Regulation of the cAMP signal transduction pathway by protein kinase C in rat submandibular cells

Role of PKC-ζ in NADPH oxidase-PKCα-Giα axis dependent inhibition of β-adrenergic response by U46619 in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells

Treatment of bovine pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (BPASMCs) with U46619 attenuated isoproterenol caused stimulation of adenyl cyclase activity and cAMP production. Pretreatment with SQ29548 (Tp receptor antagonist), apocynin (NADPH oxidase inhibitor) and Go6976 (PKC-α inhibitor) eliminated U46619 caused attenuation of isoproterenol stimulated adenyl cyclase activity. Pretreatment with SQ29548 and apocynin prevented U46619 induced increase in NADPH oxidase activity, PKC-α activity and Giα phosphorylation. However, pretreatment with CZI, a PKC-ζ inhibitor, markedly, but not completely, inhibited U46619 induced increase in NADPH oxidase activity, PKC-α activity, Giα phosphorylation and also significantly eliminated U46619 caused attenuation of isoproterenol stimulated adenyl cyclase activity. Pretreatment with Go6976 inhibited U46619 induced increase in Giα phosphorylation, but not PKC-ζ activity and NADPH oxidase activity. Pretreatment with pertussis toxin eliminated U46619 caused attenuation of isoproterenol stimulated adenyl cyclase activity without any discernible change in PKC-ζ, NADPH oxidase and PKC-α activities. Transfection of the cells with Tp, PKC-ζ and PKC-α siRNA duplexes corroborate the findings observed with their respective pharmacological inhibitors on the responses produced by U46619. Taken together, we suggest involvement of PKC-ζ in U46619 caused attenuation of isoproterenol stimulated β-adrenergic response, which is regulated by NADPH oxidase-PKCα-Giα axis in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells.

Early to late sparing of radiation damage to the parotid gland by adrenergic and muscarinic receptor agonists

Damage to salivary glands after radiotherapeutic treatment of head and neck tumours can severely impair the quality of life of the patients. In the current study we have investigated the early-to-late pathogenesis of the parotid gland after radiation. Also the ability to ameliorate the damage using pretreatment with adrenergic or muscarinic receptor agonists is studied. Rats were locally irradiated with or without i.p. pretreatment with phenylephrine (alpha-adrenoceptor agonist, 5 mg kg(-1)), isoproterenol (beta-adrenoceptor agonist, 5 mg kg(-1)), pilocarpine (4 mg kg(-1)), methacholine (3.75 mg kg(-1)) (muscarinic receptor agonists) or methacholine plus phenylephrine. Parotid salivary flow rate, amylase secretion, the number of cells and gland histology were monitored sequentially up to 240 days postirradiation. The effects were described in 4 distinct phases. The first phase (0-10 days) was characterised by a rapid decline in flow rate without changes in amylase secretion or acinar cell number. The second phase (10-60 days) consists of a decrease in amylase secretion and is paralleled by acinar cell loss. Flow rate, amylase secretion and acinar cell numbers do not change in the third phase (60-120 days). The fourth phase (120-240 days) is determined by a further deterioration of gland function but an increase in acinar cell number, albeit with poor tissue morphology. All drug pretreatments used could reduce radiation effects in phase I and II. The protective effects were lost during phase IV, with the exception of methacholine plus phenylephrine pretreatment. The latter combination of drugs ameliorated radiation-damage throughout the entire follow-up time. The data show that combined pre-irradiation stimulation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors with methacholine plus alpha-adrenoceptors with phenylephrine can reduce both early and late damage, possibly involving the PLC/PIP2 second messenger pathways. This opens perspectives for the development of clinical applicable methods for long-term sparing of parotid glands subjected to radiotherapy of head and neck cancer patients.

