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Biomedical subjects

R S Adelstein

Publications and source records attributed to R S Adelstein.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Substance P contracts bovine tracheal smooth muscle via activation of myosin light chain kinase.

At near-threshold substance P concentrations, the isometric tension response of bovine tracheal strips is almost completely abolished by atropine, indicating mediation of contraction via substance P-stimulated release of acetylcholine from prejunctional nerve terminals. At near-maximal concentrations, the atropine-inhibited component of the tension response is less than 25%, indicating mainly direct activation. Under conditions in which activation by substance P is direct, peak tension is reached in approximately 11 min. Immunoblot analysis of the time course of phosphorylation of the 20-kDa myosin light chain (LC20) reveals incorporation of approximately 0.5 mol phosphate/mol light chain at 10 min. Two-dimensional tryptic phosphopeptide analysis of phosphorylated light chain reveals a single major phosphopeptide. The peptide migrates identically with that produced by myosin light chain kinase phosphorylation of purified tracheal myosin in vitro. Contraction stimulated by acetylcholine is more rapid, with attainment of peak tension in 2.5 min and a peak LC20 phosphorylation of 0.65 mol/mol. These results indicate that 1) substance P mediates contraction of bovine trachea both directly and indirectly, and 2) under conditions in which activation is direct, the tension and phosphorylation responses qualitatively resemble those observed with acetylcholine.

Animals↗

Antigen-induced secretion of histamine and the phosphorylation of myosin by protein kinase C in rat basophilic leukemia cells.

IgE-mediated stimulation of rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cells results in the secretion of histamine. Myosin immunoprecipitated from these cells shows an increase in the amount of radioactive phosphate incorporated into its heavy (200 kDa) and light (20 kDa) chains. In unstimulated cells two-dimensional mapping of tryptic peptides of the myosin light chain reveals one phosphopeptide containing the serine residue phosphorylated by myosin light chain kinase. Following stimulation a second phosphopeptide appears containing a serine residue phosphorylated by protein kinase C. Tryptic phosphopeptide maps derived from myosin heavy chains show that unstimulated cells contain three major phosphopeptides. Following stimulation a new tryptic phosphopeptide appears containing a serine site phosphorylated by protein kinase C. The stoichiometry of phosphorylation of the myosin light and heavy chains was determined before and after antigenic stimulation. Before stimulation, myosin light chains contained 0.4 mol of phosphate/mol of light chain all confined to a serine not phosphorylated by protein kinase C. Cells that secreted 44% of their total histamine in 10 min exhibited an increase in phosphate content at sites phosphorylated by protein kinase C from 0 mol of phosphate/mol of myosin subunit to 0.7 mol of phosphate/mol of light chain and to 1 mol of phosphate/mol of heavy chain. When RBL-2H3 cells were made permeable with streptolysin O they still showed a qualitatively similar pattern of secretion and phosphorylation. Our results show that the time course of histamine secretion from stimulated RBL-2H3 cells parallels that of myosin heavy and light chain phosphorylation by protein kinase C.

Amino Acids↗

In situ phosphorylation of human platelet myosin heavy and light chains by protein kinase C.

Treatment of human platelets with 162 nM 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) resulted in phosphorylation of a number of peptides, including myosin heavy chain and the 20-kDa myosin light chain. The site phosphorylated on the myosin heavy chain was localized by two-dimensional peptide mapping to a serine residue(s) in a single major tryptic phosphopeptide. This phosphopeptide co-migrated with a tryptic peptide that was produced following in vitro phosphorylation of platelet myosin heavy chain using protein kinase C. The sites phosphorylated in the 20-kDa myosin light chain in intact cells were analyzed by two-dimensional mapping of tryptic peptides and found to correspond to Ser1 and Ser2 in the turkey gizzard myosin light chain. In vitro phosphorylation of purified human platelet myosin by protein kinase C showed that in addition to Ser1 and Ser2, a third site corresponding to Thr9 in turkey gizzard myosin light chain is also phosphorylated. The phosphorylatable myosin light chains from human platelets were found to consist of two major isoforms present in approximately equal amounts, but differing in their molecular weights and isoelectric points. A third, minor isoform was also visualized by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Following treatment with TPA, both the mono- and diphosphorylated forms of each isoform could be visualized, and the sites of phosphorylation were identified. The phosphate content rose from negligible amounts found prior to treatment with TPA to 1.2 mol of phosphate/mol of myosin light chain and 0.7 mol of phosphate/mol of myosin heavy chain following treatment. These results suggest that TPA mediates phosphorylation of both myosin light and heavy chains in intact platelets by activation of protein kinase C.

