Activation of muscarinic potassium currents by ATP gamma S in atrial cells

High energy phosphate transfer by NDPK B/Gbetagammacomplexes--an alternative signaling pathway involved in the regulation of basal cAMP production

The activation of heterotrimeric G proteins induced by G protein coupled receptors (GPCR) is generally believed to occur by a GDP/GTP exchange at the G protein alpha -subunit. Nevertheless, nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK) and the beta-subunit of G proteins (Gbeta) participate in G protein activation by phosphate transfer reactions leading to the formation of GTP from GDP. Recent work elucidated the role of these reactions. Apparently, the NDPK isoform B (NDPK B) forms a complex with Gbetagamma dimers in which NDPK B acts as a histidine kinase phosphorylating Gbeta at His266. Out of this high energetic phosphoamidate bond the phosphate can be transferred specifically onto GDP. The formed GTP binds to the G protein alpha-subunit and thus activates the respective G protein. Evidence is presented, that this process occurs independent of the classical GPCR-induced GTP/GTP exchange und thus contributes, e.g. to the regulation of basal cAMP synthesis in cells.

Interaction of nucleoside diphosphate kinase B with heterotrimeric G protein betagamma dimers: consequences on G protein activation and stability

It is generally accepted that G protein coupled receptors (GPCR) activate heterotrimeric G proteins by inducing a GDP/GTP exchange at the G protein alpha subunit. In addition, the transfer of high energetic phosphate by nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK) and/or the beta subunit of G proteins (Gbeta) can induce G protein activation. Recent evidence suggests that the NDPK isoform B (NDPK B) forms a complex with Gbetagamma dimers. In this complex, NDPK B acts as a protein histidine kinase phosphorylating Gbeta at histidine residue 266 (His266). The high energetic phosphoamidate bond on His266 allows for a phosphate transfer specifically onto GDP and thus local formation of GTP, which binds to and thereby activates the respective G protein alpha subunit. Apparently, this process occurs independent of the classical GPCR-induced GDP/GTP exchange at least for members of the G(s) and G(i) subfamilies of heterotrimeric G proteins. By using a mutant of Gbeta(1) in which His266 was replaced by Leu, it was recently demonstrated that NDPK B/Gbetagamma-mediated G(s) activation contributes by about 50% to basal cAMP formation and contractility in rat cardiac myocytes. Besides its apparent role in G protein activation, the complex formation of NDPK B with Gbetagamma dimers might be essential for G protein stability. Depletion of either the NDPK B orthologue or Gbeta(1) isoforms in zebrafish embryos led to a similar phenotype displaying contractile dysfunction in the heart accompanied by a complete loss of heterotrimeric G protein expression. In conclusion, the interaction of NDKP B with Gbetagamma dimers might play an important role in signal transduction, and alterations in this novel pathway might be of pathophysiological importance.

Molecular determinants for activation of G-protein-coupled inward rectifier K+ (GIRK) channels by extracellular acidosis

Synaptic cleft acidification occurs following vesicle release. Such a pH change may affect synaptic transmissions in which G-protein-coupled inward rectifier K(+) (GIRK) channels play a role. To elucidate the effect of extracellular pH (pH(o)) on GIRK channels, we performed experiments on heteromeric GIRK1/GIRK4 channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes. A decrease in pH(o) to 6.2 augmented GIRK1/GIRK4 currents by approximately 30%. The channel activation was reversible and dependent on pH(o) levels. This effect was produced by selective augmentation of single channel conductance without change in the open-state probability. To determine which subunit was involved, we took advantage of homomeric expression of GIRK1 and GIRK4 by introducing a single mutation. We found that homomeric GIRK1-F137S and GIRK4-S143T channels were activated at pH(o) 6.2 by approximately 20 and approximately 70%, respectively. Such activation was eliminated when a histidine residue in the M1-H5 linker was mutated to a non-titratable glutamine, i.e. H116Q in GIRK1 and H120Q in GIRK4. Both of these histidines were required for pH sensing of the heteromeric channels, because the mutation of one of them diminished but not abolished the pH(o) sensitivity. The pH(o) sensitivity of the heteromeric channels was completely lost when both were mutated. Thus, these results suggest that the GIRK-mediated synaptic transmission is determined by both neurotransmitter and protons with the transmitter accounting for only 70% of the effect on postsynaptic cell and protons released together with the transmitter contributing to the other 30%.

On the role of phosphatase in regulation of cardiac L-type calcium current by cyclic GMP

Does cGMP, via protein kinase G, inhibit cAMP-stimulated Ca(2+) current (I(Ca(L))) in mammalian ventricular myocytes by phosphorylating the calcium channel at a site different from that acted on by cAMP or by dephosphorylating the calcium channel through phosphatase(s)? We tested these possibilities in guinea pig ventricular myocytes superfused with Tyrode's solution (35 degrees C) and dialyzed with adenosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) ([ATPgammaS](pip)). ATPgammaS is a kinase substrate but thiophosphorylated proteins are not phosphatase substrates. With 5 mM [ATPgammaS](pip), I(Ca(L)) increased gradually over 20 to 25 min and then rapidly in the presence of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine. 8-Bromo-cGMP (8-Br-cGMP; 1 mM) did not inhibit I(Ca(L)) significantly (-3 +/- 11.8%, n = 21) in contrast to results with ATP dialysis (). Similar results were obtained with 0.1 mM carbachol (CCh). I(Ca(L)) increased after longer dialysis (>/=40 min) with ATPgammaS; again, 8-Br-cGMP had no effect. Also, isoproterenol (ISO) did not stimulate and CCh, alone or in the presence of ISO, did not inhibit I(Ca(L)). Block of CCh effect by ATPgammaS, although consistent with cGMP action in muscarinic inhibition, could be explained by guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTPgammaS) formation from ATPgammaS via nucleoside diphosphate kinase. GTPgammaS uncouples muscarinic and beta-adrenoceptors from intracellular effectors. Failure of 8-Br-cGMP to reduce I(Ca(L)) irreversibly excludes calcium channel phosphorylation as an inhibitory mechanism. We propose that cGMP inhibits I(Ca(L)) by activating phosphatase(s) in guinea pig ventricular myocytes.

Differential expression of nm23 genes in adult mouse dorsal root ganglia

Nm23 has been identified as a gene family encoding different isoforms of nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK). This protein is a key enzyme in nucleotide metabolism and has been shown to play important roles in various cellular functions. In the present study, we have investigated the expression of three isotypes in mouse dorsal root ganglia. In situ hybridization and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrated high levels of nm23-M1, -M2, and -M3 mRNA expression in peripheral nervous tissue. Moreover, in situ hybridization also displayed a specific nuclear localization for nm23-M2 mRNA. Immunohistochemistry with light and electron microscopy on isoform-specific antibodies revealed a differential subcellular distribution of NDPK isoforms. Isoform A was mainly cytosolic, showing only partial association with organelles. In contrast, isoform B was also found in the nucleus, which is in agreement with its proposed role as a transcription factor. The results also indicate a preferential association of isoform C with endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membranes in neuronal cells. Furthermore, isoform C appeared to combine with other NDPK isoforms as demonstrated by double-labeling evidence by electron microscopy and might be responsible for binding NDPK oligomers to membranes. Thus, isoform C may be considered as a protein of importance for maintaining intracellular pools of GTP in the vicinity of membranes and, hence, for transmembrane signaling. The results indicate a high expression of NDPK isoforms, not only in the central but also in the peripheral nervous system. Their different subcellular compartmentalization suggests that they have isoform-specific roles in neuronal cell physiology.

