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Priming effect of calcium ionophores on phorbol ester-induced respiratory burst in mouse peritoneal neutrophils.

The abilities of three calcium ionophores (A23187, 4-bromo-A23187, and ionomycin) to modulate the respiratory burst of neutrophils induced by phorbol ester and to increase the concentration of free intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) were compared. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was determined by luminol-dependent chemiluminescence and [Ca2+]i was determined with the Fura-2 fluorescent probe. A23187 (0.05-2 microM) and ionomycin (0.001-0.5 microM) but not 4-bromo-A23187 amplified 3-4-fold the respiratory burst induced by phorbol ester. The integral response (total production of ROS over 6 min) had a bell-shaped dependence on the concentration of ionomycin and A23187 with increase and decrease at low and high concentrations of the ionophores, respectively. The maximal effect was found at 0.5 microM ionomycin and 2 microM A23187, these concentrations resulting in transient increases in [Ca2+]i to 1776 +/- 197 and 955 +/- 27 nM, respectively. The ionophores had no effect in calcium-free media, though they increased [Ca2+]i to approximately 400 nM through the mobilization of intracellular Ca2+. In cells with exhausted stores of Ca2+, the addition of 1.5 mM Ca2+ combined with phorbol ester amplified twofold the production of ROS. The inhibition of phospholipase A2 with 4-bromophenacyl bromide significantly decreased the production of ROS. Thus, the entrance of Ca2+ and generation of arachidonic acid under the influence of phospholipase A2 are necessary for the ionophore-induced priming of production of ROS during cell activation with phorbol esters.

Animals↗

Regulation of T lymphocyte apoptosis. Signals for the antagonism between activation- and glucocorticoid-induced death.

Apoptotic death can be induced in T cell hybridomas by glucocorticoids or the stimulation via the TCR/CD3 complex. The two apoptotic processes are mutually antagonistic. We have previously proposed that positive selection of thymocytes for the formation of the T cell repertoire might be based on a similar mechanism. We analyzed the TCR/CD3-mediated signals essential for the regulation of apoptosis in T cell hybridomas. We suggest that both an increase in the intracellular Ca2+ level and an activation of protein kinase C are essential for the TCR/CD3-mediated apoptosis, because we obtained the following results: 1) either reduction of extracellular Ca2+ concentration or addition of a protein kinase inhibitor, 1-(5-isoquinolkinelsulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine or N-(2-(methylamino)ethyl)-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide, inhibited anti-CD3-induced but not dexamethasone-induced DNA fragmentation. 2) The combination of ionomycin and PMA, but neither one alone nor the combination of ionomycin and cyclic nucleotide analogs, induced DNA fragmentation. On the contrary, we suggest that only an increase in the intracellular Ca2+ level is essential for the inhibition of glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis, because ionomycin alone as well as the combination of ionomycin and PMA inhibited dexamethasone- but not anti-CD3-induced DNA fragmentation.

Animals↗

Signal transduction and the regulation of actin conformation during myeloid maturation: studies in HL60 cells.

Maturation of human myeloid cells is associated with quantitative and qualitative changes in protein kinase C (PKC) and increases in N-formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine (FMLP) receptors, actin, and actin regulatory proteins. We have studied the actin responses and cell shape changes caused by FMLP and its second messenger pathways in HL60 cells undergoing neutrophilic maturation. In uninduced cells, the PKC activators 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), bryostatin, and 1-oleyl-2-acetylglycerol (OAG) resulted in 15% to 30% decreases in F-actin, whereas FMLP had no effect. Ionomycin had no effect on actin but did cause a 10-fold increase in intracellular calcium. Cells grown for 24 hours in 1% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) acquired the ability to polymerize actin in response to FMLP and ionomycin. TPA continued to cause a decrease in F-actin at 24 hours, but caused an increase in F-actin at 48 to 72 hours of maturation. The PKC inhibitor 1-5-isoquinolinesulfonyl 2-methylpiperazine (H7) partially blocked the F-actin increase caused by TPA in induced cells, but had no effect on the decrease in F-actin caused by TPA in uninduced cells or the increase in F-actin seen in FMLP-treated neutrophils. F-actin rich pseudopods developed following TPA or FMLP stimulation of induced HL60 cells; in uninduced cells neither agent caused pseudopod formation but TPA caused a dramatic loss of surface ruffles. The ability of FMLP and ionomycin to elicit a neutrophil-like actin response in HL60 cells within 24 hours after DMSO treatment shows that the actin regulatory mechanism is mature by that time. The inability of ionomycin to increase F-actin in uninduced cells supports the view that calcium increases alone are insufficient for actin polymerization. The longer maturation time required for HL60 cells to develop an actin polymerization response to TPA compared with FMLP, coupled with the inability of H7 to block the FMLP-mediated F-actin increase in neutrophils, suggests that the F-actin increase caused by FMLP is not mediated solely by PKC. Lastly, the TPA-induced F-actin decrease and shape changes in uninduced HL60 cells, and the longer time required for a "mature" response to TPA, may reflect immaturity in the PKC isoenzyme pattern rather than immaturity of the actin regulatory mechanism.