Blood Platelets↗

Cloning of the cDNA encoding the myosin heavy chain of a vertebrate cellular myosin.

The complete amino acid sequence of a vertebrate cellular myosin heavy chain (MHC; 1,959 amino acids, 226 kDa) has been deduced by using cDNA clones from a chicken intestinal epithelial cell library. RNA blot analysis of kidney, spleen, brain, liver, and intestinal epithelial cells as well as smooth muscle cells from the aorta and gizzard indicates the presence of a 7.3-kilobase (kb) message that is larger than the message for chicken smooth and striated muscle MHC. The chicken intestinal epithelial cell MHC shows overall similarity in primary structure to other MHCs in the areas of the reactive thiol residues and in areas contributing to the ATP binding site and actin binding site. The globular head domain is followed by an alpha-helical coiled-coil region, and as in smooth muscle MHC there is a short uncoiled sequence at the carboxyl terminus of the molecule. Comparison of amino acid sequences in the rod regions between human and chicken cellular MHCs shows a remarkable 92% identity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The heavy chain of smooth muscle myosin is phosphorylated in aorta cells.

The 204-kDa smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (MHC) from rat aorta smooth muscle cells was found to be phosphorylated following isolation of myosin from strips of intact aorta as well as from primary cultures of aorta cells. Two-dimensional maps of the tryptic peptides revealed that the phosphate was confined to only three peptides and gave a similar pattern for the MHC isolated from intact aorta strips and cultured cells. This map was quite different from the phosphopeptide map found for the 196-kDa MHC of nonmuscle myosin isolated from the same cell culture. Smooth muscle MHC purified from primary cell cultures was found to contain approximately 0.7 mol of phosphate/mol of MHC while the nonmuscle MHC contained approximately 0.8 mol of phosphate/mol of MHC. These observations raise the possibility of an additional regulatory mechanism in smooth muscle operating via MHC phosphorylation.

Animals↗

Immunological properties of myosin light-chain kinases.

We have studied the immunological and structural properties of myosin light-chain kinases. Immunological studies were performed with affinity-purified antibodies to turkey gizzard smooth-muscle myosin light-chain kinase. Immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated that avian smooth muscles contain a myosin light-chain kinase of Mr 130,000, whereas the enzyme immunoprecipitated from canine smooth muscles tested has an Mr of 150,000. These antibodies do not react with cardiac- or skeletal-muscle myosin light-chain kinases. Experiments performed with myosin light-chain kinases purified from turkey gizzards (Mr 130,000), bovine tracheal smooth muscle (Mr 160,000) and human platelets (Mr 100,000) demonstrated the following: the primary structures of the turkey gizzard and bovine tracheal enzymes appear to be quite different, based on one-dimensional peptide maps; only one-third as many antibodies bind to the bovine tracheal enzyme as compared to the turkey gizzard enzyme; the antibody:myosin light-chain kinase ratios for half-maximal inhibition of all three enzymes are similar. Based on these data, we conclude that myosin light-chain kinases constitute an immunologically and structurally heterogeneous group of enzymes that have certain catalytic and regulatory properties in common.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Characterization of myosin heavy chains in cultured aorta smooth muscle cells. A comparative study.

