Characterization of multiple forms of phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C purified from human platelets

Different distributions of human bone alkaline phosphatase isoforms in serum and bone tissue extracts

BACKGROUND

In vitro, bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP) is released from the osteoblast membrane with its glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor still attached (i.e., in an anchor-intact form); however, in vivo, BALP circulates as a variable mixture of anchorless isoforms, which can be identified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Previous studies have shown that the relative abundance of these BALP isoforms in serum may be clinically useful for the diagnosis and management of metabolic bone disease.

METHODS

In the current studies, we describe a method for the determination of anchorless BALP isoforms in extracts of bone and we present novel data on the conversion of anchor-intact to anchorless BALP by incubation with endogenous circulating GPI-specific phospholipase D (GPI-PLD).

RESULTS

A 72-h extraction with 0.1% Triton X-100 released approximately 90% of the BALP activity from powdered bone. An average of 19% of this activity was anchorless, but essentially all of the activity could be converted to the anchorless form by incubation with partially purified GPI-PLD from human serum. Using HPLC, we detected four BALP isoforms (B/I, B1x, B1, and B2) in these GPI-PLD-treated extracts of bone. An additional BALP fraction was also detected in the samples during the initial phase of GPI-PLD treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

The abundance of the BALP isoforms differed between bone and serum, particularly for the B/I isoform, which comprised, on average, 18% of the BALP in GPI-PLD-treated extracts of healthy bone tissue, but only 6% of the total BALP activity in serum from healthy individuals. Based on our recent finding of differences in the number of sialic acid residues between the BALP isoforms, we hypothesize that this difference between BALP isoforms in serum and extracts of bone is due to the different patterns of glycosylation, which results in different biological half-lives in the circulation. A preliminary application of our method to the extraction of BALP isoforms from a small number of human bone samples suggests that the method should be useful for studies of human skeletal site-specific and metabolic bone disease-specific differences in the amounts and distributions of the BALP isoforms in bone.

Beta1 integrin-mediated T cell adhesion and cell spreading are regulated by calpain

To investigate the function of calpain in T cells, we sought to determine the role of this protease in cellular events mediated by beta1 integrins. T cell receptor cross-linked or phorbol ester-stimulated T cells binding to immobilized fibronectin induce the translocation of calpain to the cytoskeletal/membrane fraction of these cells. Such translocation of calpain is associated with proteolytic modification of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B, increased cellular adhesion, and dramatic alterations in cellular morphology. However, affinity-related increases in T cell adhesion induced by the anti-beta1 integrin antibody 8A2 occur in a calpain-independent manner and in the absence of morphological shape changes. Furthermore, calpain undergoes activation in response to either alpha4beta1 or alpha5beta1 integrin binding to fibronectin in appropriately stimulated T cells, and calpain II as well as protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B accumulates at sites of focal contact formation. Inhibition of calpain activity not only inhibits the proteolytic modification of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B, but also decreases the ability of T cells to adhere to and spread on immobilized fibronectin. Thus, we describe a potential regulatory role for calpain in beta1 integrin-mediated signaling events associated with T cell adhesion and cell spreading on fibronectin.

Activation of phospholipase C delta1 through C2 domain by a Ca(2+)-enzyme-phosphatidylserine ternary complex

The concentration of free Ca(2+) and the composition of nonsubstrate phospholipids profoundly affect the activity of phospholipase C delta1 (PLCdelta1). The rate of PLCdelta1 hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate was stimulated 20-fold by phosphatidylserine (PS), 4-fold by phosphatidic acid (PA), and not at all by phosphatidylethanolamine or phosphatidylcholine (PC). PS reduced the Ca(2+) concentration required for half-maximal activation of PLCdelta1 from 5.4 to 0.5 microM. In the presence of Ca(2+), PLCdelta1 specifically bound to PS/PC but not to PA/PC vesicles in a dose-dependent and saturable manner. Ca(2+) also bound to PLCdelta1 and required the presence of PS/PC vesicles but not PA/PC vesicles. The free Ca(2+) concentration required for half-maximal Ca(2+) binding was estimated to be 8 microM. Surface dilution kinetic analysis revealed that the K(m) was reduced 20-fold by the presence of 25 mol % PS, whereas V(max) and K(d) were unaffected. Deletion of amino acid residues 646-654 from the C2 domain of PLCdelta1 impaired Ca(2+) binding and reduced its stimulation and binding by PS. Taken together, the results suggest that the formation of an enzyme-Ca(2+)-PS ternary complex through the C2 domain increases the affinity for substrate and consequently leads to enzyme activation.

Calcium-dependent signaling pathways in T cells. Potential role of calpain, protein tyrosine phosphatase 1b, and p130Cas in integrin-mediated signaling events

Engagement of beta1 integrin receptors initiates an increase in intracellular calcium concentrations in T cells, potentially affecting calcium-sensitive signaling pathways. The calcium-activated cysteine protease, calpain, regulates a variety of cell functions by calcium-dependent limited proteolysis. To investigate the function of calpain in T cells, we sought to determine the role of this protease in calcium-dependent signaling events. Subsequent to elevations in intracellular calcium concentrations induced by ionomycin or adherence to fibronectin, calpain activity translocated to the cytoskeletal/membrane fraction of T cells. In addition, stimulation of T cells with these agents initiated the proteolytic cleavage of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B by calpain. Enzymatic cleavage of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B occurs near the endoplasmic reticulum-targeting sequence and results in the generation of an enzymatically active form of the phosphatase. Furthermore, we show that both the native and the cleaved forms of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B interact with p130(Cas) in T cells. This interaction may serve to relocate protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B to sites of focal contact resulting in potential interactions with substrates previously inaccessible to the endoplasmic reticulum-associated phosphatase. Thus, we describe a novel calcium-dependent signaling pathway in T cells that may mediate signals generated by beta1 integrin adherence to the extracellular matrix.