NM23/nucleoside diphosphate kinase and signal transduction

NM23s (or NDP kinases) regulate a fascinating variety of cellular activities, including proliferation, development, and differentiation. All these processes are modulated by external stimuli, leading to the idea that this family of proteins modulates transmembrane signaling pathways. This review summarizes the evidence indicating that NM23/NDP kinases participate in transmembrane signaling in eukaryotic cells and discusses the molecular mechanisms proposed to account for these actions.

Nucleoside diphosphate kinase associated with membranes modulates mu-opioid receptor-mediated [35S]GTPgammaS binding and agonist binding to mu-opioid receptor

The role of nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDKP), which converts GDP to GTP, in the coupling of mu-opioid receptors to G protein was investigated in membranes of Chinese hamster ovary cells stably transfected with the cloned rat mu-opioid receptor (rmor). Endogenous NDPK activity in membranes was determined to be 0.60+/-0.02 micromol/mg protein/30 min UDP (at 10 mM), a competitive substrate of NDPK for GDP with no effect on guanine nucleotide binding to G proteins, reduced basal [35S]GTPgammaS binding and unmasked morphine-stimulated [35S]GTPgammaS binding to pertussis toxin-sensitive G proteins, indicating that [35S]GTPgammaS binding to NDPK accounts for part of its high basal binding. UDP increased the extent of morphine-induced increase in [35S]GTPgammaS binding in the presence of GDP, most likely by reducing basal binding and inhibiting conversion of GDP to GTP. ATP greatly reduced morphine-induced increase in [35S]GTPgammaS binding, whereas AMP-PCP (adenylyl-(beta,gamma-methylene)-diphosphoate tetralithium salt), which cannot serve as the phosphate donor for NDPK, did not, demonstrating that effects of ATP is mediated by the NDPK product GTP. In addition, GDP and ATP increased the Kd and lowered the Bmax of the agonist [3H]DAMGO ([D-Ala2,N-Me-Phe4,Gly5ol]-Enkephalin) for the mu-opioid receptor and GDP alone increased Kd, most likely through their conversion to GTP by NDPK. Addition of exogenous NDPK enhanced the inhibitory effects of GDP and combined GDP and ATP on [3H]DAMGO binding. Thus, NDPK appears to play a role in modulating signal transduction of and agonist binding to mu-opioid receptors.

Inhibition of ATP-induced increase in muscarinic K+ current by trypsin, alkaline pH, and anions

In atrial cells, the open probability of G protein-activated ACh-sensitive K+ (KACh) channels can be increased approximately fivefold by intracellular ATP (ATPi). Using inside-out patches, we examined how proteases, changes in intracellular pH, and different anions affect G protein-mediated activation and ATP-induced stimulation of the KACh channel. Treatment with trypsin (0.5 mg/ml) removed the GTP dependence of the KACh channel and abolished the ATP-induced stimulation. Intracellular GTP activated KACh channels at all intracellular pH values tested (6.0-8.0), with the concentration at which half-maximal activation (K1/2) occurred ranging from 0.3 (pH 8.0) to 6.7 (pH 6.0) microM. However, the ATPi-induced increase in KACh channel activity was inhibited at pH 8. 0 (K1/2 = pH 7.4). All anions tested except sulfate, phosphate, fluoride, and iodide supported GTP-induced activation. Of the anions that supported GTP-induced activation, only citrate blocked the ATP-induced stimulation of the KACh channel. These results indicate that the GTP- and ATP-mediated effects on the KACh channel use separate signaling pathways. The ATP-mediated effect involves a trypsin- and pH-sensitive mechanism.

ATP-dependent activation of the atrial acetylcholine-induced K+ channel does not require nucleoside diphosphate kinase activity

Prior reports by others have shown that cytoplasmically applied ATP can activate the acetylcholine-induced K+ channel in inside-out atrial membrane patches when no guanine nucleotides are present in the solution bathing the cytosolic face of the membrane. A nucleoside diphosphate kinase mechanism was proposed to explain the activation by ATP. We show in the present study that cytoplasmic adenylylimidodiphosphate mimics the activation by ATP. Unlike ATP, the activation by adenylylimidodiphosphate does not subside on washout. Although commercially available adenylylimidodiphosphate is contaminated by guanylylimidodiphosphate, the activation by adenylylimidodiphosphate still occurs after HPLC purification to remove guanine nucleotide contamination. Adenylylimidodiphosphate does not support phosphotransferase activity by nucleoside diphosphate kinase. Therefore, nucleoside diphosphate kinase activity cannot explain the activation of atrial acetylcholine-induced K+ current by ATP and adenylylimidodiphosphate. We hypothesize that the activation by millimolar concentrations of ATP is due to binding of adenine nucleotide to the guanine nucleotide binding site of the G protein(s) responsible for stimulating the acetylcholine-induced K+ current.

Signalling via the G protein-activated K+ channels

The inwardly rectifying K+ channels of the GIRK (Kir3) family, members of the superfamily of inwardly rectifying K+ channels (Kir), are important physiological tools to regulate excitability in heart and brain by neurotransmitters, and the only ion channels conclusively shown to be activated by a direct interaction with heterotrimeric G protein subunits. During the last decade, especially since their cloning in 1993, remarkable progress has been made in understanding the structure, mechanisms of gating, activation by G proteins, and modulation of these channels. However, much of the molecular details of structure and of gating by G protein subunits and other factors, mechanisms of modulation and desensitization, and determinants of specificity of coupling to G proteins, remain unknown. This review summarizes both the recent advances and the unresolved questions now on the agenda in GIRK studies.

Na+ activation of the muscarinic K+ channel by a G-protein-independent mechanism

Muscarinic potassium channels (KACh) are composed of two subunits, GIRK1 and GIRK4 (or CIR), and are directly gated by G proteins. We have identified a novel gating mechanism of KACh, independent of G-protein activation. This mechanism involved functional modification of KACh which required hydrolysis of physiological levels of intracellular ATP and was manifested by an increase in the channel mean open time. The ATP-modified channels could in turn be gated by intracellular Na+, starting at approximately 3 mM with an EC50 of approximately 40 mM. The Na(+)-gating of KACh was operative both in native atrial cells and in a heterologous system expressing recombinant channel subunits. Block of the Na+/K+ pump (e.g., by cardiac glycosides) caused significant activation of KACh in atrial cells, with a time course similar to that of Na+ accumulation and in a manner indistinguishable from that of Na(+)-mediated activation of the channel, suggesting that cardiac glycosides activated KACh by increasing intracellular Na+ levels. These results demonstrate for the first time a direct effect of cardiac glycosides on atrial myocytes involving ion channels which are critical in the regulation of cardiac rhythm.

