Regulation of embryonic smooth muscle myosin by protein kinase C

Postnatal development alters functional compartmentalization of myosin light chain kinase in ovine carotid arteries

The rate-limiting enzyme for vascular contraction, myosin light chain kinase (MLCK), phosphorylates regulatory myosin light chain (MLC₂₀) at rates that appear faster despite lower MLCK abundance in fetal compared with adult arteries. This study explores the hypothesis that greater apparent tissue activity of MLCK in fetal arteries is due to age-dependent differences in intracellular distribution of MLCK in relation to MLC₂₀. Under optimal conditions, common carotid artery homogenates from nonpregnant adult female sheep and near-term fetuses exhibited similar values of V_max and K_m for MLCK. A custom-designed, computer-controlled apparatus enabled electrical stimulation and high-speed freezing of arterial segments at exactly 0, 1, 2, and 3 s, calculation of in situ rates of MLC₂₀ phosphorylation, and measurement of time-dependent colocalization between MLCK and MLC₂₀. The in situ rate of MLC₂₀ phosphorylation divided by total MLCK abundance averaged to values 147% greater in fetal (1.06 ± 0.28) than adult (0.43 ± 0.08) arteries, which corresponded, respectively, to 43 ± 10% and 31 ± 3% of the V_max values measured in homogenates. Confocal colocalization analysis revealed in fetal and adult arteries that 33 ± 6% and 20 ± 5% of total MLCK colocalized with pMLC₂₀, and that MLCK activation was greater in periluminal than periadventitial regions over the time course of electrical stimulation in both age groups. Together, these results demonstrate that the catalytic activity of MLCK is similar in fetal and adult arteries, but that the fraction of total MLCK in the functional compartment involved in contraction is significantly greater in fetal than adult arteries.

The relaxant effect of okadaic acid on canine basilar artery involves activation of PKCalpha and phosphorylation of the myosin light chain at Thr-9

Vasodilator responses induced by okadaic acid were investigated in canine basilar artery precontracted with 80 mM KCl. Okadaic acid (1 microM) relaxed the artery and this relaxant effect was partially inhibited by Gö6976, a conventional protein kinase C inhibitor, and calphostin C, an inhibitor of conventional and novel PKCs. Rottlerin, a specific inhibitor of PKCdelta, did not influence okadaic acid's effect. KCl increased phosphorylation of 20,000-Dalton myosin light chain (MLC(20)) at Ser-19. Okadaic acid additionally increased MLC(20) phosphorylation at Thr-18 and Thr-9, resulting in triphosphorylation of MLC(20). This phosphorylation was inhibited by Gö6976. Okadaic acid stimulated phosphorylation of PKCalpha and 17,000-Dalton PKC-potentiated inhibitory phosphoprotein (CPI-17), and Gö6976 inhibited these phosphorylations. These results suggest that okadaic acid's relaxant effect involves MLC(20) triphosphorylation through a direct phosphorylation by PKCalpha and an indirect phosphorylation by inhibition of myosin light chain phosphatase through PKCalpha-mediated CPI-17 phosphorylation.

Stretch-induced triphosphorylation of myosin light chain and myogenic tone in canine basilar artery

The relationship between phosphorylation of 20,000 Da myosin light chain (MLC20) and contraction in response to mechanical stretch was investigated in the canine basilar artery. A slow stretch (at a rate of 1 mm/s and a stimulus period for 15 min) increased triphosphorylated MLC20 despite lowered intracellular calcium concentration and mechanical activities, such as myogenic tone, shortening velocity and stiffness of the artery. Nicardipine, a Ca2+ channel blocker, and ML-9, a myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) inhibitor, partially inhibited the stretch-induced MLC20 phosphorylation. The remained phosphorylation was further reduced by calphostin C, a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor. Y-27632, a Rho-kinase inhibitor, inhibited phosphorylation of myosin light chain phosphatase and attenuated MLC20 phosphorylation. These results suggest that slow stretch induces triphosphorylation of MLC20, which is mediated by MLCK, PKC, and Rho-kinase, and that the triphosphorylation of MLC20 does not result in myogenic contraction, rather seems to counteract it.

