Calcium and the phosphoinositide cycle in WRK-1 cells. Effects of A23187 on metabolism of specific phosphatidylinositol pools

Akt-mediated cardiomyocyte survival pathways are compromised by G alpha q-induced phosphoinositide 4,5-bisphosphate depletion

Expression of the wild type alpha subunit of Gq (GqWT) in cardiomyocytes induces hypertrophy, whereas a constitutively active G alpha q subunit (GqQ209L) induces apoptosis. Akt phosphorylation increases with GqWT expression but is markedly attenuated in cardiomyocytes expressing GqQ209L or in those expressing GqWT and treated with agonist. A membrane-targeted Akt rescues GqQ209L-expressing cardiomyocytes from apoptotic cell death. In contrast, leukemia inhibitory factor fails to activate Akt or promote cell survival in these cells. Association of Akt and PDK-1 with the membrane is also diminished in GqQ209L-expressing cardiomyocytes. Phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP3), the primary regulator of Akt, increases significantly in GqWT-expressing cells but not in cardiomyocytes expressing GqQ209L. Levels of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), the immediate precursor of PIP3, are also markedly lower in GqQ209L-expressing compared to control cells. Expression of a GqQ209L mutant that has diminished capacity to activate phospholipase C does not decrease PIP2 or Akt or induce apoptosis. In transgenic mice with cardiac G alpha q overexpression, heart failure and increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis develop during the peripartal period. Akt phosphorylation and PIP2 levels decrease concomitantly. Our findings suggest that an Akt-mediated cell survival pathway is compromised by the diminished availability of PIP2 elicited by pathological levels of Gq activity.

Characterization of glucocorticoid inhibition of antigen-induced inositolphosphate formation by rat basophilic leukemia cells: possible involvement of phosphatases

The suppressive effect of glucocorticoids (GC) upon antigen-induced phosphatidylinositol phospholipase C (PI-PLC) activity and inositol phosphate formation by rat basophilic leukemia cells (RBL-2H3) has been characterized. Addition of antigen for a period of 1-30 min enhanced production of [3H]inositol monophosphate (IP1), inositol 1,4-bisphosphate (IP2) and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) by about 5-10-fold. Pretreatment with hydrocortisone (HC) reduced formation of the various inositol phosphates (IPs) and degradation of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) by an average of 50%. Maximal inhibition of hydrolysis of PIP2 and reduction in stimulation of IP3 formation was reached after 4 h of preincubation with 2.10(-6) M of HC. Cycloheximide and RU486, a GC receptor antagonist, completely prevented the inhibitory effect of HC on IP formation. Other GC, dexamethasone (DEX) and triamcinolone (each at 2.10(-7) M) markedly suppressed antigen induced IP3 production, while aldosterone and sex steroids such as estradiol and progesterone (each at 2.10(-6) M) were virtually inactive. Antigen-stimulated phosphorylation of a 18 kDa and other proteins was inhibited by about 60% following pretreatment with the GC. This inhibition was in turn prevented by cycloheximide. DEX also doubled the activity of cellular acid phosphatase activity. The results suggest that the inhibitory effect of GC is specific, receptor-mediated, dependent on protein synthesis and possibly mediated by protein phosphatase activity.

Galanin reduces carbachol stimulation of phosphoinositide turnover in rat ventral hippocampus by lowering Ca2+ influx through voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channels

The 29-amino-acid peptide galanin (GAL) caused concentration-dependent inhibition of the accumulation of 3H-inositol phosphates (3H-InsPs) induced by the muscarinic agonist carbachol (CARB; 10(-3)-10(-5) M) in the presence of 5 mM lithium, specifically in tissue miniprisms from rat ventral hippocampus. The inhibitory effect of GAL involved the mono-, bis-, tris-, and tetrakisphosphates formed during activation for 2 min of phospholipase C by CARB (1 mM) in the absence of lithium. GAL (1 microM) did not affect alpha-adrenergic or serotonergic type 2 receptor-mediated phosphoinositide (PI) breakdown in the same tissue. GAL by itself neither acted on basal levels of 3H-InsPs nor affected muscarinic receptors in binding studies. Blockade of the T-, N-, and L-types of voltage-sensitive calcium channel (VSCC) with 200 microM Cd2+ reduced muscarinic receptor-mediated PI breakdown by 50% and abolished the inhibitory effect of GAL (1 microM). Reduction of the extracellular Ca2+ concentration from 1.3 mM to 0.49 microM abolished the GAL inhibition of CARB-stimulated PI hydrolysis. Ca2+ influx promoted by 18 mM K+ depolarization or by 1 microM Bay K 8644, a selective agonist of the L-type VSCC, prevented the inhibitory effect of GAL. Blockade of the L-type VSCC with nifedipine (1 microM) potentiated the inhibitory effects of GAL without affecting muscarinic stimulation of PI breakdown.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Increased intracellular calcium stimulates 3H-inositol polyphosphate accumulation in rat cerebral cortical slices

