Schistosoma mansoni: evidence for protein kinase-C-like modulation of muscle activity

The phorbol esters, phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate, phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate, phorbol-12,13-didecanoate, and phorbol-12,13-diacetate, as well as mezerin at concentrations as low as 10 nM produce a spastic paralysis of the schistosome musculature. The action of these protein kinase-C activators is dependent on the sites of esterification and is stereo-specific since phorbol-13,20-diacetate, phorbol-12,13,20-triacetate, 20-oxo, 20-deoxy-beta-phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate, alpha-phorbol-12,13-didecanoate, and alpha-phorbol are inactive. A phospholipid and phorbol ester-dependent protein kinase is identified. This kinase is stimulated by all of the phorbol esters that increase muscle tone but is not stimulated by phorbol esters that do not affect muscle tone. A high affinity, stereo-specific phorbol ester receptor is identified. Dose-response curves of phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate-induced muscle tension and -stimulated kinase activity and receptor binding indicate that these responses are mediated by the same system. These results indicate that protein kinase-C-like enzyme may play an important role in modulating activity of the schistosome musculature.     

Phorbol Ester-Induced Upregulation of Angiotensin II Receptors in Neuronal Cultures Is Potentiated by a Calcium Ionophore

Previous studies have suggested that protein kinase C is important in the regulation of angiotensin II receptors in neuronal cultures, because the C-kinase agonists, phorbol esters, are able to increase the number of these receptors. In the present study, we have further investigated the role of protein kinase C in angiotensin II receptor regulation. This enzyme is calcium dependent, and so we investigated the effects of A23187, a calcium ionophore, on phorbol ester-stimulated and basal angiotensin II receptor regulation. A23187, at concentrations that increased 45Ca2+ influx, caused a dose-dependent potentiation of phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (TPA)-stimulated upregulation of angiotensin II receptors. This potentiation by A23187 was a further increase in angiotensin II receptor number and was abolished in calcium-free medium. In the absence of TPA, A23187 caused a decrease in angiotensin II receptor number, an effect not observed in calcium-free medium. The results suggest at least two pathways for angiotensin II receptor regulation in neuronal cells: (a) by calcium-dependent protein kinase C and (b) via an influx of calcium into the cell.     

Stimulation of a histone H4 protein kinase in Triton X-100 lysates of rabbit peritoneal neutrophils pretreated with chemotactic factors: lack of requirements of calcium mobilization and protein kinase C activation

The characteristics of the activation of a histone H4 kinase activity in Triton X-100 lysates of rabbit peritoneal neutrophils pretreated with fMet-Leu-Phe were studied: The activation of the kinase was a) inhibited by the antagonist of formylpeptide, t-Boc-(Phe-Leu)2(-)-Phe, b) completely inhibited by pertussis toxin pretreatment, c) not affected by the pretreatment of neutrophils with an activator of protein kinase C, phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate, or an inhibitor of protein kinase C, 1-(5-isoquinoline-sulfonyl)-2-methyl-piperazine, and d) not inhibited in the cells preloaded with the intracellular calcium chelators, bis-(o-aminophenoxy)-ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetra acetic acid acetoxymethyl-ester (BAPTA/AM). These results suggest that the stimulus-induced activation of H4 kinase requires functional receptor and GTP-binding protein but neither calcium mobilization nor protein kinase C activation.     

Tumour-promoting phorbol esters inhibit agonist-induced phosphatidate formation and Ca flux in human platelets

Tumour-promoting phorbol esters (phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate, PMA; phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate, PDBu) but not 4β-phorbol, activate protein kinase C. Using human platelets pre-labelled with quin2 or ³²PO₄ we examined the effects of these compounds on human platelet cytosolic free Ca²⁺ ([Ca²⁺]_j) and on [³²]phosphatidic acid ([³²P]PtdOH). PMA and PDBu, but not 4β-phorbol inhibited thrombin-, PAF- and vasopressin-induced elevation of [Ca²⁺], and [²⁺P]PtdOH formation. It is suggested that protein kinase C may act to terminate the transduction processes that link receptor occupancy to cellular activation.     