Distinct contractile systems for electromechanical and pharmacomechanical coupling in smooth muscle

Electromechanical coupling by KCl depolarization of bladder preparations elicits an initial phasic and subsequent tonic contraction. Using a smooth-muscle myosin heavy chain (SM-MyHC) knock-out mouse model we could previously demonstrate, that phasic and tonic contraction of intact neonatal bladder preparations could be elicited through the recruitment of SM-MyHC and non-muscle myosin heavy chains (NM-MyHC), respectively. Inhibition of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) by ML-7 eliminated the phasic contraction of wild-type (+/+), rather than tonic contraction of neonatal bladder strips prepared from both +/+ and homozygous SM-MyHC knock-out (-/-) mice. Pharmacomechanical coupling upon PDBu-induced activation of protein kinase C of neonatal bladder preparations elicited tonic contraction of both +/+ and -/- murine. We suggest that: i) electromechanical coupling activates both SM-MyHC and NM-MyHC systems via a ML-7 sensitive and insensitive pathway, respectively. ii) Pharmacomechanical coupling recruits part of the NM-MyHC system rather than SM-MyHC.

Regulation and expression of metazoan unconventional myosins

Unconventional myosins are molecular motors that convert adenosine triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis into movement along actin filaments. On the basis of primary structure analysis, these myosins are represented by at least 15 distinct classes (classes 1 and 3-16), each of which is presumed to play a specific cellular role. However, in contrast to the conventional myosins-2, which drive muscle contraction and cytokinesis and have been studied intensively for many years in both uni- and multicellular organisms, unconventional myosins have only been subject to analysis in metazoan systems for a short time. Here we critically review what is known about unconventional myosin regulation, function, and expression. Several points emerge from this analysis. First, in spite of the high relative conservation of motor domains among the myosin classes, significant differences are found in biochemical and enzymatic properties of these motor domains. Second, the idea that characteristic distributions of unconventional myosins are solely dependent on the myosin tail domain is almost certainly an oversimplification. Third, the notion that most unconventional myosins function as transport motors for membranous organelles is challenged by recent data. Finally, we present a scheme that clarifies relationships between various modes of myosin regulation.

Regulation of polymorphonuclear leukocyte phagocytosis by myosin light chain kinase after activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase

Polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) phagocytosis mediated by FcγRII proceeds in concert with activation of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase ERK2. We hypothesized that myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) could be phosphorylated and activated by ERK, thereby linking the MAP kinase pathway to the activation of cytoskeletal components required for pseudopod formation. To explore this potential linkage, PMNLs were challenged with antibody-coated erythrocytes (EIgG). Peak MLCK activity, 3-fold increased over controls, occurred at 4 to 6 minutes, corresponding with the peak rate of target ingestion and ERK2 activity. The MLCK inhibitor ML-7 (10 μmol/L) inhibited both phagocytosis and MLCK activity to basal values, thereby providing further support for the linkage between the functional response and the requirement for MLCK activation. The MAPK kinase (MEK) inhibitor PD098059 inhibited phagocytosis, MLCK activity, and ERK2 activity by 80% to 90%. To directly link ERK activation to MLCK activation, ERK2 was immunoprecipitated from PMNLs after EIgG ingestion. The isolated ERK2 was incubated with PMNL cytosol as a source of unactivated MLCK and with MLCK substrate; under these conditions ERK2 activated MLCK, resulting in phosphorylation of the MLCK substrate or of the myosin light chain itself. Because MLCK activates myosin, we evaluated the effect of directly inhibiting myosin adenosine triphosphatase using 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM) and found that phagocytosis was inhibited by more than 90% but MLCK activity remained unaffected. These results are consistent with the interpretation that MEK activates ERK, ERK2 then activates MLCK, and MLCK activates myosin. MLCK activation is a critical step in the cytoskeletal changes resulting in pseudopod formation.

