Inositol trisphosphates in carbachol-stimulated rat parotid glands

A Short Historical Perspective of Methods in Inositol Phosphate Research

The multitudinous inositol phosphate family elicits a wide range of molecular effects that regulate countless biological responses. In this review, I provide a methodological viewpoint of the manner in which key advances in the field of inositol phosphate research were made. I also note some of the considerable challenges that still lie ahead.

Inositol polyphosphate multikinase (IPMK) in transcriptional regulation and nuclear inositide metabolism

Inositol polyphosphate multikinase (IPMK, ipk2, Arg(82), ArgRIII) is an inositide kinase with unusually flexible substrate specificity and the capacity to partake in many functional protein-protein interactions (PPIs). By merging these two activities, IPMK is able to execute gene regulatory functions that are very unique and only now beginning to be recognized. In this short review, we present a brief history of IPMK, describe the structural biology of the enzyme and highlight a few recent discoveries that have shed more light on the role IPMK plays in inositide metabolism, nuclear signalling and transcriptional regulation.

A tale of two inositol trisphosphates

Between spring 1982 and autumn 1984 the physiological role of Ins(1,4,5)P3 as a calcium-mobilizing second messenger was first suggested and then experimentally established. At the same time the unexpected complexity of inositide metabolism began to be exposed by the discovery of Ins(1,3,4)P3. This article recalls my entanglement with these two inositol phosphates.

Phosphoinositides: tiny lipids with giant impact on cell regulation

Phosphoinositides (PIs) make up only a small fraction of cellular phospholipids, yet they control almost all aspects of a cell's life and death. These lipids gained tremendous research interest as plasma membrane signaling molecules when discovered in the 1970s and 1980s. Research in the last 15 years has added a wide range of biological processes regulated by PIs, turning these lipids into one of the most universal signaling entities in eukaryotic cells. PIs control organelle biology by regulating vesicular trafficking, but they also modulate lipid distribution and metabolism via their close relationship with lipid transfer proteins. PIs regulate ion channels, pumps, and transporters and control both endocytic and exocytic processes. The nuclear phosphoinositides have grown from being an epiphenomenon to a research area of its own. As expected from such pleiotropic regulators, derangements of phosphoinositide metabolism are responsible for a number of human diseases ranging from rare genetic disorders to the most common ones such as cancer, obesity, and diabetes. Moreover, it is increasingly evident that a number of infectious agents hijack the PI regulatory systems of host cells for their intracellular movements, replication, and assembly. As a result, PI converting enzymes began to be noticed by pharmaceutical companies as potential therapeutic targets. This review is an attempt to give an overview of this enormous research field focusing on major developments in diverse areas of basic science linked to cellular physiology and disease.

Inositol phosphate metabolism and platelet activation

Platelet activation by thrombin and most other agonists appears to require two second messenger systems that are both initiated by phospholipase C-catalysed cleavage of phosphatidylinositol phosphates leading to: 1. formation of inositol phosphates with a subsequent rise in intracellular calcium from intracellular stores and from outside the cell; 2. formation of diacylglycerol with subsequent activation of protein kinase C. This review examines inositol phosphate metabolism in platelets and its involvement in calcium metabolism.

Inositol trisphosphate and calcium mobilization

Calcium-mobilizing agonists act by stimulating the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns4,5P2) to inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and diacylglycerol (DG). In response to such agonists cells also produce inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate but this isomer is unlikely to influence calcium mobilization. Application of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins1,4,5P3) to permeabilized cells results in a rapid release of calcium from the endoplasmic reticulum. Structure-activity studies reveal that the vicinal phosphates on the 4- and 5-positions are essential for releasing calcium whereas the phosphate on the opposite side enhances the affinity of Ins1,4,5P3 for its putative receptor. The flow of calcium across the endoplasmic reticulum appears to be electrogenic and requires an opposite flow of potassium to neutralize charge movements. Diacylglycerol, acting through protein kinase C, does not play a direct role in calcium signalling but it does modulate various aspects of the InsP3/Ca2+ pathway. The DG/protein kinase C pathway can influence both the formation and hydrolysis of PtdIns4,5P2 and can alter the responsiveness of various processes to the action of calcium. The Ins1,4,5P3/Ca2+ signal pathway functions throughout the life history of cells to regulate such diverse activities as egg maturation and fertilization, growth, secretion, metabolism, neural activity, and perhaps excitation-contraction coupling in skeletal muscle.

Anticonvulsant efficacy of valproate-like carboxylic acids: a potential target for anti-bipolar therapy

BACKGROUND

Bipolar disorder (BPD) is a severe and chronic illness, with a lifetime prevalence of approximately 1.5%. Despite the availability of some mood stabilizing drugs including lithium, valproate (valproic acid), lamotrigine and carbamazepine, BPD is characterized by high rates of recurrence, as treatment with these and other drugs is ineffective for and not well-tolerated by a significant percentage of patients. Most drugs currently used for the maintenance treatment of BPD are anticonvulsants (e.g., valproate, carbamazepine and lamotrigine).