Phosphorylation of vertebrate nonmuscle and smooth muscle myosin heavy chains and light chains

In this article we review the various amino acids present in vertebrate nonmuscle and smooth muscle myosin that can undergo phosphorylation. The sites for phosphorylation in the 20 kD myosin light chain include serine-19 and threonine-18 which are substrates for myosin light chain kinase and serine-1 and/or-2 and threonine-9 which are substrates for protein kinase C. The sites in vertebrate smooth muscle and nonmuscle myosin heavy chains that can be phosphorylated by protein kinase C and casein kinase II are also summarized.Original data indicating that treatment of human T-lymphocytes (Jurkat cell line) with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate results in phosphorylation of both the 20 kD myosin light chain as well as the 200 kD myosin heavy chain is presented. We identified the amino acids phosphorylated in the human T-lymphocytes myosin light chains as serine-1 or serine-2 and in the myosin heavy chains as serine-1917 by 1-dimensional isoelectric focusing of tryptic phosphopeptides. Untreated T-lymphocytes contain phosphate in the serine-19 residue of teh myosin light chain and in a residue tentatively identified as serine-1944 in the myosin heavy chain.Abbreviations MLC myosin light chain - MHC myosin heavy chain - Tris tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane - EGTA [ethylenebis(oxyethylenenitrilo)]tetraacetic acid - EDTA ethylenediaminetetraacetate - TPCK N-tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone - PMA phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate     

Protein Kinase C Agonists Increase the Expression of Angiotensin II Receptors in Neuronal Cultures

Previous studies have shown that norepinephrine is important in the regulation of central angiotensin II receptors, an effect mediated by alpha 1-adrenergic receptors. Because alpha 1-adrenergic stimulation leads to inositol phospholipid hydrolysis and activation of protein kinase C, we have examined a possible role of this enzyme in the regulation of central angiotensin II (Ang II) receptors. In the present study, we have examined the effects of protein kinase C activators, phorbol esters, on the expression of Ang II receptors in neuronal cultures prepared from 1-day-old rat brains. The active phorbol ester phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (TPA) caused time- and concentration-dependent increases in the specific binding of [125I]Ang II to its receptors in neuronal cultures of normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rat brains. The stimulatory effect of TPA on Ang II receptors was apparent within 15 min and reached a maximum between 1 and 2 h. Ang II specific binding had returned to control levels by 24 h. Various phorbol esters increased [125I]Ang II binding in accordance with their order of potency in stimulating protein kinase C activity. Saturation and Scatchard analysis revealed that the phorbol ester-induced increase in [125I]Ang II binding was due to an increase in the number of Ang II receptors. These observations indicate that activation of protein kinase C results in an increased expression of Ang II receptors in neuronal cultures from both normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rat brains. The results suggest a possible role of phosphorylation in Ang II receptor expression in neuronal cultures.     

Stimulation of a histone H4 protein kinase in Triton X-100 lysates of rabbit peritoneal neutrophils pretreated with chemotactic factors. Effect of fMet-Leu-Phe and partial characterization of the protein kinase

Rabbit peritoneal neutrophils were stimulated with either the chemotactic factor, fMet-Leu-Phe (10(-8) M, 10 s) or the protein kinase C activator, phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), (0.1 microgram/ml, 3 min) at 37 degrees C, lysed with Triton X-100 at the indicated times and the histone H4 kinase activity of the lysate measured. The histone H4 protein kinase activity was increased severalfold by fMet-Leu-Phe but not PMA. The inclusion of the potent protein kinase C inhibitor, 1-(5-isoquinoline-sulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (50 microM) inhibited little if any of the histone H4 protein kinase activity. The effect of fMet-Leu-Phe was transient, maximum stimulation occurring within 10 s and decaying thereafter. The soluble fraction (extract) of the Triton X-100 lysates from control and fMet-Leu-Phe-treated cells was found to contain both histone H4 protein kinase and calcium-phospholipid-activated protein kinase (protein kinase C) activities. The histone H4 protein kinase activity obtained after fMet-Leu-Phe treatment was very little affected by calcium, phospholipid, and PMA and preferred histone H4 but not H1 or H2A as its substrate. In contrast, the calcium-phospholipid-activated protein kinase activity of the extract preferred histones H1 or H2A as substrates and was strongly inhibited by 1-(5-isoquinoline-sulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine. The histone H4 protein kinase was partially separated from kinase C by DEAE-cellulose and phenyl-Sepharose 4B chromatography. It phosphorylated mostly serine in histone H4. The results indicate that the chemotactic factor, fMet-Leu-Phe, stimulates a protein kinase with substrate specificity and biochemical properties distinct from calcium-phospholipid-activated protein kinase C.     

