Effect of calmodulin antagonists on lysosomal enzyme secretion and phospholipid metabolism in guinea-pig macrophages

Investigations into the mechanisms controlling prostaglandin production by the guinea-pig placenta: roles of calcium and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone

The outputs of PGF(2 alpha), PGE(2) and 6-keto-PGF(1 alpha) were higher from the day 29 guinea-pig placenta than from the sub-placenta in culture, with PGF(2 alpha)being the major prostaglandin produced by the placenta. Lack of extracellular calcium reduced the production of all three prostaglandins by the sub-placenta and 6-keto-PGF(1 alpha) production by the placenta, but had no effect on the production of PGF(2 alpha) and PGE(2) by the placenta. EGTA (a calcium chelator) and a low concentration (30 microM) of TMB-8 (an intracellular calcium antagonist) generally inhibited prostaglandin output from the placenta and sub-placenta at various time points during culture, although EGTA had no effect on PGE(2) output from the placenta. Trifluoperazine and W-7 (calmodulin inhibitors) had no inhibitory effect on the outputs of PGF(2 alpha) and PGE(2) from the placenta, nor on the outputs of any prostaglandin from the sub-placenta. However, these two compounds inhibited the output of 6-keto-PGF(1 alpha) from the placenta. Nifedipine and verapamil (calcium channel blocking drugs) generally reduced the outputs of prostaglandins from the placenta and sub-placenta, except verapamil had no inhibitory effect on PGF(2 alpha) output from the sub-placenta. Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) did not stimulate the output of prostaglandins from the placenta, and tended to have a weak inhibitory action on this tissue. On the sub-placenta, GnRH had an initial inhibitory action on the outputs of PGF(2alpha) and 6-keto-PGF(1 alpha), which was then followed by a stimulation of the outputs of PGF(2 alpha) and, to a lesser extent, of PGE(2).

Two calcium-binding proteins associated with specific stages of myeloid cell differentiation are expressed by subsets of macrophages in inflammatory tissues

Using a monoclonal antibody to macrophage migration inhibition factor (MIF), two proteins were isolated from supernatants of Concanavalin A-stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells which seem to have complexed to a third component carrying the MIF activity. They are therefore designated MIF-related proteins or MRP-8 and MRP-14 according to their apparent molecular weights. Partial amino acid sequences have been determined and their cDNA have been cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Both are calcium-binding proteins and MRP-8 seems to be largely homologous to the cystic fibrosis antigen (Dorin et al., 1987). Antisera were raised in the rabbit against the recombinant proteins and their expression in cells and tissues studied using immunohistological techniques. The proteins are only found in blood granulocytes and monocytes. In culture the number of positive monocytes sharply increased and then declined with time, suggesting that their expression is associated with early stages of monocyte/macrophage differentiation and absent from resident macrophages in all tested tissues. In acute inflammatory reactions, e.g. gingivitis, MRP-8 is never seen in the tissue, whereas MRP-14 is expressed by intravascular monocytes and perivascular macrophages. In contrast, in chronic inflammation, e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, MRP-8 is also expressed by macrophages in the tissue. From this it is concluded that MRP-8 and MRP-14 are expressed sequentially at defined stages of monocyte/macrophage differentiation and that dysregulation of this process in chronic inflammation is mirrored by the presence of MRP-8-positive macrophages in the tissue.

Release of lysosomal enzymes is not correlated with superoxide and prostaglandin production by stimulated rat Kupffer cells in primary culture

A substantial production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) was induced in primary cultures of rat Kupffer cells by zymosan, calcium ionophore A23187, phorbol ester and arachidonic acid, whereas contact with latex particles, glucan or immunocomplexes led to a minor PGE2 release only. Superoxide generation, on the other hand, was observed after administration of zymosan, glucan and the phorbol ester but not after treatment with the calcium ionophore, arachidonate, latex particles or immunocomplexes. Lysosomal enzymes like beta-glucuronidase and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase were detected in the medium of rat Kupffer cells in primary culture after contact with zymosan or calcium ionophore A23187. Other particulate matter, e.g., latex particles, glucan and immunocomplexes, lipopolysaccharides or soluble agents such as phorbol ester, arachidonic acid and gamma-interferon did not provoke the release of lysosomal enzymes. The activities of beta-glucuronidase and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase found following prolonged exposure to zymosan or to A23187 were accompanied by the appearance of typical cytosolic enzymes like lactate dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in similar proportions and with the same time course. The release of lysosomal enzymes seen after administration of zymosan or calcium ionophore is thought to be the result of unspecific leakage rather than a specific response of elicited Kupffer cells.

