A calmodulin dependent protein kinase activity associated with rabbit heart sarcolemma

Summary Sarcolemmal vesicles prepared from rabbit heart muscle by differential and discontinuous sucrose density gradient centrifugation, exhibited high marker enzyme activities: Na⁺ + K⁺ ATPase 22 µMol Pi × mg^–1 × h^–1. Adenylate cyclase 500 pmole CAMP × mg^–1 × min^–1, calcium antagonist receptors 0.7 pmoles × mg^–1. Calmodulin in the presence of calcium and -ATP³² stimulated rapidly and specifically the ³²P incorporation into two membrane proteins of 54 and 44 kDa. Calmodulin stimulated the phosphorylation of the 44 kDa to a greater extent (17.9 pmol ³²P × mg^–1 protein) than the 54 kDa protein (1.3 pmoles ³²P x mg^–1 protein). Removal of endogenous calmodulin from the membrane by EGTA extraction resulted in a 2.5 fold increase in calmodulin dependent ³²P incorporation into the two proteins in the presence of exogenous calmodulin. It is suggested that the calmodulin dependent protein kinase activity in heart sarcolemma may mediate the effects of calmodulin in the regulation of Ca²⁺ transport across the membrane.     

The production of post-Golgi vesicles requires a protein kinase C-like molecule, but not its phosphorylating activity

We have recently described a system that recreates in vitro the generation of post-Golgi vesicles from purified Golgi fractions obtained from virus-infected MDCK cells in which the vesicular stomatitis virus-G envelope glycoprotein had been allowed to accumulate in vivo in the TGN. Vesicle formation, monitored by the release of the viral glycoprotein, was shown to require the activation of a GTP- binding ADP ribosylation factor (ARF) protein that promotes the assembly of a vesicle coat in the TGN, and to be regulated by a Golgi- associated protein kinase C (PKC)-like activity. We have now been able to dissect the process of post-Golgi vesicle generation into two sequential stages, one of coat assembly and bud formation, and another of vesicle scission, neither of which requires an ATP supply. The first stage can occur at 20 degrees C, and includes the GTP-dependent activation of the ARF protein, which can be effected by the nonhydrolyzable nucleotide analogue GTP gamma S, whereas the second stage is nucleotide independent and can only occur at a higher temperature of incubation. Cytosolic proteins are required for the vesicle scission step and they cannot be replaced by palmitoyl CoA, which is known to promote, by itself, scission of the coatomer-coated vesicles that mediate intra-Golgi transport. We have found that PKC inhibitors prevented vesicle generation, even when this was sustained by GTP gamma S and ATP levels reduced far below the K(m) of PKC. The inhibitors suppressed vesicle scission without preventing coat assembly, yet to exert their effect, they had to be added before coat assembly took place. This indicates that a target of the putative PKC is activated during the bud assembly stage of vesicle formation, but only acts during the phase of vesicle release. The behavior of the PKC target during vesicle formation resembles that of phospholipase D (PLD), a Golgi-associated enzyme that has been shown to be activated by PKC, even in the absence of the latter's phosphorylating activity. We therefore propose that during coat assembly, PKC activates a PLD that, during the incubation at 37 degrees C, promotes vesicle scission by remodeling the phospholipid bilayer and severing connections between the vesicles and the donor membrane.     

Ras-dependent and -independent pathways target the mitogen-activated protein kinase network in macrophages.

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are activated upon a variety of extracellular stimuli in different cells. In macrophages, colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1) stimulates proliferation, while bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inhibits cell growth and causes differentiation and activation. Both CSF-1 and LPS rapidly activate the MAPK network and induce the phosphorylation of two distinct ternary complex factors (TCFs), TCF/Elk and TCF/SAP. CSF-1, but not LPS, stimulated the formation of p21ras. GTP complexes. Expression of a dominant negative ras mutant reduced, but did not abolish, CSF-1-mediated stimulation of MEK and MAPK. In contrast, activation of the MEK kinase Raf-1 was Ras independent. Treatment with the phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C inhibitor D609 suppressed LPS-mediated, but not CSF-1-mediated, activation of Raf-1, MEK, and MAPK. Similarly, down-regulation or inhibition of protein kinase C blocked MEK and MAPK induction by LPS but not that by CSF-1. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate pretreatment led to the sustained activation of the Raf-1 kinase but not that of MEK and MAPK. Thus, activated Raf-1 alone does not support MEK/MAPK activation in macrophages. Phosphorylation of TCF/Elk but not that of TCF/SAP was blocked by all treatments that interfered with MAPK activation, implying that TCF/SAP was targeted by a MAPK-independent pathway. Therefore, CSF-1 and LPS target the MAPK network by two alternative pathways, both of which induce Raf-1 activation. The mitogenic pathway depends on Ras activity, while the differentiation signal relies on protein kinase C and phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C activation.     

