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Protein phosphorylation and secretion in digitonin-permeabilized adrenal chromaffin cells. Effects of micromolar Ca2+, phorbol esters, and diacylglycerol.

The effects of phorbol esters, dioctanoylglycerol (DiC8), and micromolar Ca2+ on protein phosphorylation and catecholamine secretion in digitonin-treated chromaffin cells were investigated. [gamma-32P]ATP was used as a substrate for phosphorylation in the permeabilized cells. 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) enhanced Ca2+-dependent catecholamine secretion from digitonin-permeabilized cells. The enhancement required MgATP. Only those phorbol esters which activate protein kinase C in vitro enhanced both catecholamine secretion and protein phosphorylation. DiC8, which activates protein kinase C in vitro and mimics phorbol ester effects in situ, also enhanced both catecholamine secretion and protein phosphorylation. Preincubation of intact cells with TPA or DiC8 was necessary for maximal effects on both catecholamine secretion and protein phosphorylation in subsequently digitonin-treated chromaffin cells. The TPA-induced enhancement of protein phosphorylation was almost entirely Ca2+-independent, whereas DiC8-induced enhancement of protein phosphorylation was mainly Ca2+-dependent. Micromolar Ca2+ alone also enhanced the phosphorylation of a large number of proteins. Most of the proteins phosphorylated in response to TPA or potentiated by DiC8 in combination with Ca2+ were also phosphorylated by micromolar Ca2+ in the absence of exogenous protein kinase C activators. In intact cells, 1,1-dimethyl-4-phenylpiperazinium (DMPP) induced Ca2+-dependent phosphorylation of at least 17 proteins which were detected by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. All of the proteins phosphorylated upon incubation with 1,1-dimethyl-4-phenylpiperazinium were phosphorylated upon incubation with micromolar Ca2+ in digitonin-treated cells. These results demonstrate that TPA- or DiC8-enhanced Ca2+-dependent catecholamine secretion is associated with enhanced protein phosphorylation which is probably mediated by protein kinase C and that activation of protein kinase C modulates catecholamine secretion from digitonin-treated chromaffin cells.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Phosphorylation of rat liver glycogen synthase by phosphorylase kinase.

Phosphorylation of rat liver glycogen synthase by rabbit skeletal muscle phosphorylase kinase results in the incorporation of approximately 0.8-1.2 mol of PO4/subunit. Analyses of the tryptic peptides by isoelectric focusing and thin layer chromatography reveal the presence of two major 32P-labeled peptides. Similar results were obtained when the synthase was phosphorylated by rat liver phosphorylase kinase. This extent of phosphorylation does not result in a significant change in the synthase activity ratio. In contrast, rabbit muscle glycogen synthase is readily inactivated by rabbit muscle phosphorylase kinase; this inactivation is further augmented by the addition of rabbit muscle cAMP-dependent protein kinase or cAMP-independent synthase (casein) kinase-1. Addition of cAMP-dependent protein kinase after initial phosphorylation of liver synthase with phosphorylase kinase, however, does not result in an inactivation or additional phosphorylation. The lack of additive phosphorylation under this condition appears to result from the phosphorylation of a common site by these two kinases. Partial inactivation of liver synthase can be achieved by sequential phosphorylation with phosphorylase kinase followed by synthase (casein) kinase-1. Under this assay condition, the phosphate incorporation into the synthase is additively increased and the synthase activity ratio (-glucose-6-P/+glucose-6-P) is reduced from 0.95 to 0.6. Nevertheless, if the order of the addition of these two kinases is reversed, neither additive phosphorylation nor inactivation of the synthase is observed. Prior phosphorylation of the synthase by phosphorylase kinase transforms the synthase such that it becomes a better substrate for synthase (casein) kinase-1 as evidenced by a 2- to 4-fold increase in the rate of phosphorylation. This increased rate of phosphorylation of the synthase appears to result from the rapid phosphorylation of a site neighboring that previously phosphorylated by phosphorylase kinase.

Animals↗

Endogenous protein phosphorylation by resting and activated human neutrophils.

