Differential expression of alpha-subunits of G-proteins in human neuroblastoma-derived cell clones

Differentiation of human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells by all-trans retinoic acid activates the interleukin-18 system

The clinical prognosis of children with high-stage neuroblastoma is still poor. Therapeutic approaches include surgery and cellular differentiation by retinoic acid, but also experimental interleukin-based immune modulation. However, the molecular mechanisms of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA)-induced differentiation of neuroblastoma cells are incompletely understood. Herein, we examined the effect of ATRA on the activity of the interleukin-18 (IL-18) system in human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. It is shown that SH-SY5Y cells express IL-18 receptor (IL-18R) and the secreted antagonist IL-18-binding protein (IL-18BP), but no IL-18. SH-SY5Y cells are highly sensitive to ATRA treatment and react by cellular differentiation from a neuroblastic toward a more neuronal phenotype. This was associated with induction of IL-18 and reduction of IL-18BP expression, while IL-18R expression remained stable. Thereby, we identified the IL-18 system as a novel target of ATRA in neuroblastoma cells that might contribute to the therapeutic properties of retinoids in treatment of neuroblastoma.

Regulation of GAP-43 at serine 41 acts as a switch to modulate both intrinsic and extrinsic behaviors of growing neurons, via altered membrane distribution

GAP-43 is the major neuronal substrate of protein kinase C (PKC). Its phosphorylation status dictates the severity of pathfinding errors by GAP-43 (+/-) growth cones in vivo, as well as its modulation of actin dynamics in vitro. These experiments show that stably overexpressing cDNAs mutant at its single PKC phosphorylation site at serine41 in retinoic acid treated SH-Sy5Y neuroblastoma cells regulates intrinsic and extrinsic behaviors of growing neurons. Intrinsically, only Wt and pseudophosphorylated GAP-43Ser41Asp precipitated with F-actin and potentiated F-actin - regulated filopodia formation. GAP-43Ser41Asp inhibited neurite outgrowth whereas only unphosphorylatable GAP-43Ser41Ala precipitated neurotubulin, potentiated neurotubulin accumulation in neurites and increased outgrowth. When PI3-kinase was inhibited GAP-43Ser41Asp-mediated filopodia formation was inhibited whereas GAP-43Ser41Ala-mediated neurite extension was potentiated. Extrinsically, only Wt and GAP-43Ser41Asp potentiated both homotypic adhesion and neurite outgrowth on NCAM-expressing monolayers and promoted NCAM stability. With respect to the underlying mechanism, more F-actin and NCAM colocalized with Wt and GAP-43Ser41Asp in detergent resistant membranes (DRMs) isolated from live cells and GAP-43Ser41Asp-mediated functions were insensitive to cholesterol depletion. In contrast, GAP-43Ser41Ala-mediated functions were sensitive to cholesterol depletion. Neither GAP-43Ser41Asp nor GAP-43Ser41Ala was able to protect against growth cone collapse mediated by PIP2 inhibitors. The results show that modification of GAP-43 at its PKC phosphorylation site directs its distribution to different membrane microdomains that have distinct roles in the regulation of intrinsic and extrinsic behaviors in growing neurons.

Modulation of Gq-protein-coupled inositol trisphosphate and Ca2+ signaling by the membrane potential

