Developmental changes in the activities of phospholipase c, 3-kinase, and 5-phosphatase in rat brain

Inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate-3-kinase-A controls morphology of hippocampal dendritic spines

Long-lasting synaptic plasticity is often accompanied by morphological changes as well as formation and/or loss of dendritic spines. Since the spine cytoskeleton mainly consists of actin filaments, morphological changes are primarily controlled by actin binding proteins (ABPs). Inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate-3-kinase-A (ITPKA) is a neuron-specific, actin bundling protein concentrated at dendritic spines. Here, we demonstrate that ITPKA depletion in mice increases the number of hippocampal spine-synapses while reducing average spine length. By employing actin to ABP ratios similar to those occurring at post synaptic densities, in addition to cross-linking actin filaments, ITPKA strongly inhibits Arp2/3-complex induced actin filament branching by displacing the complex from F-actin. In summary, our data show that in vivo ITPKA negatively regulates formation and/or maintenance of synaptic contacts in the mammalian brain. On the molecular level this effect appears to result from the ITPKA-mediated inhibition of Arp2/3-complex F-actin branching activity.

Inositol trisphosphate 3-kinases: focus on immune and neuronal signaling

The localized control of second messenger levels sculpts dynamic and persistent changes in cell physiology and structure. Inositol trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P(3)] 3-kinases (ITPKs) phosphorylate the intracellular second messenger Ins(1,4,5)P(3). These enzymes terminate the signal to release Ca(2+) from the endoplasmic reticulum and produce the messenger inositol tetrakisphosphate [Ins(1,3,4,5)P(4)]. Independent of their enzymatic activity, ITPKs regulate the microstructure of the actin cytoskeleton. The immune phenotypes of ITPK knockout mice raise new questions about how ITPKs control inositol phosphate lifetimes within spatial and temporal domains during lymphocyte maturation. The intense concentration of ITPK on actin inside the dendritic spines of pyramidal neurons suggests a role in signal integration and structural plasticity in the dendrite, and mice lacking neuronal ITPK exhibit memory deficits. Thus, the molecular and anatomical features of ITPKs allow them to regulate the spatiotemporal properties of intracellular signals, leading to the formation of persistent molecular memories.

Neuronal IP3 3-kinase is an F-actin-bundling protein: role in dendritic targeting and regulation of spine morphology

The actin microstructure in dendritic spines is involved in synaptic plasticity. Inositol trisphosphate 3-kinase A (ITPKA) terminates Ins(1,4,5)P(3) signals emanating from spines and also binds filamentous actin (F-actin) through its amino terminal region (amino acids 1-66, N66). Here we investigated how ITPKA, independent of its kinase activity, regulates dendritic spine F-actin microstructure. We show that the N66 region of the protein mediates F-actin bundling. An N66 fusion protein bundled F-actin in vitro, and the bundling involved N66 dimerization. By mutagenesis we identified a point mutation in a predicted helical region that eliminated both F-actin binding and bundling, rendering the enzyme cytosolic. A fusion protein containing a minimal helical region (amino acids 9-52, N9-52) bound F-actin in vitro and in cells, but had lower affinity. In hippocampal neurons, GFP-tagged N66 expression was highly polarized, with targeting of the enzyme predominantly to spines. By contrast, N9-52-GFP expression occurred in actin-rich structures in dendrites and growth cones. Expression of N66-GFP tripled the length of dendritic protrusions, induced longer dendritic spine necks, and induced polarized actin motility in time-lapse assays. These results suggest that, in addition to its ability to regulate intracellular Ca(2+) via Ins(1,4,5)P(3) metabolism, ITPKA regulates structural plasticity.

