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Biomedical subjects

J C Lawrence

Publications and source records attributed to J C Lawrence.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

PHAS proteins as mediators of the actions of insulin, growth factors and cAMP on protein synthesis and cell proliferation.

PHAS-I and PHAS-II are members of a newly discovered family of proteins that regulate translation initiation. PHAS-I is expressed in a wide variety of cell types, but it is highest in adipocytes, where protein synthesis is markedly increased by insulin. PHAS-II is highest in liver and kidney, where very little PHAS-I is found. PHAS proteins bind to eIF-4E, the mRNA cap-binding protein, and inhibit translation of capped mRNA in vitro and in cells. In rat adipocytes PHAS-I is phosphorylated in at least five sites, all of which conform to the consensus, (Ser/Thr)-Pro. Both PHAS proteins are phosphorylated in response to insulin or growth factors, such as EGF, PDGF and IGF-1. Phosphorylation in the appropriate site(s) promotes dissociation of PHAS/eIF-4E complexes. This allows eIF-4E to bind to eIF-4G (p220), thereby increasing the amount of the eIF-4F complex and the rate of translation initiation. Increasing cAMP promotes PHAS-I dephosphorylation and increases binding to eIF-4E. Unlike PHAS-I, PHAS-II is readily phosphorylated by PKA in vitro, suggesting that regulation of the two proteins differs. However, increasing cAMP in cells also promotes dephosphorylation of PHAS-II. Thus, PHAS proteins appear to be key mediators not only of the stimulatory effects of insulin and growth factors on protein synthesis, but also of the inhibitory effects of cAMP. Moreover, by controlling eIF-4E PHAS proteins may be involved in the control of cell proliferation, as increasing eIF-4E is mitogenic and can even cause malignant transformation of cells. MAP kinase readily phosphorylates both PHAS-I and PHAS-II in vitro, but inhibiting activation of MAP kinase does not attenuate the effects of insulin on increasing phosphorylation of the PHAS proteins in adipocytes or skeletal muscle. MAP kinase phosphorylates neither PHAS-I nor PHAS-II at a significant rate when the proteins are bound to eIF-4E. Therefore, the role of MAP kinase in promoting the dissociation of PHAS/eIF-4E complexes is not clear. Of several protein kinases tested, only casein kinase-II phosphorylated PHAS-I when it was bound eIF-4E. Indeed, the bound form of PHAS-I was phosphorylated more rapidly than the free form. However, it is unlikely that casein kinase II regulates either PHAS protein, as the major site (Ser111) in PHAS-I phosphorylated by casein kinase II in vitro is not phosphorylated in adipocytes, and PHAS-II is not a substrate for casein kinase-II. Pharmacological and genetic evidence indicates that the mTOR/p70S6K pathway is involved in the control of PHAS-I and -II. Thus, PHAS proteins may be mediators of the effects of this pathway on protein synthesis and cell proliferation.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1997

PHAS/4E-BPs as regulators of mRNA translation and cell proliferation.

Insulin and growth factors elicit rapid increases in protein synthesis by stimulating mRNA translation. PHAS/4E-BPs, a recently discovered family of elF4E-binding, proteins, appear to play a key role in this process, as well as in the control of cell proliferation.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1997

Insulin stimulates protein synthesis in skeletal muscle by enhancing the association of eIF-4E and eIF-4G.

Insulin stimulated protein synthesis in gastrocnemius muscle of perfused rat hindlimb preparations by approximately twofold. The stimulation of protein synthesis was associated with a 12-fold increase in the amount of eukaryotic initiation factor eIF-4G bound to the mRNA cap-binding protein eIF-4E. In part, the increased binding of eIF-4G to eIF-4E was a result of release of eIF-4E bound to the translational regulator, PHAS-I, through a mechanism involving enhanced phosphorylation of PHAS-I. However, the insulin-induced association of eIF-4E and eIF-4G was not due to increased net phosphorylation of eIF-4E because insulin decreased the amount present in the phosphorylated form from 86 to 59% of total eIF-4E. Overall, the results suggest that insulin stimulates protein synthesis in gastrocnemius muscle through a mechanism involving increased binding of eIF-4G to eIF-4E, which is in part due to phosphorylation of PHAS-I, resulting in a release of eIF-4E from the inactive PHAS-I x eIF-4E complex.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

New insights into the role and mechanism of glycogen synthase activation by insulin.