NADPH oxidase is an enzyme in the plasma membrane of the neutrophil that catalyzes the production of O2-, a species central to the oxygen-dependent killing mechanisms of this cell. The oxidase is dormant in resting cells and is activated upon the addition of a stimulus. Neutrophils of patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) manifest no oxidase activity when stimulated. The possible role of protein phosphorylation in the activation of NADPH oxidase was examined in normal and CGD neutrophils by measuring the incorporation of 32Pi into proteins as determined by gel electrophoresis followed by autoradiography. Resting neutrophils from normal subjects exhibit at least 40 distinct phosphoprotein bands. The level of phosphorylation of these bands was examined after the addition of phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), opsonized zymosan, digitonin, N-formyl-methionyl-phenylalanine (FMLP), or NaF. PMA and opsonized zymosan increased the phosphorylation of a set of 6 protein bands. Digitonin and FMLP consistently caused the phosphorylation of 4 of these protein bands, while NaF failed to induce increased phosphorylation of any protein band. All activators tested caused the dephosphorylation of one specific protein band. The time course of phosphorylation (dephosphorylation) was examined using PMA as the activating agent. Increased phosphorylation of one protein band was evident by 12 sec after the addition of PMA. The most slowly phosphorylated protein band did not slow evidence of change until 5 min after the addition of PMA. Three of the phosphoproteins examined were phosphorylated either earlier than or concomitant with the activation of NADPH oxidase. CGD neutrophils were compared with normal cells for their ability to phosphorylate proteins in response to PMA. The phosphoprotein banding patterns of CGD neutrophils were identical with those of normal neutrophils in both the resting and activated states. The evidence presented shows that the phosphorylation of proteins is a prominent feature of neutrophil metabolism. The striking similarity of phosphorylation changes induced by the various activators tested suggests that protein phosphorylation may play a role in some aspects of neutrophil activation. Evidence was not obtained, however, regarding a link between protein phosphorylation and activation of NADPH oxidase.

Digitonin↗

cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation sites of the focal adhesion vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) in vitro and in intact human platelets.

The vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) is a major substrate for cAMP-dependent- (cAK) and cGMP-dependent protein kinase (cGK) in human platelets and other cardiovascular cells. To identify the VASP phosphorylation sites, purified VASP was phosphorylated by either protein kinase and subjected to trypsin, V8 and Lys-C proteolysis. The phosphorylated proteolytic fragments obtained were separated by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography. Sequence analysis of the phosphorylated peptides and 32P measurement of the released 32P-labeled amino acids revealed three phosphorylation sites: a serine 1-containing site (LRKVSKQEEA), a serine 2-containing site (HIERRVSNAG), and a threonine-containing site (MNAVLARRRKATQVGE). Additional experiments with purified VASP demonstrated that both cAK and cGK phosphorylated serine 2 rapidly and the threonine residue slowly, whereas cGK phosphorylated the serine 1 residue more rapidly than the cAK. These differences in the phosphorylation rates of VASP by the two protein kinases were also observed with synthetic peptides corresponding to the sequences of the three identified phosphorylation sites. These experiments also established the synthetic peptide serine 1 as one of the best in vitro cGK substrates and the serine 2-containing site as the site responsible for the phosphorylation-induced mobility shift of VASP in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Experiments with 32P-labeled platelets provided evidence that VASP is phosphorylated at the same three identified sites also in intact cells and that selective activation of cAK or cGK primarily increased the phosphorylation of both serine 2 and serine 1 but not threonine. Our results demonstrated overlapping substrate specificities of cAK and cGK in vitro and in intact cells. However, important quantitative and qualitative differences between cAK- and cGK-mediated phosphorylation of the focal adhesion protein VASP in human platelets were also observed, suggesting distinct functions of the two types of cyclic nucleotide-mediated VASP phosphorylation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Beta2 integrins are not required for tyrosine phosphorylation of paxillin in human neutrophils.

Although many of the receptors mediating neutrophil (polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN)) adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins have been identified, the signal transduction pathways leading to cell spreading are not clearly defined. Studies showing that protein tyrosine phosphorylation increases with PMN adhesion suggest that phosphorylation is critical for adhesion-dependent processes. In other cells, increased tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and paxillin are thought to play pivotal roles in ECM-mediated signaling. In the present study we compared the tyrosine phosphorylation of FAK and paxillin in PMNs plated onto thrombospondin (TSP) or laminin (LN). Increased tyrosine phosphorylation of paxillin correlated with adhesion and spreading of PMNs plated onto LN or TSP. In PMNs adherent to LN, the kinetics of FAK phosphorylation preceded the kinetics of paxillin phosphorylation, suggesting that paxillin may be a downstream target of FAK. In contrast, FAK was not phosphorylated in PMNs spread on TSP. These findings suggested activation of different signaling pathways in TSP- vs LN-adherent PMNs. Others have proposed that paxillin phosphorylation requires beta2 integrins. Therefore, we used PMNs from a patient with leukocyte adhesion deficiency (LAD), lacking beta2 integrins, to determine whether these receptors were necessary for paxillin phosphorylation. LAD PMNs did not adhere to LN, and consequently, there was no tyrosine phosphorylation of FAK or paxillin. In contrast, paxillin, but not FAK, was phosphorylated in LAD PMNs adherent and spread on TSP. These results indicate that ECM-beta2 integrin-mediated signaling initiates the FAK/paxillin signaling pathway(s), while TSP-mediated signaling results in paxillin phosphorylation independent of FAK phosphorylation.