Participation of nucleoside-diphosphate kinase in muscarinic K+ channel activation does not involve GTP formation

Agonist-bound muscarinic receptors open atrial K+ channels through a GTP-dependent pathway mediated by the G protein Gk. However, nucleotides other than GTP are also able to support channel activity, even in the absence of agonists. This process was proposed to be mediated by nucleoside-diphosphate (NDP) kinase, which would transfer phosphate from nucleotide triphosphates to the GDP bound to Gk, producing Gk-GTP without the need for receptor-induced GDP-GTP exchange. We examined the effect of antibodies to NDP kinase on the ATP-supported activity of atrial muscarinic K+ channels and the corresponding GIRK1/CIR channels expressed in HEK 293 cells. Inhibitory antibodies reduced ATP-induced channel openings, but this effect displayed an absolute requirement for agonist and was also seen with antibodies that do not inhibit the enzyme. Both types of antibodies also reduced agonist-dependent channel activity in the presence of GTP, ruling out a role for NDP kinase in GDP rephosphorylation. Channel activity was not affected by the antibodies in preparations where ATP-induced muscarinic channels are not under tight receptor control, namely pertussis toxin-treated atrial patches and membranes from cells expressing KACh channel subunits. Thus, participation of NDP kinase in this pathway requires activated receptors and has a function distinct from phosphate transfer between nucleotides.

The nucleoside diphosphate kinase of human neutrophils

Nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDP kinase) catalyses the phosphate transfer between nucleoside triphosphates and nucleoside diphosphates. As formation of guanosine triphosphate could be dependent on ATP in neutrophils, the presence of NDP kinase was tested in these phagocytic cells. Both membrane and cytosolic fractions of human neutrophils were found to contain NDP kinase activity. The specific activity measured in the cytosol appeared 10-fold higher than in the membrane and was not modified when the cells were activated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. Interestingly, stimulation with N-formylmethionyl leucylphenylalanine in the presence of cytochalasin B showed an increase in membrane NDP kinase activity together with the translocation of the enzyme from the cytosol to the membrane, suggesting a possible role of NDP kinase in regulating G-proteins as previously reported. In addition, activation with opsonized zymosan induced an increase in cytosolic activity, suggesting different regulation depending on the signal transduction pathway. The neutrophil enzyme consisted of two subunits of 21 kDa (NDPKA) and 18 kDa (NDPKB) again essentially present in the cytosol of the cell. Separation of proteins by two-dimensional PAGE demonstrated that each subunit consisted of at least four isoforms, indicating post translational modifications. A characteristic of this family of enzymes is the stability of the phosphorylated intermediate. In neutrophils, only one acidic isoform of each NDPKA and NDPKB was labelled in the presence of EDTA. In addition, non-denatured complexes were apparent between 91 and 130 kDa, suggesting a hexameric structure as was also proposed for NDP kinases from other eukaryotic cells. These complexes were found to differ in their isoelectric points, indicating the existence of various isoenzymes probably resulting from combination between several isoforms of each subunit.

Association of nucleoside diphosphate kinase with pancreatic zymogen granules: effects of local GTP generation on granule membrane characteristics

It is well established that both GTP-binding proteins and phosphoproteins are involved in the control of exocytosis in the exocrine pancreas. Exocytotic membrane fusion is stimulated by guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate, and the phosphorylation states of several proteins, including at least one on the zymogen granule membrane, are known to change during exocytosis. We show here that a nucleoside diphosphate kinase is associated with the cytoplasmic face of pancreatic zymogen granules. This enzyme behaves as a phosphoprotein of apparent molecular mass 21 kDa on SDS/polyacrylamide gels, and is able to produce GTP by using ATP to phosphorylate endogenous GDP. GTP production by nucleoside diphosphate kinase is stimulated by the wasp venom peptide mastoparan, both through a direct action on the enzyme and through its ability to increase the availability of endogenous GDP. Two effects of the GTP produced by nucleoside diphosphate kinase are demonstrated: phosphorylation of a 37 kDa zymogen granule protein on histidine residues, and stimulation of the fusion of zymogen granules with pancreatic plasma membranes in vitro. These results suggest that granule-associated nucleoside diphosphate kinase is able to maintain local GTP concentrations, and raise the possibility that it might be involved in the control of exocytosis in the pancreatic acinar cell.

Phosphotransfer reactions as a means of G protein activation

Heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins) serve to transduce information from agonist-bound receptors to effector enzymes or ion channels. Current models of G protein activation-deactivation indicate that the oligomeric GDP-bound form must undergo release of GDP, bind GTP and undergo subunit dissociation, in order to be in active form (GTP bound alpha subunits and free beta gamma dimers) and to regulate effectors. The effect of receptor occupation by an agonist is generally accepted to be promotion of guanine nucleotide exchange thus allowing activation of the G protein. Recent studies indicate that transphosphorylation leading to the formation of GTP from GDP and ATP in the close vicinity, or even at the G protein, catalysed by membrane-associated nucleoside diphosphate kinase, may further activate G proteins. This activation is demonstrated by a decreased affinity of G protein-coupled receptors for agonists and an increased response of G protein coupled effectors. In addition, a phosphorylation of G protein beta subunits and consequent phosphate transfer reaction resulting in G protein activation has also been demonstrated. Finally, endogenously formed GTP was preferentially effective in activating some G proteins compared to exogenous GTP. The aim of this report is to present an overview of the evidence to date for a transphosphorylation as a means of G protein activation (see also refs [1 and 2] for reviews).

Facilitation of T-type calcium current in bullfrog atrial cells: voltage-dependent relief of a G protein inhibitory tone

1. The properties of the low-threshold calcium current, ICa,T, were investigated in bullfrog isolated atrial cardiomyocytes using the whole-cell, patch-clamp technique under control conditions and during beta-adrenergic stimulation. 2. The intracellular application of GTP gamma S or adenosine-5'-O-3-thiotriphosphate (ATP gamma S), poorly hydrolysable analogues of GTP and ATP, respectively, barely affected ICa,T amplitude in control conditions. beta-Adrenergic stimulation effects were more marked in the presence of ATP gamma S. 3. The intracellular application of GDP beta S and ADP reduced ICa,T amplitude. In cells pretreated with pertussis toxin, ICa,T amplitude was significantly increased. In both conditions, the addition of isoprenaline was without effect. 4. Under both control and beta-adrenergic-stimulated conditions, a conditioning prepulse to +70 mV did not fully inactivate ICa,T; rather ICa,T facilitation often occurred after beta-adrenergic stimulation. 5. In GTP gamma S- and ATP gamma S-dialysed cells, ICa,T facilitation was generally observed after a prepulse; it was larger in the ATP gamma S dialysis. Facilitation was sustained but ended immediately upon cessation of conditioning prepulses. After beta-adrenergic stimulation, facilitation was more marked in GTP gamma S- than in ATP gamma S-dialysed cells. 6. ICa,T facilitation was prevented by the intracellular application of GDP beta S and by pertussis toxin pretreatment. 7. ICa,T facilitation developed markedly in the presence of intracellular cyclic AMP. This effect was prevented by pertussis toxin pretreatment of the cells. 8. It is thus proposed that ICa,T is under a double antagonistic control by both a Gs and a Gi protein. Furthermore, the double-pulse-induced facilitation of ICa,T results from a voltage-dependent relief of the Gi protein inhibitory tone. Such an effect is increased by protein kinase A-dependent phosphorylation, presumably of the Gi protein.

