Acetylcholine receptor: effects of proteolysis on receptor metabolism

mRNAs encoding urokinase-type plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 are elevated in the mouse brain following kainate-mediated excitation

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) is an inducible extracellular serine protease implicated in fibrinolysis and in tissue remodeling. Recently, we have localized uPA mRNA strictly in limbic structures and the parietal cortex of the adult mouse brain. Here, we tested whether the systemic treatment of mice with kainic acid (KA), an amino acid inducing limbic seizures, could elevate in the brain mRNAs encoding uPA and its specific inhibitor, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), a major antifibrinolytic agent. Brain sections encompassing the hippocampus were tested through in situ hybridization using radiolabeled riboprobes specific for the two mRNA species. The results showed that KA greatly enhanced both mRNA species in sites of limbic structures and cortex. However, in the hypothalamus and brain blood vessels only PAI-1 mRNA was elevated. Those were also the only two locations where PAI-1 mRNA was detected in the non-treated control brain, although at a low level. For both mRNAs, KA enhancement was first evident 2-4 h after treatment, and it was most prolonged in the hippocampal area, where prominent hybridization signals persisted for three days. Here, both mRNAs were initially elevated in the hilar region of the dentate gyrus and in the molecular and oriens layers; however, PAI-1 mRNA became evident throughout the area, while uPA mRNA became especially pronounced in the CA3/CA4 subfield. In the cortex both mRNA types were induced, but only uPA mRNA was elevated in the retrosplenial cortex, and also in the subiculum. In the amygdaloid complex, uPA mRNA was restricted to the basolateral nucleus, whereas PAI-1 mRNA was seen throughout the structure, however, excluding this nucleus. These data show that seizure activity enhances the expression of uPA and PAI-1 genes in the brain; the patterns of enhancement suggest that the protease and its inhibitor may act in brain plasticity in synchrony, however, also independently of each other. Furthermore, the results suggest that by elevating PAI-1 mRNA in brain blood vessels, limbic seizures generate a risk for stroke.

Localization of urokinase-type plasminogen activator mRNA in the adult mouse brain

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) is an inducible serine protease, secreted by a variety of cell types, that functions in fibrinolysis and has been implicated also in events such as cell migration and tissue remodeling and repair. To explore the role of uPA in the adult brain we have now screened the whole mouse brain for cells expressing the uPA gene through in situ hybridization using 35S-complementary RNA. uPA mRNA was visualized predominantly in three regions: (1) the subicular complex, (2) the entorhinal cortex, (3) the parietal cortex, where the signal was somewhat lower and confined to layers IV and VI. Weaker signals were seen in the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala and in the anterodorsal thalamic nucleus, and also in the hilus of the dentate gyrus where labeling was slightly over background. Cells exhibiting uPA mRNA signaling were large neurons according to morphological criteria. These results support the view of uPA being involved in neuronal functions of the adult brain, specifically in the hippocampal formation and the parietal cortex.

Differential recovery of macrophages from endotoxin-tolerant states elicited by lipopolysaccharide and enzymatic treatments

Exposure of macrophages to endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) leads to a suppression of their capacity to bind LPS and to produce cytokines after reexposure to LPS. This phenomenon is termed endotoxin tolerance, or LPS-induced desensitization. LPS also stimulates the secretion of serine proteases in macrophages, and activates membrane phospholipases. We have investigated the role of trypsin (a serine protease) and of a phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC, which cleaves GPI-anchored molecules such as CD14), on LPS-induced desensitization. The results obtained by treatment with PI-PLC or in the presence of protease inhibitors, suggested that activation of phospholipases and proteases are not involved in LPS-induced desensitization. However, trypsin treatment of macrophages abolished both LPS binding and cytokine responses. The recovery of macrophages from this trypsin-induced tolerance (restoration of TNF-alpha synthesis without reexpression of LPS-binding sites) was very different from that following LPS-induced tolerance (reexpression of LPS-binding sites without restoration of TNF-alpha synthesis). The results are consistent with the hypothesis that signaling LPS-receptors might be synthesized de novo after trypsin degradation, whereas non-signaling LPS-receptors might be internalized and recycled after preexposure to LPS.