Regulation of polymorphonuclear leukocyte phagocytosis by myosin light chain kinase after activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase

Polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) phagocytosis mediated by FcγRII proceeds in concert with activation of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase ERK2. We hypothesized that myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) could be phosphorylated and activated by ERK, thereby linking the MAP kinase pathway to the activation of cytoskeletal components required for pseudopod formation. To explore this potential linkage, PMNLs were challenged with antibody-coated erythrocytes (EIgG). Peak MLCK activity, 3-fold increased over controls, occurred at 4 to 6 minutes, corresponding with the peak rate of target ingestion and ERK2 activity. The MLCK inhibitor ML-7 (10 μmol/L) inhibited both phagocytosis and MLCK activity to basal values, thereby providing further support for the linkage between the functional response and the requirement for MLCK activation. The MAPK kinase (MEK) inhibitor PD098059 inhibited phagocytosis, MLCK activity, and ERK2 activity by 80% to 90%. To directly link ERK activation to MLCK activation, ERK2 was immunoprecipitated from PMNLs after EIgG ingestion. The isolated ERK2 was incubated with PMNL cytosol as a source of unactivated MLCK and with MLCK substrate; under these conditions ERK2 activated MLCK, resulting in phosphorylation of the MLCK substrate or of the myosin light chain itself. Because MLCK activates myosin, we evaluated the effect of directly inhibiting myosin adenosine triphosphatase using 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM) and found that phagocytosis was inhibited by more than 90% but MLCK activity remained unaffected. These results are consistent with the interpretation that MEK activates ERK, ERK2 then activates MLCK, and MLCK activates myosin. MLCK activation is a critical step in the cytoskeletal changes resulting in pseudopod formation.

Regulation of cell motility by mitogen-activated protein kinase

Cell interaction with adhesive proteins or growth factors in the extracellular matrix initiates Ras/mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signaling. Evidence is provided that MAP kinase (ERK1 and ERK2) influences the cells' motility machinery by phosphorylating and, thereby, enhancing myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) activity leading to phosphorylation of myosin light chains (MLC). Inhibition of MAP kinase activity causes decreased MLCK function, MLC phosphorylation, and cell migration on extracellular matrix proteins. In contrast, expression of mutationally active MAP kinase kinase causes activation of MAP kinase leading to phosphorylation of MLCK and MLC and enhanced cell migration. In vitro results support these findings since ERK-phosphorylated MLCK has an increased capacity to phosphorylate MLC and shows increased sensitivity to calmodulin. Thus, we define a signaling pathway directly downstream of MAP kinase, influencing cell migration on the extracellular matrix.

Expression of the catalytic domain of myosin light chain kinase increases paracellular permeability

Contractile events resulting from phosphorylation of the 20-kDa myosin light chain (MLC20) have been implicated in the regulation of epithelial tight junction permeability. To address this question, Madin-Darby canine kidney cells were transfected with a murine leukemia retroviral vector containing DNA encoding either the catalytic domain of myosin light chain kinase (tMK) or the beta-galactosidase gene (beta-gal). Autoradiograms of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of myosin immunoprecipitated from 32Pi-labeled transfected cells demonstrated that MLC20 phosphorylation was increased 3.1 +/- 0.9-fold in cells expressing tMK compared with cells expressing beta-gal. Phosphopeptide mapping confirmed that myosin light chain kinase was responsible for the increased MLC20 phosphorylation. Transepithelial electrical resistance, a measurement of barrier function, of tMK cell monolayers was consistently < 10% (123 +/- 20 omega.cm2) of that of monolayers comprised of wild-type cells (1,456 +/- 178 omega.cm2) or cells expressing beta-gal (1,452 +/- 174 omega.cm2). Dual 22Na+ and [3H]mannitol flux studies indicated that the decrease in resistance in tMK cells was attributable to increased paracellular flow. These data support the idea that MLC20 phosphorylation by myosin light chain kinase is involved in regulating epithelial tight junction permeability.

