Phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate is mediated principally by phospholipase D in endothelial cells

Choline derived from the phosphatidylcholine specific phospholipase D is not directly available for the CDP choline pathway in phorbol ester-treated C3H10T1/2 Cl 8 fibroblasts

We have shown that 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) increases protein kinase C (PKC)-mediated choline transport, incorporation of choline into phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) and PtdCho degradation by phospholipase D (PLD) in C3H10T1/2 Cl 8 cells. Dual prelabeling experiment using [3H]/[14C]choline indicated that intracellular choline generated from the PLD reaction was not directly recycled to PtdCho synthesis within the cell, and that a large fraction of the choline was transported out of the TPA-treated cells. In contrast, medium derived choline was preferably channeled to PtdCho synthesis. These results indicate that in TPA-treated cells, the choline derived from the PKC-mediated increased PLD activity and the choline newly taken up by the cell behave as two distinctly different metabolic pools.

Biochemistry and cell biology of phospholipase D in human neutrophils

Neutrophils play a major role host defense against invading microbes. Recent studies have emphasized the importance of the phospholipase D (PLD) in the signalling cascade leading to neutrophil activation. Phospholipase D catalyzes the hydrolysis of phospholipids to generate phosphatidic acid with secondarily generation of diradylglycerol; both of these products have been implicated as second messengers. Herein, we discuss the regulation and the biochemistry of the receptor-regulated PLD in human neutrophils. In vivo and in vitro studies suggest an activation mode in which initial receptor-linked activation of phospholipase C generates diacylglycerol and inositol trisphosphate. The resulting calcium flux along with the diacylglycerol activate a conventional isoform of protein kinase C (PKC), probably PKC beta 1. This PKC, in turn phosphorylates a plasma membrane component resulting in PLD activation and a second outpouring of diradylglycerol. The small GTP-binding proteins, RhoA and ARF, also participate in this process, and synergize with a 50 kDa cytosolic regulatory factor.

The enhancement of phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis by angiotensin II in H9c2 cells

The effect of angiotensin II on the biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine in rat heart myoblastic (H9c2) cells was investigated. Cells were incubated with [methyl-3H]choline, and the labelling of phosphatidylcholine at different time intervals was examined. When cells were pretreated with angiotensin II, a significant increase in the labelling of phosphatidylcholine was observed. Analysis of the labelled phosphatidylcholine precursors indicated that the conversion of phosphocholine to CDP-choline was enhanced by angiotensin II treatment. Determination of enzyme activities in the CDP-choline pathway revealed that the activities of choline kinase or CDP-choline: diacylglycerol cholinephosphotransferase were not changed, but the activities of CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase were stimulated in both the particulate and soluble fractions. The stimulation of the cytidylyltransferase by angiotensin II was not abolished by okadaic acid, indicating that the activation of the enzyme was not mediated via the okadaic-sensitive dephosphorylation mechanism. Alternatively, the stimulation of the cytidylyltransferase activity was completely abolished by protein kinase C inhibitors. Immunoblotting studies revealed that levels of the cytidylyltransferase in the soluble and particulate fractions were not affected by angiotensin II treatment. We conclude that the increase in phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis by angiotensin II was a direct result of the enhancement of the cytidylyltransferase activity. The enhancement of enzyme activity was not mediated via enzyme translocation, but by a mechanism which was intimately associated with the protein kinase C cascade.

Stimulation of protein and DNA synthesis in mouse C2C12 satellite cells: evidence for phospholipase D-dependent and -independent pathways

In C2C12 myoblasts, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) stimulated a phospholipase D (PLD) to degrade phosphatidylcholine (PC) as measured by the release of choline and an increase in the formation of phosphatidic acid (PA) (or phosphatidylbutanol [PtdBuOH] in the presence of 0.5% butanol). Exogenous PLD also stimulated choline release, PA and PtdBuOH formation. The protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, Ro-31-8220, and PKC downregulation significantly inhibited the effects of TPA but Ro-31-8220 had no effect on PLD action. Neither basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (bFGF) or Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) increased PLD activity. All agonists stimulated protein synthesis during both a 90 min and a 6 hr incubation and increased RNA accretion after 6 hr. The response at 90 min was not inhibited by the transcription inhibitor, actinomycin D. Ro-31-8220 and PKC downregulation significantly inhibited all the effects of TPA. In contrast, Ro-31-8220 significantly inhibited the increase in RNA accretion elicited by PLD but had no effect on the ability of agonists other than TPA to enhance protein synthesis. All agonists also stimulated thymidine incorporation into DNA. The effects of EGF, bFGF, and PLD were rapid and transient whereas that of TPA was delayed and sustained. Ro-31-8220 and PKC downregulation significantly inhibited the response due to TPA. Furthermore, Ro-31-8220 also significantly inhibited the effects elicited by EGF and PLD but not that induced by bFGF. In differentiated myotubes, TPA and PLD, but not bFGF or EGF, again stimulated choline release and PtdBuOH formation. However, all agents failed to stimulate protein synthesis and RNA accretion. The data demonstrate the presence in C2C12 myoblasts, but not differentiated myotubes, of both a PLD-dependent and PLD-independent pathway(s) leading to the stimulation of protein synthesis, RNA accretion, and DNA synthesis.