Effect of fluphenazine on the stimulation of calcium-sensitive phospholipid-dependent protein kinase by 12-0-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate

The addition of the tumor-promoting phorbol ester 12-0-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate resulted in activation of calcium-sensitive phospholipid-dependent protein kinase which was dependent on the presence of phospholipid but was essentially independent of calcium. Fluphenazine, which is an effective inhibitor of the ability of this phorbol ester to stimulate proliferation in calcium-deprived non-neoplastic cells, inhibited the enzyme in the absence or presence of the phorbol ester (K_i = 16 μM). Fluphenazine inhibition was competitive with phospholipid but non-competitive with 12-0-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate.     

Methylglyoxal downregulates Raf-1 protein through a ubiquitination-mediated mechanism

Abnormal accumulation of methylglyoxal, a physiological glucose metabolite, is considered a potential link between hyperglycemia and diabetes complications. Evidence has shown that methylglyoxal modifies cellular proteins by glycation and oxidation, resulting in dysfunction or loss of cellular proteins. Raf-1 protein-serine/threonine kinase serves as a central switch board in the transmission of many growth and developmental signals. It was reported that Raf-1 levels appear to decrease in some diabetic subjects. But the potential mechanisms have not yet been clarified. Here, we tested the hypothesis that methylglyoxal-mediated proteolysis might contribute to the downregulation of Raf-1 levels. We observed that a rapid and detectable decrease in Raf-1 protein levels was induced by methylglyoxal, which was accelerated by treating with a Raf-1 activator, phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate, and by expressing active forms of Raf-1 and Ras. Moreover, immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting assays showed that co-treatment of cells with methylglyoxal and phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate caused dramatic ubiquitination in both total intracellular proteins and Raf-1. Blocking phosphorylation with the protein kinase C inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide, or inhibiting intracellular oxidation by addition of the antioxidant N-acetyl-l-cysteine could reverse the ubiquitination and downregulation of Raf-1 induced by methylglyoxal and phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate. These results suggest that methylglyoxal-mediated intracellular oxidation and ubiquitin/proteasome-dependent proteolysis are involved in the downregulation of Raf-1, which may be closely related to the development complications in diabetes.     

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha converting enzyme is processed by proprotein-convertases to its mature form which is degraded upon phorbol ester stimulation.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha converting enzyme (TACE or ADAM17) is a member of the ADAM (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase) family of type I membrane proteins and mediates the ectodomain shedding of various membrane-anchored signaling and adhesion proteins. TACE is synthesized as an inactive zymogen, which is subsequently proteolytically processed to the catalytically active form. We have identified the proprotein-convertases PC7 and furin to be involved in maturation of TACE. This maturation is negatively influenced by the phorbol ester phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), which decreases the cellular amount of the mature form of TACE in PMA-treated HEK293 and SH-SY5Y cells. Furthermore, we found that stimulation of protein kinase C or protein kinase A signaling pathways did not influence long-term degradation of mature TACE. Interestingly, PMA treatment of furin-deficient LoVo cells did not affect the degradation of mature TACE. By examination of furin reconstituted LoVo cells we were able to exclude the possibility that PMA modulates furin activity. Moreover, the PMA dependent decrease of the mature enzyme form is specific for TACE, as the amount of mature ADAM10 was unaffected in PMA-treated HEK293 and SH-SY5Y cells. Our results indicate that the activation of TACE by the proprotein-convertases PC7 and furin is very similar to the maturation of ADAM10 although there is a significant difference in the cellular stability of the mature enzyme forms after phorbol ester treatment.     

Metabolic responsiveness to phorbol ester and activity of protein kinase C in isolated hepatocytes from partially hepatectomized rats

The ability of isolated rat hepatocytes to respond to phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) with acute stimulation of de novo fatty acid synthesis was markedly depressed at 4, 22 and 48 h after partial hepatectomy (PH). This desensitization was not due to surgical stress as shown by comparison with hepatocytes from sham-operated animals. Moreover, the total activity of protein kinase C (PK-C), the principal phorbol ester receptor, was not down-regulated at 22 h after partial hepatectomy. Partial hepatectomy rather caused a small but distinct shift in subcellular PK-C distribution toward the particulate fraction thereby suggesting a modest activation of PK-C. We conclude that the PH-induced desensitization to PMA occurs at a point beyond PK-C activation.     