Promotion-resistant JB6 mouse epidermal cells exhibit defects in phosphatidylethanolamine synthesis and phorbol ester-induced phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis

The tumour-promotion-sensitive (P+) and -resistant (P-) variants of mouse JB6 epidermis-derived cells have often been used to study the requirements for the tumour-promoting effect of PMA. As part of an effort to identify the defect(s) in JB6 P- cells that might prevent the promoting effect of PMA, stimulation of phospholipase D (PLD)-mediated hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PtdEtn) by PMA as well as the rate of phospholipid synthesis were compared in three P+ variants, two P- variants and a transformed variant of the JB6 cell line. PMA (5-100 nM) had significantly less stimulatory effect on PtdCho hydrolysis in P- cells than in P+ or transformed JB6 cells. The effects of PMA on PtdEtn hydrolysis in the P+ and P- cell lines were similar, whereas in transformed cells PMA had slightly less effect. Each JB6 cell line was found to contain similar amounts of PtdCho. In contrast, P- cells contained significantly less PtdEtn and a correspondingly higher level of ethanolamine phosphate compared with P+ and transformed cells. P- cells also secreted ethanolamine phosphate into the medium; this process was greatly enhanced by PMA. In the two P- variants the synthesis of PtdEtn from [14C]ethanolamine was reduced to various extents, whereas the rate of PtdCho synthesis was comparable in each JB6 cell line. The synthesis of PtdCho, but not PtdEtn, was greatly stimulated by PMA in both the P+ and P- clones. The results indicate that decreased synthesis/level of PtdEtn and suboptimal functioning of a PtdCho-specific PLD are common characteristics of the P- JB6 cells examined so far. The observed alterations in phospholipid metabolism may play a role in the resistance of P- cells to the tumour-promoting action of PMA.

Purification and characterization of the phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate phosphatase in bovine thymus

Using phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate [PtdIns(3,4,5)P3] prepared from phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate and inositolphospholipid 3-kinase, we identified in bovine thymus extracts the enzyme activity which catalyzed dephosphorylation of PtdIns(3,4,5)P3, to produce phosphatidylinositol biphosphate. Since bovine thymus exhibited the highest level of activity among tissues screened, we tried to purify this enzyme PtdINs(3,4,5)P3 phosphatase from bovine thymus. After sequential chromatographies using S-Sepharose, heparin-Sepharose, blue Sepharose, and Toyopearl HW55, the enzyme was purified 1875-fold with a yield of 10%. SDS/PAGE analysis revealed that a 120-kDA protein band copurified with the enzyme activity. The apparent molecular mass of the active protein was 120 kDa on size-exclusion chromatography, suggesting that the 120-kDa band on SDS/PAGE is the PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 phosphatase. Since PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 phosphatase seemed to be the only activity that metabolized PtdIns(3,4,5)P3, and the enzyme did not hydrolyze phosphatidylinositol 4,5-biphosphate, the enzyme may play a critical role in the inositolphospholipid 3-kinase signalling.

Effects of GTP gamma S on muscarinic receptor-stimulated inositol phospholipid hydrolysis in permeabilized smooth muscle from the small intestine

1. Smooth muscle fragments from the longitudinal layer of the small intestine of the guinea-pig were permeabilized with Staphylococcus aureus alpha toxin (alpha-toxin) and used to investigate the role of G-protein activation in the regulation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR)-stimulated inositol phospholipid hydrolysis. 2. The efficiency of alpha-toxin permeabilization was estimated by the release of [3H]-2-deoxyglucose ([3H]-2DG) after prior loading or lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) enzyme release from the smooth muscle fragments. 3. In alpha-toxin-permeabilized smooth muscle, but not in non-permeabilized muscle, GTP gamma S induced time- and concentration-dependent increases in labelled inositol phosphates. Carbachol (CCh) increased labelled inositol phosphates in both permeabilized and non-permeabilized muscle, although the increases were greater in non-permeabilized smooth muscle. The response to 100 microM CCh was severely reduced by 0.5 microM atropine. 4. In permeabilized muscle the effects of GTP gamma S or CCh on inositol phosphate levels were reduced by treatment with pertussis toxin (PTX) and completely inhibited by GDP beta S. 5. GTP gamma S caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of the CCh-induced increases in the levels of labelled inositol phosphates. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP or Sp-cAMPs (adenosine-3',5'-cyclic phosphorothiolate-Sp) reduced the effects of CCh on inositol phosphate levels. 6. The results suggest that muscarinic AChR activation induces inositol phospholipid hydrolysis via more than one G-protein in this smooth muscle and that several mechanisms may contribute to the modulation of both stimulatory and inhibitory responses observed.

Endogenous cleavage of phospholipase C-beta 3 by agonist-induced activation of calpain in human platelets

Two membrane-associated phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase Cs (mPI-PLC-1 and mPI-PLC-2) and a cytosolic enzyme (cPI-PLC) that were activated by brain G-protein beta gamma subunits have been isolated from human platelets. The truncation of mPI-PLC-1 that was mediated by mu-calpain induced much higher activation by beta gamma subunits (Banno, Y., Asano, T., and Nozawa, Y. (1994) FEBS Lett. 340, 185-188). On the basis of size and immunological cross-reactivity, mPI-PLC-1 (155 kDa) was PLC-beta 3, and mPI-PLC-2 (100 kDa) was its truncated form. The cPI-PLC (140 kDa) was recognized by the antibody selective for internal sequences of PLC-beta 3 but not by the antibody raised against its carboxyl terminus, indicating that it may be related to PLC-beta 3. Treatment of human platelets with A23187 and dibucaine, activators of calpain, caused cleavage of actin-binding protein and talin in a time-dependent manner. At the same time, decrease of PLC-beta 3 (155 and 140 kDa) and concomitant increase of the 100-kDa product of cleavage were observed on immunoblots with the antibody to internal sequences of PLC-beta 3. Furthermore, stimulation of platelets by natural agonists, thrombin and collagen, caused the cleavage of PLC-beta 3 (155 and 140 kDa) and an increase of 100 kDa PLC-beta 3 in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The cleavage of these PLC-beta 3 enzymes was completely blocked by calpain inhibitor, calpeptin, indicating that the PLC-beta 3 modification may be a consequence of platelet activation leading to activation of calpain. This is the first demonstration that PLC-beta 3 is indeed cleaved by calpain upon platelet activation by physiological agonists. The cleavage of PLC-beta 3 evoked by thrombin and collagen but not ADP was correlated with irreversible aggregation, suggesting that the PLC-beta 3 modification may play a role in secondary irreversible aggregation in agonist-stimulated human platelets.

Membrane association of phospholipase C encoded by the norpA gene of Drosophila melanogaster

Severe mutations within the norpA gene of Drosophila abolish the photoreceptor potential and render the fly blind by deleting phospholipase C, an essential component of the phototransduction pathway. To study the membrane association of phospholipase C, we have utilized biochemical assays of phospholipase C activity, which predominant measurable phospholipase C activity in head homogenates has been shown to be encoded by norpA, as well as antisera generated against the major gene product of norpA to examine its subcellular distribution before and during phototransduction. We find that both phospholipase C activity and the norpA protein are predominantly associated with membrane fractions in heads of both light- and dark-adapted flies. Moreover, phospholipase C activity as well as norpA protein can be easily extracted from membrane preparations of light- or dark-adapted flies using high salt, indicating that the norpA protein is peripherally localized on the membrane. These data suggest that the norpA encoded phospholipase C of Drosophila is a permanent peripheral membrane protein. If this is indeed the case, then it would mean that the reversible redistribution of phospholipase C from the cytosol to the membrane, as observed in epidermal growth factor receptor stimulation of mammalian phospholipase C gamma, is not a universal mechanism utilized by all types of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C.

