A novel gene STYK1/NOK is upregulated in estrogen receptor-alpha negative estrogen receptor-beta positive breast cancer cells following estrogen treatment

The human STYK1/NOK protein is approximately 30–35% similar to mouse fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 and a kinase homologue in D. melanogaster in the tyrosine protein kinase region. STYK1/NOK was identified as being up regulated in MDA-MB-231, an estrogen receptor-alpha negative breast cancer cell line, following 12 h of estrogen treatment at 1 × 10⁻⁹ M. On further investigation of STYK1/NOK in estrogen treated cell line MDA-MB-231, STYK1/NOK was up regulated at 6 h post treatment when compared to untreated cells. We also investigated the expression levels of STYK1/NOK in other breast cancer cell lines MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, BT-549, and MDA-MB-435S using QRT-PCR. In addition, the analysis of message accumulation was increased with other synthetic estrogen response modifiers. We propose that the regulation of STYK1/NOK is achieved independent of ERα and suggests further investigation to the relevance of this kinase in breast cancer progression.     

Cellular Mechanisms of Protection by Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors During Anoxia and Nitric Oxide Toxicity

Abstract: Metabotropic glutamate receptors, nitric oxide (NO), and the signal transduction pathways of protein kinase C (PKC) and protein kinase A (PKA) can independently alter ischemic-induced neuronal cell death. We therefore examined whether the protective effects of metabotropic glutamate receptors during anoxia and NO toxicity were mediated through the cellular pathways of PKC or PKA in primary hippocampal neurons. Pretreatment with the metabotropic glutamate receptor agonists (±)-1-aminocyclopentane- trans -1,3-dicarboxylic acid, (1 S ,3 R )-1-aminocyclopentane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid (1 S ,3 R -ACPD), and l (+)-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid ( l -AP4) 1 h before anoxia or NO exposure increased hippocampal neuronal cell survival from ∼30 to 70%. In addition, posttreatment with 1 S ,3 R -ACPD or l -AP4 up to 6 h following an insult attenuated anoxic- or NO-induced neurodegeneration. In contrast, treatment with l -(+)-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionic acid, an antagonist of the metabotropic glutamate receptor, did not significantly alter neuronal survival during anoxia or NO exposure. Protection by the ACPD-sensitive metabotropic receptors, such as the subtypes mGluR1α, mGluR2, and mGluR5, appears to be dependent on the modulation of PKC activity. In contrast, l -AP4-sensitive metabotropic glutamate receptors, such as the subtype mGluR4, may increase neuronal survival through PKA rather than PKC. Thus, activation of specific metabotropic glutamate receptors is protective during anoxia and NO toxicity, but the signal transduction pathways mediating protection differ among the metabotropic glutamate receptor subtypes.     

Muscarinic and Quisqualate Receptor-Induced Phosphoinositide Hydrolysis in Primary Cultures of Striatal and Hippocampal Neurons. Evidence for Differential Mechanisms of Activation

Several neurotransmitters activate polyphosphoinositide (PPI) hydrolysis in CNS neurons as the first step of a transmembrane signalling cascade that may lead to neuronal ircuit modulation. Muscarinic and quisqualate rejceptor-riggered PPI hydrolysis was investigated in neuronal primary cultures. A clear increase in inositol phosphates (Ins-Ps) was detected as early as 15 s after the agonist addition;! at this time, the increases of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (measured by HPLC) were relatively larger with respect to the other Ins-Ps. Ins-P accumulation was maintained in part in a. Ca²⁺-free medium, excluding that Ca²⁺ entry is the fundamental step of the receptor-induced PPI hydrolysis. Acute dell pre-treatment with phorbol dibutyrate, an activator of protein kinase C, was able to inhibit 50% of the response to carbachol, and almost completely the quisqualate effect, suggesting a negative feedback modulation by the enzyme. Finaljly, per tussis toxin failed to inhibit muscarinic responses, whereas it blocked ±70% of the quisqualate stimulation. The two receptors therefore appear coupled to phosphodiesterase by two different G proteins. The comparison of the results obtained by stimulating the two receptor systems suggests that the generation of the same intracellular signal at two distinct receptor types may occur by different coupling mechanisms, and be differently regulated even in the same neuronal preparations.     