Effects of quinacrine on vasopressin-induced changes in glycogen phosphorylase activity, Ca2+ transport and phosphoinositide metabolism in isolated hepatocytes

In isolated hepatocytes, quinacrine (150-250 microM) inhibited vasopressin-induced increases in glucose release, glycogen phosphorylase a activity and 45Ca2+ efflux; and glucagon-induced increases in glucose release and cyclic AMP formation. These results indicate that a phospholipase A2 enzyme sensitive to quinacrine is unlikely to be involved in the process by which vasopressin stimulates glycogen phosphorylase activity in the liver cell. In cells labelled with [3H]inositol, much lower concentrations of quinacrine (20-50 microM) inhibited the stimulation by vasopressin of the accumulation of [3H]inositol. The drug had little effect on vasopressin-induced accumulation of [3H]inositol mono-, bis- and tris-phosphates. In the absence of vasopressin, higher concentrations of quinacrine caused a small stimulation of glycogen phosphorylase activity, 45Ca2+ release and the formation of [3H]inositol polyphosphates. Quinacrine did not inhibit the degradation by liver homogenates of inositol 1-phosphate, inositol 4,5-bisphosphate or inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate. It is concluded that concentrations of quinacrine comparable with those which inhibit phospholipase A2 [G.J. Blackwell, W.G. Duncombe, R.J. Flower, M.F. Parsons and J.R. Vane, Br. J. Pharmac. 59, 353-366 (1977)] inhibit the stimulation by vasopressin of inositol utilization without significantly affecting coupling between hormone receptors and adenyl cyclase or phosphoinositide-specific phosphodiesterase, the action of the phosphodiesterase, and the degradation of inositol triphosphate.

The effect of calcium antagonists on the activation of guinea pig neutrophils

The role of calcium ions in the activation of guinea pig neutrophil functions was examined by evaluating the effects of calcium antagonists. The data presented here show that calcium antagonists inhibit the activation of guinea pig neutrophil functions elicited by N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) such as chemotaxis, superoxide anion generation and granule enzyme release in a concentration-dependent manner. The concentrations of calcium antagonists demonstrating the inhibition of neutrophil functions may be somewhat different for each function and higher than that of smooth muscle cells. Calcium ionophore A23187 (A23187) caused superoxide anion generation and granule enzyme release of the neutrophils. A23187 also potentiated the FMLP-induced superoxide anion generation and granule enzyme release of the neutrophils. On the contrary, A23187 neither elicited neutrophil chemotaxis nor affected FMLP-induced neutrophil chemotaxis. These results indicate the possibility that the inhibitory effect of calcium antagonists on the activation of neutrophil functions is probably not simply mediated by inhibition of calcium uptake but also by inhibition of a calcium-dependent intracellular target.

The effect of calmodulin antagonists on the activation of RAW-264 macrophage-like cells for tumor cell killing

The effects of several calmodulin antagonists on the activation of RAW-264 macrophage-like cells for tumor cell killing were investigated. At concentrations ranging from 5 X 10(-8) to 5 X 10(-7) M, calmidazolium, trifluoperazine, chlorprothixene, chlorpromazine and W-13 inhibited the development of cytolytic activity, evoked in RAW-264 by treatment with lymphokine and lipopolysaccharide, in a dose-dependent manner. Since the order of the potency of these drugs against the activation of RAW-264 cells was much the same as their ability to inhibit calmodulin-dependent phosphodiestherase activity: calmidazolium greater than trifluoperazine greater than chlorprothixene greater than chlorpromazine greater than W-13, and because W-12, a nonactive analog of W-13, failed to inhibit the process of activation, we believe that the development of cytolytic activity in RAW-264 cells may be dependent on calmodulin. At micromolar concentrations, calmodulin antagonists (except calmidazolium) enhanced the process of activation. The enhancement of cytolytic activity was neither the result of the toxicity of these drugs nor related to their effects on intracellular calcium. It was entirely dependent on the presence of stimulants but occurred independently from the stage of macrophage activation, and most likely was due to the nonspecific interference of these agents with calmodulin-independent processes.

