Bimodal regulatory effect of melittin and phospholipase A2-activating protein on human type II secretory phospholipase A2

Melittin and phospholipase A2-activating protein (PLAP) are known as efficient activators of secretory phospholipase A2(sPLA2) types I, II, and III when phospholipid liposomes are used as substrate. The present study demonstrates that both peptides can either inhibit or activate sPLA2 depending on the peptide/phospholipid ratio when erythrocyte membranes serve as a biologically relevant substrate. Low concentrations of melittin and PLAP were observed to inhibit sPLA2-triggered release of fatty acids from erythrocyte membranes. The inhibition was reversed at melittin concentrations above 1 microM. PLAP-induced inhibition of sPLA2 persisted steadily throughout the used concentration range (0-150 nM). The two peptides induced a dose-dependent activation of sPLA2 at low concentrations, followed by inhibition when model membranes were used as substrate. This opposite modulatory effect on biological membranes and model membranes is discussed with respect to different mechanisms the interaction of the regulatory peptides with the enzyme molecules and the substrate vesicles.     

Polyamine-phospholipid interaction probed by the accessibility of the phospholipidsn-2 ester bond to the action of phospholipase A2

Summary Conditions were used where the action of porcine pancreatic phospholipase A2 on phospholipids can be followed in the absence of added calcium and the catalytic activity is supported by the calcium brought with the nanomolar enzyme. Therefore, alterations in the enzyme velocity resulting from the presence of spermine or spermidine could be specifically studied using 1-palmitoyl-2-(pyren-1-yl)hexanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PPHPC) and 1-palmitoyl-2-(pyren-1-yl)hexanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol (PPHPG) as substrates. Both spermine and spermidine activated the hydrolysis of PPHPG fourfold at polyamine/phospholipid molar ratios of approximately 11 and 121, respectively. Double-reciprocal plots of enzyme activityvs. PPHPG concentration revealed the enhancement to be due to increased apparentV _max while the apparentK _m was slightly increased. In the presence of 4mm CaCl₂ inhibition by polyamines of PPHPG hydrolysis by phospholipase A2 was observed. Using synthetic diamines we could further demonstrate that two primary amino groups are required for the activation. In the absence of exogenous CaCl₂ polyamines inhibited the hydrolysis of PPHPC by phospholipase A2. The presence of 4mm CaCl₂ reversed this inhibition and a twofold activation was observed at 10 m spermine. The results obtained indicate that the activation of PLA2 by spermine and spermidine is produced at the level of the substrate, PPHPG. This implies the formation of complexes of phosphatidylglycerol and polyamines with defined stoichiometries.     

Regulation of hematopoietic-specific G-protein Galpha15 and Galpha16 by protein kinase C

Heterotrimeric G proteins mediate cell growth and differentiation by coupling cell surface receptors to intracellular effector enzymes. The G-protein alpha subunit, Galpha(16), and its murine homologue Galpha(15), are expressed specifically in hematopoietic cells and their expression is highly regulated during differentiation of normal and leukemic cells. In this study, we examined the phosphorylation of Galpha(15)/Galpha(16) and its role in receptor and effector coupling. We observed a PMA-stimulated intact cell phosphorylation of Galpha(15) in COS7 cells transfected with Galpha(15) and protein kinase Calpha (PKCalpha), and phosphorylation of endogenous Galpha(16) in HL60 cells. We also showed that peptides derived from the two G-proteins were phosphorylated in vitro using purified brain PKC. Furthermore, we identified the putative phosphorylation site and showed that mutation or deletion of this PKC phosphorylation site inhibited phospholipase C (PLC) activation. The behavior of double mutants with the constitutively active G-protein mutation (QL-mutant) and mutation in the putative phosphorylation site suggests that the phosphorylation site of Galpha(15/16) is essential for receptor-coupled activation of PLC, but not for direct interaction of the G-protein with PLC-beta.     

Phosphorylation of phospholipase B in the plasma membrane of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract Plasma membrane vesicles from Saccharomyces cerevisiae were incubated with [γ-³²P]ATP. Several phosphorylated protein bands were separated by LiDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. One of these bands with an apparent M _r of 145 000 was identified by immunoprecipitation as a membrane-bound phospholipase.     

