Relationship of thrombin-stimulated arachidonic acid release and metabolism to mitogenesis and phosphatidylinositol synthesis

Thrombin and certain prostaglandins are both capable of stimulating the proliferation of cultured cells. Since thrombin stimulates the release and metabolism of arachidonic acid, the precursor of prostaglandins, we examined the relationship between this release and metabolism and the stimulation of cell division in cultured fibroblasts. We also examined the role of prostaglandin synthesis in thrombin-stimulated phosphatidylinositol synthesis. The data in this report demonstrate that the release and metabolism of arachidonic acid are not necessary for thrombin-stimulated cell division. The presence of a low concentration of chymotrypsin prevented thrombin-stimulated arachidonic acid release and metabolism without affecting the stimulation of cell division. Furthermore, thrombin-stimulated cell division occurred in the presence of indomethacin concentrations that prevented cyclooxygenase-mediated metabolism of arachidonic acid. The following experiments showed that thrombin-stimulated phosphatidylinositol synthesis was brought about by a cyclooxygenase-mediated metabolite(s) of arachidonic acid. Indomethacin inhibited the cyclooxygenase-mediated metabolism of arachidonic acid without affecting the thrombin-stimulated release of arachidonic acid. Indomethacin also inhibited thrombin-stimulated phosphatidylinositol synthesis. The dose dependence of this inhibition paralleled the inhibition by indomethacin of cyclooxygenase-mediated metabolism of arachidonic acid. In addition, prostaglandin F2 alpha stimulated phosphatidylinositol synthesis in the presence of indomethacin concentrations which prevented thrombin-stimulated phosphatidylinositol synthesis.     

Possible regulation of phospholipase C activity in human platelets by phosphatidylinositol 4',5'-bisphosphate

Phospholipase C from human platelets was found to catalyze the Ca2+-dependent degradation of phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylinositol 4'-phosphate (DPI), and phosphatidylinositol 4',5'-bisphosphate (TPI) at Ca2+ concentrations from 150 microM to 5 mM. Both DPI and TPI inhibited the hydrolysis of [2-3H]inositol-labeled PI (250 microM) in a concentration-dependent manner. The use of DPI and TPI from beef brain, both of which have fatty acid compositions different from that of soybean PI, permitted an assessment of the inhibitory effect of polyphosphoinositides on the hydrolysis of PI by phospholipase C. Fatty acid analysis of the diacylglycerols formed demonstrated that DPI and TPI, when incubated in mixture with PI, were competitive substrates for PI hydrolysis. Increasing the DPI/PI ratio from 0 to 0.3 caused a shift in the degradation of PI to DPI without greatly affecting the formation of 1,2-diacylglycerol. TPI alone, or in mixture with PI, was a poor substrate for phospholipase C. Increasing the TPI/PI ratio from 0 to 0.21, on the other hand, inhibited both PI degradation (greater than or equal to 95%) and overall formation of 1,2-diacylglycerol (greater than or equal to 82%). Kinetic analysis revealed that TPI acts as a mixed-type inhibitor with a Ki of about 10 microM. The Ka for Ca2+ in PI hydrolysis was profoundly increased from 5 to 180 microM when TPI (36 microM) was included with PI (250 microM). Optimum PI degradation under these conditions was only attained when the calcium concentration approached 4 mM. Analysis of phospholipids from unstimulated human platelets from five different donors revealed DPI/PI and TPI/PI ratios of 0.42 and 0.16, respectively. These findings, combined with the observed inhibition of PI hydrolysis by TPI at a TPI/PI ratio of 0.16, would suggest that in unstimulated platelets phospholipase C activity may be inhibited by greater than or equal to 75%. Changes in 33P-prelabeled phospholipids of intact platelets upon stimulation with thrombin indicated a transient decline in 33P label of both TPI and DPI (15 s) followed by an increase in [33P]phosphatidic acid but no change in [33P]PI. The finding that DPI is selectively degraded by phospholipase C in mixture with PI at DPI/PI ratios determined to be present in unstimulated platelets indicates that DPI may be more important than PI in the formation of 1,2-diacylglycerol which is believed to serve as precursor of arachidonic acid for thromboxane biosynthesis. Furthermore, the results suggest that in human platelets TPI may serve as modulator for the formation of 1,2-diacylglycerol from inositol phospholipids.     