Proteolytic modification of membrane-associated phospholipase C-beta by mu-calpain enhances its activation by G-protein beta gamma subunits in human platelets

Membrane-associated phosphoinositide-phospholipase C (PI-PLC)-beta (150 kDa) and its truncated forms (100 kDa and 45 kDa) were purified from human platelets. The 100 kDa PI-PLC-beta was found to be activated to a greater extent by brain G-protein beta gamma subunits compared to the intact 150 kDa enzyme. Furthermore, treatment with mu-calpain of the intact PI-PLC-beta (150 kDa) caused a marked augmentation of its activation by beta gamma subunits. This enhanced PLC activation by beta gamma subunits was due to truncation by mu-calpain, producing a 100 kDa PI-PLC, but not by another protease, thrombin.

Purification and characterization of phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C from bovine iris sphincter smooth muscle

Two forms (I and II) of phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PLC) were purified from the cytosol of bovine iris sphincter by sequential chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose, EAH-Sepharose, heparin-Sepharose, Sephacryl S-200 gel filtration and Mono Q HR columns. The final step resulted in specific activities of PLC-I and PLC-II of 4.3 and 5.9 mumol of phosphatidylinositol (PI) cleaved/min per mg of protein, which represented up to 295-fold purification compared with that of the starting supernatant. The purified enzymes were further investigated for the presence of isoenzymes and characterized for molecular mass, substrate specificity, pH, Ca2+ requirements and kinetic parameters. Using monoclonal antibodies, PLC-I was identified as PLC-delta 1. The apparent molecular mass of PLC-I as determined by SDS/PAGE and gel filtration was 85 kDa. PLC-II contained an apparently invisible protein band that reacted with the antibody against PLC-gamma 1, and a major 109 kDa protein band that was not recognized by any of the PLC monoclonal antibodies. Further purification of PLC-II by size-exclusion h.p.l.c. resulted in elution of the enzyme activity as a single peak which corresponded to 109 kDa position. Again, this PLC activity was not recognized by any of the PLC monoclonal antibodies. However, the 109 kDa protein activity was recognized by a polyclonal antibody raised against a rat PLC-gamma 1 fragment (amino acids 1272-1287), thus suggesting that this protein is a proteolytic product of PLC-gamma 1. PLC-delta 1 and PLC-gamma 1 were identified in the supernatant fraction and PLC-beta 1 in the membrane fraction of the iris sphincter. Although immunologically different, the catalytic properties of PLC-I and PLC-II were quite similar. The Vmax and Km values for phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) hydrolysis were three to five times greater than those for PI hydrolysis. Both forms preferred PIP and PIP2 over PI and both were inactive against phosphatidylcholine. With PIP2 as substrate, the optimal pH values for PLC-I and PLC-II were 6.5 and 7.5 respectively. Unlike PIP2, PI hydrolysis by both forms was dependent on the presence of free Ca2+. The maximal hydrolysis of PI and PIP2 by both forms occurred at 200 and 5 microM Ca2+ respectively. Incubation of the purified enzymes with the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A (PKA) and [gamma-32P]ATP resulted in increased phosphorylation of PLC-I and PLC-II, but it had no inhibitory effect on their enzyme activities.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Cooperative effects of ethanol and protein kinase C activators on phospholipase-D-mediated hydrolysis of phosphatidylethanolamine in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts

In a previous study, ethanol was shown to enhance the stimulatory effect of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a prominent activator of protein kinase C (PKC), on phospholipase-D (PLD)-mediated hydrolysis of phosphatidylethanolamine (PtdEtn) in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts (Kiss et al. (1991) Eur. J. Biochem. 197, 785-790). Here, the mechanism and possible significance of ethanol-stimulated PtdEtn hydrolysis was further studied. In [14C]ethanolamine-labeled NIH 3T3 fibroblasts, 10 mM ethanol enhanced PMA-induced hydrolysis of PtdEtn 1.5-2.0-fold during a 2.5-15-min incubation period. Other alcohols, including glycerol, methanol, and 1-propanol, also enhanced PMA-induced PtdEtn hydrolysis. Of the other PLD activators tested, ethanol potentiated the PKC-dependent stimulatory effect of bombesin but failed to alter the apparently PKC-independent stimulatory effect of serum. Pretreatment of [14C]ethanolamine-labeled fibroblasts with 200 mM ethanol for 20 min resulted in increased (approx. 2-fold) hydrolysis of [14C]PtdEtn in isolated membranes. In membranes from ethanol-treated, but not from untreated, cells, PMA further enhanced (approx. 1.5-fold) the production of [14C]ethanolamine. Ethanol exerted none of the above stimulatory effects on phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis. These results suggest that the specific stimulatory action of ethanol on PLD-mediated PtdEtn hydrolysis can occur in vivo and may involve increased binding of a regulatory PKC-isoform to membranes.

The long-term combined stimulatory effects of ethanol and phorbol ester on phosphatidylethanolamine hydrolysis are mediated by a phospholipase C and prevented by overexpressed alpha-protein kinase C in fibroblasts

The protein kinase C (PKC) activator 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) has been shown to potentiate the stimulatory effect of ethanol on the hydrolysis of phosphatidylethanolamine (PtdEtn) in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. Following an initial 20-min period, the main product of PtdEtn degradation in cells treated with TPA plus ethanol was ethanolamine phosphate. Here, we have examined the regulatory role of PKC and the possible catalytic role of phospholipase C in the formation of ethanolamine phosphate. TPA, bryostatin, and bombesin, direct or indirect activators of PKC, had similar potentiating effects on ethanol-induced formation of [14C]ethanolamine phosphate from [14C]PtdEtn in [14C]ethanolamine-prelabelled NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. At lower concentrations of ethanol (40-80 mM), significant stimulation of ethanolamine phosphate formation required longer treatments (2 h or longer). The combined effects of TPA (100 nM) and ethanol (50-200 mM) on ethanolamine phosphate formation were not inhibited by the PKC inhibitors staurosporine or 1-(5-isoquinolinylsulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H7). In contrast, these inhibitors significantly inhibited TPA-induced formation of ethanolamine, catalyzed by a phospholipase-D-type enzyme. In membranes isolated from TPA+ethanol-treated cells, enhanced formation of ethanolamine phosphate was maintained for at least 20 min. Down-regulation of PKC by prolonged (24-h) treatment of NIH 3T3 fibroblasts by 300 nM TPA enhanced, while overexpression of alpha-PKC in Balb/c fibroblasts diminished, the stimulatory effect of ethanol on the formation of ethanolamine phosphate. Finally, addition of the protein phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid (2 microM) to fibroblasts inhibited TPA+ethanol-induced formation of ethanolamine phosphate. These results suggest that alpha-PKC-mediated protein phosphorylation may negatively regulate PtdEtn hydrolysis and that the potentiating effect of TPA may result, at least partly, from increased degradation of this PKC isoform.