CD18 Antigens↗

Nerve growth factor mediates phosphorylation of specific proteins.

Nerve growth factor (NGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), insulin, cholera toxin (CT) and cAMP all stimulate the phosphorylation of proteins in the PC12 nerve-like cell line. NGF, CT and cAMP enhance phosphorylation of the same set of proteins including tyrosine hydroxylase, ribosomal protein S6, histones H1 and H3, and the nonhistone chromosomal and cytoplasmic high mobility group (HMG) 17 protein, and reduce phosphorylation of H2A. EGF but not insulin enhances the phosphorylation of tyrosine hydroxylase. Insulin but not EGF enhances the phosphorylation of histone H3 and decreases the phosphorylation of H2A. EGFD and insulin each enhance phosphorylations of both ribosomal protein S6 and histone H1, but neither hormone induces phosphorylation of HMG 17. The extent of these effects depends upon the ligand concentration and is half-maximal at physiological concentrations of the hormones (beta-NGF, 2 ng/ml; EGF, 1 ng/ml. insulin, 0.5 microunits/ml). Maximal effects of NGF are seen within 15 min and persist even after 3 days of culture in the presence of NGF. When phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 is maximally stimulated by NGF, no further stimulation can be achieved by adding saturating quantities of either cAMP or CT. However, simultaneous addition of saturating quantities of NGF and either EGF or insulin results in an enhancement of phosphorylation that is equal to the sum of that achieved when the two ligands are added separately. These results suggest that the enhanced phosphorylation of S6 achieved by NGF or cAMP occurs through a common mechanism which differs from those which mediate EGF or insulin-enhanced phosphorylation. The data also provide strong evidence that the action of NGF included protein phosphorylation mediated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. The phosphorylation of each of these proteins in response to NGF may play an important role in NGF action.

Animals↗

Mechanism of feedback regulation of insulin receptor substrate-1 phosphorylation in primary adipocytes.

Serine and threonine phosphorylation of IRS-1 (insulin receptor substrate-1) has been reported to decrease its ability to be tyrosine-phosphorylated by the insulin receptor. Insulin itself may negatively regulate tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 through a PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase)-dependent feedback pathway. In the present study, we examined the regulation and role of IRS-1 serine phosphorylation in the modulation of IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation in physiologically relevant cells, namely freshly isolated primary adipocytes. We show that insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of Ser312 and Ser616 in IRS-1 was relatively slow, with maximal phosphorylation achieved after 20 and 5 min respectively. The effect of insulin on phosphorylation of both these sites required the activation of PI3K and the MAPKs (mitogen-activated protein kinases) ERK1/2 (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2), but not the activation of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin)/p70S6 kinase, JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase) or p38MAPK. Although inhibition of PI3K and ERK1/2 both substantially decreased insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of Ser312 and Ser616, only wortmannin enhanced insulin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1. Furthermore, inhibition of mTOR/p70S6 kinase, JNK or p38MAPK had no effect on insulin-stimulated IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation. The differential effect of inhibition of ERK1/2 on insulin-stimulated IRS-1 phosphorylation of Ser312/Ser616 and tyrosine indicates that these events are independent of each other and that phosphorylation of Ser312/Ser616 is not responsible for the negative regulation of IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation mediated by PI3K in primary adipocytes.

Adipocytes↗

Akt1 sequentially phosphorylates p27kip1 within a conserved but non-canonical region.