GTP-binding protein mediated phospholipase A2 activation in rat liver during the progression of sepsis

Effects of GTP-binding proteins on the activation of secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) and cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) in rat liver during two different phases of sepsis were studied. Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Experiments were divided into three groups: control, early sepsis, and late sepsis. Early and late sepsis refers to those animals sacrificed at 9 and 18 h, respectively, after CLP. The results show that in the absence of G-protein modulator, hepatic sPLA2 and cPLA2 activities were activated by 40.8-46 and 91.6-105.8%, respectively, during early and late phases of sepsis. GTPS and fluoroaluminate (A1F4-) stimulated sPLA2 and cPLA2 activities within each experimental group, i.e., control, early sepsis, and late sepsis. The GTPS and A1F4--stimulated sPLA2 and cPLA2 activities remained significantly elevated during early phase (22.3-65.6% increase) and late phase (32.5-109.1% increase) of sepsis. Further analyses demonstrate that cholera toxin significantly stimulated sPLA2 and cPLA2 activities within each experimental group, and that the cholera toxin stimulated sPLA2 and cPLA2 activities remained significantly higher during early phase (23.5-37%increase) and late phase (56.7-70% increase) of sepsis. In contrast, pertussis toxin significantly inhibited sPLA2 and cPLA2 activities within each experimental group, and that the pertussis toxin-inhibited sPLA2 and cPLA2 activities remained significantly higher in early septic (57-68.5% increase) and late septic (34.6-45.5% increase) experiments. These data demonstrate that cholera toxin-sensitive Gs and pertussis toxin-sensitive Gi were both involved in the activation of sPLA2 and cPLA2 activities in rat liver during the progression of sepsis.     

过氧化氢诱导酿酒酵母细胞膜透性和组成的变化

以下简述了过氧化氢(H2O2)作为一种信号分子诱导并调节酿酒酵母(Saccharomyces cerevisiae)细胞膜的变化。H2O2是一种强氧化剂,可以跨膜扩散进入细胞中,形成跨膜梯度;当外源H2O2达到亚致死剂量时,酿酒酵母的细胞膜透性和流动性降低,产生跨膜梯度,从而限制H2O2向细胞内的扩散速率,保护细胞免受氧化胁迫的伤害。研究表明,由H2O2引起的膜透性和流动性的变化与膜的组成有关:当酵母细胞对H2O2产生适应时,与膜组成和微区域变化有关的几个基因的表达发生了改变。膜组成的变化和微区域的调整还可能与H2O2依赖的信号途径有关,即以H2O2为信号分子,调节膜的变化并赋予细胞对氧化压力更高的适应性,但这种信号分子的具体传递途径及机制还需要进一步研究。     

G-proteins of rat liver membranes. Subcellular compartmentation and disposition in the plasma membrane

Summary The distribution of the alpha- and beta-subunits of G-proteins and their disposition in rat liver plasma and intracellular membranes was investigated. Western blotting, using antibodies that recognised the alpha-subunit of the inhibitory and the beta-subunits of most G-proteins, identified 41 and 36 kDa polypeptides respectively in all plasma membrane functional domains, in endosomes as well as in Golgi membranes. Lysosomes were devoid of these subunits. The highest levels of G-protein subunits were found in bile canalicular plasma membranes prepared by density gradient centrifugation followed by free-flow electrophoresis. Separation of membrane proteins into extrinsic and intrinsic components was carried out by extraction of the membranes at pH 11.0 and by partitioning the membranes in Triton X-114/aqueous phases. The results demonstrated that the alpha- and beta-subunits were tightly associated with the hepatic membranes but they could be solubilised by extraction with detergent, e.g. SDS. Prolonged incubation in the presence of GTP analogues also released up to approximately 50% of the alpha-subunit of inhibitory G-proteins from membranes. The beta-subunit was still associated with membranes after alkaline extraction. The results emphasise the strong association of G-protein subunits with liver membranes, and show that these proteins are distributed widely in the plasma membrane and along the endocytic pathways of hepatocytes.     

Effect of liver plasma membrane fluidity on endogenous phospholipase A2 activity

Investigations have been carried out on the influence of the phospholipid composition and the physicochemical properties of rat liver plasma membranes on the endogenous activity of membrane-bound phospholipase A2. The membrane phospholipid composition was modified by the incorporation of different phospholipids in the lipid bilayer by the aid of lipid transfer proteins. The results indicate that the endogenous activity of phospholipase A2 in liver plasma membranes depends upon membrane fluidity and not upon the presence of a specific phospholipid in the enzyme's microenvironment.     

Purification of human plasma retinol-binding protein by hydrophobic interaction chromatography

Human plasma retinol-binding protein has been purified to homogeneity by a simple method that requires an ammonium sulfate fractionation, a hydrophobic interaction chromatography on phenyl-Sepharose, which dissociates the complex between retinol-binding protein and its carrier, transthyretin, and a gel filtration on Sephadex G-50. The yield of pure protein is comparable or higher than that obtained with the more complex procedures previously reported.     