Enhancement of phospholipid hydrolysis in vasopressin-stimulated BHK-21 and H9c2 cells

The hydrolysis of phospholipids in vasopressin-stimulated baby hamster kidney (BHK)-21 and H9c2 myoblastic cells was investigated. Phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine in these cells were pulse labelled with [3H]glycerol, [3H]myristate, [3H]choline or [3H]ethanolamine, and chased with the non-labelled precursor until linear turnover rates were obtained. When cells labelled with [3H]glycerol or [3H]myristate were stimulated by vasopressin, no significant decrease in the labelling of phosphatidylcholine was detected, but the labelling of phosphatidic acid was elevated. However, the labellings of phosphatidylethanolamine and its hydrolytic product were not affected by vasopressin stimulation. When the cells were pulse labelled with [3H]-choline, vasopressin stimulation caused a decrease in the labelled phosphatidylcholine with a corresponding increase in the labelled choline. The apparent discrepancy between the two types of labelling might be explained by the recycling of labelled phosphatidic acid back into phosphatidylcholine, thus masking the reduction in the labelled phospholipid during vasopressin stimulation. Alternatively, the labelled choline produced by vasopressin stimulation was released into the medium, thus reducing the recycling of label precursor back into the phospholipid and making the decrease in the labelling of phosphatidylcholine readily detectable. Further studies revealed that vasopressin treatment caused an enhancement of phospholipase D activity in these cells. The presence of substrate-specific phospholipase D isoforms in mammalian tissues led us to postulate that the differential stimulation of phospholipid hydrolysis by vasopressin was caused by the enhancement of a phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase D in both BHK-21 and the H9c2 cells.

Cell signalling pathway involved in PACAP-induced AR4-2J cell proliferation

The novel 38-amino acid neuropeptide PACAP (pituitary adenylate activating peptide) has recently been shown to induce the pancreatic acinar tumour AR4-2J cell growth. This growth promoting effect of PACAP was, however, independent of adenylate cyclase activation but suppressed by pertussis toxin and the somatostatin analog SMS 201-995. This study was undertaken to search for potential cell signalling pathways involved in the growth promoting effect of PACAP on AR4-2J cells. The AR4-2J cells were grown in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium containing 10% foetal calf serum. For studies on cell signalling pathways, all experiments were carried out on cells which have reached 50 to 75% confluency. At that point, they were transferred to serum free medium overnight with or without 1 microCi/ml myristic acid. The next morning, cells were harvested, washed and used for tyrosine kinase and phospholipase D (PLD) activities. For studies on growth, cells were grown for 2 days in the presence of 1 nM PACAP +/- the different inhibitors of tyrosine kinase and PLD. PACAP-38 and -27 caused a dose-dependent and parallel activation of tyrosine kinase and PLD an effect prevented by the antagonist PACAP 7-38. PACAP-38-stimulated tyrosine kinase and PLD activation are both dose-dependently inhibited by SMS 201-995. Finally, PACAP-stimulated tyrosine kinase and PLD activities are both inhibited by cell's preincubation with genistein and pertussis toxin. After 2 days, the PACAP-induced increase in AR4-2J cell growth was significantly inhibited by increasing concentrations of genistein and wortmannin, inhibitors of tyrosine kinase, PLD and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, respectively. PACAP can induce concomitant activation of tyrosine kinase and PLD; this finding and the observation that inhibition of these two enzymes inhibited PACAP-induced AR4-2J cell growth strongly suggests that they are intimately involved in the overall process of PACAP-induced AR4-2J cell proliferation.

