Biomedical subjects

Harish C Pant

Publications and source records attributed to Harish C Pant.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2004

Neuronal cyclin-dependent kinase 5: role in nervous system function and its specific inhibition by the Cdk5 inhibitory peptide.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) is a member of the cyclin-dependent kinase family that is involved in the regulation of the cell cycle. As their name suggests, the Cdks require association with activator proteins called cyclins for their activity. Cdk5, however, is unique to this family of proline-directed serine/threonine kinases on two accounts. Firstly, Cdk5 has not been found to function in the cell cycle and, although expressed in a number of tissues, its activity is restricted to the nervous system. Secondly, unlike the other members of the Cdk family, Cdk5 is not activated by association with a cyclin, although it can bind them. Instead, Cdk5 is activated by the activator proteins p35 and p39 that are structurally distinct from cyclins and have, for the most part, a neuronal-specific expression pattern. In the past decade of research on Cdk5, it is now established that Cdk5 activity is critical for the proper formation and function of the brain. Moreover, its role as a central kinase, phosphorylating its substrates in its 'cross-talk' control of other kinase and signal transduction pathways, has also been determined. In addition to the normal physiological role of Cdk5, the kinase has been implicated in certain neurodegenerative disorders. For example, Cdk5 associates with the proteolytic, more active p25 fragment that is derived through the cleavage of p35. In turn, the p25/Cdk5 complex aberrantly phosphorylates its substrates tau and neurofilaments, which has been implicated in the pathogenesis of these disorders. Here, we attempt to review the past decade of research on Cdk5 from our laboratory and others, on the roles of Cdk5 in nervous system function. Additionally, our research has recently uncovered a possible therapeutic avenue of research, focusing on inhibition of aberrant Cdk5 hyperactivity which may well be used to treat the symptoms of a number of neurodegenerative diseases. The elucidation of a specific inhibitor of p25/Cdk5, termed CIP, also inhibits p25/Cdk5-mediated tau phosphorylation. This may well provide us with avenues of research focusing on the inhibition of pathologically damaging p25/Cdk5 species.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Cdk5 regulates axonal transport and phosphorylation of neurofilaments in cultured neurons.

Phosphorylation has long been considered to regulate neurofilament (NF) interaction and axonal transport, and, in turn, to influence axonal stability and their maturation to large-caliber axons. Cdk5, a serine/threonine kinase homologous to the mitotic cyclin-dependent kinases, phosphorylates NF subunits in intact cells. In this study, we used two different haptenized NF subunits and manipulated cdk5 activity by microinjection, transfection and pharmacological inhibition to monitor the effect of Cdk5-p35 on NF dynamics and transport. We demonstrate that overexpression of cdk5 increases NF phosphorylation and inhibits NF axonal transport, whereas inhibition both reduces NF phosphorylation and enhances NF axonal transport in cultured chicken dorsal-root-ganglion neurons. Large phosphorylated-NF 'bundles' were prominent in perikarya following cdk5 overexpression. These findings suggest that Cdk5-p35 activity regulates normal NF distribution and that overexpression of Cdk5-p35 induces perikaryal accumulation of phosphorylated-NFs similar to those observed under pathological conditions.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Topographic regulation of phosphorylation in giant neurons of the squid, Loligo pealei: role of phosphatases.

In previous studies of phosphorylation in squid stellate ganglion neurons, we demonstrated that a specific multimeric phosphorylation complex characterized each cellular compartment. Although the endogenous protein profile of cell body extracts (giant fiber lobe, GFL), as determined by Coomassie staining, was similar to that of axoplasm from the giant axon, in this study we show that the protein phosphorylation profiles are qualitatively different. Whereas many axoplasm proteins were phosphorylated, including most cytoskeletal proteins, virtually all phosphorylation in perikarya was confined to low molecular weight compounds (<6 kDa). Because phosphorylation of exogenous substrates, histone and casein, was equally active in extracts from both compartments, failure to detect endogenous protein phosphorylation in cell bodies was attributed to the presence of more active phosphatases. To further explore the role of phosphatases in these neurons, we studied phosphorylation in the presence of serine/threonine and protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) inhibitors. We found that phosphorylation of axonal cytoskeletal proteins was modulated by okadaic acid-sensitive ser/thr phosphatases, whereas cell body phosphorylation was more sensitive to an inhibitor of protein tyrosine phosphatases, such as vanadate. Inhibition of PTPs by vanadate stimulated endogenous phosphorylation of GFL proteins, including cytoskeletal proteins. Protein tyrosine kinase activity was equally stimulated by vanadate in cell body and axonal whole homogenates and Triton X-100 free soluble extracts, but only the Triton X soluble fraction (membrane bound proteins) of the GFL exhibited significant activation in the presence of vanadate, suggesting higher PTP activities in this fraction than in the axon. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that neuronal protein phosphorylation in axons and cell bodies is modulated by different phosphatases associated with compartment-specific multimeric complexes.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Calpain mediates calcium-induced activation of the erk1,2 MAPK pathway and cytoskeletal phosphorylation in neurons: relevance to Alzheimer's disease.