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this paper is to review the studies characterizing the anticonvulsant efficacy of valproate-like carboxylic acids and related compounds, some of which may have potential for the treatment of manic-depressive illness.

RESULTS

The data reviewed herein demonstrate clearly that some dietary fatty acids and other valproate-like carboxylic acids exhibit potent anticonvulsant activity, and may thus be candidates for mood stabilizing treatment options for BPD.

Lipid connection to bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder is a severe and chronic illness affecting approximately 1.5% of the American population. Despite the availability of mood bipolarstabilizers such as lithium, valproate, carbamazepine and lamotrigine, bipolar disorder is characterized by high rates of recurrence, as treatment with these and other drugs is ineffective for and not tolerated by a significant percentage of patients. Several hypotheses have been postulated to explain the mechanism(s) of action of mood stabilizers. However, the biological and molecular bases of the disease are not fully understood, hampering the development of more effective and safer drugs. A large body of evidence associates lipids (cholesterol, phospholipids and fatty acids) with the mechanism and pathology of bipolar disorder. The purpose of this paper is to review the lipid connection to bipolar disorder.

Inositol phosphates and phosphoinositides in health and disease

In the past two decades, considerable progress has been made toward understanding inositol phosphates and PI metabolism. However, there is still much to learn. The present challenge is to understand how inositol phosphates and PIs are compartmentalized, identify new targets of inositol phosphates and PIs, and elucidate the mechanisms underlying spatial and temporal regulation of the enzymes that metabolize inositol phosphates and PIs. Answers to these questions will help clarify the mechanisms of the diseases associated with these molecules and identify new possibilities for drug design.

20 years of Ins(1,4,5)P3, and 40 years before

This year marks the 20th birthday of the discovery of inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate as a second messenger. The background to this discovery is a complex story that goes back more than 50 years and involves a large cast of characters, both chemical and human.

Back in the water: the return of the inositol phosphates

Following the discovery of inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate as a second messenger, many other inositol phosphates were discovered in quick succession, with some understanding of their synthesis pathways and a few guesses at their possible functions. But then it all seemed to go comparatively quiet, with an explosion of interest in the inositol lipids. Now the water-soluble phase is once again becoming a focus of interest. Old and new data point to a new vista of inositol phosphates, with functions in many diverse aspects of cell biology, such as ion-channel physiology, membrane dynamics and nuclear signalling.

Alpha1-adrenoceptor-mediated formation of glycerophosphoinositol 4-phosphate in rat heart: possible role in the positive inotropic response

In the present study, we investigated whether phospholipase A2 (PLA2)/lysophospholipase activity producing glycerophosphoinositols from phosphoinositides was operating in rat heart and could be stimulated by alpha1-adrenergic agonists. PLA2/lysophospholipase activity was found in homogenates from rat right ventricles. The stimulation of PLA2/lysophospholipase activity by noradrenaline (NA) was prevented either by the alpha1-adrenergic antagonist prazosin or arachidonyl trifluoromethyl ketone, a selective inhibitor of the 85-110 kDa, sn-2-arachidonyl-specific cytosolic PLA2. The selective alpha1-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine induced a concentration- and time-dependent increase in glycerophosphoinositol (GroPIns) and glycerophosphoinositol 4-phosphate (GroPIns4P) in rat right ventricle slices prelabelled with D-myo-[3H]inositol. In electrically driven strips of rat right ventricles, prelabelled with D-myo-[3H]inositol, the positive inotropic effect induced by 20 microM NA in the presence of propranolol was accompanied by the formation of GroPIns and GroPIns4P. The concentration of the formed GroPIns4P (1.33+/-0.12 microM, N = 6) was similar to that previously reported to inhibit the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger in cardiac sarcolemmal vesicles (Luciani S, Antolini M, Bova S, Cargnelli G, Cusinato F, Debetto P, Trevisi L and Varotto R, Biochem Biophys Res Commun 206: 674-680, 1995). These findings show that the stimulation of alpha1-adrenoceptors in rat heart is followed by an increase in the formation of GroPIns4P, which may contribute to the positive inotropic effect of alpha1-adrenergic agonists by inhibition of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger.

