pp39mos is associated with p34cdc2 kinase in c-mosxe-transformed NIH 3T3 cells.

We investigated the possible interactions between pp39mos and p34cdc2 kinase in NIH 3T3 cells transformed by c-mosxe. pp39mos is coprecipitated with p34cdc2 when using either anti-PSTAIR antibody or p13suc1-Sepharose beads. Likewise, p34cdc2 is coprecipitated with pp39mos when using anti-mos antibody. However, pp39mos was not present in histone H1 kinase-active p34cdc2 complexes precipitated with anti-p34cdc2 C-terminal peptide antibody even during metaphase of the cell cycle. The molar ratio of p34 to pp39mos in the p13suc1 complex is approximately 2:1. Consistent with the tight association between pp39mos and tubulin, tubulin was also present in equivalent amounts with pp39mos and p34 in the p13suc1 complex. This pp39mos-p34cdc2-tubulin complex may be important in transformation by the mos oncogene.     

Casein kinase II phosphorylates p34cdc2 kinase in G1 phase of the HeLa cell division cycle.

The activity of p34cdc2 kinase is regulated in the phases of vertebrate cell cycle by mechanisms of phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. In this paper, we demonstrate that casein kinase II (CKII) phosphorylates p34cdc2 in vivo and in vitro at Ser39 during the G1 phase of HeLa cell division cycle. Human p34cdc2 shows a typical phosphorylation sequence motif site for CKII at Ser39 (ES39EEE). In our experiments, either p34cdc2 expressed and purified from bacteria or p34cdc2 immunoprecipitated from HeLa cells enriched in G1 by elutriation were substrates for in vitro phosphorylation by CKII. Phosphoamino acid analysis, N-chlorosuccinimide mapping, and two-dimensional tryptic mapping of p34cdc2 phosphorylated in vitro were performed to determine the phosphorylation site. A synthetic peptide spanning residues 33-50 of human p34cdc2, including the CKII site, was used to map the site. In addition, phosphorylation at Ser39 also occurs in vivo, since p34cdc2 is phosphorylated during G1 on serine, and its two-dimensional tryptic map shows two phosphopeptides that comigrate exactly with the synthetic peptides used as standard.     

The extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway is required for activation-induced cell death of T cells

T cells can undergo activation-induced cell death (AICD) upon stimulation of the T cell receptor-CD3 complex. We found that the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway is activated during AICD. Transient transfection of a dominant interfering mutant of mitogen-activated/extracellular signal-regulated receptor protein kinase kinase (MEK1) demonstrated that down-regulation of the ERK pathway inhibited FasL expression during AICD, whereas activation of the ERK pathway with a constitutively active MEK1 resulted in increased expression of FasL. We also found that pretreatment with the specific MEK1 inhibitor PD98059 prevented the induction of FasL expression during AICD and inhibited AICD. However, PD98059 had no effect on other apoptotic stimuli. We found only very weak ERK activity during Fas-mediated apoptosis (induced by Fas cross-linking). Furthermore, preincubation with the MEK1 inhibitor did not inhibit Fas-mediated apoptosis. Finally, we also demonstrated that pretreatment with the MEK1 inhibitor could delay and decrease the expression of the orphan nuclear steroid receptor Nur77, which has been shown to be essential for AICD. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the ERK pathway is required for AICD of T cells and appears to regulate the induction of Nur77 and FasL expression during AICD.     

Rosmarinic acid induces p56lck-dependent apoptosis in Jurkat and peripheral T cells via mitochondrial pathway independent from Fas/Fas ligand interaction