Aberrant phosphorylation of the neuronal cytoskeleton is an early pathological event in Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, we demonstrate in the brains of AD patients that neurofilament hyperphosphorylation in neocortical pyramidal neurons is accompanied by activation of both Erk1,2 and calpain. Using immunochemistry, Western blot analysis, and kinase activity measurements, we show in primary hippocampal and cerebellar granule (CG) neurons that calcium influx activates calpain and Erk1,2 and increases neurofilament phosphorylation on carboxy terminal polypeptide sites known to be modulated by Erk1,2 and to be altered in AD. Blocking Erk1,2 activity either with antisense oligonucleotides to Erk1,2 mRNA sequences or by specifically inhibiting its upstream activating kinase MEK1,2 markedly reduced neurofilament phosphorylation. Calpeptin, a cell-permeable calpain inhibitor, blocked both Erk1,2 activation and neurofilament hyperphosphorylation at concentrations that inhibit calpain-mediated cleavage of brain spectrin. By contrast, inhibiting Erk1,2 with U-0126, a specific inhibitor of Mek1,2, had no appreciable effect on ionomycin-induced calpain activation. These findings demonstrate that, under conditions of calcium injury in neurons, calpains are upstream activators of Erk1,2 signaling and are likely to mediate in part the hyperphosphorylation of neurofilaments and tau seen at early stages of AD as well as the neuron survival-related functions of the MAP kinase pathway.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Co-purification and localization of Munc18-1 (p67) and Cdk5 with neuronal cytoskeletal proteins.

Munc18-1 (p67, nSec1, rbSec1), a neuron-specific 67kDa protein was independently identified as a syntaxin-binding protein, and as a component that co-purifies with, and regulates the kinase activity of cyclin dependent kinase (Cdk5). Gene knockout studies have demonstrated a role for Munc18-1 in synaptic vesicle docking and neurotransmitter release. Mice lacking Munc18-1 gene were synaptically silent, but the gene deletion did not prevent normal brain assembly, including the formation of layered structures, fiber pathways and morphologically defined synapses. Previous study has shown that Munc18-1 facilitates Cdk5 mediated phosphorylation of KSPXK domains of the neuronal cytoskeletal elements, suggesting that Munc18-1 may function in the regulation of cytoskeletal dynamics. Present study demonstrates the co-purification and co-localization of Munc18 with cytoskeletal elements and forms first step towards understanding the role for Munc18-1 in cytoskeletal dynamics. Conversely, the cytoskeletal proteins and Cdk5 co-purifies with Munc18-1 in a Munc18-1 immuno-affinity chromatography, suggesting a strong protein-protein interaction. Findings from immunofluorescence studies in PC12 cells have shown co-localization of Munc18-1 and Cdk5 with neurofilaments and microtubules. Further, immunohistochemical and immuno-electron microscopic studies of rat olfactory bulb also demonstrated co-localization of Munc18-1 and Cdk5 with cytoskeletal elements. Thus, the biochemical evidence of strong interaction between Munc18-1 with cytoskeletal proteins and morphological evidence of their (Munc18 and cytoskeletal elements) identical sub-cellular localization is suggestive of the possible role for Munc18-1 in cytoskeletal dynamics.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Signaling cascades implicated in muscarinic regulation of proliferation of neural stem and progenitor cells.

Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) belong to the G-protein-coupled receptor superfamily that transduces signals through multiple intracellular signaling cascades to regulate a wide variety of physiological responses. Recently, it has been discovered that subtypes of mAChRs are expressed in proliferative neuroepithelial cells of the ventricular zone and in basic fibroblast growth factor-expanded neural stem and progenitor cell cultures. Activation of the mAChRs by ACh or its analogue carbachol leads to increased DNA synthesis and neurogenesis. The mitogenic effects of muscarinic agonists are likely mediated via mAChR-activated multisignaling pathways. The exact intracellular mechanisms underlying mAChR-modulated DNA synthesis and neurogenesis are not fully understood. However, several pathways through Ras-mitogen-activated protein kinase, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt, protein kinase C, c-Src and Ca(2+) signaling have been shown to play roles in this dynamic process. These novel signaling cascades may improve our understanding of the intracellular mechanisms underlying mAChR-stimulated neural progenitor proliferation and provide insights for therapeutic drug development.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Cyclin-dependent kinase-5 is involved in neuregulin-dependent activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and Akt activity mediating neuronal survival.

The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway plays an important role in mediating survival signals in wide variety of neurons and cells. Recent studies show that Akt also regulates metabolic pathways to regulate cell survival. In this study, we reported that cyclin-dependent kinase-5 (Cdk5) regulates Akt activity and cell survival through the neuregulin-mediated PI 3-kinase signaling pathway. We found that brain extracts of Cdk5-/-mice display a lower PI 3-kinase activity and phosphorylation of Akt compared with that in wild type mice. Moreover, we demonstrated that Cdk5 phosphorylated Ser-1176 in the neuregulin receptor ErbB2 and phosphorylated Thr-871 and Ser-1120 in the ErbB3 receptor. We identified the Ser-1120 sequence RSRSPR in ErbB3 as a novel phosphorylation consensus sequence of Cdk5. Finally, we found that Cdk5 activity is involved in neuregulin-induced Akt activity and neuregulin-mediated neuronal survival. These findings suggest that Cdk5 may exert a key role in promoting neuronal survival by regulating Akt activity through the neuregulin/PI 3-kinase signaling pathway.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2003

Phosphorylation of the head domain of neurofilament protein (NF-M): a factor regulating topographic phosphorylation of NF-M tail domain KSP sites in neurons.

In neurons the phosphorylation of neurofilament (NF) proteins NF-M and NF-H is topographically regulated. Although kinases and NF subunits are synthesized in cell bodies, extensive phosphorylation of the KSP repeats in tail domains of NF-M and NF-H occurs primarily in axons. The nature of this regulation, however, is not understood. As obligate heteropolymers, NF assembly requires interactions between the core NF-L with NF-M or NF-H subunits, a process inhibited by NF head domain phosphorylation. Phosphorylation of head domains at protein kinase A (PKA)-specific sites seems to occur transiently in cell bodies after NF subunit synthesis. We have proposed that transient phosphorylation of head domains prevents NF assembly in the soma and inhibits tail domain phosphorylation; i.e. assembly and KSP phosphorylation in axons depends on prior dephosphorylation of head domain sites. Deregulation of this process leads to pathological accumulations of phosphorylated NFs in the soma as seen in some neurodegenerative disorders. To test this hypothesis, we studied the effect of PKA phosphorylation of the NF-M head domain on phosphorylation of tail domain KSP sites. In rat cortical neurons we showed that head domain phosphorylation of endogenous NF-M by forskolin-activated PKA inhibits NF-M tail domain phosphorylation. To demonstrate the site specificity of PKA phosphorylation and its effect on tail domain phosphorylation, we transfected NIH3T3 cells with NF-M mutated at PKA-specific head domain serine residues. Epidermal growth factor stimulation of cells with mutant NF-M in the presence of forskolin exhibited no inhibition of NF-tail domain phosphorylation compared with the wild type NF-M-transfected cells. This is consistent with our hypothesis that transient phosphorylation of NF-M head domains inhibits tail domain phosphorylation and suggests this as one of several mechanisms underlying topographic regulation.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed2003

Tau phosphorylation by cyclin-dependent kinase 5/p39 during brain development reduces its affinity for microtubules.

The microtubule-associated protein tau is a developmentally regulated neuronal phosphoprotein. The phosphorylation of tau reduces its ability to bind and stabilize axonal microtubules during axonal growth. Although tau is phosphorylated by cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) in vitro, its in vivo roles remain unclear. Here, we show that tau is phosphorylated by Cdk5/p39 during brain development, resulting in a reduction of its affinity for microtubules. The activity of Cdk5 is tightly regulated by association with its neuronal activators, p35 or p39. The p35 and p39 expression levels were investigated in the developing mouse brain; the p39 expression level was higher in embryonic hind brain and spinal cord and in postnatal cerebral cortex, whereas that of p35 was most prominent in cerebral cortex at earlier stages of development. The ability of Cdk5 to phosphorylate tau was higher when in association with p39 than in association with p35. Tau phosphorylation at Ser-202 and Thr-205 was decreased in Cdk5-/- mouse brain but not in p35-/- mouse brain, suggesting that Cdk5/p39 is responsible for the in vivo phosphorylation of tau at these sites. Our data suggest that tau phosphorylation by Cdk5 may provide the neuronal microtubules with dynamic properties in a region-specific and developmentally regulated manner.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Does neurofilament phosphorylation regulate axonal transport?

