NMDA-mediated activation of the tyrosine phosphatase STEP regulates the duration of ERK signaling

The intracellular mechanism(s) by which a cell determines the duration of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation is not well understood. We have investigated the role of STEP, a striatal-enriched tyrosine phosphatase, in the regulation of ERK activity in rat neurons. Glutamate-mediated activation of NMDA receptors leads to the rapid but transient phosphorylation of ERK in cultured neurons. Here we show that activation of NMDA receptors led to activation of STEP, which limited the duration of ERK activity as well as its translocation to the nucleus and its subsequent downstream nuclear signaling. In neurons, STEP is phosphorylated and inactive under basal conditions. NMDA-mediated influx of Ca(2+), but not increased intracellular Ca(2+) from other sources, leads to activation of the Ca(2+)-dependent phosphatase calcineurin and the dephosphorylation and activation of STEP. We have identified an important mechanism involved in the regulation of ERK activity in neurons that highlights the complex interplay between serine/threonine and tyrosine kinases and phosphatases.

On the mechanism of MgATP-dependent gating of CFTR Cl- channels

CFTR, the product of the gene mutated in cystic fibrosis, is an ATPase that functions as a Cl(-) channel in which bursts of openings separate relatively long interburst closed times (tauib). Channel gating is controlled by phosphorylation and MgATP, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain controversial. To investigate them, we expressed CFTR channels in Xenopus oocytes and examined, in excised patches, how gating kinetics of phosphorylated channels were affected by changes in [MgATP], by alterations in the chemical structure of the activating nucleotide, and by mutations expected to impair nucleotide hydrolysis and/or diminish nucleotide binding affinity. The rate of opening to a burst (1/tauib) was a saturable function of [MgATP], but apparent affinity was reduced by mutations in either of CFTR's nucleotide binding domains (NBDs): K464A in NBD1, and K1250A or D1370N in NBD2. Burst duration of neither wild-type nor mutant channels was much influenced by [MgATP]. Poorly hydrolyzable nucleotide analogs, MgAMPPNP, MgAMPPCP, and MgATPgammaS, could open CFTR channels, but only to a maximal rate of opening approximately 20-fold lower than attained by MgATP acting on the same channels. NBD2 catalytic site mutations K1250A, D1370N, and E1371S were found to prolong open bursts. Corresponding NBD1 mutations did not affect timing of burst termination in normal, hydrolytic conditions. However, when hydrolysis at NBD2 was impaired, the NBD1 mutation K464A shortened the prolonged open bursts. In light of recent biochemical and structural data, the results suggest that: nucleotide binding to both NBDs precedes channel opening; at saturating nucleotide concentrations the rate of opening to a burst is influenced by the structure of the phosphate chain of the activating nucleotide; normal, rapid exit from bursts occurs after hydrolysis of the nucleotide at NBD2, without requiring a further nucleotide binding step; if hydrolysis at NBD2 is prevented, exit from bursts occurs through a slower pathway, the rate of which is modulated by the structure of the NBD1 catalytic site and its bound nucleotide. Based on these and other results, we propose a mechanism linking hydrolytic and gating cycles via ATP-driven dimerization of CFTR's NBDs.

Differential effects of alcohol consumption on eukaryotic elongation factors in heart, skeletal muscle, and liver

BACKGROUND

Acute and chronic alcohol administration diminishes rates of protein synthesis in a variety of tissues including skeletal muscle, heart, and liver, through a diminished translational efficiency rather than a reduction in the number of ribosomes.

METHODS

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of chronic alcohol exposure (8, 12, or 16 weeks) on elongation factors (eEF) as a potential mechanism for controlling mRNA translation in psoas, soleus, heart, and liver. The cellular content of eEF1A and eEF2 and the phosphorylation state of eEF2 in each tissue was measured using immunoblot techniques.

RESULTS

The protein content of eEF1A was reduced in psoas, heart, and liver (but not soleus) from rats fed a diet containing alcohol for 16 weeks, but not for 8 or 12 weeks, compared with time-matched pair-fed controls. eEF2 content was only reduced in myocardium after feeding rats an alcohol-containing diet for 16 weeks. In other tissues, no change in eEF2 content was observed. The decreases in eEF protein content were not associated with a concomitant reduction in the mRNA abundance for eEF1A or eEF2. The phosphorylation state of eEF2 was not affected by chronic alcohol consumption in the skeletal muscle or heart. In contrast, the level of eEF2 phosphorylation in the liver was reduced after 8, 12, and 16 weeks of feeding rats an alcohol-containing diet. In contrast, acute alcohol intoxication failed to modulate the content of eEF1A or eEF2 in any of the tissues examined. The phosphorylation state of eEF2 was reduced in psoas following acute alcohol intoxication.

CONCLUSIONS

A decreased eEF1A protein content could account, in part, for the inhibition of translational efficiency following chronic (16 weeks) alcohol feeding but not the response to acute alcohol intoxication.

Mechanism of regulation of casein kinase I activity by group I metabotropic glutamate receptors

Previously, we reported that (S)-3,5-dihydroxypenylglycine (DHPG), an agonist for group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs), stimulates CK1 and Cdk5 kinase activities in neostriatal neurons, leading to enhanced phosphorylation, respectively, of Ser-137 and Thr-75 of DARPP-32 (dopamine and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein, 32 kDa). We have now investigated the signaling pathway that leads from mGluRs to casein kinase 1 (CK1) activation. In mouse neostriatal slices, the effect of DHPG on phosphorylation of Ser-137 or Thr-75 of DARPP-32 was blocked by the phospholipase Cbeta inhibitor, the Ca(2+) chelator 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA/AM), and the calcineurin inhibitor cyclosporin A. In neuroblastoma N2a cells, the effect of DHPG on the activity of transfected HA-tagged CK1(epsilon) was blocked by BAPTA/AM and cyclosporin A. In neostriatal slices, the effect of DHPG on Cdk5 activity was also abolished by BAPTA/AM and cyclosporin A, presumably through blocking activation of CK1. Metabolic labeling studies and phosphopeptide mapping revealed that a set of C-terminal sites in HA-CK1epsilon were transiently dephosphorylated in N2a cells upon treatment with DHPG, and this was blocked by cyclosporin A. A mutant CK1epsilon with a nonphosphorylatable C-terminal domain was not activated by DHPG. Together, these studies suggest that DHPG activates CK1(epsilon) via Ca(2+)-dependent stimulation of calcineurin and subsequent dephosphorylation of inhibitory C-terminal autophosphorylation sites.

Nerve growth factor controls GAP-43 mRNA stability via the phosphoprotein ARPP-19

The membrane phosphoprotein GAP-43 is involved in axon growth and synaptic plasticity. In PC12 pheochromocytoma cells, induction of a neuronal phenotype by nerve growth factor (NGF) is accompanied by a marked increase in GAP-43 levels. NGF regulates GAP-43 expression by altering the half-life of its mRNA. We report here that the phosphoprotein ARPP-19 mediates this regulation. In an NGF-dependent manner, ARPP-19 bound to a region in the 3' end of GAP-43 mRNA previously found to be important for regulating the half-life of the mRNA. Overexpression of wild-type ARPP-19 in PC12 cells increased the NGF-dependent expression of a reporter construct linked to the critical 3' region of GAP-43 mRNA. Mutation of serine 104, the site of phosphorylation by protein kinase A in ARPP-19, to either alanine or aspartate abolished this regulation in PC12 cells. These findings demonstrate that ARPP-19 is an important link between NGF signaling and post-transcriptional control of neuronal gene expression.

