C(2)-ceramide-induced circular smooth muscle cell contraction involves PKC-epsilon and p44/p42 MAPK activation in cat oesophagus. Mitogen-activated protein kinase

The effect of synthetic ceramide analogues on gastritis and esophagitis in rats

The effects of ceremide analogues on esophagitis and gastritis in rats were examined. Gastritis induced by indomethacin was significantly reduced after CY3325 and CY3723 treatment, whereas other analogues had no effect. The amount of malondialdehyde in gastritis was significantly reduced by CY3325 or CY 3723. CY3325 or CY 3723 decreased the glutathione levels in gastritis. The myeloperoxidase level in gastritis is increased, and its increment was decreased by CY3325 and CY3723. In reflux esophagitis, the ulceration was decreased by CY3325, CY3723. The gastric volume and acid output are reduced, whereas the pH value is increased by CY3325 or CY3723 after esophagitis. These results suggest that ceramide analogues, CY3325 and CY3723, can prevent the development of gastritis and reflux esophagitis in rats.

Regulation of ceramide channel formation and disassembly: Insights on the initiation of apoptosis

Sphingolipid research has surged in the past two decades and has produced a wide variety of evidence supporting the role of this class of molecules in mediating cellular growth, differentiation, senescence, and apoptosis. Ceramides are a subgroup of sphingolipids (SLs) that are directly involved in the process of initiation of apoptosis. We, and others, have recently shown that ceramides are capable of the formation of protein-permeable channels in mitochondrial outer membranes under physiological conditions. These pores are indeed good candidates for the pathway of release of pro-apoptotic proteins from the mitochondrial intermembrane space (IMS) into the cytosol to initiate intrinsic apoptosis. Here, we review recent findings on the regulation of ceramide channel formation and disassembly, highlighting possible implications on the initiation of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway.

Relaxation effect of synthetic ceramide analogues in cat esophageal smooth muscle cells

Ceramide has emerged as a novel second messenger for intracellular signalling. It is produced from sphingomyelin and is involved in the control of cell differntiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. C(2)-ceramide, short chain ceramide, plays a role in mediating contraction of cat esophageal smooth muscle cells. We examined the effect of synthesized ceramide analogues on the C(2)-ceramide and ACh-induced contraction in esophageal smooth muscle cells isolated with collagenase. CY3523, CY3525, or CY3723 inhibited C(2)-ceramide induced contraction, in a time dependent manne. Each analogue also inhibited the contraction in concentration dependent manners. CY 3523, CY 3525, and CY 3723 had no effect to the contraction induced by PMA. The inhibition with CY3523, CY3525 and CY3723 on the C(2)-ceramide induced contraction was recovered by PMA. These analogues decreased the density of MAPK bands (p44/42 or p38) in the western blot. These results suggest that ceramide analogues can inhibit C(2)-ceramide induced contraction via PKC and MAPK dependent pathway.

The signaling mechanism of the sphingosylphosphorylcholine-induced contraction in cat esophageal smooth muscle cells

We investigated the signaling pathway on sphingosinephosphorylcholine (SPC) -induced contraction in cat esophageal smooth muscle cells. SPC induced in a dose-dependent manner contractile effect. We have previously shown that lysophospholipid (LPL) receptor subtypes including the S1P1, S1P2, S1P3, and S1P5 receptor are present in esophageal smooth muscle. Only EDG-5 (S1P2) receptor antibody penetration into permeablilized cells inhibited the SPC-induced contraction. Pertussis toxin (PTX) and specific antibodies to G(i1), G(i2), G(i3) and G(o) inhibited the contraction, implying that SPC-induced contraction depends on PTX-sensitive G(i1), G(i2), G(i3), and G(o) protein. A phospholipase inhibitor U73122 and incubation of permeabilized cells with PLC-beta3 antibody inhibited SPC-induced contraction. The PKC-mediated contraction may be isozyme specific since only PKCepsilon antibody inhibited the contraction. Preincubation with MEK inhibitor PD98059 blocked the SPC-induced contraction, but p38 MAPK inhibitor SB202190 did not. Cotreatment with GF109203X and PD98059 did not show synergistic effects, suggesting that these two kinases are involved in the same signaling pathway in the SPC-induced contraction. The data suggest that S1P-induced contraction in feline esophageal smooth muscle cells depends on activation of the G(i1), G(i2), G(i3) and G(o) proteins and the PLCbeta3 isozyme via the S1P2 receptor, leading to stimulation of a PKCE pathway, which subsequently activates a p44/p42 MAPK pathway.