Neutralizing antibodies to nucleoside diphosphate kinase inhibit the enzyme in vitro and in vivo: evidence for two distinct mechanisms of activation of atrial currents by ATPgammaS

Nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK) participates in multiple cellular functions, yet the molecular mechanisms of its involvement are often unknown, given that there are no specific inhibitors for the enzyme from vertebrates. We developed antibodies against NDPK by immunization of rabbits with the enzyme from bullfrog skeletal muscle. The antibodies specifically recognized the enzyme from frog tissues, and cross-reacted with NDPK from Xenopus. In contrast to mammalian NDPK, the amphibian enzyme elicited antibodies that inhibit potently its catalytic function. We utilized the inhibitory properties of these immunoglobulins to examine the role of NDPK on the ATPgammaS-induced stimulation of Ca2+ and K+ currents of cardiac myocytes. Injection of NDPK-neutralizing Fab fragments into atrial cells reduced considerably the effect of ATPgammaS on muscarinic K+ currents, but not on Ca2+ currents. Therefore, ATPgammaS increases calcium and potassium currents of atrial cells by two distinct mechanisms. NDPK is essential for the conversion of ATPgammaS into GTPgammaS which leads to muscarinic K+ channel activation but not for the stimulation of Ca2+ currents by ATPgammaS. The results demonstrate that antibodies to frog NDPK block the activity of the enzyme in vivo and in vitro, and can be used to determine the relevance of NDPK and its catalytic activity to the function of vertebrate cells.

Modulation of the serotonin-activated K+ channel by G protein subunits and nucleotides in rat hippocampal neurons

In hippocampal neurons, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) activates an inwardly rectifying K+ current via G protein. We identified the K+ channel activated by 5-HT (K5-HT channel) and studied the effects of G protein subunits and nucleotides on the K+ channel kinetics in adult rat hippocampal neurons. In inside-out patches with 10 microM 5-HT in the pipette, application of GTP (100 microM) to the cytoplasmic side of the membrane activated an inwardly rectifying K+ channel with a slope conductance of 36 +/- 1 pS (symmetrical 140 mM K+) at -60 mV and a mean open time of 1.1 +/- 0.1 msec (n = 5). Transducin beta gamma activated the K5-HT channels and this was reversed by alpha-GDP. Whether the K5-HT channel was activated endogenously (GTP, GTP gamma S) or exogenously (beta gamma), the presence of 1 mM ATP resulted in a approximately 4-fold increase in channel activity due in large part to the prolongation of the open time duration. These effects of ATP were irreversible and not mimicked by AMPPMP, suggesting that phosphorylation might be involved. However, inhibitors of protein kinases A and C (H-7, staurosporine) and tyrosine kinase (tyrphostin 25) failed to block the effect of ATP. These results show that G beta gamma activates the G protein-gated K+ channel in hippocampal neurons, and that ATP modifies the gating kinetics of the channel, resulting in increased open probability via as yet unknown pathways.

Differential expression of voltage-activated Na+ currents in two prostatic tumour cell lines: contribution to invasiveness in vitro

The voltage-gated ionic currents of two rodent prostatic cancer cell lines were investigated using the whole-cell patch clamp technique. The highly metastatic Mat-Ly-Lu cells expressed a transient, inward Na+ current (blocked by 600 nM tetrodotoxin), which was not found in any of the weakly metastatic AT-2 cells. Although both cell lines expressed a sustained, outward K+ current, this occurred at a significantly higher density in the AT-2 than in the Mat-Ly-Lu cells. Incubation of the Mat-Ly-Lu cell line with 600 nM tetrodotoxin significantly reduced the invasive capacity of the cells in vitro. Under identical conditions, tetrodotoxin had no effect on the invasiveness of the AT-2 cells.

Stimulation of phospholipase D in rabbit platelet membranes by nucleoside triphosphates and by phosphocreatine: roles of membrane-bound GDP, nucleoside diphosphate kinase and creatine kinase

Previous work has shown that guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (GTP[S]) and GTP stimulate phospholipase D (PLD) in rabbit platelet membranes and that these effects are greatly enhanced by pretreatment of platelets with phorbol esters that activate protein kinase C [Van der Meulen and Haslam (1990), Biochem. J. 271, 693-700]. In the present study, the effects of Mg2+, various nucleoside triphosphates and phosphocreatine (PCr) were investigated. Platelet membranes containing phospholipids labelled with [3H]glycerol were assayed for PLD in the presence of an optimal Mg2+ concentration (10 mM) by measuring [3H]phosphatidylethanol formation in incubations that included 300 mM ethanol. In membranes from phorbolester-treated platelets, the same maximal increases in PLD activity (5-fold) were seen with 1 microM GTP[S]), and 100 microM GTP. Addition of adenosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (ATP[S]), ITP, XTP, UTP and CTP had similar stimulatory effects, but only at > or = 1 mM. In contrast, ATP had a biphasic action, causing a maximal (2-fold) stimulation at 10 microM and smaller effects at higher concentrations; the inhibitory component of the action of ATP was blocked by 2 microM staurosporine. Guanosine 5'-[beta-thio]diphosphate decreased the stimulatory effects of ATP and ATP[S]. UDP, which can inhibit nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK), decreased the activation of PLD by ATP[S], ATP, XTP, CTP and to a lesser extent ITP, but had no effect on the actions of GTP[S] and GTP. Rabbit platelet membranes contained NDPK and addition of [gamma-32P]ATP led to the formation of [32P]GTP in amounts sufficient to explain most or all of the activation of PLD; UDP prevented GTP formation. PCr (0.04-1 mM) also stimulated membrane PLD activity, an effect that was dependent on endogenous membrane-bound creatine kinase (CK). UDP and guanosine 5'-[beta-thio]diphosphate each inhibited this effect of PCr. The results show that in rabbit platelet membranes, CK, NDPK and the GTP-binding protein that activates PLD can be functionally coupled. However, assay of membrane preparations at increasing dilutions showed that stimulation of PLD by the compounds studied, with the partial exception of ATP[S], involved diffusible rather than protein-bound intermediates.

Stimulation of secretion in permeabilized PC12 cells by adenosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate: possible involvement of nucleoside diphosphate kinase

The addition of Ca2+, adenosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (ATP[S]) or guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (GTP[S]) to digitonin-permeabilized PC12 cells stimulates noradrenaline secretion. Both ATP[S] and GTP[S] stimulate release in the absence of Ca2+. Whereas ADP and adenosine 5'-[beta gamma-imido]triphosphate inhibited ATP[S]-stimulated release, they did not inhibit Ca(2+)-stimulated release even in the absence of added ATP. This suggests that the kinase which uses ATP[S] to induce secretion may not play an essential role in Ca(2+)-stimulated release. As GTP[S]-stimulated and ATP[S]-stimulated secretions were not additive, it seemed possible that stimulation by ATP[S] might in part result from the thiophosphorylation of GDP by nucleoside-diphosphate (NDP) kinase to form GTP[S]. The following results are consistent with this possibility. (1) A low concentration of GDP increased ATP[S]-stimulated secretion, but not GTP[S]-stimulated or Ca(2+)-stimulated secretion. (2) A variety of ribo- and deoxyribo-nucleoside di- and tri-phosphates inhibited ATP[S]-stimulated secretion, but not GTP[S]-stimulated or Ca(2+)-stimulated secretion. Thus, like NDP kinase, the kinase which uses ATP[S] to cause noradrenaline release appears to have a very low specificity for ATP. (3) Incubation of permeabilized cells in a sucrose-containing buffer resulted in the preferential loss of ATP[S]-stimulated secretion and a decrease in the level of NDP kinase. The addition of rat liver NDP kinase to those depleted cells partially restored ATP[S]-stimulated secretion.