BACKGROUND: p27kip1 (p27) is a multifunctional protein implicated in regulation of cell cycling, signal transduction, and adhesion. Its activity is controlled in part by Phosphatylinositol-3-Kinase (PI3K)/Akt1 signaling, and disruption of this regulatory connection has been identified in human breast cancers. The serine/threonine protein kinase Akt1 directly phosphorylates p27, so identifying the modified residue(s) is essential for understanding how it regulates p27 function. Various amino acids have been suggested as potential targets, but recent attention has focused on threonine 157 (T157) because it is located in a putative Akt1 consensus site. However, T157 is not evolutionarily conserved between mouse and human. We therefore re-evaluated Akt1 phosphorylation of p27 using purified proteins and in cells. RESULTS: Here we show purified Akt1 phosphorylates human and mouse p27 equally well. Phospho-peptide mapping indicates Akt1 targets multiple sites conserved in both species, while phospho-amino acid analysis identifies the targeted residues as serine rather than threonine. P27 deletion mutants localized these sites to the N-terminus, which contains the major p27 phosphorylation site in cells (serine 10). P27 phosphorylated by Akt1 was detected by a phospho-S10 specific antibody, confirming this serine was targeted. Akt1 failed to phosphorylate p27S10A despite evidence of a second site from mapping experiments. This surprising result suggested S10 phosphorylation might be required for targeting the second site. We tested this idea by replacing S10 with threonine, which as expected led to the appearance of phospho-threonine. Phospho-serine was still present, however, confirming Akt1 sequentially targets multiple serines in this region. We took two approaches in an attempt to explain why different residues were previously implicated. A kinetic analysis revealed a putative Akt1 binding site in the C-terminus, which may explain why mutations in this region affect p27 phosphorylation. Furthermore, commercially available recombinant Akt1 preparations exhibit striking differences in substrate specificity and site selectivity. To confirm S10 is a relevant site, we first showed that full-length wild type Akt1 purified from mammalian cells phosphorylates both human and mouse p27 on S10. Finally, we found that in cultured cells under physiologically relevant conditions such as oxidative stress or growth factor deprivation, endogenous Akt1 causes p27 accumulation by phosphorylating S10. CONCLUSION: Identifying where Akt1 phosphorylates p27 is essential for understanding its functional implications. We found that full-length wild type Akt1--whether purified, transiently overexpressed in cells, or activated in response to cellular stress--phosphorylates p27 at S10, a noncanonical but evolutionarily conserved site known to regulate p27 activity and stability. Using recombinant Akt1 recapitulating this specificity, we showed modification of p27S10 also leads to phosphorylation of an adjacent serine. These results integrate PI3K/Akt1 signaling in response to stress with p27 regulation through its major phosphorylation site in cells, and thus identify new avenues for understanding p27 deregulation in human cancers.

Journal Article↗

Desensitization of platelet-activating factor-stimulated protein phosphorylation in platelets.

Treatment of 32P-labeled rabbit platelets with platelet-activating factor (PAF) caused a time- and dose-dependent phosphorylation of several proteins including five major phosphorylated proteins with apparent molecular weights of 20,000, 35,000, 40,000, 65,000, and 150,000. Both PAF and thrombin caused a rapid increase followed by a decrease in phosphorylation of proteins, indicating the occurrence of a phosphorylation-dephosphorylation process. Four separate PAF receptor antagonists, CV-3988, CV-6209, SRI-63-441, and SRI-63-675 drastically reduced the PAF-stimulated protein phosphorylation. The order of potency was SRI-63675 greater than SRI-63441 greater than or equal to CV-6209 greater than CV-3988. These antagonists had no effect on thrombin-stimulated protein phosphorylation. Pretreatment of platelets with PAF (0.1 nM) completely abolished any further protein phosphorylation by the same concentration of PAF. PAF pretreatment shifted the dose response of protein phosphorylation by about 2 log units, to the right. When platelets were treated with PAF (10 nM) for 10 min, this abolished phosphorylation of proteins by any concentration of PAF. These studies indicated a homologous desensitization of protein phosphorylation. Interestingly, PAF-pretreated platelets still exhibited phosphorylation of proteins by thrombin. On the other hand, a lack of protein phosphorylation by PAF or thrombin was observed in platelets preexposed to thrombin and this demonstrated a heterologous desensitization. It is concluded that phosphorylation of proteins by PAF is a PAF receptor-coupled event and that this process is desensitized in platelets preexposed to PAF. The fact that both the activation of phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C and the phosphorylation of proteins are desensitized in PAF-pretreated platelets suggests that a close "regulatory" intercommunication between these processes exists.

Animals↗

Effects of hydroxyurea and aphidicolin on phosphorylation of ataxia telangiectasia mutated on Ser 1981 and histone H2AX on Ser 139 in relation to cell cycle phase and induction of apoptosis.