Apoptosis is one way of controlling immune responses, and a variety of immunosuppressive drugs suppress harmful immune responses by inducing apoptosis of lymphocytes. In this study we observed that rosmarinic acid, a secondary metabolite of herbal plants, induced apoptosis in an p56(lck) (Lck)-dependent manner; Lck(+) Jurkat T cells undergo apoptosis in response to rosmarinic acid (RosA) treatment, whereas Lck(-) Jurkat subclone J.CaM1.6 cells do not. J.CaM1.6 cells with various Lck mutants indicated that Lck SH2 domain, but not Lck kinase activity, was required for RosA-induced apoptosis. RosA induced apoptosis in the absence of a TCR stimulus, and this was not prevented by interruption of the Fas/Fas ligand interaction. Instead, RosA-mediated apoptosis involved a mitochondrial pathway as indicated by cytochrome c release and the complete blockage of apoptosis by an inhibitor of mitochondrial membrane depolarization. Both caspase-3 and -8 were indispensable in RosA-induced apoptosis and work downstream of mitochondria and caspase-9 in the order of caspase-9/caspase-3/caspase-8. In freshly isolated human PBMC, RosA specifically induced apoptosis of Lck(+) subsets such as T and NK cells, but not Lck-deficient cells, including B cells and monocytes. Moreover, RosA's ability to kill T and NK cells was restricted to actively proliferating cells, but not to resting cells. In conclusion, Lck-dependent apoptotic activity may make RosA an attractive therapeutic tool for the treatment of diseases in which T cell apoptosis is beneficial.     

p14ARF induces G2 cell cycle arrest in p53- and p21-deficient cells by down-regulating p34cdc2 kinase activity

The human INK4a gene locus encodes two structurally unrelated tumor suppressor proteins, p16(INK4a) and p14(ARF). Although primarily proposed to require a functional p53.Mdm-2 signaling axis, recently p14(ARF) has been implicated in p53-independent cell cycle regulation. Here we show that p14(ARF) preferentially induces a G(2) arrest in tumor cells lacking functional p53 and/or p21. Expression of p14(ARF) impaired mitotic entry and enforced a primarily cytoplasmic localization of p34(cdc2) that was associated with a decrease in p34(cdc2) kinase activity and reduced p34(cdc2) protein expression. A direct physical interaction between p14(ARF) and p34(cdc2) was, nevertheless, ruled out by lack of co-immunoprecipitation. The p14(ARF)-induced depletion of p34(cdc2) was associated with impaired cdc25C phosphatase expression and a prominent shift to inhibitory Tyr-15-phosphorylation in G(2)-arrested cells lacking either p53, p21, or both. Finally, reconstitution of p34(cdc2) using a constitutively active, phosphorylation-deficient p34(cdc2AF) mutant alleviated this p14(ARF)-induced G(2) arrest, thereby allowing cell cycle progression. Taken together, these data indicate that p14(ARF) arrests cells lacking functional p53/p21 in the G(2) phase of the cell cycle by targeting p34(cdc2) kinase. This may represent an important fail-safe mechanism by which p14(ARF) protects p53/p21-deficient cells from unrestrained proliferation.     

Expression of the murine homologue of the cell cycle control protein p34cdc2 in T lymphocytes.

The mammalian homologue of the cdc2 gene of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe encodes a p34cdc2 cyclin-dependent kinase that regulates the cell cycle of a wide variety of cell types. Resting murine T lymphocytes contained no detectable p34cdc2 protein, histone kinase activity, or specific mRNA for the cdc2 gene. Activation of the T cells by immobilized anti-CD3 resulted in the expression of specific mRNA late in the G1 phase of the cell cycle, and p34cdc2 protein was detectable at or near G1/S. At this point in the cell cycle, the protein was phosphorylated at tyrosine and displayed no H1 histone kinase activity. As the cells progressed through the cycle, the amount of specific mRNA and p34cdc2 increased, and H1 histone kinase activity was detectable when the cells were blocked at G2/M by nocodazole. The activation of T cells by phorbol dibutyrate induced the expression of IL-2R but failed to induce the synthesis of IL-2 or the expression of cdc2-specific mRNA. Under these conditions, the activated cells failed to enter the S phase of the cell cycle. Because the presence of IL-2 added exogenously during activation by phorbol dibutyrate resulted in the expression of cdc2-specific mRNA and progression through the cell cycle, either IL-2 or the interaction with IL-2R may be involved in the expression of cdc2 and regulation of the G1/S transition.     