Ins(1,4,5)P3 3-kinase-A overexpression induces cytoskeletal reorganization via a kinase-independent mechanism

In the present study, effects of increased IP3K-A [Ins(1,4,5)P3 3-kinase-A] expression were analysed. H1299 cells overexpressing IP3K-A formed branching protrusions, and under three-dimensional culture conditions, they exhibited a motile fibroblast-like morphology. They lost the ability to form actin stress fibres and showed increased invasive migration in vitro. Furthermore, expression levels of the mesenchymal marker proteins vimentin and N-cadherin were increased. The enzymatic function of IP3K-A is to phosphorylate the calcium-mobilizing second messenger Ins(1,4,5)P3 to (Ins(1,3,4,5)P4. Accordingly, cells overexpressing IP3K-A showed reduced calcium release and altered concentrations of InsPs, with decreasing concentrations of Ins(1,4,5)P3, InsP6 and Ins(1,2,3,4,5)P5, and increasing concentrations of Ins(1,3,4,5)P4. However, IP3K-A-induced effects on cell morphology do not seem to be dependent on enzyme activity, since a protein devoid of enzyme activity also induced the formation of branching protrusions. Therefore we propose that the morphological changes induced by IP3K-A are mediated by non-enzymatic activities of the protein.

Calcium-triggered exit of F-actin and IP(3) 3-kinase A from dendritic spines is rapid and reversible

The structure of the actin cytoskeleton in dendritic spines is thought to underlie some forms of synaptic plasticity. We have used fixed and live-cell imaging in rat primary hippocampal cultures to characterize the synaptic dynamics of the F-actin binding protein inositol trisphosphate 3-kinase A (IP3K), which is localized in the spines of pyramidal neurons derived from the CA1 region. IP3K was intensely concentrated as puncta in spine heads when Ca(2+) influx was low, but rapidly and reversibly redistributed to a striated morphology in the main dendrite when Ca(2+) influx was high. Glutamate stimulated the exit of IP3K from spines within 10 s, and re-entry following blockage of Ca(2+) influx commenced within a minute; IP3K appeared to remain associated with F-actin throughout this process. Ca(2+)-triggered F-actin relocalization occurred in about 90% of the cells expressing IP3K endogenously, and was modulated by the synaptic activity of the cultures, suggesting that it is a physiological process. F-actin relocalization was blocked by cytochalasins, jasplakinolide and by the over-expression of actin fused to green fluorescent protein. We also used deconvolution microscopy to visualize the relationship between F-actin and endoplasmic reticulum inside dendritic spines, revealing a delicate microorganization of IP3K near the Ca(2+) stores. We conclude that Ca(2+) influx into the spines of CA1 pyramidal neurons triggers the rapid and reversible retraction of F-actin from the dendritic spine head. This process contributes to changes in spine F-actin shape and content during synaptic activity, and might also regulate spine IP3 signals.

Molecular profiling of behavioural development: differential expression of mRNAs for inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase isoforms in naive and experienced honeybees (Apis mellifera)

In seeking genetic factors that may control the extended behavioural maturation of adult honeybees we found that inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP(3)) 3-kinase, a key enzyme in the IP(3)-mediated signalling cascade, is differentially expressed in brains of naive, newly emerged bees and experienced foragers. DNA sequencing yielded a contig of 21.5 kb spanning the honeybee IP(3)K locus and a 3' flanking gene similar to a transcription factor NFR-kappa-B. The IP(3)K locus gives rise to three differentially expressed major transcripts produced by alternative splicing that encode proteins with identical, highly conserved C-termini and distinct, non-conserved N-terminal domains. The type A transcript is dominant in the adult brain and its level of expression increases threefold during the first 4 days of adult development. The type B message is expressed in brains of naive bees, but is also found in the thorax and abdomen, whereas transcript C is expressed largely in non-neural tissues and in the antenna. In contrast to type A message, the brain levels of transcript B decrease during the first 4 days of adult life. Our data are evaluated in the context of the contrasting behavioural phenotypes of immature and experienced worker honeybees.

Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase A associates with F-actin and dendritic spines via its N terminus

The consequences of the rapid 3-phosphorylation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP(3)) to produce inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate (IP(4)) via the action of IP(3) 3-kinases involve the control of calcium signals. Using green fluorescent protein constructs of full-length and truncated IP(3) 3-kinase isoform A expressed in HeLa cells, COS-7 cells, and primary neuronal cultures, we have defined a novel N-terminal 66-amino acid F-actin-binding region that localizes the kinase to dendritic spines. The region is necessary and sufficient for binding F-actin and consists of a proline-rich stretch followed by a predicted alpha-helix. We also localized endogenous IP(3) 3-kinase A to the dendritic spines of pyramidal neurons in primary hippocampal cultures, where it is co-localized postsynaptically with calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. Our experiments suggest a link between inositol phosphate metabolism, calcium signaling, and the actin cytoskeleton in dendritic spines. The phosphorylation of IP(3) in dendritic spines to produce IP(4) is likely to be important for modulating the compartmentalization of calcium at synapses.

