Altered regulation of a major substrate of protein kinase C in rat 6 fibroblasts overproducing PKC beta I

Identification of a common risk haplotype for diabetic nephropathy at the protein kinase C-beta1 (PRKCB1) gene locus

Abnormal activation of protein kinase C-beta isoforms in the diabetic state has been implicated in the development of diabetic nephropathy. It is thus plausible that DNA sequence differences in the protein kinase C-beta1 gene (PRKCB1), which encodes both betaI and betaII isoforms, may influence susceptibility to nephropathy. Nine single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in PRKCB1 were tested for association with diabetic nephropathy in type I diabetes mellitus, by using both case-control and family-study designs. Allele and genotype distributions of two SNP in the promoter (--1504C/T and --546C/G) differed significantly between case patients and control patients (P < 0.05). These associations were particularly strong with diabetes mellitus duration of <24 yr (P = 0.002). The risk of diabetic nephropathy was higher among carriers of the T allele of the --1504C/T SNP, compared with noncarriers (odds ratio, 2.54; 95% confidence interval, 1.39 to 4.62), and among carriers of the G allele of the --546C/G SNP (odds ratio, 2.45; 95% confidence interval, 1.37 to 4.38). Among individuals with diabetes mellitus duration of >/==" BORDER="0">24 yr, these two SNP were not associated with diabetic nephropathy. These positive findings were confirmed by using the family-based transmission disequilibrium test. The T-G haplotype, with both risk alleles, was transmitted more frequently than expected from heterozygous parents to offspring who developed diabetic nephropathy during the first 24 yr of diabetes mellitus. It is concluded that DNA sequence differences in the promoter of PRKCB1 contribute to diabetic nephropathy susceptibility in type I diabetes mellitus.

Role of specific protein kinase C isozymes in mediating epidermal growth factor, thyrotropin-releasing hormone, and phorbol ester regulation of the rat prolactin promoter in GH4/GH4C1 pituitary cells

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and TRH both produce enhanced prolactin (PRL) gene transcription and PRL secretion in GH4 rat pituitary tumor cell lines. These agents also activate protein kinase C (PKC) in these cells. Previous studies have implicated the PKCepsilon isozyme in mediating TRH-induced PRL secretion. However, indirect studies using phorbol ester down-regulation to investigate the role of PKC in EGF- and TRH-induced PRL gene transcription have been inconclusive. In the present study, we examined the role of multiple PKC isozymes on EGF- and TRH-induced activation of the PRL promoter by utilizing general and selective PKC inhibitors and by expression of genes for wild-type and kinase-negative forms of the PKC isozymes. Multiple nonselective PKC inhibitors, including staurosporine, bisindolylmaleimide I, and Calphostin C, inhibited both EGF and TRH induced rat PRL promoter activity. TRH effects were more sensitive to Calphostin C, a competitive inhibitor of diacylglycerol, whereas Go 6976, a selective inhibitor of Ca(2+)-dependent PKCs, produced a modest inhibition of EGF but no inhibition of TRH effects. Rottlerin, a specific inhibitor of the novel nPKCdelta isozyme, significantly blocked both EGF and TRH effects. Overexpression of genes encoding PKCs alpha, betaI, betaII, delta, gamma, and lambda failed to enhance either EGF or TRH responses, whereas overexpression of nPKCeta enhanced the EGF response. Neither stable nor transient overexpression of nPKCepsilon produced enhancement of EGF- or TRH-induced PRL promoter activity, suggesting that different processes regulate PRL transcription and hormone secretion. Expression of a kinase inactive nPKCdelta construct produced modest inhibition of EGF-mediated rPRL promoter activity. Taken together, these data provide evidence for a role of multiple PKC isozymes in mediating both EGF and TRH stimulated PRL gene transcription. Both EGF and TRH responses appear to require the novel isozyme, nPKCdelta, whereas nPKCeta may also be able to transmit the EGF response. Inhibitor data suggest that the EGF response may also involve Ca(2+)-dependent isozymes, whereas the TRH response appears to be more dependent on diacylglycerol.