A2B adenosine and P2Y2 receptors stimulate mitogen-activated protein kinase in human embryonic kidney-293 cells. cross-talk between cyclic AMP and protein kinase c pathways

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades underlie long-term mitogenic, morphogenic, and secretory activities of purinergic receptors. In HEK-293 cells, N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA) activates endogenous A2BARs that signal through Gs and Gq/11. UTP activates P2Y2 receptors and signals only through Gq/11. The MAPK isoforms, extracellular-signal regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK), are activated by NECA and UTP. H-89 blocks ERK activation by forskolin, but weakly affects the response to NECA or UTP. ERK activation by NECA or UTP is unaffected by a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (genistein), attenuated by a phospholipase C inhibitor (U73122), and is abolished by a MEK inhibitor (PD098059) or dominant negative Ras. Inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC) by GF 109203X failed to block ERK activation by NECA or UTP, however, another PKC inhibitor, Ro 31-8220, which unlike GF 109203X, can block the zeta-isoform, and prevents UTP- but not NECA-induced ERK activation. In the presence of forskolin, Ro 31-8220 loses its ability to block UTP-stimulated ERK activation. PKA has opposing effects on B-Raf and c-Raf-1, both of which are found in HEK-293 cells. The data are explained by a model in which ERK activity is modulated by differential effects of PKC zeta and PKA on Raf isoforms.     

The involvement of tyrosine kinases, cyclic AMP/protein kinase A, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in IL-13-mediated arginase I induction in macrophages: its implications in IL-13-inhibited nitric oxide production

In macrophages, L-arginine can be used by NO synthase and arginase to form NO and urea, respectively. Therefore, activation of arginase may be an effective mechanism for regulating NO production in macrophages through substrate competition. Here, we examined whether IL-13 up-regulates arginase and thus reduces NO production from LPS-activated macrophages. The signaling molecules involved in IL-13-induced arginase activation were also determined. Results showed that IL-13 increased arginase activity through de novo synthesis of the arginase I mRNA and protein. The activation of arginase was preceded by a transient increase in intracellular cAMP, tyrosine kinase phosphorylation, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation. Exogenous cAMP also increased arginase activity and enhanced the effect of IL-13 on arginase induction. The induction of arginase was abolished by a protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor, KT5720, and was down-regulated by tyrosine kinase inhibitors and a p38 MAPK inhibitor, SB203580. However, inhibition of p38 MAPK had no effect on either the IL-13-increased intracellular cAMP or the exogenous cAMP-induced arginase activation, suggesting that p38 MAPK signaling is parallel to the cAMP/PKA pathway. Furthermore, the induction of arginase was insensitive to the protein kinase C and p44/p42 MAPK kinase inhibitors. Finally, IL-13 significantly inhibited NO production from LPS-activated macrophages, and this effect was reversed by an arginase inhibitor, L-norvaline. Together, these data demonstrate for the first time that IL-13 down-regulates NO production through arginase induction via cAMP/PKA, tyrosine kinase, and p38 MAPK signalings and underline the importance of arginase in the immunosuppressive activity of IL-13 in activated macrophages.     

Mycobacteria-induced TNF-alpha and IL-10 formation by human macrophages is differentially regulated at the level of mitogen-activated protein kinase activity.

The clinical course of mycobacterial infections is linked to the capacity of pathogenic strains to modulate the initial antimycobacterial response of the macrophage. To elucidate some of the mechanisms involved, we studied early signal transduction events leading to cytokine formation by human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) in response to clinical isolates of Mycobacterium avium. TNF-alpha production induced by M. avium was inhibited by anti-CD14 mAbs, but not by Abs against the macrophage mannose receptor. Analysis of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activation (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, p38, and c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase) showed a rapid phosphorylation of all three subfamilies in response to M. avium, which was inhibited by anti-CD14 Abs. Using highly specific inhibitors of p38 (SB203580) and MAP kinase kinase-1 (PD98059), we found that activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway, but not of p38, was essential for the M. avium-induced TNF-alpha formation. In contrast, IL-10 production was abrogated by the p38 inhibitor, but not by the MAP kinase kinase-1 inhibitor. In conclusion, M. avium-induced secretion of TNF-alpha and IL-10 by human macrophages is differentially regulated at the level of MAP kinase activity.     

Neural induction is mediated by cross-talk between the protein kinase C and cyclic AMP pathways

Embryonic inductions appear to be mediated by the concerted action of different inducing factors that modulate one another's activity. Such modulation is likely to reflect interactions between the signal transduction pathways through which the inducing factors act. We tested this idea for the induction of neural tissue. We report that both adenylate cyclase activity and cAMP concentration increase substantially in induced neuroectoderm during neural induction. The enhancement of adenylate cyclase activity requires protein kinase C (PKC) activation, indicating cross-talk between these two signal transduction pathways. This cross-talk appears to be essential for neural induction. Whereas cAMP analogs alone were not neural inducers, they had a synergistic inducing effect if ectoderm was first incubated with TPA (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate), a PKC activator. These results strongly suggest that at least two signals mediate neural induction. The first signal activates PKC and the second signal then activates the cAMP pathway effectively.     