Fibroblast contractility without an increase in basal myosin light chain phosphorylation in wild type cells and cells expressing the catalytic domain of myosin light chain kinase

We investigated the role of myosin light chain (MLC20) phosphorylation (MLC-P) in non-muscle contractility by comparing MLC-P and the contractile properties of wild type 3T3 fibroblasts and 3T3 fibroblasts expressing the catalytic domain of myosin light chain kinase (tMK). MLC-P is 0.96 MOL of PO4/mol of MOL20 in cell expressing tMK compared to 0.20 mol of PO4/mol of MLC20 in control cells. Expressing tMK also results in a 2-fold increase in cortical stiffness compared to control cells. Contractile properties were quantified by growing wild type and transfected fibroblasts in collagen and attaching the ensuing fibers to an apparatus for performing mechanical measurements. Serum stimulation resulted in a dose-dependent increase in force with maximal force generated in the presence of 30% (v/v) serum. Surprisingly, MLC-P did not increase in wild type cells following stimulation with 30% serum, and tMK expression did not affect the contractile properties of fibers made from these cells. Moreover, the dose responses to serum, maximal force, force-velocity relationships, and dynamic stiffness were similar in the wild type cells and fibroblasts expressing tMK. These data demonstrate that non-muscle cells can generate force without an increase in MLC-P, and that an increase in MLC-P does not affect the contractile properties of fibroblast fibers.

Phosphorylation and partial sequence of pregnant sheep myometrium myosin light chain kinase

The function of the uterine smooth muscle in gestation and parturition is affected by a variety of hormones and biomolecules, some of which alter the intracellular levels of cAMP and Ca2+. Since the activity of smooth muscle MLCK has been shown to be modulated by phosphorylation, the effect of this modification of pregnant sheep myometrium (psm) MLCK by the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and protein kinase C (PKC) was studied. In contrast to other smooth muscle MLCK reported, PKA incorporates 2.0-2.2 moles phosphate into a mole of psm MLCK both in the presence and absence of Ca(2+)-calmodulin. Modification of serine residues inhibited the activity of the enzyme. PKC also incorporated 2.0-2.1 moles of phosphate per mole psmMLCK under both conditions but had no effect on the MLCK activity. Sequential phosphorylation by PKC and PKA incorporated 3.8-4.1 moles phosphate suggesting that the amino acid residues modified by the two kinases are different. Phosphoamino acid analysis of the MLCK revealed that PKC phosphorylated serine and threonine residues. The double reciprocal plots of the enzyme activity and calmodulin concentrations showed that the Vmax of the reaction is not altered by phosphorylation by PKA but the calmodulin concentration require for half-maximal activation is increased about 4-fold. Only 10 out of 17 monoclonal antibodies to various regions of the turkey gizzard MLCK cross-reacted with psmMLCK suggesting structural differences between these enzymes. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence of the cDNA encoding the C-terminal half of the psmMLCK molecule showed that while cgMLCK and psmMLCK are highly homologous, a number of nonconservative substitutions are present, particularly near the PKA phosphorylation site B (S828).

Role of the cytoskeleton during early development

Oocytes, eggs, and embryos from a diverse array of species have evolved cytoskeletal specializations which allow them to meet the needs of early embryogenesis. While each species studied possesses one or more specializations which are unique, several cytoskeletal features are widely conserved across different animal phyla. These features include highly-developed cortical cytoskeletal domains associated with developmental information, microtubule-mediated pronuclear transport, and rapid intracellular signal-regulated control of cytoskeletal organization.

Myosin light chain kinase is expressed in neurons and glia: immunoblotting and immunocytochemical studies

The contractile protein myosin is thought to subserve motility-related functions in a wide range of eukaryotic non-muscle cells including both neurons and glia. To determine if the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent enzyme, myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) is involved in the regulation of neural myosin we investigated the presence and localization of MLCK in a variety of neural tissues by immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry. A specific immunoreactive protein (M(r) = 146,000) was detected in blotted homogenates from many regions of rat brain and from primary cultures of either astrocytes or cerebellar granule cells grown in the absence of other cell types. At the light microscopic level, MLCK-immunoreactivity was evident in many regions of rat brain, as well as in the cultured astrocytes and cerebellar granule cells. MLCK-immunoreactivity was observed to be largely cytosolic in astrocytes but with a proportion associated with the cytoskeleton. In the cerebellar granule cells immunoreactivity was present in neuronal processes as well as somata. The detection of MLCK in neural cells suggests that MLCK-catalyzed myosin phosphorylation may couple changes in intracellular calcium concentrations to motility-related functions of neurons and glia.

