytes from rats previously starved for 24 h with 32Pi (10 mu Ci/10(6) cells) for 90 min, either saline or insulin (32 nM) was added. Following incubations of 1, 5, and 30 min, chilled cells were rapidly washed, homogenized in the presence of inhibitors of phospholipid degradation, and fractionated into the major subcellular organelles. Phospholipids were extracted from plasma membranes, microsomes, lysosomes, mitochondria, and nuclei with acidic chloroform:methanol. The aqueous deacylation products were separated by anion exchange high performance liquid chromatography, and the 32Pi incorporated into all the major diacylglycerophospholipids was determined. In parallel experiments, the specific radioactivity of 32Pi and [gamma-32P]ATP was determined. The results revealed that insulin had no effect on the turnover of the major phospholipids, including the polyphosphoinositides, of all subcellular compartments analyzed relative to the control. In addition, there were no significant differences in the amount and 32P labeling of cellular orthophosphate between saline- and insulin-treated cells. The specific radioactivity of [gamma-32P]ATP was increased by 20% after 30-min treatment with insulin, requiring appropriate correction of 32P-labeled phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate, and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate for estimation of mass changes at near steady-state labeling of cellular ATP.     

Vasopressin-stimulated phosphorylation of rat liver phospholipid methyltransferase in isolated hepatocytes

Addition of vasopressin (1 microM) to isolated rat hepatocytes prelabeled with [32P]phosphate was accompanied by a 250% increase in the phosphorylation of phospholipid methyltransferase. Vasopressin-stimulated phospholipid methyltransferase phosphorylation was time- and dose-dependent. 32P-labeled phospholipid methyltransferase was recovered by immunoprecipitation and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. After electrophoresis, phospholipid methyltransferase was electroeluted from the polyacrylamide gel and subjected to tryptic digestion or HCl hydrolysis. Analysis of 32P-labeled peptides reveals only one site of phosphorylation and the analysis of [32P]phosphoamino acids indicates that phosphoserine is the only labeled amino acid.     

Changes in the concentration and fatty acid composition of phosphoinositides induced by hormones in hepatocytes

The hormonal regulation of phosphoinositide levels in isolated hepatocytes was studied using chemical means. Extracted inositol phospholipids were adsorbed to neomycin-coated glass beads and then eluted and quantitated by charring after separation by thin layer chromatography on silica gel. The amounts (in nanograms/mg wet weight) of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PIP), and phosphatidylinositol (PI) were 20 +/- 1, 16 +/- 1, and 1790 +/- 140, respectively). Incubation of the cells with 100 nM vasopressin decreased the value for PIP2 to 10 +/- 0.2 at 15 s, 12 +/- 1.5 at 1 min, and 14 +/- 2.1 at 5 and 30 min. In contrast, the hormone increased 1,2-diacylglycerol plus phosphatidate by over 200 ng/mg wet weight at 5 min under similar conditions (Bocckino, S. B., Blackmore, P. F., Wilson, P. B., and Exton, J. H. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 15309-15315). PIP2 was also significantly decreased at 15 s by angiotensin II (100 nM), ATP (100 microM), and epinephrine (1 microM). In contrast, PIP was not significantly changed, and PI was significantly decreased (by approximately 15%) at later times (15 and 30 min). The changes in phosphoinositide mass were well correlated with changes in labeled phosphoinositides in hepatocytes previously incubated with [3H]inositol for 90 min. The amounts of inositol phospholipids in liver plasma membranes (in micrograms/mg protein) were 2.1 +/- 0.2 for PIP2, 0.24 +/- 0.03 for PIP, and 23 +/- 4 for PI. Comparison of these values with those for whole cells suggests that PIP2 is enriched in the plasma membrane, whereas PIP is present elsewhere in the cell. The fatty acid composition of whole cell PIP2 showed significant differences from that of PI. The percentages of palmitic, stearic, linoleic, and arachidonic acids were, respectively, 14, 41, 10, and 25 for PIP2 and 10, 34, 7, and 37 for PI. Vasopressin treatment for 15 s did not alter the fatty acid composition of PIP2. The corresponding fatty acid percentages for liver plasma membranes were 13, 41, 11, and 21 for PIP2 and 8, 34, 0, and 40 for PI. The fatty acid composition of PIP in whole cells and plasma membranes resembled that of PIP2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

The inositol lipids of Paramecium tetraurelia and preliminary characterizations of phosphoinositide kinase activity in the ciliary membrane