Zinc-induced inhibition of protein synthesis and reduction of connexin-43 expression and intercellular communication in mouse cortical astrocytes

Zinc released from a subpopulation of glutamatergic synapses, mainly localized in the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus, facilitates or reduces glutamatergic transmission by acting on neuronal AMPA and NMDA receptors, respectively. However, neurons are not the only targets of zinc. In the present study, we provide evidence that zinc inhibits protein synthesis in cultured astrocytes from the cerebral cortex of embryonic mice. This inhibition, which reached 85% in the presence of 100 micro m zinc, was partially and slowly reversible and resulted from the successive inhibition of the elongation and the initiation steps of the protein translation process. This was assessed by measuring the phosphorylation level of the elongation factor eEF-2 and of the alpha subunit of the initiation factor eIF-2. Due to the rapid turnover of connexin-43 that forms junction channels in cultured astrocytes, the zinc-induced decrease of protein synthesis led to a partial disappearance of connexin-43, which was associated with an inhibition of the cellular coupling in the astrocytic syncitium. In conclusion, zinc not only inhibits protein synthesis in neurons, as previously demonstrated, but also in astrocytes. The resulting decrease in the intercellular communication between astrocytes should alter the function of surrounding neurons as well as their survival.

Involvement of DARPP-32 phosphorylation in the stimulant action of caffeine

Caffeine has been imbibed since ancient times in tea and coffee, and more recently in colas. Caffeine owes its psychostimulant action to a blockade of adenosine A(2A) receptors, but little is known about its intracellular mechanism of action. Here we show that the stimulatory effect of caffeine on motor activity in mice was greatly reduced following genetic deletion of DARPP-32 (dopamine- and cyclic AMP-regulated phosphoprotein of relative molecular mass 32,000). Results virtually identical to those seen with caffeine were obtained with the selective A(2A) antagonist SCH 58261. The depressant effect of the A(2A) receptor agonist, CGS 21680, on motor activity was also greatly attenuated in DARPP-32 knockout mice. In support of a role for DARPP-32 in the action of caffeine, we found that, in striata of intact mice, caffeine increased the state of phosphorylation of DARPP-32 at Thr 75. Caffeine increased Thr 75 phosphorylation through inhibition of PP-2A-catalysed dephosphorylation, rather than through stimulation of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5)-catalysed phosphorylation, of this residue. Together, these studies demonstrate the involvement of DARPP-32 and its phosphorylation/dephosphorylation in the stimulant action of caffeine.

A novel cAMP-stimulated pathway in protein phosphatase 2A activation

Elevated cAMP in NRK-52E and L6 cells causes a marked reduction in the phosphorylation of numerous phosphoproteins, as detected initially with phosphoserine-specific antibodies. Here, we show that elevation of cAMP in NRK cells by forskolin/3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) treatment decreased phosphorylation of substrates for different protein kinases, pointing to a common protein phosphatase as a target for cAMP-dependent regulation. Forskolin/IBMX treatment completely dephosphorylated a selective protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) substrate, elongation factor-2 (EF-2), at its Ca(2+) calmodulin-dependent kinase site, and decreased phosphorylation of substrates for cyclin-dependent kinases, including retinoblastoma (Rb) protein. As reported before, forskolin/IBMX also decreased phosphorylation of a protein kinase C substrate, the Na,K-ATPase. The cAMP-stimulated dephosphorylation was blocked by the protein phosphatases 1 (PP1) and PP2A inhibitor okadaic acid at concentrations selective for PP2A but was not blocked by tautomycin at concentrations selective for PP1. The data implicate PP2A as a cAMP-activated phosphatase. Contrary to expectation, we found evidence that cAMP-dependent activation of PP2A did not depend on protein kinase A (PKA). Pretreatment of cells with the PKA inhibitor H89 abolished PKA activity measured in cell extracts and significantly decreased cAMP-activated phosphorylation of a known PKA substrate, ARPP-19, in cells, but failed to block the cAMP-stimulated dephosphorylation of EF-2, Rb, and other proteins. This novel pathway of PP2A activation, acting on the time scale of minutes, represents yet another example of a cAMP-mediated, PKA-independent signaling mechanism. Because PP2A is active toward a variety of endogenous substrates, cAMP-stimulated dephosphorylation may have complicated the interpretation of many prior studies.

Distinct Mg(2+)-dependent steps rate limit opening and closing of a single CFTR Cl(-) channel

The roles played by ATP binding and hydrolysis in the complex mechanisms that open and close cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) Cl(-) channels remain controversial. In this work, the contributions made by ATP and Mg(2+) ions to the gating of phosphorylated cardiac CFTR channels were evaluated separately by measuring the rates of opening and closing of single channels in excised patches exposed to solutions in which [ATP] and [Mg(2+)] were varied independently. Channel opening was found to be rate-limited not by the binding of ATP alone, but by a Mg(2+)-dependent step that followed binding of both ATP and Mg(2+). Once a channel had opened, sudden withdrawal of all Mg(2+) and ATP could prevent it from closing for tens of seconds. But subsequent exposure of such an open channel to Mg(2+) ions alone could close it, and the closing rate increased with [Mg(2+)] over the micromolar range (half maximal at approximately 50 microM [Mg(2+)]). A simple interpretation is that channel closing is stoichiometrically coupled to hydrolysis of an ATP molecule that remains tightly associated with the open CFTR channel despite continuous washing. If correct, that ATP molecule appears able to reside for over a minute in the catalytic site that controls channel closing, implying that the site must entrap, or have an intrinsically high apparent affinity for, ATP, even without a Mg(2+) ion. Such stabilization of the open-channel conformation of CFTR by tight binding, or occlusion, of an ATP molecule echoes the stabilization of the active conformation of a G protein by GTP.

A direct test of the reductionist approach to structural studies of calmodulin activity: relevance of peptide models of target proteins

Ca(2+)-saturated calmodulin (CaM) directly associates with and activates CaM-dependent protein kinase I (CaMKI) through interactions with a short sequence in its regulatory domain. Using heteronuclear NMR (13)C-(15)N-(1)H correlation experiments, the backbone assignments were determined for CaM bound to a peptide (CaMKIp) corresponding to the CaM-binding sequence of CaMKI. A comparison of chemical shifts for free CaM with those of the CaM. CaMKIp complex indicate large differences throughout the CaM sequence. Using NMR techniques optimized for large proteins, backbone resonance assignments were also determined for CaM bound to the intact CaMKI enzyme. NMR spectra of CaM bound to either the CaMKI enzyme or peptide are virtually identical, indicating that calmodulin is structurally indistinguishable when complexed to the intact kinase or the peptide CaM-binding domain. Chemical shifts of CaM bound to a peptide (smMLCKp) corresponding to the calmodulin-binding domain of smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase are also compared with the CaM. CaMKI complexes. Chemical shifts can differentiate one complex from another, as well as bound versus free states of CaM. In this context, the observed similarity between CaM. CaMKI enzyme and peptide complexes is striking, indicating that the peptide is an excellent mimetic for interaction of calmodulin with the CaMKI enzyme.