Differences in Ca(2+) signaling underlie age-specific effects of secretagogues on colonic Cl(-) transport

Taurodeoxycholic acid (TDC) stimulates Cl(-) transport in adult (AD), but not weanling (WN) and newborn (NB), rabbit colonic epithelial cells (colonocytes). The present study demonstrates that stimuli like neurotensin (NT) are also age specific and identifies the age-dependent signaling step. Bile acid actions are segment and bile acid specific. Thus although TDC and taurochenodeoxycholate stimulate Cl(-) transport in AD distal but not proximal colon, taurocholate has no effect in either segment. TDC increases intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) in AD, but not in WN and NB, colonocytes. In AD cells, TDC (5 min) action on Cl(-) transport needs intra- but not extracellular Ca(2+). NT, histamine, and bethanechol increase Cl(-) transport and [Ca(2+)](i) in AD, but not WN, distal colonocytes. However, A-23187 increased [Ca(2+)](i) and Cl(-) transport in all age groups, suggesting that Ca(2+)-sensitive Cl(-) transport is present from birth. Study of the proximal steps in Ca(2+) signaling revealed that NT, but not TDC, activates a GTP-binding protein, Galpha(q), in AD and WN cells. In addition, although WN and AD colonocytes had similar levels of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, NT and TDC increased 1,4,5-inositol trisphosphate content only in AD cells. Nonresponsiveness of WN cells to Ca(2+)-dependent stimuli, therefore, is due to the absence of measurable phospholipase C activity. Thus delays in Ca(2+) signaling afford a crucial protective mechanism to meet the changing demands of the developing colon.

Enhanced Hippocampal CA1 LTP but Normal Spatial Learning in Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase(A)-Deficient Mice

To define the physiological role of IP33-kinase(A) in vivo, we have generated a mouse strain with a null mutation of the IP33-kinase(A) locus by gene targeting. Homozygous mutant mice were fully viable, fertile, apparently normal, and did not show any morphological anomaly in brain sections. In the mutant brain, the IP4 level was significantly decreased whereas the IP3 level did not change, demonstrating a major role of IP33-kinase(A) in the generation of IP4. Nevertheless, no significant difference was detected in the hippocampal neuronal cells of the wild-type and the mutant mice in the kinetics of Ca2+ regulation after glutamate stimulation. Electrophysiological analyses carried out in hippocampal slices showed that the mutation significantly enhanced the LTP in the hippocampal CA1 region, but had no effect on the LTP in dentate gyrus (DG). No difference was noted, however, between the mutant and the wild-type mice in the Morris water maze task. Our results indicate that IP33-kinase(A) may play an important role in the regulation of LTP in hippocampal CA1 region through the generation of IP4, but the enhanced LTP in the hippocampal CA1 does not affect spatial learning and memory.

Developmental changes in phospholipase D activity and mRNA levels in rat brain

Phospholipase D (PLD) activity and PLD1 mRNA levels were determined in rat brain at ages ranging from embryonic day (E) 19 to postnatal day (P) 49. Basal, oleate-, and phosphatidylinositol-4, 5-bisphosphate-stimulated PLD activity increased between E19 and P24 by approximately 3-fold and remained unaltered thereafter. A similar developmental pattern of mRNA levels of PLD1 isoform was found by Northern blotting. The development of PLD correlates with synaptogenesis and myelination suggesting that the enzyme might have an important function in these processes.