Bradykinin B<Subscript>2</Subscript> receptor-mediated proliferation via activation of the Ras/Raf/MEK/MAPK pathway in rat vascular smooth muscle cells

It has been suggested that bradykinin (BK) plays an important role in regulating neointimal formation after vascular injury. However, implication of BK in the growth of rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is controversial. Therefore, we examined the mitogenic effect of BK on VSMCs associated with activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Both [(3)H]thymidine incorporation and p42/p44 MAPK phosphorylation were activated by BK in time- and concentration-dependent manners. Pretreatment of these cells with neither pertussis toxin nor cholera toxin attenuated the BK-induced responses. Pretreatment of VSMCs with Hoe 140 (a selective B(2) receptor antagonist), U73122 (an inhibitor of phospholipase C), and BAPTA/AM (an intracellular Ca(2+) chelator) inhibited both [(3)H]thymidine incorporation and p42/p44 MAPK phosphorylation in response to BK. BK-induced [(3)H]thymidine incorporation and p42/p44 MAPK phosphorylation were inhibited by pretreatment of VSMCs with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (genistein and herbimycin A), protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors (staurosporine, Go-6976, and Ro-318220), an MAPK kinase inhibitor (PD98059), and a p38 MAPK inhibitor (SB203580). Overexpression of the dominant negative mutants, H-Ras-15A and Raf-N4, suppressed p42/p44 MAPK activation induced by BK and PDGF-BB, indicating that Ras and Raf may be required for activation of these kinases. From these results, we concluded that the mitogenic effect of BK is mediated through activation of the Ras/Raf/MEK/MAPK pathway similar to that of PDGF-BB. BK-mediated MAPK activation was modulated by Ca(2+), PKC, and tyrosine kinase all of which are associated with cell proliferation in rat cultured VSMCs.     

Palmitic acid suppresses apolipoprotein M gene expression via the pathway of PPARβ/δ in HepG2 cells

It has been demonstrated that apolipoprotein M (APOM) is a vasculoprotective constituent of high density lipoprotein (HDL), which could be related to the anti-atherosclerotic property of HDL. Investigation of regulation of APOM expression is of important for further exploring its pathophysiological function in vivo. Our previous studies indicated that expression of APOM could be regulated by platelet activating factor (PAF), transforming growth factors (TGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF), leptin, hyperglycemia and etc., in vivo and/or in vitro. In the present study, we demonstrated that palmitic acid could significantly inhibit APOM gene expression in HepG2 cells. Further study indicated neither PI-3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002 nor protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor GFX could abolish palmitic acid induced down-regulation of APOM expression. In contrast, the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor beta/delta (PPAR_β/δ) antagonist GSK3787 could totally reverse the palmitic acid-induced down-regulation of APOM expression, which clearly demonstrates that down-regulation of APOM expression induced by palmitic acid is mediated via the PPAR_β/δ pathway.     

Resiniferatoxin-Amide and Analogues as Ligands for Protein Kinase C and Vanilloid Receptors and Determination of Their Biological Activities as Vanilloids