1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine↗

Involvement of protein kinase C in prostaglandin E2-induced catecholamine release from cultured bovine adrenal chromaffin cells.

We recently reported that prostaglandin (PG) E2 stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism in cultured bovine adrenal chromaffin cells and that PGE2 and ouabain induced a gradual secretion of catecholamines from the cells (Yokohama, H., Tanaka, T., Ito, S., Negishi, M., Hayashi, H., and Hayaishi, O. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 1119-1122). Here we examined the involvement of two signal pathways, Ca2+ mobilization and protein kinase C activation resulting from phosphoinositide metabolism, in the PGE2-induced catecholamine release. Either the Ca2+ ionophore ionomycin or 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) could enhance the release in the presence of ouabain, and ionomycin-induced release was additive to PGE2-induced release, but TPA-induced release was not additive. PGE2 dose-dependently stimulated the formation of diacylglycerol and caused the translocation of 4% of the total protein kinase C activity to become membrane-bound within 5 min. These effects were specific for PGE2 and PGE1 among PGs tested (PGE2 = PGE1 greater than PGF2 alpha greater than PGD2). Furthermore, the phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C inhibitor neomycin inhibited PGE2-induced accumulation of inositol phosphates, diacylglycerol formation, translocation of protein kinase C, and also stimulation of catecholamine release. Both PGE2- and TPA-induced release were inhibited by the depletion of protein kinase C caused by prolonged exposure to TPA, but ionomycin-induced release was not inhibited. We recently found that the amiloride-sensitive Na+, H+-antiport participates in PGE2-evoked catecholamine release (Tanaka, T., Yokohama, H., Negishi, M., Hayashi, H., Ito, S., and Hayaishi, O. (1990) J. Neurochem. 54, 86-95). In agreement with our recent report, PGE2 and TPA induced a sustained increase in intracellular pH that was abolished by the protein kinase C inhibitor staurosporine but not by the calmodulin inhibitor W-7. Ionomycin also induced a marked increase in intracellular pH, but this increase was abolished by W-7 but not by staurosporine. These results demonstrate that PGE2-induced activation of the Na+, H(+)-antiport and catecholamine release in the presence of ouabain are mediated by activation of protein kinase C, rather than by Ca2+ mobilization, resulting from phosphoinositide metabolism.

Adrenal Medulla↗

Evidence that a kinase distinct from protein kinase C induces CD3 gamma-subunit phosphorylation without a concomitant down-regulation in CD3 antigen expression.

An immediate consequence of Ag-specific activation of T cells is phosphorylation of the gamma-subunit of the CD3 gamma-chain. There is good evidence that the kinase that mediates CD3 gamma-chain phosphorylation is protein kinase C (pkC). It has also been proposed that the interaction between pkC and CD3 gamma-chains controls the cell surface expression of the antigen receptor/CD3 Ag complex. In the present study we present data relevant to these two points. Thus we show that CD3 gamma-subunit phosphorylation can be triggered by the calcium ionophore ionomycin. However, as judged by several criteria, ionomycin does not stimulate cellular pkC. Accordingly, ionomycin must regulate phosphorylation of the CD3 Ag by a kinase distinct from pkC. The phosphorylation of CD3 Ag induced by ionomycin is not accompanied by a modulation of the cell surface expression of CD3 molecules which implies that CD3 gamma-chain phosphorylation is not a sufficient signal for the endocytosis of the CD3/Ag receptor complex.

Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte↗

Thrombin stimulates the activities of multiple previously unidentified protein kinases in platelets.

We have used a renaturation method to search for previously unidentified protein kinases in human platelets. The method involves subjecting lysates to denaturing gel electrophoresis, transferring the proteins to blotting membranes, and treating the blotted proteins with guanidine. The guanidine is then removed to allow the proteins to renature, and the blots are overlaid with [gamma-32P]ATP. We have identified 14 electrophoretically distinct, serine/threonine-specific protein kinases. Eleven of the kinases clearly differ in molecular weight from all previously described platelet serine/threonine kinases. Ten of these novel kinases (PK220, PK200, PK170, PK150, PK64, PK60, PK56, PK52, PK48, and PK40) were found to possess markedly increased in vitro activity when isolated from thrombin-stimulated platelets, presumably as a result of thrombin-stimulated covalent modification. Treatment of intact platelets with the calcium ionophore ionomycin and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate also increased the in vitro activity of these kinases. The agonist-stimulated kinases could be divided into three classes: 1) one kinase whose activity was increased by in vivo phorbol ester treatment but not by ionomycin (PK150); 2) two kinases whose activity was increased by ionomycin but not phorbol ester (PK48 and PK40); 3) seven kinases whose activity was markedly increased by combinations of phorbol ester and ionomycin, but not by either agent alone (PK220, PK200, PK170, PK64, PK60, PK56, and PK52). This third mode of regulation is what would be expected of enzymes that mediate the biological effects of inositide-mobilizing stimuli.

Amino Acids↗

Selective stimulation of the synthesis of an 80,000-dalton protein by calcium ionophores.

Brief exposure of cultured chicken pectoralis muscle cells to ionomycin or A23187 selectively increases the rate of incorporation of [35S]methionine into an 80,000-dalton protein was also observed upon cell-free translation of poly(A)-enriched RNA isolated from ionomycin-treated, as compared with control, cultures. These observations suggest that ionomycin selectively increases the cellular concentration of mRNA, which codes for the 80,000-dalton protein. The effect is probably mediated through an increase in cytoplasmic [Ca2+] caused by the ionophore. A similar effect of ionomycin was observed in cultured fibroblasts, HeLa cells, mouse LSP cells, and monkey kidney CV1 cells.

Animals↗

Inhibition by methylene blue of the L-arginine metabolism to L-citrulline coupled with nitric oxide synthesis in cultured endothelial cells.

The effect of methylene blue on the metabolism of L-arginine to L-citrulline coupled with nitric oxide synthesis in cultured endothelial cells was investigated. The addition of the calcium ionophore ionomycin (10(-8)-10(-5) M) to endothelial cells stimulated L-citrulline formation from L-arginine. Ionomycin-stimulated L-citrulline formation was inhibited by NG-nitro-L-arginine (10(-6)-10(-4) M), a potent inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase. These results indicate that ionomycin-stimulated L-citrulline formation was coupled to nitric oxide synthesis. Therefore, L-citrulline formation from L-arginine was used as a marker for nitric oxide synthesis. Methylene blue (10(-4)-10(-3) M) inhibited ionomycin-stimulated L-citrulline formation in bovine aortic endothelial cells. Moreover, the formation of L-citrulline by the particulate fraction obtained from bovine cultured endothelial cells was also inhibited by methylene blue concentrations in excess of 10(-5) M. Although the addition of methylene blue to various tissues has been reported to release superoxide anions (Wolin et al., 1990; Marczin et al., 1992), inhibition of L-citrulline formation by methylene blue was not affected by the presence of superoxide dismutase (100 micrograms/mL) in either cultured endothelial cells or the particulate fraction. These findings suggest that methylene blue is a direct inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase in bovine aortic endothelial cells.

Amino Acid Oxidoreductases↗

Mechanism of kit ligand, phorbol ester, and calcium-induced down-regulation of c-kit receptors in mast cells.