Regulation of DARPP-32 dephosphorylation at PKA- and Cdk5-sites by NMDA and AMPA receptors: distinct roles of calcineurin and protein phosphatase-2A

Glutamatergic inputs from corticostriatal and thalamostriatal pathways have been shown to modulate dopaminergic signaling in neostriatal neurons. DARPP-32 (dopamine- and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein of M (r) 32 kDa) is a signal transduction molecule that regulates the efficacy of dopamine signaling in neostriatal neurons. Dopamine signaling is mediated in part through phosphorylation of DARPP-32 at Thr34 by cAMP-dependent protein kinase, and antagonized by phosphorylation of DARPP-32 at Thr75 by cyclin-dependent protein kinase 5. We have now investigated the effects of the ionotropic glutamate NMDA and AMPA receptors on DARPP-32 phosphorylation in neostriatal slices. Activation of NMDA and AMPA receptors decreased the state of phosphorylation of DARPP-32 at Thr34 and Thr75. The decrease in Thr34 phosphorylation was mediated through Ca(2+) -dependent activation of the Ca(2+) -/calmodulin-dependent phosphatase, calcineurin. In contrast, the decrease in Thr75 phosphorylation was mediated through Ca(2+) -dependent activation of dephosphorylation by protein phosphatase-2A. The results provide support for a complex effect of glutamate on dopaminergic signaling through the regulation of dephosphorylation of different sites of DARPP-32 by different protein phosphatases.

TNF-alpha impairs heart and skeletal muscle protein synthesis by altering translation initiation

This study examined potential mechanisms contributing to the inhibition of protein synthesis in skeletal muscle and heart after administration of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. Rats had vascular catheters implanted, and TNF-alpha was infused continuously for 24 h. TNF-alpha decreased in vivo-determined rates of global protein synthesis in gastrocnemius (39%) and heart (25%). The TNF-alpha-induced decrease in protein synthesis in the gastrocnemius involved a reduction in the synthesis of both myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic proteins. To identify potential mechanisms responsible for regulating mRNA translation, we examined several eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs) and elongation factors (eEFs). TNF-alpha decreased the activity of eIF-2B in muscle (39%) but not in heart. This diminished activity was not caused by a reduction in the content of eIF-2B epsilon or the content and phosphorylation state of eIF-2 alpha. Skeletal muscle and heart from TNF-alpha-treated rats demonstrated 1) an increased binding of the translation repressor 4E-binding protein-1 (4E-BP1) with eIF-4E, 2) a decreased amount of eIF-4E associated with eIF-4G, and 3) a decreased content of the hyperphosphorylated gamma-form of 4E-BP1. In contrast, the infusion of TNF-alpha did not alter the content of eEF-1 alpha or eEF-2, or the phosphorylation state of eEF-2. In summary, these data suggest that TNF-alpha impairs skeletal muscle and heart protein synthesis, at least in part, by decreasing mRNA translational efficiency resulting from an impairment in translation initiation associated with alterations in eIF-4E availability.

The carboxyl-terminus of BACE contains a sorting signal that regulates BACE trafficking but not the formation of total A(beta)

BACE (beta-site APP cleaving enzyme) has been recently proposed as the major aspartyl protease displaying beta secretase activity in neurons. The C-terminal domain of BACE contains a dileucine motif (LL499/500) that can potentially regulate its trafficking and endocytosis, and an adjacent serine, which is a potential phosphorylation site (S498) that could modulate the activity of the LL motif. In this paper we show that S498 is phosphorylated by casein kinase 1 (CKI). Mutating the LL to dialanine (AA) caused an increase in the levels of mature BACE. The LL to AA mutation increased levels of BACE on the cell surface and decreased the internalization of BACE. Mutating the S498 to alanine did not alter levels of cell surface BACE. Mutating either the leucines or the serine did not alter the secretion of A(beta). Our data are consistent with a role for the cytoplasmic domain in regulating BACE trafficking and localization.

A novel cyclin provides a link between dopamine and RNA processing

Regulation of gene expression by dopamine may play an important role in learning, reward, and addiction. Hyman and colleagues now report the characterization of ania-6, a novel cyclin that associates with RNA polymerase II and is induced by dopamine or cocaine in the neostriatum. Ania-6 may thus provide a link between dopamine and gene expression at the level of mRNA processing.

Opposing changes in phosphorylation of specific sites in synapsin I during Ca2+-dependent glutamate release in isolated nerve terminals

Synapsins are major neuronal phosphoproteins involved in regulation of neurotransmitter release. Synapsins are well established targets for multiple protein kinases within the nerve terminal, yet little is known about dephosphorylation processes involved in regulation of synapsin function. Here, we observed a reciprocal relationship in the phosphorylation-dephosphorylation of the established phosphorylation sites on synapsin I. We demonstrate that, in vitro, phosphorylation sites 1, 2, and 3 of synapsin I (P-site 1 phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase; P-sites 2 and 3 phosphorylated by Ca(2+)-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II) were excellent substrates for protein phosphatase 2A, whereas P-sites 4, 5, and 6 (phosphorylated by mitogen-activated protein kinase) were efficiently dephosphorylated only by Ca(2+)-calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase 2B-calcineurin. In isolated nerve terminals, rapid changes in synapsin I phosphorylation were observed after Ca(2+) entry, namely, a Ca(2+)-dependent phosphorylation of P-sites 1, 2, and 3 and a Ca(2+)-dependent dephosphorylation of P-sites 4, 5, and 6. Inhibition of calcineurin activity by cyclosporin A resulted in a complete block of Ca(2+)-dependent dephosphorylation of P-sites 4, 5, and 6 and correlated with a prominent increase in ionomycin-evoked glutamate release. These two opposing, rapid, Ca(2+)-dependent processes may play a crucial role in the modulation of synaptic vesicle trafficking within the presynaptic terminal.

Mechanisms for increased levels of phosphorylation of elongation factor-2 during hibernation in ground squirrels

Previously, eEF-2 phosphorylation has been identified as a reversible mechanism involved in the inhibition of the elongation phase of translation. In this study, an increased level of phosphorylation of eukaryotic elongation factor-2 (eEF-2) was observed in the brains and livers of hibernating ground squirrels. In brain and liver from hibernators, eEF-2 kinase activity was increased relative to that of active animals. The activity of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), a phosphatase that dephosphorylates eEF-2, was also decreased in brain and liver from hibernators. This was associated with an increase in the level of inhibitor 2 of PP2A (I(2)(PP2A)), although there was an increase in the level of the catalytic subunit of PP2A (PP2A/C) in hibernating brains and livers. These results indicate that eEF-2 phosphorylation represents a specific and previously uncharacterized mechanism for inhibition of the elongation phase of protein synthesis during hibernation. Increased levels of eEF-2 phosphorylation in hibernators appear to be a component of the regulated shutdown of cellular functions that permits hibernating animals to tolerate severe reductions in cerebral blood flow and oxygen delivery capacity.

Regulation of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 and casein kinase 1 by metabotropic glutamate receptors

Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) is a multifunctional neuronal protein kinase that is required for neurite outgrowth and cortical lamination and that plays an important role in dopaminergic signaling in the neostriatum through phosphorylation of Thr-75 of DARPP-32 (dopamine and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein, molecular mass 32 kDa). Casein kinase 1 (CK1) has been implicated in a variety of cellular functions such as DNA repair, circadian rhythm, and intracellular trafficking. In the neostriatum, CK1 has been found to phosphorylate Ser-137 of DARPP-32. However, first messengers for the regulation of Cdk5 or CK1 have remained unknown. Here we report that both Cdk5 and CK1 are regulated by metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) in neostriatal neurons. (S)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG), an agonist for group I mGluRs, increased Cdk5 and CK1 activities in neostriatal slices, leading to the enhanced phosphorylation of Thr-75 and Ser-137 of DARPP-32, respectively. The effect of DHPG on Thr-75, but not on Ser-137, was blocked by a Cdk5-specific inhibitor, butyrolactone. In contrast, the effects of DHPG on both Thr-75 and Ser-137 were blocked by CK1-7 and IC261, specific inhibitors of CK1, suggesting that activation of Cdk5 by mGluRs requires CK1 activity. In support of this possibility, the DHPG-induced increase in Cdk5 activity, measured in extracts of neostriatal slices, was abolished by CK1-7 and IC261. Treatment of acutely dissociated neurons with DHPG enhanced voltage-dependent Ca(2+) currents. This enhancement was eliminated by either butyrolactone or CK1-7 and was absent in DARPP-32 knockout mice. Together these results indicate that a CK1-Cdk5-DARPP-32 cascade may be involved in the regulation by mGluR agonists of Ca(2+) channels.