Thrombin induces expression of FGF-2 via activation of PI3K-Akt-Fra-1 signaling axis leading to DNA synthesis and motility in vascular smooth muscle cells

To understand the mechanisms by which thrombin induces vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) DNA synthesis and motility, we have studied the role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)-S6K1 signaling. Thrombin stimulated the phosphorylation of Akt and S6K1 in VSMC in a sustained manner. Blockade of PI3K-Akt-mTOR-S6K1 signaling by LY-294002, and rapamycin suppressed both thrombin-induced VSMC DNA synthesis and migration. Adenovirus-mediated expression of dominant-negative Akt also inhibited thrombin-induced VSMC DNA synthesis and migration. Furthermore, thrombin induced the expression of Fra-1 in a sustained PI3K-Akt-dependent and mTOR-independent manner in VSMC. Suppression of Fra-1 by its small interfering RNA attenuated both thrombin-induced VSMC DNA synthesis and migration. Thrombin also induced the expression of FGF-2 in a PI3K-Akt-Fra-1-dependent and mTOR-independent manner, and neutralizing anti-FGF-2 antibodies inhibited thrombin-stimulated VSMC DNA synthesis and motility. In addition, thrombin stimulated the tyrosine phosphorylation of EGF receptor (EGFR), and inhibition of its kinase activity significantly blocked Akt and S6K1 phosphorylation, Fra-1 and FGF-2 expression, DNA synthesis, and motility induced by thrombin in VSMC. Together these observations suggest that thrombin induces both VSMC DNA synthesis and motility via EGFR-dependent stimulation of PI3K/Akt signaling targeting in parallel the Fra-1-mediated FGF-2 expression and mTOR-S6K1 activation.     

Inositol lipids, phosphatidate and diacylglycerol share stearoylarachidonoylglycerol as a common backbone in thrombin-stimulated human platelets.

Gel-filtered human platelets were stimulated with 5i.u. of thrombin/ml for times up to 1 min. The fatty acid composition of inositol-containing phospholipids, phosphatidic acid and diacylglycerol was determined by g.l.c. in control and thrombin-stimulated platelet suspensions. Inositol phospholipids were found to have similar proportions of stearic and arachidonic acids, the sum of these representing 86.6% of the total fatty acids in phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns), 76.9% in phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PtdIns4P) and 85.4% in phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P2]. However, arachidonic and stearic acids were less abundant in phosphatidic acid (PtdA) and diacylglycerols in non-stimulated platelets. A transient decrease in the mass of PtdIns(4,5)P2 was observed after 5-10s of thrombin stimulation, followed by an increase after 30s. The amounts of PtdIns4P and PtdIns decreased throughout the experiment. A transient accumulation of stearoylarachidonoylglycerol was observed at 5s, whereas stearoylarachidonoylglycerol 3-phosphate (PtdA) was produced in increasing amounts throughout the experiment. The decrease in inositol-containing phospholipids was not fully compensated for by the production of diacylglycerol or PtdA [or PtdIns(4,5)P2] at 1 min. All the changes in inositol phospholipids, as well as those observed in diacylglycerols and PtdA, were due to a parallel reduction or increase in the contents of stearic and arachidonic acids, with a stoichiometry equal to 1. Taken together, this suggests an interconversion of all these lipids with the utilization of a common backbone, stearoylarachidonoylglycerol. The deacylation of this diacylglycerol could account for up to 4-5nmol of arachidonate/10(9) platelets after 1 min stimulation by thrombin.     

Microdetermination of phosphoinositides in a single extract

A method that allows the quantification of phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (DPI), and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-biphosphate (TPI) on a nanomolar scale is presented. The method is based on the simultaneous separation of lipids on high-performance thin-layer chromatography plates, followed by a microassay for phosphorus of PI spots and a densitometric assay of DPI and TPI. The new procedure allows the determination of the phospholipids in small amounts (100 micrograms protein) of synaptosomes and synaptic plasma membranes, and in homogenates of microwave-fixed brain tissue (1 mg wet wt). The usefulness of the method is illustrated by showing the effect of Ca2+ on the breakdown of DPI and TPI in synaptosomal plasma membranes.     