The proto-oncogene c-kit is allelic with the white spotting locus (W) on mouse chromosome 5 and it encodes a transmembrane protein tyrosine kinase which belongs to the platelet-derived growth factor and macrophage-colony stimulating factor (CSF-1) receptor subfamily. In an effort to study the function of the c-kit receptor, specifically the physiological mechanism of controlling the signal induced by the ligand, the effect and mechanism of down-regulation of the c-kit receptor by the kit ligand (KL) was investigated in mast cells. Following preincubation with KL, the capacity of mast cells to bind kit antibody was reduced and binding of radiolabeled KL to mast cells decreased with similar kinetics, suggesting that KL stimulates the loss of c-kit receptor from the cell surface. After binding to the c-kit receptor, KL was rapidly internalized, and degradation of the receptor was accelerated. The c-kit receptor was transmodulated by the protein kinase C activator 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and by the calcium ionophore ionomycin. TPA- and ionomycin-induced down-regulation of the c-kit receptor was accompanied by release of the extracellular domain of the receptor, presumably by proteolytic cleavage near the transmembrane domain. Release of the extracellular domain of the c-kit receptor occurred also in untreated cells but at a slow rate. In addition, ionomycin induced shedding of the intact c-kit receptor. In mast cells depleted of protein kinase C, the c-kit receptor remained sensitive to down-regulation induced by KL and ionomycin, but not by treatment with TPA. Therefore, the down-regulation of the c-kit receptor induced by KL, activated protein kinase C, and an increased level of intracellular calcium is mediated through independent mechanisms.

3T3 Cells↗

Carbachol-stimulated phosphorylation of the Na-K-Cl cotransporter of avian salt gland. Requirement for Ca2+ and PKC Activation.

The Na-K-Cl cotransporter of avian salt gland is a membrane-bound 170-kDa protein that is phosphorylated in response to cAMP- and Ca(2+)-dependent secretogogues and is homologous to the Na-K-Cl cotransporter in another Cl-secreting epithelia; the shark rectal gland (Torchia, J., Lytle, C., Pon, D. J., Forbush, B., and Sen, A. K. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 25444-25450). In the present study we assess the role of Ca2+ and protein kinase C (PKC) activation on the phosphorylation of the Na-K-Cl cotransporter. Although the addition of ionomycin alone did not significantly stimulate cotransporter phosphorylation, concurrent addition of ionomycin plus the tumor promoter phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) resulted in a concentration-dependent increase in phosphorylation. Immunoprecipitation experiments, using a monoclonal antibody which specifically recognizes the cotransporter, suggested that the response to CCh or ionomycin plus PMA was quantitatively similar (5-fold) and was localized exclusively on serine residues. In contrast, when 4 alpha-phorbol was added in the presence of ionomycin, no stimulation was observed. To further assess the involvement of PKC on cotransporter phosphorylation the effects of protein kinase inhibitors were tested. Both staurosporine and calphostin C inhibited phosphorylation of the cotransporter at concentrations known to inhibit PKC, whereas the calmodulin antagonist W-7 had no significant effect. The requirement for Ca2+ was tested further by removing Ca2+ from the incubation medium and stimulating with CCh. Under these conditions, the CCh-stimulated phosphorylation was transient and, furthermore, could be completely inhibited by preloading the cells with the Ca2+ chelator BAPTA (1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N,N-tetraacetic acid) prior to stimulation. The involvement of protein phosphatases on the phosphorylation of the Na-K-Cl cotransporter was also tested. The addition of okadaic acid stimulated phosphorylation by approximately 3-fold. Taken together these results suggest that the phosphorylation state of the cotransporter involves a dynamic interplay between changes in intracellular Ca2+, PKC, and protein phosphatase activities.

Animals↗

Micromolar levels of intracellular calcium reduce gap junctional permeability in lens cultures.

