Characterization of the membrane-associated GTPase activity: effects of chemotactic factors and toxins

Rescue of glandular dysmorphogenesis in PTEN-deficient colorectal cancer epithelium by PPARγ-targeted therapy

Disruption of glandular architecture associates with poor clinical outcome in high-grade colorectal cancer (CRC). Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) regulates morphogenic growth of benign MDCK (Madin Darby Canine Kidney) cells through effects on the Rho-like GTPase cdc42 (cell division cycle 42). This study investigates PTEN-dependent morphogenesis in a CRC model. Stable short hairpin RNA knockdown of PTEN in Caco-2 cells influenced expression or localization of cdc42 guanine nucleotide exchange factors and inhibited cdc42 activation. Parental Caco-2 cells formed regular hollow gland-like structures (glands) with a single central lumen, in three-dimensional (3D) cultures. Conversely, PTEN-deficient Caco-2 ShPTEN cells formed irregular glands with multiple abnormal lumens as well as intra- and/or intercellular vacuoles evocative of the high-grade CRC phenotype. Effects of targeted treatment were investigated. Phosphatidinylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) modulating treatment did not affect gland morphogenesis but did influence gland number, gland size and/or cell size within glands. As PTEN may be regulated by the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), cultures were treated with the PPARγ ligand rosiglitazone. This treatment enhanced PTEN expression, cdc42 activation and rescued dysmorphogenesis by restoring single lumen formation in Caco-2 ShPTEN glands. Rosiglitazone effects on cdc42 activation and Caco-2 ShPTEN gland development were attenuated by cotreatment with GW9662, a PPARγ antagonist. Taken together, these studies show PTEN-cdc42 regulation of lumen formation in a 3D model of human CRC glandular morphogenesis. Treatment by the PPARγ ligand rosiglitazone, but not PI3K modulators, rescued colorectal glandular dysmorphogenesis of PTEN deficiency.

Lindane stimulates neutrophils by selectively activating phospholipase C and phosphoinositide-kinase activity

The organochlorine insecticide lindane is a known activator of neutrophil responses. In this work we delineated the biochemical pathways by which lindane stimulates neutrophil oxidant production. Plasma membrane GTPase activity was not stimulated by lindane, ruling out a role for lindane-induced activation of G-proteins or G-protein coupled receptors, whereas inhibition of phospholipase C inhibited lindane-induced oxidant production. Together these data pointed to phospholipase C as the direct target of lindane activation. Type I phosphoinositide 3-kinase was not significantly activated by lindane and an inhibitor of phosphoinositide 3-kinases inhibited oxidant production by only 40%. Thus, Type I phosphoinositide 3-kinase played a minor role, if any, in lindane-induced oxidant production. Lindane stimulated an increase in phosphatidylinositol phosphate suggesting a Type II or III phosphotidylinositol 3-kinase or phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase activity was also stimulated.