EGF and insulin action in fibroblasts. Evidence that phosphoinositide hydrolysis is not an essential mitogenic signalling pathway

Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts (CHL) arrested in G0 by serum starvation reinitiate DNA synthesis in response to either EGF, thrombin or serum. Arrested cells, prelabelled to equilibrium with [3H]inositol and receiving 20 mM LiCl prior stimulation, released rapidly large amounts of inositol phosphates when stimulated with thrombin or serum. In sharp contrast, EGF alone, or in association with insulin, failed to induce phosphoinositide breakdown at either early or late stages of EGF stimulation or in growing cells in EGF-supplemented serum-free medium. Phospholipase C remained, however, highly activatable by thrombin at all stages of EGF stimulation. Since EGF and thrombin are equally potent mitogens for CHL, we conclude that hydrolysis of polyphosphoinositides is not an exclusive signalling pathway for commitment to DNA replication and cell division.     

The rapid polyphosphoinositide metabolism may be a triggering event for thrombin-mediated stimulation of human platelets

The metabolism of polyphosphoinositides was examined in human platelets activated by thrombin. The addition of thrombin to [3H]glycerol-labeled platelets induced an initial loss and a subsequent increase of the radioactivity in phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (TPI) without any significant change in phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (DPI). A marked enhancement of [32P]Pi incorporation into TPI occurred in parallel with an increase in this lipid content, which was accompanied with a conccurent decrease in phosphatidylinositol (PI). The rate of this subsequent increase in TPI was smaller than that observed in [3H]arachidonic acid-labeled platelets, suggesting that formed TPI in activated platelets may contain much greater amount of arachidonate than preexisting TPI in resting platelets. These data indicate that thrombin causes a rapid change in TPI metabolism (initial degradation of preexisting TPI and subsequent production of arachidonate-rich TPI), which might be a primary candidate to modulate thrombin-induced function in human platelets.     

Phosphoinositides in mitogenesis: neomycin inhibits thrombin-stimulated phosphoinositide turnover and initiation of cell proliferation

Thrombin stimulates 32Pi incorporation into phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PIP), phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bis-phosphate (PIP2), and phosphatidylinositol (PI), and initiates DNA synthesis in hamster (NIL) fibroblasts at a half-maximal concentration of 125 ng/ml. Neomycin, which binds PIP2 and PIP, inhibits both thrombin-stimulated initiation of cell proliferation and 32P pI incorporation into at concentrations above 2 mM without affecting thrombin binding, thymidine uptake, or cellular protein synthesis. At lower concentrations, neomycin inhibits thrombin-stimulated release of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3), by selectively binding PIP2, but does not inhibit 32P incorporation into PI or initiation of DNA synthesis. Phosphoinositide recycling and diacylglycerol release therefore appear necessary for initiation of cell proliferation by thrombin. IP3-stimulated Ca++ mobilization may not be required for thrombin mitogenesis, however, since neomycin can block IP3 release without inhibiting initiation.     

Demonstration of a late amiloride-sensitive event as a necessary step in initiation of DNA synthesis by thrombin

Amiloride, a Na⁺ influx inhibitor, has been shown to inhibit initiation of DNA synthesis by thrombin in mouse embryo fibroblast-like cells. Long exoosures (24 hr) to high concentrations of amiloride inhibited incorporation of thymidine into the DNA of both thrombin-stimulated and nonstimulated cells, suggesting that this inhibition might not be specific for thrombin-initiated DNA synthesis. Fluorescence microscopy and spectrofluorimetry showed that amiloride was internalized with an apparent mitochondrial association and that the internalized amiloride was readily released from the cells after removing amiloride from the medium. Based on this reversibility, cells were exposed to amiloride for short periods of time during thrombin treatment to determine the temporal relationship between any amiloride-sensitive event(s) and initiation of DNA synthesis. The presence of amiloride (100 μM) during a 12-hr exposure to thrombin did not block thrombin-initiated DNA synthesis or cell division but did delay the onset of DNA synthesis and the peak of thymidine incorporation into DNA by approximately 3 hr, suggesting that early initiation events might proceed in the presence of amiloride. ⁸⁶Rb⁺ transport studies demonstrated that in this system ouabain-sensitive K⁺ uptake via the Na, K-ATPase was stimulated by thrombin during both an early and a late period. This stimulation was amiloride-sensitive under the same conditions used for growth experiments, suggesting that amiloride was inhibiting thrombin-stimulated Na⁺ transport in this system. Additional experiments showed that exposing cells to amiloride only during the first 8 hr after thrombin addition did not inhibit initiation. The presence of amiloride from 8–12 hr after thrombin addition maximally inhibited thrombin-stimulated DNA synthesis. Together these results demonstrate that amiloride inhibits thrombin-initiated DNA synthesis not by inhibiting an early event occurring during the first 8 hr, but rather by inhibiting some later event 8–12 hr after thrombin addition.     