Access to intracellular calcium during development in the feline gastric antrum

Circular smooth muscle cells from the feline newborn antrum, unlike the adult, are unable to respond to myogenic agonists in the absence of extracellular calcium or to exogenous inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3). This study examined the reasons behind the relative inaccessibility of intracellular calcium stores in the newborn period. IP3 binding was determined in antral smooth muscle homogenates from adult cats and newborns by evaluating the competitive binding of D-myo-[3H]IP3 and unlabeled IP3. Receptor density (Bmax) (fmol/mg of protein) and binding affinity (Kd) were determined. The Kd was similar in adults (31 +/- 4 nM) and newborns (28 +/- 7 nM); however, the Bmax was markedly decreased in the newborn (647 +/- 181.0 fmol/mg) compared with the adult (1755 +/- 275 fmol/mg). In adult and newborn antral cells, thapsigargin, which causes a net release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores by inhibiting Ca(2+)-ATPase-dependent reuptake activity, caused an early contraction at 30 s that was maintained for at least 20 min. We conclude that, in the newborn, dynamic intracellular calcium stores are present in the smooth muscle of the feline antrum and that differences in accessibility of intracellular calcium stores may be related to changes in the release of calcium from IP3-sensitive stores.

Changes in IP3 metabolism during skeletal muscle development in vivo and in vitro

We have investigated whether IP3 metabolism presents particular changes during critical stages of muscle development. With this aim, we have measured IP3 formation through phospholipase C activity, IP3 removal through IP3 5-phosphatase and IP3 3-kinase activities, as well as IP3 mass, during myogenesis in vivo and in vitro. In developing rat skeletal muscle, both IP3 3-kinase and 5-phosphatase activities were relatively constant from embryonary day 15, the earliest age studied to postnatal day 10; 5-phosphatase decreased upon further development. A transient, major increase in phospholipase C activity was evident at embryonary day 18 while a non-significant increase in IP3 mass was detected at this embrionary age. In rat skeletal muscle in primary culture, all enzyme activities as well as the mass of IP3 increased significantly in myotubes compared to myoblasts. Myotubes incubated with calcitonin gene-related peptide, responded with a transient increase in IP3 mass after 2 to 10 sec; the CGRP-induced increase being completely blocked by U-73122, a phospholipase C inhibitor. Furthermore, IP3 mass increased within 1 hr after exposure to differentiating agents of both RCMH cells, a line derived from normal human skeletal muscle, and C2C12 cells. These results indicate that changes in IP3 metabolism can be correlated to critical stages of muscle development and differentiation, suggesting a possible role for IP3 in these processes.

Molecular study and regulation of D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase

D-myo-Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) is a critical second messenger involved in signal transduction, i.e., calcium homeostasis. InsP3-kinase directly regulates the levels of InsP3 and D-myo-inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate (InsP4). InsP3 3-kinase is a calmodulin (CaM)-dependent enzyme and is also a target for phosphorylation by protein kinase C (PKC). Molecular cloning of cDNA's encoding proteins presenting InsP3 3-kinase activity establish the existence of distinct isoenzymes (at least three: A, B and C). These isoforms are differentially expressed and regulated by calcium/CaM. Site-directed mutagenesis and chemical modification of InsP3 3-kinase A led to the identification of three charged residues involved in ATP/Mg2+ binding among the catalytic domain and a hydrophobic residue taking part of the CaM binding site.

Alterations of inositol phosphate turnover in striatum of aged rats

Age-related inositol phosphate turnover in the rat central nervous system was investigated. Higher phospholipase-C activity and drastically higher (almost 2.5-fold) inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate concentration in the corpus striatum (caudate-putamen) of extremely old (approximately 40 months) female Wistar rats in comparison to the young adult (approximately 3.5 months) rats were observed. Dopamine seems to slightly inhibit total inositol phosphate formation and this effect was antagonized by (-)-sulpiride.

Distribution of the neurons containing inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase and its messenger RNA in the developing rat brain