Myosin heavy chains (MHCs) from rat aorta smooth muscle cells were analyzed prior to and after these cells were placed into cell culture using sodium dodecyl sulfate-5% polyacrylamide gels, immunoblots, and two-dimensional peptide maps of tryptic digests. Rat aorta smooth muscle cells prior to culture were found to contain two MHCs (mass = 204 and 200 kDa) which cross-reacted with antibodies raised to smooth muscle myosin, but not with antibodies raised to platelet myosin. Tryptic peptide maps of these two MHCs showed no major differences when compared to each other and to maps of vas deferens and uterus smooth muscle MHCs. When rat aorta smooth muscle cells were placed into culture, the MHCs isolated from the cell extracts differed, depending on whether the cells were rapidly growing or postconfluent. Extracts from log-phase cultures contained predominantly MHCs that migrated more rapidly than smooth muscle myosin in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (mass = 196 kDa) and cross-reacted with antibodies raised to platelet myosin, but not to smooth muscle myosin. Tryptic peptide maps of this MHC were very similar to those obtained with MHCs from non-muscle sources such as platelets and fibroblasts. In contrast, extracts from postconfluent rat aorta cell cultures contained three MHCs (mass = 204, 200, and 196 kDa). Using immunoblots and peptide maps, the fastest migrating MHC was found to be identical to the 196-kDa non-muscle MHC, while the two slower migrating MHCs had the same properties as aorta smooth muscle MHCs prior to culture. These results suggest that smooth muscle cells grown in primary culture contain predominantly (greater than 80%) non-muscle myosin while actively growing, but at a postconfluent stage, contain more equivalent amounts of smooth muscle and non-muscle myosins.

Animals↗

Effects of calcium on vascular smooth muscle contraction.

Calcium initiates smooth muscle contraction by binding to calmodulin and activating the enzyme myosin light chain kinase. The activated form of myosin light chain kinase phosphorylates myosin on the 20,000-dalton light chain and contractile activity ensues. Calcium may also enhance smooth muscle contractile activity by binding directly to myosin, the main component of the thick filament. Recent studies raise the possibility that the calcium-calmodulin complex may also modulate smooth muscle contractile activity by removing the inhibition imposed by caldesmon, a protein that is bound to the thin (i.e., actin-containing) filaments of smooth muscle. In vitro studies have demonstrated that the calcium-activated, phospholipid-dependent kinase, protein kinase C, can phosphorylate smooth muscle myosin at a different site than does myosin light chain kinase and down-regulate its actin-activated magnesium adenosine triphosphatase activity. This raises the possibility that protein kinase C phosphorylation of myosin may play a role in modulating vascular contractile activity in vivo.

Animals↗

Smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase. Amino acid sequence at the site phosphorylated by adenosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate-dependent protein kinase whether or not calmodulin is bound.

Turkey gizzard smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase is a calmodulin-dependent enzyme containing 2 serine residues that can be phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. One of these sites can be phosphorylated only when calmodulin is not bound to the enzyme; the amino acid sequence around this site has been reported recently (Lukas, T. J., Burgess, W. H., Prendergast, F. G., Lau, W., and Watterson, D. M. (1986) Biochemistry 25, 1458-1464). Here we report the sequence around the site that is phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase whether or not calmodulin is bound: Lys-Ala-Ser(P)-Gly-Ser-Ser-Pro-Thr-Ser-Pro-Ile-Asn-Ala-Asp-Lys-Val-Glu-A sn-Glu- . This sequence conforms to the previously defined criteria for substrates of cAMP-dependent protein kinase.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Muscle-specific activation of a methylated chimeric actin gene.

To understand how DNA methylation affects tissue-specific activation of genes, we have transfected in vitro methylated alpha-actin (skeletal) constructs into fibroblasts, which do not produce endogenous alpha-actin, and into a myogenic line, which is inducible for alpha-actin expression. Although methylation significantly inhibits the expression of these constructs in fibroblasts, it does not in myoblasts. The methylation pattern of the introduced methylated genes reveals specific demethylations in the transfected molecules in myoblasts but not in fibroblasts, and it precisely mimics the methylation pattern found in myoblasts in vivo.

Actins↗

Mechanism of regulation of cardiac actin-myosin subfragment 1 by troponin-tropomyosin.