Abstract: The naturally occurring diterpene resiniferatoxin (RTX) is an ultrapotent analogue of capsaicin. Acting on polymodal afferent neurons, RTX induces a generally similar pattern of responses as does capsaicin. However, the two compounds, as well as other vanilloid derivatives, display different relative potencies for different responses. In the present study, we examined the vanilloid-like activities of two new derivatives, the amide analogue of RTX and phorbol 12,13-dibenzoate 20-homovanillylamide. Structurally, RTX-amide resembles capsaicin more closely than does RTX, and after cleavage of the amide bond the resulting amine would be predicted to not bind to protein kinase C in contrast to resiniferonol 9,13,14-orthophenylacetate, the parent diterpene of RTX. In contrast to our expectations the binding potency of the RTX-amide for the vanilloid receptor present in rat spinal cord was 450-fold lower than that of RTX (K_i values for the RTX-amide and RTX were 10.4 ± 0.7 nM and 23.1 ± 3.2 pM, respectively). In the case of phorbol 12,13-dibenzoate 20-homovanillylamide, there was a further loss of affinity for the vanilloid receptor compared with RTX; nonetheless, the K_i (8.56 ± 0.61 µM) was comparable with that of capsaicin (5.31 ± 0.37 µM). Computer fitting of the binding data yielded Hill coefficient values of 2.25 ± 0.03, 2.33 ± 0.03, and 1.84 ± 0.05 for RTX, RTX-amide, and phorbol 12,13-dibenzoate 20-homovanillylamide, respectively, indicating that both new compounds induced apparent positive cooperativity among vanilloid binding sites. We found that the RTX-amide was also 20- and 300-fold less potent than RTX in inducing chemogenic pain and hypothermia, respectively. The affinities of the compounds for protein kinase C-α were evaluated by competition of [³H]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate binding. Replacement of the C-20 hydroxyl group in phorbol 12,13-dibenzoate by an amine led to a 750-fold drop in binding affinity, and the conversion of the phorbol 12,13-dibenzoate 20-amine to the amide resulted in a further 60-fold drop in binding activity (K_i values for phorbol 12,13-dibenzoate, phorbol 12,13-dibenzoate 20-amine, and phorbol 12,13-dibenzoate 20-homovanillylamide were 0.96 ± 0.01, 720 ± 80, and 43,500 ± 4,060 nM, respectively). The K_i of the RTX-amide for protein kinase C-α was >100 µM, whereas RTX and the parent alcohol resiniferonol 9,13,14-orthophenylacetate yielded K_i values of 1.49 ± 0.19 µM and 36.5 ± 1.3 nM, respectively.     

Diacylglycerol levels modulate the cellular distribution of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

Diacylglycerol (DAG), a second messenger involved in different cell signaling cascades, activates protein kinase C (PKC) and D (PKD), among other kinases. The present work analyzes the effects resulting from the alteration of DAG levels on neuronal and muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) distribution. We employ CHO-K1/A5 cells, expressing adult muscle-type AChR in a stable manner, and hippocampal neurons, which endogenously express various subtypes of neuronal AChR. CHO-K1/A5 cells treated with dioctanoylglycerol (DOG) for different periods showed augmented AChR cell surface levels at short incubation times (30 min–4 h) whereas at longer times (18 h) the AChR was shifted to intracellular compartments. Similarly, in cultured hippocampal neurons surface AChR levels increased as a result of DOG incubation for 4 h. Inhibition of endogenous DAG catabolism produced changes in AChR distribution similar to those induced by DOG treatment. Specific enzyme inhibitors and Western blot assays revealed that DAGs exert their effect on AChR distribution through the modulation of the activity of classical PKC (cPKC), novel PKC (nPKC) and PKD activity.     

Signaling mechanisms of daidzein-induced axonal outgrowth in hippocampal neurons

We aim to study the mechanisms underlying the neurotrophic effect of daidzein (Dz) in hippocampal neurons. Dz-enhanced axonal outgrowths manifested growth cone formation and increased immunostaining intensity of growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43) in growth cones. Consistent with this, Dz increased GAP-43 phosphorylation and its membrane translocation without affecting total GAP-43 levels. In the presence of Dz, significant increase in the immunoreactivity for estrogen receptor (ER) β, but not ERα, was observed on the membrane of cell bodies and growing axons. Dz also induced the activation of protein kinase C α (PKCα), which was inhibited by the ICI182,780 pretreatment. Similarly, Dz-promoted axonal elongation was blocked by ICI182,780 and Gö6976. Moreover, Dz-stimulated activation of GAP-43 was specifically abolished by Gö6976, suggesting PKCα being the upstream effector of GAP-43. Taken together, our data suggest that Dz triggers an ERβ/PKCα/GAP-43 signaling cascade to promote axonal outgrowths in cultured hippocampal neurons.     

Diacylglycerol kinase δ associates with receptor for activated C kinase 1, RACK1

The δ-isozyme (type II) of diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) is known to positively regulate growth factor receptor signaling. DGKδ, which is distributed to clathrin-coated vesicles, interacts with DGKδ itself, protein kinase C and AP2α. To search for additional DGKδ-interacting proteins, we screened a yeast two-hybrid cDNA library from HepG2 cells using aa 896–1097 of DGKδ as a bait. We identified aa 184–317 (WD40 repeats 5–7) of receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1), which interacts with various important signaling molecules, as a novel binding partner of DGKδ. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis, using COS-7 cells co-expressing RACK1 and DGKδ, revealed that RACK1 selectively interacted with DGKδ, but not with type I DGKs, in mammalian cells. The interaction was dynamically regulated by phorbol ester. Intriguingly, DGKδ appeared to recruit RACK1 to clathrin-coated vesicles and co-localized with RACK1. These results suggest that DGKδ serves as an adaptor protein to regulate the localization of the versatile scaffold protein, RACK1.     