Aluminum fluoride inhibits phospholipase D activation by a GTP-binding protein-independent mechanism

Aluminum fluoride (AlF4-) inhibited guanine nucleotide-activated phospholipase D (PLD) in rat submandibular gland cell-free lysates in a concentration-dependent response. This effect was consistent in permeabilized cells with endogenous phospholipid PLD substrates. Inhibition was not caused by either fluoride or aluminum alone and was reversed by aluminum chelation. Inhibition of PLD by aluminum fluoride was not mediated by cAMP, phosphatases 1, 2A or 2B, or phosphatidate phosphohydrolase. AlF4- had a similar inhibitory effect on rArf-stimulated PLD, but did not block the translocation of Arf from cytosol to membranes, indicating a post-GTP-binding-protein site of action. Oleate-sensitive PLD, which is not guanine nucleotide-dependent, was also inhibited by AlF4-, supporting a G protein-independent mechanism of action. A submandibular Golgi-enriched membrane preparation had high PLD activity which was also potently inhibited by AlF4-, leading to speculation that the known fluoride inhibition of Golgi vesicle transport may be PLD-mediated. It is proposed that aluminum fluoride inhibits different forms of PLD by a mechanism that is independent of GTP-binding proteins and that acts via a membrane-associated target which may be the enzyme itself.

Activation of phospholipase D by ADP-ribosylation factor in rat submandibular acinar cells

The hydrolysis of membrane phosphatidylcholine by the enzyme phospholipase D is a key initial step in the intracellular release of the signalling molecules phosphatidic acid, diacylglycerol and arachidonic acid. Guanine nucleotide-dependent pathway leading to PLD activation were investigated in enzymatically dispersed rat submandibular acinar cells. Guanosine 5'-O-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (GTP gamma S) caused the time- and concentration-dependent stimulation of PLD in permeabilized cells. This effect was lost in prepermeabilized cells, from which cytosolic components had been allowed to leak, but was restored when endogenous cytosol, or cytosol from platelets, was added back to such cells. PLD was also activated in cytosol-depleted cells by GTP gamma S in combination with purified ARF (ADP-ribosylation factor), a low M(r) guanine nucleotide-binding protein of the ras superfamily. Additional evidence for the involvement of ARF in PLD activation was the inhibition of carbachol- or GTP gamma S-induced stimulation of the enzyme by brefeldin A, a blocker of ARF activation; and the observed translocation of ARF from cytosol to membrane on GTP gamma S treatment in permeabilized cells. The heterotrimeric G-protein stimulator, AlFn, also activated PLD, and this response, too, was inhibited by brefeldin A, suggesting the downstream involvement of ARF in coupling AlFn action to phospholipase D elevation. PLD activation caused by both GTP gamma S and AlFn was only partially reduced after treatment of cells with U73122, a demonstrated inhibitor of phospholipase C in the Gq-coupled phosphoinositide signal-transduction pathway. It is therefore proposed that in rat submandibular mucous acinar cells, a guanine nucleotide-regulated PLD activation pathway exists that involves the sequential actions of a G heterotrimeric protein and ARF. It is further suggested that this pathway is independent of the Gq/PLC/phosphatidylinositol signal transduction system.

Muscarinic regulation of phospholipase D and its role in arachidonic acid release in rat submandibular acinar cells