Ceramide mediates inhibition of the renal epithelial sodium channel by tumor necrosis factor-alpha through protein kinase C

To determine whether ceramide mediates regulation of the renal epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), confocal microscopy and patch-clamp experiments were performed in A6 distal nephron cells. We found that TNF-alpha (100 ng/ml) had no effect on ENaC activity and ceramide level when the cells were grown in the presence of aldosterone, but significantly inhibited ENaC and induced ceramide production after the cells were pretreated with LY 294002, an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, for 24 h. The inhibition of ENaC induced by TNF-alpha was mimicked by exogenous sphingomyelinase (0.1 U/ml) and C(2)-ceramide (50 microM), but neither C(2)-dihydroceramide, a membrane-impermeable analog of C(2)-ceramide, nor choline, and abolished by pretreatment with GF109203X, a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor. C(2)-ceramide failed to affect ENaC in the cells pretreated with GF109203X, but not in the cells pretreated with PD-98059, a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitor. C(2)-ceramide induced the externalization of phosphatidylserine (PS) in control A6 cells, but not in the cells pretreated with GF109203X. Together with our previous finding that cytosolic PS maintains ENaC activity in A6 cells, these data suggest that ceramide mediates TNF-alpha inhibition of the renal ENaC via a pathway associated with PKC-dependent externalization of PS.

Ceramide induces apoptosis in human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells through mitogen-activated protein kinases

AIM

To provide experimental data for further research on the signal transduction of apoptosis in lung adenocarcinoma cells, we examined the effects of exogenous C2-ceramide administration on several members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) superfamily and caspase-3 in A549 cells.

METHODS

Cell viability and apoptosis were analyzed by cell counting kit-8 assay and flow cytometry. Various MAPK and caspase-3 proteins were detected by Western blotting.

RESULTS

C2-ceramide selectively altered the phosphorylation state of members of the MAPK superfamily, causing hyperphosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)1/2 and the p38 MAPK, but not affecting the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and the c-Jun N-terminal kinase. SB-203580 (a p38 MAPK inhibitor) and p38 siRNA, but not U0126 (a MEK inhibitor), partially rescued cell death induced by C2-ceramide. C2-ceramide promoted the activation of caspase-3.

CONCLUSION

Exogenous C2-ceramide induced apoptosis in human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells. The activation of MAPK and caspase-3 were involved in the mechanisms of C2-ceramide-induced apoptosis in A549 cells.

Dihydroceramide hinders ceramide channel formation: Implications on apoptosis

Early in apoptosis, ceramide levels rise and the mitochondrial outer membrane becomes permeable to small proteins. The self-assembly of ceramide to form channels could be the means by which intermembrane space proteins are released to induce apoptosis. Dihydroceramide desaturase converts dihydroceramide to ceramide. This conversion may be removing an inhibitor as well as generating a pro-apoptotic agent. We report that both long and short chain dihydroceramides inhibit ceramide channel formation in mitochondria. One tenth as much dihydroceramide was sufficient to inhibit the permeabilization of the outer membrane by about 95% (C2) and 51% (C16). Similar quantities inhibited the release of carboxyfluorescein from liposomes indicating that other mitochondrial components are not necessary for the inhibition. The apoptogenic activity of ceramide may thus depend on the ceramide to dihydroceramide ratio resulting in a more abrupt transition from the normal to the apoptotic state when the de novo pathway is used in mitochondria.