Differential routes of Ca2+ influx in Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts in response to receptor stimulation

Ca2+ influx into cells in response to stimulation of various receptors was studied with Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts. The mechanisms involved were found to be so diverse that they were classified into four groups, Type I to IV. Type-I influx occurred, via pertussis toxin-susceptible G-proteins, immediately after internal Ca2+ mobilization by bradykinin, thrombin, endothelin, vasopressin or angiotensin II. Type-II influx induced by bombesin differed from Type I in its insusceptibility to pertussis toxin treatment. Ca2+ influx induced by prostaglandin E1, referred to as Type-III influx, was unique in that phospholipase C was apparently not activated without extracellular Ca2+, strongly suggesting that the Ca2+ influx preceded and was responsible for InsP3 generation and internal Ca2+ mobilization. More Ca2+ entered the cells more slowly via the Type-IV route opened by platelet-derived and other growth factors. These types of Ca2+ influx could be differentiated by their different susceptibilities to protein kinase C maximally activated by 1 h of exposure of cells to PMA, which inhibited phospholipase Cbeta coupled to receptors involved in Type-I and -II influx but did not inhibit growth-factor-receptor-coupled phospholipase Cgamma. Type-I and -II Ca2+ influxes, together with store-operated influx induced by thapsigargin, were not directly inhibited by exposure of cells to PMA, but Type-III and -IV influxes were completely inhibited. In addition, stimulation of receptors involved in Type-I and -IV Ca2+ influx, but not Type-II and -III influx, led to phospholipase A2 activation in the presence of extracellular Ca2+. Inhibition of Type-I and -IV Ca2+ influxes by their respective inhibitors, diltiazem and nifedipine, resulted in abolition of phospholipase A2 activation induced by the respective receptor agonists, in agreement with the notion that Ca2+ influx via these routes is responsible for receptor-mediated phospholipase A2 activation.

Bradykinin- and thrombin-induced increases in endothelial permeability occur independently of phospholipase C but require protein kinase C activation

We determined whether activation of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) and a subsequent increase in cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) was an obligatory signaling event mediating the increase in transendothelial permeability induced by bradykinin (BK) and alpha-thrombin (alpha-T). Both BK and alpha-T (each at a concentration range of 0.01-1 microM) caused dose-dependent increases in transendothelial 125I-albumin permeability in cultured bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cell monolayers. Both agonists also produced a rise in inositol (1,4,5)-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] by 10 sec that was followed by a prolonged increase in [Ca2+]i. Pretreatment of endothelial cells with the PLC inhibitor, 1-(6-((17 beta-3-methoxyestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-17-yl)amino)hexyl)-1 H-pyrrole-2,5-dion [(U73122) at 10 microM for 15 min], prevented the increases in Ins(1,4,5)P3 and [Ca2+]i induced by both BK and alpha-T. However, inhibition of PLC with U73122 or another PLC inhibitor, neomycin, did not prevent the increase in endothelial permeability induced by either agonist. In contrast, depletion of cellular protein kinase C (PKC) with phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate (0.01 microM for 20 hr) increased both BK- and alpha-T-induced phosphoinositide turnover but inhibited the agonist-induced increase in permeability. A PKC inhibitor, staurosporine (5 microM) likewise inhibited the BK-induced increase in endothelial cell permeability to albumin. We conclude that increases in endothelial permeability induced by the inflammatory mediators, BK and thrombin, can occur independently of PLC activation and increased [Ca2+]i but that a PKC-dependent pathway is required for the permeability response.

Quantitative chromatographic analysis of inositol phospholipids and related compounds

The metabolism of phospholipids and the mobilization of second messengers such as inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate, 1,2-diacylglycerol (DAG) and arachidonic acid (AA) from phospholipids is commonly studied by radiolabelling phospholipids with [3H]myo-inositol or [32P]ATP and measuring the incorporation of radioactivity in different phospholipids or their hydrolysis products. However, for the radiolabelling method to accurately reflect changes in the compound's mass, it is essential that the tissue is labelled to isotopic equilibrium which is difficult to achieve. To circumvent the disadvantages of the radiolabelling method, several analytical procedures have been developed for the mass analysis of phospholipids and inositolphosphates (IPs). Quantitation of the mass or the radiolabelling of phospholipids is a complex multi-step procedure that involves quantitative isolation of phospholipids, fractionation of individual phospholipids and either determination of radioactivity in each component or the measurement of their mass. Phospholipids, DAG and AA are extracted from tissue sample with organic solvents such as chloroform-methanol (2:1) containing HCl or formic acid. The extract is separated by TLC, cartridge-column chromatography or HPLC on a reversed-phase column. Phospholipids are quantitated by measuring inorganic phosphate, absorption at 200 nm or mass spectrometry. Inositol phosphates are extracted with perchloric acid or trichloroacetic acid and separated by ion-exchange cartridge-column or HPLC with an ion-exchange column. IPs are quantitated by measuring inorganic phosphate or by using enzymatic reaction, metal-dye coupling, NMR or mass spectrometry.

