Calcium oscillation associated with reduced protein kinase C activities in ras-transformed NIH3T3 cells

We show here novel intracellular Ca2+ oscillation in v-K-ras-transformed NIH3T3 cells induced by mitogenic peptide hormones, bradykinin and bombesin, as well as fetal calf serum. Induction of the Ca2+ oscillation is strongly correlated with the malignant properties and inversely with PKC activities in vitro and in vivo. These results suggest that the mitogen-induced Ca2+ oscillation is negatively regulated by PKC, which modulates Ca2+ influx in v-K-ras-transformed NIH3T3 cells.

Diacylglycerol formation and DNA synthesis in endothelin-stimulated rat C6 glioma cells: the possible role of phosphatidylcholine breakdown

Stimulation of C6 cells with endothelin-1 (ET) caused a biphasic sn-1,2-diacylglycerol (1,2-DG) generation, which occurred not only via phosphatidylinositol 4,5-P2 (PIP2) hydrolysis by specific phospholipase C action, but also through the breakdown of phosphatidylcholine (PC) induced by either PC phospholipase C or D. ET also stimulated DNA synthesis in serum-starved C6 cells. However, in the presence of 1-(5-isoquinolynylsulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H-7), a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, the [3H]thymidine incorporation was markedly inhibited, which was concurrent with the 1,2-DG formation: the second peak was reduced. These findings suggest that brain glial cells might be an important target for ET. In addition to other possible roles, ET may also mediate mitogenesis in the brain, presumably through a PKC-dependent activation of phospholipase C and/or D hydrolyzing PC.

Receptor-linked early events induced by vasoactive intestinal contractor (VIC) on neuroblastoma and vascular smooth-muscle cells

Vasoactive intestinal contractor (VIC) caused a series of biochemical events, including the temporal biphasic accumulation of 1,2-diacylglycerol (DAG), transient formation of Ins(1,4,5)P3, and increase in intracellular free Ca2+ [( Ca2+]i) in neuroblastoma NG108-15 cells. In these cellular responses, VIC was found to be much more potent in NG108-15 cells than in cultured rat vascular smooth-muscle cells. The single cell [Ca2+]i assay revealed that in the presence of nifedipine (1 microM) or EGTA (1 mM), the peak [Ca2+]i declined more rapidly to the resting level in VIC-stimulated NG108-15 cells, indicating that the receptor-mediated intracellular Ca2+ mobilization is followed by Ca2+ influx through the nifedipine-sensitive Ca2+ channel. Pretreatment with pertussis toxin only partially decreased Ins(1,4,5)P3 generation as well as the [Ca2+]i transient induced by VIC, whereas these events induced by endothelin-1 were not affected by the toxin, suggesting involvement of distinct GTP-binding proteins. The VIC-induced transient Ins(1,4,5)P3 formation coincident with the first early peak of DAG formation suggested that PtdIns(4,5)P2 is a principal source of the first DAG increase. Labelling studies with [3H]myristate, [14C]palmitate and [3H]choline indicated that in neuroblastoma cells phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) was hydrolysed by a phospholipase C to cause the second sustained DAG increase. Down-regulation of protein kinase C (PKC) by prolonged pretreatment with phorbol ester markedly prevented the VIC-induced delayed DAG accumulation. Furthermore, chelation of intracellular CA2+ completely abolished the second sustained phase of DAG production. These findings suggest that PtdCho hydrolysis is responsible for the sustained production of DAG and is dependent on both Ca2+ and PKC.

Endothelin-1 induces intracellular calcium rise and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate formation in cultured rat and human glioma cells

The effects of endothelin-1 (ET) on the signal transduction in rat and human glioma cell line cells have been investigated. ET was found to initiate the increase of intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) levels in both C6 and A-172 cells, which was concurrent with the formation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3(1,4,5)). In the presence of [ethylenebis(oxyethylenenitrilo)]tetraacetic acid (EGTA) in the incubation media, the duration of the intracellular calcium response was reduced, indicating that the ET-induced increase of intracellular calcium in glioma cells may be mediated by a dual mechanism, intracellular calcium mobilization and influx of extracellular calcium. These results suggest that ET may also act as a neuropeptide in the central nervous system.

[Protective effects of biphenyl dimethyl dicarboxylate on damage in isolated rat hepatocytes induced by carbon tetrachloride and D-galactosamine]

The protective effect of DDB on chemically induced damages was studied in primary culture of rat hepatocytes. The experimental results showed that DDB (200 ug/10(6) cells) efficiently protected the hepatocytes against carbon tetrachloride (10 mM) and D-galactosamine (1 mM) induced damages. Membrane lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde, MDA) formation and Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase (GPT) released from the hepatocytes were markedly decreased. The damage of the cell surfaces of the hepatocytes were also reduced as seen under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Pretreatment with DDB (300 mg/kg) orally could ameliorate the reduction of liver glycogen and blood glucose caused by injection of D-gal (800 mg/kg i. p) in mice. When normal rats received 300 mg/kg of DDB once daily for 10 days, free ribosomal protein and RNA in the liver increased significantly. These results indicated that DDB is of beneficial effects on damaged and normal hepatocytes.

