Changes in polyphosphoinositide metabolism during mediator release from stimulated rat mast cells

Differential activation of the PI 3-kinase effectors AKT/PKB and p70 S6 kinase by compound 48/80 is mediated by PKCα

The secretagogue compound 48/80 (c48/80) is a well known activator of calcium mediated processes and PKCs, and is a potent inducer of mast cell degranulation. As the latter process is a phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) mediated event, we wished to address whether or not c48/80 was an activator of PI 3-kinases. The data presented here reveal that c48/80 is an effective activator of PI 3-kinases as judged by the increased phosphorylation of PKB and p70(S6K) in fibroblasts in a PI 3-kinase dependent fashion. Compound 48/80 effectively translocates PKB to the plasma membrane and induces phosphorylation at serine 473 (S473), detected by fluorescence imaging of fixed cells. At higher concentrations the secretagogue is inhibitory towards PKB phosphorylation on S473. Conversely, p70(S6K) phosphorylation on T389 is unaffected at high doses. We provide evidence that the differential effect on the two PI 3-kinase effectors is due to activation of PKCalpha by c48/80, itself a PI 3-kinase dependent process. We conclude that compound 48/80 is an effective activator of PI 3-kinase dependent pathways, leading to the activation of effectors including PKB/Akt, p70(S6K) and PKCalpha. The latter is only activated by higher doses of c48/80 resulting in an inhibition of the c48/80 induced PKB phosphorylation, thus explaining the observed biphasic activation profile for PKB in response to this secretagogue.

Elevated levels of peripheral-blood, naturally occurring aliphatic polyamines in bronchial asthmatic patients with active symptoms

The levels of peripheral-blood, naturally occurring aliphatic polyamines, such as putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, from 21 bronchial asthmatic patients (11 atopics and 10 nonatopics) were measured by postcolumn derivatization high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. None of the patients, except the 44-year-old woman in the case report below, were given prednisolone, and they were instructed to take only regular medication during the tests. Blood was drawn from the patients in a fasting state, and the polyamine levels were compared between the times when they were free of asthmatic symptoms and when they had mild spontaneous attacks. Nine (5 atopics and 4 nonatopics), 6 (3 atopics and 3 nonatopics), and 4 (3 atopics and 1 nonatopic) out of 20 patients, when they had relatively mild asthmatic attacks, showed higher putrescine, spermidine, and spermine levels, respectively, than those of normal healthy control subjects. The levels of peripheral blood polyamines from a 44-year-old atopic bronchial asthmatic woman, who was admitted to the hospital with severe asthmatic attacks, were measured serially, and the putrescine and spermidine levels were found to be elevated during the asthmatic attacks, returning to normal levels in parallel with the clinical course. These data may suggest a role for naturally occurring aliphatic polyamines in bronchial asthma.

Naturally occurring aliphatic polyamines-induced histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells

Rat peritoneal mast cells were incubated with different concentrations of naturally occurring aliphatic polyamines, spermine and spermidine, at 0.1-10 mM and the amount of histamine release into the supernatant solutions was measured. The addition of each polyamine to the suspensions of the mast cells caused a histamine release in a dose-dependent manner. The effect of 10 mM spermine and spermidine was as much as that of 0.5 microgram/ml compound 48/80. The histamine release from the cells incubated with each polyamine was rapid and the amount of histamine release into the supernatant solutions reached a maximum at 1 min with the incubations. 0.1 mM spermine, which in itself could not cause a significant histamine release, showed a tendency to enhance anti-IgE-induced histamine release from the mast cells.

Polyamines stimulate the phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol in rat mast cell granules

Rat mast cell granules were obtained by homogenization of highly purified rat mast cells and isolated in a Percoll gradient. Diphosphoinositide (DPI) synthesis in rat mast cell granules was assayed by measuring the incorporation of 32P from [gamma 32P] ATP into DPI in the absence of exogenous phosphatidylinositol (PI). Lipids were isolated with methanol/chloroform/HCl and were separated by thin-layer chromatography on oxalic acid impregnated silica gel plates. DPI areas were identified by staining with iodine, scraped and measured for 32P radioactivity. The addition of polyamines, spermine and spermidine, to the granules caused an increase of DPI synthesis, which can be catalyzed by PI kinase. This effect of polyamines in the DPI synthesis was in a dose-dependent manner and maximal effects were observed at 1 mM spermine and 10 mM spermidine, respectively.

Inhibitory effect of adenine nucleotides and anti-allergic drugs on phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol in rat mast cell granules

Rat mast cell granules were obtained by sonication of highly purified rat mast cells and isolated in a Percoll gradient. Phosphorylation of endogenous phosphatidylinositol in rat mast cell granules, which is catalyzed by phosphatidylinositol kinase in the granules, was assayed by measuring the incorporation of 32P from [gamma 32P]ATP into phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate. Lipids were isolated with methanol/chloroform/HCl and were separated by thin-layer chromatography on oxalic acid impregnated silica gel plates. Phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate areas were identified by staining with iodine, scraped and measured for 32P radioactivity. The phosphorylation reaction was inhibited by 50-500 microM adenosine, ADP and 500 microM AMP in a concentration-dependent manner. Among several anti-allergic drugs investigated. 100-1000 microM theophylline and 10-100 microM azelastine inhibited the phosphorylation reaction, but disodium cromoglycate and ketotifen had little effect.