Inositol lipid phosphorylation in the cell nucleus

Phosphatidylinositol 5 Phosphate (PI5P): From Behind the Scenes to the Front (Nuclear) Stage

Phosphatidylinositol (PI)-related signaling plays a pivotal role in many cellular aspects, including survival, cell proliferation, differentiation, DNA damage, and trafficking. PI is the core of a network of proteins represented by kinases, phosphatases, and lipases which are able to add, remove or hydrolyze PI, leading to different phosphoinositide products. Among the seven known phosphoinositides, phosphatidylinositol 5 phosphate (PI5P) was the last to be discovered. PI5P presence in cells is very low compared to other PIs. However, much evidence collected throughout the years has described the role of this mono-phosphoinositide in cell cycles, stress response, T-cell activation, and chromatin remodeling. Interestingly, PI5P has been found in different cellular compartments, including the nucleus. Here, we will review the nuclear role of PI5P, describing how it is synthesized and regulated, and how changes in the levels of this rare phosphoinositide can lead to different nuclear outputs.

Subcellular localization of phosphatidylinositol synthesis

It is well-established that the endoplasmic reticulum is the major site of phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) synthesis. The PtdIns synthetic ability of other organelles, such as plasma membrane and nucleus, remains controversial. In the present study, we re-examine this question by comparing PtdIns synthesis in isolated cytoplasts (enucleated cells) with that in corresponding karyoplasts (nuclei surrounded by plasma membrane but lacking most cytoplasmic components). We report that cytoplasts are competent to carry out both basal and stimulated PtdIns synthesis as well as polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis, while karyoplasts can neither synthesize PtdIns nor hydrolyze phosphoinositides in response to agonists. The karyoplasts are, however, capable of synthesizing phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho), as previously reported. From these data, we conclude that PtdIns synthesis is limited to cytoplasmic components, and cannot be sustained by either plasma membrane or nucleus under conditions that permit robust PtdCho synthesis.

Evidence that mammalian phosphatidylinositol transfer protein regulates phosphatidylcholine metabolism

Phosphatidylinositol transfer proteins (PITPs) and their yeast counterpart (SEC14p) possess the ability to bind phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) and transfer it between membranes in vitro. However, the biochemical function of these proteins in vivo is unclear. In the present study, the physiological role of PITP was investigated by determining the biochemical consequences of lowering the cellular content of this protein. WRK-1 rat mammary tumour cells were transfected with a plasmid containing a full-length rat PITPalpha cDNA inserted in the antisense orientation and the resultant cell clones were analysed. Three clones expressing antisense mRNA for PITPalpha were compared with three clones transfected with the expression vector lacking the insert. The three antisense clones had an average of 25% less PITPalpha protein than control clones. Two of the three antisense clones also exhibited a decreased rate of growth. All three antisense clones exhibited a significant decrease in the incorporation of labelled precursors into PtdCho during a 90-min incubation period. Under the same conditions, however, there was no change in precursor incorporation into PtdIns. Further experimentation indicated that the decrease in precursor incorporation seen in antisense clones was not due to an increased rate of turnover. When choline metabolism was analysed more extensively in one control (2-5) and one antisense (4-B) clone using equilibrium-labelling conditions (48 h of incubation), the following were observed: (1) the decrease in radioactive labelling of PtdCho seen in short-term experiments was also observed in long-term experiments, suggesting that the total amount of PtdCho was lower in antisense-transfected clones (this was confirmed by mass measurements); (2) a similar decrease was seen in cellular sphingomyelin, lysoPtdCho and glycerophosphorylcholine; (3) an average two-fold increase in cellular phosphorylcholine was observed in the antisense-transfected clone; (4) cellular choline was, on average, decreased; and (5) cellular CDPcholine was not significantly altered.

Changes in polyphosphoinositide levels in rat liver nuclei in response to prolactin, a known hepatic mitogen

The effect of prolactin action on nuclear polyphosphoinositide synthesis was investigated in isolated rat liver nuclei. An increased uptake of phosphate from [gamma 32P] adenosinetriphosphate was observed in both phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate with a maximum response at 10(-12) M concentration of hormone. Pulse-chase experiments in isolated nuclei following prolactin treatment indicate that the observed increase in accumulation of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate is mainly due to a decrease in their rate of turnover possibly induced by a change in activity of polyphosphoinositide-specific monoesterases. In vitro prolactin also reduces the activity of nuclear phospholipase C specific for phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate. Moreover, this feature is strongly supported by the concomitant decrease in nuclear diacylglycerol mass. Thus these data suggest that once prolactin reaches the nucleus an intranuclear signalling is evoked through inositol lipid metabolism.

Morphological evidence of function-related localization of phospholipids in the cell nucleus

The evidence accumulated in recent years on the presence of phospholipids inside the interphase nucleus needs a precise localization of the nuclear sites of accumulation, transport and degradation of these molecules. A very useful approach for monitoring the fine localization of nuclear phospholipids is represented by a recently developed technique using gold-conjugated phospholipases. In fact, in addition to the phospholipids organized in bilayers in the membrane, this technique identifies amorphous lipoprotein complexes present in different cell areas as well as in the nucleus. In this way and using sample preparation systems which reduce lipid removal and translocation, such as cryofixation, cryosectioning, embedding in hydrophylic resins and cryofracturing, we have analyzed the subnuclear localization of phospholipids in different experimental conditions. The results indicate that: in interphase the nuclear phospholipids are localized mainly in the interchromatin spaces and in the nucleolar domain; the observed co-localization of phospholipids and ribonucleoproteins suggests that phospholipids are involved in the mechanism of transport and release of the transcripts; the demonstrated release of ribonucleoproteins after phospholipase digestion suggests that phospholipids mediate the binding between ribonucleoproteins and the nuclear matrix; significant changes of the phospholipid localization occur in the different phases of the cell cycle or in the course of induced cell differentiation.