PURPOSE: To investigate in bovine and embryonic chicken lens cultures the effects of elevated intracellular calcium on the permeability of gap junctions. To determine the changes in intracellular calcium using fura-2. To detect any changes in the phosphorylation of connexin43 after ionophore treatment. METHODS: Lucifer yellow was micro-injected into individual cells, and dye spread to neighboring cells was evaluated. Intracellular calcium levels were measured using the calcium indicator, fura-2. Cultures were also labeled with 32P-orthophosphate followed by immunoprecipitation with antibodies specific for the gap junction protein, connexin43. RESULTS: Bovine lens cultures incubated in the presence of either A23187 or ionomycin showed a reduction in intercellular dye transfer. The intracellular calcium concentrations in bovine cells were increased from a mean value of 0.11 +/- .009 microM in the controls to a mean of 0.40 +/- .073 microM with ionomycin treatment. Subsequent addition of EGTA to the medium decreased the intracellular calcium concentrations to a mean of 0.26 +/- .113 microM and reversed the inhibition of dye spread found with ionomycin. With ionomycin in the medium, the phosphorylated form of connexin43 was not as prominent as in the controls. In contrast, these same treatments had no detectable effect on junctional permeability in the embryonic chicken lens cultures. Dye spread was equally extensive and rapid under control and ionophore conditions, even though fura studies showed an elevation in intracellular calcium levels. CONCLUSIONS: In the bovine cultures, physiologically relevant changes in the levels of cytoplasmic calcium markedly reduced dye transfer. The increase in cytoplasmic calcium was correlated with a change in the phosphorylation level of connexin43. The regulation of junctional communication in the chick lens cultures appears to differ significantly from that in the bovine system.

Animals↗

Role of endoplasmic reticular calcium in oligosaccharide processing of alpha 1-antitrypsin.

Mobilization of Ca2+ from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) suppresses translational initiation and inhibits post-translational processing and secretion of glycoproteins. This study explores the mechanism whereby ionomycin, a Ca2+ ionophore, and thapsigargin, an ER Ca(2+)-ATPase inhibitor, promote retention of alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1-AT) bearing high mannose, endoglycosidase H (Endo H)-sensitive oligosaccharide side chains within the ER of HepG2 cells. Arrest occurred at the removal of mannose residues such that intermediates with Man7-9GlcNAc2 side chains accumulated with the Man8-9GlcNAc2 structures predominating. Maturation of alpha 1-AT bearing Man5-6GlcNAc2 side chains was unaffected. Inhibition of alpha 1-AT processing by ionomycin occurred independently of translational suppression. Forms of alpha 1-AT identical to those retained with ionomycin or thapsigargin were observed upon treatment with the alpha-1,2-mannosidase inhibitor 1-deoxymannojirimycin whereas castanospermine, an inhibitor of ER alpha-glucosidase I, produced different forms of the glycoprotein. Neither inhibitor impaired transport or secretion of alpha 1-AT. With brefeldin A, which causes redistribution of Golgi enzymes to the ER, alpha 1-AT was retained intracellularly but acquired resistance to Endo H. With ionomycin, thapsigargin, or 1-deoxymannojirimycin-treated cells, however, brefeldin A failed to promote further processing of the glycoprotein. Possible mechanisms for the suppression of alpha 1-AT processing at the alpha-1,2-mannosidase step by Ca(2+)-mobilizing agents are discussed. Excepting tunicamycin, traditional inhibitors of protein processing did not affect amino acid incorporation.

1-Deoxynojirimycin↗

Effect of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) on IL-3/granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor production by T helper cells. Mode of stimulation and presence of costimulation can determine response to PGE2.

PGE2 is an immunomodulator that selectively inhibits the production of lymphokines associated with Th1 cells (IL-2 and IFN-gamma) but not Th2 cells (IL-4 and IL-5). We examined the effect of PGE2 on the production of IL-3 and granulocyte-macrophage (GM)-CSF from murine Th1 and Th2 clones. When the T cells were stimulated with Ag and APC, PGE2 inhibited IL-3/GM-CSF production from 3 Th1 clones and 1 Th2 clone, but enhanced production from 3 Th2 clones. A more specific bioassay demonstrated that IL-3 production was differentially affected by PGE2 in the Th clones. These data suggested that the effect of PGE2 on IL-3 production is dependent, not on a property of the lymphokine, but on a property of the T cell. The responsiveness to PGE2 did not consistently differ between Th1 and Th2 cells, and the observed heterogeneity in the response of Th2 clones did not correlate with the ability to induce increases in intracellular [Ca2+]. However, we postulated that signaling differences between the clones might explain the varied responsiveness to PGE2. If so, then the mode of stimulation might be expected to activate different pathways and thus affect the PGE2-responsiveness. Stimulation with ionomycin induced variable levels of IL-3/GM-CSF from the T cell clones. APC-derived costimulation dramatically enhanced IL-3/GM-CSF; the cells which produced high levels in response to ionomycin alone were not detectably costimulating each other. Interestingly, PGE2 enhanced IL-3/GM-CSF (and IL-3 alone in at least some cases) from cells stimulated with ionomycin alone, demonstrating that the mode of stimulation affects the PGE2-responsiveness. Addition of APC not only enhanced lymphokine production, but also altered the PGE2-responsiveness of the Th1 cells. In these cells, PGE2 either inhibited IL-3 and GM-CSF production or had no effect, in no case was the lymphokine production enhanced by PGE2 as it had been with ionomycin alone. These data indicate that the presence of APC-derived costimulatory signals can alter the effect of PGE2 on Th cell lymphokine production.