Catalytic fragment of protein kinase C exhibits altered substrate specificity toward smooth muscle myosin light chain

Smooth muscle myosin light chain (LC) can be phosphorylated by myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) at Ser19 and Thr18 and by protein kinase C (PKC) at Thr9 and Ser1 or Ser2 under the in vitro assay conditions. Conversion of PKC to the spontaneously active protein kinase M (PKM) by proteolysis resulted in a change in the substrate specificity of the kinase. PKM phosphorylated both sets of sites in LC recognized by MLCK and PKC as analyzed by peptide mapping analysis. The PKM-catalyzed phosphorylation of these sites was not greatly affected by a MLCK inhibitor, ML-9, nor by the activators of MLCK, Ca2+ and calmodulin.

Analysis of inducible contractile rings suggests a role for protein kinase C in embryonic cytokinesis and wound healing

A semi-in vitro system derived from Xenopus oocytes which allows induction of contractile ring (CR) formation and closure is described and exploited to elucidate regulatory and structural features of cytokinesis. The inducible CRs (ICRs) are composed of actin filaments and closure is actin filament-dependent as is cytokinesis in vivo. ICR closure in this system is calcium-dependent and pH-sensitive, as is cytokinesis in permeabilized cells (Cande: Journal of Cell Biology 87:326, 1980). Closure of ICRs proceeds at a rate and with a kinetic pattern similar to embryonic cytokinesis. Collectively, these data demonstrate that this system is a faithful mimic of cytokinesis in vivo. ICR formation and closure is protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent and neomycin-sensitive, indicating that the PKC branch of the polyphosphoinositide pathway regulates formation of the actomyosin ring which is the effector of cytokinesis. Kinetic measurements show that the rate of ICR closure reaches a peak of 4-8 microns/sec. Since the maximum measured velocity of actin filament translocation by vertebrate, non-muscle myosins is 0.04 micron/sec, the later observations support a model in which the CR is segmented, containing multiple sites where filaments overlap in a "sliding filament" fashion. Because the rate decreases after reaching a peak, the results also suggest that the number of overlap sites decrease with time.

Myosin isoforms and cell heterogeneity in vascular smooth muscle. I. Developing and adult bovine aorta

Monoclonal anti-smooth muscle (SM-E7, SM-F11, and BF-48) and anti-nonmuscle (NM-A9 and NM-G2) myosin antibodies, Western blotting, and immunocytochemical procedures were used to study myosin isoform composition and distribution in the smooth muscle (SM) cells of bovine aorta differentiating in vivo and in vitro. Two myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms were identified by SM-E7 in adult aorta: SM-MHC-1 (Mr = 205 kDa) and SM-MHC-2 (Mr = 200 kDa), respectively. When tested with the SM-F11 antibody, SM-MHC-2 isoform showed distinct antigenic properties compared to SM-MHC-1. Two bands of 205 and 200 kDa were also present in the aortic SM tissue from 3-month-old fetus and were equally recognized by the BF-48 antibody. The 200-kDa SM myosin isoform was labeled by SM-F11 but not by SM-E7, thus indicating the existence of a fetal-specific SM-MHC-2 isoform. At the cellular level, both developing and adult bovine aortic tissues showed the existence of distinct patterns of myosin isoform expression. Three or even more aortic cell populations are differently distributed in areas which appear as (1) a network of interconnecting sheet-like or compact tissue (early fetus) and (2) enriched of collagenous-elastic or muscular tissue (adult animal). In addition, the SM-MHC-2 isoform of the fetal type appears to be uniquely distributed in cultured SM cells grown in vitro from adult bovine aortic explants. Our data indicate that in bovine aorta (1) MHC isoform expression is developmentally regulated and (2) the distribution of myosin isoforms is heterogenous both among and within aortic cells. These findings may be related to the distinct physiological properties displayed by SM during vascular myogenesis.