Triggering of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and NK cells via the Tp103 pathway is dependent on the expression of the T cell receptor/CD3 complex

The expression and function of the T cell activation molecule Tp103 on human cloned cytotoxic CD3+ and CD3- cells were studied. All in vitro growing CD3+ and CD3- clones expressed Tp103 regardless of their phenotype and the expression of a CD3-associated TCR complex. Whereas the CD2 pathway was functional in all these clones, only CD3-expressing clones could be triggered via Tp103 to kill target cells. In contrast, both CD2 and Tp103 pathways were suppressed after modulation of the TCR complex with anti-CD3 mAb. This indicates that the function of Tp103 but not of CD2 is dependent on the expression of a functional Ag receptor on cytotoxic T cells. Furthermore, modulation of the Ag receptor induces a state of unresponsiveness in cytotoxic T cells that cannot be attributed to just the removal of the CD3/TCR complex from the cell membrane.     

Cholesterol starvation decreases p34(cdc2) kinase activity and arrests the cell cycle at G2.

As a major component of mammalian cell plasma membranes, cholesterol is essential for cell growth. Accordingly, the restriction of cholesterol provision has been shown to result in cell proliferation inhibition. We explored the potential regulatory role of cholesterol on cell cycle progression. MOLT-4 and HL-60 cell lines were cultured in a cholesterol-deficient medium and simultaneously exposed to SKF 104976, which is a specific inhibitor of lanosterol 14-alpha demethylase. Through HPLC analyses with on-line radioactivity detection, we found that SKF 104976 efficiently blocked the [(14)C]-acetate incorporation into cholesterol, resulting in an accumulation of lanosterol and dihydrolanosterol, without affecting the synthesis of mevalonic acid. The inhibitor also produced a rapid and intense inhibition of cell proliferation (IC(50) = 0.1 microM), as assessed by both [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation into DNA and cell counting. Flow cytometry and morphological examination showed that treatment with SKF 104976 for 48 h or longer resulted in the accumulation of cells specifically at G2 phase, whereas both the G1 traversal and the transition through S were unaffected. The G2 arrest was accompanied by an increase in the hyperphosphorylated form of p34(cdc2) and a reduction of its activity, as determined by assaying the H1 histone phosphorylating activity of p34(cdc2) immunoprecipitates. The persistent deficiency of cholesterol induced apoptosis. However, supplementing the medium with cholesterol, either in the form of LDL or free cholesterol dissolved in ethanol, completely abolished these effects, whereas mevalonate was ineffective. Caffeine, which abrogates the G2 checkpoint by preventing p34(cdc2) phosphorylation, reduced the accumulation in G2 when added to cultures containing cells on transit to G2, but was ineffective in cells arrested at G2 by sustained cholesterol starvation. Cells arrested in G2, however, were still viable and responded to cholesterol provision by activating p34(cdc2) and resuming the cell cycle. We conclude that in both lymphoblastoid and promyelocytic cells, cholesterol availability governs the G2 traversal, probably by affecting p34(cdc2) activity.     

Phosphorylation of rap1GAP in vivo and by cAMP-dependent kinase and the cell cycle p34cdc2 kinase in vitro.

rap1GAP is a GTPase activating protein that specifically stimulates the GTP hydrolytic rate of the ras-related protein p21rap1.rap1GAP undergoes post-translational modification that causes a substantial change in its mobility on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. At least part of this modification is due to the phosphorylation. Expression of a rap1GAP cDNA in insect cells labeled with 32Pi resulted in high level incorporation of radioactivity into serine residues of the expressed protein. Purified rap1GAP was phosphorylated in vitro by cAMP-dependent kinase and the cell cycle p34cdc2 kinase. The molar ratio of incorporated phosphate/rap1GAP was approximately 3 by cAMP-dependent kinase and 2 by p34cdc2. The sites of phosphorylation by both kinases were localized to a 100-residue segment contained in the carboxyl-terminal region of the predicted primary structure of rap1GAP. Highly favorable recognition sequences for the two kinases are contained within this fragment and are proposed as the sites of phosphorylation. Treatment of SK-MEL-3 cells with dibutyryl cAMP promoted phosphorylation of rap1GAP in vivo. Based on the results of comparative phosphopeptide mapping the sites of phosphorylation in vivo and in vitro are identical.     