The effect of Ca2+ on the interaction of bovine cardiac myosin subfragment 1 (S-1) with actin regulated by cardiac troponin-tropomyosin was evaluated. The ratios of actin to troponin and to tropomyosin were adjusted to optimize the Ca2+-dependent regulation of the steady-state actin-activated magnesium adenosinetriphosphatase (MgATPase) rate of myosin S-1. At 25 degrees C, pH 6.9, 16 mM ionic strength, the extrapolated values for maximal adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) turnover rate at saturating actin, Vmax, were 6.5 s-1 in the presence of Ca2+ and 0.24 s-1 in the absence of Ca2+. In contrast to this 27-fold regulation of ATP hydrolysis, there was negligible Ca2+-dependent regulation of cardiac myosin S-1 binding to actin. In the presence of ATP, the dissociation constant of regulated actin and cardiac myosin S-1 was 32 microM in the presence of Ca2+ and 40 microM in the presence of [ethylenebis(oxyethylenenitrilo)]tetraacetic acid. These dissociation constants are indistinguishable from the concentrations of actin needed to reach half-saturation of the myosin S-1 MgATPase rates, 37 microM actin in the presence of Ca2+ and 53 microM in its absence. Although there may be Ca2+-dependent regulation of cross-bridge binding in the intact heart, the present biochemical studies suggest that cardiac regulation critically involves other parts of the cross-bridge cycle, evidenced here by almost complete Ca2+-mediated control of the myosin S-1 MgATPase rate even when the myosin S-1 is actin-bound.

Actin Cytoskeleton↗

Phosphorylation of smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase by protein kinase C. Comparative study of the phosphorylated sites.

Smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase is phosphorylated in vitro by protein kinase C purified from human platelets. When myosin light chain kinase which has calmodulin bound is phosphorylated by protein kinase C, 0.8-1.1 mol of phosphate is incorporated per mol of myosin light chain kinase with no effect on its enzyme activity. Phosphorylation of myosin light chain kinase with no calmodulin bound results in the incorporation of 2-2.4 mol of phosphate and significantly decreases the rate of myosin light chain kinase activity. The decrease in myosin light chain kinase activity is due to a 3.3-fold increase in the concentration of calmodulin necessary for the half-maximal activation of myosin light chain kinase. The sites phosphorylated by protein kinase C and the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase were compared by two-dimensional peptide mapping following extensive tryptic digestion of phosphorylated myosin light chain kinase. The single site phosphorylated by protein kinase C when calmodulin is bound to myosin light chain kinase (site 3) is different from that phosphorylated by the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (site 1). The additional site that is phosphorylated by protein kinase C when calmodulin is not bound appears to be the same site phosphorylated by the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (site 2). These studies confirm the important role of site 2 in binding calmodulin to myosin light chain kinase. Sequential studies using both protein kinase C and the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase suggest that the phosphorylation of site 1 also plays a part in decreasing the affinity of myosin light chain kinase for calmodulin.

Amino Acids↗

Stimulation of canine cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ uptake by dihydropyridine Ca2+ antagonists.

We examined the effects of four Ca2+ antagonists that possess the ability to bind to calmodulin-felodipine, nitrendipine, prenylamine, and verapamil--as well as the effect of the calmodulin antagonist trifluoperazine on Ca2+ uptake and Ca2+ + Mg2+/ATPase activity in canine cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum. In the presence of 20-30 microM felodipine and 100-200 microM nitrendipine, Ca2+ uptake increased from 69 nmoles X mg-1 X min-1 to 107 and 108 nmoles X mg-1 X min-1, respectively, with half-maximal stimulation occurring at 7.5 and 28 microM respectively. Ca2+ + Mg2+/ATPase activity was unchanged over the same concentration ranges. In contrast, both Ca2+ uptake and Ca2+ + Mg2+/ATPase activities were inhibited in the presence of 10-100 microM trifluoperazine (IC50 = 25 microM), 10-100 microM prenylamine (IC50 = 35 microM) and 100-200 microM verapamil (inhibition insufficient for IC50 determination). None of the drugs affected membrane permeability to Ca2+ as determined by passive 45Ca2+ efflux in the presence of ethyleneglycol bis(beta-amenoethyl ether)N,N,N1-tetraacetic acid (EGTA). Drug inhibition of calmodulin-dependent turkey gizzard myosin light chain kinase activation in a purified protein system was used as a direct measure of calmodulin antagonism, and felodipine, nitrendipine, trifluoperazine, prenylamine, and verapamil blocked this activation at IC50 values of 9.8, 55, 6.4, 31, and 93 microM respectively. None of the drugs studied, however, had any effect upon endogenous phospholamban phosphorylation in our cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum preparations. These observations indicate that dihydropyridine Ca2+ antagonists stimulate cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ uptake in vitro either by increasing the efficiency of the transport process or by inhibiting Ca2+-dependent Ca2+ release, and suggest that these effects do not result from interference with calmodulin-mediated processes.