Intracellular ATP and GTP are both required to preserve modulation of N-type calcium channel current by norepinephrine

Norepinephrine (NE) inhibits voltage-dependent calcium channels of sympathetic neurons. We investigated the role of intracellular nucleotides in this inhibition for clues to receptor-channel coupling mechanisms. Both ATP and GTP are required to preserve NE responsiveness during whole-cell dialysis. The response to NE was gradually lost in bullfrog sympathetic neurons dialyzed with GTP as the only nucleotide, ATP only, or no nucleotides. Replacing ATP with ATP[gamma-S] resulted in spontaneous modulation of calcium channel current, possibly because of production of GTP[gamma-S]. The nonhydrolyzable ATP analog p[NH]ppA could substitute for ATP to preserve NE responsiveness. The protein phosphatase inhibitors okadaic acid and calyculin-A did not affect NE inhibition of calcium channel current, or recovery from that inhibition. These results suggest protein phosphorylation is not involved in the inhibition of calcium channel current, but binding of ATP to some intracellular site is required for the coupling of adrenergic receptors to calcium channels.

On the role of G protein activation and phosphorylation in desensitization to acetylcholine in guinea-pig atrial cells

1. The ACh-activated K+ current (IK,ACh) has been investigated in guinea-pig atrial cells at 36 degrees C using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. 2. During an exposure to ACh, IK,ACh faded as a result of desensitization. Throughout the fade of the current, the current reversed at EK and showed inward-going rectification. The fade was, therefore, the result of a genuine decrease in IK,ACh. 3. The onset of desensitization (as judged by the fade of IK,ACh) was biphasic and the time constants of the fast and slow phases of desensitization were 1.58 +/- 0.14 (n = 16) and 148.2 +/- 12.8 s (n = 18) respectively. Recovery from the fast and slow phases of desensitization (after 30 s and 5 min exposures to ACh respectively) occurred with time constants of 52 and 222 s respectively. This suggests that two processes are involved in desensitization. 4. The Q10 of the rate constant of the fast phase of desensitization was 2.2 +/- 0.3 (n = 6). 5. Intracellular perfusion with guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTP gamma S) or extracellular perfusion with AlF4- were used to bypass the muscarinic receptor and trigger IK,ACh by directly activating the G protein, GK, that links the muscarinic receptor to the K+ channel. Both GTP gamma S and AlF4- activated a current with the same reversal potential and the same degree of inward-going rectification as the ACh-activated current. 6. Desensitization still occurred when the muscarinic receptor was bypassed and IK,ACh was triggered by direct activation of GK with either GTP gamma S or AlF4-. This suggests that desensitization is, in part, the result of a modification of either GK or the K+ channel. 7. Activation of the muscarinic receptor by ACh resulted in greater desensitization than direct activation of GK; at the end of a 5 min exposure to ACh, current was only 22 +/- 1% (n = 19) of its peak value, whereas, after direct activation of GK by GTP gamma S for 5 min, current was 42 +/- 6% (n = 5) of its peak value. This suggests that desensitization also involves the muscarinic receptor. 8. When cells were perfused with GTP gamma S, the fast phase of desensitization could still occur, but the slow phase was reduced. This suggests that the fast phase involves GK or the K+ channel, whereas the slow phase involves the muscarinic receptor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Modulation of acetylcholine-elicited currents in clonal rat phaeochromocytoma (PC12) cells by internal polyphosphates

1. Whole-cell voltage clamp techniques were used to examine acetylcholine (ACh)-elicited currents in differentiated cells of the rat phaeochromocytoma cell line, PC12. 2. In the absence of intracellular Mg2+, the whole-cell current-voltage relationship for the ACh-elicited current displayed inward rectification which was reduced in part by the presence of 5 mM internal adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP). 3. The reduction in the rectification attributed to ATP developed over the first 15-20 min of whole-cell recording. Similar results were obtained with a non-hydrolysable ATP analogue, adenosine-5'-O-3-thiotriphosphate (ATP gamma S), or cytosine 5'-triphosphate (CTP) in the internal solution, but not with adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP) or pyrophosphate. 4. The magnitude of the ACh-elicited current was also dependent on recording time and the composition of the internal pipette solution. The magnitude of the peak ACh-elicited current increased over time when the cell was internally perfused with the control solution or a pipette solution containing pyrophosphate, ATP gamma S, or ADP. The largest sustained increases in ACh-elicited current were observed in the presence of internal pyrophosphate or ATP gamma S. In contrast, with internal ATP or CTP, the whole-cell current initially increased, then steadily decreased with recording time. 5. The desensitization rate of the ACh-elicited current increased with recording time irrespective of the composition of the intracellular solution. 6. The actions of the compounds tested make it likely that the changes in the whole-cell current-voltage relationship, peak current, and desensitization are produced by separate mechanisms. The mechanisms underlying these changes are unknown, but the ability of the compounds to chelate divalent cations is unlikely to be the explanation. Other unlikely explanations include phosphorylation of the ACh receptor or regulation by GTP-binding proteins.

Effects of adenyl nucleotides and carbachol on cooperative interactions among G proteins

Muscarinic agonists and adenyl nucleotides are noncompetitive modulators of sites labeled by [35S]GTP gamma S in washed cardiac membranes from Syrian golden hamsters. Specific binding of the radioligand and its inhibition by either GTP gamma S or GDP reveals three states of affinity for guanyl nucleotides. In the absence of adenyl nucleotide, carbachol promotes an apparent interconversion of sites from higher to lower affinity for GDP; the effect recalls that of guanyl nucleotides on the binding of agonists to muscarinic receptors. In the presence of 0.1 mM ATP gamma S, the binding of [35S]GTP gamma S is increased at concentrations up to about 50 nM and decreased at higher concentrations. At a radioligand concentration of 160 pM, binding exhibits a bell-shaped dependence on the concentration of both ATP gamma S and AMP-PNP; with ADP and ATP, there is a second increase in bound [35S]GTP gamma S at the highest concentrations of adenyl nucleotide. ATP gamma S and AMP-PNP also modulate the effect of GDP, which itself emerges as a cooperative process: that is, binding of the radioligand in the presence of AMP-PNP exhibits a bell-shaped dependence on the concentration of GDP; moreover, the GDP-dependent increase in bound [35S]GTP gamma S is enhanced by carbachol. The interactions among GDP, GTP gamma S, and carbachol can be rationalized quantitatively in terms of a cooperative model involving two sites tentatively identified as G proteins. Both GTP gamma S and GDP exhibit negative homotropic cooperativity; carbachol enhances the homotropic cooperativity of GDP and induces or enhances positive heterotropic cooperativity between GDP and [35S]GTP gamma S. An analogous mechanism may underlie the guanyl nucleotide-dependent binding of agonists to muscarinic receptors. The data suggest that the binding properties of G proteins and their associated receptors reflect cooperative effects within heterooligomeric arrays; agonist-induced changes in cooperativity may facilitate the exchange of GTP for bound GDP and thereby constitute the mechanism of G protein activation in vivo.

