Differential dependence of early and late increases in 1,2-diacylglycerol on the presence of catalytically active alpha-thrombin: evidence for regulation at the level of 1,2-diacylglycerol generation

Dual coupling of the alpha-thrombin receptor to signal-transduction pathways involving phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylcholine metabolism

Addition of alpha-thrombin to quiescent IIC9 cells results in the activation of lipid-metabolizing enzymes associated with signal-transduction cascades. These enzymes include phosphatidylinositol (PI)-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC), phosphatidylcholine (PC)-specific phospholipases C and D and phospholipase A2 (PLA2). Whereas the alpha-thrombin receptor has been shown to couple with PI-PLCs, it is not clear whether this receptor, or a putative second receptor, couples to one or more of the other phospholipases. In this report we determine whether the cloned receptor couples to all or a subset of these enzymes. We show that (i) an alpha-thrombin-receptor-activating peptide also elicits the above responses and (ii) addition of enterokinase to IIC9 cells, stably transfected with an alpha-thrombin receptor (enterokinase- responsive alpha-thrombin receptor, EKTR) containing an enterokinase cleavage site in place of an alpha-thrombin cleavage site, stimulates both PI and PC hydrolysis, including PLA2. Enterokinase also induces mitogenesis in the IIC9s transfected with EKTR. These results indicate that, in addition to initiating a mitogenic signalling cascade, the cloned alpha-thrombin receptor couples to enzymes involved in generating PC-derived, as well as PI-derived, second-messenger molecules in IIC9s. Additionally, using the cells transfected with EKTR, we further demonstrate that only activated, i. e. cleaved, receptors are desensitized.

Ablation of Go alpha-subunit results in a transformed phenotype and constitutively active phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C

Modulation of the components involved in mitogenic signaling cascades is critical to the regulation of cell growth. GTP-binding proteins and the stimulation of phosphatidylcholine (PC) hydrolysis have been shown to play major roles in these cascades. One of the enzymes involved in PC hydrolysis, a PC-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC) has received relatively little attention. In this paper we examined the role of a particular heterotrimeric GTP-binding protein, Go, in the regulation of cell growth and PC-PLC-mediated hydrolysis of PC in IIC9 fibroblasts. The Go alpha-subunit was ablated in IIC9 cells by stable expression of antisense RNA. These stably transfected cells acquired a transformed phenotype as indicated by: (a) the formation of multiple foci in monolayer cultures, (b) the acquisition of anchorage-independent growth in soft agar; and (c) an increased level of thymidine incorporation in the absence of added mitogens. These data implicate Goalpha as a novel tumor suppressor. Interestingly, PC-PLC activity was constitutively active in the Goalpha-ablated cells as evidenced by the chronically elevated levels of diacylglycerol and phosphorylcholine in the absence of growth factors. In contrast, basal activities of PC-phospholipase D, phospholipase A2, or phosphoinositol-PLC were not affected. These data demonstrate, for the first time, a role for Go in regulating cell growth and provide definitive evidence for the existence of a PC-PLC in eukaryotic cells. The data further indicate that a subunit of Go, is involved in regulating this enzyme.

Nuclear translocation of RhoA mediates the mitogen-induced activation of phospholipase D involved in nuclear envelope signal transduction

In this paper we demonstrate for the first time a mitogen-induced activation of a nuclear acting phosphatidylcholine-phospholipase D (PLD) which is mediated, at least in part, by the translocation of RhoA to the nucleus. Addition of alpha-thrombin to quiescent IIC9 cells results in an increase in PLD activity in IIC9 nuclei. This is indicated by an increase in the alpha-thrombin-induced production of nuclear phosphatidylethanol in quiescent cells incubated in the presence of ethanol as well as an increase in PLD activity in isolated nuclei. Consistent with our previous report (Wright, T. M., Willenberger, S., and Raben, D. M. (1992) Biochem. J. 285, 395-400), the presence of ethanol decreases the alpha-thrombin-induced production of phosphatidic acid without affecting the induced increase in nuclear diglyceride, indicating that the increase in nuclear PLD activity is responsible for the effect on phosphatidic acid, but not that on diglyceride. Our data further demonstrate that RhoA mediates the activation of nuclear PLD. RhoA translocates to the nucleus in response to alpha-thrombin. Additionally, PLD activity in nuclei isolated from alpha-thrombin-treated cells is reduced in a concentration-dependent fashion by incubation with RhoGDI and restored by the addition of prenylated RhoA in the presence of guanosine 5'-3-O-(thio)triphosphate. Western blot analysis indicates that this RhoGDI treatment results in the extraction of RhoA from the nuclear envelope. These data support a role for a RhoA-mediated activation of PLD in our recently described hypothesis, which proposes that a signal transduction cascade exists in the nuclear envelope and represents a novel signal transduction cascade that we have termed NEST (nuclear envelope signal transduction).