Gq-protein-coupled receptors (GqPCRs) are widely distributed in the CNS and play fundamental roles in a variety of neuronal processes. Their activation results in phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) hydrolysis and Ca2+ release from intracellular stores via the phospholipase C (PLC)-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) signaling pathway. Because early GqPCR signaling events occur at the plasma membrane of neurons, they might be influenced by changes in membrane potential. In this study, we use combined patch-clamp and imaging methods to investigate whether membrane potential changes can modulate GqPCR signaling in neurons. Our results demonstrate that GqPCR signaling in the human neuronal cell line SH-SY5Y and in rat cerebellar granule neurons is directly sensitive to changes in membrane potential, even in the absence of extracellular Ca2+. Depolarization has a bidirectional effect on GqPCR signaling, potentiating thapsigargin-sensitive Ca2+ responses to muscarinic receptor activation but attenuating those mediated by bradykinin receptors. The depolarization-evoked potentiation of the muscarinic signaling is graded, bipolar, non-inactivating, and with no apparent upper limit, ruling out traditional voltage-gated ion channels as the primary voltage sensors. Flash photolysis of caged IP3/GPIP2 (glycerophosphoryl-myo-inositol 4,5-bisphosphate) places the voltage sensor before the level of the Ca2+ store, and measurements using the fluorescent bioprobe eGFP-PH(PLCdelta) (enhanced green fluorescent protein-pleckstrin homology domain-PLCdelta) directly demonstrate that voltage affects muscarinic signaling at the level of the IP3 production pathway. The sensitivity of GqPCR IP3 signaling in neurons to voltage itself may represent a fundamental mechanism by which ionotropic signals can shape metabotropic receptor activity in neurons and influence processes such as synaptic plasticity in which the detection of coincident signals is crucial.

Competition between Li+ and Mg2+ in neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells: a fluorescence and 31P NMR study

Because Mg2+ and Li+ ions have similar chemical properties, we have hypothesized that Li+/Mg2+ competition for Mg2+ binding sites is the molecular basis for the therapeutic action of lithium in manic-depressive illness. By fluorescence spectroscopy with furaptra-loaded cells, the free intracellular Mg2+ concentration within the intact neuroblastoma cells was found to increase from 0. 39 +/- 0.04 mM to 0.60 +/- 0.04 mM during a 40-min Li+ incubation in which the total intracellular Li+ concentration increased from 0 to 5.5 mM. Our fluorescence microscopy observations of Li+-free and Li+-loaded cells also indicate an increase in free Mg2+ concentration upon Li+ incubation. By 31P NMR, the free intracellular Mg2+ concentrations for Li+-free cells was 0.35 +/- 0. 03 mM and 0.80 +/- 0.04 mM for Li+-loaded cells (final total intracellular Li+ concentration of 16 mM). If a Li+/Mg2+ competition mechanism is present in neuroblastoma cells, an increase in the total intracellular Li+ concentration is expected to result in an increase in the free intracellular Mg2+ concentration, because Li+ displaces Mg2+ from its binding sites within the nerve cell. The fluorescence spectroscopy, fluorescence microscopy, and 31P NMR spectroscopy studies presented here have shown this to be the case.

Retinoic acid-induced differentiation of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells is associated with changes in the abundance of G proteins

Western blot analysis, using subtype-specific anti-G protein antibodies, revealed the presence of the following G protein subunits in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells: Gs alpha, Gi alpha 1, Gi alpha 2, Go alpha, Gz alpha, and G beta. Differentiation of the cells by all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) treatment (10 mumol/L; 6 days) caused substantial alterations in the abundance of distinct G protein subunits. Concomitant with an enhanced expression of mu-opioid binding sites, the levels of the inhibitory G proteins Gi alpha 1 and Gi alpha 2 were found to be significantly increased. This coordinate up-regulation is accompanied by functional changes in mu-opioid receptor-stimulated low-Km GTPase, mu-receptor-mediated adenylate cyclase inhibition, and receptor-independent guanosine 5'-(beta gamma-imido)triphosphate [Gpp(NH)p; 10 nmol/L]-mediated attenuation of adenylate cyclase activity. In contrast, increased levels of inhibitory G proteins had no effect on muscarinic cholinergic receptor-mediated adenylate cyclase inhibition. With respect to stimulatory receptor systems, a reciprocal regulation was observed for prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) receptors and Gs alpha, the G protein subunit activating adenylate cyclase. RA treatment of SH-SY5Y cells increases both the number of PGE1 binding sites and PGE1-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity, but significantly reduced amounts of Gs alpha were found. This down-regulation is paralleled by a decrease in the stimulatory activity of Gs alpha as assessed in S49 cyc- reconstitution assays.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Alterations in the expression of G-proteins and regulation of adenylate cyclase in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells chronically exposed to low-efficacy mu-opioids