BACKGROUND: DNA replication stress often induces DNA damage. The antitumor drug hydroxyurea (HU), a potent inhibitor of ribonucleotide reductase that halts DNA replication through its effects on cellular deoxynucleotide pools, was shown to damage DNA inducing double-strand breaks (DSBs). Aphidicolin (APH), an inhibitor of alpha-like DNA polymerases, was also reported to cause DNA damage, but the evidence for induction of DSBs by APH is not straightforward. Histone H2AX is phosphorylated on Ser 139 in response to DSBs and one of the protein kinases that phosphorylate H2AX is ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM); activation of ATM is through its phosphorylation of Ser 1981. The present study was undertaken to reveal whether H2AX is phosphorylated in cells exposed to HU or APH and whether its phosphorylation is mediated by ATM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HL-60 cells were treated in cultures with 0.1-5.0 mM HU or 1-4 muM APH for up to 5 h. Activation of ATM and H2AX phosphorylation was detected immunocytochemically using Ab specific to Ser1981-ATM or Ser 139-H2AX epitopes, respectively, concurrent with measurement of cellular DNA content. RESULTS: While exposure of cells to HU led to H2AX phosphorylation selectively during S phase and the cells progressing through the early portion of S (DI = 1.1-1.4) were more affected than late-S phase (DI = 1.6-1.9) cells, ATM was not activated by HU. In fact, the level of constitutive ("programmed") ATM phosphorylation was distinctly suppressed, in all phases of the cell cycle, at 0.1-5.0 mM HU. Cells' exposure to APH also resulted in H2AX phosphorylation at Ser139 with no evidence of ATM activation, and as in the case of HU, the early-S cells were more affected than the late-S phase cells. The rise in frequency of apoptotic cells became apparent after 2 h of exposure to HU or APH, and all apoptotic cells had markedly elevated levels of both H2AX-Ser139 and ATM-Ser1981 phosphorylation. CONCLUSIONS: The lack of correlation between H2AX phosphorylation and ATM activation indicates that protein kinase(s) other than ATM (ATR and/or DNA-dependent protein kinase) are activated by DSBs induced by replication stress. Interestingly, HU inhibits the constitutive ("programmed") level of ATM phosphorylation in untreated cells. However, DNA fragmentation during apoptosis activates ATM and dramatically increases level of H2AX phosphorylation.

Aphidicolin↗

Identification of the sites in MAP kinase kinase-1 phosphorylated by p74raf-1.

Many growth factors whose receptors are protein tyrosine kinases stimulate the MAP kinase pathway by activating first the GTP-binding protein Ras and then the protein kinase p74raf-1. p74raf-1 phosphorylates and activates MAP kinase kinase (MAPKK). To understand the mechanism of activation of MAPKK, we have identified Ser217 and Ser221 of MAPKK1 as the sites phosphorylated by p74raf-1. This represents the first characterization of sites phosphorylated by this proto-oncogene product. Ser217 and Ser221 lie in a region of the catalytic domain where the activating phosphorylation sites of several other protein kinases are located. Among MAPKK family members, this region is the most conserved, suggesting that all members of the family are activated by the phosphorylation of these sites. A 'kinase-dead' MAPKK1 mutant was phosphorylated at the same residues as the wild-type enzyme, establishing that both sites are phosphorylated directly by p74raf-1, and not by autophosphorylation. Only the diphosphorylated form of MAPKK1 (phosphorylated at both Ser217 and Ser221) was detected, even when the stoichiometry of phosphorylation by p74raf-1 was low, indicating that phosphorylation of one of these sites is rate limiting, phosphorylation of the second then occurring extremely rapidly. Ser217 and Ser221 were both phosphorylated in vivo within minutes when PC12 cells were stimulated with nerve growth factor. Analysis of MAPKK1 mutants in which either Ser217 or Ser221 were changed to glutamic acid, and the finding that inactivation of maximally activated MAPKK1 required the dephosphorylation of both serines, shows that phosphorylation of either residue is sufficient for maximal activation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Modulation of tyrosine, serine, and threonine phosphorylation and intracellular processing of the epidermal growth factor receptor by antireceptor monoclonal antibody.