Inhibition of superoxide anion radical production by ebselen (PZ51) and its sulfur analogue (PZ25) in guinea pig alveolar macrophages

The production of superoxide anion radicals by guinea pig alveolar macrophages is stimulated by the chemotactic peptide N-formylmethionyl-leucylphenylalanine and the protein kinase C activator phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate. Both stimulations are completely and equipotently (IC50 = 20 microM) inhibited by the seleno-organic compound ebselen. As the sulfur containing analogue, which is devoid of glutathione peroxidase-like activity, shows the same inhibitory activity towards superoxide anion radical production the observed effect of ebselen can not be explained by the described glutathione peroxidase-like activity. The observed inhibition is probably caused by an inhibition of protein kinase C or inhibition at a level distal to protein kinase C activation.     

Phorbol esters, but not the hormonal form of vitamin D, induce changes in protein kinase C during differentiation of human histiocytic lymphoma cell line (U-937)

Human histiocytic lymphoma cells (U-937) undergo similar differentiation when incubated with the phorbol ester 12-0-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol. In this action, TPA somehow implicates calcium-sensitive and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C), which is rapidly and significantly affected by this inducer. On the contrary, 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol in its differentiating action does not involve protein kinase C thus suggesting that the secosteroid induces monocytic differentiation possible through a different mechanism of that of phorbol ester.     

Insights into mechanism of tumour promotion by mezerein

The objective of this study was to gather insights and compare the mode of action of the non phorbol, diterpene mezerein with the phorbol ester, phorbol-12-myristate-13 acetate, in normal and transformed cells. Both phorbol-12-myristate-13 acetate and mezerein are shown to activate the signal transduction pathways involving post translational modification of proteins by poly ADP-ribosylation and by protein kinase C, but to varying extents and showed different time kinetics and cell type differences. Multiple nuclear proteins, especially histones H3d, A24 and HI served as acceptors of poly ADP-ribose in response to PMA in both NIH 3T3 and HDCS cells whereas H1 and H2B were the major acceptors in case of mezerein treatment, similarly in both NIH 3T3 and HDCS cells. The results suggest an epigenetic mechanism (s) in tumour promotion by mezerein.     

LLC-PK1 cell mutants in cAMP metabolism respond normally to phorbol esters

Mutants of the pig kidney cell line, LLC-PK1, affected in cAMP metabolism, were examined for cAMP-dependent protein kinase (cAMP-PK) activity and for cAMP-mediated induction of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA). The FIB4 and FIB6 mutant cell lines possessed about 10% parental levels of cAMP-PK activity and concomitantly reduced uPA production (10-20% parental) in response to calcitonin, forskolin and 8-bromo cAMP. The FIB1, FIB2 and FIB5 mutant cell lines had about 70% parental levels of cAMP-PK and the synthesis of uPA was 40-60% parental. Thus, cAMP-mediated induction of uPA showed a dependence on the absolute levels of cAMP-PK. However, uPA synthesis in response to phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate by all of the mutants was similar to parental, which indicates that enzyme induction mediated by phorbol esters does not involve cAMP or cAMP-PK.     

The glucocorticoid dexamethasone and the tumor-promoting artificial sweetener saccharin stimulate protein kinase C from T51B rat liver cells

Diacylglycerols, such as 1,2-diolein, and tumor-promoting phorbol compounds, such as TPA (12-0-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate), stimulate the Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent protein kinase C from T51B rat liver cells, probably by sensitizing it to activation by Ca2+, and they reduce the liver cells' content of EDTA-extractable (i.e., soluble) protein kinase C activity. Evidence is presented that indicates that the glucocorticoid, dexamethasone, and the tumor-promoting artificial sweetener, saccharin, also trigger a Ca2+-dependent increase in the activity of the protein kinase C from T51B liver cells and reduce the cells' content of EDTA-extractable protein kinase C activity. However, these novel stimulators do not activate the enzyme by binding to the same site as diacylglycerols and TPA, although they do alter this site as indicated by an increase in the binding of the TPA analogue PDBu (phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate).     

Fibroblast growth factor-dependent mitogenic signal transduction pathway in chemically transformed mouse fibroblasts is similar to but distinct from that initiated by phorbol esters.