Western-blot analysis of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells (mu- and delta-receptors) revealed the presence of the following G-protein subunits: Gi alpha 1, Gi alpha 2, Gs alpha, G(o) alpha, Gz alpha, and G beta, a pattern resembling that observed in central nervous tissue. Chronic treatment of differentiated [all-trans-retinoic acid (10 microM; 6 days)] SH-SY5Y cells with D(-)-morphine (10 microM; 3 days) significantly increased the abundance of all G-protein subunits identified. Co-incubation of morphine-exposed cells together with naloxone (10 microM; 3 days) or the mu-selective opioid antagonist CTOP (10 microM; 3 days), but not with the delta-selective antagonist ICI-174,864 (10 microM; 3 days), completely abolished this effect, suggesting that the increase in G-protein abundance is specifically mediated by mu-receptors. Moreover, the biologically inactive enantiomer L(+)-morphine (10 microM; 3 days) failed to produce a similar effect. G-protein up-regulation developed in a time- and dose-dependent manner and is most likely due to enhanced protein synthesis de novo, since concomitant treatment of the cells with cycloheximide (100 micrograms/ml; 3 days) prevented this effect. Chronic treatment with the low-efficacy mu-selective opioid peptide morphiceptin (10 microM; 3 days), but not with the highly potent mu-agonist DAGO (0.1 microM; 3 days) produced a comparable increase in G-protein abundance. Coincident with quantitative effects on G-protein levels in morphine-tolerant/dependent SH-SY5Y cells, we found elevated levels of basal, forskolin (1 microM)- and prostaglandin-E1 (1 microM)-stimulated adenylate cyclase activities. Reconstitution experiments using S49 cyc- lymphoma-cell membranes suggest that this increase is most likely due to elevated levels of functionally intact Gs. Chronic treatment with both morphine and DAGO induces high degrees of tolerance in this cell line. However, the intrinsic activity of G1 was unchanged, as assessed in functional studies with low-nanomolar concentrations of guanosine 5'-[beta gamma- imido]triphosphate. Our data demonstrate that chronic treatment of SH-SY5Y cells with low-efficacy mu-opioids increases G-protein abundance, a phenomenon which might contribute to the biochemical mechanisms underlying opioid tolerance/dependence.

Alterations in the metabolism of choline-containing phospholipids by lithium and carbachol in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells

To investigate choline phospholipid metabolism in the human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y, cultures labeled with [14C-methyl]choline were incubated for up to 30 min in Krebs-Ringer-glucose-N-2-hydroxyethyl-piperazine-N1-2-ethane sulfonic acid (HEPES) buffer with or without 10 mmol/L LiCl. When desired, 1 mmol/L of the muscarinic agonist carbamoylcholine was present during the last minute of incubation. When cells were exposed for 10 min to lithium, radioactivity in phosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylcholine, and sphingomyelin was 40%-140% higher than in controls incubated in buffer only. This contrasted with the results from carbamoylcholine-containing incubations, which gave radioactivities lower than or equal to controls. Carbamoylcholine added to the LiCl-containing incubations yielded results only minimally different from LiCl alone. Phosphorylcholine radioactivity was also elevated by about 50% after 10 min incubation with LiCl with or without added carbamoylcholine, but was not increased in incubations with the agonist by itself. Similar changes were observed for intracellular choline but after only 5 min. These data suggest that carbamoylcholine does not stimulate phosphatidylcholine degradation, whereas LiCl can significantly affect its metabolism and may affect signal transduction via second messengers in human neuroblastoma cells.