Neutrophil thrombospondin receptors are linked to GTP-binding proteins

The extracellular matrix (ECM) protein thrombospondin (TSP) binds to specific receptors on polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and stimulates motility. TSP can also enhance the response of PMNs to the formylated peptide, N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP). Our initial evidence suggesting that PMN TSP receptors were linked to GTP-binding proteins (G-proteins) came from studies using pertussis toxin (PT) and cholera toxin (CT) to inhibit TSP-mediated motility. Both PT and CT inhibited TSP-mediated chemotaxis and substrate-associated random migration. Inhibition was not indirectly caused by a rise in cAMP since neither dibutyryl cAMP (300 microM) nor 8-bromo-cAMP (300 microM) significantly affected TSP-mediated motility. In fact, TSP itself caused a significant rise in intracellular cAMP levels (from 7.2 +/- 0.3 to 14.2 +/- 0.1 pmol/10(6) cells). Although we could not test the PT sensitivity of TSP priming for FMLP-mediated chemotaxis (as PT inhibits FMLP-mediated chemotaxis itself), we evaluated the effect of CT on this response. CT completely abolished TSP-dependent priming of FMLP-mediated chemotaxis. Direct evidence for an interaction between TSP receptors and G-proteins was obtained by examining the effect of TSP on alpha-subunit ADP-ribosylation, GTPase activity, and GTP gamma S binding. We observed a decrease in the ability of FMLP to stimulate GTPase activity on membranes isolated from PMNs incubated with TSP. Furthermore, the PT-dependent ribosylation of Ci alpha 2,3 stimulated by FMLP was eliminated by TSP treatment. These data indicated that the two receptors share a pool of G-proteins. However, TSP did not block the CT-dependent ribosylation stimulated by FMLP, suggesting that TSP receptors may also interact with a different pool of Gi alpha 2,3. TSP itself significantly (P < 0.005) increased GTP hydrolysis in PMN membranes (to 110.6 +/- 2.7% of control values). In addition, GTP gamma S binding to membranes increased significantly (P < 0.005) following exposure to 10 nM TSP (to 108 +/- 1.4% of control values). Conversely, GTP treatment reduced the affinity of TSP for its receptor without altering total binding. These data demonstrate that TSP receptors are linked to G-proteins, a subpopulation of which also associates with FMLP receptors.

Transforming growth factor-alpha increases tyrosine phosphorylation of microtubule-associated protein kinase in a small intestinal crypt cell line (IEC-6)

The small intestinal crypt cell line (IEC-6) is an undifferentiated, untransformed, mitotically active cell used in this study to determine the effect of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) on tyrosine phosphorylation levels of cellular proteins. Thymidine incorporation increased maximally after addition of 2 ng/ml TGF-alpha for 24 h. At the same dose, TGF-alpha induced the tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins with approximate molecular masses of 42, 44, 52, 80, 150 and 175 kDa as shown by Western blots treated with anti-phosphotyrosine antibody. The most intense phosphorylation was seen in the 42 kDa (p42) and 44 kDa (p44) proteins, which were identified as two isoforms of microtubule-associated protein kinase (MAPK). This phosphorylation was seen as early as 5 min post stimulation and was dose dependent. Both p42 and p44 were found in the nucleus after stimulation, although a basal level of unphosphorylated protein was present before stimulation. The observed tyrosine phosphorylation of p42 and p44 was inhibited by genistein, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, and tyrphostin 23, an epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor. We conclude that MAPK is tyrosine phosphorylated in response to TGF-alpha stimulation of IEC-6 cells.

Cytoplasmic phospholipase A2 translocates to membrane fraction in human neutrophils activated by stimuli that phosphorylate mitogen-activated protein kinase

The addition of the chemotactic peptide formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine (fMet-Leu-Phe) to human neutrophils pretreated with the cytokine granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) results in a 10-fold enhanced activity of phospholipase A2, measured as the release of arachidonic acid. It is found that GM-CSF increases the tyrosine phosphorylation, enhances the activity of a mitogen-activated protein kinase, and greatly potentiates the fMet-Leu-Phe-induced tyrosine phosphorylation and enhanced activity of this kinase. Stimuli that increase the tyrosine phosphorylation, enhance the activity of the mitogen-activated protein kinase, and cause a rise in the intracellular concentration of free calcium increase the amount of phospholipase A2 associated with the plasma membrane. This increase corresponds to a decrease in the amount found in the cytosol. Whereas GM-CSF alone produces only a small increase in the amount of phospholipase A2 associated with the membrane, it potentiates greatly the fMet-Leu-Phe-induced increase. The total amount (whole cell) of phospholipase A2, as measured by immunoblotting using anti-phospholipase A2 antibody, does not change upon stimulation of human neutrophils with GM-CSF, fMet-Leu-Phe, or both. In addition, the band that corresponds to phospholipase A2 is shifted upward in membrane isolated from neutrophils stimulated with fMet-Leu-Phe, suggesting that the enzyme has been altered, possibly phosphorylated, though not on tyrosine residues. A working hypothesis is presented. Briefly, stimulation of human neutrophils with GM-CSF, in the absence of an additional stimulus, increases the tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of a mitogen-activated protein kinase, which in turn phosphorylates and activates cytoplasmic phospholipase A2. In the presence of an increased intracellular concentration of free calcium the phospholipase A2 is translocated to the plasma membrane where its substrate is located. GM-CSF also potentiates greatly the fMet-Leu-Phe-induced tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of a mitogen-activated protein kinase and, since fMet-Leu-Phe causes an intracellular calcium rise, the amount of the phospholipase A2 that is associated with the membrane fraction.