The characteristics of muscarinic cholinergic-induced phospholipase D (PLD) activation, and the involvement of the enzyme in the release of arachidonic acid were examined in rat submandibular acinar cells. Carbachol produced a dose-related activation of PLD to around fivefold control values at 100 microM agonist concentration. This was associated with the appearance of free choline, phosphatidic acid and arachidonic acid, indicating that the PLD substrate was phosphatidylcholine. The response to carbachol was inhibited by 60% by U73122, a blocker of a phospholipase C (PLC) specific to phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P2], suggesting that the cleavage of phosphatidylcholine by PLD was, at least in part, secondary to agonist-coupled hydrolysis of PtdIns(4,5)P2 by PLC. Consistent with this, PLD was also activated to levels comparable to those induced by carbachol, by the phorbol ester, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), and the Ca2+ mobilizer, thapsigargin, two agents that respectively mimic the activation of protein kinase C (PKC) by diacylglycerol and the elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ by inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] in the phosphoinositide effect. The cell-permeant Ca2+ chelator 1,2-bis-(O-aminophenoxy)-ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid, tetraacetoxymethyl ester (BAPTA/AM) abolished the thapsigargin-induced activation of PLD and inhibited the responses of PLD to carbachol and TPA by 60%. The PKC inhibitor, Ro-31-8220, also inhibited the activation of PLD by carbacol and TPA to a level of approximately double control values, but had no effect on the thapsigargin-induced elevation of PLD. A role for both the PKC-associated and Ca(2+)-mobilizing arms of the PtdIns(4,5)P2-PLC pathway in PLD regulation is thus suggested. Pretreatment of cells with the phosphatidate phosphohydrolase blocker, propranolol, significantly enhanced the carbachol-induced elevation of phosphatidic acid, but decreased agonist-stimulated production of diacylglycerol and arachidonic acid, indicating that phosphatidlycholine was the likely source of arachidonic acid. We therefore propose that, in submandibular mucous acinar cells, muscarinic activation of the PtdIns(4,5)P2-PLC pathway regulates phosphatidylcholine-specific PLD through both the PKC- and Ca(2+)-mobilizing arms of the phosphoinositide response, and that diacylglycerol, derived from phosphatidylcholine via phosphatidic acid, is a source of free arachidonic acid.

Distribution and translocation of isoforms of protein kinase C in rat submandibular acinar cells

The distribution of six isoforms of protein kinase C (PKC) in seromucous acinar cells of rat submandibular gland was examined and their translocation from the cytosolic- to the membrane fraction after different stimuli investigated. Western blotting, immunostaining with isoform-specific antibodies and scanning densitometry showed that PKC-alpha and epsilon were distributed fairly evenly between the cytosol and membranes in resting cells, while isoforms- beta, delta and zeta were all predominantly localized (over 80%) in membranes. PKC-gamma was not detected. PKC-alpha was mobilized to the membrane fraction by the phorbol ester, TPA, but not by the phosphoinositide-coupled agonists carbachol, methoxamine and substance P (SP). PKC-epsilon was translocated by TPA and carbachol but not by SP or methoxamine. Biochemical assay of total PKC confirmed that cytosolic enzyme activity was significantly reduced by TPA and carbachol to 29% and 75% respectively of control levels. These results suggest that muscarinic regulation of the mucosecretory response in the rat submandibular gland may be mediated by the PKC-epsilon isoform.

Ca(2+)-dependent and -independent mechanism of cyclic-AMP reduction: mediation by bradykinin B2 receptors

