scholarly journals Modeled microgravity-induced protein kinase C isoform expression in human lymphocytes

2004 ◽  
Vol 96 (6) ◽  
pp. 2028-2033 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Sundaresan ◽  
D. Risin ◽  
N. R. Pellis

In long-term space travel, the crew is exposed to microgravity and radiation that invoke potential hazards to the immune system. T cell activation is a critical step in the immune response. Receptor-mediated signaling is inhibited in both microgravity and modeled microgravity (MMG) as reflected by diminished DNA synthesis in peripheral blood lymphocytes and their locomotion through gelled type I collagen. Direct activation of protein kinase C (PKC) bypassing cell surface events using the phorbol ester PMA rescues MMG-inhibited lymphocyte activation and locomotion, whereas the calcium ionophore ionomycin had no rescue effect. Thus calcium-independent PKC isoforms may be affected in MMG-induced locomotion inhibition and rescue. Both calcium-dependent isoforms and calcium-independent PKC isoforms were investigated to assess their expression in lymphocytes in 1 g and MMG culture. Human lymphocytes were cultured and harvested at 24, 48, 72, and 96 h, and serial samples were assessed for locomotion by using type I collagen and expression of PKC isoforms. Expression of PKC-α, -δ, and -ϵ was assessed by RT-PCR, flow cytometry, and immunoblotting. Results indicated that PKC isoforms δ and ϵ were downregulated by >50% at the transcriptional and translational levels in MMG-cultured lymphocytes compared with 1- g controls. Events upstream of PKC, such as phosphorylation of phospholipase Cγ in MMG, revealed accumulation of inactive enzyme. Depressed calcium-independent PKC isoforms may be a consequence of an upstream lesion in the signal transduction pathway. The differential response among calcium-dependent and calcium-independent isoforms may actually result from MMG intrusion events earlier than PKC, but after ligand-receptor interaction.

1991 ◽  
Vol 98 (4) ◽  
pp. 551-558
Author(s):  
G.C. Knowles ◽  
M. McKeown ◽  
J. Sodek ◽  
C.A. McCulloch

Phagocytosis of extracellular collagen by fibroblasts appears to be the principal pathway of collagen degradation in the physiological turnover of connective tissues. To study the mechanism of collagen phagocytosis, subconfluent gingival fibroblasts were serum-starved and incubated for up to 16 h with collagen-coated fluorescent latex beads. Internalization of beads was measured either by flow cytometry or by image analysis. Phagocytosis was blocked by inactivation of protein kinase C with staurosporin, and was also decreased significantly (32%) when cells were pre-incubated for 6h with cycloheximide. Phagocytosis of collagen-coated beads appeared to be receptor-mediated, since internalization was inhibited threefold by the cell-attachment blocking peptide (GRGDSP). The process of internalization was influenced by the type of collagen and its molecular structure. Thus, internalization was decreased in the order: type I greater than V greater than III collagen, and internalization of type I collagen was reduced significantly by digestion with either bacterial (45%) or vertebrate (38%) collagenase. However, collagen denaturation, which facilitates binding to fibronectin, did not effect internalization. Although concanavalin A stimulated both phagocytosis (71%) and collagenase synthesis, PMA and IL-1, which also increase collagenase expression, did not affect phagocytosis, indicating that phagocytosis of collagen-coated beads does not require collagenase. Moreover, analysis of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase expression revealed no difference between phagocytic and non-phagocytic cells. Collectively, these results demonstrate that collagen phagocytosis is regulated through protein kinase C and is also dependent upon cellular recognition and collagen structure, but not on the expression of collagenase.


1996 ◽  
Vol 271 (2) ◽  
pp. G293-G303 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. T. Stravitz ◽  
Y. P. Rao ◽  
Z. R. Vlahcevic ◽  
E. C. Gurley ◽  
W. D. Jarvis ◽  
...  

We have recently shown that taurocholate (TCA) represses the transcriptional activity of cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme of the bile acid biosynthetic pathway, through a protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent mechanism in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes. The present studies sought to determine the mechanisms by which bile acids activate hepatic PKC activity and the consequences of this activation on isoform distribution and cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase mRNA levels. TCA (12.5-100 microM for 15 min) increased membrane-associated "classic" isoenzyme cPKC-alpha and "novel" isoenzymes nPKC-delta, and nPKC by two- to sixfold. Membrane-associated PKC progressively increased, and cytosolic PKC decreased, for 1 h after the addition of TCA (50 microM); after 24 h whole cell cPKC-alpha, nPKC-delta, and nPKC were downregulated by 35-55% compared with untreated controls. In a reconstituted assay system, TCA or taurodeoxycholate (10-100 microM) increased calcium-dependent and -independent PKC activity by three- and fourfold, respectively. Taurine-conjugated bile acids stimulated PKC activity in proportion to their hydrophobicity index (r = 0.99). Finally, cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase mRNA was repressed > 75% by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (100 nM for 3 h), a nonselective activator of PKC isoforms. In contrast, selective cPKC-alpha activation with thymeleatoxin (100 nM for 3 h) had no significant effect on cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase mRNA levels. We conclude that bile acids activate hepatocellular PKC, resulting in sequential redistribution and down-regulation of calcium-dependent and -independent isoforms. The calcium-independent PKC isoforms may mediate the repression of cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase mRNA by TCA.