Pyridinylimidazole compound SB 203580 inhibits the activity but not the activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase.

p38 MAPK is a Ser/Thr protein kinase activated by various inflammatory cytokines and a variety of stress stimuli. It is involved in many physiological processes, including the production of inflammatory cytokines. We have previously reported the design and synthesis of a series of pyridinylimidazole compounds that are selective inhibitors of p38 MAPK. These compounds, exemplified by SB 203580, are exceptionally effective in cell-based assays, including the inhibition of inflammatory cytokine production. SB 203580 is widely used as a tool to dissect the role of p38 MAPK in various physiological processes. It has previously been established that SB 203580 acts primarily to block the catalytic activity of p38 MAPK. However, it has been suggested that in cells, the compounds could also inhibit p38 MAPK activation by virtue of their ability to bind to the inactive enzyme. We undertook careful studies to definitively demonstrate that treatment with SB 203580 had no effect on Thr(180) and Tyr(182) phosphorylation, and hence activation of p38 in vivo. SB 203580, however, potently inhibited the activity of p38 MAPK as demonstrated by the inhibition of the activation of MAPKAP K2, a specific physiological substrate of p38 MAPK. This was observed regardless of stimuli or cell type. Identical results were obtained when the p38 MAPK cascade was partially reconstituted in vitro. Thus, our data clearly indicate that SB 203580 specifically inhibits the activity of p38 MAPK but not its activation by upstream MAPKK.     

Delayed but sustained induction of mitogen-activated protein kinase activity is associated with beta-adrenergic receptor-mediated morphological differentiation of astrocytes

Astroglial beta-adrenergic receptors (beta-ARs) are functionally linked to regulate cellular morphology. In primary cultures, the beta-AR agonist isoproterenol (ISP) can transform flat polygonal astrocytes into process-bearing, mature stellate cells by 48 h, an effect that can be blocked by the beta-AR antagonist, propranolol. ISP induced immediate activation of protein kinase A (PKA) which persisted up to 2 h, with no visible change in cell morphology. However, activation of PKA was sufficient to drive the process of transformation to completion, suggesting the involvement of downstream regulators of PKA. In addition to PKA inhibitors, the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase inhibitor PD098059 also blocked ISP-induced morphological transformation. ISP treatment resulted in a biphasic response of cellular phosphorylated MAPK (phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase; p-ERK) level: an initial decline in p-ERK level followed by a sustained induction at 12-24 h, both of which were blocked by PKA inhibitor. The induction in pERK level coincided with initiation of morphological differentiation of the astrocytes and nuclear translocation of p-ERK. A long-lasting activation of p-ERK activity by ISP, at a later stage, appears to be critical for the transformation of astrocytes.     

B-Raf-dependent regulation of the MEK-1/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway in PC12 cells and regulation by cyclic AMP.

Growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase regulation of the sequential phosphorylation reactions leading to mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activation in PC12 cells has been investigated. In response to epidermal growth factor, nerve growth factor, and platelet-derived growth factor, B-Raf and Raf-1 are activated, phosphorylate recombinant kinase-inactive MEK-1, and activate wild-type MEK-1. MEK-1 is the dual-specificity protein kinase that selectively phosphorylates MAP kinase on tyrosine and threonine, resulting in MAP kinase activation. B-Raf and Raf-1 are growth factor-regulated Raf family members which regulate MEK-1 and MAP kinase activity in PC12 cells. Protein kinase A activation in response to elevated cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels inhibited B-Raf and Raf-1 stimulation in response to growth factors. Ras.GTP loading in response to epidermal growth factor, nerve growth factor, or platelet-derived growth factor was unaffected by protein kinase A activation. Even though elevated cAMP levels inhibited Raf activation, the growth factor activation of MEK-1 and MAP kinase was unaffected in PC12 cells. The results demonstrate that tyrosine kinase receptor activation of MEK-1 and MAP kinase in PC12 cells is regulated by B-Raf and Raf-1, whose activation is inhibited by protein kinase A, and MEK activators, whose activation is independent of cAMP regulation.     