Membrane-bound nucleoside diphosphate kinase activity in atrial cells of frog, guinea pig, and human

Muscarinic K+ channels in inside-out patches of atrial cells from guinea pig or rabbit can be activated by Mg(2+)-ATP in the absence of acetylcholine and GTP or GDP. The ATP-dependent activation involves a phosphorylation and is postulated to be due to the association of a membrane-bound nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK) with the G protein GK: direct phosphorylation of the GK-bound GDP into GTP, catalyzed by NDPK, would result in activation of the G protein and, hence, activation of the channels. The aim of this study was to identify the presence of NDPK activity in atrial membranes by investigating the phosphate transfer between tritium-labeled nucleotides. We show that frog, guinea pig, and human atrial membranes contain a substantial NDPK activity since they catalyze the conversion from [3H]GDP+nucleoside triphosphate (NTP or NTP gamma S) to [3H]GTP (or [3H]GTP gamma S), from [3H]ADP+NTP to [3H]ATP, and from [3H]GTP+nucleoside diphosphate (NDP) to [3H]GDP. The phosphate transfer rates for the [3H]GDP+ATP to [3H]GTP conversion are 1.8, 0.5, and 2.4 mumol inorganic phosphate formation/mg per 10 minutes at 37 degrees C in frog, guinea pig, and human, respectively. The order of substrate efficiency for different NTPs was ATP greater than ITP approximately equal to GTP greater than UTP greater than CTP, which parallels the efficiency of these nucleotides in their activation of the muscarinic K+ channels. Addition of other nucleotides blocked the transphosphorylation reaction, indicating that the NTP-NDP conversion mechanism is aspecific, as is expected for an NDPK-catalyzed reaction. In conclusion, the data support the concept of NDPK involvement in the atrial muscarinic signal transduction cascade.

A GTPase controls cell-substrate adhesion in Xenopus XTC fibroblasts

Cell-substrate adhesion is crucial at various stages of development and for the maintenance of normal tissues. Little is known about the regulation of these adhesive interactions. To investigate the role of GTPases in the control of cell morphology and cell-substrate adhesion we have injected guanine nucleotide analogs into Xenopus XTC fibroblasts. Injection of GTP gamma S inhibited ruffling and increased spreading, suggesting an increase in adhesion. To further investigate this, we made use of GRGDSP, a peptide which inhibits binding of integrins to vitronectin and fibronectin. XTC fibroblasts injected with non-hydrolyzable analogs of GTP took much more time to round up than mock-injected cells in response to treatment with GRGDSP, while GDP beta S-injected cells rounded up in less time than controls. Injection with GTP gamma S did not inhibit cell rounding induced by trypsin however, showing that cell contractility is not significantly affected by the activation of GTPases. These data provide evidence for the existence of a GTPase which can control cell-substrate adhesion from the cytoplasm. Treatment of XTC fibroblasts with the phorbol ester 12-o-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate reduced cell spreading and accelerated cell rounding in response to GRGDSP, which is essentially opposite to the effect exerted by non-hydrolyzable GTP analogs. These results suggest the existence of at least two distinct pathways controlling cell-substrate adhesion in XTC fibroblasts, one depending on a GTPase and another one involving protein kinase C.

Effects of atrionatriuretic factor on Ca2+ current and Cai-independent transient outward K+ current in human atrial cells

The effect of 10 nM atrial natriuretic peptide (ANF) on macroscopic L-type calcium current, ICa, and calcium-independent outward potassium current, Ilo, were studied in myocytes isolated from human atrial trabeculae using the whole-cell-recording patch-clamp technique. When cells were dialysed with pipette media containing 0.2 mM GTP, ANF reduced ICa by 37.81% +/- 5.4% at +20 mV and Ilo by 21.72% +/- 3.68% at +60 mV in a reversible manner. When ICa was increased by beta-adrenoreceptor stimulation (0.1 microM isoproterenol) or by the phosphodiesterase inhibitor isobutylmethylxanthine (10 microM) ANF reduced ICa by 24.99 +/- 3.4% and by 39.9 +/- 6.3% respectively. In cells dialysed with GTP-free pipette media, ANF increased ICa markedly (39.8% +/- 7%) and reversibly, whereas it still depressed Ilo (18.92% +/- 2%). Addition of 0.2 mM GTP[gamma S] to the pipette solution in the absence of GTP increased ICa, decreased Ilo and suppressed the effect of ANF on both ICa and Ilo. It is suggested that activation of the ANF receptor in human atrial cells reduces ICa via guanylate-cyclase-dependent cGMP production, increases ICa via Gs protein activation and decreases Ilo via Gi protein activation.

Activation of nucleoside diphosphate kinase by mastoparan, a peptide isolated from wasp venom

We have previously reported that GDP-bound alpha beta gamma-trimeric GTP-binding (G) proteins can be converted into the active GTP-bound form with nucleoside diphosphate (NDP) kinase and ATP, although its exact activation mechanism still remains to be resolved. In the present study, we investigated whether NDP kinase activity was modified by mastoparan, a wasp venom peptide that is known to activate G proteins as an agonist-receptor complex. The activity of NDP kinase measured by the formation of GTP from ATP and GDP was markedly stimulated, when the kinase was incubated with mastoparan. The concentration of mastoparan required for the activation was much lower than that observed for the peptide-induced activation of G proteins under similar assay conditions. There was also an increase in the phosphorylated intermediate of NDP kinase as well as the catalytic activity upon its incubation with mastoparan. These results suggest that mastoparan not only activates G proteins directly via guanine nucleotide exchange reaction but also stimulates NDP kinase activity.

M-currents in frog sympathetic ganglion cells: manipulation of membrane phosphorylation

1. The inward current and the M-current (IM) suppression produced when muscarine is applied to frog sympathetic ganglion cells was recorded by means of the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. The holding potential was -30 mV and [K+]o was 6 mM. 2. The steady-state IM was maintained for at least 20 min when the patch pipette contained neither adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) nor adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP). Inclusion of these substances or the ATP antagonist, beta,gamma-methyleneadenosine 5'-triphosphate (beta,gamma-MethATP; 1 or 2 nM) (failed to alter the rate of IM 'run down'. By contrast, inclusion of adenosine-5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (ATP-gamma-S, 1 or 2 mM) resulted in a 60% reduction of the current within 18 min. 3. Despite the inability of ATP-gamma-S to maintain steady-state IM, it had no effect on the ability of muscarine (2-100 microM) to suppress a constant fraction of the available current. ATP-gamma-S and beta,gamma-MethATP increased the rise time and duration of the response to muscarine. 4. Inclusion of a phosphatase inhibitor, diphosphoglyceric acid (DPG, 1-2.5 mM) or alkaline phosphatase (100 micrograms ml-1) failed to affect the amplitude of muscarinic responses. 5. These results question the role of the phosphorylation and/or dephosphorylation reactions in the transduction mechanism for muscarine-induced IM suppression but are consistent with the possibility that M-channels are 'directly coupled' via G-protein to the muscarinic receptor.