Phosphorylation of neurofilaments has long been considered to regulate their axonal transport rate and, in doing so, to provide stability to mature axons. Interpretation of data recently obtained following C-terminal deletion experiments has prompted a challenge to this hypothesis. We present evidence that these deletion studies remain consistent with, rather than refute, a role for C-terminal phosphorylation in regulation of neurofilament axonal transport.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2003

Cdk5 regulates the organization of Nestin and its association with p35.

The intermediate filament protein nestin is characterized by its specific expression during the development of neuronal and myogenic tissues. We identify nestin as a novel in vivo target for cdk5 and p35 kinase, a critical signaling determinant in development. Two cdk5-specific phosphorylation sites on nestin, Thr-1495 and Thr-316, were established, the latter of which was used as a marker for cdk5-specific phosphorylation in vivo. Ectopic expression of cdk5 and p35 in central nervous system progenitor cells and in myogenic precursor cells induced elevated phosphorylation and reorganization of nestin. The kinetics of nestin expression corresponded to elevated expression and activation of cdk5 during differentiation of myoblast cell cultures and during regeneration of skeletal muscle. In the myoblasts, a disassembly-linked phosphorylation of Thr-316 indicated active phosphorylation of nestin by cdk5. Moreover, cdk5 occurred in physical association with nestin. Inhibition of cdk5 activity-either by transfection with dominant-negative cdk5 or by using a specific cdk5 inhibitor-blocked myoblast differentiation and phosphorylation of nestin at Thr-316, and this inhibition markedly disturbed the organization of nestin. Interestingly, the interaction between p35, the cdk5 activator, and nestin appeared to be regulated by cdk5. In differentiating myoblasts, p35 was not complexed with nestin phosphorylated at Thr-316, and inhibition of cdk5 activity during differentiation induced a marked association of p35 with nestin. These results demonstrate that there is a continuous turnover of cdk5 and p35 activity on a scaffold formed by nestin. This association is likely to affect the organization and operation of both cdk5 and nestin during development.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2002

Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (cdk5) activation requires interaction with three domains of p35.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (cdk5), in contrast to other members of the cyclin-dependent kinase family, is not activated by cyclins but instead is activated by complexing with neuron-specific activator molecules (p35, p39, and p67). The most effective activator of cdk5 both in vitro and in vivo is p35. We have taken a kinetic approach to study the interaction between p35, its various truncated forms, and cdk5 to understand better the mechanism of its activation. The cdk5 complexes formed with the truncated forms p25 and p21 produced similar maximum active kinase, whereas the cdk5 complexed with full-length p35 and a further truncated form spanning amino acid residues from 138 to 291, with approximate molecular weight of 16 kDa (p16), produced slightly less (80%) activation than p25. P16 was the smallest fragment of p35 that produced activation equal to or greater than that of full-length p35. By examination of further truncations of p16, we found that a small number of residues, 11 and 4 at the N- and C-termini, respectively, of p16, are essential for cdk5 activation. Further truncation, removing both essential N- and C-terminal domains, produces a peptide with markedly higher affinity for cdk5 compared with the peptides that retain either of these domains. Using these inactive truncated peptides as inhibitors, we examined the kinetics of activation. From these studies we conclude that activation involves at least three cdk5-interacting domains, one located at each end of p16 and at least one located in a central domain. The cdk5 activation process is slow: The second-order rate constant for p16 is about 1.2 microM(-1) hr(-1). On the basis of kinetic data, we suggest that cdk5 exists in two conformations. The inactive kinase conformation predominates in the absence of the activator. Activation occurs in two stages: a rapid and reversible interaction of cdk5 with its activator, which involves only one or two binding domains, followed by a slow stabilization of the active conformation as interaction with all three domains is achieved.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 prevents neuronal apoptosis by negative regulation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase 3.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (cdk5) is a serine/threonine kinase activated by associating with its neuron-specific activators p35 and p39. Analysis of cdk5(-/-) and p35(-/-) mice has demonstrated that both cdk5 and p35 are essential for neuronal migration, axon pathfinding and the laminar configuration of the cerebral cortex, suggesting that the cdk5-p35 complex may play a role in neuron survival. However, the targets of cdk5 that regulate neuron survival are unknown. Here, we show that cdk5 directly phosphorylates c-Jun N-terminal kinase 3 (JNK3) on Thr131 and inhibits its kinase activity, leading to reduced c-Jun phosphorylation. Expression of cdk5 and p35 in HEK293T cells inhibits c-Jun phosphorylation induced by UV irradiation. These effects can be restored by expression of a catalytically inactive mutant form of cdk5. Moreover, cdk5-deficient cultured cortical neurons exhibit increased sensitivity to apoptotic stimuli, as well as elevated JNK3 activity and c-Jun phosphorylation. Taken together, these findings show that cdk5 may exert its role as a key element by negatively regulating the c-Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase signaling pathway during neuronal apoptosis.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