Histamine protects against NMDA-induced necrosis in cultured cortical neurons through H receptor/cyclic AMP/protein kinase A and H receptor/GABA release pathways

Using histamine and the H3 receptor antagonist thioperamide, the roles of histamine receptors in NMDA-induced necrosis were investigated in rat cultured cortical neurons. Within 3 h of intense NMDA insult, most neurons died by necrosis. Histamine reversed the neurotoxicity in a concentration-dependent manner and showed peak protection at a concentration of 10(-7) m. This protection was antagonized by the H2 receptor antagonists cimetidine and zolantidine but not by the H1 receptor antagonists pyrilamine and diphenhydramine. In addition, the selective H2 receptor agonist amthamine mimicked the protection by histamine. This action was prevented by cimetidine but not by pyrilamine. 8-Bromo-cAMP also mimicked the effect of histamine. In contrast, both the adenylyl cyclase inhibitor 9-(tetrahydro-2-furanyl)-9H-purine-6-amine and the cAMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitor N-[2-(p-bromocinnamylamino) ethyl]-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide reversed the protection by histamine. Thioperamide also attenuated NMDA-induced excitotoxicity, which was reversed by the H3 receptor agonist (R)-alpha-methylhistamine but not by pyrilamine and cimetidine. In addition, the protection by thioperamide was inhibited by the GABA(A) receptor antagonists picrotoxin and bicuculline. Further study demonstrated that the protection by thioperamide was due to increased GABA release in NMDA-stimulated samples. These results indicate that not only the H2 receptor/cAMP/cAMP-dependent protein kinase pathway but also the H3 receptor/GABA release pathway can attenuate NMDA-induced neurotoxicity.     

Tyrosine phosphorylation of caveolin 1 by oxidative stress is reversible and dependent on the c-src tyrosine kinase but not mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways in placental artery endothelial cells

Acute H(2)O(2) exposure to placental artery endothelial cells induced an array of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins, including caveolin 1 (CAV1) rapid and transient tyr(14) phosphorylated in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Basal tyr(14) phosphorylated CAV1 was primarily located at the edges of cells and associated with actin filaments. Phosphorylated CAV1 was markedly increased and diffused with the disorganization of actin filaments at 20 min, disappeared at 120 min treatment with 0.2 mM H(2)O(2). Treatment with H(2)O(2) also disorganized actin filaments and changed cell shape in a time-dependent manner. Pretreatment with antioxidants catalase completely, whereas the other tested superoxide dismutase, N-acetyl-l-cysteine and sodium formate partially attenuated H(2)O(2)-induced CAV1 phosphorylation in a concentration-dependent manner. Acute treatment with H(2)O(2) activated multiple signaling pathways, including the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) members (MAPK3/1-ERK2/1, MAPK8/9-JNK1/2, and MAPK11-p38(mapk)) and the c-src tyrosine kinase (CSK). Pharmacological studies demonstrated that, among these pathways, only the blockade of CSK activation abolished H(2)O(2)-induced CAV1 phosphorylation. Additionally, H(2)O(2)-induced CAV1 phosphorylation was reversible rapidly (<10 min) upon H(2)O(2) withdrawal. Because maternal and fetal endothelia must make dynamic adaptations to oxidative stress resulting from enhanced pregnancy-specific oxygen metabolism favoring prooxidant production, which is emerging as one of the leading causes of the dysfunctional activated endothelium during pregnancy, these unique features of CAV1 phosphorylation on oxidative stress observed implicate an important role of CAV1 in placental endothelial cell biology during pregnancy.     

Glucose-induced hyperaccumulation of cyclic AMP and defective glucose repression in yeast strains with reduced activity of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.

Addition of glucose or related fermentable sugars to derepressed cells of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae triggers a RAS-mediated cyclic AMP (cAMP) signal that induces a protein phosphorylation cascade. In yeast mutants (tpk1w1, tpk2w1, and tpk3w1) containing reduced activity of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, fermentable sugars, as opposed to nonfermentable carbon sources, induced a permanent hyperaccumulation of cAMP. This finding confirms previous conclusions that fermentable sugars are specific stimulators of cAMP synthesis in yeast cells. Despite the huge cAMP levels present in these mutants, deletion of the gene (BCY1) coding for the regulatory subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase severely reduced hyperaccumulation of cAMP. Glucose-induced hyperaccumulation of cAMP was also observed in exponential-phase glucose-grown cells of the tpklw1 and tpk2w1 strains but not the tpk3w1 strain even though addition of glucose to glucose-repressed wild-type cells did not induce a cAMP signal. Investigation of mitochondrial respiration by in vivo 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed the tpk1w1 and tpk2w1 strains, to be defective in glucose repression. These results are consistent with the idea that the signal transmission pathway from glucose to adenyl cyclase contains a glucose-repressible protein. They also show that a certain level of cAMP-dependent protein phosphorylation is required for glucose repression. Investigation of the glucose-induced cAMP signal and glucose-induced activation of trehalase in derepressed cells of strains containing only one of the wild-type TPK genes indicates that the transient nature of the cAMP signal is due to feedback inhibition by cAMP-dependent protein kinase.