Fenofibrate induces a selective increase of protein-bound homocysteine in rodents: a PPARalpha-mediated effect

Elevated levels of plasma homocysteine (Hcy) are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease though it is uncertain whether increases in Hcy represent a cause or a consequence of the disease process. Plasma Hcy exists in reduced, free oxidized, and protein-bound forms, that together comprise total Hcy (tHcy). Free reduced Hcy is thought to be the atherogenic, though minor, sub-fraction of tHcy. Recent reports have indicated that fenofibrate and other fibrates are capable of moderately increasing plasma tHcy. As many of the effects of fibrates are known to be mediated by the nuclear receptor PPARalpha, we determined the effect of fenofibrate on tHcy in PPARalpha-deficient mice. We further examined the effect of fenofibrate and fenofibrate plus folate supplementation on total as well as protein-bound Hcy in rats. Fenofibrate significantly increased serum tHcy in wild-type mice but not in PPARalpha deficient mice. In rats, fenofibrate increased serum tHcy by 69%, while the co-administration of folate with fenofibrate increased tHcy by only 7%. In spite of the above increase in tHcy in rats, only the protein-bound fraction of Hcy was increased. In a further study, fenofibrate also induced a significant increase in tHcy, while in spite of this, ex vivo peroxidation of VLDL+LDL was beneficially lowered and the lag time prolonged. In summary, fenofibrate increases serum tHcy in rodents in a PPARalpha-dependent manner. The increase in rats is solely due to protein-bound Hcy as atherogenic, reduced Hcy was unchanged. While awaiting corroboration in human, our results suggest that the extent and mechanism of the increase in total Hcy in patients treated with fenofibrate should not a priori be associated with relevant risk.     

RACK1, a PKC targeting protein, is exclusively localized to basal airway epithelial cells.

The novel isoform of protein kinase C (PKC), PKCepsilon, is an important regulator of ciliated cell function in airway epithelial cells, including cilia motility and detachment of ciliated cells after environmental insult. However, the mechanism of PKCepsilon signaling in the airways and the potential role of the PKCepsilon-interacting protein, receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1), has not been widely explored. We used immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis to show that RACK1 is localized exclusively to basal, non-ciliated (and non-goblet) bovine and human bronchial epithelial cells. Our immunohistochemistry experiments used the basal body marker pericentrin, a marker for cilia, beta-tubulin, and an airway goblet cell marker, MUC5AC, to confirm that RACK1 was excluded from differentiated airway cell subtypes and is only expressed in the basal cells. These results suggest that PKCepsilon signaling in the basal airway cell may involve RACK1; however, PKCepsilon regulation in ciliated cells uses RACK1-independent pathways.     

Divergent effects of estrogen and nicotine on Rho-kinase expression in human coronary vascular smooth muscle cells

Recent studies have demonstrated that up-regulated Rho-kinase plays an important role in the pathogenesis of coronary arteriosclerosis and vasospasm. We have shown that inflammatory stimuli, such as angiotensin II and interleukin-1beta, up-regulate Rho-kinase expression and activity in human coronary vascular smooth muscle cells, for which intracellular signal transduction mediated by protein kinase C and NF-kappaB is involved. Here, we show that estrogen down-regulates while nicotine up-regulates Rho-kinase and that nicotine counteracts the inhibitory effect of estrogen on angiotensin II-induced Rho-kinase expression. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the intracellular signal transduction of the inhibitory effect of estrogen is mediated by an estrogen receptor. These results demonstrate that inflammatory stimuli up-regulate Rho-kinase, for which estrogen (mediated by an estrogen receptor) and nicotine exert divergent inhibitory and stimulatory effects on the Rho-kinase expression, respectively, and may explain in part why the incidence of arteriosclerotic and vasospastic disorders is increased in postmenopausal women and smokers.     