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone rapidly alters polyphosphoinositide metabolism in rat granulosa cells

This report describes the rapid effects of GnRH and an agonist [D-Ala6, des-Gly10] GnRH ethylamide (GnRHa) on polyphosphoinositide metabolism in rat granulosa cells. As indicated by the depletion of cellular levels of 32P-prelabeled triphosphoinositide (TPI) and diphosphoinositide (DPI), GnRHa rapidly stimulated the hydrolysis of TPI and DPI. The effect of GnRHa was maximal at the earliest time point examined (30 sec) and preceded GnRHa-induced increases in labeling of phosphatidylinositol. A specific GnRH antagonist had no effect on TPI or DPI levels, but prevented the polyphosphoinositide depletion induced by GnRH. LH did not stimulate depletion of 32P-polyphosphoinositides. The rapid and specific effects of GnRH on polyphosphoinositide depletion may represent an early and possibly initiating event in the action of GnRH.     

Effect of estradiol and progesterone on phosphatidylinositol metabolism in the uterine epithelium of the mouse

The effect of estradiol and progesterone on uterine phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) metabolism was examined in whole uteri and separated uterine luminal epithelium of ovariectomized mice. Incorporation of [3H]myo-inositol in vitro, into inositol-containing phospholipids extracted from whole uteri, increased in mice injected with estradiol, with maximal incorporation at 9-12 h. The breakdown of PtdIns to inositol polyphosphates was also stimulated in whole uteri by estrogen, with an abrupt increase between 6 and 9 h. Comparable increases in both processes occurred in the uterine epithelium after estrogen stimulation and were inhibited by progesterone pretreatment which by itself had little or no effect. These results suggest that PtdIns metabolism is involved in the stimulation of uterine epithelial cell proliferation by estrogens, and its inhibition by progesterone.     

Stimulation of a MR 80,000 protein phosphorylation by EGF in EGF receptor-hyperproducing human tumor cells

NA and Ca9-22 cells derived from squamous cell carcinomas of the tongue possess a large number of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptors (2.0 X 10(6) and 1.3 X 10(6) receptors/cell, respectively). In these cell lines, EGF stimulated receptor autophosphorylation and phosphatidylinositol (PI) turnover. Furthermore, EGF enhanced the phosphorylation of an acidic protein of Mr 80,000. Phosphorylation of this protein was also stimulated by 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), a phorbol ester tumor promoter, and was mainly at serine residues. Phosphopeptide mapping using protease V8 or trypsin indicated that Mr 80,000 proteins isolated from the EGF- and TPA-treated cells were identical. The Mr 80,000 protein was present mainly in the cytosol, but it became closely associated with the membrane as a phosphorylated form upon EGF or TPA stimulation. These results suggest that the EGF-stimulated phosphorylation of the Mr 80,000 acidic phosphoprotein in EGF receptor-hyperproducing tumor cells is mediated through the activation of PI turnover and protein kinase C.     

Glucose inhibits insulin release when not promoting the entry of calcium into the beta-cells

The effect of antigen on the metabolism of polyphosphoinositides was investigated in sensitized rat peritoneal mast cells. Addition of antigen to rat peritoneal mast cells prelabelled with [3H]arachidonic acid resulted in a very rapid decrease in the level of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (DPI) within 5 sec, which appeared to precede the breakdown of phosphatidylinositol (PI), while there was no significant decline of PI 4,5-bisphosphate (TPI). The reduced levels of these phosphoinositides returned almost to control or even slightly higher values by 300 sec in parallel with the antigen-stimulated [32P]phosphate incorporation into these lipids. This early and transient disappearance in DPI prior to that in PI was also observed in [3H]glycerol-prelabelled cells. These data suggest that DPI degradation upon stimulation by antigen in mast cells may be an initial step in the histamine release process.     