Animals↗

Local changes in membrane potential intensify neutrophil oxidative burst.

The aim of this paper is to study the effects of the pulsed electrical field/current alone or combined with ionomycin, fMLP and PMA, the chemical stimuli that operate through distinctly different activation pathways, on the time course of the oxidative burst response in human neutrophils. Neither the control groups nor the neutrophils treated with electrical field alone showed any increase in oxidative burst activity measured by the luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence technique. It was found that electrical treatment potentiates chemically induced activation with either of the chemical stimulators used. The integrated oxidative burst response--which represents a cumulative amount of oxygen metabolites produced during whole response--was 87% higher in neutrophils treated with a combination of ionomycin and an electric field than in solely ionomycin treated cells, while the peak level of the response was 114% higher. In neutrophils stimulated with fMLP the electrochemical treatment caused a 32% higher integral response as well as a 22% higher peak level compared to the neutrophils treated with chemical stimulant alone. The integrated oxidative burst response in the combined PMA and electric treatment was only 4.7% higher than in the cells treated with PMA alone, and no significant difference in the peak level was found. The results suggest that electric field treatment preferentially stimulates calcium-induced activation with ionomycin rather than calcium-dependent activation with fMLP or PMA.

Adolescent↗

Costimulation of human natural killer cell proliferation: role of accessory cytokines and cell contact-dependent signals.

Despite the importance of natural killer (NK) cells in the immune response, the regulation of human NK cell growth has not been well characterized. We have hypothesized that, similar to the proliferation of T and B lymphocytes, optimal proliferation of NK cells requires costimulatory signals as well as a primary mitogenic stimulus. Evidence for costimulation by both soluble cytokines and cell contact-dependent factors is presented. Soluble IL-1 and TNF were found to augment NK cell proliferation in response to primary mitogenic cytokines, including IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, and IL-12. The costimulatory effect of IL-1 and TNF is strongly enhanced by the calcium ionophore ionomycin. Coculture of NK cells with irradiated K562 cells can largely substitute for the costimulatory signal provided by ionomycin. Costimulation by K562 requires intimate cell contact and is not reconstituted by cell-free supernatants. Activated T lymphocytes can also mediate contact-dependent costimulation of NK cells; resting PBMC, several NK-sensitive cell lines, and all NK-resistant cell lines tested were not found to be costimulatory. Engagement of CD16 did not augment NK cell proliferation. Thus, triggering of natural killing or antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) does not consistently provide a costimulatory signal for NK cell proliferation. Cell contact-dependent costimulation of NK cells does not appear to involve known receptors that can costimulate T cells, including CD2, CD27, CD28, CD29, or LFA-1. The molecular nature of the putative NK cell costimulatory receptor remains to be elucidated. Nevertheless, human NK cells could be expanded in vitro using leukocyte-conditioned medium (LCM) as a source of IL-2 and accessory cytokines and ionomycin to bypass the putative receptor for cell contact-dependent costimulation. NK cells expanded in LCM and ionomycin express typical NK cell antigens and mediate natural killing and ADCC. Further characterization of the costimulatory signals for NK cell proliferation may elucidate the physiologic regulation of NK cell growth and may ultimately allow more effective manipulation of these lymphocytes in the immunotherapy of human diseases.

Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity↗

Induction of L-histidine decarboxylase in a human mast cell line, HMC-1.