Changes in the phosphorylation of initiation factor eIF-2alpha, elongation factor eEF-2 and p70 S6 kinase after transient focal cerebral ischaemia in mice

Mice were subjected to 60 min occlusion of the left middle cerebral artery (MCA) followed by 1-6 h of reperfusion. Tissue samples were taken from the MCA territory of both hemispheres to analyse ischaemia-induced changes in the phosphorylation of the initiation factor eIF-2alpha, the elongation factor eEF-2 and p70 S6 kinase by western blot analysis. Tissue sections from additional animals were taken to evaluate ischaemia-induced changes in global protein synthesis by autoradiography and changes in eIF-2alpha phosphorylation by immunohistochemistry. Transient MCA occlusion induced a persistent suppression of protein synthesis. Phosphorylation of eIF-2alpha was slightly increased during ischaemia, it was markedly up-regulated after 1 h of reperfusion and it normalized after 6 h of recirculation despite ongoing suppression of protein synthesis. Similar changes in eIF-2alpha phosphorylation were induced in primary neuronal cell cultures by blocking of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium pump, suggesting that disturbances of ER calcium homeostasis may play a role in ischaemia-induced changes in eIF-2alpha phosphorylation. Dephosphorylation of eIF-2alpha was not paralleled by a rise in levels of p67, a glycoprotein that protects eIF-2alpha from phosphorylation, even in the presence of active eIF-2alpha kinase. Phosphorylation of eEF-2 rose moderately during ischaemia, but returned to control levels after 1 h of reperfusion and declined markedly below control levels after 3 and 6 h of recirculation. In contrast to the only short-lasting phosphorylation of eIF-2a and eEF-2, transient focal ischaemia induced a long-lasting dephosphorylation of p70 S6 kinase. The results suggest that blocking of elongation does not play a major role in suppression of protein synthesis induced by transient focal cerebral ischaemia. Investigating the factors involved in ischaemia-induced suppression of the initiation step of protein synthesis and identifying the underlying mechanisms may help to further elucidate those disturbances directly related to the pathological process triggered by transient cerebral ischaemia and leading to neuronal cell injury.

Angiotensin II regulates phosphorylation of translation elongation factor-2 in cardiac myocytes

Increased protein synthesis is the cardinal feature of cardiac hypertrophy. We have studied angiotensin II (ANG II)-dependent regulation of eukaryotic elongation factor-2 (eEF-2), an essential component of protein translation required for polypeptide elongation, in rat neonatal cardiac myocytes. eEF2 is fully active in its dephosphorylated state and is inhibited following phosphorylation by eEF2 kinase. ANG II treatment (10(-10) - 10(-7) M) for 30 min produced an AT(1) receptor-specific and concentration- and time-dependent reduction in the phosphorylation of eEF-2. Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) inhibitors okadaic acid and fostriecin, but not the PP2B inhibitor FK506, attenuated ANG II-dependent dephosphorylation of eEF-2. ANG II activated mitogen-activated protein kinase, (MAPK) within 10 min of treatment, and blockade of MAPK activation with PD-98059 (1--20 nM) inhibited eEF-2 dephosphorylation. The effect of ANG II on eEF-2 dephosphorylation was also blocked by LY-29004 (1-20 nM), suggesting a role for phosphoinositide 3-kinase, but the mammalian target rapamycin inhibitor rapamycin (10--100 nM) had no effect. Together these results suggest that the ANG II-dependent increase in protein synthesis includes activation of eEF-2 via dephosphorylation by PP2A by a process that involves both PI3K and MAPK.

Crystal structure of the atypical protein kinase domain of a TRP channel with phosphotransferase activity

Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels modulate calcium levels in eukaryotic cells in response to external signals. A novel transient receptor potential channel has the ability to phosphorylate itself and other proteins on serine and threonine residues. The catalytic domain of this channel kinase has no detectable sequence similarity to classical eukaryotic protein kinases and is essential for channel function. The structure of the kinase domain, reported here, reveals unexpected similarity to eukaryotic protein kinases in the catalytic core as well as to metabolic enzymes with ATP-grasp domains. The inclusion of the channel kinase catalytic domain within the eukaryotic protein kinase superfamily indicates a significantly wider distribution for this group of signaling proteins than suggested previously by sequence comparisons alone.

Phosphorylation of protein phosphatase inhibitor-1 by Cdk5

Protein phosphatase inhibitor-1 is a prototypical mediator of cross-talk between protein kinases and protein phosphatases. Activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase results in phosphorylation of inhibitor-1 at Thr-35, converting it into a potent inhibitor of protein phosphatase-1. Here we report that inhibitor-1 is phosphorylated in vitro at Ser-67 by the proline-directed kinases, Cdk1, Cdk5, and mitogen-activated protein kinase. By using phosphorylation state-specific antibodies and selective protein kinase inhibitors, Cdk5 was found to be the only kinase that phosphorylates inhibitor-1 at Ser-67 in intact striatal brain tissue. In vitro and in vivo studies indicated that phospho-Ser-67 inhibitor-1 was dephosphorylated by protein phosphatases-2A and -2B. The state of phosphorylation of inhibitor-1 at Ser-67 was dynamically regulated in striatal tissue by glutamate-dependent regulation of N-methyl-d-aspartic acid-type channels. Phosphorylation of Ser-67 did not convert inhibitor-1 into an inhibitor of protein phosphatase-1. However, inhibitor-1 phosphorylated at Ser-67 was a less efficient substrate for cAMP-dependent protein kinase. These results demonstrate regulation of a Cdk5-dependent phosphorylation site in inhibitor-1 and suggest a role for this site in modulating the amplitude of signal transduction events that involve cAMP-dependent protein kinase activation.

TARPP, a novel protein that accompanies TCR gene rearrangement and thymocyte education

Studies on thymic T cell development have usually concentrated on cell surface molecules. However, intracellular proteins expressed only in thymocytes have never been described. Here we report the discovery of a novel thymocyte-specific protein, named TARPP, which represents a high molecular mass ( approximately 100 kDa) variant of the previously identified protein ARPP-21 ( approximately 21 kDa). TARPP is a cytosolic protein that is expressed at high levels in immature thymocytes. It appears concomitant with the commitment to T cell lineage, and its expression is switched off as a consequence of TCR engagement during positive selection. Such an expression pattern, correlating with the rearrangement of the TCR genes and thymocyte education, suggests a role for TARPP during this important phase of thymocyte development.