Go mediates the coupling of the mu opioid receptor to adenylyl cyclase in cloned neural cells and brain

In membranes from SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells differentiated with retinoic acid, the mu-selective agonist Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-N-Me-Phe-Gly-ol (DAMGO) inhibited cAMP formation with an IC50 of 26 nM. Two separate antibodies raised against distinct regions of the Go alpha sequence attenuated the effect of DAMGO by 50-60%, whereas antibodies to Gi alpha 1,2 or Gi alpha 3 reduced the mu-opioid signal insignificantly or to a lesser extent. In contrast, inhibition of adenylyl cyclase by the delta-opioid agonist Tyr-D-Pen-Gly-Phe-D-Pen-OH (DPDPE; Pen = penicillamine) was very sensitive to the Gi alpha 1,2 antibody. In membranes from rat brain striatum, coupling of the mu opioid receptor to adenylyl cyclase was also maximally blocked by antibodies to Go alpha. After long-term treatment of the cells with DAMGO, the content of Go alpha was reduced by 26%, whereas the levels of Gi alpha 1,2, Gi alpha 3, and Gs alpha were unaltered. Addition of Go, purified from bovine brain, to membranes from pertussis toxin-treated SH-SY5Y cells restored the inhibition of adenylyl cyclase by DAMGO to 70% of that in toxin-untreated cells. To comparably restore the effect of DPDPE, much higher concentrations of Go were required. By demonstrating mediation of cAMP-dependent signal transduction by Go, these results describe (i) an additional role for this G protein present at a high concentration in brain, (ii) preferential, although not exclusive, interaction of mu and delta opioid receptors with different G protein subtypes in coupling to adenylyl cyclase, and (iii) reduced levels of Go following chronic opioid treatment of SH-SY5Y cells with mu opioids.

Interaction among mu-opioid receptors and alpha 2-adrenoceptors on SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells

The clonal human neuroblastoma cell line SK-N-SH-SY5Y was previously shown to express mu-opioid and alpha 2-adrenoceptors which are both negatively coupled to adenylyl cyclase. Because of the potential use of alpha 2-agonists in the treatment of narcotic dependence, we tested the interactions among he alpha 2-agonists, clonidine and norepinephrine, and morphine on AC in SH-SY5Y cells. Pretreatment with retinoic acid resulting in partial neuronal differentiation greatly enhanced the cells' sensitivity towards adenylyl cyclase stimulation by prostaglandin E1, and its inhibition by morphine and alpha 2-agonists. Norepinephrine (EC50 = 69 nM) maximally inhibited prostaglandin E1-stimulated cAMP accumulation (by approximately 83%), and the alpha 2-agonist yohimbine reversed these effects. Clonidine (EC50 = 32 nM) was a partial agonist, with 50 to 60% maximal inhibition. The combined effects of morphine (maximum approximately 70% inhibition) and norepinephrine exceeded the effect of either agent alone, yielding more than 90% inhibition of prostaglandin E1-stimulated cAMP accumulation. As previously reported for morphine, only a partial tolerance was observed for adenylyl cyclase inhibition by norepinephrine. Further, no cross-tolerance was observed between clonidine and morphine. The combined results indicate that mu-opioid receptors and an alpha 2-adrenoceptor subtype are colocalized on the same cells in SH-SY5Y culture, which hence serves as a model to study opioid-alpha 2-adrenergic interactions.

The epithelial phenotype of human neuroblastoma cells express bradykinin, endothelin, and angiotensin II receptors that stimulate phosphoinositide hydrolysis