Treatment of the quiescent, chemically transformed Balb/c mouse 3T3 cells (BP-A31) with fibroblast growth factor (FGF) leads to reinitiation of the cell division cycle in a large proportion of the cells. The characteristics of the mitogenic action of FGF closely resemble those of phorbol esters (activators of protein kinases type C) and differ from those of insulin (mediated by insulin-like growth factor 1 receptors). In particular, the effects of FGF as well as of phorbol-2-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), unlike the effects of insulin, are prevented by a low concentration (7.5 nM) of staurosporin (an efficient inhibitor of protein kinase C) as well as by 3-isobutyl-1-methyl xanthin (IBMX). Both FGF and PMA are good inducers of the accumulation of c-fos and c-jun mRNAs, whereas insulin has little effect. However, FGF was fully active (both as a mitogen and as inducer of c-fos mRNA accumulation) also in cells where the protein kinase C-mediated pathway had been downregulated by a long exposure to phorbol dibutyrate. We propose that the mitogenic effect of FGF does not require activation of protein kinase C, but that the subsequent events in the transduction pathways initiated by FGF and PMA, respectively, are (in part) coincident.     

Parathyroid hormone receptor internalization is independent of protein kinase A and phospholipase C activation

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) and PTH-related peptide (PTHrP) binding to their common receptor stimulates second messenger accumulation, receptor phosphorylation, and internalization. LLC-PK(1) cells expressing a green fluorescent protein-tagged PTH/PTHrP receptor show time- and dose-dependent receptor internalization. The internalized receptors colocalize with clathrin-coated pits. Internalization is stimulated by PTH analogs that bind to and activate the PTH/PTHrP receptor. Cell lines expressing a mutant protein kinase A regulatory subunit that is resistant to cAMP and/or a mutant receptor (DSEL mutant) that does not activate phospholipase C internalize their receptors normally. In addition, internalization of the wild-type receptor and the DSEL mutant is stimulated by the PTH analog [Gly(1),Arg(19)]hPTH-(1-28), which does not stimulate phospholipase C. Forskolin, IBMX, and the active phorbol ester, phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate, did not promote receptor internalization or increase PTH-induced internalization. These data indicate that ligand-induced internalization of the PTH/PTHrP receptor requires both ligand binding and receptor activation but does not involve stimulation of adenylate cyclase/protein kinase A or phospholipase C/protein kinase C.     

Presence of calmodulin in human platelet cytoskeletons and its concentration change upon activation of platelets

We found that a small, reproducible amount of calmodulin is present in the cytoskeleton of human platelets. Triton-insoluble materials (cytoskeletons), which were prepared by cetrifugation at 1000 × g for 10 min of platelets after lysis by Triton X-100, stimulated cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity in the presence of Ca²⁺ but not in the presence of the calcium chelator, EGTA, or the calmodulin antagonist, trifluoperazine. The activation of the enzyme was also obtained after heating Triton-insoluble materials. An alkaline glycerol polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of fractions obtained after gel fitration of solubilized Triton residues showed a protein band which had a faster electrophoretic mobility in the absence than in the presence of Ca²⁺. Upon thrombin activation of platelets, calmodulin in the Triton-insoluble cytoskeletons increased rapidly parallel to actin, actin-binding protein and myosin. With other stimulants such as collagen, epinephrine and ADP, similar results were obtained but with slower association of these proteins with cytoskeletons. However, after treatment with the Ca²⁺-inophore A23187, calmodulin, actin and actin-binding protein in Triton residues decreased rapidly, whereas the association of myosin increased. Thus, calmodulin seems to be associated with actin filaments rather than myosin filaments, and may be involved in the generation of contractile force in the cell.     

Reversal by protein kinase C inhibitor of suppressive actions of phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate on polyphosphoinositide metabolism and cytosolic Ca2+ mobilization in thrombin-stimulated human platelets

In the presence of 1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H-7), a potent inhibitor of protein kinase C in vitro, phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) did not suppress the thrombin-induced increase of cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in human platelets. The H-7 reversal of the inhibitory action of PMA was also observed in thrombin-induced polyphosphoinositide breakdown by phospholipase C. These results provide additional support to the developing theory that the inhibition of PMA on Ca2+ mobilization and phosphoinositide turnover may be mediated by protein kinase C activation.