Phosphatidic acid-mediated regulation of neutrophil plasma membrane CD45-phosphotyrosine phosphatase

Regulators of G-protein signaling (RGS) 4, insertion into model membranes and inhibition of activity by phosphatidic acid

Regulators of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins are critical for attenuating G protein-coupled signaling pathways. The membrane association of RGS4 has been reported to be crucial for its regulatory activity in reconstituted vesicles and physiological roles in vivo. In this study, we report that RGS4 initially binds onto the surface of anionic phospholipid vesicles and subsequently inserts into, but not through, the membrane bilayer. Phosphatidic acid, one of anionic phospholipids, could dramatically inhibit the ability of RGS4 to accelerate GTPase activity in vitro. Phosphatidic acid is an effective and potent inhibitor of RGS4 in a G alpha(i1)-[gamma-(32)P]GTP single turnover assay with an IC(50) approximately 4 microm and maximum inhibition of over 90%. Furthermore, phosphatidic acid was the only phospholipid tested that inhibited RGS4 activity in a receptor-mediated, steady-state GTP hydrolysis assay. When phosphatidic acid (10 mol %) was incorporated into m1 acetylcholine receptor-G alpha(q) vesicles, RGS4 GAP activity was markedly inhibited by more than 70% and the EC(50) of RGS4 was increased from 1.5 to 7 nm. Phosphatidic acid also induced a conformational change in the RGS domain of RGS4 measured by acrylamide-quenching experiments. Truncation of the N terminus of RGS4 (residues 1-57) resulted in the loss of both phosphatidic acid binding and lipid-mediated functional inhibition. A single point mutation in RGS4 (Lys(20) to Glu) permitted its binding to phosphatidic acid-containing vesicles but prevented lipid-induced conformational changes in the RGS domain and abolished the inhibition of its GAP activity. We speculate that the activation of phospholipase D or diacylglycerol kinase via G protein-mediated signaling cascades will increase the local concentration of phosphatidic acid, which in turn block RGS4 GAP activity in vivo. Thus, RGS4 may represent a novel effector of phosphatidic acid, and this phospholipid may function as a feedback regulator in G protein-mediated signaling pathways.

Phospholipase D and immune receptor signalling

Immune receptors are coupled to the activation of phosphatidylcholine phospholipase D (PC-PLD) that hydrolyses phosphatidylcholine to generate phosphatidic acid and choline. As these receptors are also coupled to other signalling cascades, it has been difficult to define the precise cell activation events resulting from PLD activation in the absence of specific inhibitors. There is increasing evidence that phosphatidic acid acts as an intracellular signalling molecule regulating release of calcium from intracellular stores, sphingosine kinase and protein kinase C activation and membrane budding. Phosphatidic acid can also be rapidly converted into lysophosphatidic acid, diacylglycerol and arachidonates.

Functional coupling of FcgammaRI to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (reduced form) oxidative burst and immune complex trafficking requires the activation of phospholipase D1

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) receptors (FcgammaRs) on myeloid cells are responsible for the internalization of immune complexes. Activation of the oxidase burst is an important component of the integrated cellular response mediated by Fc receptors. Previous work has demonstrated that, in interferon-gamma-primed U937 cells, the high-affinity receptor for IgG, FcgammaRI, is coupled to a novel intracellular signaling pathway that involves the sequential activation of phospholipase D (PLD), sphingosine kinase, and calcium transients. Here, it is shown that both known PLD isozymes, PLD1 and PLD2, were present in these cells. With the use of antisense oligonucleotides to specifically reduce the expression of either isozyme, PLD1, but not PLD2, was found to be coupled to FcgammaRI activation and be required to mediate receptor activation of sphingosine kinase and calcium transients. In addition, coupling of FcgammaRI to activation of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (reduced form) (NADPH) oxidase burst was inhibited by pretreating cells with 0.3% butan-1-ol, indicating an absolute requirement for PLD. Furthermore, use of antisense oligonucleotides to reduce expression of PLD1 or PLD2 demonstrated that PLD1 is required to couple FcgammaRI to the activation of NADPH oxidase and trafficking of internalized immune complexes for degradation. These studies demonstrate the critical role of PLD1 in the intracellular signaling cascades initiated by FcgammaRI and its functional role in coordinating the response to antigen-antibody complexes.

Phosphatidic acid is a potent and selective inhibitor of protein phosphatase 1 and an inhibitor of ceramide-mediated responses

In the present study, we report that phosphatidic acid (PA) functions as a novel, potent, and selective inhibitor of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1). The catalytic subunit of PP1alpha was inhibited by PA dose-dependently in a noncompetitive manner with a K(i) value of 80 nM. The inhibition by PA was specific to PP1 as PA failed to inhibit protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) or PP2B. Furthermore, PA was the most effective and potent inhibitor of PP1 compared with other phospholipids. Because we recently showed that ceramides activated PP1, we next examined the effects of PA on ceramide stimulation of PP1. PA inhibited both basal and ceramide-stimulated PP1 activities, and ceramide showed potent and stereoselective activation of PP1 in the presence of PA. Next, the effects of PA on ceramide-induced responses were examined. Molt-4 cells took up PA dose- and time-dependently such that by 1 and 3 h, uptake of PA was 0.37 and 0. 65% of total PA added, respectively. PA at 30 microM and calyculin A at 10 nM (an inhibitor of PP1 and PP2A at low concentrations), but not okadaic acid at 10 nM (a PP2A inhibitor at low concentrations) prevented poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase proteolysis induced by C(6)-ceramide. Moreover, the combination of PA with okadaic acid prevented retinoblastoma gene product dephosphorylation induced by C(6)-ceramide. These data suggest that PA functions as a specific regulator of PP1 and may reverse or counteract those effects of ceramide that are mediated by PP1, such as apoptosis and retinoblastoma gene product dephosphorylation.