Functional importance of calcium binding sites in outer membrane phospholipase A

Outer membrane phospholipase A (OMPLA) is an integral membrane enzyme that hydrolyses phospholipids requiring Ca²⁺ as cofactor. In vitro studies have shown that OMPLA is only active as a dimer. The structures of monomeric and dimeric OMPLA provided possible clues to the activation process. In the inhibited dimeric species calcium ions are located at the dimer interface ideally suited to stabilise the oxyanion intermediates formed during catalysis. The side chain hydroxyl function of Ser152 is one of the ligands of this interfacial calcium. In the crystal structure of monomeric OMPLA the interfacial calcium site is lacking, but calcium was found to bind at a site involving the carboxylates of Asp149 and Asp184. In the current study the relevance of the identified calcium sites has been studied by site-directed mutagenesis. The Ser152Asn variant confirmed the importance of the interfacial calcium site for catalysis, and also demonstrated that this site is essentially involved in the dimerisation process. Replacements of the ligands in monomeric OMPLA, i.e. Asp149Asn, Asp149Ala and Asp184Asn, only showed minor effects on catalytic activity and dimerisation. A stronger effect observed for the variant Asp184Ala was explained by the proximity of Asp184 to the catalytically important Ser152 residue. We propose that Asp149 and Asp184 provide an electronegative funnel that may facilitate Ca²⁺ transfer to the interfacial calcium site.     

Further studies on bilitranslocase,a plasma membrane protein involved in hepatic organic anion uptake

Bilitranslocase, a plasma membrane protein involved in bilirubin and other organic anion uptake by the liver, exhibits a high molecular weight (170 000) when isolated in the presence of deoxycholate. This value is decreased to approx. 100 000 if deoxycholate is not included in the isolation medium. Both preparations can be resolved into two kinds of subunit, α and β, of 37 000 and 35 500, respectively, by reduction with 2-mercaptoethanol and addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate. Under these conditions the two subunits are still capable of high-affinity sulfobromophthalein binding and, despite the presence of the detergent, may be isolated by preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis still associated with the dye. It may be suggested that the physiological subunit composition of bilitranslocase is α₂-β.     

Tyrosine phosphorylation inhibits the interaction of 14-3-3 proteins with the plant plasma membrane H+-ATPase

Interaction of 14-3-3 proteins with their targets depends not only on the phosphorylation status of the target but also on that of 14-3-3 (Fu et al., 2000). In this work we demonstrated that the maize 14-3-3 isoform GF14-6 is a substrate of the tyrosine kinase insulin growth factor receptor 1. By means of site-directed mutants of GF14-6, we identified Tyr-137 as the specific tyrosine residue phosphorylated by the insulin growth factor receptor 1. Phosphorylation of GF14-6 on Tyr-137 lowered its affinity for a peptide mimicking the 14-3-3 binding site of the plant plasma membrane H+-ATPase. Moreover, phosphorylation in planta of 14-3-3 tyrosine residues, resulting from incubation with the tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, phenylarsine oxide, decreased their association to the H+-ATPase.     

Galpha13 mediates activation of the cytosolic phospholipase A2alpha through fine regulation of ERK phosphorylation

Heterotrimeric GTP-binding (G) proteins transduce hormone-induced signals to their effector enzymes, which include several phospholipases. In particular, the G(o)/G(i) and G(q) protein families have been shown to couple signaling to phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)), phospholipase C, and phospholipase D, while the G(12)/G(13) family has been linked to the activation of small GTPases of the Rho family, and hence, to phospholipase D activation. Here, we demonstrate that in CHO cells, the G(12)/G(13) family is also able to activate cPLA(2)alpha, through the activation of RhoA and, subsequently, ERK1/2. Hormone-induced arachidonic acid release increased as a consequence of Galpha(13) overexpression, and was inhibited through inhibition of Galpha(13) signaling. The Galpha(13)-mediated cPLA(2)alpha activation was inhibited by pharmacological blockade of ERK1/2 with either U0126 or PD98059, and by RhoA inactivation with C3 toxin or a dominant-negative RhoA (N19RhoA), and was stimulated by the serine-threonine phosphatase inhibitor calyculin A. Our data thus identify a pathway of cPLA(2)alpha regulation that is initiated by thrombin and purinergic receptor activation, and that signals through Galpha(13), RhoA and ERK1/2, with the involvement of a calyculin-sensitive phosphatase.     

