Mechanism by which wortmannin and LY294002 inhibit catecholamine secretion in the rat adrenal medullary cells

Catecholamine secretion by chemical hypoxia in guinea-pig, but not rat, adrenal medullary cells: differences in mitochondria

The effects of mitochondrial inhibitors (CN(-), a complex IV inhibitor and CCCP, protonophore) on catecholamine (CA) secretion and mitochondrial function were explored functionally and biochemically in rat and guinea-pig adrenal chromaffin cells. Guinea-pig chromaffin cells conspicuously secreted CA in response to CN(-) or CCCP, but rat cells showed a little, if any, secretory response to either of them. The resting metabolic rates in rat adrenal medullae did not differ from those in guinea-pig adrenal medullae. On the other hand, the time course of depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) in guinea-pig chromaffin cells in response to CN(-) was slower than that in rat chromaffin cells, and this difference was abolished by oligomycin, an F1F0-ATPase inhibitor. The extent of CCCP-induced decrease in cellular ATP in guinea-pig chromaffin cells, which was indirectly measured using a Mg(2+) indicator, was smaller than that in rat chromaffin cells. Relative expression levels of F1F0-ATPase inhibitor factor in guinea-pig adrenal medullae were smaller than in rat adrenal medullae, and the opposite was true for F1F0-ATPase α subunit. The present results indicate that guinea-pig chromaffin cells secrete more CA in response to a mitochondrial inhibitor than rat chromaffin cells and this higher susceptibility in the former is accounted for by a larger extent of reversed operation of F1F0-ATPase with the consequent decrease in ATP under conditions where ΔΨm is depolarized.

Differential effects of LY294002 and wortmannin on neurons and vascular endothelial cells in the rat retina

BACKGROUND

Neuronal damage leads to capillary degeneration in an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced retinal degeneration model; however, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are not fully understood. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway has been recognized as an intracellular pro-survival signaling system. Therefore, we used the PI3K inhibitors LY294002 and wortmannin to investigate the role of this pathway in neuronal and blood vessel injury in the rat retina treated with NMDA.

METHODS

Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 220-240 g were used in this study. NMDA combined with LY294002, wortmannin, or vehicle was administered intravitreally, and histological evaluation was performed at 2 and 7 days after injection. The effects of LY294002 or wortmannin alone were also evaluated.

RESULTS

The number of cells in the ganglion cell layer (GCL) was significantly reduced at 2 and 7 days after intravitreal injection of NMDA, whereas enhanced capillary degeneration was observed at 7 days. Simultaneous injection of LY294002 with NMDA significantly attenuated NMDA-induced retinal cell loss and capillary degeneration at 7 days. However, simultaneous injection of wortmannin with NMDA did not affect cell loss, but enhanced capillary degeneration. Treatment with LY294002 alone showed no effect on neuronal or vascular cells, whereas wortmannin induced capillary degeneration without significantly affecting the cell number in the GCL.

CONCLUSIONS

Although both LY294002 and wortmannin are known as PI3K inhibitors, they exhibit differential effects on neurons and vascular endothelial cells in the rat retina. Therefore, the results obtained using these inhibitors should be carefully interpreted. However, our finding that LY294002 was protective against NMDA-induced retinal damage suggests that this compound may be an effective candidate for preventing the development of retinal diseases associated with glutamate-induced excitotoxicity.

Vascular endothelial growth factor acts through novel, pregnancy-enhanced receptor signalling pathways to stimulate endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity in uterine artery endothelial cells