Protein kinase C-associated kinase (PKK), a novel membrane-associated, ankyrin repeat-containing protein kinase

A novel murine membrane-associated protein kinase, PKK (protein kinase C-associated kinase), was cloned on the basis of its physical association with protein kinase Cbeta (PKCbeta). The regulated expression of PKK in mouse embryos is consistent with a role for this kinase in early embryogenesis. The human homolog of PKK has over 90% identity to its murine counterpart, has been localized to chromosome 21q22.3, and is identical to the PKCdelta-interacting kinase, DIK (Bahr, C., Rohwer, A., Stempka, L., Rincke, G., Marks, F., and Gschwendt, M. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 36350-36357). PKK comprises an N-terminal kinase domain and a C-terminal region containing 11 ankyrin repeats. PKK exhibits protein kinase activity in vitro and associates with cellular membranes. PKK exists in three discernible forms at steady state: an underphosphorylated form of 100 kDa; a soluble, cytosolic, phosphorylated form of 110 kDa; and a phosphorylated, detergent-insoluble form of 112 kDa. PKK is initially synthesized as an underphosphorylated soluble 100-kDa protein that is quantitatively converted to a detergent-soluble 110-kDa form. This conversion requires an active catalytic domain. Although PKK physically associates with PKCbeta, it does not phosphorylate this PKC isoform. However, PKK itself may be phosphorylated by PKCbeta. PKK represents a developmentally regulated protein kinase that can associate with membranes. The functional significance of its association with PKCbeta remains to be ascertained.

Regulation of angiotensin II-induced neuromodulation by MARCKS in brain neurons

Angiotensin II (Ang II) exerts chronic stimulatory actions on tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DbetaH), and the norepinephrine transporter (NET), in part, by influencing the transcription of their genes. These neuromodulatory actions of Ang II involve Ras-Raf-MAP kinase signal transduction pathways (Lu, D., H. Yang, and M.K. Raizada. 1997. J. Cell Biol. 135:1609-1617). In this study, we present evidence to demonstrate participation of another signaling pathway in these neuronal actions of Ang II. It involves activation of protein kinase C (PKC)beta subtype and phosphorylation and redistribution of myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS) in neurites. Ang II caused a dramatic redistribution of MARCKS from neuronal varicosities to neurites. This was accompanied by a time-dependent stimulation of its phosphorylation, that was mediated by the angiotensin type 1 receptor subtype (AT1). Incubation of neurons with PKCbeta subtype specific antisense oligonucleotide (AON) significantly attenuated both redistribution and phosphorylation of MARCKS. Furthermore, depletion of MARCKS by MARCKS-AON treatment of neurons resulted in a significant decrease in Ang II-stimulated accumulation of TH and DbetaH immunoreactivities and [3H]NE uptake activity in synaptosomes. In contrast, mRNA levels of TH, DbetaH, and NET were not influenced by MARKS-AON treatment. MARCKS pep148-165, which contains PKC phosphorylation sites, inhibited Ang II stimulation of MARCKS phosphorylation and reduced the amount of TH, DbetaH, and [3H]NE uptake in neuronal synaptosomes. These observations demonstrate that phosphorylation of MARCKS by PKCbeta and its redistribution from varicosities to neurites is important in Ang II-induced synaptic accumulation of TH, DbetaH, and NE. They suggest that a coordinated stimulation of transcription of TH, DbetaH, and NET, mediated by Ras-Raf-MAP kinase followed by their transport mediated by PKCbeta-MARCKS pathway are key in persistent stimulation of Ang II's neuromodulatory actions.

The roles of protein kinase C beta I and beta II in vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation

The role of protein kinase C (PKC) on proliferation of A10 vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) was studied by overexpressing specific PKC-beta I and -beta II isozymes. PKC-beta I and -beta II are derived from alternative splicing of the exon encoding the carboxy-terminal (C-terminal) 50 or 52 amino acids, respectively. The differential functions of the two isozymes with regard to cell proliferation, DNA synthesis, and the cell cycle were investigated in A10 cells, a clonal cell line of VSMC from rat aorta, and in A10 cells overexpressing PKC-beta I and PKC-beta II (beta I-A10 and beta II-A10). PKC levels were increased three- to fourfold in heterogeneous cultures of stably transfected cells. Although doubling time of A10 cells was 36 h, the cell doubling time in beta I-A10 cells decreased by 12 h, and, in contrast, the doubling time of beta II-A10 cells increased by 12 h compared to A10 cells. The increase of [3H]thymidine (TdR) incorporation was accelerated and increased in beta I-A10 cells, but slowed and diminished in beta II-A10 cells compared to A10 and control cells transfected with empty vector. Cell cycle analysis of beta I-A10 cells showed an acceleration of S phase entry while beta II-A10 cells slowed S phase entry. These results suggest that PKC-beta I and PKC-beta II regulate cell proliferation bidirectionally and that PKC-beta I and PKC-beta II may have distinct and opposing functions as cell cycle check point mediators during late G1 phase and may regulate S phase entry in A10 VSMC.

Evidence for multiple protein kinase C isoforms in the leukocytes of a marine teleost, Sciaenops ocellatus

The protein kinase C (PKC) family of isozymes mediates a diverse range of cellular functions, including activation of vertebrate lymphocytes through membrane-bound antigen receptors. The complex role of PKC in mammalian cells may be orchestrated in part by the presence of multiple isoforms, each of which displays a distinctive tissue distribution, substrate specificity and pattern of regulation. In the present study, PKC isoforms were identified in peripheral blood leukocytes of the marine teleost fish Sciaenops ocellatus by immunoprecipitation and Western blot using antibodies to mammalian isoforms. Functional activity was monitored by evaluating translocation of the teleost isoforms from membrane to cytosol in response to phorbol ester treatment. Teleost conventional isoforms PKC alpha and PKC beta (82 kDa) completely translocated out of the cytosol in response to phorbol ester. Phorbol ester did not induce translocation of teleost atypical isoform PKC zeta (67 kDa), as has been shown for its mammalian homologue. Although their identity as distinct isoforms is less clear, proposed teleost novel PKC delta (84, 86 kDa) and PKC eta (83, 85 kDa) also translocated out of the cytosol. The presence of multiple isoforms representing each of the three major classes of PKC in red drum leukocytes implies that the complexity of signal transduction pathways in vertebrates is highly conserved.

Thyroid hormone represses protein kinase C isoform expression and activity in rat cardiac myocytes

We have previously demonstrated that at least four isoforms of protein kinase C (PKC; alpha, delta, epsilon, and zeta) are expressed in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes and that development is associated with a decline in their expression. The mechanism(s) regulating PKC isoform expression in ventricular myocytes is completely unknown. The developmental decline in PKC expression occurs, in large part, during the first 2 weeks of postnatal life, while thyroid hormone levels are known to be progressively increasing. Accordingly, this study examined the influence of thyroid hormone on PKC isoform expression to determine whether thyroid hormone can be implicated as a potential physiological regulator of PKC gene expression during normal cardiac development. Hypothyroidism was induced in adult rats by surgical thyroidectomy; thyroid status was manipulated in cultured neonatal ventricular myocytes by growth in serum-free medium with varying triiodothyronine (T3) levels. In each case, hypothyroidism was verified by a 10- to 50-fold increase in steady state mRNA for beta-myosin heavy chain. In hypothyroid adult ventricular myocardium, there was a selective 60% increase in the expression of PKC epsilon protein that corresponded to an increase in maximally stimulated PKC enzyme activity with PKC epsilon substrate peptide (epsilon pep) but not with histone as substrate. Northern blot analysis revealed a 70% increase in PKC epsilon mRNA, indicating that the regulatory effects of thyroid hormone are mediated, at least in part, at the message level. In neonatal ventricular myocytes, there was a T3-dependent reduction in immunoreactivity for both PKC alpha and PKC epsilon that was associated with significant reductions in both histone- and epsilon pep-kinase activities. The concentration of T3 that half-maximally repressed PKC alpha and PKC epsilon expression was approximately 0.5 nmol/L. Thyroid hormone had no effect on PKC delta and PKC zeta expression in neonatal or adult ventricular myocytes. PKC isoform expression in cardiac fibroblasts was not influenced by variations in the thyroid hormone concentration during culture. These results provide evidence that thyroid hormone specifically represses PKC alpha and PKC epsilon in the neonatal heart and PKC epsilon in the adult heart. Thyroid hormone-induced changes in PKC may play an important permissive role in the modulation of autonomic responsiveness in ventricular cardiomyocytes.