Up-regulation of the amount of Gi alpha 2 associated with the plasma membrane in human neutrophils stimulated by granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor

Preincubation of human neutrophils with the human cytokine granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) results in an increase in the amount of alpha-subunit of Gi2 (Gi alpha 2) associated with the plasma membrane and a corresponding decrease in the amount associated with the granule fractions. Similar results are obtained with interleukin-8. GM-CSF has no effect on the distribution of Gi alpha 3. The effect of GM-CSF on Gi alpha 2 is time-dependent, and, although a significant effect can be observed after incubation for 5 min with GM-CSF, the enhancement increases with increasing time. Genistein, a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor, and 1,2-bis-(O-aminophenoxyl)ethane-NNN'N'-tetra-acetic acid (BAPTA), an intracellular Ca2+ chelator, decrease the stimulatory effect of GM-CSF. On the other hand, the protein-synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide does not affect the action of GM-CSF. Also, although preincubation of human neutrophils with GM-CSF increases the levels of Gi alpha 2 in the plasma membrane it does not alter the total amount of cellular Gi alpha 2. In addition, the level of Gi alpha 2 mRNA, unlike that of the proto-oncogene c-fos, is not increased in cells treated with GM-CSF. This indicates that the observed increase in the amount of Gi alpha 2 associated with the plasma membrane is not due to the synthesis of new Gi alpha 2. These data provide insight into the mechanism by which GM-CSF may prime human neutrophils for increased responsiveness to subsequent stimulation by G-protein-dependent agonists.

Sulphasalazine inhibition of human granulocyte activation by inhibition of second messenger compounds

The effects of sulphasalazine on the production of second messenger compounds in human granulocytes have been characterised by various stimuli. The increases in cytosolic calcium, inositol trisphosphate, diacylglycerol, and phosphatidic acid (all important mediators of intracellular signal transduction) triggered by stimulation were inhibited by sulphasalazine. The metabolites 5-amino-salicylic acid and sulphapyridine were less potent inhibitors than the mother compound. It is concluded that sulphasalazine inhibits the synthesis of phosphoinositide derived second messenger compounds at the level of phospholipase C or its regulatory guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP) binding protein. Inhibition of phosphatidic acid synthesis was either due to the same mechanism, or to interaction with a phospholipase D regulating GTP binding protein.

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor-induced protein tyrosine phosphorylation of microtubule-associated protein kinase in human neutrophils

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine, tumor necrosis factor alpha, platelet-activating factor, phorbol ester (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate), and calcium ionophore A23187 are able to increase the level of tyrosine phosphorylation of different protein substrates, as demonstrated by Western blotting with anti-phosphotyrosine antibody (anti-PY). A protein of 41 kDa (p41) consistently showed more intense reactivity to anti-PY than controls. Blots treated with anti-PY, stripped of the antibody, and reblotted with microtubule-associated protein kinase (MAPK, p42MAPK) antibody show only one band. The molecular mass of that band exactly matches that of p41. MAPK-reactive protein is present in control and stimulated cells, although the intensity of the band is greater in the latter. GM-CSF-stimulated phosphorylation of p41 is time- and dose-dependent. Anti-MAPK antibody detects a single band of 41 kDa, whose intensity increases with time of incubation and concentration of the agonist. Thus, the anti-MAPK antibody appears to react better to the phosphorylated form of p41 from GM-CSF-stimulated cells than to the dephosphorylated form. The p41 and MAPK proteins are localized in the cytosol. Finally, MAPK immunoprecipitates were probed with anti-PY in Western blots and a band of 41 kDa was found. In summary, these results suggest that this 41-kDa protein in neutrophils that is tyrosine phosphorylated in response to GM-CSF and other stimuli is MAPK. Its phosphorylation may represent an early and crucial signal associated with the GM-CSF neutrophil stimulation cascade.