Inhibition of urokinase synthesis and cell surface binding alters the motile behavior of embryonic endocardial-derived mesenchymal cells in vitro

The expression of the serine protease urokinase is elevated during the epithelial-mesenchymal transformation of the endocardium in the developing avian heart. Elevated urokinase expression is associated with the migrating mesenchymal cells of the atrioventricular canal and bulbotruncus and not the myocardium. Treatment of isolated endocardial-derived mesenchymal cells with phosphatidyinositol-specific phospholipase C released urokinase and its receptor from the cell surface and caused significant alterations in cell morphology and motility. Likewise inhibition of urokinase synthesis by treatment of cells with antisense oligonucleotides also inhibited the migration and motility of the endocardial-derived cells. These results suggest an important role for this enzyme in cell-matrix interactions and cell migration during development.

Modulation of mannose receptor activity by proteolysis

Macrophages express a receptor on the cell surface that functions to clear glycoproteins from the extracellular milieu. The activity of this receptor is sensitive to treatment with trypsin. In inflammatory situations, macrophages are activated and exposed to increased levels of extracellular proteases. Under these conditions, mannose receptor activity on the macrophages is diminished. We therefore decided to study the effects of trypsin treatment on the structure and activity of cell-associated and purified receptor that might contribute to the activation-associated receptor down-regulation. Trypsin treatment (1 microgram/ml for 3 h) resulted in the production of a 140 kDa, trypsin-resistant fragment from both intact cells and isolated receptor. This fragment was no longer able to bind ligand. The remaining 35 kDa fragment apparently is further degraded into smaller fragments, since no evidence of this domain was found on Coomassie Blue-stained gels. The 140 kDa fragment retained immunoreactivity and contained at least a portion of the iodinated tyrosine residues following surface labelling with Na125I. Neither calcium nor ligand protected the receptor from proteolysis. In addition, prior treatment with oxidants did not increase the susceptibility of the receptor to trypsin digestion. We conclude from these results that the macrophage mannose receptor is clipped by the serine protease trypsin at the cell surface, resulting in the release and further degradation of the binding domain, and the production of a membrane-associated 140 kDa fragment. This trypsin-mediated down-regulation of receptor activity might be important in controlling glycoprotein clearance during inflammation.

Plasminogen activator in mammalian skeletal muscle: characteristics of effect of denervation on urokinase-like and tissue activator

Analyses were made of the fibrinolytic, plasminogen-activating system in skeletal muscle to determine if a regulating influence of the nerve could be detected on these enzymes. Young male mice underwent right sciatic neurectomy. Extracts were prepared from denervated muscle at 2-17 d after axotomy and compared with controls. Using a cascade-style biochemical assay (Rånby, M., B. Norrman, and P. Wallén, 1982, Thromb. Res., 27:743-748) we found that low levels of plasminogen activator (PA) were present in adult, innervated mouse muscle, but that denervation resulted in a marked time-dependent increase in enzyme activity. Qualitative separation showed an eightfold increase in urokinase-like PA with moderate elevation of tissue PA activity after 10 d. Fibrin zymography (Granelli-Piperno, A., and E. Reich, 1978, J. Exp. Med., 148:223-234) revealed clear zones of lysis corresponding to molecular masses of 48 kD for urokinase-like PA and 75 kD for tissue PA, consistent with the molecular masses found for these enzymes in other tissues of the mouse (Danø, K., P. A. Andreasen, J. Grøndahl-Hansen, P. Kristensen, L. S. Nielsen, and L. Skriver, 1985, Adv. Cancer Res., 44:139-266). In other studies we have shown that PA-activated plasmin readily attacks critical adhesive basement membrane molecules. The present results indicate that enzymes involved in plasminogen activation, particularly urokinase-like PA, rapidly increase after axotomy, suggesting they may have a role early in muscle denervation. Similar alterations in PA activity might underlie the elimination of polyneuronal innervation during mammalian muscle development. Certain neuromuscular diseases may also involve activation of these enzymes, resulting in degradation of basement membrane zone components and, therefore, warrant further study.