During pregnancy, VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) regulates in part endothelial angiogenesis and vasodilation. In the present study we examine the relative roles of VEGFRs (VEGF receptors) and associated signalling pathways mediating the effects of VEGF(165) on eNOS (endothelial nitric oxide synthase) activation. Despite equal expression levels of VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 in UAECs (uterine artery endothelial cells) from NP (non-pregnant) and P (pregnant) sheep, VEGF(165) activates eNOS at a greater level in P- compared with NP-UAEC, independently of Akt activation. The selective VEGFR-1 agonist PlGF (placental growth factor)-1 elicits only a modest activation of eNOS in P-UAECs compared with VEGF(165), whereas the VEGFR-2 kinase inhibitor blocks VEGF(165)-stimulated eNOS activation, suggesting VEGF(165) predominantly activates eNOS via VEGFR-2. Although VEGF(165) also activates ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase)-1/2, this is not necessary for eNOS activation since U0126 blocks ERK-1/2 phosphorylation, but not eNOS activation, and the VEGFR-2 kinase inhibitor inhibits eNOS activation, but not ERK-1/2 phosphorylation. Furthermore, the inability of PlGF to activate ERK-1/2 and the ability of the VEGFR-2 selective agonist VEGF-E to activate ERK-1/2 and eNOS suggests again that both eNOS and ERK-1/2 activation occur predominantly via VEGFR-2. The lack of VEGF(165)-stimulated Akt phosphorylation is consistent with a lack of robust phosphorylation of Ser(1179)-eNOS. Although VEGF(165)-stimulated eNOS phosphorylation is observed at Ser(617) and Ser(635), pregnancy does not significantly alter this response. Our finding that VEGF(165) activation of eNOS is completely inhibited by wortmannin but not LY294002 implies a downstream kinase, possibly a wortmannin-selective PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase), is acting between the VEGFR-2 and eNOS independently of Akt.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate stimulates aldosterone secretion through a mechanism involving the PI3K/PKB and MEK/ERK 1/2 pathways

We reported recently that sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a novel regulator of aldosterone secretion in zona glomerulosa cells of adrenal glands and that phospholipase D (PLD) is implicated in this process. We now show that S1P causes the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (PKB) and extracellularly regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK 1/2), which is an indication of their activation, in these cells. These effects are probably mediated through the interaction of S1P with the Gi protein-coupled receptors S1P1/3, as pretreatment with pertussis toxin or with the S1P1/3 antagonist VPC 23019 completely abolished the phosphorylation of these kinases. Inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) or mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) blocked S1P-stimulated aldosterone secretion. This inhibition was only partial when the cells were incubated independently with inhibitors of each pathway. However, aldosterone output was completely blocked when the cells were pretreated with LY 294002 and PD 98059 simultaneously. These inhibitors also blocked PLD activation, which indicates that this enzyme is downstream of PI3K and MEK in this system. We propose a working model for S1P in which stimulation of the PI3K/PKB and MEK/ERK pathways leads to the stimulation of PLD and aldosterone secretion.

Mode of mitochondrial Ca2+ clearance and its influence on secretory responses in stimulated chromaffin cells

To study the role of mitochondrial Ca(2+) clearance in stimulated cells, changes in free Ca(2+) concentration in the cytosol, [Ca(2+)](c) and that in mitochondria, [Ca(2+)](m) along with secretory responses were observed using chromaffin cells co-loaded with Fura-2 and Rhod-2 in the perfused rat adrenal medulla. When the cells were stimulated with 40 mM K(+) in the perfusate, the duration of [Ca(2+)](m) response markedly increased with prolongation of the stimulation period, exhibiting a mean half-decay time of 21 min with 30s stimulation, whereas its amplitude was not altered with stimulations of 10-30s. A computer simulation analysis showed that such a mode of [Ca(2+)](m) response can be produced if excess Ca(2+) taken up by mitochondria precipitates as calcium phosphate (Pi) salt. In the presence of 5 microM rotenone plus 10 microM oligomycin, a decrease in the duration of [Ca(2+)](m) response and a slight but significant increase (24%) in the secretory response to 30s stimulation with 40 mM K(+) were observed. Simulation analyses suggested that this effect of rotenone may be due to reduction in mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake induced by rotenone-elicited partial depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential. In chromaffin cells transsynaptically stimulated through the splanchnic nerve, the intensity of NAD(P)H autofluorescence changed with time courses similar to those of [Ca(2+)](m) responses. The temporal profiles of those two responses were prolonged in a similar manner by application of an inhibitor of mitochondrial Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger, CGP37157. Thus, due to the unique Ca(2+) buffering mechanism, [Ca(2+)](m) responses associated with massive mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake may occur within a limited concentration range in which Ca(2+)-sensitive dehydrogenases are activated to control the mitochondrial redox state in stimulated chromaffin cells.