ARPP-16/ARPP-19: a highly conserved family of cAMP-regulated phosphoproteins

ARPP-16 and ARPP-19 are closely related cAMP-regulated phosphoproteins that were initially discovered in mammalian brain as in vitro substrates for protein kinase A (PKA). ARPP-16 is enriched in dopamine-responsive medium spiny neurons in the striatum, while ARPP-19 is ubiquitously expressed. ARPP-19 is highly homologous to alpha-endosulfine and database searches allowed the identification of novel related proteins in D. melanogaster, C. elegans, S. mansoni and yeast genomes. Using isoform-specific antibodies, we now show that ARPP-19 is composed of at least two differentially expressed isoforms (termed ARPP-19 and ARPP-19e/endosulfine). All ARPP-16/19 family members contain a conserved consensus site for phosphorylation by PKA (RKPSLVA in mammalian ARPP-16 and ARPP-19), and this site was shown to be efficiently phosphorylated in vitro by PKA. An antibody that specifically recognized the phosphorylated form of ARPP-16/19/19e was used to examine the phosphorylation of ARPP-16/19 family members in intact cells. In striatal slices, the phosphorylation of ARPP-16 was increased in response to activation of D(1)-type dopamine receptors, and decreased in response to activation of D(2)-type dopamine receptors. In non-neuronal cells, ARPP-19 was highly phosphorylated in response to activation of PKA. These results establish that ARPP-16/19 proteins constitute a family of PKA-dependent intracellular messengers that function in all cells. The high levels of ARPP-16 in striatal neurons and its bi-directional regulation by dopamine suggest a specific role in dopamine-dependent signal transduction. The conservation of this protein family through evolution suggests that it subserves an important cellular function that is regulated by PKA.

Effects of chronic exposure to cocaine are regulated by the neuronal protein Cdk5

Cocaine enhances dopamine-mediated neurotransmission by blocking dopamine re-uptake at axon terminals. Most dopamine-containing nerve terminals innervate medium spiny neurons in the striatum of the brain. Cocaine addiction is thought to stem, in part, from neural adaptations that act to maintain equilibrium by countering the effects of repeated drug administration. Chronic exposure to cocaine upregulates several transcription factors that alter gene expression and which could mediate such compensatory neural and behavioural changes. One such transcription factor is DeltaFosB, a protein that persists in striatum long after the end of cocaine exposure. Here we identify cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) as a downstream target gene of DeltaFosB by use of DNA array analysis of striatal material from inducible transgenic mice. Overexpression of DeltaFosB, or chronic cocaine administration, raised levels of Cdk5 messenger RNA, protein, and activity in the striatum. Moreover, injection of Cdk5 inhibitors into the striatum potentiated behavioural effects of repeated cocaine administration. Our results suggest that changes in Cdk5 levels mediated by DeltaFosB, and resulting alterations in signalling involving D1 dopamine receptors, contribute to adaptive changes in the brain related to cocaine addiction.

Protein phosphatase 1 regulation by inhibitors and targeting subunits

Regulation of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) by protein inhibitors and targeting subunits has been previously studied through the use of recombinant protein expressed in Escherichia coli. This preparation is limited by several key differences in its properties compared with native PP1. In the present study, we have analyzed recombinant PP1 expressed in Sf9 insect cells using baculovirus. Sf9 PP1 exhibited properties identical to those of native PP1, with respect to regulation by metals, inhibitor proteins, and targeting subunits, and failure to dephosphorylate a phosphotyrosine-containing substrate or phospho-DARPP-32 (Dopamine and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein, M(r) 32,000). Mutations at Y272 in the beta12/beta13 loop resulted in a loss of activity and reduced the sensitivity to thiophospho-DARPP-32 and inhibitor-2. Mutations of Y272 also increased the relative activity toward a phosphotyrosine-containing substrate or phospho-DARPP-32. Mutation of acidic groove residues caused no change in sensitivity to thiophospho-DARPP-32 or inhibitor-2, but one mutant (E252A:D253A:E256R) exhibited an increased K(m) for phosphorylase a. Several PP1/PP2A chimeras were prepared in which C-terminal sequences of PP2A were substituted into PP1. Replacement of residues 274-330 of PP1 with the corresponding region of PP2A resulted in a large loss of sensitivity to thiophospho-DARPP-32 and inhibitor-2, and also resulted in a loss of interaction with the targeting subunits, spinophilin and PP1 nuclear targeting subunit (PNUTS). More limited alterations in residues in beta12, beta13, and beta14 strands highlighted a key role for M290 and C291 in the interaction of PP1 with thiophospho-DARPP-32, but not inhibitor-2.

Inhibition of protein synthesis in cortical neurons during exposure to hydrogen peroxide

Transient cerebral ischemia, which is accompanied by a sustained release of glutamate and zinc, as well as H(2)O(2) formation during the reperfusion period, strongly depresses protein synthesis. We have previously demonstrated that the glutamate-induced increase in cytosolic Ca(2+) is likely responsible for blockade of the elongation step of protein synthesis, whereas Zn(2+) preferentially inhibits the initiation step. In this study, we provide evidence indicating that H(2)O(2) and thapsigargin mobilized a common intracellular Ca(2+) pool. H(2)O(2) treatment stimulated a slow increase in intracellular Ca(2+), and precluded the effect of thapsigargin on Ca(2+) mobilization. H(2)O(2) stimulated the phosphorylation of both eIF-2alpha and eEF-2, in a time- and dose-dependent manner, suggesting that both the blockade of the elongation and of the initiation step are responsible for the H(2)O(2)-induced inhibition of protein synthesis. However, kinetic data indicated that, at least during the first 15 min of H(2)O(2) treatment, the inhibition of protein synthesis resulted mainly from the phosphorylation of eEF-2. In conclusion, H(2)O(2) inhibits protein translation in cortical neurons by a process that involves the phosphorylation of both eIF-2alpha and eEF-2 and the relative contribution of these two events depends on the duration of H(2)O(2) treatment.

Decreased levels of ARPP-19 and PKA in brains of Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease

ARPP-19 (cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein of Mr = 19,000) is a substrate for cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). ARPP-19 is found in all brain regions but the function of ARPP-19 is not fully elucidated yet. We detected a downregulated sequence with 100% homology with ARPP-19 in temporal cortex of patients with Down syndrome (DS) as compared to controls, but not in Alzheimer's disease (AD) using differential displaypolymerase chain reaction (DD-PCR). We subsequently determined protein levels of ARPP-19 in temporal cortex and cerebellum by immunoblotting and observed significant reduction of ARPP-19 in DS (temporal cortex) and AD (cerebellum). We also observed decreased activities of PKA in DS (temporal cortex and cerebellum) and AD (temporal cortex). These findings suggest that decreased ARPP-19 along with decreased activities of PKA is involved in pathomechanisms of both neurodegenerative disorders. Furthermore, these findings provide first evidence for an impaired mechanism of cAMP-related signal transduction and phosphorylation in both dementing disorders.

Amplification of dopaminergic signaling by a positive feedback loop

Dopamine and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein of M(r) 32,000 (DARPP-32) plays an obligatory role in most of the actions of dopamine. In resting neostriatal slices, cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) phosphorylates DARPP-32 at Thr-75, thereby reducing the efficacy of dopaminergic signaling. We report here that dopamine, in slices, and acute cocaine, in whole animals, decreases the state of phosphorylation of striatal DARPP-32 at Thr-75 and thereby removes this inhibitory constraint. This effect of dopamine is achieved through dopamine D1 receptor-mediated activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). The activated PKA, by decreasing the state of phosphorylation of DARPP-32-Thr-75, de-inhibits itself. Dopamine D2 receptor stimulation has the opposite effect. The ability of activated PKA to reduce the state of phosphorylation of DARPP-32-Thr-75 is apparently attributable to increased protein phosphatase-2A activity, with Cdk5 being unaffected. Together, these results indicate that via positive feedback mechanisms, Cdk5 signaling and PKA signaling are mutually antagonistic.