Ceramide induces neuronal apoptosis through mitogen-activated protein kinases and causes release of multiple mitochondrial proteins

Ceramide accumulates in neurons during various disorders associated with acute or chronic neurodegeneration. In these studies, we investigated the mechanisms of ceramide-induced apoptosis in primary cortical neurons using exogenous C(2) ceramide as well as inducing endogenous ceramide accumulation using inhibitors of glucosylceramide synthetase. Ceramide induced the translocation of certain, but not all, pro-apoptotic mitochondrial proteins: cytochrome c, Omi, SMAC, and AIF were released from the mitochondria, whereas Endonuclease G was not. Ceramide also selectively altered the phosphorylation state of members of the MAPK superfamily, causing dephosphorylation of ERK1/2 and hyperphosphorylation of p38 MAP kinases, but not affecting the phosphorylation of JNK or ERK5. Inhibitors of the p38 MAP kinase pathway (SB-202190 or SB-203580) and an inhibitor of the ERK1/2 pathway (U0126) reduced ceramide-induced neuronal death. These p38 and ERK1/2 inhibitors appear to block ceramide-activated apoptotic signaling upstream of the mitochondria, as they attenuated mitochondrial release of cytochrome c, Omi, AIF, and SMAC, as well as reducing ceramide-induced caspase-3 activation.

Differential regulation by Ca(2+) of calmodulin- and PKC-dependent contractile pathways in cat lower oesophageal sphincter

1. In the present investigation we examined the regulation of calmodulin (CaM)- and protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent pathways by cytosolic Ca(2+) in the contraction of cat lower oesophageal sphincter (LES). 2. Force developed in response to increasing doses of acetylcholine (ACh) was directly related to the increase of the [Ca(2+)](i) measured by fura-2. Thapsigargin, which depletes Ca(2+) stores, reduced the contraction and the [Ca(2+)](i). In addition, contraction in response to maximal ACh was reduced by the CaM inhibitor CGS9343B but not by the PKC inhibitor chelerythrine. The contraction in response to submaximal ACh was reduced by chelerythrine but not by CGS9343B. 3. In permeabilized cells, the contraction in response to low Ca(2+) (0.54 microm) was also reduced by CGS9343B. 4. The response to high Ca(2+) (1.0 microm) was reduced by CGS9343B. ACh also inhibited PKC activation induced by diacylglycerol, which activation is inhibited by the N-myristoylated peptide inhibitor derived from pseudosubstrate sequences of PKCalphabetagamma (myr-PKC-alphabetagamma), but not of myr-PKC-alpha. 5. These data are consistent with the view that activated CaM-dependent pathways inhibit PKC-dependent pathways, this switch mechanism might be regulated by Ca(2+) in the LES.

Distinct kinases are involved in contraction of cat esophageal and lower esophageal sphincter smooth muscles

Contraction of smooth muscle depends on the balance of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) and myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP) activities. Because MLCK activation depends on the activation of calmodulin, which requires a high Ca2+concentration, phosphatase inhibition has been invoked to explain contraction at low cytosolic Ca2+levels. The link between activation of the Ca2+-independent protein kinase Cε (PKCε) and MLC phosphorylation observed in the esophagus (ESO) (Sohn UD, Cao W, Tang DC, Stull JT, Haeberle JR, Wang CLA, Harnett KM, Behar J, and Biancani P. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 281: G467–G478, 2001), however, has not been elucidated. We used phosphatase and kinase inhibitors and antibodies to signaling enzymes in combination with intact and saponin-permeabilized isolated smooth muscle cells from ESO and lower esophageal sphincter (LES) to examine PKCε-dependent, Ca2+-independent signaling in ESO. The phosphatase inhibitors okadaic acid and microcystin-LR, as well as an antibody to the catalytic subunit of type 1 protein serine/threonine phosphatase, elicited similar contractions in ESO and LES. MLCK inhibitors (ML-7, ML-9, and SM-1) and antibodies to MLCK inhibited contraction induced by phosphatase inhibition in LES but not in ESO. The PKC inhibitor chelerythrine and antibodies to PKCε, but not antibodies to PKCβII, inhibited contraction of ESO but not of LES. In ESO, okadaic acid triggered translocation of PKCε from cytosolic to particulate fraction and increased activity of integrin-linked kinase (ILK). Antibodies to the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases ERK1/ERK2 and to ILK, and the MAP kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor PD-98059, inhibited okadaic acid-induced ILK activity and contraction of ESO. We conclude that phosphatase inhibition potentiates the effects of MLCK in LES but not in ESO. Contraction of ESO is mediated by activation of PKCε, MEK, ERK1/2, and ILK.