The neuroblastoma line SK-N-SH consists of distinct and interconverting cell types, which include a neuroblast phenotype (SH-SY5Y), an epithelial phenotype (SH-EP), and an intermediate cell type (SH-IN). In SH-SY5Y cells, only muscarinic receptor activation produced stimulation of phosphoinositide turnover, whereas in SH-EP cells, where muscarinic receptors are not present, the peptides bradykinin, endothelin, and angiotensin II stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis with EC50 values of 16, 6, and 0.7 nM, respectively, and a rank order of maximal effects of bradykinin greater than endothelin greater than angiotensin II. Fetal calf serum at concentrations between 1 and 10% was also a potent stimulator of phosphoinositide hydrolysis in SH-EP cells but not in SH-SY5Y cells. In the intermediate cell clone, SH-IN, phosphoinositide hydrolysis was stimulated not only by muscarinic receptors, but also by endothelin, bradykinin, and serum, an indication that this cell type harbors all the kinds of receptors that are differentially expressed in the other two cell types. The effects of the three peptides--bradykinin, endothelin, and angiotensin II--on phosphoinositide hydrolysis in SH-EP cells were additive, a result suggesting that the three kinds of receptors may activate distinct transducer proteins and/or phospholipase C subtypes. Pretreatment of intact SH-EP cells with pertussis toxin under conditions sufficient to ADP-ribosylate 90-95% of the endogenous guanine nucleotide regulatory protein substrates did not impair the ability of any of the receptors to stimulate phosphoinositide hydrolysis in any of the cell types. In contrast, short-term exposure to the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (1 microM) abolished the stimulation of phosphoinositide hydrolysis mediated by peptide receptors in SH-EP cells and partially inhibited that by muscarinic receptors in SH-SY5Y cells. Prolonged incubation of SH-EP cells with phorbol ester resulted in a recovery of receptor responsiveness, the extent and rate of which were different for each receptor type. In contrast, there was no recovery of responsiveness for muscarinic receptors in SH-SY5Y cells. The pattern of phorbol ester-mediated effects depended on the cell rather than on the receptor type. In fact, muscarinic receptor responsiveness in SH-IN, the intermediate cell type, was desensitized by and recovered from treatment with phorbol esters in a manner more similar to peptide receptors in SH-EP than to muscarinic receptors in SH-SY5Y. These data suggest that the transduction mechanisms by which distinct receptor types are coupled to phosphoinositide hydrolysis in the three cell phenotypes differ in sensitivity to feedback regulation by protein kinase C.

Carbachol enhances forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation via activation of calmodulin system in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells

We have investigated the modulatory action of carbachol on intracellular cAMP levels in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Carbachol enhanced forskolin-stimulated cAMP levels in a dose-dependent manner (EC50 = 3 microM). The enhancing effect of carbachol was completely inhibited by pirenzepine and atropine. Pertussis toxin treatment of the cells partially affected the ability of carbachol. Furthermore, carbachol also enhanced the effect of vasoactive intestinal peptide (EC50 = 3 microM)-, adenosine- and prostaglandin E1-stimulated cAMP levels. The enhancing response of carbachol was sensitive to trifluoperazine but insensitive to calphostin C. These results suggest that the mechanism for carbachol-induced cAMP levels may act, at least in part, through the activation of calmodulin system in SH-SY5Y cells. Hence we describe for the first time a synergistic interaction between calmodulin- and cAMP-dependent signal transduction pathway mediated by carbachol in neuron-derived cell line.

Characterization of two components of the N-like, high-threshold-activated calcium channel current in differentiated SH-SY5Y cells

Retinoic acid differentiated SH-SY5Y cells exhibit only a high-threshold-activated (-30 to -20 mV) whole cell calcium channel current. When barium was used as the charge carrier, the high-threshold-activated current showed bi-exponential inactivation kinetics during a 500 ms voltage step from -90 to +10 mV. The time constants of inactivation were approximately 75 and 750 ms. The fast inactivating component was more sensitive than the slow inactivating component to steady-state inactivation at depolarized holding potentials. The calcium channel current was inhibited by externally applied cadmium (10-300 microM) and gadolinium (10-30 microM) as well as by high concentrations of nickel and cobalt. omega Conus toxin (1 microM) irreversibly blocked the calcium channel current. However, the dihydropyridine agonist, BAY K 8644 (3-10 microM) and antagonists, nifedipine (3-10 microM) and nimodipine (10 microM) did not affect either component of the calcium channel current. Agents which blocked the calcium channel current did not exhibit any selectivity for the fast inactivating over the slow inactivating component of the current. These results indicate that whilst the calcium channel current recorded in differentiated SH-SY5Y cells can be classified on the basis of the blocking agents as being of the N type, the current shows more than one form of inactivation.