Stimulation of phospholipase D in rabbit platelet membranes by nucleoside triphosphates and by phosphocreatine: roles of membrane-bound GDP, nucleoside diphosphate kinase and creatine kinase

Previous work has shown that guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (GTP[S]) and GTP stimulate phospholipase D (PLD) in rabbit platelet membranes and that these effects are greatly enhanced by pretreatment of platelets with phorbol esters that activate protein kinase C [Van der Meulen and Haslam (1990), Biochem. J. 271, 693-700]. In the present study, the effects of Mg2+, various nucleoside triphosphates and phosphocreatine (PCr) were investigated. Platelet membranes containing phospholipids labelled with [3H]glycerol were assayed for PLD in the presence of an optimal Mg2+ concentration (10 mM) by measuring [3H]phosphatidylethanol formation in incubations that included 300 mM ethanol. In membranes from phorbolester-treated platelets, the same maximal increases in PLD activity (5-fold) were seen with 1 microM GTP[S]), and 100 microM GTP. Addition of adenosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (ATP[S]), ITP, XTP, UTP and CTP had similar stimulatory effects, but only at > or = 1 mM. In contrast, ATP had a biphasic action, causing a maximal (2-fold) stimulation at 10 microM and smaller effects at higher concentrations; the inhibitory component of the action of ATP was blocked by 2 microM staurosporine. Guanosine 5'-[beta-thio]diphosphate decreased the stimulatory effects of ATP and ATP[S]. UDP, which can inhibit nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK), decreased the activation of PLD by ATP[S], ATP, XTP, CTP and to a lesser extent ITP, but had no effect on the actions of GTP[S] and GTP. Rabbit platelet membranes contained NDPK and addition of [gamma-32P]ATP led to the formation of [32P]GTP in amounts sufficient to explain most or all of the activation of PLD; UDP prevented GTP formation. PCr (0.04-1 mM) also stimulated membrane PLD activity, an effect that was dependent on endogenous membrane-bound creatine kinase (CK). UDP and guanosine 5'-[beta-thio]diphosphate each inhibited this effect of PCr. The results show that in rabbit platelet membranes, CK, NDPK and the GTP-binding protein that activates PLD can be functionally coupled. However, assay of membrane preparations at increasing dilutions showed that stimulation of PLD by the compounds studied, with the partial exception of ATP[S], involved diffusible rather than protein-bound intermediates.

Phospholipase D activity in phagocytic leucocytes is synergistically regulated by G-protein- and tyrosine kinase-based mechanisms

The regulation of phospholipase D (PLD)-type effector enzymes by G-proteins and protein kinases/phosphatases was characterized in the U937 human promonocytic leucocyte line. PLD activity was assayed by measuring (in the presence of 1% ethanol) the accumulation of phosphatidylethanol in cells permeabilized with beta-escin, a saponin-like detergent. Basal PLD activity was very low when cells were permeabilized and incubated in cytosol-like medium containing micromolar [Ca2+]. When this medium was supplemented with exogenous MgATP or guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (GTP[S]), PLD activity increased by 9- and 14-fold respectively. Cells permeabilized in the absence of exogenously added MgATP, but in the presence of 1 microM vanadate/100 microM H2O2, also exhibited a modest 12-fold increase in PLD activity. However, the simultaneous presence of either GTP[S] plus exogenous MgATP or GTP[S] plus vanadate/H2O2 (and endogenous MgATP) induced similar 60-75-fold increases in the rate and extent of phosphatidylethanol accumulation. These latter effects of vanadate/H2O2 were strongly correlated with the very rapid accumulation of multiple tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins. Other studies utilized cells which were permeabilized in the presence of GTP[S] and then washed before assay of PLD. These cells retained approximately 60% of the MgATP-regulatable PLD activity (EC50 approximately = to 100 microM MgATP) observed in freshly permeabilized non-washed cells. In the absence of GTP[S] pre-treatment, washed cells retained minimal PLD activity. Genistein, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, significantly attenuated the ability of MgATP to stimulate PLD activity and accumulation of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in the washed GTP[S]-treated cells. These data suggest that PLD activity in myeloid leucocytes involves co-ordinate regulation by both G-protein(s) and tyrosine phosphorylation.