1. Bradykinin caused a transient reduction of about 25% in the cyclic AMP level in forskolin prestimulated DDT1 MF-2 smooth muscle cells (IC50: 36.4 +/- 4.9 nM) and a pronounced, sustained inhibition (40%) of the isoprenaline-stimulated cyclic AMP level (IC50: 37.5 +/- 1.1 nM). 2. The Ca2+ ionophore, ionomycin, mimicked both the bradykinin-induced transient reduction in the forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP level and the sustained reduction in the isoprenaline-stimulated cyclic AMP level. 3. The Ca(2+)-dependent effect on cyclic AMP induced by bradykinin was mediated solely by Ca2+ release from internal stores, since inhibition of Ca2+ entry with LaCl3 did not reduce the response to bradykinin. 4. The involvement of calmodulin-dependent enzyme activities, protein kinase C or an inhibitory GTP binding protein in the bradykinin-induced responses was excluded since a calmodulin inhibitor, calmidazolium, a PKC inhibitor, staurosporine and pertussis toxin, respectively did not affect the decline in the cyclic AMP level. 5. Bradykinin enhanced the rate of cyclic AMP breakdown in intact cells, which effect was not mimicked by ionomycin. This suggested a Ca(2+)-independent activation of phosphodiesterase activity by bradykinin in DDT1 MF-2 cells. 6. The bradykinin B1 receptor agonist, desArg9-bradykinin, did not affect cyclic AMP formation in isoprenaline prestimulated cells, while the bradykinin B2 receptor antagonists, Hoe 140 (D-Arg[Hyp3, Thi5, D-Tic7, Oic8]-BK) and D-Arg[Hyp3, Thi5,8, D-Phe7]-BK completely abolished the bradykinin response in both forskolin and isoprenaline prestimulated cells. 7. Bradykinin caused an increase in intracellular Ca2+, which was antagonized by the bradykinin B2 receptor antagonists, Hoe 140 and D-Arg[Hyp3, Thi5,8, D-Phe7]-BK. The bradykinin B2 receptor agonist,desArg9-bradykinin, did not evoke a rise in cytoplasmic Ca2 .8. It is concluded, that stimulation of bradykinin B2 receptors causes a reduction in cellular cyclic AMP in DDT1, MF-2 cells. This decline in cyclic AMP is partly mediated by a Ca2+/calmodulin independent activation of phosphodiesterase activity. The increase in [Ca2+], mediated by bradykinin B2 receptors inhibited forskolin- and isoprenaline-activated adenylyl cyclase differently, most likely by interfering with different components of the adenylyl cyclase signalling pathway.

Arachidonic acid stimulates intracellular calcium mobilization and regulates protein synthesis, ATP levels, and mucin secretion in submandibular gland cells

Earlier observations that arachidonic acid inhibited the synthesis of membrane inositol phospholipids in rat submandibular acinar cells prompted the present study on whether the fatty acid may also regulate other key physiological processes in the model. Arachidonate, at concentrations above 10 mumol/L, inhibited up to 97% protein synthesis in acinar cells. The acid also lowered cellular ATP levels to 25% of control values by a ouabain-insensitive mechanism. In endoplasmic reticulum-calcium studies in permeabilized cells, arachidonic acid stimulated the mobilization of up to 73% loaded ER-45Ca2+ to the cytosol, a much greater response than those caused by other calcium translocators, thapsigargin or inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate. Additionally, arachidonate provoked the release of over 80% of total cell 45Ca2+ to the extracellular space in intact cells and stimulated mucin secretion in the submandibular model. The inhibitory effect of arachidonic acid on protein synthesis was duplicated by carbachol, thapsigargin, and BAPTA/AM, three agents that cause net efflux of ER-Ca2+ by different mechanisms. Furthermore, comparable with the arachidonate effect on ATP, carbachol and thapsigargin also significantly reduced cellular levels of the nucleotide. It is concluded that arachidonic acid acts as a regulator of central synthetic/secretory processes in mucous acinar cells of rat submandibular gland and suggested that at least some of its effects may be secondary to its calcium-mobilizing action.

Regulation of phosphatidylinositol kinases by arachidonic acid in rat submandibular gland cells

Phosphoinositide kinases were characterized in membrane extracts of rat submandibular gland cells. Both phosphatidylinositol (PI) 4-kinase and phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (PI(4)P) 5-kinase phosphorylated endogenous substrates in reactions that were linear for up to 5 min, were activated by Mg2+ and showed maximal activity around neutral pH. PI 4-kinase was stimulated by Triton X-100 at an optimal concentration of 0.22%, but the detergent had an inhibitory effect on PI(4)P 5-kinase. Arachidonic acid (AA), at concentrations greater than 100 microM, inhibited the activity of both enzymes in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect was replicated by other unsaturated fatty acids, but not by a saturated fatty acid of the sn-20 series. The nature of AA inhibition of the kinases was examined in enzyme kinetic studies with exogenous phosphoinositide and adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) substrates. Lineweaver-Burk plots of PI 4-kinase activity showed that AA had no effect on the apparent Km for either PI or ATP, but that the fatty acid significantly reduced Vmax (PI) from 331 to 177 pmol.mg-1.min-1 and Vmax (ATP) from 173 to 59 pmol.mg-1.min-1. This inhibitory action was consistent for PI(4)P 5-kinase kinetics, where again, AA did not alter apparent Km values, but lowered Vmax for both PI(4)P and ATP by around 50%. Since the combination of a reduced Vmax and an unchanged Km value indicates noncompetitive enzyme inhibition, it is proposed that AA regulates phosphoinositide cycle activity in submandibular gland cells by acting as a noncompetitive inhibitor of PI 4-kinase and PI(4)P 5-kinase.