Thrombin receptor activating peptides induce Ca2+ mobilization, barrier dysfunction, prostaglandin synthesis, and platelet-derived growth factor mRNA expression in cultured endothelium

Endothelial cell activation by thrombin is a key event in wound healing, inflammation, and hemostasis. To better define thrombin-endothelial cell interactions we synthesized several peptides of varying length corresponding to the initial 14 amino acid sequence of the cloned human platelet thrombin receptor after cleavage at an arginine41 site (R/SFLLRNPNDKYEPF). Thrombin receptor activating peptides (TRAPs) as short as 5 amino acids induced significant levels of PGI2 synthesis and expression of PDGF mRNA in human endothelium and produced dose-dependent cellular contraction and permeability of confluent human umbilical vein and bovine pulmonary artery endothelial monolayers. To explore whether TRAPs utilized similar signal transducing pathways as alpha-thrombin to accomplish endothelial cell activation, phospholipase C production of the Ca2+ secretagogue IP3 was measured and detected 10 seconds after either TRAP 7 or alpha-thrombin. Furthermore, TRAPs ranging from 5-14 residues induced significant dose-dependent increases in Fura-2 fluorescence indicative of Ca2+(1) mobilization. These results indicate that thrombin-mediated proteolytic cleavage of the human and bovine thrombin receptor initiates stimulus/coupling responses such phospholipase C activation, Ca2+ mobilization, and protein kinase C activation. The functional consequence of this cellular activation via the cleaved receptor is enhanced cellular contraction, barrier dysfunction, PGI2 synthesis, and expression of PDGF mRNA.

Li(+)-induced structural changes of synaptic ribbons are related to the phosphoinositide metabolism in photoreceptor synapses

Synaptic ribbons are specialized cytoskeletal components of the presynaptic exocytotic machinery in photoreceptors. In cone photoreceptors, these structures are highly dynamic disappearing during darkness and reforming in the light phase. In this study we wanted to characterize the second messengers involved in the regulation of these cyclic changes. We show that synaptic ribbons in cone photoreceptors are very sensitive to both Li+ and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate suggesting that inositol polyphosphates might play a physiological role in the disassembly of synaptic ribbons. The presence of the phosphoinositide pathway was demonstrated in isolated photoreceptor synapses. The phosphoinositide metabolism in photoreceptor synapses was dark-activated and correlated with the disappearance of synaptic ribbons during dark-adaptation. Since Li+ and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate only influenced synaptic ribbons in cones but not in rods the dark-activated phosphoinositide metabolism should be largely ascribed to cone synapses.

Interaction of benzene 1,2,4-trisphosphate with inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor and metabolizing enzymes

In a wide variety of cells, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) is an important second messenger involved in the regulation of intracellular Ca2+ concentration. InsP3 interacts with specific receptors and triggers the release of sequestered Ca2+ from an internal store. We have synthesized a structural analogue of InsP3 by phosphorylation of the free hydroxyl groups of 1,2,4-benzenetriol with dibenzylphosphorochloridate. The product benzene 1,2,4-trisphosphate (BzP3) was shown to interact with InsP3 receptor and InsP3 metabolizing enzymes of bovine adrenal cortex. BzP3 competitively blocked InsP3 binding to adrenal cortex microsomes with a half-maximal efficiency at 34 microM. This affinity was about 10,000 times lower than that of InsP3 for its receptor. The Ca2+ releasing activity of BzP3 on the same microsomal preparation was monitored with the fluorescent indicator fura-2. BzP3 had no agonistic effect on this activity but it was able to inhibit InsP3-induced Ca2+ release in a dose-dependent manner. The activity of InsP3 phosphatase was also studied. BzP3 inhibited the activity of the phosphatase with a half-maximal efficiency of 32 microM. BzP3 was also able to inhibit the activity of the cytosolic InsP3 kinase with a half-maximal efficiency of 6.1 microM. These results show that BzP3 is interacting with the three specific recognition sites for InsP3 in the bovine adrenal cortex. The inhibitory effect of this compound is relatively more potent on the metabolizing enzymes than on the Ca(2+)-mobilizing receptor.

The plant phosphoinositide system

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Synthesis of racemic 5-phosphonate analogues of myo-inositol 1,4,5-tris- and 1,3,4,5-tetrakis-phosphate

(+/-)-2,3,6-Tri-O-benzyl-5-O-p-methoxybenzyl-myo-inositol and (+/-)-2,6-di-O-benzyl-5-O-p-methoxy-benzyl-myo-inositol, accessible readily from (+/-)-3,6-di-O-allyl-1,2-O-cyclohexylidene-myo-inositol, were phosphitylated with dibenzyl N,N-di-isopropylphosphoramidite, and the resulting phosphite triesters were oxidised with tert-butyl hydroperoxide to give the corresponding fully protected myo-inositol 1,4-bis- (12) and 1,3,4-tris-phosphate (13) derivatives. Cleavage of the p-methoxybenzyl group from 12 and 13, phosphonylation with bis[6-(trifluoromethyl)benzotriazol-1-yl] methylphosphonate or (difluoromethyl)phosphonic di(1,2,4-triazolide), followed by treatment in situ with benzyl alcohol, and then hydrogenolysis of the benzyl groups gave the 5-methylphosphonate and 5-[(difluoromethyl)phosphonate] analogues of myo-inositol 1,4,5-tris- and 1,3,4,5-tetrakis-phosphate. The 5-methylphosphonate analogue of myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate acted as a calcium antagonist in permeabilized human platelets.

An inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-6-kinase activity in pea roots

A soluble extract from pea (Pisum sativum L.) roots, when incubated with ATP and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate, produced an inositol tetrakisphosphate. The chromatographic properties of this inositol tetrakisphosphate, and of the products formed by its chemical degradation, identify it as inositol 1,4,5,6-tetrakisphosphate. No evidence was obtained for a 3-phosphorylation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate. The importance of these observations with respect to inositol phosphates and calcium signalling in higher plants, is discussed.

Determination of inositol polyphosphates from human T-lymphocyte cell lines by anion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography and post-column derivatization

The intracellular amounts of several inositol tris-, tetrakis- and pentakisphosphates and inositol hexakisphosphate were determined in resting and stimulated cells from human T-lymphocyte lines. The inositol polyphosphates were separated by anion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography and were detected on-line by a recently developed post-column dye system. In the human T-lymphocyte cell line Jurkat, basal intracellular concentrations ranged between 25 +/- 10 pmol per 10(9) cells for inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate to 6380 +/- 355 pmol per 10(9) cells for inositol hexakisphosphate. Similar basal concentrations were observed in the human T-lymphocyte cell line HPB.ALL, with the exception that inositol hexakisphosphate was approximately 665 +/- 10 pmol per 10(9) cells. Stimulation of the human T-lymphocyte cell line Jurkat via the T-cell receptor by a monoclonal antibody directed against the T-cell receptor-CD3 complex induced time-dependent changes in the intracellular concentrations of multiple inositol polyphosphate isomers, including inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate, inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate, inositol 1,3,4,6-tetrakisphosphate, an as yet unidentified inositol tetrakisphosphate isomer, inositol 1,3,4,5,6-pentakisphosphate, inositol 1,2,3,4,6-pentakisphosphate and DL-inositol 1,2,4,5,6-pentakisphosphate. Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate increased only transiently after 5 min, whereas DL-inositol 1,4,5,6-tetrakisphosphate (determined as the enantiomeric mixture) increased after 20 min.

Second messengers derived from inositol lipids

Many hormones, growth factors, and neurotransmitters stimulate their target cells by promoting the hydrolysis of plasma-membrane phosphoinositides to form the two second messengers, diacylglycerol and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3]. In such cells, ligand-receptor interaction stimulates specific phospholipases that are activated by guanyl nucleotide regulatory G proteins or tyrosine phosphorylation. In many cells, the initial rise in cytoplasmic calcium due to Ins(1,4,5)P3-induced mobilization of calcium from agonist-sensitive stores is followed by a sustained phase of cytoplasmic calcium elevation that maintains the target-cell response, and is dependent on influx of extracellular calcium. Numerous inositol phosphates are formed during metabolism of the calcium-mobilizing messenger, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3], to lower and higher phosphorylated derivatives. The cloning of several phospholipase-C isozymes, as well as the Ins(1,4,5)P3-5 kinase and the Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptor, have clarified several aspects of the diversity and complexity of the phosphoinositide-calcium signaling system. In addition to their well-established roles in hormonal activation of cellular responses such as secretion and contraction, phospholipids and their hydrolysis products have been increasingly implicated in the actions of growth factors and oncogenes on cellular growth and proliferation.

Relationship between the calcium-mobilizing action of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate in permeable AR4-2J cells and the estimated levels of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate in intact AR4-2J cells

Various experimental strategies were employed in an effort to explain the previously reported [Horstman, Takemura & Putney (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 15297-15303] paradoxically high levels of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [(1,4,5)IP3] in resting and substance-P-stimulated AR4-2J cells. The concentration-effect curves for substance-P-induced [3H](1,4,5)IP3 formation in [3H]inositol-labelled cells and substance-P-induced increase in intracellular [Ca2+] were essentially superimposable, suggesting that formation of (1,4,5)IP3 is limiting for cellular Ca2+ mobilization. In electrically permeabilized AR4-2J cells, (1,4,5)IP3 and other inositol polyphosphates stimulated Ca2+ release with potencies similar to those reported for other cell types, including the parent pancreatic acinar cell. Compartmentalization of basal (1,4,5)IP3 was suggested by the fact that this material was stable in the presence of antimycin A, although this toxin completely blocked agonist stimulation of phospholipase C. However, subcellular fractionation as well as permeabilization of the cells with Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin failed to provide evidence for binding or sequestration of [3H](1,4,5)IP3 in AR4-2J cells. The density of (1,4,5)IP3 receptors in AR4-2J cells was not sufficiently large to impose non-linearity in the relationship between (1,4,5)IP3 concentration and (1,4,5)IP3-induced Ca2+ release. Thus the apparent high concentrations of (1,4,5)IP3 in resting and stimulated AR4-2J cells are not indicative of atypically low sensitivity or high concentration of (1,4,5)IP3 receptors, nor is there evidence for compartmentalization of (1,4,5)IP3 outside of the cytoplasm in these cells. It is possible that soluble factors in the cytoplasm of AR4-2J cells regulate the free concentration of (1,4,5)IP3 or the sensitivity of receptors to (1,4,5)IP3.