Evidence for a catalytic role of phospholipase A in phorbol diester- and zymosan-induced mobilization of arachidonic acid in mouse peritoneal macrophages

Inositol phospholipid degradation and release of phospholipid-bound arachidonic acid was induced in intact peritoneal macrophages by exposure to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) or zymosan particles. PMA, known to activate protein kinase C, selectively enhanced the deacylation of phosphatidylinositol (i.e., degradation by phospholipase A), while zymosan particles enhanced degradation via both phospholipase A and inositol lipid phosphodiesterase (phospholipase C). The release of arachidonic acid was found to correlate with the degradation of phosphatidylinositol by the phospholipase A pathway and could be dissociated from the phospholipase C-catalyzed cleavage of inositol phospholipids in several experimental situations: (i) when PMA was the stimulus, (ii) by the difference in Ca2+ dependence between the two enzymatic processes when zymosan was the stimulus and (iii) by the parallel inhibition by chlorpromazine of the phospholipase A pathway and arachidonic acid release, but not inositol phospholipid phosphodiesterase. In addition, phloretin, a reported inhibitor of protein kinase C, was found to inhibit arachidonic acid release and the deacylation of phosphatidylinositol. The results are consistent with a model in which arachidonic acid release is mediated by phospholipase(s) A and in which PMA or the phosphodiesterase-catalyzed degradation of phosphoinositides causes activation of the phospholipase A pathway via protein kinase C.

Calmodulin antagonists elevate the levels of 32P-labeled polyphosphoinositides in human platelets

The calmodulin antagonists trifluoperazine, chlorpromazine, perphenazine, promazine, tamoxifen and the naphthalene sulfonamide derivatives W7 and W13 increased the level of 32P-incorporation into human platelet PIP and PIP2. Various drugs with poor anti-calmodulin activity were ineffective. The increase in 32P-PIP and 32P-PIP2 required micromolar concentrations of trifluoperazine and was time-dependent, reaching half-maximal within two minutes of the addition of the drug. These results indicate that the calmodulin antagonists perturb polyphosphoinositide metabolism, probably at the level of the PI- and PIP-kinases and/or the PIP2- and PIP-phosphomonoesterases.

Trifluoperazine and chlorpromazine inhibit phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis and CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase in HeLa cells

The influence of chlorpromazine and trifluoperazine on phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis in HeLa cells was investigated. HeLa cells were prelabeled with [Me-3H]choline for 1 h. The cells were subsequently incubated with various concentrations of drugs. Both compounds were potent inhibitors of phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis, with 50% inhibition by 5 micron of either drug. Analysis of the radioactivity in the soluble precursors indicated a block in the conversion of phosphocholine to CDPcholine catalyzed by CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CTP:cholinephosphate cytidylyltransferase, EC 2.7.7.15). Inhibition by these drugs was slowly reversed after incubation for more than 2 h, or was immediately abolished when 0.4 mM oleate was included in the cell medium or when the drug-containing medium was removed. The subcellular location of the cytidylyltransferase was unaffected by either drug, nor did the drugs alter the rate of release of cytidylyltransferase from HeLa cells by digitonin treatment. The drugs had a direct inhibitory effect on cytidylyltransferase activity in HeLa cell postmitochondrial supernatants. Half-maximal inhibition was achieved with 30 microM trifluoperazine and 50 microM chlorpromazine. These drugs did not change the apparent Km of the cytidylyltransferase for CTP or phosphocholine. Inhibition of cytidylyltransferase by these compounds was reversible with exogenous phospholipid or oleate in the enzyme assay. The data indicate that both drugs inhibit phosphatidylcholine synthesis by an effect on the cytidylyltransferase. The mechanism of action remains unknown at this time.