Comparison of phospholipase D activity in vasopressin- and phorbol ester-stimulated fibroblasts

Phospholipase D (PLD) activation by vasopressin (VP) was compared to activation by TPA in REF52 cells prelabeled with [3H]glycerol and [14C]myristic acid. Upon VP-treatment, the formation of [3H] and [14C]phosphatidic acid (PA) and phosphatidylethanol (PEt) was accompanied by the loss of radioactivity from PC and PI. However, upon TPA-treatment, radioactivity was lost from PC only. No significant changes of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine were detected in the same samples. The inclusion of 5 microM staurosporine for 10 min diminished the production of [3H]PEt and [14C]PEt by 27% and 53% in VP-treated cells, and by 100% and 75% in TPA-treated cells, respectively. Adding 1 mM EGTA to chelate extracellular Ca2+ inhibited [3H]PEt by approximately 31% and [14C]PEt by 17% after VP-stimulation. In contrast, EGTA had no effect on TPA-stimulation. The data suggest that REF52 cells contain dual PLD activities. The first is stimulated only by VP, requires Ca2+ and hydrolyzes PI. The second is stimulated by both TPA and VP, activated by protein kinase C and hydrolyzes PC.

Staurosporine stimulates phospholipase D activation in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes

Treatment of 1-O-[3H]alkyl-2-acyl-phosphatidylcholine-prelabeled human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) with staurosporine (50 nM to 1 microM) induced a time- and concentration-dependent generation of tritiated phosphatidic acid (PA), reaching approximately 225% of the control value at 15-20 min. In the presence of ethanol, staurosporine induced a production of phosphatidylethanol (PEt) reaching, 250% of control values, and partial inhibition of PA production, consistent with PLD activation. The amount of ether-linked acylglycerol (EAG) was weakly enhanced (29%) after 5 min of PMN treatment; longer treatment resulted in no significant EAG production, suggesting a possible late inhibition of PA hydrolase activity. Staurosporine concentrations that induced an elevation in PA completely depressed protein kinase C (PKC) activity in both soluble and particulate cell fractions, suggesting that PLD activation may occur independently from PKC activation. PLD may thus represent a potential cellular target for staurosporine action.

Phospholipase D: regulation and functional significance

PLD is a major route for hydrolysis of PC in most tissues, consistent with it playing an important role in signal transduction. The enzyme appears to be activated by a variety of different mechanisms in different tissues, suggesting there might be several different isoforms. Little, however, is known at present about its enzymology and molecular biology. There is little direct evidence to indicate the functional significance of PLD activation but an accumulation of indirect evidence links PLD with prolonged changes in cell function. In particular, two areas where there is strong evidence for a role for PLD are mitogenesis and leukocyte hyperresponsiveness. An important area for future work will be the investigation of how products from the PLD pathway exert these effects. Current evidence suggests an important role for Ca(2+)-independent PKC isoforms and probably also for novel cellular targets for the putative second messenger PA.

Activation of phospholipase D by endothelin-1 and other pharmacological agents in rabbit iris sphincter smooth muscle

The stimulation of phospholipase D (PLD) activity by endothelin-1 (ET1) was investigated in rabbit iris sphincter prelabelled with [3H]myristic acid. In the presence of 0.5% ethanol, ET1 caused a time- and dose-dependent increase in the production of [3H]phosphatidylethanol ([3H]PEt). Within 30 s the peptide increased PEt formation by 30% and after 5 min increased it by 140%. The EC50 value for ET1-stimulated PEt formation was found to be 30 nM. This value is appreciably lower than the EC50 we previously obtained for ET1-induced inositol trisphosphate production (45 nM), but considerably higher than that for arachidonic acid release (1 nM). PEt formation was significantly stimulated by prostaglandin F20, phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu), chloroform, A23187 and A1F4-, but it was not affected by carbachol or the platelet-activating factor. PDBu-stimulated PEt formation was blocked by staurosporine and it was not potentiated by A23187. Staurosporine had no effect on ET1-stimulated PEt formation. Our data indicate that ET1 stimulation of PLD occurs independently of protein kinase C activation, phospholipase C activation and intracellular Ca2+ mobilization, and phospholipase A2 activation. In this tissue the ET1 receptor is probably coupled to the three phospholipases through several G-proteins, and this appears to be species and receptor type specific.