Inositol glycerolipids make up less than 10% of total phospholipids of Paramecium tetraurelia cells. Unlike inositol lipids found in mammalian and other cell types, these lipids from Paramecium lack arachidonic acid. It was demonstrated that kinase and possibly phosphatase enzymes that interconvert phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylinositol phosphate (PI-P) and phosphatidylinositol-bis-phosphate (PI-P2) exist in ciliary membranes of this ciliate. When exogenous soybean PI and [gamma-32P]ATP were provided as substrates, isolated cilia preparations exhibited PI and PI-P kinase activities as demonstrated by the incorporation of radiolabel into PI-P and PI-P2. Kinase activity was activated by millimolar [Mg2+] and inhibited by millimolar [Ca2+]. Significant inhibition of kinase activity in the presence of unlabeled excess ATP suggested that ATP is the preferred phosphate donor for this reaction. Of 4 suborganellar fractions of isolated cilia, the membrane fraction had the greatest kinase activity indicating that the enzyme(s) is membrane-associated.     

Phosphatidylinositol metabolism in rat hepatocytes stimulated by glycogenolytic hormones. Effects of angiotensin, vasopressin, adrenaline, ionophore A23187 and calcium-ion deprivation

1. The effects on phosphatidylinositol metabolism of three Ca(2+)-mobilizing glycogenolytic hormones, namely angiotensin, vasopressin and adrenaline, have been investigated by using rat hepatocytes. 2. All three hormones stimulate both phosphatidylinositol breakdown and the labelling of this lipid with (32)P. 3. The response to angiotensin occurs quickly, requires a high concentration of the hormone and is prevented by [1-sarcosine, 8-isoleucine]angiotensin, a specific angiotensin antagonist that does not prevent the responses to vasopressin and to adrenaline. This response therefore seems to be mediated by angiotensin-specific receptors. 4. [1-Deaminocysteine,2-phenylalanine,7-(3,4-didehydroproline),8-arginine] vasopressin, a vasopressin analogue with enhanced antidiuretic potency, is relatively ineffective at stimulating phosphatidylinositol metabolism. This suggests that the hepatic vasopressin receptors that stimulate phosphatidylinositol breakdown are different in their ligand selectivity from the antidiuretic vasopressin receptors that activate renal adenylate cyclase. 5. Incubation of hepatocytes with ionophore A23187, a bivalent-cation ionophore, neither mimicked nor appreciably changed the effects of vasopressin on phosphatidylinositol metabolism, suggesting that phosphatidylinositol breakdown is not controlled by changes in the cytosol Ca(2+) concentration. This conclusion was supported by the observation that hormonal stimulation of phosphatidylinositol breakdown and resynthesis persists in cells incubated for a substantial period in EGTA, although this treatment somewhat decreased the phosphatidylinositol response of the hepatocyte. The phosphatidylinositol response of the hepatocyte therefore appears not to be controlled by changes in cytosol [Ca(2+)], despite the fact that this ion is thought to be the second messenger by which the same hormones control glycogenolysis. 6. These results may be an indication that phosphatidylinositol breakdown is an integral reaction in the stimulus-response coupling sequence(s) that link(s) activation of alpha-adrenergic, vasopressin and angiotensin receptors to mobilization of Ca(2+) in the rat hepatocyte.     

Effects of insulin on inositol phosphate production in cultured rat hepatocytes

Addition of vasopressin (100 nM) to rat hepatocytes prelabelled with [3H]inositol stimulated the production of inositol phosphates in the presence of 20 mM Li+. Preincubation of hepatocytes with insulin (50 nM) or glucagon (10 nM) had no significant effect alone but enhanced the effects of vasopressin after a lag period of at least 1 min. The effects of insulin and glucagon appeared additive in this respect. Insulin also enhanced the norepinephrine-mediated stimulation of inositol phosphate accumulation. The enhancement by insulin of the effects of vasopressin required at least 0.5-5 nM insulin and did not involve changes in [3H]inositol lipid labelling or IP3 phosphatase activity. The effect of insulin appeared insensitive to prior treatment of hepatocytes with pertussis toxin (200 ng/ml for 18-24 h) or cholera toxin (100 ng/ml for 3-4 h). The glucagon enhancement of the effects of vasopressin was not affected by pertussis toxin but was mimicked by cholera toxin. The response of hepatocytes to vasopressin in the absence of Li+ was smaller and more transient. Under these conditions a 5 min prior incubation with insulin inhibited the stimulation by vasopressin of inositol phosphate accumulation. A similar inhibitory effect of prior insulin exposure on the transient activation by vasopressin of exogenous phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate breakdown by hepatocyte homogenates was also seen. These data indicate that insulin, although having no effect on basal inositol phosphate accumulation, can either enhance or antagonise the effects of vasopressin in primary rat liver hepatocyte cultures depending on the experimental conditions.     