Mechanisms of peroxisome proliferator-induced DNA hypomethylation in rat liver

Genomic hypomethylation is a consistent finding in both human and animal tumors and mounting experimental evidence suggests a key role for epigenetic events in tumorigenesis. Furthermore, it has been suggested that early changes in DNA methylation and histone modifications may serve as sensitive predictive markers in animal testing for carcinogenic potency of environmental agents. Alterations in metabolism of methyl donors, disturbances in activity and/or expression of DNA methyltransferases, and presence of DNA single-strand breaks could contribute to the loss of cytosine methylation during carcinogenesis; however, the precise mechanisms of genomic hypomethylation induced by chemical carcinogens remain largely unknown. This study examined the mechanism of DNA hypomethylation during hepatocarcinogenesis induced by peroxisome proliferators WY-14,643 (4-chloro-6-(2,3-xylidino)-pyrimidynylthioacetic acid) and DEHP (di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate), agents acting through non-genotoxic mode of action. In the liver of male Fisher 344 rats exposed to WY-14,643 (0.1% (w/w), 5 months), the level of genomic hypomethylation increased by approximately 2-fold, as compared to age-matched controls, while in the DEHP group (1.2% (w/w), 5 months) DNA methylation did not change. Global DNA hypomethylation in livers from WY-14,643 group was accompanied by the accumulation of DNA single-strand breaks, increased cell proliferation, and diminished expression of DNA methyltransferase 1, while the metabolism of methyl donors was not affected. In contrast, none of these parameters changed significantly in rats fed DEHP. Since WY-14,643 is much more potent carcinogen than DEHP, we conclude that the extent of loss of DNA methylation may be related to the carcinogenic potential of the chemical agent, and that accumulation of DNA single-strand breaks coupled to the increase in cell proliferation and altered DNA methyltransferase expression may explain genomic hypomethylation during peroxisome proliferator-induced carcinogenesis.     

Phosphorylation by Protein Kinase C of the Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor

Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors purified from porcine cerebrum were phosphorylated by protein kinase C purified from the same tissue. More than 1 mol of phosphate was incorporated per mole of receptor, with both serine and threonine residues being phosphorylated. Neither the degree nor the rate of the phosphorylation was affected by the presence or absence of acetylcholine. GTP-sensitive high-affinity binding with acetylcholine was observed for muscarinic receptors reconstituted with GTP-binding proteins (Gi or Go), irrespective of whether muscarinic receptors or the GTP-binding proteins had been phosphorylated by protein kinase C or not. This indicates that the interaction between purified muscarinic receptors and purified GTP-binding proteins in vitro is not affected by their phosphorylation.     

Cloning and characterization of PKC-homologous genes in the truffle species Tuber borchii and Tuber magnatum

The protein kinases C (PKCs) define a growing family of ubiquitous signal transducting serine/threonine kinases that control ion conductance channels, release of hormones and cell growth and proliferation. Degenerated oligonucleotides were used as primers for polymerase chain reactions to amplify PKC-related sequences from the white truffle species Tuber magnatum and Tuber borchii. The deduced amino acid sequences of cloned sequences reveal domains homologous to the regulatory and kinase domains of PKC-related proteins, but lack typical Ca(2+)-binding domain and therefore should be classified as nPKCs. Both contain a large extended N-terminus which is found exclusively in fungi PKCs. Phylogenetic analysis of the kinase domain demonstrates high homology with known filamentous fungi isoenzymes.     

Functional characterization of a peroxisome proliferator response-element located in the intron 3 of rat peroxisomal thiolase B gene

Expression of the rat peroxisomal 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase gene B is induced by peroxisome proliferators. Although a sequence element like a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-binding site is located in the promoter region of this gene, we previously found that this element is competent for the activation by hepatocyte nuclear factor-4, but not functional with PPARalpha. We describe here a new peroxisome proliferator-response element located in the intron 3 (+1422/+1434) that binds in vitro the PPARalpha/retinoid X receptor alpha heterodimer and confers the induction by PPARalpha in transfection assays. We propose a model of regulation of the rat thiolase B gene involving those elements in the promoter and intron 3.     