Neuron-specific phosphorylation of Alzheimer's beta-amyloid precursor protein by cyclin-dependent kinase 5

The mature form of Alzheimer's beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP) is phosphorylated specifically at Thr(668) in neurons. In mature neurons, phosphorylated APP is detected in neurites, with dephosphorylated APP being found mostly in the cell body. In vitro, active cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) phosphorylated the cytoplasmic domain of APP at Thr(668). Treatment of mature neurons with an antisense oligonucleotide to Cdk5 suppressed Cdk5 expression and significantly diminished the level of phosphorylated APP. The expression of APP was unaffected in antisense-treated neurons. These results indicate that in neurons APP is phosphorylated by Cdk5, and that this may play a role in its localization.

Severed channels probe regulation of gating of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator by its cytoplasmic domains

Opening and closing of a CFTR Cl(-) channel is controlled by PKA-mediated phosphorylation of its cytoplasmic regulatory (R) domain and by ATP binding, and likely hydrolysis, at its two nucleotide binding domains. Functional interactions between the R domain and the two nucleotide binding domains were probed by characterizing the gating of severed CFTR channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Expression levels were assessed using measurements of oocyte conductance, and detailed functional characteristics of the channels were extracted from kinetic analyses of macroscopic current relaxations and of single-channel gating events in membrane patches excised from the oocytes. The kinetic behavior of wild-type (WT) CFTR channels was compared with that of split CFTR channels bearing a single cut (between residues 633 and 634) just before the R domain, of split channels with a single cut (between residues 835 and 837) just after the R domain, and of split channels from which the entire R domain (residues 634-836) between those two cut sites was omitted. The channels cut before the R domain had characteristics almost identical to those of WT channels, except for less than twofold shorter open burst durations in the presence of PKA. Channels cut just after the R domain were characterized by a low level of activity even without phosphorylation, strong stimulation by PKA, enhanced apparent affinity for ATP as assayed by open probability, and a somewhat destabilized binding site for the locking action of the nonhydrolyzable ATP analog AMPPNP. Split channels with no R domain (from coexpression of CFTR segments 1-633 and 837-1480) were highly active without phosphorylation, but otherwise displayed the characteristics of channels cut after the R domain, including higher apparent ATP affinity, and less tight binding of AMPPNP at the locking site, than for WT. Intriguingly, severed channels with no R domain were still noticeably stimulated by PKA, implying that activation of WT CFTR by PKA likely also includes some component unrelated to the R domain. As the maximal opening rates were the same for WT channels and split channels with no R domain, it seems that the phosphorylated R domain does not stimulate opening of CFTR channels; rather, the dephosphorylated R domain inhibits them.

The Dopamine/D1 receptor mediates the phosphorylation and inactivation of the protein tyrosine phosphatase STEP via a PKA-dependent pathway

The striatal-enriched protein tyrosine phosphatase (STEP) family is expressed within dopaminoceptive neurons of the CNS and is particularly enriched within the basal ganglia and related structures. Alternative splicing produces several isoforms that are found in a number of subcellular compartments, including postsynaptic densities of medium spiny neurons. The variants include STEP(61), a membrane-associated protein, and STEP(46), a cytosolic protein. The C terminals of these two isoforms are identical, whereas the N-terminal domain of STEP(61) contains a novel 172 amino acid sequence that includes several structural motifs not present in STEP(46). Amino acid sequencing revealed a number of potential phosphorylation sites in both STEP isoforms. Therefore, we investigated the role of phosphorylation in regulating STEP activity. Both STEP(61) and STEP(46) are phosphorylated on seryl residues by a cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA)-mediated pathway in striatal homogenates. The specific residues phosphorylated in STEP(61) were identified by site-directed mutagenesis and tryptic phosphopeptide mapping as Ser160 and Ser221, whereas the major site of phosphorylation in STEP(46) was shown to be Ser49. Ser160 is located within the unique N terminal of STEP(61). Ser221 and Ser49 are equivalent residues present in STEP(61) and STEP(46), respectively, and are located at the center of the kinase-interacting motif that has been implicated in protein-protein interactions. Phosphorylation at this site decreases the activity of STEP in vitro by reducing its affinity for its substrate. In vivo studies using striatal slices demonstrated that the neurotransmitter dopamine leads to the phosphorylation of STEP via activation of D1 receptors and PKA.

Severed molecules functionally define the boundaries of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator's NH(2)-terminal nucleotide binding domain

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator is a Cl(-) channel that belongs to the family of ATP-binding cassette proteins. The CFTR polypeptide comprises two transmembrane domains, two nucleotide binding domains (NBD1 and NBD2), and a regulatory (R) domain. Gating of the channel is controlled by kinase-mediated phosphorylation of the R domain and by ATP binding, and, likely, hydrolysis at the NBDs. Exon 13 of the CFTR gene encodes amino acids (aa's) 590-830, which were originally ascribed to the R domain. In this study, CFTR channels were severed near likely NH(2)- or COOH-terminal boundaries of NBD1. CFTR channel activity, assayed using two-microelectrode voltage clamp and excised patch recordings, provided a sensitive measure of successful assembly of each pair of channel segments as the sever point was systematically shifted along the primary sequence. Substantial channel activity was taken as an indication that NBD1 was functionally intact. This approach revealed that the COOH terminus of NBD1 extends beyond aa 590 and lies between aa's 622 and 634, while the NH(2) terminus of NBD1 lies between aa's 432 and 449. To facilitate biochemical studies of the expressed proteins, a Flag epitope was added to the NH(2) termini of full length CFTR, and of CFTR segments truncated before the normal COOH terminus (aa 1480). The functionally identified NBD1 boundaries are supported by Western blotting, coimmunoprecipitation, and deglycosylation studies, which showed that an NH(2)-terminal segment representing aa's 3-622 (Flag3-622) or 3-633 (Flag3-633) could physically associate with a COOH-terminal fragment representing aa's 634-1480 (634-1480); however, the latter fragment was glycosylated to the mature form only in the presence of Flag3-633. Similarly, 433-1480 could physically associate with Flag3-432 and was glycosylated to the mature form; however, 449-1480 protein seemed unstable and could hardly be detected even when expressed with Flag3-432. In excised-patch recordings, all functional severed CFTR channels displayed the hallmark characteristics of CFTR, including the requirement of phosphorylation and exposure to MgATP for gating, ability to be locked open by pyrophosphate or AMP-PNP, small single channel conductances, and high apparent affinity of channel opening by MgATP. Our definitions of the boundaries of the NBD1 domain in CFTR are supported by comparison with the solved NBD structures of HisP and RbsA.