VIP and forskolin enhance carbachol-induced K+ efflux from rat salivary gland fragments by a Ca2(+)-sensitive mechanism

The effect of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and forskolin on carbachol-induced K+ release from superfused rat submandibular and parotid gland fragments was examined using a K(+)-sensitive electrode. Carbachol (0.1, 1, and 10 microM) superfused over the glandular fragments for 15 min caused a concentration-dependent, transient elevation of K+ efflux, with a peak value after approximately 5 min. The carbachol-induced release of K+ could be divided into two distinct components, one transient peak lasting 5-8 min independent of extracellular Ca2+ and a second component of K+ release dependent on Ca2+ in the perfusion medium. VIP (1 microM) lacked effect on K+ efflux on its own but increased the carbachol (1 microM)-evoked K+ release. The VIP effects on K+ efflux were mimicked by forskolin (10 microM). Omission of Ca2+ from the medium totally abolished the augmenting effect of VIP and forskolin on carbachol-evoked K+ efflux. The Ca2+ ionophore A23187 (1 or 10 microM) induced a prolonged low-rate efflux of K+, which was dependent on Ca2+ in the medium. This effect of A23187 on K+ secretion was potentiated by forskolin (10 microM). The Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase blocker ouabain did not affect K+ release on its own, a lack of effect which remained following pretreatment with forskolin. It is concluded that VIP, by increasing the intracellular levels of cAMP in the glandular cell, potentiates carbachol-evoked Ca2(+)-dependent K+ efflux. These results may help to explain the synergistic effects of the coexisting transmitters VIP and acetylcholine.

Ca2+ release and InsP3 production in avian uterine cells: effects of PGF2 alpha and AVT

Primary cultures of smooth muscle cells isolated from the shell gland ("uterus") of the domestic hen were permeabilized with digitonin and loaded with 45Ca2+ in the presence of ATP. When these cells were stimulated with prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha), arginine vasotocin (AVT), or D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3], there was a rapid, biphasic, and dose-related release of 45Ca2+ from nonmitochondrial pools. 2-Nitro-4-carboxyphenyl-N,N-diphenylcarbamate, an inhibitor of phospholipase C, had no effect on PGF2 alpha - and Ins(1,4,5)P3-promoted 45Ca2+ efflux, whereas it significantly inhibited AVT-stimulated and a stable analogue of GTP-stimulated 45Ca2+ release. In fura-2-loaded intact cells, both PGF2 alpha and AVT increased intracellular Ca2+ levels [( Ca2+]i) in a dose-related manner in the presence of extracellular Ca2+. However, omission of extracellular Ca2+ prevented a PGF2 alpha, but not AVT-induced, rise in [Ca2+]i In D-myo-[3H]inositol-labeled cells, 10 nM AVT caused a rapid, two- to threefold increase in [3H]-Insp3, whereas PGF2 alpha up to 1 microM was infective. Raising PGF2 alpha to 10 microM increased total inositol phosphates by 22% over controls (P less than 0.05). These results point to marked differences in the mechanisms by which AVT and PGF2 alpha regulate [Ca2+]i in uterine smooth muscle cells. It is suggested that the two agonists act in concert to initiate oviposition.

The molecular basis of enzyme secretion

Acinar cells are one of the best studied models of exocytotic secretion. A number of different hormones and neurotransmitters interact with specific membrane receptors, and it is commonly held that pancreatic secretagogues stimulate enzyme release via the elevation of either cytosolic free Ca2+ or cellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate. The discovery of the pivotal role played by phospholipid metabolism in the chain of events leading to secretion, together with the introduction of sensitive techniques to monitor cytosolic free Ca2+, has generated a series of studies that have challenged this classical model. Thus, several observations in pancreatic acini as well as other cell types have argued against the notion that a generalized increase in cytosolic free Ca2+ represents a sufficient and necessary stimulus for exocytosis in nonexcitable cells. Furthermore, the demonstration that a single agonist activates multiple transduction pathways has served to refute the schematic view that receptor agonists activate only one second messenger system. The aim of this article is to review the recent advances in understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms of signal transduction, with particular emphasis on the inositol lipid pathway, and to integrate this information into a new working model of enzyme secretion from acinar cells.