Modulation of urokinase plasminogen activator gene expression during the transition from quiescent to proliferative state in normal mouse cells

We have investigated the regulation of urokinase (u-PA) mRNA in quiescent mouse fibroblasts and keratinocytes stimulated to divide by the addition of serum or epidermal growth factor (EGF), respectively. Serum stimulation of quiescent fibroblasts (BALB/c 3T3 or Swiss 3T3) results in an early and transient increase of u-PA mRNA level, which precedes by several hours the onset of DNA synthesis. A similar response is elicited by EGF stimulation of quiescent keratinocytes. The increase of u-PA mRNA parallels that of c-myc mRNA, does not require protein synthesis and is at least in part due to increase in template activity of the u-PA gene. Induction of terminal differentiation of mouse keratinocytes results in a decrease of u-PA mRNA which parallels the decrease of thymidine incorporation. In conclusion, variation in the level of u-PA mRNA is seen during G0/G1 transition and correlates with the proliferative state of these normal mouse cells.

Plasminogen activator in the developing rat cerebellum: biosynthesis and localization in granular neurons

The histochemical localization of plasminogen activator (PA) and the level of the translatable mRNA species coding for active PA were analyzed during ontogenesis of normal and of irradiation-agranulated rat cerebellum. Autoradiographic localization of PA activity was performed by plasminogen-dependent fixation of [125I]fibrin degradation products to frozen sections of developing rat cerebellum. Both the immature external and the adult internal granular layers were intensely labeled, in addition to labeling of meninges. In the irradiation-aggranulated cerebellum, PA labeling could be observed in residual granular neurons which went through their final division prior to the irradiation protocol. The concentration of the mRNA species directing the synthesis of catalytically active PA (PAmRNA) was monitored by an in ovo bioassay, using Xenopus oocytes as a translation system. A major species of 80,000 and a minor species of 50,000 apparent molecular weight of active PA were translated by mRNA from either control or X-irradiated cerebellum throughout ontogenesis. These could be detected by electrophoretic analysis of extracts and incubation media of microinjected oocytes. Both the content and the concentration of PAmRNA were found to be the highest at the stage of cerebellar development when granular neurons proliferate and migrate. These observations suggest that a major portion of the PA activity in the rat cerebellum is synthesized and localized in granular neurons through cerebellar ontogenesis, and that PA activity in the developing cerebellum is largely determined by the level of translatable mRNA coding for this enzyme.

Acetylcholine receptor turnover in clonal muscle cells: role of plasmin and effects of protease inhibitors

Characteristics of acetylcholine receptors were evaluated in G8-1, a continuous skeletal muscle line. Peak binding of 125I-alpha-bungarotoxin was in 10-day-old contractile myotubes at 4-8 nm. Turnover was studied using two different methods; both indicated half-times as little as half as long as previously reported for primary cultures. The effects of a variety of protease inhibitors on receptor turnover were assessed to determine if G8-1 receptors were less stable or turned over faster because of increased neutral protease activity. Leupeptin, antipain, and chloroquine markedly slowed receptor degradation. Inhibitors of plasmin or plasminogen activator had definite but less dramatic effects on receptor turnover. Results from studies in which plasmin was increased in the tissue culture media indicated that a small but definite acceleration of receptor turnover occurred. In clonal G8-1 cells, total number of acetylcholine receptors is controlled by negative feedback and although the major pathway for receptor degradation is lysosomal, plasmin may play a role in initiating receptor internalization.