The metabolism of the storage polysaccharide glycogen is intimately linked with insulin action and blood glucose homeostasis. Insulin activates both glucose transport and glycogen synthase in skeletal muscle. The central issue of a long-standing debate is which of these two effects determines the rate of glycogen synthesis in response to insulin. Recent studies with transgenic animals indicate that, under appropriate conditions, each process can contribute to determining the extent of glycogen accumulation. Insulin causes stable activation of glycogen synthase by promoting dephosphorylation of multiple sites in the enzyme. A model linking this action to the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway via the phosphorylation of the regulatory subunit of glycogen synthase phosphatase gained widespread acceptance. However, the most recent evidence argues strongly against this mechanism. A newer model, in which insulin inactivates the enzyme glycogen synthase kinase-3 via the protein kinase B pathway, has emerged. Though promising, this model still does not completely explain the molecular basis for the insulin-mediated activation of glycogen synthase, which remains one of the many unknowns of insulin action.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Control of the translational regulators PHAS-I and PHAS-II by insulin and cAMP in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

The eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF-4E)-binding proteins PHAS-I and PHAS-II were found to have overlapping but different patterns of expression in tissues. Both PHAS proteins were expressed in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, in which insulin stimulated their phosphorylation, promoted dissociation of PHAS.eIF-4E complexes, and decreased the ability of both to bind exogenous eIF-4E. The effects of insulin were attenuated by rapamycin and wortmannin, two agents that block activation of p70(S6K). Unlike PHAS-I, PHAS-II was readily phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase in vitro; however, the effects of insulin on both PHAS proteins were attenuated by agents that increase intracellular cAMP, by cAMP derivatives, and by phosphodiesterase inhibitors. These agents also markedly inhibited the activation of p70(S6K). In summary, our results indicate that PHAS-I and -II are controlled by the mammalian target of rapamycin and p70(S6K) signaling pathway and that in 3T3-L1 adipocytes this pathway is inhibited by increased cAMP.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1996

Increased glycogen accumulation in transgenic mice overexpressing glycogen synthase in skeletal muscle.

To investigate the role of glycogen synthase in controlling glycogen accumulation, we generated three lines of transgenic mice in which the enzyme was overexpressed in skeletal muscle by using promoter-enhancer elements derived from the mouse muscle creatine kinase gene. In all three lines, expression was highest in muscles composed primarily of fast-twitch fibers, such as the gastrocnemius and anterior tibialis. In these muscles, glycogen synthase activity was increased by as much as 10-fold, with concomitant increases (up to 5-fold) in the glycogen content. The uridine diphosphoglucose concentrations were markedly decreased, consistent with the increase in glycogen synthase activity. Levels of glycogen phosphorylase in these muscles increased (up to 3-fold), whereas the amount of the insulin-sensitive glucose transporter 4 either remained unchanged or decreased. The observation that increasing glycogen synthase enhances glycogen accumulation supports the conclusion that the activation of glycogen synthase, as well as glucose transport, contributes to the accumulation of glycogen in response to insulin in skeletal muscle.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Direct inhibition of the signaling functions of the mammalian target of rapamycin by the phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitors, wortmannin and LY294002.

The immunosuppressant, rapamycin, inhibits cell growth by interfering with the function of a novel kinase, termed mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). The putative catalytic domain of mTOR is similar to those of mammalian and yeast phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinases. This study demonstrates that mTOR is a component of a cytokine-triggered protein kinase cascade leading to the phosphorylation of the eukaryotic initiation factor-4E (eIF-4E) binding protein, PHAS-1, in activated T lymphocytes. This event promotes G1 phase progression by stimulating eIF-4E-dependent translation initiation. A mutant YAC-1 T lymphoma cell line, which was selected for resistance to the growth-inhibitory action of rapamycin, was correspondingly resistant to the suppressive effect of this drug on PHAS-1 phosphorylation. In contrast, the PI 3-kinase inhibitor, wortmannin, reduced the phosphorylation of PHAS-1 in both rapamycin-sensitive and -resistant T cells. At similar drug concentrations (0.1-1 microM), wortmannin irreversibly inhibited the serine-specific autokinase activity of mTOR. The autokinase activity of mTOR was also sensitive to the structurally distinct PI 3-kinase inhibitor, LY294002, at concentrations (1-30 microM) nearly identical to those required for inhibition of the lipid kinase activity of the mammalian p85-p110 heterodimer. These studies indicate that the signaling functions of mTOR, and potentially those of other high molecular weight PI 3-kinase homologs, are directly affected by cellular treatment with wortmannin or LY294002.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1996

Mitogen-activated protein kinase-independent pathways mediate the effects of nerve growth factor and cAMP on neuronal survival.