2,3-Diphosphoglycerate is a nonselective inhibitor of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate action and metabolism

Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) is an important second messenger generated from the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate by phospholipase C in response to Ca2(+)-mobilizing stimuli. InsP3 interacts with specific intracellular receptors and triggers the release of sequestered Ca2+ from an intracellular store. We have looked at the influence of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate on the action and metabolism of InsP3 in the bovine adrenal cortex. 2,3-Diphosphoglycerate blocked InsP3 binding to adrenal cortex microsomes with a half-maximal efficiency of 0.5 mM. Scatchard analyses revealed that 2,3-diphosphoglycerate did not change the maximal capacity of the microsomes, but decreased their binding affinity for InsP3. The Ca2(+)-releasing activity of InsP3 on the same microsomal preparation was monitored with the fluorescent indicator, Fura-2. 2,3-Diphosphoglycerate blocked this activity with a half-maximal efficiency of 2 mM. The effect of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate could be overcome by supramaximal doses of InsP3, indicating a competitive inhibitory effect. The activity of InsP3 phosphatase from bovine adrenal cortex microsomes was also studied. 2,3-Diphosphoglycerate inhibited the activity of the phosphatase with a half-maximal efficiency of 0.3 mM. Lineweaver-Burke plots revealed that this effect was competitive. Finally, 2,3-diphosphoglycerate was also able to inhibit the activity of a partially purified preparation of InsP3 kinase from bovine adrenal cortex cytosol. The half-maximal dose was around 10 mM and the Lineweaver-Burke plot showed that the inhibition was competitive. These results show that 2,3-diphosphoglycerate can be considered as a structural analog of InsP3. Its inhibitory effects, however, are not selective enough to use it as an InsP3 protective agent in Ca2(+)-mobilization studies.

Ca2+/calmodulin independent inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase activity in guinea pig peritoneal macrophages

1. The Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM) independent activity of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) 3-kinase in macrophages could be separated from the dependent activity by serial column chromatography, gel filtration, Orange A and DEAE-5PW. 2. An InsP3 analog which has an aminobenzoyl group on the 2nd carbon of the inositol ring inhibited the conversion of [3H]InsP3 to [3H]InsP4 (inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate) in a dose-dependent manner. The concentration required for half-maximal inhibition (IC50) with the Ca2+/CaM independent enzyme activity was also dependent on the free Ca2+ concentration, as with the dependent activity. 3. These results suggest that a conformational change in the enzyme occurs in response to a change in free Ca2+ concentration, and thus the potency to recognize the InsP3 analog would change, even when the Ca2+/CaM independent enzyme activity was used.

Extracellular ATP stimulates polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis and prostaglandin synthesis in rat renal mesangial cells. Involvement of a pertussis toxin-sensitive guanine nucleotide binding protein and feedback inhibition by protein kinase C

ATP stimulated a rapid and dose-dependent formation of inositol polyphosphates in rat glomerular mesangial cells. In parallel there was a 80% increase in 1, 2-diacylglycerol (DAG) after 15 s upon stimulation with ATP. The rank order of potency of a series of ATP and ADP analogues for stimulation of inositol trisphosphate (InsP3) formation was ATP greater than ATP gamma S greater than beta gamma-methylene-ATP greater than beta gamma-imido-ATP greater than ADP, while ADP beta S, AMP, adenosine and GTP were inactive, indicating the presence of P2y-purinergic receptors. ATP also stimulated a marked synthesis of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). The rank order of potency of different ATP and ADP analogues was identical to that of InsP3 generation. Pre-treatment of the cells with pertussis toxin strongly attenuated ATP-induced formation of InsP3 and DAG. Short-term (10 min) pre-treatment of the cells with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA), a potent activator of protein kinase C, produced a dose-dependent inhibition of the ATP-stimulated InsP3 generation. Furthermore, inhibition of protein kinase C by the potent inhibitor staurosporin, or downregulation of protein kinase C by longterm (24 h) incubation of the cells with TPA, resulted in an enhanced formation of InsP3 towards a stimulation with ATP.