Down-regulation of epidermal growth factor receptor correlates with plasminogen activator activity in human A431 epidermoid carcinoma cells

Human A431 epidermoid carcinoma cells in culture exhibit epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced "down-regulation" of cell-surface and total cellular (Triton X-100 extractable) EGF receptors caused entirely by an enhanced rate (4-fold) of receptor inactivation [Krupp, M. N., Connolly, D. T. & Lane, M. D. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 11489-11496]. The following observations show that this enhanced rate of EGF receptor inactivation is closely correlated with an increased cellular activity of plasminogen activator (PA), a serine protease. First, EGF-induced down-regulation of cell-surface and total cellular EGF receptors and the concomitant increase in cellular PA activity occur with identical kinetics, the t 1/2 for both processes being 3-3.5 hr. Second, the EGF dose-response curves for down-regulation of total cellular EGF receptor and increased PA activity are similar. The EGF concentrations for half-maximal responses of both processes are 10-15 nM and 20 nM, respectively. Third, the removal of EGF from previously down-regulated cells results in the recovery of total cellular EGF binding activity with a concurrent loss of cellular PA activity. Fourth, blocking PA synthesis or activity with cycloheximide or dexamethasone prevents down-regulation of the EGF receptor. Fifth, the addition of leupeptin, an inhibitor of PA and plasmin action, blocks EGF-induced receptor down-regulation as well as the increase of PA activity. That EGF receptor down-regulation is independent of plasminogen per se in the culture medium suggests that PA-mediated events may initiate the rapid inactivation of the EGF receptor that occurs during down-regulation.

Fibrinogen and its fragment D stimulate proliferation of human hemopoietic cells in vitro

Purified fibrinogen at concentrations of 3-30 nM has been found to stimulate continuous growth of human lymphoid and myeloid cell lines under serum-free conditions. A strong proliferative response resulted from the synergism elicited by the addition of fibrinogen to transferrin-supplemented medium. This effect was observed with the pre-B-cell line Raji, the T lymphoma-derived JM, and the monocytic cell line U 937, either at high or low cell densities. With the promyelocytic cell line HL 60, fibrinogen did not shorten the doubling time of cultures seeded at high cell densities (2 x 10(5) cells per ml). However, at cell densities lower by 2 orders of magnitude and in the same medium, it promoted growth with a doubling time similar to that obtained at high cell concentrations. Fibrinogen also was found to increase the plating efficiency and colony size when human bone marrow cells were cultured in semisolid medium containing serum. In long-term bone marrow liquid cultures without fibrinogen, colony-forming cells were no longer detected after 6 weeks. In those cultured with fibrinogen, approximately equal to 50 granulocyte-macrophage colonies per 10(5) cells were obtained after 6 weeks, and 10, after 12 weeks. Purified fibrinogen fragment D possessed a stimulating activity similar to that of the intact fibrinogen molecule. This fragment cannot form fibrin, thus eliminating fibrin as a source of the mitogenic effect.

Plasminogen activator is enriched in the synaptosomal plasma membranes

The intracellular localization of the serine protease plasminogen activator was analyzed in homogenates of bovine brain cortex using differential fractionation procedures. The distribution of the enzyme was clearly different from that of cytosol and mitochondrial markers, and was similar to that of plasma membrane proteins and of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor, which is a specific marker for the synaptic membrane. The specific activity of plasminogen activator was increased in fractions enriched in intact synaptosomes. Most of the enzyme in intact synaptosomes was found to be firmly associated with the synaptosomal membrane, and could be solubilized by high concentrations of salt or by non-ionic detergent. Purified synaptic vesicles, however, did not contain large amounts of plasminogen activator. Bovine brain synaptosomes were shown to contain two species of the enzyme, having apparent molecular weights of 80,000 and 55,000. The presence of plasminogen activator in the synaptosomal membrane may indicate its possible involvement in the functioning of nerve terminals.