Components of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) signaling pathway, including Ras, Raf, and MAP kinase, are necessary for nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells. We have investigated the role of this pathway in promoting survival of primary sympathetic neurons that die when deprived of NGF. NGF caused rapid and sustained increases (approximately 4-fold) in the activities of the ERK-1 and ERK-2 isoforms of MAP kinase. PD 098059, an inhibitor of MAP kinase kinase activation, blocked the effects of NGF on both kinase isoforms. However, PD 098059 did not attenuate the effects of NGF on neuronal survival. In addition, MAP kinase activity was not increased by chlorophenylthio-cAMP, a cell-permeable analog of cAMP that supports neuronal survival in the absence of NGF. These findings indicate that activation of MAP kinase is not required for the actions of either cAMP or NGF on neuronal survival.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Regulation of both glycogen synthase and PHAS-I by insulin in rat skeletal muscle involves mitogen-activated protein kinase-independent and rapamycin-sensitive pathways.

Incubating rat diaphragm muscles with insulin increased the glycogen synthase activity ratio (minus glucose 6-phosphate/plus glucose 6-phosphate) by approximately 2-fold. Insulin increased the activities of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase and the Mr = 90,000 isoform of ribosomal protein S6 kinase (Rsk) by approximately 1.5-2.0-fold. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) was more effective than insulin in increasing MAP kinase and Rsk activity, but in contrast to insulin, EGF did not affect glycogen synthase activity. The activation of both MAP kinase and Rsk by insulin was abolished by incubating muscles with the MAP kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor, PD 098059; however, the MEK inhibitor did not significantly reduce the effect of insulin on activating glycogen synthase. Incubating muscles with concentrations of rapamycin that inhibited activation of p70S6K abolished the activation of glycogen synthase. Insulin also increased the phosphorylation of PHAS-I (phosphorylated heat- and acid-stable protein) and promoted the dissociation of the PHAS-I*eIF-4E complex. Increasing MAP kinase activity with EGF did not mimic the effect of insulin on PHAS-I phosphorylation, and the effect of insulin on increasing MAP kinase could be abolished with the MEK inhibitor without decreasing the effect of insulin on PHAS-I. The effects of insulin on PHAS-I were attenuated by rapamycin. Thus, activation of the MAP kinase/Rsk signaling pathway appears to be neither necessary nor sufficient for insulin action on glycogen synthase and PHAS-I in rat skeletal muscle. The results indicate that the effects of insulin on increasing the synthesis of glycogen and protein in skeletal muscle, two of the most important actions of the hormone, involve a rapamycin-sensitive mechanism that may include elements of the p70S6K signaling pathway.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Insulin and diabetes cause reciprocal changes in the association of eIF-4E and PHAS-I in rat skeletal muscle.

We have investigated the roles of eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF-4E), the cap-binding protein, and the translational regulator, PHAS-I, in the effects of insulin and alloxan-induced diabetes on protein synthesis in rat skeletal muscle. Diabetes increased the amount of eIF-4E found in the inactive PHAS-I.eIF-4E complex by threefold, explaining in part the inhibitory effect of insulin deficiency on translation initiation. Insulin treatment of diabetic rats caused dissociation of the complex, consistent with the action of the hormone on reversing the inhibitory effect of diabetes on translation initiation. The effects of both insulin and diabetes on PHAS-I binding to eIF-4E appeared to be due to changes in PHAS-I phosphorylation. Neither insulin nor diabetes changed the phosphorylation state of eIF-4E. The results indicate that the effects of both insulin and diabetes on protein synthesis in skeletal muscle involve modulation of the interaction of PHAS-I and eIF-4E.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Sixth European Conference on Advances in Wound Management.

The Sixth European Conference on Advances in Wound Management held in Amsterdam confirmed that there is escalating international interest in this specialty. With almost 1000 delegates attending and representing all disciplines involved in wound care, the event provided an opportunity for the informal exchange of ideas between professionals on a grand scale.

Evidence-Based Medicine↗
PubMed1996

A first-aid preparation for burns and scalds.

A report of a laboratory evaluation of a mousse comprising a mixture of paraffin oils and waxes containing chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) (this product has since been reformulated and no longer contains CFCs). The product has been marketed for the first-aid treatment of burn injuries. The cooling abilities of this product are measured and compared with those of other aerosol preparations. The results show that the mousse provides local cooling for at least 10 minutes after application in laboratory conditions.

Administration, Topical↗