Agents that increase the intracellular Ca2+ concentration have been examined for their ability to stimulate 3H-inositol polyphosphate accumulation in rat cerebral cortex slices. Elevated extracellular K+ levels, the alkaloid sodium channel activator veratrine, the calcium ionophore ionomycin, and the marine toxin maitotoxin were all able to stimulate phosphoinositide metabolism. Certain features appear common to the agents studied. Thus, although [3H]inositol monophosphate, [3H]inositol bisphosphate ([3H]InsP2), and [3H]inositol trisphosphate were all stimulated, a proportionally greater effect was observed on [3H]InsP2 in comparison to stimulation by the muscarinic receptor agonist carbachol. However, only an elevated K+ level stimulated [3H]inositol tetrakisphosphate ([3H]InsP4) accumulation alone or produced marked synergy with carbachol on the formation of this polyphosphate. The results suggest that agents that elevate the cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration in cerebral cells can increase the hydrolysis of membrane polyphosphoinositides. The pattern of the response differs from that produced by muscarinic receptor agonists and indicate that Ca2(+)-dependent hydrolysis may involve different pools of lipids, phosphoinositidase C enzymes, or both. However, clear differences in the ability of these agents to stimulate InsP4, alone or in the presence of muscarinic agonist, suggest that factors other than a simple elevated intracellular Ca2+ concentration are implicated.

Evidence that receptor-linked G protein inhibits exocytosis by a post-second-messenger mechanism in AtT-20 cells

In AtT-20 cells somatostatin inhibits the secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) through the activation of GTP binding proteins (G proteins) linked to second messengers such as calcium and cyclic AMP (cAMP). Recently, it has been proposed that there may be G proteins that regulate directly the exocytotic machinery. We have investigated whether somatostatin could inhibit secretion at a step distal to second messengers through a GTP binding protein. For these studies two experimental paradigms were used: (1) intact cells stimulated by calcium ionophores and (2) digitonin-permeabilized cells exposed to buffers of increasing Ca2+ concentrations. Somatostatin inhibited by 70% the ACTH release caused by the calcium ionophore ionomycin without modifying the ionophore-induced elevation in cytosolic [Ca2+]. This effect was cAMP independent because (1) it was observed in the presence of high concentrations of membrane-permeant cAMP analogues, and (2) it was not accompanied by a change in cAMP levels. The effect was also independent of the levels of activators of protein kinase C because it could be produced in the presence of high concentrations of phorbol esters. The action of somatostatin was prevented by pertussis toxin. In digitonin-permeabilized AtT-20 cells somatostatin inhibited release induced by calcium buffers in a GTP-dependent manner. These two observations indicate the involvement of a G protein. It is proposed that a G protein coupled to somatostatin receptors inhibits the intracellular machinery of secretion at a step distal to second messengers, perhaps at the exocytotic site.

Purification and characterization of bovine heart phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C: kinetic analysis of the Ca2+ requirement and La3+ inhibition

Bovine heart contains multiple phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PIC) activities separable by ion-exchange chromatography. One PIC activity was purified to apparent homogeneity and migrated as a single band of Mr 85,000 on SDS-PAGE. The purified PIC was characterized with sonicated suspensions of either pure phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) or phosphatidylinositol (PI) as substrates. At pH 7, apparent Vmax and Km values were higher for PIP2 than for PI, but the value of Vmax/Km was similar for the two substrates. PIC required Ca2+ for the hydrolysis of either PI or PIP2, and increasing free Ca2+ concentrations from 20 to 300 nM saturated PIC activity. The requirement of Ca2+ for PIC activity and the sensitivity of PIC to Ca2+ concentrations in the physiological range suggested the ion may be a cofactor. The PIC reaction mechanism was determined by two-substrate kinetic analysis; the data fit a model in which PIC contained single sites for Ca2+ and phosphoinositide, and utilized a rapid-equilibrium, random-order ternary mechanism for phosphoinositide hydrolysis. The KCa value for either PI or PIP2 hydrolysis was approximately 30 nM, suggesting resting intracellular free Ca2+ concentrations are sufficient to saturate the Ca2+ site of PIC. La3+ was used as a calcium analogue to modulate PIC activity. Low concentrations of LaCl3 (0.01-0.3 microM) inhibited PIC activity competitively with respect to calcium, consistent with a Ca2+ binding site on the enzyme.