Interaction of protein kinase C and phosphoinositides: regulation by polyamines

Resveratrol inhibits type II phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase: A key component in pathways of phosphoinositide turn over

Resveratrol has anti-inflammatory, cardio protective and cancer chemopreventive properties. The molecular targets for resveratrol in early signaling cascades are not well understood. Resveratrol inhibits type II PtdIns 4-kinase but not PtdIns 3-kinase activity in vitro. Resveratrol directly binds to the enzyme with a Kd of 7.2 microM. Kinetic studies show that resveratrol competes with PtdIns binding. Inhibition of PtdIns 4-kinase activity by resveratrol/phenylarsine oxide reduces Jurkat cell adhesion to matrigel/fibronectin coated surfaces, suggesting a role for type II PtdIns 4-kinase in lymphocyte infiltration to the sites of inflammation.

Influence of SAMe on the modifications of brain polyamine levels in an animal model of depression

The mechanism(s) of the antidepressant activity of S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) have not yet been elucidated. SAMe is essential for the synthesis of polyamines, which have a key role in protein synthesis, cell proliferation, and neuronal plasticity. On the other hand, accumulating data indicate that depression is associated with a reduction in regional brain volume and that antidepressants increase neurogenesis in defined brain regions and also influence neuronal plasticity. Here we show that in a validated rat model of depression (chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced anhedonia) there is a significant reduction of putrescine, spermidine and spermine in the hippocampus, and of only putrescine in the nucleus accumbens septi. SAMe, at a fully antidepressant dose (300 mg/kg i.m., daily for 7 days), completely restores the levels of putrescine in the nucleus accumbens, and restores in part the levels of both spermidine and spermine in the hippocampus. These results may suggest (i) a role for brain polyamines in depression and in reward processes, and (ii) that the antidepressant effect of SAMe may be due, at least in part, to a normalization of putrescine levels in the nucleus accumbens septi.

Influence of S-adenosyl-L-methionine on chronic mild stress-induced anhedonia in castrated rats

1. S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) is the most important methyl donor in the brain and is essential for polyamine synthesis. Methyl group deficiency in the brain has been implicated in depression; on the other hand, polyamines enhance phosphorylation processes, and phosphorylation of functional proteins in neurons in involved in the therapeutic mechanisms of antidepressants. 2. The effect of SAMe in an animal model of 'depression', the chronic mild stress-induced anhedonia, was studied using long-term castrated male and female Lister hooded rats. 3. Chronic daily exposure to an unpredictable sequence of mild stressors produced, within 3 weeks, a significant reduction of the consumption of a sucrose solution. SAMe (100, 200 or 300 mg kg-1 daily i.m.) while having no influence on sucrose intake in non-stressed animals, dose-dependently reinstated sucrose consumption within the first week of treatment, both in male and in female stressed rats. Imipramine (10 mg kg-1 daily i.p.) produced a similar effect after a 3 week treatment. 4. Similarly, a palatable food reward-induced place preference conditioning was developed in SAMe (200 or 300 mg kg-1 daily i.m.)--and in imipramine (10 mg kg-1 daily i.p.)--treated chronically stressed animals (males and females), whilst it could not be obtained in vehicle-treated rats. 5. Moreover, the same doses of SAMe (but not of imipramine) restored the exploratory activity and curiosity for the environment (rearing), in the open-field test. 6. While imipramine caused a blockade of the growth throughout the treatment, SAMe produced only a transient growth arrest during the first week of treatment. 7. These results show that SAMe reverses an experimental condition of 'depression-like' behaviour in rats, the effect being more rapid and complete than that of imipramine, and without apparent side effects.

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase: inhibition of intrinsic protein-serine kinase activity by phosphoinositides, and of lipid kinase activity by Mn2+

Phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase is composed of 110 kDa catalytic and 85 kDa regulatory subunits. The 110 kDa subunit has two intrinsic kinase activities, i.e., Mn(2+)-dependent protein-serine kinase and Mg(2+)-dependent lipid kinase activities. These intrinsic kinases have been reported to be interdependent: protein-serine kinase phosphorylates the 85 kDa subunit of PI 3-kinase, which upon phosphorylation inhibits the lipid kinase activity of PI 3-kinase. We report here that phosphoinositides can selectively inhibit the protein-serine kinase activity of PI 3-kinase without affecting lipid kinase activity. This inhibition depends on the phosphorylation status of the phosphoinositides, i.e., PI 4,5-bisphosphate > PI 4-phosphate >> PI. Mn2+ (2 mM) protected protein kinase activity from phosphoinositides-mediated inhibition if added prior to interaction of PI 3-kinase with phosphoinositides. On the other hand, Mn2+ (2 mM) inhibited lipid kinase activity independent of its effect on the protein kinase activity of PI 3-kinase. The present study suggests that the protein-serine kinase and the lipid kinase activities of PI 3-kinase can be selectively inhibited by phosphoinositides and Mn2+ respectively.