As a result of its interaction with a specific receptor, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) mobilizes intracellular calcium. The metabolism of InsP3 is rather complex: InsP3 3-kinase produces Inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate (InsP4), a putative second messenger also involved in the intraneuronal calcium homeostasis. The distribution of the messenger RNA coding for the recently cloned InsP3 3-kinase was studied in the developing rat brain by using oligonucleotides derived from the rat cDNA sequence and in situ hybridization combined with Northern blot analysis. In addition, the locations of the enzyme were determined by immunohistochemistry in combination with Western blot analysis. By Northern blot and Western blot analyses on rat brain, the kinase was not detected in the embryo, was first found slightly at birth, and reached adult levels around 2-3 postnatal weeks. These findings were confirmed in the different positive regions by in situ hybridization conducted at the macroscopic level. At the cellular level, the mRNA was found exclusively in the neuronal populations previously demonstrated in the adult. The levels of transcripts per neuron were however higher in the adult than in the neonate brain. The enzyme mRNA could be detected first at postnatal day 0, (birth, P0) in the perikarya of the cerebellar Purkinje cells, followed at P4 by the hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells and granule cells of the dentate gyrus and finally, at P9, by a majority of the neurons in the cortical layers II-III and V, especially in the frontal cortex and cingulate cortex; claustrum; caudate, putamen, accumbens, olfactory tubercle and calleja islets; anterior olfactory nucleus; taenia tecta; piriform piriform cortex; dorsolateral septum; bed nucleus stria terminalis; amygdala; hippocampal CA2-4 sectors and subiculum. By immunohistochemistry, the enzyme was initially found in the periphery of the cell bodies of the neonatal neurons; was progressively enriched in the developing dendritic arborization during the first postnatal weeks where it remained exclusively localized in the adult. In conclusion, in the developing brain, InsP3 3-kinase was first detected at birth, and thereafter its concentrations increased to reach adult levels around 2-3 postnatal weeks. At the cellular level, the kinase was exclusively found in the neurons. The small amounts of transcripts found per neuron in the neonate increase during synaptogenesis and the protein became progressively enriched in the developing dendritic arborization, where it is localized in the adult.

Developmental profile of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase in rat cerebellar cortex: light and electron microscopic immunohistochemical studies

Developmental expression and intracellular distribution of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase in the rat cerebellar cortex were studied immunohistochemically. Immunoreactivity appeared first at postnatal day 1 in the rostral region of the cerebellum and by day 15 had extended throughout the whole cerebellum, being localized in the Purkinje cell layer. Shortly after the expression of the enzyme in each Purkinje cell, the labelling showed a tendency to accumulate in the dendrites in a fine granular pattern. Electron microscopy revealed that immunoreactivity was present in the Purkinje dendritic trunks with accentuation in the distal segments during the early postnatal period, thereafter becoming concentrated in the dendritic spines at later developmental stages. Labelling was associated mainly with the plasmalemma, including the postsynaptic densities and open coated vesicles, and the subplasmalemmal vesicles of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Immunoreactivity was also evident in the perisomatic processes of immature Purkinje cells, which are transient projections synapsing with climbing fibers. In developing Purkinje axons, immunoreactivity was accentuated in the distal segments, associated with the plasmalemma and synaptic vesicles. These results suggest that inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase is involved in the dendritic arborization and subsequent spine synaptogenesis of Purkinje cells, and that the developing presynaptic nerve endings of these cells are another functional site for the enzyme.

Postnatal expression of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor in canine cerebellum

1. Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3), an intracellular second messenger, has been shown to be the link between activation of several plasma membrane receptors and Ca2+ release from intracellular, membrane-bound compartments. In this study, the postnatal expression of the canine cerebellum IP3 receptor was investigated by biochemical, ligand binding and immunocytochemical methods. 2. Specific receptor sites for IP3 and the extent of IP3-induced Ca2+ release were quantitated in microsomal fractions isolated from cerebella of developing (0-28 day-old) and adult dogs. The IP3 receptor was detected in newborn animals and adult levels were attained within 3-4 weeks. 3. The time-course of IP3 receptor ontogeny paralleled both growth of Purkinje neurons, as indicated by immunofluorescence of cerebellum cortex cryosections with anti-IP3 receptor antibodies, and synaptogenesis, as judged by Western blotting of the microsomal fractions with anti-synaptophysin antibodies.

Development of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase immunoreactivity in cerebellar Purkinje cells in vivo and in vitro

Development profiles in vivo and in vitro of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase (IP3K) were investigated immunohistochemically in the cerebellar Purkinje cells. In in vivo preparations of rat cerebellum, IP3K immunoreactivity appeared in Purkinje cell bodies and dendrites shortly after birth, increased rapidly by postnatal day 5, and was subsequently confined to their dendritic processes by day 20. The appearance and shift of IP3K immunoreactivity in Purkinje cells showed an identical time course even when Purkinje cells were placed under culture conditions commencing on day 0, suggesting that Purkinje cells have their own biological clock on the expression of IP3K in the absence of external influences.