Histamine is an important mediator in allergic reactions, gastric acid secretions, and neurotransmission in the central nervous system. Basophils and mast cells are the main sources of histamine, which is formed from L-histidine by histidine decarboxylase (HDC). However, the regulatory mechanism of HDC in these cells remains unclear. We examined the regulation of HDC activity and gene expression using a unique human mast cell line, HMC-1, after stimulation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) or ionomycin. HDC activity was increased from 52.1+/-0.4 (mean+/-standard deviation) to 154+/-6.9, or 105.6+/-6.2 pmol/min/mg protein (n = 3), 4 hours after stimulation with PMA (10 ng/mL) or ionomycin (10[-6] M). Although actinomycin D had no effect on this increase, cycloheximide completely inhibited the increase caused by these stimuli. The population of HMC-1 cells containing HDC protein was increased after stimulation with either PMA or ionomycin as evaluated by immunocytochemical analysis with anti-HDC antibody as a marker. HMC-1 constitutively expressed HDC mRNA, and its level was not increased with these stimuli. These results suggest that the increase of HDC activity in HMC-1 induced by PMA or ionomycin is regulated at the translational level.

Cell Line↗

Development of an efficient method to produce uniformly haploid parthenogenones.

Bovine ovaries (paired by cow) were obtained from a local abattoir and cumulus oocyte complexes were aspirated within six hours of slaughter. Two methods for activation [(1) calcium ionophore (ionomycin) alone (n = 191); and (2) ionomycin followed by the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide (n = 207)] were evaluated for production of bovine parthenogenones. Activation with ionomycin alone resulted in a development rate of 33%, while activation with ionomycin and cycloheximide sequentially resulted in a development rate to two-cell stage of 49%. A procedure was developed to expedite accurate evaluation of activated oocytes for uniformly haploid development. Uniformly haploid parthenogenones that cleaved at least once in four days of in vitro culture were individually prepared for genetic analysis. Three techniques: (1) phosphate buffered saline; (2) TL-HEPES with 0.2% ovine serum albumin; and (3) TL-HEPES with 0.2% polyvinyl pyrrolidone were compared to harvest parthenogenones for genetic analysis. The only effective method that did not create spurious results during later genetic analysis was TL-HEPES with 0.2% polyvinyl pyrrolidone. Based on the results of this study, we estimate that an average of 5-7 uniformly haploid bovine parthenogenones can be realized from each donor (using pairs of ovaries). These parthenogenones, when maintained as family units, will be valuable for accomplishment of female-specific genetic linkage analysis.

Animals↗

Regulation of cell spreading during differentiation in the muscarinic M5 receptor tumor-suppressor model.

Activation of the muscarinic receptor in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells results in a reversal of the malignant phenotype for which spreading into a bipolar, fibroblastic morphology is a marker. The process of morphologic change requires multiple events, including alterations in adhesions to substrates and cytoskeletal re-arrangement. In this report, we demonstrate the calcium-dependent involvement of p125FAK in this cellular shape change using an inhibitor of ligand-induced calcium influx, carboxyamido-triazole (CAI). p125FAK becomes tyrosine-phosphorylated after exposure to the agonist carbachol (CC), reaching maximal phosphorylation prior to initiation of cellular shape change at 1 hr into CC exposure (386 +/- 103%). Phosphorylation remained elevated through the shape change (4-12 hr). CHOm5 cell exposure to the Ca2+-mobilizing agents maitotoxin and ionomycin also resulted in p125FAK phosphorylation. Inhibition of Ca2+ influx with CAI, an inhibitor of ligand-induced Ca2+ influx, had little effect on CC-induced phosphorylation but partially inhibited ionomycin-mediated p125FAK phosphorylation. While the intracellular Ca2+ chelator BAPTA failed to prevent CC-induced p125FAK tyrosine phosphorylation, it inhibited phosphorylation due to ionomycin. CC induced Ca2+-independent binding of phosphorylated p125FAK selectively to the C-terminal SH2 domain of phosphatidylinositol-3'-kinase (PI3K). Further, CC, maitotoxin and ionomycin induced in vitro kinase activity of p125FAK for the exogenous substrate poly(Glu4Tyr1). Kinase activity stimulated by all 3 agonists was inhibited by preincubation with either CAI or BAPTA. Our results indicate that increasing intracellular Ca2+ can stimulate both p125FAK autophosphorylation and kinase activity; however, p125FAK phosphorylation in response to CC also may be induced through a Ca2+-independent pathway.

Animals↗