Novel compounds, '1,3-selenazine derivatives' as specific inhibitors of eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase

The inhibitory activities of 5,6-dihydro-4H-1,3-selenazine derivatives on protein kinases were investigated. In a multiple protein kinase assay using a postnuclear fraction of v-src-transformed NIH3T3 cells, 4-ethyl-4-hydroxy-2-p-tolyl-5, 6-dihydro-4H-1,3-selenazine (TS-2) and 4-hydroxy-6-isopropyl-4-methyl-2-p-tolyl-5,6-dihydro-4H-1, 3-selenazine (TS-4) exhibited selective inhibitory activity against eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase (eEF-2K) over protein kinase A (PKA), protein kinase C (PKC) and protein tyrosine kinase (PTK). In further experiments using purified kinases, TS-2 (IC(50)=0.36 microM) and TS-4 (IC(50)=0.31 microM) inhibited eEF-2K about 25-fold more effectively than calmodulin-dependent protein kinase-I (CaMK-I), and about 6-fold (TS-2) or 33-fold (TS-4) more effectively than calmodulin-dependent protein kinase-II (CaMK-II), respectively. TS-2 and TS-4 showed much weaker inhibitory activity toward PKA and PKC, while TS-4, but not TS-2, moderately inhibited immunoprecipitated v-src kinase. TS-2 (10.7-fold) and TS-4 (12.5-fold) demonstrated more potent and more specific eEF-2K inhibitory activity than rottlerin, a previously identified eEF-2K inhibitor. TS-2 inhibited ATP or eEF-2 binding to eEF-2K in a competitive or non-competitive manner, respectively. In cultured v-src-transformed NIH3T3 cells, TS-2 also decreased phospho-eEF-2 protein level (IC(50)=4.7 microM) without changing the total eEF-2 protein level. Taken together, these results suggest that TS-2 and TS-4 are the first identified selective eEF-2K inhibitors and should be useful tools for studying the function of eEF-2K.

Drugs of abuse modulate the phosphorylation of ARPP-21, a cyclic AMP-regulated phosphoprotein enriched in the basal ganglia

ARPP-21 is a cyclic AMP-regulated phosphoprotein of M(r) 21 kDa that is enriched in the cell bodies and terminals of medium-sized spiny neurons in the basal ganglia. Using a new phosphorylation state-specific antibody selective for the detection of ARPP-21 phosphorylated on Ser(55), we have demonstrated that activation of dopamine D1 receptors increased the level of ARPP-21 phosphorylation in mouse striatal slices. Conversely, activation of D2 receptors caused a large decrease in ARPP-21 phosphorylation. Treatment of mice with either methamphetamine or cocaine resulted in increased ARPP-21 phosphorylation in vivo. Studies using specific inhibitors of protein phosphatases and experiments in mice bearing a targeted deletion of the gene for DARPP-32, a dopamine-activated inhibitor of protein phosphatase-1, indicated that protein phosphatase-2A is primarily responsible for dephosphorylation of ARPP-21 in mouse striatum. These results demonstrate that phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of ARPP-21 are tightly regulated in the striatum. We speculate that ARPP-21 might mediate some of the physiologic effects of dopamine and certain drugs of abuse in the basal ganglia.

Cellular mechanisms regulating protein phosphatase-1. A key functional interaction between inhibitor-2 and the type 1 protein phosphatase catalytic subunit

Inhibitor-1 (I-1) and inhibitor-2 (I-2) selectively inhibit type 1 protein serine/threonine phosphatases (PP1). To define the molecular basis for PP1 inhibition by I-1 and I-2 charged-to-alanine substitutions in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae, PP1 catalytic subunit (GLC7), were analyzed. Two PP1 mutants, E53A/E55A and K165A/E166A/K167A, showed reduced sensitivity to I-2 when compared with wild-type PP1. Both mutants were effectively inhibited by I-1. Two-hybrid analysis and coprecipitation or pull-down assays established that wild-type and mutant PP1 catalytic subunits bound I-2 in an identical manner and suggested a role for the mutated amino acids in enzyme inhibition. Inhibition of wild-type and mutant PP1 enzymes by full-length I-2(1-204), I-2(1-114), and I-2(36-204) indicated that the mutant enzymes were impaired in their interaction with the N-terminal 35 amino acids of I-2. Site-directed mutagenesis of amino acids near the N terminus of I-2 and competition for PP1 binding by a synthetic peptide encompassing an I-2 N-terminal sequence suggested that a PP1 domain composed of amino acids Glu-53, Glu-55, Asp-165, Glu-166, and Lys-167 interacts with the N terminus of I-2. This defined a novel regulatory interaction between I-2 and PP1 that determines I-2 potency and perhaps selectivity as a PP1 inhibitor.

Regulation of phosphorylation of the GluR1 AMPA receptor in the neostriatum by dopamine and psychostimulants in vivo

The activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase regulates the physiological activity of AMPA-type glutamate receptors. In this study, phosphorylation of the AMPA receptor subunit GluR1 at Ser(845) was increased in neostriatal slices by activation of D1-type dopamine receptors and by inhibitors of protein phosphatase 1/protein phosphatase 2A. In contrast, Ser(831), a residue which, when phosphorylated by protein kinase C or calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II, increases AMPA receptor channel conductance, was unaffected by either D1 or D2 receptor agonists in neostriatal slices. The phosphorylation of Ser(845), but not Ser(831), was strongly increased in neostriatum in vivo in response to the psychostimulants cocaine and methamphetamine. The effects of dopamine and psychostimulants on the phosphorylation of GluR1 were attenuated in dopamine and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein M(r) 32 kDa (DARPP-32) knock-out mice. These results identify DARPP-32 and AMPA-type glutamate receptors as likely essential cellular effectors for psychostimulant actions.

Severe deficiencies in dopamine signaling in presymptomatic Huntington's disease mice

In Huntington's disease (HD), mutation of huntingtin causes selective neurodegeneration of dopaminoceptive striatal medium spiny neurons. Transgenic HD model mice that express a portion of the disease-causing form of human huntingtin develop a behavioral phenotype that suggests dysfunction of dopaminergic neurotransmission. Here we show that presymtomatic mice have severe deficiencies in dopamine signaling in the striatum. These include selective reductions in total levels of dopamine- and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein, M(r) 32 kDA (DARPP-32) and other dopamine-regulated phosphoprotein markers of medium spiny neurons. HD mice also show defects in dopamine-regulated ion channels and in the D(1) dopamine/DARPP-32 signaling cascade. These presymptomatic defects may contribute to HD pathology.

NMDA receptor-mediated control of protein synthesis at developing synapses

We demonstrate a rapid and complex effect of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) activation on synaptic protein synthesis in the superior colliculi of young rats. Within minutes of receptor activation, translation of alpha Ca2+/calmodulin dependent kinase II (alphaCamK II) was increased, whereas total protein synthesis was reduced. NMDAR activation also increased phosphorylation of eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2), a process known to inhibit protein translation by reducing peptide chain elongation. Low doses of cycloheximide, which reduce elongation rate independently of eEF2 phosphorylation, decreased overall protein synthesis but increased alphaCaMK II synthesis. These observations suggest that regulation of peptide elongation via eEF2 phosphorylation can link NMDAR activation to local increases in the synthesis of specific proteins during activity-dependent synaptic change.

Prostaglandin E(2) interaction with AVP: effects on AQP2 phosphorylation and distribution

Prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) antagonizes the action of arginine vasopressin (AVP) on collecting duct water permeability. To investigate the mechanism of this antagonism, rat renal inner medulla (IM) was incubated with the two hormones, and the phosphorylation and subcellular distribution of the water channel, aquaporin-2 (AQP2) were studied. Using a phosphorylation state-specific AQP2 antibody, we demonstrated that AVP stimulates AQP2 phosphorylation at the Ser(256) protein kinase A consensus site in a time- and dose-dependent manner. In parallel studies using a differential centrifugation technique, we demonstrated that AVP induced translocation of AQP2 from an intracellular vesicle-enriched fraction to a plasma membrane-enriched fraction. PGE(2) (10(-7) M) added after AVP (10(-8) M) did not decrease AQP2 phosphorylation but reversed AVP-induced translocation of AQP2 to the plasma membrane. Preincubation of IM with PGE(2) did not prevent the effects of AVP on AQP2 phosphorylation and trafficking. PGE(2) alone did not influence AQP2 phosphorylation and subcellular distribution. Our data indicate that 1) recruitment of AQP2 to the plasma membrane and its retrieval to a pool of intracellular vesicles may be regulated independently, 2) PGE(2) may counteract AVP action by activation of AQP2 retrieval, 3) dephosphorylation of AQP2 is not a prerequisite for its internalization.