Protein kinase B/Akt is a novel cysteine string protein kinase that regulates exocytosis release kinetics and quantal size

Protein kinase B/Akt has been implicated in the insulin-dependent exocytosis of GLUT4-containing vesicles, and, more recently, insulin secretion. To determine if Akt also regulates insulin-independent exocytosis, we used adrenal chromaffin cells, a popular neuronal model. Akt1 was the predominant isoform expressed in chromaffin cells, although lower levels of Akt2 and Akt3 were also found. Secretory stimuli in both intact and permeabilized cells induced Akt phosphorylation on serine 473, and the time course of Ca2+-induced Akt phosphorylation was similar to that of exocytosis in permeabilized cells. To determine if Akt modulated exocytosis, we transfected chromaffin cells with Akt constructs and monitored catecholamine release by amperometry. Wild-type Akt had no effect on the overall number of exocytotic events, but slowed the kinetics of catecholamine release from individual vesicles, resulting in an increased quantal size. This effect was due to phosphorylation by Akt, because it was not seen in cells transfected with kinase-dead mutant Akt. As overexpression of cysteine string protein (CSP) results in a similar alteration in release kinetics and quantal size, we determined if CSP was an Akt substrate. In vitro 32P-phosphorylation studies revealed that Akt phosphorylates CSP on serine 10. Using phospho-Ser10-specific antisera, we found that both transfected and endogenous cellular CSP is phosphorylated by Akt on this residue. Taken together, these findings reveal a novel role for Akt phosphorylation in regulating the late stages of exocytosis and suggest that this is achieved via the phosphorylation of CSP on serine 10.

Insulin stimulates Ca2+ uptake via PKC, cAMP, and p38 MAPK in mouse embryonic stem cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are provided as a powerful tool for developmental biology and have been shown to respond to insulin. However, little is known about the effect of insulin on [Ca2+]i regulation in the ES cells, although many cellular functions are tightly regulated by [Ca2+]i. Therefore, we examined the effect of insulin on Ca2+ uptake and its related signal pathways in the mouse ES cells. Mouse ES cells expressed alkaline phosphatase (AP), transcription factor Oct-4, and stage-specific embryonic antigen-1 (SSEA-1). Insulin increased the Ca2+ uptake in a time- and dose-dependent manner and the effect was blocked by L-type Ca2+ channel blockers, nifedifine and methoxyverapamil. Genistein or herbimycin A (tyrosine kinase inhibitors), wortmannin (PI-3K inhibitor), and staurosporine or bisindolylmaleimide I (PKC inhibitors) completely prevented insulin-induced increase of Ca2+ uptake. Wortmannin blocked insulin-induced PKC activation, but SQ 22536 (adenylate cyclase inhibitor) did not. Insulin also rapidly increased formation of inositol phosphates (IPs). We examined the involvement of MAPKs in mediating the effect of insulin on Ca2+ uptake. SB 203580 (p38 MAPK inhibitor) but not PD 98059 (p44/42 MAPKs inhibitor) blocked insulin-induced increase of Ca2+ uptake. Insulin significantly increased the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK but not p44/42 MAPKs. In addition, genistein, PKI, and bisindolylmaleimide I blocked the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK by insulin, suggesting a causal relationship. In conclusion, insulin partially stimulated Ca2+ uptake via PKC, cAMP, and p38 MAPK signaling pathways in mouse ES cells.

Mechanisms of interleukin-4 effects on calcium signaling in airway smooth muscle cells

In airway smooth muscle cells, interleukin (IL)-4 inhibited both carbachol- and caffeine-induced calcium mobilization from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Because of the known signaling pathways for IL-4 and importance of calcium uptake in maintaining SR calcium stores shared by agonists and caffeine, it was hypothesized that this rapid inhibitory effect might depend on phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and on inhibition of calcium uptake by the SR. Enzyme-dispersed bovine trachealis cells were loaded with Fura-2/acetoxymethyl ester, and changes in cytosolic calcium were imaged in single cells. Cells were pretreated with inhibitors of PI3K, either wortmannin (100 nM), LY294002 [2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one] (50 microM), or deguelin (100 nM). Calcium transients in response to carbachol (10 microM) were significantly decreased to 0.34 +/- 0.10 of control after 20-min treatment with IL-4 but were 1.10 +/- 0.26 and 1.08 +/- 0.23 when wortmannin or deguelin, respectively, was added along with IL-4. LY294002 alone had nonspecific effects on transients. In other experiments, cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) (5 microM), an inhibitor of SR calcium uptake, decreased carbachol-stimulated transients within 4 min to 0.83 +/- 0.08 of control (n = 6). However, for cells treated with IL-4 (50 ng/ml) plus CPA, transients decreased significantly more, to only 0.51 +/- 0.05 (n = 6; p < 0.05). Longer exposures to IL-4 and a higher concentration of CPA (30 microM) gave similar results. It was concluded that IL-4 did not inhibit transients in the presence of PI3K antagonists but that it did in the presence of CPA. This suggested that IL-4 inhibited calcium transients by mechanisms dependent upon a wortmannin-sensitive PI3K but not by inhibition of calcium uptake into the SR.