To investigate the functional significance of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor phosphorylation, experimental systems were explored in which receptor phosphorylation on tyrosine and serine/threonine could be differentially stimulated. Exposure of A431 cells to 20 nM EGF at 37 degrees C results in phosphorylation of serine, threonine, and tyrosine sites on the receptor. Monoclonal antibody (mAb) 225 binds to the EGF receptor with affinity comparable to EGF and competes with the binding of EGF. Exposure of A431 cells to 20 nM EGF in the presence of 300 nM anti-EGF receptor mAb 225 (15-fold excess) selectively activated serine and threonine phosphorylation of the receptor, but not tyrosine phosphorylation. This observation indicates that EGF-mediated receptor phosphorylation on tyrosine and on serine/threonine residues is dissociable. The intracellular fate of the EGF receptor was examined under conditions that produce different phosphorylation states of receptor amino acids. Exposure of A431 cells to EGF decreased the half-life (T1/2) of the receptor from 17.8 h to 5.6 h, with activation of tyrosine, serine, and threonine phosphorylation. Incubation with mAb 225 augmented the degradation rate (T1/2 = 8.5 h) without activation of receptor phosphorylation. Concurrent exposure to EGF (20 nM) and mAb 225 (300 nM) resulted in comparable enhanced degradation (T1/2 = 9.5 h), with increased phosphorylation only on serine and threonine residues. These results suggest that serine/threonine phosphorylation is irrelevant to the augmentation of receptor degradation. Methylamine, an inhibitor of lysosomal function that did not affect phosphorylation of the EGF receptor, completely protected EGF receptors from rapid degradation induced by EGF, but it only slightly altered the rate of EGF receptor degradation elicited by mAb 225 or by EGF plus 15-fold excess mAb 225. In contrast, mAb 455, which binds to the receptor but does not inhibit EGF binding and EGF-induced activation of phosphorylation on tyrosine, serine, and threonine residues, did not influence EGF-induced rapid, methylamine sensitive degradation of EGF receptor. The results suggest that when EGF receptors are internalized under conditions that do not activate the receptor tyrosine kinase, they are sorted into a nonlysosomal pathway that differs from the methylamine-sensitive lysosomal pathway traversed following activation by EGF. The data indicate the possibility of a function for tyrosine kinase activation and tyrosine autophosphorylation in determining the lysosomal intracellular pathway of EGF receptor processing and degradation.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Phosphorylation status of Fas-associated death domain-containing protein (FADD) is associated with prostate cancer progression.

It has recently been demonstrated that phosphorylation of FADD at serine 194 plays an important role in the induction of apoptosis by anti-cancer drugs in human prostate cancer cells. The present study has assessed whether this phosphorylation status is valuable as a marker for human prostate cancer progression, and has investigated its biological role in cell growth. Immunohistochemical studies revealed much higher phosphorylation of FADD at serine 194 in normal epithelial cells than in cancer cells, although FADD was found to be highly expressed to the same extent in both cases. The positivity for phosphorylated FADD was significantly lower for patients with a Gleason score greater than or equal to 7, a positive surgical margin, extracapsular or seminal vesicle invasion. In addition, a relationship was also apparent in cancer cells refractory to neoadjuvant hormonal therapy. Interestingly, in Gleason score 3 + 4 tumours, the positivity for FADD phosphorylation was statistically increased by neoadjuvant hormonal therapy, resulting in a reduced percentage of cases with a positive surgical margin and extracapsular invasion. In vitro data showed different functions of phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated FADD: in normal epithelial cells, overexpression of a phosphorylation-mimicking mutant FADD (S194E) caused G2/M cell-cycle arrest, while a non-phosphorylation-mimicking mutant (S194A) had no effect, whereas S194A overexpression resulted in cell cycle progression and enhanced colony-forming activity in cancer cells, but S194E FADD was without influence. These results clearly demonstrate that transition from phosphorylated FADD to the non-phosphorylated form might be associated with carcinogenesis and that induction of FADD phosphorylation could therefore be a target for chemohormonal therapy of human prostate cancer. Moreover, assessment of FADD phosphorylation may be useful as a new biomarker to predict cancer progression.

Aged↗

Differential responses of protein kinase C substrates (MARCKS, neuromodulin, and neurogranin) phosphorylation to calmodulin and S100.