Regulation of protein phosphatase-1

Reversible protein phosphorylation is a major regulatory mechanism of intracellular signal transduction. Protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) is one of four major types of serine-threonine phosphatases mediating signaling pathways, but the means by which its activity is modulated has only recently begun to come into focus.

Phosphorylation of DARPP-32 by Cdk5 modulates dopamine signalling in neurons

The physiological state of the cell is controlled by signal transduction mechanisms which regulate the balance between protein kinase and protein phosphatase activities. Here we report that a single protein can, depending on which particular amino-acid residue is phosphorylated, function either as a kinase or phosphatase inhibitor. DARPP-32 (dopamine and cyclic AMP-regulated phospho-protein, relative molecular mass 32,000) is converted into an inhibitor of protein phosphatase 1 when it is phosphorylated by protein kinase A (PKA) at threonine 34. We find that DARPP-32 is converted into an inhibitor of PKA when phosphorylated at threonine 75 by cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5). Cdk5 phosphorylates DARPP-32 in vitro and in intact brain cells. Phospho-Thr 75 DARPP-32 inhibits PKA in vitro by a competitive mechanism. Decreasing phospho-Thr 75 DARPP-32 in striatal slices, either by a Cdk5-specific inhibitor or by using genetically altered mice, results in increased dopamine-induced phosphorylation of PKA substrates and augmented peak voltage-gated calcium currents. Thus DARPP-32 is a bifunctional signal transduction molecule which, by distinct mechanisms, controls a serine/threonine kinase and a serine/threonine phosphatase.

Zinc inhibits protein synthesis in neurons. Potential role of phosphorylation of translation initiation factor-2alpha

In the central nervous system, Zn(2+) is concentrated in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus and has been found to be toxic to neurons. In this study, we show that exposure of cultured cortical neurons from mouse to increasing concentrations of Zn(2+) (10-300 microM) induces a progressive decrease in global protein synthesis. The potency of Zn(2+) was increased by about 2 orders of magnitude in the presence of Na(+)-pyrithione, a Zn(2+) ionophore. The basal rate of protein synthesis was restored 3 h after Zn(2+) removal. Zn(2+) induced a sustained increase in phosphorylation of the alpha subunit of the translation eukaryotic initiation factor-2 (eIF-2alpha), whereas it triggered a transient increase in phosphorylation of eukaryotic elongation factor-2 (eEF-2). Protein synthesis was still depressed 60 min after the onset of Zn(2+) exposure while the state of eEF-2 phosphorylation had already returned to its basal level. Moreover, Zn(2+) was less effective than glutamate to increase eEF-2 phosphorylation, whereas it induced a more profound inhibition of protein synthesis. These results suggest that Zn(2+)-induced inhibition of protein synthesis mainly correlates with the increase in eIF-2alpha phosphorylation. Supporting further that Zn(2+) acts at the initiation step of protein synthesis, it strongly decreased the amount of polyribosomes.

Modulation of a calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase cascade by retinoic acid during neutrophil maturation

Retinoic acid is a lipophilic derivative of vitamin A that can cause differentiation in a variety of cell types. A large body of evidence has shown that normal retinoid signaling is required for proper neutrophil maturation in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we have found that calcium/calmodulin dependent (CaM) protein kinase kinase alpha (CaMKKalpha) is upregulated in an immediate early fashion during retinoic acid induced neutrophil maturation. Furthermore, we describe the expression and modulation of various components of the CaM kinase cascade during neutrophil maturation. We have confirmed upregulation of CaMKKalpha protein by Western analysis and further show that CaMKKbeta is expressed, although its protein levels are constant throughout induction. We also find that neutrophil progenitor cells express both CaMKI and CaMKIV transcripts. RNase protection and Western analysis show that CaMKIV is downregulated during neutrophil maturation. In contrast, CaMKI transcript and protein is expressed in uninduced cells and is induced by all-trans retinoic acid. These data represent the first report of a CaM kinase cascade in myeloid cells and suggests that this cascade may mediate some of the well-characterized effects of calcium on neutrophil function. These observations also support the idea that the retinoic acid receptors play a major role in mediating neutrophil specific gene expression and differentiation.

Regulation of Na+, K+-ATPase isoforms in rat neostriatum by dopamine and protein kinase C

Our previous studies showed that dopamine inhibits Na+,K+-ATPase activity in acutely dissociated neurons from striatum. In the present study, we have found that in this preparation, dopamine inhibited significantly (by approximately 25%) the activity of the alpha3 and/or alpha2 isoforms, but not the alpha1 isoform, of Na+,K+-ATPase. Dopamine, via D1 receptors, activates cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) in striatal neurons. Dopamine is also known to activate the calcium- and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (PKC) in a number of different cell types. The PKC activator phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate reduced the activity of Na+,K+-ATPase alpha3 and/or alpha2 isoforms (by approximately 30%) as well as the alpha1 isoform (by approximately 15%). However, dopamine-mediated inhibition of Na+,K+-ATPase activity was unaffected by calphostin C, a PKC inhibitor. Dopamine did not affect the phosphorylation of Na+,K+-ATPase isoforms at the PKA-dependent phosphorylation site. Phorbol ester treatment did not alter the phosphorylation of alpha2 or alpha3 isoforms of Na+,K+-ATPase in neostriatal neurons but did increase the phosphorylation of the alpha1 isoform. Thus, in rat neostriatal neurons, treatment with either dopamine or PKC activators results in inhibition of the activity of specific (alpha3 and/or alpha2) isoforms of Na+,K+-ATPase, but this is not apparently mediated through direct phosphorylation of the enzyme. In addition, PKC is unlikely to mediate inhibition of rat Na+,K+-ATPase activity by dopamine in neostriatal neurons.

Regulation of neurabin I interaction with protein phosphatase 1 by phosphorylation

Neurabin I is a brain-specific actin-binding protein. Here we show that neurabin I binds protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) and inhibits PP1 activity. Neurabin I interacted with PP1alpha in an overlay assay, in yeast two-hybrid interaction analysis, and in coprecipitation and co-immunoprecipitation experiments. Neurabin I also copurified with both the alpha and gamma isoforms of PP1. A glutathione S-transferase (GST)-neurabin I fusion protein (residues 318-661) containing the putative PP1 binding domain (residues 456-460) inhibited PP1 activity (K(i) = 2.7 +/- 1.2 nM). This fusion protein was also rapidly phosphorylated in vitro by PKA (K(m) = 6 microM) to a stoichiomtry of 1 mol/mol. The phosphorylated residue was identified as serine 461 by HPLC-MS analysis of a tryptic digest. Phosphorylation of GST-neurabin I (residues 318-661) by PKA significantly reduced its binding to PP1 by overlay and by glutathione-Sepharose coprecipitation assays. A 35-fold decrease in inhibitory potency was also observed using a S461E mutant, which mimics phosphorylation of S461. These findings identify a signaling mechanism involving the regulation of PP1 activity and localization mediated by the cAMP pathway.