Regulation of phospholipase D in astroglial cells by calcium-activated protein kinase C

Protein kinase C activation by 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate in CG-4 line oligodendrocytes stimulates turnover of choline and ethanolamine phospholipids by phospholipase D and induces rapid process contraction

Treatment of [3H]-choline- or [14C]-ethanolamine-labelled undifferentiated bipolar and differentiated multipolar CG-4 line oligodendrocytes with 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) to activate protein kinase C stimulated the release of choline or ethanolamine metabolites to the medium over controls. Ro31-8220, a PKC inhibitor, reduced TPA-stimulated release of choline- and ethanolamine-metabolites to basal levels. TPA treatment of both bipolar and multipolar cells caused rapid contraction of processes leaving rounded up cells: this effect was blocked by Ro31-8220. After 12-15 h exposure to TPA, bipolar undifferentiated CG-4 line cells extended short processes again and the cells became multipolar. Nocodozole, an agent which disrupts microtubules and caused CG-4 line cells to round up, caused increased choline or ethanolamine-metabolite release to the medium over basal levels suggesting that some release during TPA-treatment might occur due to process fragmentation. However, the transphosphatidylation reaction confirmed that phospholipase D was active in these cells. Exposure of bipolar undifferentiated CG-4 line cells to TPA resulted in down-regulatation of PKC-alpha and PKC-beta which could not be detected by Western blotting after a few hours; PKC-epsilon was down-regulated much more slowly but PKCs delta, zeta and iota were not influenced by 48 h exposure of cells to TPA. Formation of phosphatidylethanol in the transphosphatidylation reaction was markedly reduced in TPA down-regulated cells indicating a role for PKCs alpha and beta in phospholipase D activation in CG-4 line oligodendrocytes.

Interleukin 1-beta- and tumor necrosis factor-alpha-mediated regulation of ICAM-1 gene expression in astrocytes requires protein kinase C activity

Several adhesion molecules including intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) are expressed by astrocytes, the predominant glial cell of the central nervous system (CNS). Such molecules are important in the trafficking of leukocytes to sites of inflammation, and in lymphocyte activation. ICAM-1 is constitutively expressed by neonatal rat astrocytes, and expression is enhanced by the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), with IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha being the strongest inducers. In this study, we have examined the nature of the second messengers involved in ICAM-1 gene expression induced by the cytokines IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha. Our results indicate that stimuli related to protein kinase C (PKC) such as the phorbol ester phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and calcium ionophore A23187 increase ICAM-1 mRNA expression, whereas cyclic nucleotide analogs and PKA agonists have no effect. Pharmacologic inhibitors of PKC such as H7, H8, and calphostin C inhibit ICAM-1 gene expression inducible by IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha. Prolonged treatment of astrocytes with PMA results in a time-dependent downregulation of the PKC isoforms alpha, delta, and epsilon, and a concomitant diminution of ICAM-1 mRNA expression induced by IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha, and PMA itself at specific time points post-PMA treatment. These data, collectively, demonstrate a role for various PKC isoforms in IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha enhancement of ICAM-1 gene expression in rat astrocytes.

Receptor-mediated phospholipase D activity in primary astroglial cultures

Phospholipase D, an enzyme involved in signal transduction cascades, catalyses the formation of phosphatidic acid and, when ethanol is present, the formation of phosphatidylethanol. In the present study we demonstrate that stimulation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors as well as P2-purinergic receptors induces activation of phospholipase D in primary cultures of astroglial cells. Both the hydrolysis and the transphosphatidylation reactions were stimulated by receptor agonists. Carbachol and ATP induced a rapid increase in the amount of [3H]phosphatidic acid in astroglial cells prelabelled with [3H]oleic acid. When ethanol (150 mM) was present, phosphatidylethanol was formed. Furthermore, the receptor-mediated increase in the concentration of phosphatidic acid was inhibited by ethanol, indicating that the phosphatidic acid production was indeed mediated by phospholipase D. The formation of phosphatidylethanol was concentration dependent, with a half-maximal effective concentration of 5 x 10(-5) M for carbachol and 10(-5) M for ATP. The carbachol-induced response was almost completely inhibited by atropine, indicating activation of phospholipase D via muscarinic receptors. The purinergic response is most probably mediated via P2-receptors since ADP was almost as efficient as ATP in inducing phosphatidylethanol formation, whereas AMP was significantly less potent. We conclude that astroglial cells in primary culture display muscarinic and purinergic receptors coupled to phospholipase D. The relationship to cell function needs to be further investigated.

Purinergic P2Y receptors on astrocytes are directly coupled to phospholipase A2

ATP stimulates arachidonic acid mobilization and eicosanoid production in cultured astrocytes via P2Y-purinergic receptors. To assist in determining the mechanism of phospholipase A2 activation and the role of calcium in eicosanoid production, cultures were pretreated with pertussis toxin (PTx). ATP-evoked eicosanoid release was inhibited by PTx in a concentration-dependent fashion. Inositol phospholipid hydrolysis was partially attenuated by PTx, but the concentrations required were approximately 50 times greater than those for inhibition of eicosanoid production, suggesting that phospholipase C activation is not necessary for eicosanoid synthesis. Stimulation of eicosanoid release by other P2Y-purinergic receptor agonists was also inhibited by PTx; however, PTx had no effect on eicosanoid release evoked by ionomycin or thapsigargin, nor did it affect ATP-stimulated calcium influx or mobilization from intracellular stores. Increases in intracellular free calcium concentration alone were insufficient to stimulate eicosanoid production, but maximal production was dependent upon the concentration of extracellular calcium. These results suggest that the P2Y-purinergic receptor is coupled to phospholipase A2 via a guanine nucleotide-binding protein, and that extracellular calcium may also be involved in the synthesis of eicosanoids by astrocytes.