EGF-induced increase in diacylglycerol, choline release, and DNA synthesis is extracellular calcium dependent

Previous studies have demonstrated a strict extracellular Ca2+ dependence for the G0 to G1 and G1 to S transition in growth factor-treated T51B rat liver cells that is associated with increased levels of protein kinase C activity. Consequently, we have examined these cells for changes in phospholipid-derived second messengers in response to epidermal growth factor (EGF) and thrombin in order to determine which signals are generated during the initiation of the G0 to G1 transition. Thrombin is coupled to a phosphoinositide hydrolyzing phospholipase C, as we have found a rapid Ca(2+)-independent increase in the levels of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins[1,4,5]P3), inositol 1,4-bisphosphate (Ins[1,4]P2), and inositol 4-monophosphate (Ins[4]P), as well as a concomitant, transient elevation in diacylglycerol. No changes in either intracellular or extracellular choline metabolites, or an increase in DNA synthesis, were found in response to thrombin. By contrast, treatment of T51B cells with EGF results in a slower, more prolonged extracellular Ca(2+)-dependent increase in both [3H]-glycerol radiolabeled diacyl-glycerol, and diacylglycerol mass, an increase in choline release into the extracellular medium, and eventually a substantial DNA synthesis. We were, however, unable to detect any changes in phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) turnover, either by accumulation of inositol phosphates or by changes in phospholipids in response to EGF. These results indicate that DNA synthesis can readily occur in the absence of stimulated PtdIns turnover, and that PtdIns turnover is not sufficient in itself or necessary to induce DNA synthesis and is not necessary for a Ca(2+)-dependent increase in diacylglycerol. Moreover, we have demonstrated that the extracellular Ca(2+)-dependent increase in diacylglycerol levels in response to EGF is associated with an increase in extracellular choline release, which is indicative of an activation of a phosphatidylcholine-linked phospholipase D. These results suggest that diacylglycerol sources other than PtdIns's may be important in the extracellular Ca(2+)-dependent regulation of EGF-mediated cell replication.

Alpha-thrombin-induced nuclear sn-1,2-diacylglycerols are derived from phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis in cultured fibroblasts

Diglycerides play an important role in a number of agonist-induced signal transduction pathways. We have recently demonstrated that alpha-thrombin induces a rapid increase in the level of diglyceride mass in the nucleus and a selective increase in nuclear PKC-alpha [Leach, K.L., Ruff, V.A., Jarpe, M.B., Fabbro, D., Adams, L.D., & Raben, D.M. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 21816-21822]. In the present report, we examined the potential source of the induced nuclear diglycerides by examining the molecular species profiles of both the induced diglycerides and nuclear phospholipids by capillary gas chromatography. The molecular species profiles of the nuclear diglycerides generated resemble the species profiles of PC, and not PI species, at all times. In addition, while our previous data indicated that the molecular species of whole-cell phospholipids did not change in response to alpha-thrombin, nuclear PE was altered in a dramatic and selective manner in response to this agonist. These results demonstrate that PC hydrolysis is the predominant, if not exclusive, source of the alpha-thrombin-induced nuclear diglycerides in these fibroblasts.

Activation of phospholipase D by alpha-thrombin or epidermal growth factor contributes to the formation of phosphatidic acid, but not to observed increases in 1,2-diacylglycerol

The receptor-mediated activation of a phosphatidylcholine-hydrolysing phospholipase D (PLD) has recently been described. We investigated the effect of alpha-thrombin and epidermal growth factor (EGF) on cellular PLD activity in order to determine the role of this enzyme in mitogen-induced increases in phosphatidic acid and sn-1,2-diacylglycerol. In the presence of ethanol, stimulation of [3H]myristic acid-labelled quiescent IIC9 cells with alpha-thrombin or EGF resulted in a rapid increase in radiolabelled phosphatidyl-ethanol which reached a plateau at 1 min, indicating the rapid and transient activation of PLD. We observed a concomitant decrease in the mitogen-stimulated increase of radiolabelled phosphatidic acid. In contrast, ethanol did not significantly effect the elevation of sn-1,2-diacylglycerol levels stimulated by alpha-thrombin or EGF as determined by measurement of sn-1,2-diacylglycerol mass or the appearance of [3H]1,2-diacylglycerol. A novel lipid, detected by two-dimensional t.l.c. analysis, was generated in [3H]myristic acid-labelled cells stimulated with alpha-thrombin, but not EGF, in the presence of ethanol. Treatment in vitro of cellular lipids isolated from [3H]myristic acid-labelled cultures with PLD in the presence of ethanol also resulted in the generation of this novel lipid species, supporting the role of this enzyme in its production. These data indicate that in quiescent IIC9 cells: (a) alpha-thrombin or EGF rapidly and transiently activates a PLD; (b) although this activation is responsible for part of the mitogen-induced increases in phosphatidic acid, it does not contribute to induced increases in sn-1,2-diacylglycerol; and (c) activation of this enzyme appears to be involved in the formation of a novel lipid generated in response to alpha-thrombin, but not EGF, in IIC9 fibroblasts.

Insulin and progesterone increase 32PO4-labeling of phospholipids and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate mass in Xenopus oocytes

After a 4-6 h induction period, insulin or progesterone induces Xenopus oocytes to enter prophase of meiosis. During the period of induction, both insulin and progesterone induced an increase in 32PO4 labeling of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol. Through a mass assay, we found that insulin and progesterone increase inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) at about 15-30 s, 15 min and at about 2-3 h (0.5 GVBD50) after hormone addition. Since IP3 increases were small (from a basal of 66 to 104 nM), the results agree with prior conclusions that progesterone does not induce a large, cytosolic calcium elevation. Insulin is probably acting through the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor as insulin concentrations greater than about 50 nM are required to increase IP3.