Association of alpha-phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C with phospholipid vesicles

The alpha isoform of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (alpha-PI-PLC, Mr 62,000) was purified from bovine brain. Enzyme activity was dependent on calcium, sodium cholate and showed the anticipated specificity for the phosphatidylinositols. Calcium interaction with this protein, investigated by gel filtration chromatography, showed no detectable binding at calcium concentrations adequate to activate the enzyme. Association of alpha-PI-PLC with phospholipid vesicles was studied by light scattering, fluorescence energy transfer and gel-filtration chromatography. The enzyme readily associated with vesicles of high charge density, with vesicles of crude acidic phospholipids and with PIP2. Interaction was characterized by a rapid association followed by slower addition of more protein to the phospholipid. Complexes containing 20-30 percent protein (by weight) were readily obtained. Calcium had only a small effect on this interaction. The protein-phospholipid complexes appeared to bind less calcium than a similar amount of phospholipid alone. Thus, alpha-PI-PLC did not appear to be a calcium-binding protein in either its free or membrane-associated states. Although alpha-PI-PLC showed the highest propensity to bind to phospholipids, a number of other proteins also associated with phospholipids under the conditions used. Thus, whether or not the observed interaction of alpha-PI-PLC with membranes was specific and biologically important or whether it was a process common to many proteins, was not known. Knowledge of this interaction may enhance our understanding of possible mechanisms for protein-membrane interactions in general.

Factors affecting the ability of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase D to degrade the membrane anchors of cell surface proteins

Mammalian serum and plasma contain high levels of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase D (GPI-PLD). Previous studies with crude serum or partially purified GPI-PLD have shown that this enzyme is capable of degrading the GPI anchor of several purified detergent-solubilized cell surface proteins yet is unable to act on GPI-anchored proteins located in intact cells. Treatment of intact ROS17/2.8, WISH or HeLa cells (or membrane fractions prepared from them) with GPI-PLD purified from bovine serum by immunoaffinity chromatography gave no detectable release of alkaline phosphatase into the medium. However, when membranes were treated with GPI-PLD in the presence of 0.1% Nonidet P-40 substantial GPI anchor degradation (as measured by Triton X-114 phase separation) was observed. The mechanism of this stimulatory effect of detergent was further investigated using [3H]myristate-labelled variant surface glycoprotein and human placental alkaline phosphatase reconstituted into phospholipid vesicles. As with the cell membranes the reconstituted substrates exhibited marked resistance to the action of purified GPI-PLD which could be overcome by the inclusion of Nonidet P-40. Similar results were obtained when crude bovine serum was used as the source of GPI-PLD. These data indicate that the resistance of cell membranes to the action of GPI-PLD is not entirely due to the action of serum or membrane-associated inhibitory factors. A more likely explanation is that, in common with many other eukaryotic phospholipases, the action of GPI-PLD is restricted by the physical state of the phospholipid bilayer in which the substrates are embedded. These data may account for the ability of endothelial and blood cells to retain GPI-anchored proteins on their surfaces in spite of the high levels of GPI-PLD present in plasma.

Cell signalling associated with fibrinolytic ligand binding to human colorectal carcinoma cells

Addition of purified plasmin or plasminogen (0.1 microM) to serum-free culture media elevated cellular D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) levels in human colorectal carcinoma cells within 1 h to double those of control cells. This was accompanied by decreases in cellular phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate by 40% in cells exposed to fibrinolytic ligands for up to 1 h. The effect was not due to opening of Ca2+ channels of the type blocked by 5 microM nifedipine, and 100 microM EGTA, a Ca2+ chelator, did not suppress plasmin's ability to elevate InsP3. Binding assays at 4 degrees C with 125I-labelled plasmin indicated maximum binding within 1 h suggesting that the effects of plasmin may be associated with its cell-binding function. These cells could convert exogenous plasminogen to plasmin with endogenous activation and this was accompanied by a decrease in radioactive phosphatidylinositol well below control levels (13% of control). Our results contribute to evidence for the association of plasmin-binding sites with a signalling system. A cell signalling system indirectly or directly associated with plasmin binding, would permit carcinoma cells to coordinate extracellular fibrinolysis with cell migration and motility through second messengers.

Activation of phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C delta from rat liver by polyamines and basic proteins

Phospholipase C from rat liver with a molecular weight of 87,000 (PLC delta) is stimulated by polyamines, basic proteins, and basic polyamino acids. The activation occurs in both the presence and the absence of detergents. Half-maximum activation by spermine is observed at 0.15 mM, with optimum effects between 0.2 and 0.5 mM. Spermine inhibits above 0.5 mM. Half-maximum activation by spermidine and putrescine is observed at 0.9 and 6 mM, respectively, with optimum effects at 2 and 5 mM, respectively. These polyamines also inhibit at higher concentrations. Neomycin activates the enzyme with an optimum concentration of 10 microM, but maximum activation is less than with polyamines. Half-maximum activation by histone 2B occurs at 0.5 micrograms/ml (36 nM), with maximum stimulation at 1.5 micrograms/ml. Other histones, protamine, melittin, poly-L-ornithine, poly-L-lysine, poly-D-lysine, and poly-L-arginine, activate optimally at 3-10 micrograms/ml. Myelin basic protein and lysozyme activate optimally at 50-100 micrograms/ml. Typical activations are three- to eightfold, but under some conditions the enzyme shows little or no activity in the absence of basic activators. The basic activators lower the salt concentration required for maximal activity. In the case of the detergent-micelle assay, histone shifts the optimum NaCl concentration from 350 to 200 mM for PIP2, from 260 to 100 mM for PIP, and from 150 to 0 mM for PI. Histone potentiates the activation by Ca2+, but does not shift the optimum Ca2+ concentration. The optimum salt and Ca2+ concentrations are linked, such that a decrease in the concentration of one decreases the optimum concentration of the other. Activation by histone is diminished by MgCl2 in a concentration-dependent manner.