Inhibition of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate metabolism in permeabilised SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells by a phosphorothioate-containing analogue of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate

Electrically permeabilised [3H]inositol-labelled SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells were employed to examine the effects of two synthetic, phosphatase-resistant analogues of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] on the metabolism of cell membrane-derived [3H]Ins(1,4,5)P3 or exogenous [5-32P]Ins(1,4,4)P3. Incubation of permeabilised SH-SY5Y cells for 5 min at 37 degrees C with carbachol and guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate caused a decrease in [3H]phosphoinositol phospholipid levels and an increase in [3H]inositol phosphate accumulation with inositol 4-phosphate, inositol 1,4-bisphosphate, Ins(1,4,5)P3 and inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate comprising approximately 79%, 16%, 3% and 2%, respectively, of the increase. Inositol 1-phosphate levels did not increase upon stimulation, nor was inositol 4-phosphate converted rapidly to inositol. In parallel incubations, the analogues, DL-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphorothioate (DL-InsP3S3) and DL-inositol 1,4-bisphosphate 5-phosphorothioate (DL-InsP3S), and synthetic racemic Ins(1,4,5)P3 (DL-InsP3), altered the profile of the [3H]inositol phosphates recovered and led, at millimolar concentrations, to a 10-15-fold increase in [3H]Ins(1,4,5)P3. The extent of inhibition of [3H]Ins(1,4,5)P3 metabolism was, however, greatest in the presence of synthetic D-Ins(1,4,5)P3 (greater than or equal to 5 mM), when [3H]Ins(1,4,5)P3 comprised approximately 50% of the increase in total [3H]inositol phosphates. Thus, under these conditions, at least 50% of [3H]inositol phosphates were derived from [3H]phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate. [32P]Pi release from exogenous [5-32P]Ins(1,4,5)P3 was also inhibited by DL-InsP3S3, DL-InsP3S and DL-InsP3, with half-maximal inhibition at approximately 50 microM, 160 microM and 240 microM respectively. These actions were approximately ten times more potent than the effects of these compounds on [3H]inositol phosphate accumulation, indicating that homogenous mixing of exogenous and cell-membrane-derived Ins(1,4,5)P3 does not occur. These findings indicate that DL-InsP3S3 and DL-InsP3S inhibit Ins(1,4,5)P3 5-phosphatase. In contrast, the effects of synthetic DL-InsP3 and D-Ins(1,4,5)P3 are due to isotopic dilution. Whilst DL-InsP3S3 was the most potent inhibitor of dephosphorylation of exogenous or cell-membrane-derived Ins(1,4,5)P3, it was the weakest inhibitor of 3-kinase-catalysed Ins(1,4,5)P3 phosphorylation. Similarly, although approximately 50 times less potent than DL-InsP3S3, 2,3-diphosphoglycerate inhibited Ins(1,4,5)P3 5-phosphatase activity and was apparently without effect of Ins(1,4,5)P3 3-kinase activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Cholera toxin differentially decreases membrane levels of alpha and beta subunits of G proteins in NG108-15 cells