LY294002, but not wortmannin, increases intracellular calcium and inhibits calcium transients in bovine and human airway smooth muscle cells

To characterize the effect that a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) inhibitor, LY294002, has on cytosolic calcium concentrations ([Ca2+]i), bovine airway smooth muscle cells (BASMC) and cultured human bronchial smooth muscle cells (HBSMC) were loaded with fura 2-AM, imaged as single cells and [Ca2+]i measured ratiometrically. LY294002 (50 microM) increased [Ca2+]i by 294+/-76 nM (P<0.01, n=13) and 230+/-31 nM (P<0.001, n=10) in BASMC and HBSMC, respectively, and increases occurred in the absence of extracellular calcium. In contrast, after pre-treatment with thapsigargin, LY294002 no longer increased [Ca2+]i. This calcium mobilization by LY294002 was associated with a significant functional effect since LY294002 also inhibited calcium transients to carbachol (45+/-23 nM), caffeine (45+/-32 nM), and histamine (20+/-22 nM), with controls of 969+/-190, 946+/-156, and 490+/-28 nM, respectively. Wortmannin, a different PI3-kinase inhibitor, neither increased [Ca2+]i nor inhibited transients. Also, LY294002 increased [Ca2+]i in the presence of wortmannin, U-73122, and xestospongin C. We concluded that LY294002 increased [Ca2+]i, at least in part, by mobilizing intracellular calcium stores and inhibited calcium transients. The effects of LY294002 on [Ca2+]i were not dependent on wortmannin-sensitive PI3-kinases, phospholipase C, or inositol trisphosphate receptors (IP3R). For BASMC and HBSMC, LY294002 has effects on calcium regulation that could be important to recognize when studying PI3-kinases.

Modes of secretagogue-induced [Ca(2+)](i) responses in individual chromaffin cells of the perfused rat adrenal medulla

Chromaffin cells in the perfused rat adrenal medulla were loaded with indo-1 for confocal image analyses. Resting levels of [Ca(2+)](i) in chromaffin cells were similar and were stable with time. This is in contrast to the situation in isolated rat chromaffin cells, in which spontaneous oscillations of [Ca(2+)](i) are known to occur. When chromaffin cells were stimulated for 3-4 min by high K(+) or nicotine, [Ca(2+)](i) increased to a peak in 20-30 s and then declined rather smoothly. In contrast, chromaffin cells stimulated by muscarine or low pH (6.5) commonly exhibited irregular oscillations in [Ca(2+)](i). This provides additional evidence supporting the previous claim that muscarine and low pH evoke catecholamine secretion using partly shared mechanisms. Although muscarine and low pH were speculated to produce weaker responses in noradrenaline-secreting cells due to their selective stimulation of adrenaline secretion, no clear indications for segregation of cell types from [Ca(2+)](i) responses to these stimulants were found. The perfused adrenal medulla loaded with Indo-1 was also employed for simultaneously monitoring integrated changes in [Ca(2+)](i)(Ca responses) by conventional microfluorometry and in catecholamine secretion from a whole medulla (secretory responses). When the profiles of secretory responses were approximated by the kth power of the profiles of Ca responses, the k-values were estimated to be 2.2 and 2.3 for high-K(+)- and nicotine-elicited responses, respectively, whereas a k-value of 1.4 was obtained for both muscarine- and low-pH-elicited responses. An analysis showed that the significant difference in the k-value with these two classes of stimulants is accounted for by the stimulant-dependent patterns of [Ca(2+)](i) responses found in confocal image analysis.