p13suc1 acts in the fission yeast cell division cycle as a component of the p34cdc2 protein kinase.

cdc2+ encodes a protein kinase that is required during both G1 and G2 phases of the cell division cycle in fission yeast. suc1+ is an essential gene that was originally identified as a plasmid-borne sequence that could rescue certain temperature-sensitive cdc2 mutants. To investigate the role of the suc1+ gene product in the cell cycle p13suc1 has been expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. An immunoaffinity purified anti-p13suc1 polyclonal serum has been prepared and used to identify p13suc1 in fission yeast. The abundance of this protein did not alter either during the cell cycle or during entry into stationary phase. p13suc1 was found in yeast lysates in a complex with the cdc2+ gene product. Approximately 5% of cellular p34cdc2 was associated with p13suc1, and this fraction of p34cdc2 was active as a protein kinase. The stability of the complex was disrupted in yeast strains carrying temperature-sensitive alleles of cdc2 that are suppressible by overexpression of suc1+. The level of association between p13suc1 and p34cdc2 was not affected by cell cycle arrest in adverse nutritional conditions. p13suc1 is not a substrate of the p34cdc2 protein kinase. We propose instead that it acts as a regulatory component of p34cdc2 that facilitates interaction with other proteins.     

The cell cycle inhibitor p57(Kip2) promotes cell death via the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway

The p57(Kip2) gene belongs to the Cip/Kip family of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors and has been suggested to be a tumor suppressor gene, being inactivated in various types of human cancers. However, little is known concerning p57(Kip2) possible interplay with the apoptotic cell death machinery and its possible implication for cancer. Here, we report that selective p57(Kip2) expression sensitizes cancer cells to apoptotic agents such as cisplatin, etoposide and staurosporine (STS) via a mechanism, which does not require p57(Kip2)-mediated inhibition of CDK. Translocation of p57(Kip2) to mitochondria occurs within 20 min after STS application. In fact, p57(Kip2) primarily promotes the intrinsic apoptotic pathways, favoring Bax activation and loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential, consequent release of cytochrome-c into cytosol, caspase-9 and caspase-3 activation. In accordance, Bcl2 overexpression or voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) inhibition is able to inhibit p57(Kip2) cell death promoting effect. Thus, in addition to its established function in control of proliferation, these results reveal a mechanism whereby p57(Kip2) influences the mitochondrial apoptotic cell death pathway in cancer cells.     

p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase mediates the Fas-induced mitochondrial death pathway in CD8+ T cells

The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway can be activated by a variety of stress stimuli such as UV radiation and osmotic stress. The regulation and role of this pathway in death receptor-induced apoptosis remain unclear and may depend on the specific death receptor and cell type. Here we show that binding of Fas ligand to Fas activates p38 MAPK in CD8+ T cells and that activation of this pathway is required for Fas-mediated CD8+ T-cell death. Active p38 MAPK phosphorylates Bcl-xL and Bcl-2 and prevents the accumulation of these antiapoptotic molecules within the mitochondria. Consequently, a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and the release of cytochrome c lead to the activation of caspase 9 and, subsequently, caspase 3. Therefore, the activation of p38 MAPK is a critical link between Fas and the mitochondrial death pathway and is required for the Fas-induced apoptosis of CD8+ T cells.     

Cytokinin controls the cell cycle at mitosis by stimulating the tyrosine dephosphorylation and activation of p34cdc2-like H1 histone kinase