Treatment of NG108-15 neuroblastoma x glioma cells (24 h) with cholera toxin (0.1-10 micrograms/ml) resulted in a concentration-dependent reduction of the membrane levels of subunits of GTP-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins), as determined by quantitative immunoblot procedures. The extent of reduction differed for different types of subunits: the levels of Go alpha and G beta 1 were reduced by 40-50%, whereas those of G alpha common immunoreactivity and Gi2 alpha were only reduced by 10-20% following treatment with 10 micrograms/ml cholera toxin. This effect of the toxin could not be mimicked by incubation with the resolved B oligomer of cholera toxin, nor by exposure of cells to agents able to raise the intracellular levels of cAMP. Basal adenylate cyclase was stimulated in a biphasic manner by cholera toxin, being stimulated at low concentrations (0.01-10 ng/ml) and then decreased at high (0.1-10 micrograms/ml) concentrations. Thus, the down regulation of G-protein subunits produced by cholera toxin requires its (ADP-ribosyl)transferase activity but does not result from a cAMP-mediated mechanism. The toxin-mediated decrease of Go alpha in the membrane was correlated with a diminution of opioid-receptor-mediated stimulation of high-affinity GTPase activity, suggesting that opioid receptors interact with Go in native membranes of NG108-15 cells. Northern-blot analysis of cytoplasmic RNA prepared from cells treated with cholera toxin showed that the levels of mRNA coding for G beta 1 did not change. Thus, the cholera-toxin-induced decrease of G-protein subunits may not result from an alteration in mRNA levels, but may involve a direct effect of the toxin on the process of insertion and/or clearance of G proteins into and/or from the membrane. These data indicate that cholera toxin, besides catalyzing the ADP-ribosylation of Gs and Gi/Go types of G proteins, can also reduce the steady state levels of Go alpha and G beta 1 subunits in the membrane and thus alter by an additional mechanism the function of inhibitory receptor systems.

Regulation of muscarinic agonist-induced activation of phosphoinositidase C in electrically permeabilized SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells by guanine nucleotides

myo-[3H]Inositol-labelled SH-SY5Y cells were permeabilized with electrical discharges. 3H-Inositol phosphate formation in cells shown to be fully permeable was stimulated by the muscarinic agonist carbachol, by guanosine 5'-(gamma-thio)triphosphate [GTP(S)], and by guanosine 5'-(beta gamma-imido)diphosphate (GppNHp). Synergism was observed on coincubation of these GTP analogues with carbachol. GTP was also stimulatory and guanosine 5'-(beta-thio)diphosphate was inhibitory in the presence of agonist. Atropine blocked the effects of carbachol. Stimulation by GTP(S) (0.1 mM) occurred after a 1-2-min lag, whereas Ca2+ (0.5 mM), carbachol (1 mM), and carbachol plus GTP(S) stimulated without delay. The effects of carbachol plus GTP(S) but not those of Ca2+ were inhibited by spermine (4 mM). Accumulation of 3H-inositol phosphates was enhanced by Li+ (4 mM) only in intact cells. In intact or permeabilized cells, the "partial" agonist arecoline was maximally 40-50% as efficacious as carbachol. In permeabilized cells, the maximal effects of carbachol and arecoline were enhanced 2.8- and 5.3-fold, respectively, by 0.1 mM GTP(S), but only the EC50 for carbachol was substantially reduced. The binding affinity of carbachol but not that of arecoline in permeabilized cells was significantly reduced by 0.1 mM GppNHp. These data indicate that a guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory protein is involved in coupling muscarinic receptors to phosphoinositidase C in SH-SY5Y cells and that the activity of this protein influences the relationship between receptor occupation and phosphoinositide response.

Cholera toxin ADP-ribosylates the receptor-coupled form of pertussis toxin-sensitive G-proteins

Cholera toxin catalyzes the ADP-ribosylation of 40 kDa pertussis toxin substrates in membranes from NG108-15 cells, which is increased in the presence of the opioid agonist DADLE. The basal ADP-ribosylation can be abolished by the opioid antagonist ICI 174864, suggesting that unoccupied opioid receptors interact spontaneously with the pertussis toxin substrates Gi/Go in the membrane. Treatment of NG108-15 cells with the opioid agonist DADLE leads to a reduction of agonist-stimulated and basal ADP-ribosylation of 40 kDa substrates catalyzed by cholera toxin. This indicates that the spontaneous interaction between opioid receptors and G-proteins is decreased in membranes of cells in which the receptor was desensitized by prolonged exposure to the agonist.