Effects of glucagon and Ca2+ on the metabolism of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate in isolated rat hepatocytes and plasma membranes.

Rat hepatocytes whose phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PIP) and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) had been labelled for 60 min with 32P were treated with glucagon for 10 min or phenylephrine for 2 min. Glucagon caused a 20% increase in PIP but no change in PIP2 whereas phenylephrine caused a similar increase in PIP but a 15% decrease in PIP2. Addition of both hormones together for 10 min produced a 40% increase in PIP. A crude liver mitochondrial fraction incubated with [32P]Pi and ADP incorporated label into PIP, PIP2 and phosphatidic acid. The PIP2 was shown to be in contaminating plasma membranes and PIP in both lysosomal and plasma-membrane contamination. A minor but definitely mitochondrial phospholipid, more polar than PIP2, was shown to be labelled with 32P both in vitro and in hepatocytes. The rate of 32P incorporation into PIP was faster in mitochondrial/plasma-membrane preparations from rats treated with glucagon or if 3 microM-Ca2+ and Ruthenium Red were present in the incubation buffer. Loss of 32P from membranes labelled in vitro was shown to be accompanied by formation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) and inositol 1,4-bisphosphate, and was faster in preparations from glucagon-treated rats or in the presence of 3 microM-Ca2+. It is concluded that glucagon stimulates both PIP2 phosphodiesterase and phosphatidylinositol kinase activities, as does the presence of 3 microM-Ca2+. The resulting formation of IP3 may be responsible for the observed release of intracellular Ca2+ stores. The roles of a guanine nucleotide regulatory protein and phosphorylation in mediating these effects are discussed.     

Phosphatidate accumulation in hormone-treated hepatocytes via a phospholipase D mechanism

Isolated rat hepatocytes responded to a variety of Ca2+-mobilizing agents (vasopressin, angiotensin II, epinephrine, epidermal growth factor, ATP, and ADP) with a rapid increase in phosphatidate mass, as measured by a sensitive new method. When hepatocytes were incubated with vasopressin (10(-8) M), phosphatidate levels increased 2-3-fold in 2 min, but there was no significant increase in diacylglycerol at this time. Changes in the fatty acid composition of phosphatidate also preceded those in diacylglycerol. De novo synthesis of phosphatidate from [3H]glycerol was unaffected by vasopressin in short-term incubation. Incubation of washed rat liver plasma membranes with GTP gamma S caused a time-dependent increase in phosphatidate. When membranes were incubated with GTP gamma S and [gamma-32P]ATP, no incorporation of 32P into phosphatidate was observed. This excludes the phospholipase C-diacylglycerol kinase pathway and suggests that a phospholipase D activity produced the phosphatidate. At submaximal concentrations of GTP gamma S, ATP and ADP stimulated membrane phosphatidate formation, presumably by acting through P2-purinergic receptors. Only phosphatidylcholine, among the major phospholipids, decreased in the membranes in response to GTP gamma S. The fatty acid composition of the phosphatidate produced in response to vasopressin in hepatocytes also suggests that phosphatidylcholine may be the source of hormonally elicited phosphatidate. We conclude that Ca2+-mobilizing hormones mainly increase phosphatidate levels in hepatocytes by a mechanism that does not involve phosphorylation of diacylglycerol or de novo synthesis but involves a guanine nucleotide-binding protein coupled to phospholipase D.     

Plasma-membrane location of phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis in rabbit neutrophils stimulated with formylmethionyl-leucylphenylalanine.