Bradykinin induces inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-dependent hyperpolarization in K+ M-current-deficient hybrid NL308 cells: comparison with NG108-15 neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid cells

External application of bradykinin (BK) to mouse neuroblastoma X mouse fibroblast hybrid NL308 cells and mouse neuroblastoma X rat glioma hybrid NG108-15 cells produced a transient outward (hyperpolarizing) current. In NG108-15 cells, BK also induced an inward (depolarizing) current associated with a decrease in input membrane conductance, which results from the inhibition of a voltage-sensitive potassium current, the M-current. However, in NL308 cells, either no depolarization was elicited by BK or, even if the BK-induced depolarization was evoked, it was associated with an increased conductance. To explain the above difference, the intracellular second messenger system of NL308 cells was examined in detail. BK induced the rapid accumulation (three- to fivefold higher than the control level) of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) in NL308 cells. The cytosolic Ca2+ concentration was also elevated to 540 nM from 180 nM at a basal level. This seems to be enough to activate a voltage-independent and Ca2(+)-sensitive K+ current, resulting in the hyperpolarization. Intracellular injection of InsP3 replicated the hyperpolarization. NL308 cells possess protein kinase C (C-kinase), with specific activities of C-kinase in cytosolic and membrane fractions being 233 and 24 pmol/min/mg protein, respectively. The activity associated with particulates became higher after phorbol dibutyrate (PDBu) treatment. But NL308 cells did not show the characteristic inward relaxation by step hyperpolarizations and the outward rectification in the current-voltage relationship, indicating that the M current is deficient in NL308 cells. Therefore, application of PDBu failed to mimic the inward current. The results suggest the role of InsP3 and C-kinase in controlling two K+ currents.

Effects of vasoactive intestinal contractor (VIC) and endothelin on intracellular calcium level in neuroblastoma NG108-15 cells

Effects on [Ca2+]i levels of endothelin-l (ET) and vasoactive intestinal contractor peptide (VIC), which is a novel member of the endothelin family, were examined in fura 2-loaded neuroblastoma NG108-15 cells. VIC was found to be a very effective stimulus for intracellular Ca2+ mobilization and to be more potent than ET. Intracellular calcium response to sequential addition of two stimulants exhibited the homologous desensitization of either ET or VIC, but no heterologous desensitization between ET and VIC. This indicates evidence suggesting that these two peptides act through distinct receptors.

Disseminated strongyloidiasis presenting as purpura

We report a patient with disseminated strongyloidiasis who was being treated with steroids for cerebral edema caused by brain metastases from urinary bladder carcinoma. He had extensive purpura involving the abdomen, arms, and thighs. A skin biopsy specimen showed numerous larvae of Strongyloides stercoralis. Subsequently, rhabdoid larvae of S. stercoralis were isolated in the stool and the sputum. The patient died 2 days later despite thiabendazole therapy.

Bradykinin-induced translocation of protein kinases C in neuroblastoma NCB-20 cell: dependence on 1,2-diacylglycerol content and free calcium

Bradykinin (BK)-induced production of 1,2-diacylglycerol (1,2-DG) and translocation of protein kinases C (PKCs) were examined in neuroblastoma-derived hybrid NCB-20 cells. Mass analysis of 1,2-DG exhibited a biphasic increase by 1 microM BK stimulation: the first transient phase and the second broad sustained phase. Among three subspecies of PKC expressed in these cells, types II and III were observed to translocate from cytosol to membrane in response to BK as well as PBt2 by Western blotting analysis. Type II translocated more rapidly and distinctly than type III. However, after treatment with quin 2/AM, the second phase of 1,2-DG formation completely disappeared and PKCs translocation by BK or PBt2 was completely abolished. BK-induced IP3 (1,4,5) formation was temporally consistent with the first transient phase of 1,2-DG formation. These findings suggest that PKCs translocation by BK stimulation is caused by 1,2-DG produced not only via phosphoinositide metabolism, but via other phospholipid breakdown which is Ca2+-dependent.

Bradykinin-induced generation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate in fibroblasts and neuroblastoma cells: effect of pertussis toxin, extracellular calcium, and down-regulation of protein kinase C

The net content of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] was measured in bradykinin (BK)-stimulated NIH3T3 fibroblasts and neuroblastoma-glioma hybrid cells (NG108-15). BK-mediated production of Ins(1,4,5)P3 was not affected by replacing the medium with Ca2+-free medium, but addition of EGTA (1mM) to Ca2+-free medium markedly prevented production of Ins(1,4,5)P3. Although pertussis toxin (PT) treatment caused ADP-ribosylation in both NIH3T3 cells and NG108-15 cells, the BK-induced Ins(1,4,5)P3 formation was considerably reduced in the former cells but not in the latter cells, suggesting that PT-sensitive and PT-insensitive GTP-binding proteins are involved in phosphoinositide phospholipase C (PI-PLC) activation in fibroblasts and neuroblastoma cells, respectively. In NG108-15 cells down-regulated in protein kinase C (PKC) by long-term exposure to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), BK-stimulated Ins(1,4,5)P3 accumulation was significantly enhanced compared to control cells.

Nucleotide sequence of the gene coding for cytochrome oxidase subunit I from the thermophilic bacterium PS3

The gene coding for cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) was isolated from a genomic DNA library of the thermophilic bacterium PS3 and sequenced. The N-terminal of the COI protein was also sequenced to verify the initiation site of the reading frame. The deduced amino acid sequence of COI protein is composed of 536 amino acid residues and its molecular mass is 59,510. The protein is clearly homologous to the corresponding subunit in the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase and similarly appears to have 12 trans-membrane segments. The proposed ligands to two hemes (cytochrome aa3) and a copper atom (CuB) in this protein (Holm et al. (1987) EMBO J. 6, 2819-2823) are conserved in the sequence.

A case of ACTH-producing pheochromocytoma

A woman with sustained hypertension, facial roundness, hirsutism, marked sweating, and generalized tremor was found to have a right adrenal pheochromocytoma. Elevated levels of serum cortisol, plasma ACTH, and serum catecholamines returned to normal after the tumor was removed. It was confirmed that enzymatically dispersed tumor cells produced ACTH and catecholamines concomitantly during in vitro incubation.