Isolation and Identification of Novel ADP-Ribosylated Proteins from Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2)

An important role of protein ADP-ribosylation in bacterial morphogenesis has been proposed (J. Bacteriol. 178, 3785-3790; 178, 4935-4941). To clarify the detail of ADP-ribosylation, we identified a new kind of target protein for ADP-ribosylation in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) grown to the late growth phase. All four proteins (MalE, BldKB, a periplasmic protein for binding branched-chain amino-acids, and a periplasmic solute binding protein) were functionally similar and participated in the regulation of transport of metabolites or nutrients through the membrane. ADP-ribosylation was likely to occur on a cysteine residue, because the modification group was removed by mercuric chloride treatment. The modification site may be the site of lipoprotein modification necessary for protein export. This report is the first suggesting that certain proteins involved in membrane transport can be ADP-ribosylated.     

Involvement of phospholipase A2 activation in anthrax lethal toxin-induced cytotoxicity

The molecular mechanism of cytotoxic effect exerted by the lethal toxin (LeTx) of Bacillus anthracis is not well understood. In the present study, using primary culture of mouse peritoneal macrophages, we have investigated possible cytotoxic mechanisms. LeTx was not found to induce high levels of nitric oxide (NO) production for NO-mediated toxicity. Fragmentation of DNA, a biochemical marker of apoptosis, was not observed in LeTx-treated cells. Pretreatment of cells with antioxidants such as melatonin and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) did not protect the LeTx-induced cytotoxicity. However, addition of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) inhibitors (quinacrine, p-bromophenacyl bromide, manoalide, butacaine) to the culture medium resulted in the inhibition of cytotoxicity of LeTx in a dose-dependent manner. LeTx-induced cytotoxicity was also inhibited by the tyrosine-specific protein kinase inhibitor genistein, but not by the protein kinase C inhibitors staurosporine or H-7. The results of these studies indicate a role for PLA2 and protein kinase in the cytotoxic mechanism of macrophages by anthrax lethal toxin.     

G protein regulation of phospholipase A2

Many neurotransmitters and hormones activate receptors that are known to be coupled to their effectors by GTP-binding regulatory proteins, G proteins. Activation of many of these same receptors elicits arachidonate release and metabolism. During the past few years, novel experimental techniques have revealed that in many cells arachidonate release is independent of generation of other second messengers, including inositol phosphates, diacylglycerols, and elevation in free intracellular calcium. Much evidence has accumulated to implicate phospholipase A2 as the enzyme catalyzing arachidonate release, and suggesting that this effector enzyme, too, is activated by G proteins. In neural tissues as well as epithelium, endothelium, contractile and connective tissues, and blood cells, G proteins coupled to receptors for a variety of peptide and nonpeptide neurotransmitters and hormones have been shown to directly activate phospholipase A2. In retinal rod outer segments, transducin is the coupling G protein, but the G proteins coupling receptor activation to phospholipase A2 in other cell types is less clear. Some are pertussis toxin-sensitive, whereas others are not, and evidence exists that the ras gene product G protein may also be coupled to and regulate phospholipase A2.     

The measurement of lysosomal phospholipase A2 activity in plasma

A deficiency of lysosomal phospholipase A2 (LPLA2) causes macrophage-associated phospholipidosis, suggesting that the enzyme is important in the lipid catabolism. Because LPLA2 is secreted by macrophages, extracellular LPLA2 activity may potentially reflect a change in macrophage activation. In this report, the detection of LPLA2 activity in plasma was established by the measurement of the transacylase activity of LPLA2 under acidic conditions. No transacylase activity of LPLA2 was detected in normal human plasma when the plasma was incubated with liposomes consisting of 1,2-dioleoylphosphatidylcholine/sulfatide/N-acetylsphingosine (NAS) at pH 4.5. However, the transacylase activity in the plasma was detected when liposomes consisting of 1,2-dioleoylphosphatidylglycerol/NAS were used as a substrate. To establish the specificity of the assay, ceramide transacylase activity was detected in the plasma of wild-type mice. By contrast, the plasma obtained from LPLA2-knockout mice had no measurable transacylase activity under the same conditions. The enzymatic activity of recombinant LPLA2 was inhibited by treatment with methylarachidonylfluorophosphonate. The inhibitor also suppressed the transacylase activity observed in both normal human and wild-type mouse plasma, establishing that the transacylase activity observed in plasma is due to LPLA2. Plasma LPLA2 activity may be a useful bioassay marker for the identification of LPLA2-related disorders.     