Repeated ketamine administration produces up-regulation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in the forebrain, and reduces behavioral sensitivity to scopolamine in mice

To study the effects of repeated ketamine administration on central muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAchRs), ddY male mice were administered subcutaneous doses of 25 mg/kg ketamine every 3 days for a total of five times. Receptor binding assays of mAchR were carried out in the forebrain (FB), cerebellum (CB) and brainstem (BS), using [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate ([3H]QNB) as a ligand. In addition, we examined whether repeated ketamine (12.5, 25 and 50 mg/kg) or saline (five times) could modify the hyperlocomotion induced by scopolamine (0.5 mg/kg, SC) (a muscarinic antagonist), using a behavior-pharmacological technique. Repeating the ketamine administration resulted in a significant increase in the receptor density value (Bmax) for [3H]QNB only in FB, dependent on the numbers of administrations (1270 +/- 33 fmol/mg protein for a single dose, 1620 +/- 59 for four treatments, 1738 +/- 70 for five treatments without any change in apparent affinity (defined as the reciprocal of the dissociation constant) (Kd). A competitive inhibition study of repeated (5 times) administration of ketamine failed to detect any subtype-specific changes in mAchRs. Repeated ketamine administration reduced the scopolamine-induced hyperlocomotion in a dose-related way, and the changes were significant at 50 mg/kg. Our results suggest that repeated ketamine administration produces an up-regulation of mAchRs, and this change may be associated with altered Ach transmission in the central nervous system.

Activation of protein kinase C does not cause desensitization in rat and rabbit mandibular acinar cells

We have examined whether activation of protein kinase C by phorbol esters decreases the responsiveness of rat and rabbit mandibular, and rat lacrimal, acinar cells to muscarinic stimulation. Intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) was measured in isolated single acini and cell clusters by fura-2 microspectrofluorimetry. Accumulation of inositol phosphates was measured in acinar cell suspensions. All three cell types showed very similar changes in [Ca2+]i in response to acetylcholine (ACh), although mobilization of Ca2+ required somewhat higher ACh concentrations in rat lacrimal acinar cells than in mandibular acinar cells. There was no evidence for different dose dependencies of the peak and plateau phases of the [Ca2+]i response. The ACh-evoked [Ca2+]i increase in rabbit mandibular acinar cells exhibited desensitization, since it declined in magnitude when cells were stimulated repeatedly with a maximal dose of agonist. The phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) rapidly and irreversibly decreased the ACh-evoked [Ca2+]i signals in rat lacrimal acinar cells and reduced ACh-stimulated inositol phosphate accumulation. This inhibitory effect of TPA was most marked in cells stimulated with low doses of ACh, implying that TPA treatment shifted the ACh dose response curve to higher ACh concentrations. In contrast to the results obtained with lacrimal acinar cells, TPA had no effect on the [Ca2+]i and inositol phosphate responses to ACh in either rat or rabbit mandibular acinar cells. These results suggest that, although ACh-evoked [Ca2+]i signals, and hence presumably the stimulus-response coupling machinery, are very similar between different acinar cell types, acinar cells show marked differences in their sensitivity to phorbol esters. The insensitivity of mandibular acinar cell [Ca2+]i signals to TPA also suggests that the secretory tachyphylaxis observed in perfused rat and rabbit mandibular salivary glands is unlikely to be a consequence of negative feedback mediated by protein kinase C.