Characteristics of phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C activity from mouse pancreatic islets

In pancreatic islets the bulk of phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) activity was cytosolic. The soluble enzyme was activated by submicromolar concentrations of Ca2+, independent of calmodulin. It was unaffected by glucose and a series of glycolytic intermediates, including glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate. These observations lend support to the hypothesis that glucose-stimulated inositol triphosphate production in islets may be secondary to and provoked by glucose-mediated Ca2+ influx. All four pyridine nucleotides stimulated PI-PLC. Phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis was also stimulated by dioleine and arachidonic acid, and by the polyamines, putrescine and spermine. Phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis was inhibited by chlorpromazine, tetracaine, ATP, 5'-AMP, inorganic pyrophosphate and by phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine--but not affected by phosphatidylethanolamine. The cyclic nucleotides, cAMP and cGMP had no effect on the enzyme, and GTP-gamma-S did not activate the enzyme event at very low Ca2+ concentrations. The diglyceride lipase inhibitor, RHC 80267, and the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin, had no effect on PI-PLC activity.

Pathway of phosphatidylinositol(3,4,5)-trisphosphate synthesis in activated neutrophils

Neutrophils activated by the formyl peptide f-Met-Leu-Phe transiently accumulate a small subset of highly polar inositol lipids. A similar family of lipids also appear in many other cells in response to a range of growth factors and activated oncogenes, and are presumed to be the direct or indirect products of 3-phosphatidylinositol kinase. The structures of these lipids are shown to be phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate, phosphatidylinositol-(3,4)bisphosphate and phosphatidylinositol-(3,4,5)trisphosphate, and we present evidence that in intact neutrophils a phosphatidyl-inositol-(4,5)bisphosphate-3-kinase seems to be the focal point through which agonists stimulate the formation of 3-phosphorylated inositol lipids.

Thrombin induces a biphasic 1,2-diacylglycerol production in human platelets

The 1,2-diacylglycerol (DAG) mass content was measured in thrombin-stimulated human platelets. Thrombin stimulates a biphasic accumulation of DAG, with an early phase reaching a peak at 10 s and a later phase reaching a peak at 2-3 min. The time course of first-phase DAG production corresponded well to that of Ins(1,4,5)P3 formation, which was rapid and transient. The second phase of DAG accumulation occurred after the level of Ins(1,4,5)P3 returned to nearly basal. Thrombin stimulated the decrease in PtdIns and phosphatidylcholine contents. The source of second-phase DAG was examined in platelets prelabelled with three radioactive fatty acids, i.e. arachidonic, palmitic and myristic. Thrombin stimulated the increase in radioactivity of DAG with decline of PtdIns in platelets labelled with [3H]arachidonic acid or [3H]palmitic acid, in which PtdIns was considerably labelled. In contrast, significant accumulation of [3H]DAG was not observed in [3H]myristic acid-labelled platelets, in which PtdIns was poorly labelled. In platelets prelabelled with [3H]inositol, an increase in InsP in response to thrombin was seen for more than 5 min. In contrast, upon stimulation, significant increases in [3H]phosphocholine and [3H]choline were not observed in [methyl-3H]choline-labelled platelets. Thrombin induced a small production of phosphatidylethanol, when ethanol was present during stimulation. However, the formation of DAG and phosphatidic acid was not significantly affected by ethanol. These results suggest that thrombin stimulates a biphasic accumulation of DAG, initially from PtdInsP2 and later from PtdIns in human platelets.

Prostaglandin and thromboxane biosynthesis

We describe the enzymological regulation of the formation of prostaglandin (PG) D2, PGE2, PGF2 alpha, 9 alpha, 11 beta-PGF2, PGI2 (prostacyclin), and thromboxane (Tx) A2 from arachidonic acid. We discuss the three major steps in prostanoid formation: (a) arachidonate mobilization from monophosphatidylinositol involving phospholipase C, diglyceride lipase, and monoglyceride lipase and from phosphatidylcholine involving phospholipase A2; (b) formation of prostaglandin endoperoxides (PGG2 and PGH2) catalyzed by the cyclooxygenase and peroxidase activities of PGH synthase; and (c) synthesis of PGD2, PGE2, PGF2 alpha, 9 alpha, 11 beta-PGF2, PGI2, and TxA2 from PGH2. We also include information on the roles of aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, dexamethasone and other anti-inflammatory steroids, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and interleukin-1 in prostaglandin metabolism.

The actin-binding protein profilin binds to PIP2 and inhibits its hydrolysis by phospholipase C

Profilin is generally thought to regulate actin polymerization, but the observation that acidic phospholipids dissociate the complex of profilin and actin raised the possibility that profilin might also regulate lipid metabolism. Profilin isolated from platelets binds with high affinity to small clusters of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) molecules in micelles and also in bilayers with other phospholipids. The molar ratio of the complex of profilin with PIP2 is 1:7 in micelles of pure PIP2 and 1:5 in bilayers composed largely of other phospholipids. Profilin competes efficiently with platelet cytosolic phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C for interaction with the PIP2 substrate and thereby inhibits PIP2 hydrolysis by this enzyme. The cellular concentrations and binding characteristics of these molecules are consistent with profilin being a negative regulator of the phosphoinositide signaling pathway in addition to its established function as an inhibitor of actin polymerization.

Purification and characterization of a cytosolic phosphoinositide-phospholipase C (gamma 2-type) from human platelets

A human platelet cytosolic phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C, one of four PLC activity peaks separated by column chromatographies, designated as cPLC-I, was purified to homogeneity. The cPLC-I exhibited an apparent Mr of 145 kDa by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and was immunologically identified to be PLC-gamma 2. It hydrolyzed PI and PIP2 at optimum pH of 5.5-6.0. Deoxycholate and cholate inhibited the enzyme activity to hydrolyze two substrates. Calcium was required to obtain the maximal activity for PI- and PIP2-hydrolysis at concentration of 10(-3) M and 10(-5) M, respectively. Hg2+ (1 microM) inhibited strongly the enzyme activity.

Thiolprotease inhibitor, EST, can inhibit thrombin-induced platelet activation

Participation of thiolprotease in platelet activation was investigated. When platelets were treated with EST (L-trans-epoxysuccinyl-leucylamide (3-methyl)butane-ethyl ester, a membrane-permeable thiolprotease inhibitor) for 30 min, thrombin-induced aggregation and secretion were inhibited, and remained so even when the platelets were washed and resuspended in EST-free medium after the pretreatment. The inhibitory action of EST on thrombin-induced platelet aggregation and secretion was both dose-dependent and incubation-time-dependent. The inhibitory action of EST on platelet aggregation and secretion was shown not only in response to thrombin but also to platelet activating factor (PAF). Pretreatment of platelets with 1 mM EST for 30 min inhibited the 65% of calpain (thiolprotease) activity in platelets. The phosphorylation of 40 kDa and 20 kDa proteins of platelets caused by stimulation with thrombin was blocked by the pretreatment with 1 mM EST. Phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis and inositol-1-phosphate production, which appear after stimulation of platelets with thrombin, were also inhibited by the pretreatment with 1 mM EST. The results suggest that EST was incorporated to inside of platelets, and inhibited activation of platelet through inhibition of thiolprotease.