Rabbit peritoneal neutrophils, disrupted by sonication, were separated into three subcellular fractions by sucrose-step-gradient centrifugation and these were analysed with respect to biochemical markers. They comprised a high-speed supernatant containing the cytosol, a light particulate fraction enriched in Golgi and plasma membranes and a heavy particulate fraction enriched in granules and nuclei. The light particulate fraction was further separated into its components, which were identified as Golgi membranes (galactosyltransferase activity) and plasma membranes ((radioactivity derived from labelling intact cells with [125I]di-iodosulphanilic acid diazonium salt and [3H]formylmethionyl-leucylphenylalanine ([3H]fMet-Leu-Phe) binding)). In cells prelabelled with [3H]glycerol, the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol due to cell stimulation with fMet-Leu-Phe (10 nM) was shown to occur in the light particulate fraction. The [32P]Pi-labelling of phosphatidate, which is an early consequence of phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis, also occurred in this fraction. Analytical sucrose-gradient centrifugation of the light particulate fraction showed that the stimulated increment in [32P]phosphatidate (and thus by implication the initial phosphatidylinositol breakdown) was localized in the plasma membrane.     

Phosphodiesteratic breakdown of endogenous polyphosphoinositides in nerve ending membranes

When a membrane preparation, obtained by freezing and thawing nerve endings labeled by preincubation with 32pi, is incubated in the presence of millimolar Ca2+, there is a rapid and selective loss of label from the polyphosphoinositides and a concomitant increase in labeled inositol di- and triphosphates recovered. When the membranes are not prelabeled and are exposed to [gamma-32P]ATP under similar conditions, phosphatidate labeling is enhanced, indicating increased availability of diacylglycerol. These observations provide evidence for the presence of membrane-bound, Ca2+-stimulated phosphodiesterase activity (phospholipase C) acting on endogenous polyphosphoinositides. The implications of these findings are discussed in respect to the "phosphatidylinositol" cycle.     

The Inositol Lipids of Paramecium tetraurelia and Preliminary Characterizations of Phosphoinositide Kinase Activity in the Ciliary Membrane

Inositol glycerolipids make up less than 10% of total phospholipids of Paramecium tetraurelia cells. Unlike inositol lipids found in mammalian and other cell types, these lipids from Paramecium lack arachidonic acid. It was demonstrated that kinase and possibly phosphatase enzymes that interconvert phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylinositol phosphate (PI-P) and phosphati-dylinositol-bis-phosphate (PI-P₂) exist in ciliary membranes of this ciliate. When exogenous soybean PI and [γ-³²P]ATP were provided as substrates, isolated cilia preparations exhibited PI and PI-P kinase activities as demonstrated by the incorporation of radiolabel into PI-P and PI-P₂. Kinase activity was activated by millimolar [Mg²⁺] and inhibited by millimolar [Ca²⁺]. Significant inhibition of kinase activity in the presence of unlabeled excess ATP suggested that ATP is the preferred phosphate donor for this reaction. Of 4 suborganellar fractions of isolated cilia, the membrane fraction had the greatest kinase activity indicating that the enzyme(s) is membrane-associated     

Chemoattractant receptor-induced hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate in human polymorphonuclear leukocyte membranes. Requirement for a guanine nucleotide regulatory protein

Incubation of plasma membranes from human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) with [gamma-32P]ATP in the presence of MgCl2 resulted in the formation of 32P-labeled phosphatidic acid (PA), phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PIP), and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2). Membranes from PMN specific and azurophil granules synthesized only PIP, suggesting that PIP2 metabolism is confined to the plasma membrane in PMNs. Further incubations of the labeled plasma membranes for 60 s in the presence of 1 mM CaCl2 resulted in the hydrolysis of approximately 40 and 50% of the labeled PIP and PIP2, respectively. In the presence of 2 microM added CaCl2, PIP and PIP2 levels were unchanged by incubation with either the chemoattractant N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMet-Leu-Phe) at 0.1 microM or by 10 microM GTP; however, addition of fMet-Leu-Phe plus GTP together resulted in a 11 and 28% decrease in PIP and PIP2, respectively. These treatments had no effect on PA levels. No additional radiolabeled organic-soluble products were detected after treatment with fMet-Leu-Phe plus GTP. Incubation of intact PMNs, with the Bordetella pertussis toxin (islet-activating protein) eliminated the ability of fMet-Leu-Phe plus GTP to promote PIP2 breakdown in the isolated plasma membranes, but did not inhibit PIP2 degradation in the presence of 1 mM CaCl2. These results provide the first direct evidence that the fMet-Leu-Phe receptor in PMN membranes is coupled to polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis through an islet-activating protein-sensitive guanine nucleotide regulatory protein.     