Animals↗

Localization and topography of antigenic domains within the heavy chain of smooth muscle myosin.

We have produced and characterized monoclonal antibodies that label antigenic determinants distributed among three distinct, nonoverlapping peptide domains of the 200-kD heavy chain of avian smooth muscle myosin. Mice were immunized with a partially phosphorylated chymotryptic digest of adult turkey gizzard myosin. Hybridoma antibody specificities were determined by solid-phase indirect radioimmunoassay and immunoreplica techniques. Electron microscopy of rotary-shadowed samples was used to directly visualize the topography of individual [antibody.antigen] complexes. Antibody TGM-1 bound to a 50-kD peptide of subfragment-1 (S-1) previously found to be associated with actin binding and was localized by immunoelectron microscopy to the distal aspect of the myosin head. However, there was no antibody-dependent inhibition of the actin-activated heavy meromyosin ATPase, nor was antibody TGM-1 binding to actin-S-1 complexes inhibited. Antibody TGM-2 detected an epitope of the subfragment-2 (S-2) domain of heavy meromyosin but not the S-2 domain of intact myosin or rod, consistent with recognition of a site exposed by chymotryptic cleavage of the S-2:light meromyosin junction. Localization of TGM-2 to the carboxy-terminus of S-2 was substantiated by immunoelectron microscopy. Antibody TGM-3 recognized an epitope found in the light meromyosin portion of myosin. All three antibodies were specific for avian smooth muscle myosin. Of particular interest is that antibody TGM-1, unlike TGM-3, bound poorly to homogenates of 19-d embryonic smooth muscles. This indicates the expression of different myosin heavy chain epitopes during smooth muscle development.

Actins↗

Inhibition of turkey gizzard myosin light chain. Kinase activity by dihydropyridine calcium antagonists.

Drugs which block the influx of calcium (Ca2+) across plasma membranes may additionally have direct effects upon smooth muscle contractile proteins. In a system of purified proteins comprised of calmodulin, turkey gizzard myosin light chains, and turkey gizzard myosin light chain kinase, the inhibition of myosin light chain phosphorylation by the dihydropyridine Ca2+ antagonists felodipine [3-ethyl-5-methyl-1-1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-4-(2,3-dichlorophenyl)-3, 5-pyridine dicarboxylate] and nitrendipine [3-ethyl-5-methyl-1-1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-4-(3-nitrophenyl)-3,5-pyridine dicarboxylate] was studied. In the presence of excess myosin light chain kinase, 50% inhibition of myosin light chain phosphorylation occurred at felodipine and nitrendipine concentrations of 9.8 +/- 1.1 X 10(-6) M and 5.6 +/- 0.6 X 10(-5) M respectively. Inhibition of light chain kinase activity could not be overcome by increasing the free Ca2+ concentration from 0.05 to 5.0 mM. Felodipine was unable to inhibit the activity of myosin light chain kinase rendered Ca2+/calmodulin-independent by limited tryptic digestion. Using molecular sieve chromatography, nitrendipine was found to bind to calmodulin with an apparent dissociation constant (Kapp) of 5.2 +/- 0.3 X 10(-5) M, and this binding was Ca2+ dependent. These data suggest that dihydropyridines inhibit the phosphorylation of smooth muscle myosin light chains in vitro by binding to Ca2+/calmodulin and inhibiting the activation of myosin light chain kinase.

Animals↗