Characterization of cytoplasmic and membrane-associated phosphatidylinositol 4,5-biphosphate phospholipase C activities in guinea pig ventricles

The phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PLC) activity present in the soluble and sarcolemmal enriched membrane fraction from guinea pig hearts was characterized using phosphatidyl [3H]inositol 4,5-biphosphate (PIP2) or phosphatidyl [3H]inositol 4-monophosphate (PIP) as substrates. The PLC activities (cytosolic and membrane associated) were specific for polyphosphoinositides (PIP2 and PIP) since no other phospholipids were hydrolyzed at pH 7.0 under various ionic conditions. Both enzymic activities were Ca2(+)-dependent (half maximal activities were achieved around pCa 5.0). The pH, detergent (deoxycholate), divalent (Ca2+ and Mg2+), and monovalent (Na+ and K+) cation dependencies were very similar between the cytosolic and membrane-associated enzyme activities, using either PIP2 or PIP as substrate. Hydrolysis of the polyphosphoinositides was inhibited in the presence of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, or phosphatidylcholine. Under optimal conditions (pH 7.0, 1 mM Ca2+, 2.5 mM Mg2+, 100 mM Na+ and 0.07% deoxycholate) the specific activities of the cytosolic and membrane-associated enzymes were 19.9 +/- 0.9 and 10.1 +/- 0.9 nmol/min/mg protein, respectively, using PIP2 as substrate. Under the same conditions these activities were 18.1 +/- 1.0 and 8.0 +/- 0.8 nmol/min/mg protein for the cytosolic and membrane fractions, respectively, using PIP as substrate. Based on the similarity of the characteristics of these two PLC enzyme activities, it is suggested that the cytosolic and membrane-associated enzyme forms may be closely related.

Calpains (intracellular calcium-activated cysteine proteinases): structure-activity relationships and involvement in normal and abnormal cellular metabolism

1. Calpains (calcium-activated cysteine proteinases) have evolved by gene fusion events involving calmodulin-like genes, cysteine proteinase genes and other sequences of unknown origin. 2. The enzymes are composed of two non-identical subunits, each of which contains functional calcium-binding sequences. 3. Calpains are inhibited by the endogenous protein inhibitor, calpastatin and some calmodulin antagonists are also inhibitors of calpain. A number of synthetic proteinase inhibitors also inhibit calpains. 4. Calpains can be activated by phospholipids, an endogenous protein activator and some amino acid derivatives. 5. Various protein substrates for calpains have been recognized in vitro, but the identity of in situ substrates remains unclear. 6. Proposals have been made for calpain function, including involvement in signal transduction, platelet activation, cell fusion, mitosis and cytoskeleton and contractile protein turnover. 7. Calpain and calpastatin expression is altered in a number of abnormal states including muscular dystrophy, muscle denervation and tenotomy, hypertension and platelet abnormalities.

Separation and Characterization of Inositol Phospholipids from the Pulvini of Samanea saman

To supplement current thin-layer chromatographic methods for separation and quantitation of plant phospholipids, an alternative method, high-performance liquid chromatography was developed. The major inositol-containing lipids from the pulvini of Samanea saman Merr. were identified as phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol phosphate, and phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate based on comigration with authentic standards on high-performance liquid chromatography and on thin-layer chromatography. The patterns of incorporation of radioactivity into the putative phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol phosphate were consistent with these identifications when pulvini were labeled with [(3)H]glycerol, [(3)H]inositol, or [(32)P]orthophosphate. Analysis of the products of enzymic hydrolysis, of chemical deacylation, and of ;fingerprint' methanolysis of these phospholipids confirmed the identifications.

Mammalian phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C isoenzymes

Procaryotic and eucaryotic cells have evolved multiple pathways for communication with their external environment. The inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate/diacylglycerol second messenger system is an example of such a signal transduction pathway which is present in multicellular eucaryotic organisms. Binding of an agonist to a specific cell surface receptor promotes rapid hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate. The pivotal enzyme for this second messenger system is phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C which hydrolyzes phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate to generate the two second messengers, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and diacylglycerol. Recently, much progress has been made in the purification, characterization and cDNA cloning of multiple PI-PLC isoenzymes. The results of the recent studies on phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C are reviewed.

Characterization of phospholipase C-mediated polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis in rat heart ventricles

Phospholipase C (PLC)-mediated degradation of polyphosphoinositides (phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) and phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PIP] was found to be present in rat heart ventricular soluble and total membrane fractions (100,000g supernatant and pellet). Distribution of polyphosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C activity between the membrane and soluble fraction was approximately 63 and 33% of total activity, respectively, whereas, phosphatidylinositol (PI) degradation could be detected only in the soluble fraction. Optimal PIP2-PLC activity occurred at a pCa2+ of 4.5. A similar peak in PIP-PLC activity could be demonstrated in soluble and membrane preparations; however, the rate of PIP degradation in the soluble fraction continued to increase at the highest calcium level tested (pCa2+ 3). With the exception of Sr2+, other noncalcium polycations did not support homogenate PIP2-PLC activity. In the presence of Ca2+, addition of Mg2+, La3+, or Sr2+ (10(-3) M) inhibited PIP2-PLC while Mn2+ and Gd3+ stimulated activity. In both the total membrane and soluble fractions, maximal polyphosphoinositide degradation occurs at pH 5.5 and 6.8. The detergents deoxycholate, cholate, and saponin exert a biphasic effect on PIP2-PLC activity (stimulating at lower concentrations and inhibiting at higher concentrations). The deoxycholate effect is observed in both the cytosolic and membrane fractions. Neutral and cationic detergents inhibit PIP2-PLC activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Similar to cytosolic PI-PLC activity, PIP2-PLC appears to depend on intact sulfhydryl groups. In the presence of a mixture of all three inositol phospholipids or the three phosphoinositides plus noninositol phospholipids, polyphosphoinositides are preferentially degraded.

Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate phospholipase C activity in particulate preparations from rat brain

We describe the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate by a particulate rat brain preparation in the presence of the cationic detergent, cetrimide. The optimum cetrimide concentration was in the range 0.2-0.4 mg/ml; at higher or lower concentrations, the reaction rate diminished abruptly, suggesting that the electrical charge density of the micelle is critical for enzymatic attack. In other respects, such as its partial requirement for Ca++ and its pH optimum of about 7.0, the particulate enzyme seems similar to soluble preparations which have been reported previously. Interestingly, the particulate preparation could be stimulated about fourfold by a soluble brain extract in the presence of 1 mM guanosine triphosphate, confirming that the enzyme is the catalytic subunit in a membrane-bound signal-transduction system.

Ca2+-induced changes in the secondary structure of a 60 kDa phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C from bovine brain cytosol

The purification to homogeneity of a 60 kDa phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C from bovine brain cytosol is reported here. This enzyme exhibits the same properties, in terms of response to Ca2+, as does the cytosolic activity in a variety of cell types. We show here that Ca2+ does not appear to modulate the binding of the enzyme to the substrate, but induces dramatic changes in its secondary structure. Therefore we suggest that a decrease in the alpha-helix content of this enzyme correlates with its ability to be activated by Ca2+.

Effects of guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate and thrombin on the phosphoinositide metabolism of electropermeabilized human platelets

Incubation of human platelets with myo-[3H]inositol in a low-glucose Tyrode's solution containing MnCl2 enhanced the labelling of phosphoinositides about sevenfold and greatly facilitated the measurement of [3H]inositol phosphates formed by the activation of phospholipase C. Labelled platelets were permeabilized by high-voltage electric discharges and equilibrated at 0 degree C with ATP, Ca2+ buffers and guanine nucleotides, before incubation in the absence or presence of thrombin. Incubation of these platelets with ATP in the presence or absence of Ca2+ ions led to the conversion of [3H]phosphatidylinositol to [3H]phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate and [3H]phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate ([3H]PtdInsP2). At a pCa of 6, addition of 100 microM GTP[gamma S] both prevented this accumulation of [3H]PtdInsP2 and stimulated its breakdown; the formation of [3H]inositol phosphates was increased ninefold. After 5 min these comprised 70% [3H]inositol monophosphate ([3H]InsP), 28% [3H]inositol bisphosphate ([3H]InsP2) and 2% [3H]inositol trisphosphate ([3H]InsP3). In shorter incubations higher percentages of [3H]InsP2 and [3H]InsP3 were found. In the absence of added Ca2+, the formation of [3H]inositol phosphates was decreased by over 90%. Incubation of permeabilized platelets with GTP[gamma S] in the presence of 10 mM Li+ decreased the accumulation of [3H]InsP and increased that of [3H]InsP2, without affecting [3H]InsP3 levels. Addition of unlabelled InsP3 decreased the intracellular hydrolysis of exogenous [32P]InsP3 but did not trap additional [3H]InsP3. These results and the time course of [3H]inositol phosphate formation suggest that GTP[gamma S] stimulated the action of phospholipase C on a pool of [3H]phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate that was otherwise converted to [3H]PtdInsP2 and that much less hydrolysis of [3H]phosphatidylinositol to [3H]InsP or of [3H]PtdInsP2 to [3H]InsP3 occurred. At a pCa of 6, addition of thrombin (2 units/ml) to permeabilized platelets caused small increases in the formation of [3H]InsP and [3H]InsP2. This action of thrombin was enhanced twofold by 10-100 microM GTP and much more potently by 4-40 microM GTP[gamma S]. In the presence of the latter, thrombin also increased [3H]InsP3. The total formation of [3H]inositol phosphates by permeabilized platelets incubated with thrombin and GTP[gamma S] was comparable with that observed on addition of thrombin alone to intact platelets. However, HPLC of the [3H]inositol phosphates formed indicated that about 75% of the [3H]InsP accumulating in permeabilized platelets was the 4-phosphate, whereas in intact platelets stimulated by thrombin, up to 80% was the 1-phosphate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

A phospholipase D specific for the phosphatidylinositol anchor of cell-surface proteins is abundant in plasma

An enzyme activity capable of degrading the glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol membrane anchor of cell-surface proteins has previously been reported in a number of mammalian tissues. The experiments reported here demonstrate that this anchor-degrading activity is also abundant in mammalian plasma. The activity was inhibited by EGTA or 1,10-phenanthroline. It was capable of removing the anchor from alkaline phosphatase, 5'-nucleotidase, and variant surface glycoprotein but had little or not activity toward phosphatidylinositol or phosphatidylcholine. Phosphatidic acid was the only 3H-labeled product when this enzyme hydrolyzed [3H]myristate-labeled variant surface glycoprotein. It could be distinguished from the Ca2+-dependent inositol phospholipid-specific phospholipase C activity in several rat tissues on the basis of its molecular size and its sensitivity to 1,10-phenanthroline. The data therefore suggest that this activity is due to a phospholipase D with specificity for glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol structures. Although the precise physiological function of this anchor-specific phospholipase D remains to be determined, these findings indicate that it could play an important role in regulating the expression and release of cell-surface proteins in vivo.

Secondary signalling mechanisms in angiotensin II-stimulated vascular smooth muscle cells

1. Activation of vascular smooth muscle by angiotensin II results in the generation of two second messengers, inositol trisphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (DG). 2. IP3 is responsible for mobilizing calcium from endoplasmic reticulum. This signal is transient, most likely serving to initiate calcium events leading to contraction, and is attenuated by activation of protein kinase C. 3. DG stimulates protein kinase C and ultimately Na+/H+ exchange, leading to intracellular alkalinization. Accumulation of DG/activation of protein kinase C is sustained, and may be enhanced by concurrent intracellular alkalinization. The delay in induction of the sustained response appears to be related to cellular processing of the angiotensin II-receptor complex. 4. Angiotensin II-stimulated, phospholipase C-mediated IP3 formation is also modulated by a pertussis toxin-insensitive guanine nucleotide regulatory protein. 5. The GTP binding protein, movement of the receptor-ligand complex, and the signals generated by the two second messengers, IP3 and DG, interact in a complex manner to cause an integrated response of vascular smooth muscle cells to angiotensin II stimulation.

Phospholipase C activity and substrate specificity in frog photoreceptors

The photoreceptor, like many other cells, undergoes receptor-mediated breakdown of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P2]. The lack of phosphatidylinositol (PdtIns) breakdown during receptor stimulation suggests the existence of a phospholipase C specific for polyphosphoinositides. Phospholipase C activity in frog rod outer segments was assayed with several substrates. The activity was selective for the polyphosphoinositides, phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate [PtdIns(4)P] and PtdIns(4,5)P2. PtdIns was hydrolysed at 2% of the rate of hydrolysis of PtdIns(4,5)P2. No activity was detected when phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, or phosphatidylethanolamine were used as substrates. The enzymatic activity was optimal at neutral pH. These findings suggest, but do not prove, that this activity might contain the light-regulated phospholipase C of the photoreceptor.