Subcellular distribution of protein kinase C in the living outer hair cell of the guinea pig cochlea

Immunohistochemical staining using isoform-specific antibodies and intracellular localization using fluorescent probes for protein kinase C (PKC) were evaluated in the cochlear outer hair cell (OHC). Among three isoforms of classic PKC, PKC alpha was selectively stained in the fixed OHC as well as inner hair cells under a surface preparation method. Two types of fluorescent probes to detect subcellular localization of PKC were observed with a confocal laser scanning microscopy in the present study, fim-1 diacetate which binds to the ATP-competitive catalytic domain of PKC and Bodipy FL C12-phorbol acetate which binds to specific site localized to the first cysteine-rich loop of the C1 region in the regulatory domain. High fluorescence intensity of both dyes was observed in subcuticular and subsynaptic regions, infracuticular network, and along the lateral wall. The displacement experiments to evaluate binding specificity were performed by incubating Bodipy FL C12-phorbol acetate in the presence of 10 microM phorbol 12-myritate 13-acetate (PMA) and the fluorescence was totally disappeared. For the acute treatment of phorbol ester, cells were preincubated with 1 microM PMA 30 min before loading with fim-1 diacetate. The brightest area in the plasma membrane became much larger as compared with untreated cells, which suggests a dramatic translocation of PKC to the plasma membrane. The biological functions involving PKC in the OHC are discussed.

Partial inhibition of multidrug resistance by safingol is independent of modulation of P-glycoprotein substrate activities and correlated with inhibition of protein kinase C

Safingol is a lysosphingolipid protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor that competitively interacts at the regulatory phorbol binding domain of PKC. We investigated the effects of safingol on antineoplastic drug sensitivity and PKC activity of MCF-7 tumor cell lines. Safingol treatment of 32P-labeled MCF-7 WT and MCF-7 DOXR cells inhibited phosphorylation of the myristoylated alanine-rich protein kinase C substrate in both cell lines, suggesting inhibition of cellular PKC. However, only in MCF-7 DOXR cells did safingol treatment increase accumulation of [3H]vinblastine and enhance toxicity of Vinca alkaloids and anthracyclines. Drug accumulation changes in MCF-7 DOXR cells treated with safingol were accompanied by inhibition of basal and phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate-stimulated phosphorylation of P-glycoprotein (P-gp). Expression of P-gp and levels of mdr1 message in MCF-7 DOXR cells were not altered by safingol treatment alone or in combination with vinblastine. Treatment of MCF-7 DOXR cell membranes with safingol did not inhibit [3H]vinblastine binding or [3H]azidopine photoaffinity labeling of P-gp. Furthermore, safingol did not stimulate P-gp ATPase activity in membranes prepared from MCF-7 DOXR cells. We conclude that enhanced drug accumulation and sensitivity in MCF-7 DOXR cells treated with safingol are correlated with inhibition of PKC rather than competitive interference with P-gp drug binding through direct interaction with P-glycoprotein.

Two closely related isoforms of protein kinase C produce reciprocal effects on the growth of rat fibroblasts. Possible molecular mechanisms