Hippocalcin increases phospholipase D2 expression through extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation and lysophosphatidic acid potentiates the hippocalcin-induced phospholipase D2 expression

We have previously isolated a 22 kDa protein from a rat brain which was found to be involved in activating phospholipsae D (PLD), and identified the protein as hippocalcin through sequence analysis. Nevertheless, the function of hippocalcin for PLD activation still remains to be resolved. Here, we proposed that hippocalcin was involved in extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-mediated PLD2 expression. To elucidate a role of hippocalcin, we made hippocalcin transfected NIH3T3 cells and showed that the expression of PLD2 and basal PLD activity were increased in hippocalcin transfected cells. We performed PLD assay with dominant negative PLD2 (DN-PLD2) and hippocalcin co-transfected cells. DN-PLD2 suppressed increase of basal PLD activity in hippocalcin transfected cells, suggesting that increased basal PLD activity is due to PLD2 over-expression. Hippocalcin is a Ca2+-binding protein, which is expressed mainly in the hippocampus. Since it is known that lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) increases intracellular Ca2+, we investigated the possible role of hippocalcin in the LPA-induced elevation of intracellular Ca2+. When the intracellular Ca2+ level was increased by LPA, hippocalcin was translocated to the membrane after LPA treatment in hippocalcin transfected cells. In addition, treatment with LPA in hippocalcin transfected cells markedly potentiated PLD2 expression and showed morphological changes of cell shape suggesting that increased PLD2 expression acts as one of the major factors to cause change of cell shape by making altered membrane lipid composition. Hippocalcin-induced PLD2 expression potentiated by LPA in hippocalcin transfected cells was inhibited by a PI-PLC inhibitor, U73122 and a chelator of intracellular Ca2+, BAPTA-AM suggesting that activation of hippocalcin caused by increased intracellular Ca2+ is important to induce over-expression of PLD2. However, downregulation of PKC and treatment of a chelator of extracellular Ca2+, EGTA had little or no effect on the inhibition of hippocalcin-induced PLD2 expression potentiated by LPA in the hippocalcin transfected cells. Interestingly, when we over-express hippocalcin, ERK was activated, and treatment with LPA in hippocalcin transfected cells significantly potentiated ERK activation. Specific inhibition of ERK dramatically abolished hippocalcin-induced PLD2 expression. Taken together, these results suggest for the first time that hippocalcin can induce PLD2 expression and LPA potentiates hippocalcin-induced PLD2 expression, which is mediated by ERK activation.     

Lateral diffusion in the plasma membrane of maize protoplasts with implications for cell culture

Plasma-membrane dynamics in live protoplasts from maize (Zea mays L.) roots were characterized and examined for relationships as to the ability of the protoplasts to synthesize new cell walls and develop to cells capable of division. The lateral diffusion-coefficients and mobile fractions of fluorescence-labeled plasma-membrane proteins and lipids were measured by fluorescence photobleaching recovery. Small but significant effects on the diffusion of membrane proteins were observed after treatments with oryzalin or amiprophosmethyl, microtubule-disrupting drugs that increased the mobile fraction, and after treatments with cytochalasins B or D, microfilament-disrupting drugs that decreased the diffusion coefficient. A number of parameters were tested for correlative effects on membrane dynamics and protoplast performance in culture. Protoplasts isolated with a cellulase preparation from Trichoderma viride showed faster membrane-protein diffusion and a lower frequency of development to cells capable of division than did protoplasts isolated with a cellulase preparation from T. reesei. Membrane proteins in maize A632, a line less capable of plant regeneration from callus, diffused with a smaller diffusion coefficient but a greater mobile fraction than did membrane proteins in maize A634, a line with greater regeneration capacity. The plasma membranes of A632 and A634 protoplasts also differed with regard to lateral-diffusion characteristics of phospholipid and sterol probes, although the presence of both rapidly and slowly diffusing lipid components indicated the apparent existence of lipid domains in both A632 and A634. The protoplasts of the two lines did not differ significantly, however, in either wall regeneration or frequency of development to cells capable of division.Abbreviations and symbols D lateral diffusion coefficient - FITC fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate - FPR fluorescence photobleaching recovery - LY Lucifer yellow - LY-Chol dilithium 4-amino-N-[(-(carbo(5-cholesten-3-yl)oxy)hydrazinocarbonyl)aminol]-1,8-naphthalimide-3,6-disulfonate - LY-DC_16:0PE dilithium 4-amino-N-[3-(-(dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanol-amino)ethylsulfonyl)phenyl]-1,8-naphthalimide-3,6-disulfonate