Endogenous δ-Opioid and ORL1 Receptors Couple to Phosphorylation and Activation of p38 MAPK in NG108-15 Cells and This Is Regulated by Protein Kinase A and Protein Kinase C

The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade transduces multiple extracellular signals from cell surface to nucleus and is employed in cellular responses to cellular stresses and apoptotic regulation. The involvement of the p38 MAPK cascade in opioid- and opioid receptor-like receptor-1 (ORL1) receptor-mediated signal transduction was examined in NG108-15 neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid cells. Stimulation of endogenous delta-opioid receptor (DOR) or ORL1 resulted in activation of p38 MAPK. It also induced the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs), another member of the MAPK family, with slower kinetics. Activation of p38 MAPK was abolished by selective antagonists of DOR or ORL1, pretreatment with pertussis toxin, or SB203580, a specific inhibitor of p38 MAPK. Inhibition of p38 MAPK had no significant effect on opioid-induced ERK activation, indicating that p38 MAPK activity was not required for ERK activation, though its stimulation preceded ERK activation. Inhibition of protein kinase A (PKA) strongly diminished p38 activation mediated by DOR or ORL1 but had no significant effect on ERK activation, and protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors potentiated stimulation of p38 while inhibiting activation of ERKs. Taken together, our results provide the first evidence for coupling of DOR and ORL1 to the p38 MAPK cascade and clearly demonstrate that receptor-mediated activation of p38 MAPK both involves PKA and is negatively regulated by PKC.     

雌激素快速影响大鼠发育期海马NMDA受体活性的机制

为了探讨雌激素对发育期大鼠海马NMDA受体活性的快速影响,对出生后18d的雄性大鼠进行苯甲酸雌二醇皮下注射,1h后用WesternBlot检测海马NMDA受体NR1和NR2B亚基、雌激素β受体、ERK1/2蛋白的表达,以及NR2B和ERK1/2的磷酸化水平;并通过海马内给予雌激素受体拮抗剂ICI182,780和MEK1/2抑制剂U0126预处理,进一步分析苯甲酸雌二醇影响NR2B和ERK1/2磷酸化的作用机制。结果显示,苯甲酸雌二醇不影响NR1、NR2B、ERβ和ERK1/2的表达,但能快速增强NR2B和ERK1/2的磷酸化水平。雌激素受体拮抗剂ICI182,780和MEK1/2抑制剂U0126均能明显抑制苯甲酸雌二醇诱导的NR2B和ERK1/2磷酸化水平的增加。以上结果提示,雌激素可能通过雌激素受体的非基因组机制激活ERK/MAPK信号转导通路,快速诱导NMDA受体NR2B亚基磷酸化,激活NMDA受体。     

Transduction Mechanisms Involved in Thrombin Receptor-Induced Nerve Growth Factor Secretion and Cell Division in Primary Cultures of Astrocytes

Abstract: In astrocytes, thrombin and thrombin receptor-activating activating peptide (TRAP-14), a 14-amino-acid agonist of the proteolytic activating receptor for thrombin (PART), significantly increased cell division as assessed by [³H]thymidine incorporation into DNA (EC₅₀ = 1 n M and +650% at 100 n M for thrombin; EC₅₀ = 3 µ M and +600% at 100 µ M for TRAP-14) and nerve growth factor (NGF) secretion (approximately twofold at 100 n M thrombin or 100 µ M TRAP-14). The [³H]thymidine incorporation was prevented by protein kinase C inhibitors (staurosporine and H7) or by down-regulation of this enzyme by chronic exposure of astrocytes to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). Thrombin-induced NGF secretion was completely inhibited by protein kinase C inhibitors. Treatment with PMA stimulated NGF secretion 19-fold, and this effect was not further enhanced by thrombin. These data suggest an absolute requirement of protein kinase C activity for thrombin-induced NGF secretion and cell division. Pretreatment of astrocytes with pertussis toxin (PTX) reduced thrombin- and TRAP-14-induced DNA synthesis. PART activation caused a decrease in forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation. PTX treatment prevented the inhibitory effect of PART activation on cyclic AMP accumulation, suggesting that a PTX-sensitive G protein, such as G_i or G_o, is involved in thrombin-induced cell division. In contrast, thrombin-induced NGF secretion was not inhibited by PTX. Finally, the protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor herbimycin A partially but significantly prevented thrombin- and TRAP-14-induced cell division but was without effect on NGF secretion. Taken together, these results demonstrate that, in astrocytes, PART(s)-triggered cell division or NGF secretion is mediated by distinct transduction mechanisms.