Rapid priming of calcium mobilization and superoxide anion production in human neutrophils by substimulatory concentrations of phorbol esters: a novel role for protein kinase C and tyrosine phosphorylation in the up-modulation of signal transduction

The modulatory influences of phorbol esters on the functional responsiveness of human peripheral blood neutrophils have been investigated. These studies focused on measurements of the levels of cytoplasmic free calcium and of tyrosine phosphorylation as well as on their ability to mount an oxidative response. Short incubation times (< 1 min) with low concentrations of phorbol esters (5-50 nM) were shown to enhance the above indices of neutrophil responsiveness to chemotactic factors such as fMet-Leu-Phe and leukotriene B4. On the other hand, a time- and concentration-dependent inhibition of calcium mobilization and superoxide production was also observed. The effects of the phorbol esters were stereo-specific and were antagonized by a novel protein kinase C inhibitor (RO 318220) but were not affected by the oxidative burst inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium. Pre-incubation of the cells with phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) altered in a concentration-dependent manner the tyrosine phosphorylation pattern stimulated by fMet-Leu-Phe. In addition, the tyrosine kinase inhibitor erbstatin inhibited the priming of the mobilization of calcium induced by PDBu. These data demonstrate the rapidity of the effects of the activation of protein kinase C, their potential to modulate positively the early events of the excitation-response coupling sequence and the complexity of the functional interrelationships among the various cellular activation pathways available to human neutrophils and other non-muscle cells.

Norepinephrine-induced phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis by phospholipases D and C in rat tail artery

Rat tail arterial segments were incubated with [3H]choline to selectively label endogenous phosphatidylcholine. Norepinephrine (NE; 10(-5) M) addition for periods of 10 s to 30 min significantly increased the concentration of extracellular phosphatidylcholine metabolites, [3H]choline, and [3H]phosphocholine. The release of [3H]choline and [3H]phosphocholine from the segments was NE dose dependent (10(-6)-10(-3) M). NE also increased the formation of [3H]phosphatidylethanol in [3H]myristate-labeled tail artery in the presence of ethanol, characteristic of phospholipase D activity. NE-induced phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis was blocked by pretreatment with prazosin (10(-5) M) and was unchanged by pretreatment with propranolol (10(-5) M). 4 beta-phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu, 10(-6) M) stimulated the release of [3H]choline, which was inhibited by pretreatment with staurosporine (10(-5) M). The stimulatory effect of NE on phosphatidylcholine metabolism was not altered by either pretreatment with staurosporine (10(-5) M) or calcium-free buffer. In summary, we have demonstrated NE-stimulated phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis by phospholipase D and C in intact vascular smooth muscle. This effect of NE was dose dependent and was mediated through the alpha 1-adrenergic receptor. Norepinephrine and PDBu stimulated phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis through different mechanism(s), and the stimulatory effect of NE did not seem to require protein kinase C and calcium influx.

Phospholipase C-mediated hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine is activated by cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II)

We have investigated the effect of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (CDDP) on signal transduction pathways. CDDP treatment did not cause any change in the binding of [3H]-phorbol dibutyrate to PC-9 (human lung adenocarcinoma cell line) cells, a measure of protein kinase C activation. However, 2-h CDDP treatment (20 micrograms/ml) caused approximately 200% increase in 1,2-sn-diacylglycerol (DAG) production and approximately 50% decrease in inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate production. To explore the different source of DAG, we analyzed phospholipids labeled with [14C]choline by TLC and revealed that [14C]choline-labeled phosphatidylcholine (PC) was decreased to 50% by CDDP treatment. This suggested that PC turnover was increased by CDDP-treatment. PC-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC) activity was increased to 2.5-fold (2.58 +/- 0.28 nmol/mg protein per min) by 2 h CDDP (20 micrograms/ml) treatment compared with control (1.05 +/- 0.24 nmol/mg protein per min). Treatment of CDDP also stimulated PC-PLC in the crude membrane extract from PC-9 cells. CDDP had no effect on the activities of phospholipase A2 and D. Trans-DDP, which has far less cytotoxicity than its stereoisomer, CDDP, did not cause any change in PC-PLC activity. A significant inhibition of DNA synthesis (less than 80%) occurred 4 h after 2 h CDDP (20 micrograms/ml) treatment. These results demonstrated that CDDP-induced PC-PLC activation was an early event in CDDP-induced cytotoxicity and suggested that the effects of CDDP on signal transduction pathways had an important role in CDDP-induced cytotoxicity.