Inhibition of polyphosphoinositide phosphodiesterase by aminoglycoside antibiotics

The calcium-activated phosphodiesteratic hydrolysis of³²P-labeled phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate and phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate in prelabeled nerve ending membranes is inhibited by the aminoglycosides neomycin and gentamicin, and to a lesser extent, by streptomycin. The inhibition is overcome by increasing concentrations of Ca²⁺, indicating that the aminoglycosides exert their effect by displacing Ca²⁺ from lipid.Dedicated to Professor Yasuzo Tsukada.     

Phospholipase C activation by ethanol in rat hepatocytes is unaffected by chronic ethanol feeding.

The activation of phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C by ethanol was compared in hepatocytes isolated from ethanol-fed rats and from pair-fed control animals. Ethanol (100-300 mM) caused a dose-dependent transient increase in cytosolic free Ca2+ levels in indo-1-loaded hepatocytes from both groups of animals. The rate of Ca2+ increase was similar in hepatocytes from control and ethanol-fed rats, but the decay of the Ca2+ increase was somewhat slower in the latter preparation. The ethanol-induced Ca2+ increase caused activation of glycogen phosphorylase, with 50% response at 50 mM-ethanol and a maximal response at 150-200 mM-ethanol, not significantly different in hepatocytes from control and ethanol-fed animals. Ins(1,4,5)P3 formation in response to ethanol (300 mM) or vasopressin (2 nM or 40 nM) was also similar in the two preparations. It is concluded that long-term ethanol feeding does not lead to an adaptive response with respect to the ethanol-induced phospholipase C activation in rat hepatocytes. The ability of ethanol in vitro to decrease membrane molecular order in liver plasma membranes from ethanol-fed and control rats was measured by e.s.r. Membranes from ethanol-fed animals had a significantly lower baseline order parameter compared with control preparations (0.313 and 0.327 respectively), indicative of decreased membrane molecular order. Addition of 100 mM-ethanol significantly decreased the order parameter in control preparations by 2.1%, but had no effect on the order parameter of plasma membranes from ethanol-fed rats, indicating that the plasma membranes had developed tolerance to ethanol, similar to other membranes in the liver. Thus the membrane structural changes associated with this membrane tolerance do not modify the ethanol-induced activation of phospholipase C. The transient activation of phospholipase C by ethanol in hepatocytes may play a role in maintaining an adaptive phenotype in rat liver.     

Bradykinin stimulates phospholipase C in rat renal medullary slices

Rat renal medullary slices prelabeled with [14C]arachidonic acid generate [14C]diacylglycerol within 1 min of exposure to bradykinin action. Production of [14C]diacylglycerol is transient. 2 min after the addition of bradykinin, the levels of metabolite reach the maximum, but decrease thereafter. Simultaneously, bradykinin induces a parallel decrease of the radioactivity in phosphatidylinositol. No degradation of other phospholipids is observed, and triacylglycerol is not affected. The degradation of [14C]phosphatidylinositol to [14C]diacylglycerol indicated the presence of phospholipase C activity. Preincubation of prelabeled slices with 2 mM dibutyryl cyclic AMP prevents both the generation of diacylglycerol and the degradation of phosphatidylinositol. Neither mepacrine nor indomethacin block diacylglycerol production and phosphatidylinositol breakdown. We conclude that, when rat renal medullary slices are stimulated with bradykinin, phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C is activated.     

Platelet-derived growth factor stimulates rapid polyphosphoinositide breakdown in fetal human fibroblasts

The addition of human platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) to confluent, quiescent cultures of human diploid fibroblasts induced the rapid breakdown of cellular polyphosphoinositides. The levels of 32P-labeled phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PIP), and phosphatidylinositol (PI) decreased by 30 to 40% within 1 min after exposure of the cells to PDGF. The levels of PIP and PIP2 returned to their initial values within 3 and 10 min, respectively, after PDGF addition. The level of PI continued to increase after it had returned to control values and was up threefold within 30 min after PDGF addition. In cells prelabeled with myo-[3H]inositol PDGF caused an eightfold increase in the levels of inositol trisphosphate (IP3) within 2 min. Lesser increases, twofold and 1.3-fold, respectively, were seen in levels of inositol bisphosphate (IP2) and inositol monophosphate (IP). Within 10 min after PDGF addition the levels of all three inositol phosphates had decreased to control values. The levels of IP3 measured 2 min after PDGF addition depended on the PDGF concentration and were maximal at 5-10 ng/ml of PDGF. Similar concentrations of PDGF stimulate maximal cell growth and DNA synthesis in these cells.