Lipopolysaccharide and serum cause the translocation of G-protein to the membrane and prime neutrophils via CD14

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in combination with human serum, in the absence of a second stimulus, causes an increase in the amount of the alpha -subunit (Gi alpha 2) of the guanine nucleotide binding protein Gi2 associated with the membrane. The LPS-serum complex also primes human neutrophils for O2- production in response to stimulation by the chemotactic factor fMet-Leu-Phe. Added serum factor is essential for priming at low concentrations of LPS. In the presence of serum, significant potentiation can be observed at LPS concentration as low as 0.1 ng/ml. The priming is dose and time dependent. Furthermore, the observed actions of the LPS-serum complex are not reversible since they cannot be overcome by washing. Monoclonal antibody against CD14 inhibits both the direct and priming actions of the LPS-serum complex. On the other hand, neither the antibody against CD11b nor the antibody against TNF-alpha inhibits the action of this complex.

Transforming growth factor beta 1, a potent chemoattractant for human neutrophils, bypasses classic signal-transduction pathways

Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1), a homodimeric polypeptide (Mr 25,000), derives from inflammatory cells and acts as a chemoattractant for monocytes and fibroblasts. We report here that TGF-beta 1 is also the most potent chemoattractant yet described for human peripheral blood neutrophils. Recombinant TGF-beta 1 elicited dose-dependent directed migration of neutrophils under agarose that was inhibited in the presence of a neutralizing antibody to TGF-beta 1. Maximal chemotaxis was evoked by TGF-beta 1 at femtomolar concentrations, whereas conventional chemoattractants act at nanomolar concentrations: on a molar basis, TGF-beta 1 was 150,000 times more potent than fMet-Leu-Phe. In contrast, TGF-beta 1 provoked neither exocytosis nor the production of superoxide by neutrophils. We further analyzed the mechanism by which TGF-beta 1 elicits chemotaxis (GTPase activity, [Ca2+], and actin polymerization). In contrast to the conventional chemoattractant fMet-Leu-Phe, TGF-beta neither activated classic heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding proteins nor provoked global mobilization of intracellular Ca2+. Chemoattraction by both fMet-Leu-Phe and TGF-beta 1 was inhibited by cycloheximide and actinomycin D. Moreover, chemotaxis in response to TGF-beta 1 was associated with the polymerization of actin. The selectivity and potency of TGF-beta 1 as a chemoattractant suggest that it elicits directed cell migration by means of a pathway that depends not on classic intracellular signals but on protein synthesis.

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and human neutrophils: role of guanine nucleotide regulatory proteins

The addition of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) to human neutrophils causes a rapid increase in the basal and fMet-Leu-Phe-stimulated Na+ influx and an increase in intracellular pH. The increase can be seen as early as 5 min after the addition of GM-CSF. Changes produced by GM-CSF are totally inhibited by amiloride and are significantly reduced in pertussis toxin-treated cells. The stimulation of the Na+/H+ exchange mechanism by GM-CSF inhibits further stimulation of this system with either fMet-Leu-Phe or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. In addition, membrane preparations isolated from GM-CSF-treated neutrophils have higher basal and stimulated GTPase activities. The basal and the fMet-Leu-Phe- or platelet-activating factor-stimulated GTPase activities are reduced in pertussis toxin-treated cells. Cells pretreated with GM-CSF accumulate more radioactive phosphate than control cells, and this increase is diminished by pertussis toxin treatment. In addition, GM-CSF causes a rapid increase in the tyrosine phosphorylation levels of five proteins with molecular masses of 118 kDa, 92 kDa, 78 kDa, 54 kDa, and 40 kDa. These results clearly show that GM-CSF, on its own, can initiate several changes and that these changes are mediated in part by the pertussis toxin-sensitive guanine nucleotide regulatory protein.