Maturational regulation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate metabolism in rabbit airway smooth muscle

Airway reactivity has been shown to vary with age; however, the mechanism(s) underlying this process remain unidentified. To elucidate the role of ontogenetic changes in phosphoinositide-linked signal transduction, we examined whether age-related differences in tracheal smooth muscle (TSM) contractility to carbachol (CCh) are associated with developmental changes in the production and metabolism of the second messenger, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins (1,4,5)P3). In TSM segments isolated from 2-wk-old and adult rabbits, both the maximal isometric contractile force and sensitivity (i.e., -logED50) to CCh (10(-10)-10(-4) M) were significantly greater in the immature vs. adult tissues (P less than 0.001). Similarly, Ins(1,4,5)P3 accumulation elicited by either receptor-coupled stimulation with CCh (10(-10)-10(-4) M) or post-receptor-mediated guanine nucleotide binding protein activation of permeabilized TSM with GTP gamma S (100 microM) was also significantly enhanced in 2-wk-old vs. adult TSM. Measurement of the activities of the degradative enzymes for Ins(1,4,5)P3 demonstrated that: (a) mean +/- SE maximal Ins(1,4,5)P3 3'-kinase activity was significantly reduced in the immature vs. adult TSM (i.e., approximately 71.7 +/- 6.0 vs. 137.8 +/- 10.0 pmol/min per mg protein, respectively; P less than 0.005); (b) by contrast, maximal Ins(1,4,5)P3 5'-phosphatase activity was significantly increased in the immature vs. adult TSM (i.e., 27.9 +/- 1.2 vs. 15.6 +/- 1.5 nmol/min per mg protein, respectively; P less than 0.001); and (c) the Km values for Ins(1,4,5)P3 5'-phosphatase were 14- and 19-fold greater than those for Ins(1,4,5)P3 3'-kinase in the 2-wk-old and adult TSM, respectively. Collectively, the findings suggest that the age-related decrease in agonist-induced rabbit TSM contractility is associated with a diminution in Ins(1,4,5)P3 accumulation which is attributed, at least in part, to ontogenetic changes in the relative activities of the degradative enzymes for Ins(1,4,5)P3.

Time-, concentration-, and age-dependent inhibition of muscarinic receptor-stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism by ethanol in the developing rat brain

We have previously reported that administration of ethanol (EtOH; 4 g/Kg/day) to rats from postnatal day 4 to day 10 causes microencephaly and decreases muscarinic receptor-stimulated inositol metabolism on days 7 and 10. An identical exposure to EtOH of adult rats, which resulted in similar blood EtOH concentrations, did not have any effect on the same system. Initial in vitro studies have shown the presence of a differential sensitivity to EtOH of the phosphoinositide system coupled to muscarinic receptors during development. In the present study we have expanded these findings by investigating the concentration-, time-, and age-dependent effects of EtOH on accumulation of [3H]inositol phosphates ([3H]InsPs) in brain slices. EtOH caused a dose-dependent inhibition of carbachol-stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism in cerebral cortex slices from 7 day-old rats. When the time of incubation with EtOH was increased to 90 minutes, concentrations as low as 50 mM, which are reached following in vivo administration of EtOH, significantly inhibited the muscarinic response. The effect of EtOH was rather specific for the muscarinic receptors, since, even with longer incubation times, the accumulation of [3H]InsPs induced by norepinephrine or serotonin was inhibited only at concentrations of 150-500 mM. The effect of EtOH was more pronounced in cerebral cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum, and less in the brainstem. The potency of EtOH in inhibiting carbachol-stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism was also dependent on the age of the animals. Its effect was maximal in the 7-day-old rat and less pronounced in younger and older animals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Phospholipase C isozymes in neurons and glial cells in culture: an immunocytochemical and immunochemical study

Expression of 3 brain isozymes of phospholipase (PLC-beta, PLC-gamma and PLC-delta) was investigated in relation to cell types found in rat CNS cultures. Immunoreactivity of cultured neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes was demonstrated for all of the 3 isozymes by immunocytochemical staining and immunoblotting, with some differences in reaction intensity. Immunoblotting revealed that the level of expression was neurons greater than oligodendrocytes greater than astrocytes for PLC-beta and PLC-gamma, and astrocytes greater than oligodendrocytes greater than neurons for PLC-delta.