In excised pith parenchyma from Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Wisconsin Havana 38, auxin (naphthalene-1-acetic acid) together with cytokinin (6-benzylaminopurine) induced a greater than 40-fold increase in a p34^cdc2-like protein, recoverable in the p13^suc1-binding fraction, that had high H1 histone kinase activity, but enzyme induced without cytokinin was inactive. In suspension-cultured N. plumbaginifolia Viv., cytokinin (kinetin) was stringently required only in late G2 phase of the cell division cycle (cdc) and cells lacking kinetin arrested in G2 phase with inactive p34^cdc2-like H1 histone kinase. Control of the Cdc2 kinase by inhibitory tyrosine phosphorylation was indicated by high phosphotyrosine in the inactive enzyme of arrested pith and suspension cells. Yeast cdc25 phosphatase, which is specific for removal of phosphate from tyrosine at the active site of p34^cdc2 enzyme, was expressed in bacteria and caused extensive in-vitro activation of p13^suc1-purified enzyme from pith and suspension cells cultured without cytokinin. Cytokinin stimulated the removal of phosphate, activation of the enzyme and rapid synchronous entry into mitosis. Therefore, plants can control cell division by tyrosine phosphorylation of Cdc2 but differ from somatic animal cells in coupling this mitotic control to hormonal signals.Abbreviations BAP 6-benzylaminopurine - BrdUrd 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine - cdc cell division cycle - Cdc25 cdc phospho-protein phosphatase - CKI cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor - 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - DAPI 4,6 diamidino-2-phenylindole - GST-cdc25 glutathione sulfur transferase-truncated cdc25 fusion - MS Murashige and Skoog (1962) - NAA naphthalene-1-acetic acid - p34^cdc2 34-kDa product of the cdc2 gene     

Regulation of synthesis of p34cdc2 and its homologues and their relationship to p110Rb phosphorylation during cell cycle progression of normal human T cells.

In yeast, the protein kinase p34cdc2 plays a role in regulating both the G2 to M and G1 to S phase transitions. The discovery of multiple homologues of the protein in cells of higher eukaryotic organisms suggests that different cell cycle regulatory events may be performed by different kinases in such cells. Here, the synthesis and metabolism of the human forms of these proteins are described in a normal human cell type, peripheral blood T lymphocytes that have been stimulated to enter the cell cycle in vitro. Using a carboxyl-terminus antiserum specific for true p34cdc2, the protein could first be found in T cells at about 24 to 30 h after stimulation, just before the initiation of DNA synthesis. Three forms of the enzyme could be resolved by denaturing gel electrophoresis: an unphosphorylated form with an apparent molecular mass of 34,500 daltons and two phosphorylated derivatives. In cells synchronized at G2/M phase with nocodazole, p34 was almost entirely in the unphosphorylated form whereas the phosphorylated derivatives were more predominant in cultures arrested at the G1/S border with aphidicolin. The relationship of p34 synthesis to the phosphorylation of p110Rb, an event known to be associated with passage through late G1 and/or the G1/S phase transition, was also investigated. It was noted that p110Rb phosphorylation began before p34 synthesis first became detectable. Furthermore, it appeared that the two events could be largely uncoupled by treating cells with deferoxamine (10 microM), an iron chelating agent that arrests T cells at a point in late G1 phase but substantially before the G1 to S phase transition. Under these conditions, p110Rb phosphorylation was almost completely accomplished in the absence of significant p34 synthesis, a finding that suggests that most or all of p110 phosphorylation is performed by kinases other than p34. Because of this observation, extracts were next examined for p34-like molecules using an antibody against the so-called PSTAIRE domain found in all cdc2 homologues identified to date. A species of protein with a mobility slightly less than true p34 was found, even in resting T cells. Upon stimulation, this protein increased slightly in amount, and a second protein with a mobility greater than p34, a putative p33cdk2, was seen. Not only was the appearance of these proteins not inhibited by deferoxamine but they accumulated in cultures treated with the drug, suggesting that p33, and not p34, may be the G1 phase kinase for p110Rb.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Recognition of alloantigen by cytotoxic T cell precursors is independent of the function of Ia+ cells

The relationship between the requirement for Ia+ accessory cells (IaAC) and the differentiation of the precursor of CTL (PCTL) in the primary in vitro induction of allogeneic CTL was studied. The following observations were made PCTL can complete the antigen recognition step in the absence of IaAC. This process probably does not involve cell division. The sensitized PCTL require additional signals, which are provided through an IaAC-dependent process to differentiate into the effector CTL. IaAC from any of the responder, the stimulator, or even the third-party strains can fulfill the requirement. However, IaAC of the responder strain failed to generate the helper signal in the absence of allogeneic antigens. The cellular events taking place in the induction of CTL are discussed.