Cross-talk between Ca2+ influx and phosphoinositide hydrolysis by extracellular adenosine triphosphate in rat PC12 pheochromocytoma cells

NYD-SP27, a novel intrinsic decapacitation factor in sperm

Prior to fertilization sperm has to undergo an activation process known as capaciation, leading to the acrosome reaction. Till now, little is known about the mechanism for preventing premature capacitation in sperm although decapacitation factors from various sources have been thought to be involved. In this study, we report that NYD-SP27, an isoform of phospholipase C Zeta 1 (PLCZ1), is localized to the sperm acrosome in mouse and human spermatozoa by immunofluorescence using a specific antibody. Western blot and double staining analyses show NYD-SP27 becomes detached from sperm, as they undergo capacitation and acrosome reaction. The absence of HCO3-, a key factor in activating capacitation, from the capacitation-inducing medium prevents the loss of NYD-SP27 from sperm. The anti-NYD-SP27 antibody also prevents the loss of NYD-SP27 from sperm, reduced the number of capacitated sperm, inhibited the acrosome reaction induced by ATP and progesterone, and inhibited agonist-induced PLC-coupled Ca2+ mobilization in sperm, which can be mimicked by the PLC inhibitor, U73122. These data strongly suggest that NYD-SP27 is a physiological inhibitor of PLC that acts as an intrinsic decapacitation factor in sperm to prevent premature capacitation and acrosome reaction.

Extracellular adenosine triphosphate stimulates acrosomal exocytosis in bovine spermatozoa via P2 purinoceptor

The presence of ATP in the genital tract fluid of mammals provokes questions regarding its function in the fertilization process. We investigated the effect of extracellular ATP (ATPe) on the activation of bovine spermatozoa. A signal transduction mechanism for ATP involving the receptor-mediated release of second messengers is described. Treatment of spermatozoa with ATP, uridine triphosphate (UTP), or 2-methylthio-ATP resulted in a concentration-dependent increase of acrosomal exocytosis, whereas treatment with either AMP or adenosine induced little exocytosis. This suggested that the receptor involved is of the P2 and not the P1 type. Several lines of evidence also suggest that the ATP purinoceptor is of the P2y and not the P2x type. First, the acrosome reaction was induced by the P2y-agonists ATP, UTP, or 2-methylthio-ATP, but no effects were shown by the P2x-agonists alpha,beta-methylene-ATP or beta,gamma-methylene-ATP. Second, ATP-induced acrosomal exocytosis was inhibited by the P2y antagonists, but not by the P2x antagonists. Third, enhanced Ca2+ uptake into the cells was observed with ATP and 2-methylthio-ATP, but not with beta,gamma-methylene-ATP. Additionally, ATP induced elevation of intracellular Ca2+ and cAMP, and the effect on cAMP was predominantly enhanced by including Ca2+ and the Ca2+-ionophore A23187 in the incubation medium. Extracellular ATP also activates protein kinase Calpha (PKCalpha), and the acrosome reaction, stimulated by ATPe, is inhibited by a PKC-specific inhibitor. In summary, we suggest that ATPe activates the P2 purinoceptor that elevates [Ca2+]i, which leads to PKCalpha activation and culminates in acrosomal exocytosis.

Mechanisms mediating somatostatin-induced reduction of cytosolic free calcium in PC12 cells

In PC12 cells, somatostatin (SRIF) decreases the Ca2+ influx in response to high K+ through the inhibition of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels. In the present study, we measured the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ( [Ca2+]i) following the application of SRIF-14 or its analogues which bind to different SRIF subtype (sst) receptors. Their application differentially reduces [Ca2+]i (octreotide > SRIF-14 > CGP23996 > BIM23056) in a dose-dependent manner. Pretreatment with a SRIF antagonist prevents the SRIF-induced inhibition of [Ca2+]i. These results suggest the involvement of specific membrane receptors and are in line with recent findings indicating the presence of receptor mRNAs on PC12 cells. Our results also exclude the possibility that SRIF interacts with opioid receptors and suggest that the SRIF-induced inhibition of [Ca2+]i is mediated by mechanisms involving PTX-sensitive G-proteins and PK-dependent pathways.

Structural determinants in the platelet-derived growth factor alpha-receptor implicated in modulation of chemotaxis

Activation of the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) beta-receptor leads to cell growth and chemotaxis. The PDGF alpha-receptor also mediates a mitogenic signal, but fails to induce cell migration in certain cell types. To examine this difference in signal transduction, a series of point-mutated PDGF alpha-receptors were analyzed. Porcine aortic endothelial cells expressing mutant PDGF alpha-receptors, in which tyrosine residues 768, 993, or 1018 were changed to phenylalanine residues migrated toward PDGF, whereas wild-type alpha-receptors and mutant alpha-receptors changed at tyrosine residues 720, 944, or 988 failed to migrate. All mutant receptors were mitogenically active and their capacity to activate phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase and phospholipase C-gamma was not different from that of the wild-type receptor. Tyr-768 was found to be phosphorylated in PDGF-stimulated cells; in the Y768F mutant, there was a considerable increase in phosphorylation of Ser-767. Tyr-993 was not phosphorylated, but mutation of this tyrosine residue to a phenylalanine residue resulted in increased efficiency of phosphorylation on Tyr-988. Tyr-1018 is known to be an autophosphorylation site. Phosphorylated Tyr-768 and Tyr-1018 may bind signal transduction molecules involved in negative modulation of the chemotactic signaling capacity, whereas phosphorylated Tyr-988 may mediate increased chemotaxis. Thus our data indicate that the PDGF alpha-receptor has an intrinsic ability to transduce a chemotactic signal, and that this signal is counteracted by overriding negative signals.