Guanine-nucleotide and hormone regulation of polyphosphoinositide phospholipase C activity of rat liver plasma membranes. Bivalent-cation and phospholipid requirements

The effect of the GTP analogue guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (GTP[S]) on the polyphosphoinositide phospholipase C (PLC) of rat liver was examined by using exogenous [3H]phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P2]. GTP[S] stimulated the membrane-bound PLC up to 20-fold, with a half-maximal effect at approx. 100 nM. Stimulation was also observed with guanosine 5'-[beta gamma-imido]triphosphate, but not with adenosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate, and was inhibited by guanosine 5'-[beta-thio]diphosphate. Membrane-bound PLC was entirely Ca2+-dependent, and GTP[S] produced both a decrease in the Ca2+ requirement and an increase in activity at saturating [Ca2+]. The stimulatory action of GTP[S] required millimolar Mg2+. [8-arginine]Vasopressin (100 nM) stimulated the PLC activity approx. 2-fold in the presence of 10 nM-GTP[S], but had no effect in the absence of GTP[S] or at 1 microM-GTP[S]. The hydrolysis of PtdIns(4,5)P2 by membrane-bound PLC was increased when the substrate was mixed with phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine or various combinations of these with phosphatidylserine. With PtdIns(4,5)P2, alone or mixed with phosphatidylcholine, GTP[S] evoked little or no stimulation of the PLC activity. However, maximal stimulation by GTP[S] was observed in the presence of a 2-fold molar excess of phosphatidylserine or various combinations of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine. Hydrolysis of [3H]phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate by membrane-bound PLC was also increased by GTP[S]. However, [3H]phosphatidylinositol was a poor substrate, and its hydrolysis was barely affected by GTP[S]. Cytosolic PtdIns(4,5)P2-PLC exhibited a Ca2+-dependence similar to that of the membrane-bound activity, but was unaffected by GTP[S]. It is concluded that rat liver plasma membranes possess a Ca2+-dependent polyphosphoinositide PLC that is activated by hormones and GTP analogues, depending on the Mg2+ concentration and phospholipid environment. It is proposed that GTP analogues and hormones, acting through a guanine nucleotide-binding protein, activate the enzyme mainly by lowering its Ca2+ requirement.

Characterization of partially purified phospholipase C from human platelet membranes

A phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P2]-hydrolytic activity was found to be present in the human platelet membrane fraction, with 20% of the total activity of the homogenate. The membrane-associated phospholipase C activity was extracted with 1% deoxycholate (DOC). The DOC-extractable phospholipase C was partially purified approx. 126-fold to a specific activity of 0.58 mumol of PtdIns-(4,5)P2 cleaved/min per mg of protein, by Q-Sepharose, heparin-Sepharose and Ultrogel AcA-44 column chromatographies. This purified DOC-extractable phospholipase C had an Mr of approx. 110,000, as determined by Ultrogel AcA-44 gel filtration. The enzyme exhibits a maximal hydrolysis for PtdIns-(4,5)P2 at pH 6.5 in the presence of 0.1% DOC. The addition of 0.1% DOC caused a marked activation of both PtdIns(4,5)P2 and phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) hydrolyses by the enzyme. The enzyme hydrolysed PtdIns(4,5)P2 and PtdIns in a different Ca2+-dependent manner; the maximal hydrolyses for PtdIns(4,5)P2 and PtdIns were obtained at 4 microM- and 0.5 mM-Ca2+ respectively. In the presence of 1 mM-Mg2+, PtdIns(4,5)P2-hydrolytic activity was decreased at all Ca2+ concentrations examined, but PtdIns-hydrolytic activity was not affected.

Purification of phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C from a particulate fraction of bovine brain

The coupling of various agonist receptors to the hydrolysis of phosphoinositides has generated much interest in the nature of the phospholipase C that is activated. Here we report the purification of a bovine brain phospholipase C derived from the particulate fraction. A 1000-fold purification was achieved by a combination of heparin-Sepharose, DEAE-cellulose and gel-permeation chromatography. The purified enzyme appears to be monomeric and under denaturing conditions shows a single staining major polypeptide of molecular mass 154 kDa in SDS gels. The enzyme is specific for phosphoinositides although it shows a marked preference for the polyphosphoinositides. With phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate as substrate the enzyme expresses a specific activity of greater than 100 mumol min-1 mg-1. The phospholipase C is activated by Ca2+ (0.1-10 microM). The behaviour of this particulate enzyme is discussed in the context of a agonist-induced phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis.

Bovine brain cytosol contains three immunologically distinct forms of inositolphospholipid-specific phospholipase C

We previously reported that cytosolic fractions of bovine brain contain two immunologically distinct forms of phospholipase C (PLC), PLC-I and PLC-II. We now report the purification of another form of inositolphospholipid-specific phospholipase C from bovine brain cytosol, designated PLC-III, and the comparison of the catalytic properties of the three isozymes. Approximately 450 micrograms of pure PLC-III was obtained from 36 bovine brains, and it had a final specific activity of 30-40 mumol of phosphatidylinositol hydrolyzed per min per mg of enzyme in the presence of 0.1% deoxycholate. PLC-III exhibited an apparent Mr of 85,000 in NaDodSO4/PAGE, which is considerably smaller than the Mr of 150,000 for PLC-I and 145,000 for PLC-II. Neither of the two mixtures of monoclonal antibodies nor the rabbit polyclonal antibodies directed against either PLC-I or PLC-II cross-reacted with PLC-III. The catalytic properties of the three isozymes were studied by using small unilamellar vesicles prepared from either phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) or phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PtdInsP2) as substrates. Hydrolysis of both PtdIns and PtdInsP2 by the three enzymes was dependent on Ca2+. However, at low Ca2+ concentration, PtdInsP2 was the preferred substrate for all three enzymes. When PtdIns was the substrate, the three enzymes exhibited similar specific activities at their optimum pH, which was 4.8 for PLC-I, 5.0 for PLC-II, and 5.5 for PLC-III. But at neutral pH, the order of specific activity was PLC-III greater than PLC-II greater than PLC-I. In contrast, the order of specific activity was PLC-I greater than PLC-III greater than PLC-II for PtdInsP2 hydrolysis, which means that PLC-I is the most specific for PtdInsP2. The three enzymes were affected differently by bovine serum albumin: inhibition of PLC-I and activation of PLC-III were observed, whereas PLC-II was unaffected. This observation suggests that any putative protein effectors for PLC should be critically scrutinized.