We have previously reported that two closely related protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms, PKC alpha and PKC beta I, had divergent effects on the growth and transformation of the same parental R6 rat embryo fibroblast cell line (Housey, G. M., Johnson, M. D., Hsiao, W.-L. W. O'Brian, C. A., Murphey, J. P., Kirschmeier, P., and Weinstein, I. B. (1988) Cell 52, 343-354; Borner, C., Filipuzzi, I., Weinstein, I. B., and Imber, R. (1991) Nature 353, 78-80). Whereas cells that overexpress PKC beta I lost anchorage dependence, grew to higher saturation densities, and generated small tumors when injected into nude mice, none of these properties were seen with cells that overexpress PKC alpha. In fact, the latter cells grew even slower and to lower saturation densities as compared to control cells. Here we investigate possible molecular mechanisms underlying the reciprocal effects of PKC alpha and PKC beta I. Overexpression of both isoforms enhanced 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13 acetate-induced expression of the growth regulatory genes c-jun, c-myc, and collagenase and enhanced feedback inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor binding and cellular levels of diacylglycerol. However, the cells overexpressing PKC beta I differed from those overexpressing PKC alpha by displaying a decreased requirement for growth factors and by the production of a mitogenic factor. Thus, the basis for enhanced growth and transformation of cells overexpressing PKC beta I may be the establishment of an autocrine growth factor loop. These findings may be relevant to the roles of specific isoforms of PKC in carcinogenesis and tumor growth.

Protein kinase C isoform expression and regulation in the developing rat heart

To determine whether age-dependent differences in cardiac responses to autonomic agonists could result from developmental changes in protein kinase C (PKC) isoform expression, we probed extracts from the fetal, neonatal, and adult heart as well as cultured neonatal and isolated adult ventricular myocytes with specific antisera to calcium-dependent (alpha and beta) and calcium-independent (delta, epsilon and zeta) isoforms of the enzyme. Although PKC-beta immunoreactivity could not be detected in cultured neonatal or isolated adult ventricular myocytes, adult and neonatal myocytes expressed multiple other isoforms of PKC. Our studies revealed an age-dependent decline in the immunoreactivity for three PKC isoforms. PKC-alpha was detected in extracts from the fetal and 2-day-old neonatal heart as well as cultured neonatal rat ventricular myocytes. Only faint PKC-alpha immunoreactivity was detected in extracts from the adult heart, and PKC-alpha was not detected in extracts from isolated adult ventricular myocytes, suggesting that PKC-alpha resides in nonmyocyte elements in the adult heart. PKC-delta also was detected in greater abundance in fetal and neonatal than in adult myocardial extracts. The decline in PKC-alpha and PKC-delta expression occurred during the first 2 postnatal weeks. PKC-zeta was detected in greatest abundance in extracts from the fetal heart. PKC-zeta expression declined markedly by the second postnatal day, and only faint PKC-zeta immunoreactivity was detected in extracts from adult myocardium. Failure to detect PKC-zeta in extracts from isolated adult ventricular myocytes suggests that PKC-zeta resides primarily in nonmyocyte elements in the adult heart. PKC-epsilon was detected in all preparations, but it was detected in greatest abundance in extracts from neonatal hearts. In vitro sympathetic innervation of previously noninnervated neonatal ventricular myocytes or in vivo chemical sympathectomy of the neonatal heart did not modulate PKC isoform expression, suggesting that sympathetic innervation does not significantly regulate PKC isoform expression. PKC-alpha partitioned to the soluble fraction of unstimulated myocytes and was selectively translocated to the particulate fraction by Ca2+. In contrast, a major portion of the novel PKC isoforms partitioned to the particulate fraction of unstimulated myocytes. The subcellular distribution of novel PKC isoforms was not influenced by Ca2+. 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA, 300 nmol/L) induced translocation of soluble PKC-alpha, PKC-delta, and PKC-epsilon to the particulate fraction at 30 minutes and complete (PKC-alpha and PKC-delta) or 80% (PKC-epsilon) downregulation at 24 hours. PKC-zeta was not affected by TPA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Inhibition of protein kinase C by melittin: antagonism of binding interactions between melittin and the catalytic domain by active-site binding of MgATP

Melittin inhibits the lipid cofactor-independent activity of protein kinase C (PKC) by directly binding to the catalytic domain in a MgATP-sensitive manner. The catalytic domains of certain PKC isozymes have a consensus sequence for a second nucleotide binding site outside their active site regions. In this report, we show that PKC isozymes containing the second nucleotide binding site motif (alpha, beta) and an isozyme lacking the motif (epsilon) all have MgATP-sensitive binding interactions with melittin. Our results support a mechanism of PKC inhibition by melittin in which active-site binding of MgATP antagonizes binding interactions between PKC and melittin.