Muscarinic receptor-stimulated phosphoinositide turnover in human SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cells: differential inhibition by agents that elevate cyclic AMP

The possibility that an increased intracellular concentration of cyclic AMP (cAMP) can regulate the extent of muscarinic receptor-stimulated phosphoinositide (PPI) turnover in the human neuroblastoma cell line SK-N-SH was examined. Addition of either forskolin (or its water-soluble analog, L-85,8051), theophylline, isobutylmethylxanthine, or cholera toxin, agents that interact with either the catalytic unit of adenylate cyclase, cAMP phosphodiesterase, or the guanine nucleotide binding protein linked to adenylate cyclase activation, resulted in a 45-181% increase in cAMP concentration and a 27-70% inhibition of carbachol-stimulated inositol phosphate release. Through the use of digitonin-permeabilized cells, the site of inhibition was localized to a step at, or distal to, the guanine nucleotide binding protein that regulates phospholipase C activity. In contrast, when intact SK-N-SH cells were exposed to prostaglandin E1, the ensuing increases in cAMP were not accompanied by an inhibition of stimulated PPI turnover. These differential effects of increased cAMP concentrations on stimulated PPI turnover may reflect the compartmentation of cAMP within SK-N-SH cells.

Muscarinic receptor binding characteristics of a human neuroblastoma SK-N-SH and its clones SH-SY5Y and SH-EP1

The present study examines the muscarinic receptor binding characteristics of parent human neuroblastoma (SK-N-SH) and its neuroblast (SH-SY5Y) and epithelial-like (SH-EP1) clones using [3H]methylscopolamine [( 3H]NMS). Specific [3H]NMS binding to intact SK-N-SH and SH-SY5Y cells was saturable with a Kd of 0.2 nM and Bmax of 100-150 fmol/mg protein. Specific [3H]NMS binding to whole cell preparations of SH-EP 1 could not be detected. Pharmacological analysis of the binding site both in whole cells and membranes of SK-N-SH are indicative of an homogeneous receptor population possessing low affinity for the M1-selective antagonist pirenzepine. The muscarinic receptors expressed by the neuroblast clone, SH-SY5Y were further characterized and shown to have the properties of an homogeneous M3 subtype with low affinity for the M1-selective antagonist pirenzepine and the M2-cardioselective AFDX-116 but high affinity for 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methyl piperidine methiodide (4-DAMP). In conclusion the SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma should provide an important human neuronal cell model with which to define the regulation of post-receptor events driven by a single receptor population.

Differentiation of human neuroblastoma cells: marked potentiation of prostaglandin E-stimulated accumulation of cyclic AMP by retinoic acid

Neuroblastoma cells in culture contain low levels of cyclic AMP, a second messenger which plays a major role in neuronal maturation. In this study, human neuroblastoma cells, SK-N-SH-SY5Y, were induced to differentiate by treatment with either nerve growth factor (50 ng/ml), retinoic acid (10 microM), dibutyryl cyclic AMP (1 mM), or 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (0.1 microM), and the ability of several neurotransmitters or hormones to stimulate adenylyl cyclase was tested. Although all four differentiation factors caused morphological changes towards a neuronal phenotype, only retinoic acid dramatically enhanced cyclic AMP accumulation, specifically upon stimulation with prostaglandin E1 (PGE1). PGE2 was also active, but less potent, than PGE1, whereas the other cyclic AMP-stimulating agents tested were largely unaffected. Further, the rapid desensitization of the PGE1-cyclic AMP response observed in control cells after 20 min of PGE1 exposure did not occur in retinoic acid-treated cells, and the EC50 values for PGE1 were reduced from approximately 240 to 14 nM after retinoic acid treatment. The increased sensitivity to PGE was associated with an increase of high-affinity PGE1 binding sites, whereas the Gs coupling proteins and adenylyl cyclase were not measurably affected. A similar enhancement of the PGE1-cyclic AMP response by retinoic acid was also observed in two additional human neuroblastoma cell lines tested, Kelly and IMR-32, suggesting that up-regulation of the prostaglandin response by retinoic acid is common among neuroblastoma cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)