Bacterial lipopolysaccharide stimulates phospholipid synthesis and phosphatidylcholine breakdown in cultured human leukemia monocytic THP-1 cells

1. De novo synthesis of phospholipid and its catabolism in human leukemia monocytic THP-1 cells were investigated. 2. Radiolabelled precursors: [methyl-3H]chloride, [1,2-14C]ethanolamine and myo-[2-3H]inositol were readily incorporated into CHCl3-MEOH extractable lipid fraction as a function of time. 3. The radiolabels derived from choline, ethanolamine and inositol were preferentially incorporated into PC, PE and PI fraction, respectively. The data indicate that de novo PL synthesis takes place, and the CDP-choline pathway is operative as a major pathway for PC synthesized in THP-1 cells. 4. Bacterial endotoxin dose-dependently stimulated the incorporation of radiolabelled precursors. Approximately 50% stimulation in PC and PE synthesis was obtained in 20 hr, while the incorporation of [3H]inositol was rapidly stimulated by 170% within 4 hr, and the stimulation declined drastically thereafter. 5. LPS did not alter the radiolabel distribution into PL in any of the three cases. 6. In pulse-chase studies, the cells prelabelled with radioactive PL were exposed to LPS (1 micrograms/ml). The breakdown of PC was enhanced about 30% within the first 2 hr followed by a stimulated PC synthesis observed in the next 4 hr. In contrast, LPS did not induce the hydrolysis of PE and PI. 7. The data indicate that LPS produces a broad spectrum of stimulatory effects on PL synthesis and selectively stimulates the hydrolysis of PC via phospholipase C/D reaction in THP-1 cells.

Phorbol ester and vasopressin activate phospholipase D in Leydig cells

In the present study evidence is provided for the existence of phospholipase D (PLD) activity in rat Leydig cells. Leydig cells were cultured and labelled with [3H]myristic acid. In the presence of ethanol, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) stimulated the formation of [3H]phosphatidylethanol ([3H]PEt) in a dose-dependent manner at the expense of [3H]phosphatidic acid ([3H]PA). In cells prelabelled with [3H]choline, PMA caused a rapid increase in intracellular free [3H]choline. The time course of [3H]PEt formation was similar to the time course of intracellular [3H]choline formation. The data taken together support the notion that PMA stimulates phosphatidylcholine (PC) hydrolysis by a mechanism, which principally involves PLD. Activation of PLD by PMA was inhibited by long-term pretreatment of cells with PMA to downregulate protein kinase C (PKC) and by pretreatment with staurosporine. These data support the notion that activation of PLD by PMA is dependent on PKC. Arginine vasopressin (AVP) caused a rapid stimulation of PLD activity in the cells. This activation was inhibited after down-regulation of PKC, indicating that the agonist acts by a mechanism similar to that of PMA.

Activation of membrane protein kinase C by glucagon and Ca(2+)-mobilizing hormones in cultured rat hepatocytes. Role of phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis

We found that glucagon stimulated membrane protein kinase C (PKC) activity and phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis in 24 h-cultured rat hepatocytes. Phorbol myristate acetate, 8-bromo cyclic AMP, vasopressin, noradrenaline and the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 also stimulated membrane PKC activity. However, only vasopressin and noradrenaline stimulated inositol phosphate accumulation, whereas all agonists stimulated the rate of release of water-soluble choline metabolites into the medium. Choline, and to a much lesser extent phosphocholine, were released, suggesting predominantly phospholipase D activation. This was supported by the finding that the accumulation of phosphatidate and diacylglycerol was enhanced by the agents in [3H]myristate-labelled hepatocytes, as was [32P]phosphatidylethanol formation. Since the time courses for the release of choline into the medium and the accumulation of phosphatidate and diacylglycerol caused by vasopressin and glucagon were similar, the more rapid activation of PKC by vasopressin probably reflects diacylglycerol formation from phosphoinositide breakdown. The inability of glucagon to stimulate inositol phosphate production was not due to the prolonged culture, since similar results were obtained in 4 h cultures. We conclude that the stimulation of membrane PKC activity by glucagon correlates with accumulation of diacylglycerol and phosphatidate derived from the hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine.

Antigen-induced phospholipase D activation in rat mast cells is independent of protein kinase C

In the present study, we investigated the involvement of protein kinase C (PKC) in antigen (Ag, DNP-Ascaris suum)-induced phospholipase D (PLD) activation of rat peritoneal mast cells. Phorbor myristate acetate (PMA) as well as Ag activated PLD as inferred by phosphatidylethanol (PEt) production. PKC inhibitors, staurosporine and H-7, however, failed to suppress PMA-stimulated PLD activation, suggesting that PLD activation by PMA is independent of PKC. By contrast, Ag-stimulated PLD activity was significantly reduced by staurosporine and slightly by H-7. Surprisingly, the inhibitors inhibited Ag-stimulated phospholipase C (PLC), correlated to the inhibition of PLD. These observations lead us to conclude that in Ag-stimulated mast cells 1,2-diacylglycerol (DG) formed by PLC directly or indirectly stimulates PLD, independently of PKC.