A peptide derived from cyclin-dependent kinase activator (p35) specifically inhibits Cdk5 activity and phosphorylation of tau protein in transfected cells.

Cyclin-dependent kinase-5 (Cdk5) is a serine/threonine kinase activated by its neuron-specific activator, p35, or its truncated form, p25. It has been proposed that the deregulation of Cdk5 activity by association with p25 in human brain tissue disrupts the neuronal cytoskeleton and may be involved in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. In this study, we demonstrate that a short peptide (amino acid residues 154-279; Cdk5 inhibitory peptide; CIP), derived from p35, specifically inhibits Cdk5 activity in vitro and in HEK293 cells cotransfected with the peptide and Cdk5/p25, but had no effect on endogenous cdc2 kinase activity. Moreover, we demonstrate that the phosphorylation of tau in HEK293 cells, cotransfected with Cdk5/p25 and CIP, is effectively reduced. These results suggest that CIP specifically inhibits both Cdk5/p25 complex activity and the tau hyperphosphorylation induced by Cdk5/p25. The elucidation of the molecular basis of p25 activation and CIP inhibition of Cdk5 activity may provide insight into mechanisms underlying the pathology of Alzheimer's disease and contribute to therapeutic strategies.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2002

Myelin-associated glycoprotein modulates expression and phosphorylation of neuronal cytoskeletal elements and their associated kinases.

Decreased phosphorylation of neurofilaments in mice lacking myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) was shown to be associated with decreased activities of extracellular-signal regulated kinases (ERK1/2) and cyclin-dependent kinase-5 (cdk5). These in vivo changes could be caused directly by the absence of a MAG-mediated signaling pathway or secondary to a general disruption of the Schwann cell-axon junction that prevents signaling by other molecules. Therefore, in vitro experimental paradigms of MAG interaction with neurons were used to determine if MAG directly influences expression and phosphorylation of cytoskeletal proteins and their associated kinases. COS-7 cells stably transfected with MAG or with empty vector were co-cultured with primary dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Total amounts of the middle molecular weight neurofilament subunit (NF-M), microtubule-associated protein 1B (MAP1B), MAP2, and tau were up-regulated significantly in DRG neurons in the presence of MAG. There was also increased expression of phosphorylated high molecular weight neurofilament subunit (NF-H), NF-M, and MAP1B. Additionally, in similar in vitro paradigms, total and phosphorylated NF-M were increased significantly in PC12 neurons co-cultured with MAG-expressing COS cells or treated with a soluble MAG Fc-chimera. The increased expression of phosphorylated cytoskeletal proteins in the presence of MAG in vitro was associated with increased activities of ERK 1/2 and cdk5. We propose that interaction of MAG with an axonal receptor(s) induces a signal transduction cascade that regulates expression of cytoskeletal proteins and their phosphorylation by these proline-directed protein kinases.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Topographic regulation of kinase activity in Alzheimer's disease brains.