Phosphorylation of three physiological substrates of protein kinase C (PKC), MARCKS, neuromodulin (Nm), and neurogranin (Ng), was analyzed to determine their relative efficacy as substrates of PKC alpha, beta, and gamma and sensitivities to inhibition by calmodulin (CaM) and S100. Comparison of the Vmax/Km of the phosphorylation of each individual substrate indicated the order of efficacy as PKC substrate was MARCKS > Nm > Ng. Phosphorylation of these proteins in a mixture by PKC beta and gamma was indistinguishable from that when each individual substrate was phosphorylated by these two isozymes. In contrast, the rates of PKC alpha-catalyzed phosphorylation of Nm and Ng in a mixture also containing MARCKS were significantly reduced as compared to that when Nm or Ng was individually phosphorylated by this isozyme. When these substrates were present in a mixture, both CaM and S100 inhibited the PKC-catalyzed phosphorylation of MARCKS to a higher degree than that of Nm or Ng. Protease-activated catalytic fragment of PKC (PKM) was used to determine the effects of Ca2+ and phospholipid on the CaM and S100-mediated inhibition of PKC substrate phosphorylation. CaM and S100 inhibited the PKM-catalyzed phosphorylation of MARCKS only in the presence of Ca2+ and addition of phosphatidylserine (PS)/dioleoylglycerol (DG) did not influence the inhibitory effect. Phosphorylation of Nm or Ng by PKM was inhibited by CaM to a higher degree in the absence than in the presence of Ca2+. S100 was ineffective in inhibiting the phosphorylation of Nm and Ng without Ca2+ and only poorly effective in the presence of Ca2+. The CaM-mediated inhibition of Nm or Ng phosphorylation by PKM was also not affected by PS/DG either with or without Ca2+. The results presented here demonstrate that MARCKS is a preferred substrate of PKC and its phosphorylation by PKC is most sensitive to inhibition by regulatory proteins such as CaM and S100.

Animals↗

Histone H3 phosphorylation in human monocytes and during HL-60 cell differentiation.

Phosphorylation of the nucleosome core histone H3 (H3) on Ser-10 is thought to be a prerequisite for chromatin condensation at mitosis. Although during interphase, cell differentiation, or mitogenic activation of quiescent cells, changes in chromatin structure that involve local chromatin condensation/decondensation also occur, little is known about H3 phosphorylation during these transitions. Using the recently developed sensitive marker to monitor H3 phosphorylation, namely, the mAb that recognizes the phosphorylated epitope of H3 (anti-H3-P mAb), the status of H3 phosphorylation was assayed in individual human lymphocytes after their mitogenic stimulation (G0 to G1 transition) and in human leukemic HL-60 cells induced to differentiate by all-trans-retinoic acid (RA), 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (vit D3), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). Multiparameter flow cytometry was used to correlate H3 phosphorylation with cell cycle position. The specificity of the anti-H3-P mAb was confirmed by the loss of its binding following cell treatment with alkaline phosphatase. The presence of phosphorylated H3 was detected during interphase in HL-60 cells and in normal lymphocytes at a level severalfold lower than during mitosis. No significant changes in H3 phosphorylation were observed during lymphocyte stimulation. Unexpectedly, the level of H3 phosphorylation was over fourfold higher in monocytes than in lymphocytes or granulocytes from peripheral blood. The punctate pattern of labeling with anti-H3-P mAb in monocyte nuclei suggests that H3 is phosphorylated in small clusters of adjacent nucleosomes. Differentiation of HL-60 cells was accompanied by a rise in H3 phosphorylation, which was higher after induction by RA, vit D3, and PMA (approx. threefold) than after DMSO (approximately 20%). The data indicate that in addition to being a critical event during chromatin condensation at mitosis, H3 phosphorylation plays a role during chromatin changes accompanying differentiation of HL-60 cells, in particular, along the monocytic lineage. The high level of H3 phosphorylation in monocytes may serve as a marker of these cells and is being explored as a possible diagnostic and prognostic tool in monocytic leukemias.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Phenylephrine promotes phosphorylation of Bad in cardiac myocytes through the extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 and protein kinase A.