Effects of anions on the G protein-mediated activation of the muscarinic K+ channel in the cardiac atrial cell membrane. Intracellular chloride inhibition of the GTPase activity of GK

The effects of various intracellular anions on the G protein (GK)-mediated activation of the muscarinic K+ (KACh) channel were examined in single atrial myocytes isolated from guinea pig hearts. The patch clamp technique was used in the inside-out patch configuration. With acetylcholine (ACh, 0.5 microM) in the pipette, 1 microM GTP caused different magnitudes of KACh channel activation in internal solutions containing different anions. The order of potency of anions to induce the KACh channel activity at 0.5 microM ACh and 1 microM GTP was Cl- greater than or equal to Br- greater than 1-. In the SO4(2-) or aspartic acid internal solution, no channel openings were induced by 1 microM GTP with 0.5 microM ACh. In both the Cl- and SO4(2-) internal solutions (with 0.5 microM ACh) the relationship between the concentration of GTP and the channel activity was fit by the Hill equation with a Hill coefficient of approximately 3-4. However, the concentration of GTP at the half-maximal activation (Kd) was 0.2 microM in the Cl- and 10 microM in the SO4(2-) solution. On the other hand, the quasi-steady-state relationship between the concentration of guanosine-5'-o-(3-thiotriphosphate) and the channel activity did not differ significantly between the Cl- and SO4(2-) solutions; i.e., the Hill coefficient was approximately 3-4 and the Kd was approximately 0.06-0.08 microM in both solutions. The decay of channel activity after washout of GTP in the Cl- solution was much slower than that in the SO4(2-) solution. These results suggest that intracellular Cl- does not affect the turn-on reaction but slows the turn-off reaction of GK, resulting in higher sensitivity of the KACh channel for GTP. In the Cl- solution, even in the absence of agonists, GTP (greater than 1 microM) or ATP (greater than 1 mM) alone caused activation of the KACh channel, while neither occurred in the SO4(2-) solution. These observations suggest that the activation of the KACh channel by the basal turn-on reaction of GK or by phosphate transfer to GK by nucleoside diphosphate-kinase may depend at least partly on the intracellular concentration of Cl-.

Role of GTP-binding proteins in the regulation of mammalian cardiac chloride conductance

Beta-Adrenoceptor agonists activate a time- and voltage-independent Cl- conductance in mammalian cardiac myocytes. To characterize the cellular signaling pathways underlying its regulation, wide-tipped pipettes fitted with a pipette perfusion device were used to record whole-cell current and to introduce nucleotides to the interior of guinea pig ventricular myocytes. Replacement of pipette GTP with GDP beta S prevented activation of the Cl- conductance by Iso, suggesting a requirement for G protein turnover. With GTP in the pipette, the effect of Iso could be abolished by the beta-adrenoceptor antagonist propranolol, and mimicked by histamine or forskolin. These actions of Iso and forskolin are mediated exclusively via cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA), because (a) maximal activation of the Cl- conductance by forskolin or pipette cAMP occluded the effect of Iso, and (b) switching to pipette solution containing a synthetic peptide inhibitor (PKI) of PKA completely abolished the Cl- conductance activated by Iso and prevented the action of forskolin, but had no further effect. These results argue against basal activation of the Cl- conductance, and make it extremely unlikely that the stimulatory G protein, Gs, has any direct, phosphorylation-independent influence. The muscarinic receptor agonists acetylcholine (ACh) and carbachol diminished, in a reversible manner, Cl- conductance activated by Iso or forskolin, but not that elicited by cAMP. The muscarinic inhibition was abolished by replacing pipette GTP with GDP beta S, or by preincubating cells with pertussis toxin (PTX), and was therefore mediated by an inhibitory G protein, presumably Gi, influencing adenylyl cyclase activity. Nonhydrolyzable GTP analogues (GTP gamma S or GppNHp) applied via the pipette did not themselves activate Cl- conductance, but rendered Cl- current activation by brief exposures to Iso or histamine, but not to forskolin, irreversible. The Cl- conductance persistently activated by Iso was insensitive to propranolol or ACh, but could still be abolished by pipette application of PKI. The data indicate that stimulation of beta-adrenergic or histaminergic receptors in the presence of nonhydrolyzable GTP analogues causes persistent activation of Gs and uncouples it from the receptors. We conclude that autonomic regulation of cardiac Cl- conductance reflects accurately the underlying modulation of adenylyl cyclase activity and, hence, that this system is a suitable mammalian model for in situ studies of the interactions between adenylyl cyclase, Gs, Gi, and forskolin.

Inactivation of the Ba2+ current in dissociated Helix neurons: voltage dependence and the role of phosphorylation

The rate of inactivation of the voltage-dependent Ba2+ current in dissociated neurons from the snail Helix aspersa was found to be modulated by phosphorylation. Conditions were chosen such that the most likely mechanism of inactivation of the Ba2+ current was a voltage-dependent/calcium-independent inactivation process. If adenosine-triphosphate (ATP) was not included in the patch electrode filling solution, or if alkaline phosphatase was added, the Ba2+ current rapidly ran down and the rate of inactivation greatly increased with time. Dialysis with either ATP gamma S or the phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid (OA) either enhanced the amplitude or greatly reduced the rate of run-down of the Ba2+ current (depending upon the presence of ATP), as well as reducing the rate of inactivation. However, dialysis with either the catalytic subunit of the cyclic-adenosine-mono-phosphate-dependent protein kinase (cAMP-PK), a synthetic peptide inhibitor of this enzyme, or staurosporine (a potent inhibitor of protein kinase C), did not have any significant effect on the amplitude or kinetics of the Ba2+ current. Surprisingly, dialysis with a peptide inhibitor (CKIP) of the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (Ca(2+)-CaM-PK) significantly reduced the rate of inactivation of this current. These results suggest that phosphorylation may exert its effect by modulating the gating properties of the Ca2+ channels.

Contribution of nucleoside diphosphokinase to guanine nucleotide regulation of agonist binding to formyl peptide receptors

High-affinity agonist binding to formyl peptide receptors in membranes of myeloid differentiated human leukemia (HL 60) cells is known to be regulated by guanine nucleotides, most potently by the GTP analog, guanosine-5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTP[S]). Here we analyzed whether nucleoside diphosphokinase present in these membranes and capable of forming GTP[S] from GDP and adenosine-5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (ATP[S]) can contribute to nucleotide regulation of agonist receptor binding. Using GDP and ATP[S] at concentrations causing by themselves only small reductions in receptor binding of the labelled formyl peptide, N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine ([3H]FMLP), a marked potentiation (up to 30-fold) was observed when both nucleotides were combined. Under conditions in which the combination of GDP and ATP[S] induced 70-90% of maximal inhibition of [3H]FMLP binding, a total concentration of about 7 nM GTP[S] formed was measured. The synergistic effect of GDP and ATP[S] on [3H]FMLP binding was not seen in the presence of UDP (1 mM), which blocked formation of GTP[S] from GDP and ATP[S]. Furthermore, no potentiation was observed when instead of GDP and ATP[S], guanosine-5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) and adenylyl-5'-imidodiphosphate, respectively, were used. Finally, regulation of [3H]FMLP binding by ATP[S] plus GDP (or GTP) was a time-dependent process, reaching maximal inhibition after 20-30 min of incubation at 25 degrees C. The data indicate that nucleoside diphosphokinase present in membranes of HL 60 cells can transfer the thiophosphate group of ATP[S] to GDP leading to formation of GTP[S] and that the GTP[S] thus formed efficiently binds to G proteins interacting with formyl peptide receptors and thereby regulates their agonist binding affinity.

G protein-mediated ion channel activation

Guanine nucleotide binding proteins couple a wide variety of receptors to ion channels via both "direct" or membrane-delimited and "indirect" second messenger-mediated pathways. This tutorial summarizes current approaches to defining the mechanisms of guanine nucleotide binding protein-mediated ion channel activation. Two well-characterized ion channels in the heart, namely, the beta-adrenergic receptor-activated calcium channel and the muscarinic receptor-activated potassium channel, are used to illustrate the criteria that can distinguish between direct and indirect guanine nucleotide binding protein-transduced pathways.