The phospholipase C activating P2U purinoceptor also inhibits cyclicAMP formation in DDT1 MF-2 smooth muscle cells

The P2U purinoceptor mediated effect on cellular cAMP was investigated in DDT1 MF-2 smooth muscle cells. Stimulation of these receptors by ATP or UTP caused a pronounced decrease of about 50% in cellular cAMP levels in forskolin or isoprenaline pretreated cells. This action of the nucleotides was concentration dependent with an IC50 of 9.4 +/- 0.2 microM and 29.0 +/- 0.5 microM for UTP and ATP, respectively and was inhibited by the P2-purinoceptor antagonist suramin. The cAMP level appeared to be modified by intracellular Ca2+, represented by an initial decline in cAMP. Neither inactivation of protein kinase C by staurosporine nor elevated cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentrations interfered with the sustained decrease in cAMP levels induced by ATP or UTP, showing that this effect is not mediated via the phospholipase C pathway known to be activated after P2U purinoceptor stimulation in DDT1 MF-2 cells. Pertussis toxin inhibited the action of these nucleotides on the cellular cAMP level. It can be concluded that the P2U purinoceptor in DDT1 MF-2 cells is coupled to different G-proteins, activating phospholipase C and inhibiting adenylyl cyclase activity.

Phorbol ester has different effects on forskolin and beta-adrenergic-stimulated cAMP accumulation in mouse parotid acini

Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (TPA) augmented the effects of forskolin, and inhibited the effects of isoproterenol on cAMP accumulation in mouse parotid acini. Treatment of intact cells with the phosphodiesterase inhibitor, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (MIX), blocked TPA inhibition of isoproterenol but not forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation. TPA also caused the translocation of protein kinase C (PKC) from cytosol to membrane. Pre-treatment of parotid acini with TPA for 30 min enhanced the forskolin and isoproterenol-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in isolated parotid membranes. Addition of purified PKC (pPKC) to parotid membranes mimicked the effects of TPA in increasing cAMP synthesis; the effects were blocked in the absence of calcium and phospholipid, and in the presence of the synthetic peptide (PKC 19-36). Purified PKC also mimicked the effects of TPA in augmenting forskolin and isoproterenol-stimulated adenylate cyclase activities in the cell-free system. Data suggest that the differential regulation of forskolin and isoproterenol-stimulated cAMP accumulation by TPA results from modification of enzymes that synthesize and degrade cAMP.

Arachidonic acid regulates the phosphoinositide signal transduction pathway in submandibular acinar cells

Modulation of the phosphoinositide signal transduction pathway by arachidonic acid (AA) in collagenase-dispersed rat submandibular acinar cells was investigated. The muscarinic agonist, carbachol, stimulated PIP2 hydrolysis and the generation of IP3 to five-fold the control levels. This response was inhibited by 75% on pre-treatment of cells with AA. The AA inhibitory effect was not duplicated by a range of prostaglandins and leukotrienes and was not reversed by blockers of the cyclo-oxygenase and lipoxygenase synthetic pathways, indicating that AA action was not mediated by eicosanoid metabolites. Additional experiments confirmed that the enzyme, protein kinase C, was also not a mediator of the AA effect. Arachidonic acid did not affect the uptake of radioactive inositol into acinar cells, but it did inhibit the incorporation of inositol into inositol phospholipids of the phosphoinositide cycle. In studies on inositol phospholipid turnover, AA alone reduced the level of PIP2 but not of PIP or PI. Under conditions of PI cycle stimulation with carbachol, AA significantly lowered PIP2 and PIP but not PI. These findings suggest that arachidonic acid may regulate the phosphoinositide response by inhibiting the synthetic phase of the cycle at a locus distal to PI generation.