Developmental changes of three phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C isozymes in the rat nervous system

Developmental changes of 3 phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C isozymes (PI-PLC-beta, PI-PLC-gamma and PI-PLC-delta) in the rat nervous system were studied by immunohistochemical and immunochemical methods. PI-PLC-gamma immunoreactivity was intensely expressed in the radial fibers from the late fetal to early newborn stages, while weaker PI-PLC-beta reaction was also demonstrated in these structures. PI-PLC-beta and PI-PLC-gamma immunoreactivity appeared in neurons of various regions after the first postnatal week and then increased to the adult stage. Bergmann glia and some astrocytes also showed weak immunoreactivity for both isozymes from the newborn stage, while such immunoreactive astrocytes were relatively restricted in distribution in the white matter and hippocampus at the adult stage. PI-PLC-delta immunoreactivity appeared in astrocytes of entire cerebral regions from the second postnatal week, although weak antigenicity was also present in some neurons. Immunoblot analysis revealed that the immunoreactivities of 3 PI-PLC isozymes were present in both fetal and adult brains, with strong reactions of PI-PLC-beta and PI-PLC-delta in adult brain and that of PI-PLC-gamma in fetal brain. These results suggest that each PI-PLC isozyme plays important roles in different cell types in the course of their differentiation, and that some PI-PLC isozymes, especially PI-PLC-gamma, may be involved in cellular division and growth during the histogenesis of the central nervous system.

Regulation of the metabolism of 1,2-diacylglycerols and inositol phosphates that respond to receptor activation

This review assimilates information on the regulation of the metabolism of those inositol phosphates and diacylglycerols that respond to receptor activation. Particular emphasis is placed on the regulation of specific enzymes, the occurrence of isoenzymes, and metabolic compartmentalization; the overall aim is to demonstrate the significance of these activities in relation to the physiological impact of the various cell signalling processes.

myo-inositol metabolites as cellular signals

The discovery of the second-messenger functions of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and diacylglycerol, the products of hormone-stimulated inositol phospholipid hydrolysis, marked a turning point in studies of hormone function. This review focuses on the myo-inositol moiety which is involved in an increasingly complex network of metabolic interconversions, myo-Inositol metabolites identified in eukaryotic cells include at least six glycerophospholipid isomers and some 25 distinct inositol phosphates which differ in the number and distribution of phosphate groups around the inositol ring. This apparent complexity can be simplified by assigning groups of myo-inositol metabolites to distinct functional compartments. For example, the phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase pathway functions to generate inositol phospholipids that are substrates for hormone-sensitive forms of inositol-phospholipid phospholipase C, whilst the newly discovered phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway generates lipids that are resistant to such enzymes and may function directly as novel mitogenic signals. Inositol phosphate metabolism functions to terminate the second-messenger activity of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate, to recycle the latter's myo-inositol moiety and, perhaps, to generate additional signal molecules such as inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate, inositol pentakisphosphate and inositol hexakisphosphate. In addition to providing a more complete picture of the pathways of myo-inositol metabolism, recent studies have made rapid progress in understanding the molecular basis underlying hormonal stimulation of inositol-phospholipid-specific phospholipase C and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-mediated Ca2+ mobilisation.

Molecular cloning and expression of a complementary DNA for inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase

A complementary DNA (cDNA) clone that encodes inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase was isolated from a rat brain cDNA expression library with the use of monoclonal antibodies. This clone had an open reading frame that would direct the synthesis of a protein consisting of 449 amino acids and with a molecular mass of 49,853 daltons. The putative protein revealed a potential calmodulin-binding site and six regions with amino acid compositions (PEST regions) common to proteins that are susceptible to calpain. Expression of the cDNA in COS cells resulted in an approximately 150-fold increase in inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase activity of these cells.