Protein kinase C phosphorylates both the light chains and the head portion of the heavy chains of brain myosin

Protein kinase C phosphorylated both the 19/21-kDa regulatory light chains and heavy chains of bovine brain myosin. The major phosphorylation sites of the light chains were on their threonyl residues, while those for myosin light chain kinase were on their seryl residues. Whereas several non-muscle regular myosins have been reported to be phosphorylated by different types of protein kinases at the non-helical small segments at the tail ends of the heavy chains, the phosphorylation sites for protein kinase C were localized on the head portion of the heavy chains of brain myosin. The possible role of phosphorylation of brain myosin by protein kinase C in the regulation of motility of neural cells is discussed.

Protein kinase C phosphorylation of thymus myosin

We have examined the effect of protein kinase C phosphorylation on the actin-activated ATPase activity and filament stability of calf thymus myosin. Protein kinase C phosphorylated thymus myosin regulatory light chains, LC20, on two sites which are different from the site phosphorylated by myosin light chain kinase. The light meromyosin part of the thymus myosin heavy chain was also phosphorylated by protein kinase C, but at a rate about 10% that of LC20. Under conditions where both unphosphorylated thymus and myosin light chain kinase-phosphorylated thymus myosin were filamentous and under conditions where myosin light chain kinase phosphorylation induces myosin filament formation, protein kinase C phosphorylation had little effect on the actin-activated ATPase activity or filament stability of unphosphorylated or myosin light chain kinase-phosphorylated myosin. In contrast, protein kinase C phosphorylation has been reported to inhibit the actin-activated ATPase activity of gizzard myosin.

Okadaic acid, a phosphatase inhibitor, produces a Ca2+ and calmodulin-independent contraction of smooth muscle

The effects of okadaic acid, a phosphoprotein phosphatase inhibitor, on the contractile response and on myosin light chain phosphorylation were studied in intact lamb tracheal smooth muscle. The effects of okadaic acid were compared to the response of the same fibers stimulated with 1 microM methacholine, a concentration that induces 90% of maximal force. Okadaic acid (50 microM) produced a slow but maximal contraction that was accompanied by an increase in phosphorylation of the 20 kDa light chain of myosin. The myosin light chain phosphorylation pattern induced by okadaic acid, however, differed from that induced by methacholine. Ca2+ depletion, N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide (W-7), a calmodulin antagonist and 1-(5-isoquinolinylsulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H-7), a protein kinase C inhibitor, blocked or attenuated methacholine-induced contractions but had no significant effect on force development or myosin light chain phosphorylation induced by okadaic acid. These results suggest that phosphorylation of the 20 kDa light chain of myosin is essential for smooth muscle contraction; they also suggest that okadaic acid either uncovers or activates an apparently Ca2+ and calmodulin-independent protein kinase activity that phosphorylates the 20 kDa light chain of myosin at multiple sites.

Staurosporine potentiates platelet activating factor stimulated phospholipase C activity in rabbit platelets but does not block desensitization by platelet activating factor

The possible involvement of protein kinase C activation in regulating PAF-stimulated PLC activity was studied in rabbit platelets. PAF (100 nM for 5 seconds) stimulated incorporation of 32P into proteins and caused [3H]InsP3 levels to increase about 260% of control. These responses were compared after platelets were pretreated with either PAF, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) or staurosporine and also after pretreatments with staurosporine followed by PAF or PMA. Pretreating platelets with staurosporine potentiated PAF-stimulated [3H]InsP3 levels by 54% and blocked protein phosphorylation. Pretreatments with PAF and PMA caused PAF-stimulated [3H]InsP3 levels to decrease to 115 and 136%, respectively. Staurosporine pretreatment blocked the decrease caused by the PMA pretreatment but not that by PAF. This study demonstrates that PAF-stimulated PLC activity is negatively affected by protein kinase C (PKC) activation and that inhibition of PKC activity did not prevent desensitization of PLC by PAF.