Studies in non-cardiomyocytic cells have shown that phosphorylation of the Bcl-2 family protein Bad on Ser-112, Ser-136 and Ser-155 decreases its pro-apoptotic activity. Both phenylephrine (100 microM) and the cell membrane-permeating cAMP analog, 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-cAMP (100 microM), protected against 2-deoxy-D-glucose-induced apoptosis in neonatal rat cardiac myocytes as assessed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). In cardiac myocytes, phenylephrine primarily stimulates the alpha-adrenoceptor, but, at high concentrations (100 microM), it also increases the activity of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase, protein kinase A (PKA) through the beta-adrenoceptor. Phenylephrine (100 microM) promoted rapid phosphorylation of Bad(Ser-112) and Bad(Ser-155), though we were unable to detect phosphorylation of Bad(Ser-136). Phosphorylation of Bad(Ser-112) was antagonized by either prazosin or propranolol, indicating that this phosphorylation required stimulation of both alpha(1)- and beta-adrenoceptors. Phosphorylation of Bad(Ser-155) was antagonized only by propranolol and was thus mediated through the beta-adrenoceptor. Inhibitor studies and partial purification of candidate kinases by fast protein liquid chromatography showed that the p90 ribosomal S6 kinases, p90RSK2/3 [which are activated by the extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2)] directly phosphorylated Bad(Ser-112), whereas the PKA catalytic subunit directly phosphorylated Bad(Ser-155). However, efficient phosphorylation of Bad(Ser-112) also required PKA activity. These data suggest that, although p90RSK2/3 phosphorylate Bad(Ser-112) directly, phosphorylation of this site is enhanced by phosphorylation of Bad(Ser-155). These phosphorylations potentially diminish the pro-apoptotic activity of Bad and contribute to the cytoprotective effects of phenylephrine and 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-cAMP.

Animals↗

Site-specific phosphorylation of a phospholamban peptide by cyclic nucleotide- and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum.

Phospholamban (PLB), the regulator of the cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ pump is specifically phosphorylated at Ser16 and Thr17 by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMK), respectively. The regulation of this dual-site phosphorylation of amino acid residues in direct proximity is only poorly understood. In order to study the site-specific phosphorylation of PLB, we used a synthetic peptide (PLB-24) corresponding to the cytosolic part of the PLB monomer with the phosphorylation sites as a model substrate. PLB-24 possesses substrate properties as the native PLB as demonstrated by phosphorylation with exogenous, purified PKA, cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) and a type II CaMK (CaMKII). In isolated vesicles of cardiac SR there was a rapid phosphorylation of the peptide by the endogenous PKA (SR-PKA) and CaMK (SR-CaMK), but not under conditions that activate PKG. Both SR-PKA and SR-CaMK incorporated the same amount of 32P into PLB-24, 0.60 +/- 0.01 nmol 32P/mg SR protein and 0.61 +/- 0.03 nmol 32P/mg SR protein, respectively. Phosphorylation by SR-PKA was abolished by the specific PKA inhibitor (IC50 = 0.2 microM), whereas SR-CaMK phosphorylation was inhibited by calmidazolium (IC50 = 1.6 microM) and a CaMKII-specific inhibitor peptide (IC50 = 2.5 microM). Phosphorylation by SR-PKA was exclusively at Ser, whereas SR-CaMK phosphorylated only Thr. After simultaneous activation of both SR-kinases 32P incorporation into PLB-24 was additive and occurred at Ser as well as at Thr. Sequential activation of SR-PKA and SR-CaMK also caused the additive phosphorylation of PLB-24 independently of which kinase was activated first. Thus, at the monomeric level of PLB the respective phosphorylation site appears to be accessible to its related SR protein kinase in vitro even when the adjacent site is phosphorylated.

Animals↗

Phosphorylation of casein by human erythrocyte membrane-bound protein kinase: competition of casein with endogenous substrates.

The possibility that spectrin and band-3 protein are phosphorylated by the same membrane-bound protein kinase was investigated by adding casein to unsealed erythrocyte ghosts and examing competition of the three proteins for phosphorylation. The extent of spectrin and band-3 protein phosphorylation was reduced by up to approximately 55%. This indicated that casein was competing with these endogenous substrates for phosphorylation and was most probably phosphorylated by the same protein kinase(s). Furthermore, the extent of inhibition of the phosphorylation of the two endogenous substrates was indistinguishable over the range of casein concentrations tested (0.1 to 5 mg/ml). This indicates that spectrin and band-3 protein may be phosphorylated by the same protein kinase. In contrast, casein was found to have no effect on the cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of band 4.5. This result indicates that casein only competes with the endogenous proteins phosphorylated by the cAMP-independent protein kinase(s). The extent of reduction of endogenous substrate phosphorylation in the presence of casein was found to be constant over incubation periods of 1 to 15 min, indicating that this reduction was not due to consumption of ATP. Since the spectrin and band-3 protein phosphorylations were specifically and identically reduced by casein and these reductions were not due to the ATP consumption or to a general alteration of the membrane, we conclude that the two substrates are likely phosphorylated by one kinase which also phosphorylates casein.

Caseins↗