Mitogenic action of tumor necrosis factor in human fibroblasts: interaction with epidermal growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor

We have previously shown that tumor necrosis factor (TNF) can increase the number of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptors on human FS-4 fibroblasts and that this increase may be related to the mitogenic action of TNF in these cells. Here we show that TNF stimulated the growth of FS-4 fibroblasts in a chemically defined, serum-free medium in the absence of EGF. Anti-EGF receptor antibody, which blocked the mitogenic effects of EGF in FS-4 cells, did not inhibit the mitogenic action of TNF in serum-free or serum-containing medium, indicating that EGF or an EGF-like molecule was not responsible for the mitogenic effects of TNF. However, the simultaneous addition of TNF and EGF to cells grown in serum-free medium resulted in a synergistic stimulation of DNA synthesis and cell growth. The actions of TNF and EGF were also examined in growth-arrested FS-4 cells and were compared with the action of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). In the absence of other growth factors, TNF was a relatively weak mitogen in growth-arrested cells, compared with EGF or PDGF. Nevertheless, TNF synergized with EGF or high doses of PDGF in stimulating DNA synthesis. Furthermore, antibodies specific for TNF or the EGF receptor were used to selectively inhibit the actions of these two factors, after specific incubation periods, in growth-arrested cells treated concurrently with EGF and TNF. To produce an optimal stimulation of DNA synthesis, EGF had to be present for a longer period of time than TNF. We conclude that in their synergistic action on growth-arrested FS-4 cells, EGF was responsible for driving the majority of the cells into S phase, while TNF appeared to make the cells more responsive to the mitogenic action of EGF. The findings indicate that TNF can cooperate with, and enhance the actions of, EGF in promoting DNA synthesis and cell division.     

AGEPC (platelet activating factor) induced stimulation of rabbit platelets: effects on phosphatidylinositol, di- and triphosphoinositides and phosphatidic acid metabolism

Stimulation of washed rabbit platelets with AGEPC (1-O-alkyl-2-acetyl-$\text{sn}$-glyceryl-3-phosphorylcholine) caused a 15–20% decrease in their phosphatidylinositol level within 15 seconds without affecting other major classes of phospholipids. In the same time frame the level of phosphatidic acid (PA) increased dramatically some four fold. LysoGEPC, which is inactive in stimulating rabbit platelets, did not cause any change in PI or PA. When [³²Pi] was present during the stimulation of platelets by AGEPC, the incorporation of radiolabel into PI-4-phosphate (DPI), PI-4,5-bis phosphate (TPI) and PA was enhanced significantly within one minute while the incorporation into PI increased only after one minute. These results clearly established that AGEPC induced stimulation of rabbit platelets was associated with the metabolism of inositol phospholipids and phosphatidic acid. The relevance of these findings to the mode of action of AGEPC and Ca²⁺ mobilization is also discussed.     

Biosynthesis of paf-acether. Activators of protein kinase C stimulate cultured mast cell acetyltransferase without stimulating paf-acether synthesis.

A property common to many growth factors is that they must be present for several hours before the commitment to DNA synthesis and cell division occurs. The intracellular signals that are relevant during this period are poorly defined. We examined the formation of 1,2-diacylglycerol in IIC9 fibroblasts after stimulation with epidermal growth factor (EGF), and found that the mass of this lipid remained elevated for at least four hours. The concentration-dependence of EGF-stimulated 1,2-diacylglycerol production and [3H]thymidine incorporation were similar. Studies of phospholipid metabolism strongly suggested that phosphatidylcholine was the source of the 1,2-diacylglycerol generated in response to EGF. EGF did not stimulate the hydrolysis of other phospholipids, including the phosphoinositides, nor did it increase synthesis de novo of 1,2-diacylglycerol. This pattern of sustained 1,2-diacylglycerol formation from phosphatidylcholine may be important in the mitogenic signalling of EGF and potentially other growth factors.     