Regulation of spontaneous opening of muscarinic K+ channels in rabbit atrium

1. Intracellular mechanism(s) for controlling the opening of muscarinic K+ channels in the absence of an applied muscarinic agonist were studied in rabbit atrium by applying the patch clamp technique to isolated single myocytes. 2. In the cell-attached patch configuration, currents due to the activity of both the muscarinic K+ channel and the inward rectifying K+ channel were recorded. However, while the inward rectifying K+ channel currents were observed in only ten patches of 211 examined, spontaneous opening (i.e. in the absence of a muscarinic agonist) of the muscarinic K+ channel currents was observed in all patches examined in these atrial cells. 3. The single-channel currents due to spontaneous opening of muscarinic K+ channels were identified on the basis of their very similar conductance and gating properties to the unitary events which have been recorded when 0.5 microM-acetylcholine is included in the pipette and 10 microM-GTP is present in the internal side of the patch membrane. 4. Although the spontaneous opening of the muscarinic K+ channels disappeared soon after excision of the patch membrane, this type of channel activity reappeared following application of ATP and MgCl2 to the internal side of the torn-off patch, as expected from previous publications. 5. The K+ channel activity induced by the ATP and Mg2+ (measured as the product of the number of channels, N, times the probability of opening, Po) was strongly dependent upon concentration of free Mg2+; it was half-maximal at 2.2 x 10(-4) M [Mg2+]i. However, after the muscarinic K+ channels had been activated by 100 microM-guanosine 5'-O-3-thiotriphosphate (GTP gamma S) together with ATP and Mg2+, an increase in the Mg2+ concentration from 5.5 x 10(-5) to 2 x 10(-3) M failed to enhance this channel activity. 6. Pertussis toxin, which is known to uncouple muscarinic receptors from associated G-proteins (G(i) or G(o)), failed to inhibit the ATP- and Mg(2+)-induced activation of this K+ channel in the absence agonists. 7. In experiments made to test whether the Mg(2+)-ATP requirement results from an obligatory phosphorylation reaction, ATP was replaced with adenylyl-imidodiphosphate (AMP-PNP), an analogue of ATP which is resistant to hydrolysis. This K+ channel activity was not present when ATP was replaced with AMP-PNP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Cyclic AMP phosphodiesterases and Ca2+ current regulation in cardiac cells

At least four different isoforms of phosphodiesterases (PDEs) are responsible for the hydrolysis of cAMP in cardiac cells. However, their distribution, localization and functional coupling to physiological effectors (such as ion channels, contractile proteins, etc.) vary significantly among various animal species and cardiac tissues. Because the activity of cardiac Ca2+ channels is strongly regulated by cAMP-dependent phosphorylation, Ca(2+)-channel current (ICa) measured in isolated cardiac myocytes may be used as a probe for studying cAMP metabolism. When the activity of adenylyl cyclase is bypassed by intracellular perfusion with submaximal concentrations of cAMP, effects of specific PDE inhibitors on ICa amplitude are mainly determined by their effects on PDE activity. This approach can be used to evaluate in vivo the functional coupling of various PDE isozymes to Ca2+ channels and their differential participation in the hormonal regulation of ICa and cardiac function. Combined with in vitro biochemical studies, such an experimental approach has permitted the discovery of hormonal inhibition of PDE activity in cardiac myocytes.

Receptor-mediated deactivation of Gk in cardiac myocytes

The muscarinic potassium current IK(ACh) of atrial myocytes can be evoked in the absence of agonists by intracellular application of stable GTP analogs (GXP). This receptor-independent opening of K(ACh) channels is a consequence of the direct activation of the guanyl nucleotide binding protein Gk that couples muscarinic receptors to K(ACh) channels, and was previously thought to be unaffected by subsequent application of agonist. We report here that in the presence of GTP, application of a pulse of muscarinic agonist to atrial cells can abolish the GXP-induced IK(ACh). The results imply that in intact cells the agonist-bound receptor can interact with Gk not only in its inactive, GDP-bound form, but also in its active, GXP-bound form in a process that promotes the release of guanine nucleotide from its binding site.

The reduction of neuronal calcium currents by ATP-gamma-S is mediated by a G protein and occurs independently of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase

We studied the effects of ATP-gamma-S on the T, N and L calcium current components of nodose ganglion neurons using the whole cell variation of the patch clamp technique. ATP-gamma-S can serve as a phosphate donor in kinase-mediated reactions, the donated phosphate group being resistant to the action of phosphatases. We therefore compared the effect of ATP-gamma-S to that of the catalytic subunit of the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (AK-C), included in the recording pipette with 5 mM ATP. AK-C (50 micrograms/ml) had no effect on the T current, and caused a approximately 30% increase in currents containing the N and L components during a 20-min recording, as compared to a approximately 45% decrease in control currents. In contrast, in the presence of 2.5 mM ATP-gamma-S, T currents declined approximately 30%, and currents containing the N and L components declined to a greater extent than control currents, about 65%. In addition, the time to peak current was increased from approximately 14 ms to approximately 40 ms. This effect of ATP-gamma-S on calcium currents was similar to that of certain neurotransmitters or GTP-gamma-S, an activator of G proteins, except that the effects of ATP-gamma-S were delayed 5-7 min relative to GTP-gamma-S. The effects of both ATP-gamma-S and GTP-gamma-S were reduced or abolished in neurons treated with pertussis toxin. We conclude that AK-C regulates neuronal calcium currents, presumably by phosphorylation of channels or associated proteins, and that the ATP-gamma-S-induced reduction of calcium currents cannot be due to its serving as a phosphate donor for endogenous AK.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Desensitization of the inhibition of the M-current in sympathetic neurons: effects of ATP analogs, polyanions, and multiple agonist applications

Desensitization occurs when the response to a neurotransmitter receptor agonist wanes in the continued presence of agonist. In amphibian sympathetic neurons, both muscarinic and peptidergic receptor agonists inhibit a K+ current, the M-current (IM), and this inhibition desensitizes. We have studied the desensitization to substance P (SP) by whole-cell recordings from dissociated sympathetic neurons from bullfrogs. When ATP in the recording pipette was replaced with AMP-PNP, SP still inhibited IM, but no desensitization was observed, indicating that ATP hydrolysis is required for desensitization. Desensitization inhibitors of beta-adrenergic receptors did not block desensitization to SP. When a low dose of muscarine sufficient to inhibit IM, but not to elicit desensitization, was applied simultaneously with a desensitizing dose of SP, IM remained depressed and did not desensitize. Thus, there may be separate systems controlling desensitization for different agonists, or the enzyme(s) involved is "compartmentalized."

ATP-dependent activation of atrial muscarinic K+ channels in the absence of agonist and G-nucleotides

While opening of cardiac muscarinic K+ channels is mediated by a guanine nucleotide-binding protein, GK, and normally requires both ACh and cytosolic GTP, we demonstrate that in the absence of agonist and G-nucleotides guinea-pig atrial muscarinic K+ channels are activated by cytosolic ATP (K50 = 224 microM). This activation involves a phosphorylating reaction and is most probably related to a transphosphorylation by a nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK) from ATP to GK-bound GDP. This ATP-induced response is completely inhibited by nanomolar concentrations of GDP or GTP, suggesting a G-nucleotide specific binding site on NDPK.