Regulatory aspects of rat liver mitochondrial phospholipase A2: effects of calcium ions and calmodulin

A comparative study was made of the metal ion requirement of rat liver mitochondrial phospholipase A2 in purified and membrane-associated forms. Membrane-bound enzyme was assayed using either exogenous or endogenous phosphatidylethanolamine. Although several divalent metal ions caused increased activity of the membrane-associated enzyme, only Ca2+ and Sr2+ activated the purified phospholipase A2. The activity in the presence of Sr2+ amounted to about 25% of that found with Ca2+. When the Ca2+ concentration was varied two activity plateaus were observed. The corresponding dissociation constants varied from 6 to 20 microM Ca2+ and from 1.4 to 12 mM Ca2+ for the high- and low-affinity binding sites, respectively, depending on the assay conditions and whether purified or membrane-bound enzyme was used. A kSr2+ of 60 microM was found for the high-affinity binding site. The effect of calmodulin and its antagonist trifluoperazine was also investigated using purified and membrane-associated enzyme. When membrane-bound enzyme was measured with exogenous phosphatidylethanolamine, small stimulations by calmodulin were found. However, these were not believed to indicate a specific role for calmodulin in the Ca2+ dependency of the phospholipase A2, since trifluoperazine did not lower the activity of the membrane-bound enzyme to levels below those found in the presence of Ca2+ alone. Membrane-bound enzyme in its action toward endogenous phosphatidylethanolamine was neither stimulated by calmodulin nor inhibited by trifluoperazine. Purified enzyme was also not stimulated by calmodulin, while trifluoperazine caused small stimulations, presumably due to interactions at the substrate level. These results indicate that calmodulin involvement in phospholipase A2 activation should not be generalized.

The calmodulin antagonists, trifluoperazine and R24571, depolarize the mitochondria within guinea pig cerebral cortical synaptosomes

The effects of trifluoperazine and 1-[bis(p-chlorophenyl)methyl]-3-[2, 4-dichloro-beta-(2,4- dichlorobenzyloxy )phenethyl]imidazolium chloride ( R2457 ) upon synaptosomal calcium transport, plasma membrane potential, in situ mitochondrial membrane potential, and ATP levels are investigated in order to assess the suitability of these calmodulin antagonists for investigating calmodulin-dependent processes in the nerve terminal. Both agents appear to act selectively at the mitochondrial membrane, causing extensive depolarization at concentrations in excess of 10 microM (trifluoperazine) or 0.5 microM ( R2457 ). The extent of Ca uptake into the synaptosomes is decreased, consistent with the loss of the mitochondrial compartment. There is no inhibition of the efflux of Ca from the synaptosomes. Depolarization-dependent Ca uptake is not prevented by R24571 . Synaptosomal ATP levels decrease to an extent consistent with the collapse of the mitochondrial potential. It is concluded that the uncoupling effect of these agents on the in situ mitochondria prevents their being used to investigate the role of calmodulin in intact synaptosomes.

Comparative biochemistry of the guinea-pig: a partial checklist

A great deal is known about guinea-pig biochemistry, but the information is scattered and difficult to assemble. The guinea-pig also possesses a number of unusual biochemical features which add to its interest. For these reasons we have compiled a list of biochemical characteristics of the guinea-pig, organized in a series of tables, with brief discussions of some of the entries.

Acetyl glyceryl ether phosphorylcholine (platelet-activating factor) mediates heightened metabolic activity in macrophages. Studies on PGE, TXB2 and O2- production, spreading, and the influence of calmodulin-inhibitor W-7

The phospholipid mediator AGEPC (acetyl glyceryl ether phosphorylcholine) was examined for its effects on guinea pig peritoneal macrophages. At a concentration of 10(-9)-10(-6) M, AGEPC evoked release of prostaglandin E (PGE) and thromboxane B2 (TXB2) from albumin-elicited macrophages. It also triggered generation of O2- by Corynebacterium parvum-induced cells. Moreover, it caused augmented spreading of macrophages. The calmodulin antagonist W-7 attenuated AGEPC-mediated O2- production and cell spreading whereas prostanoid synthesis was enhanced. These novel actions of AGEPC on the major cellular component of the inflammatory process attest to its role as a potent mediator of immunoinflammatory responses.