Polyphosphoinositide metabolism in rat brain: effects of neuropeptides, neurotransmitters and cyclic nucleotides

This study describes effects of various peptides, neurotransmitters and cyclic nucleotides on brain polyphosphoinositide metabolism in vitro. The interconversion of the polyanionic inositol phospholipids was studied by incubation of a lysed crude mitochondrial/synaptosomal fraction with [gamma-32P]-ATP. The reference peptide ACTH1-24 stimulated the formation of radiolabelled phosphatidylinositol 4,5-diphosphate (TPI) and inhibited that of phosphatidic acid (PA). Substance P inhibited both TPI and PA labelling, whereas beta-endorphin inhibited that of PA without any effect on TPI. Morphine had no effect at any concentration tested, whereas high concentrations of naloxone inhibited the labelling of both PA and TPI. Naloxone did not counteract the effects of ACTH1-24. The other peptides tested (lysine 8-vasopressin and angiotensin II) were without any effect. Under the conditions used, adrenaline, noradrenaline and acetylcholine did not affect the labelling of the (poly)phosphoinositides. Both dopamine and serotonin, however, dose-dependently inhibited the formation of radiolabelled TPI and PA. Low concentrations of cAMP stimulated TPI, but higher concentrations had an overall inhibitory effect on the labelling of TPI, PA and especially phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (DPI). The cyclic nucleotide did not mediate or counteract the effects of ACTH, and cGMP was without any effect. These results are discussed in the light of current ideas on the mechanism of action of neuropeptides.     

Activation of class IA PI3K stimulates DNA synthesis in human airway smooth muscle cells

The precise mechanisms that regulate increases in airway smooth muscle (ASM) mass in asthma are unknown. This study determined whether class IA phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) is sufficient to stimulate DNA synthesis and characterized the PI3K isoforms expressed in human ASM cells. ASM cells express class IA, II, and III PI3K but not class IB. Because thrombin induces ASM cell proliferation, we investigated whether thrombin can stimulate class IA PI3K. Transient transfection of ASM cells with hemagglutinin-tagged p85 PI3K followed by immunostaining revealed that in quiescent cells, p85 was expressed diffusely in the cytoplasm and after stimulation with thrombin p85 translocated to the cell membrane. Microinjection of ASM cells with a dominant negative class IA PI3K inhibited thrombin-induced DNA synthesis by 30% and epidermal growth factor (EGF)- or serum-induced DNA synthesis by 13 and 28%, respectively (P < 0.05 by chi(2) analysis). In parallel experiments, transfection or microinjection of cells with constitutively active PI3K markedly increased DNA synthesis in transfected cells 10.5-fold and in microinjected cells 12.7-fold (P < 0.05 by chi(2) analysis) compared with cells transfected or microinjected with control plasmid. Interestingly, constitutively active PI3K augmented EGF-induced DNA synthesis but had little effect on that induced by serum or thrombin in ASM cells. Collectively, these data suggest that class IA PI3K is activated by thrombin and is sufficient to induce ASM cell growth.     

Epidermal growth factor stimulates diacylglycerol kinase in isolated plasma membrane vesicles from A431 cells

We have examined the effect of epidermal growth factor(EGF) on three kinds of kinases activities, phosphatidylinositol(PI) kinase, phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate[PI(4)P] kinase and diacylglycerol(DG) kinase that make important roles in the regulation of inositol phospholipids metabolism. When isolated plasma membrane vesicles from A431 cells were incubated at 30 degrees C with [gamma-32P]ATP and exogenously added DG, EGF enhanced the activity of DG kinase approximately 2-fold. This stimulation is found to be dose-dependent with a half maximal activation at 1 nM. In this case, EGF increased Vmax without changing Km Value for ATP or DG. Although this activation was observed in the absence of detergent, it was more evident when membrane vesicles were treated with 1 mM deoxycholate. Interestingly, the effect of EGF was only detected in magnesium containing medium. The use of manganese instead of magnesium diminished the stimulatory effect in either condition, presence or absence of deoxycholate. On the other hand, the stimulation of PI kinase or PI(4)P kinase activity was not caused by EGF. These results suggest that DG kinase activation by EGF makes important roles in cellular responses leading to cell growth.