Extracellular ATP stimulates poly(inositol phospholipid) hydrolysis and eicosanoid synthesis in mouse peritoneal macrophages in culture

The effects of extracellular ATP on inositol phospholipid breakdown and synthesis of eicosanoids were studied in mouse peritoneal macrophages. Addition of ATP to intact cells labelled with [3H]inositol stimulated a rapid (within 10 s) formation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate. In parallel there was also a substantial accumulation of inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate and the monophosphate and bisphosphate derivatives of inositol. Within 10 s after the addition of 30 microM ATP there was a twofold increase in inositol trisphosphate (InsP3), which declined over 2 min. The ED50 for ATP-stimulated generation of InsP3 was approximately 12 microM. ADP and GTP showed only weak effects on InsP3 formation, while AMP and adenosine were completely ineffective at 30 microM. Furthermore, the rank order of potency of ATP analogues was ATP greater than ATP[S] greater than AdoPP[NH]P = AdoPP[CH2]P greater than AdoP[CH2]PP thus, indicating the presence of a P2y-purinergic receptor. Cells labelled with [3H]arachidonic acid showed a 50% increase of label in 1,2-diacylglycerol after 15 s upon stimulation with ATP. In parallel to the stimulation of inositol phospholipid hydrolysis, ATP also caused a marked synthesis of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and leukotriene C4 (LTC4) in mouse peritoneal macrophages. The rank order of potency of ATP analogues was identical with that of InsP3 generation. The effect on eicosanoid synthesis could be mimicked by the calcium ionophore A23187 and the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate. These results suggest that ATP-induced activation of P2y-purinergic receptors in mouse peritoneal macrophages triggers inositol phospholipid breakdown and eicosanoid synthesis.

Mass measurement of inositol phosphates

This review summarises the methods available for the mass measurement of inositol phosphates, i.e., use of radioactive inositol lipid precursors, optical techniques, gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, fast atom bombardment and assays specific for Ins(1,4,5)P3. Examples of the use of each method, its sensitivity, advantages and drawbacks are given.

Accumulation of inositol phosphates induced by chlorpromazine in C6 glioma cells

Chlorpromazine, a cationic amphiphilic drug known to affect phospholipid metabolism, greatly increases the generation of inositol phosphates in C6 glioma cells. When a pulse-chase protocol with myo-[2-3H]inositol as the radioactive precursor was used, the peak increase in radioactivity of inositol phosphates was observed at 20 min. The drug decreased inositol tetrakisphosphate labeling as a percentage of inositol trisphosphate in a dose-dependent manner. It also increased the labeling of the inositol-containing phospholipids, the precursors of the inositol phosphates. The increase in radioactivity of both phospholipids and inositol phosphates was dose-dependent, but appeared also to be a function of the time of exposure of the cultures to the drug, suggesting that the concentration of chlorpromazine in the cell, and not that in the medium, is the critical factor. The optimum concentration for maximum phospholipid labeling was lower than that eliciting maximum generation of inositol phosphates. The data suggest that the mechanism probably does not involve cell-surface receptors, but rather may consist of a direct effect of chlorpromazine on phosphoinositidase C and possibly other enzymatic reactions concerned with the metabolism of inositol phosphates.

Methods for the analysis of inositol phosphates

Interest in the inositol phospholipids was stimulated by the simultaneous discoveries that the products of hydrolysis of these lipids could serve as messengers to activate to synergistic signaling pathways in hormonally responsive cells, namely, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate which causes the release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores and diacylglycerol which promotes the activation of protein kinase C. At the same time, Berridge and co-workers introduced relatively simple approaches to study the inositol phospholipid cycle. These included the use of [3H]inositol to label the inositol metabolites, all of which are confined to this cycle, and of Li+ to decrease the rate of degradation of the inositol phosphates. Water-soluble inositol phosphates and chloroform-soluble inositol phospholipids could then be separated by solvent partition and the inositol phosphates further separated by use of an anion-exchange resin. However, the subsequent application of high-performance liquid chromatography as a separation technique indicated the existence of many isomers of the inositol phosphates formed by different pathways of dephosphorylation and phosphorylation. Mapping of these metabolic pathways may be substantially complete, but novel pathways may still be discovered. We review both old and new methods of analysis of the inositol phosphates for the measurement of mass and radioactivity. Although the complexity of the cycle sometimes demands the use of sophisticated methods of separation and rigorous identification, older and inexpensive methods may still be useful for some purposes.

Bradykinin and thrombin effects on polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis and prostacyclin production in endothelial cells

Prostacyclin (PGI2) production by thrombin- and bradykinin-stimulated bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) was related to the receptor-linked activation of inositide hydrolysis. Bradykinin caused a rapid and transient 3-fold increase in the formation of inositol polyphosphates in BAEC. The increase in InsP3 reflected changes mainly in the Ins(1,4,5)P3 isomer. Thrombin was less effective than bradykinin in increasing InsP3 levels and appeared to only minimally stimulate the production of PGI2 in BAEC. In HUVEC, thrombin caused a 5-fold elevation of Ins(1,4,5)P3, closely related to a rise in PGI2 production. However, bradykinin did not affect inositol phosphates and PGI2 production in HUVEC. Other inositol phosphates were also assessed to obtain information on putative metabolism of Ins(1,4,5)P3. The present study supports the notion that formation of Ins(1,4,5)P3 is linked to an increase in PGI2 production in endothelial cells and furthermore provides evidence for a large degree of heterogeneity in the responses of BAEC and HUVEC to thrombin and bradykinin.