At autopsy, a most distinctive pathology seen in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains is numerous abnormal neurons filled with neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) containing stable complexes of hyperphosphorylated tau (PHF), neurofilaments and various kinases, among other proteins. Though these neuronal aggregates have been actively studied, their nature and origin are still poorly understood. Our studies of regulation of phosphorylation in neurons of the squid giant fiber system, using P13(suc1) affinity chromatography, suggest that neuronal phosphorylation of cytoskeletal proteins is compartmentalized into active axonal and inactive cell body-specific multimeric complexes of kinases, substrates and phosphatases. To determine whether such compartment-specific phosphorylation complexes are present in human brains, we separated gray matter (enriched in cell bodies) and white matter (enriched in axons) from normal and AD brains and studied the total kinase activities in lysates, pellets and P13(suc1) complexes. In addition, Western blot analysis was used to characterize the proteins associated with P13(suc1) multimeric complexes extracted from gray and white matter. We tested the hypothesis that P13 phosphorylation complexes were abnormally compartmentalized in AD neurons with the more active complexes shifted to cell bodies (gray matter) instead of axons (white matter). We found that (1) endogenous and exogenous substrate-dependent kinase activities of AD and control brain extracts were similar in both gray and white matter. (2) Long post mortem times tend to erase any differences in kinase activity between control and AD extracts. In contrast to shorter post mortem times (4.5-10 hrs), long post mortem times (13-34 hrs) significantly minimize the variances in kinase activities between control and AD brain extracts suggesting that cell death and proteolysis may eliminate any intrinsic differences in enzyme activities. (3) Except for the significantly higher level of histone phosphorylation in control white extracts, the kinase activities of P13(suc1)-derived multimeric complexes from gray and white matter were also similar in control and AD brains. Here, too, variances between control and AD distributions were significantly different (p < 0.001-0.02) suggesting that the P13 complexes were different. We also found differences in the Western blot profiles of P13suc1-associated kinases and cytoskeletal proteins; higher expression of phosphorylated NF-H and PHF-tau in gray matter of AD brains was detected. We believe that such differences in P13 complexes from human control and AD brain samples displaying extensive heterogeneity in age, post mortem time and clinical history, may be important.

Alzheimer Disease↗

PubMed2001

Phosphorylation of MEK1 by cdk5/p35 down-regulates the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway.

Cyclin-dependent protein kinase 5 (cdk5), a member of the cdk family, is active mainly in postmitotic cells and plays important roles in neuronal development and migration, neurite outgrowth, and synaptic transmission. In this study we investigated the relationship between cdk5 activity and regulation of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway. We report that cdk5 phosphorylates the MAP kinase kinase-1 (MEK1) in vivo as well as the Ras-activated MEK1 in vitro. The phosphorylation of MEK1 by cdk5 resulted in inhibition of MEK1 catalytic activity and the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2. In p35 (cdk5 activator) -/- mice, which lack appreciable cdk5 activity, we observed an increase in the phosphorylation of NF-M subunit of neurofilament proteins that correlated with an up-regulation of MEK1 and ERK1/2 activity. The activity of a constitutively active MEK1 with threonine 286 mutated to alanine (within a TPXK cdk5 phosphorylation motif in the proline-rich domain) was not affected by cdk5 phosphorylation, suggesting that Thr286 might be the cdk5/p35 phosphorylation-dependent regulatory site. These findings support the hypothesis that cdk5 and the MAP kinase pathway cross-talk in the regulation of neuronal functions. Moreover, these data and the recent studies of Harada et al. (Harada, T., Morooka, T., Ogawa, S., and Nishida, E. (2001) Nat. Cell Biol. 3, 453-459) have prompted us to propose a model for feedback down-regulation of the MAP kinase signal cascade by cdk5 inactivation of MEK1.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Phosphoproteomic analysis of synaptosomes from human cerebral cortex.

Protein phosphorylation is a crucial post-translational modification mechanism in the regulation of synaptic organization and function. Here, we analyzed synaptosome fractions from human cerebral cortex obtained during therapeutic surgery. To minimize changes in the phosphorylation state of proteins, the tissue was homogenized within two minutes of excision. Synaptosomal proteins were digested with trypsin and phosphopeptides were isolated by immobilized metal affinity chromatography and analyzed by liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. The method allowed the detection of residues on synaptic proteins that were presumably phosphorylated in the intact cell, including synapsin 1, syntaxin 1, and SNIP, PSD-93, NCAM, GABA-B receptor, chaperone molecules, and protein kinases. Some of the residues identified are the same or homologous to sites that had been previously described to be phosphorylated in mammals whereas others appear to be novel sites which, to our knowledge, have not been reported previously. The study shows that new phosphoproteomic strategies can be used to analyze subcellular fractions from small amounts of tissue for the identification of phosphorylated residues for research and potentially for diagnostic purposes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