Endocrinology ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 149 (12) ◽  
pp. 6389-6398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sigolène Larivière ◽  
Ghislaine Garrel-Lazayres ◽  
Violaine Simon ◽  
Norihito Shintani ◽  
Akemichi Baba ◽  
...  

Gonadotrope cells are primarily regulated by GnRH but are also targets of the pituitary adenylyl cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP). Although it has been reported that reciprocal interactions between both neuropeptides contribute to regulation of gonadotrope function, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we reevaluated PACAP coupling to the cAMP pathway in LβT2 gonadotrope cells and analyzed GnRH effect on PACAP signaling. We established that PACAP38 markedly increases intracellular cAMP levels (EC50 of 4.7 ± 1.3 nm) through the PACAP type 1 receptor (PAC1-R), as evidenced by pharmacological and RT-PCR studies. Interestingly, although GnRH couples to cAMP pathway in LβT2 cells, the effects of both neuropeptides were not synergistic. Instead, the GnRH agonist (GnRHa) triptorelin rapidly and strongly inhibited (70% inhibition as early as 5 min) PACAP38-induced cAMP production. Inhibition was calcium independent, mimicked by the phorbol ester phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, and blocked by the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor bisindoylmaleimide, indicating that GnRHa inhibitory action relies on PKC. Selective down-regulation of both conventional and novel PKC prevented a GnRHa effect, whereas pharmacological inhibition of conventional PKC only was ineffective, strongly suggesting the involvement of novel PKC isoforms. GnRHa did not inhibit forskolin- or cholera toxin-stimulated cAMP accumulation, suggesting that PAC1-R is the predominant target of GnRH. Accordingly, we demonstrated for the first time that GnRH increases PAC1-R phosphorylation through PKC, providing a potential molecular mechanism which may account for GnRH inhibitory effect.


MedPharmRes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 12-26
Author(s):  
Rita Ammoury ◽  
Roula Tahtouh ◽  
Nadine Mahfouz ◽  
Raia Doumit ◽  
Charbel Khalil ◽  
...  

Protein kinase C (PKC) family has been an alluring objective for new cancer drug discovery. It has been reported to regulate telomerase in several cancer types. Our team had previously used telomerase to elucidate alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) modulation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to investigate the interrelationships among PKC isoforms, telomerase and AFP in HCC. PKCα and PKCδ were the most expressed isoforms in HepG2/C3A, PLC/PRF/5, SNU-387 and SKOV-3 cells. Following the upregulation of AFP using pCMV3-AFP and the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) using a construct expressing a wild-type hTERT, and after their inhibition with all-trans retinoic acid and hTERT siRNA each respectively, we found that the expression of PKCα, PKCβI, PKCβII and PKCδ was affected by the variation of AFP and hTERT mRNA levels. An increase in AFP expression and secretion was observed after gene silencing of PKCα, PKCβ, PKCδ, and PKCε in HepG2/C3A. A similar pattern was observed in transfected PLC/PRF/5 cells, however PKCδ isoform silencing decreased AFP expression. Furthermore, telomerase activity was quantified using quantitative telomeric repeat amplification protocol. The variations in hTERT expression and telomerase activity were similar to those of AFP. Further investigation showed that PKC isoforms regulate AFP and hTERT expression levels through PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in HepG2/C3A and PLC/PRF/5 cells. Thus, these results show for the first time a possible interrelationship that links PKC isoforms to both AFP and hTERT via PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in HCC.


2001 ◽  
Vol 280 (4) ◽  
pp. R968-R975 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Rapacon-Baker ◽  
Fan Zhang ◽  
Michael L. Pucci ◽  
Hui Guan ◽  
Alberto Nasjletti

We investigated the effect of intraluminal pressure or stretch on the development of tone in the descending thoracic aorta from rats with aortic coarctation-induced hypertension of 7–14 days duration. Increments of pressure >100 mmHg decreased the diameter of thoracic aortas from hypertensive but not from normotensive rats. The pressure-induced constriction was not demonstrable in vessels superfused with calcium-free buffer. Stretched rings of aorta from hypertensive rats exhibited a calcium-dependent constrictor tone accompanied by elevated calcium influx that varied in relation to the degree of stretch. Blockers of l-type calcium channels and inhibitors of protein kinase C reduced both basal tone and calcium influx in aortic rings of hypertensive rats. Hence, the thoracic aorta of hypertensive rats expresses a pressure- and stretch-activated constrictor mechanism that relies on increased calcium influx throughl-type calcium channels via a protein kinase C-regulated pathway. The expression of such a constrictor mechanism is suggestive of acquired myogenic behavior.


1997 ◽  
Vol 272 (4) ◽  
pp. L603-L607 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Togashi ◽  
C. A. Hirshman ◽  
C. W. Emala

Protein kinase C (PKC) was originally identified as a single serine/ threonine protein kinase with calcium- and phospholipid-dependent activity, but more recently PKC has been found to consist of a family of multiple isoenzymes with different biochemical characteristics, substrates, and cofactor requirements. PKC is particularly important in regulating airway smooth muscle (ASM) tone. Although a previous investigation has demonstrated PKC-beta, -delta, -epsilon, -theta and -zeta in canine trachealis muscle, additional PKC isoforms have not been characterized in ASM. Therefore, immunoblot analysis using nine isotype-specific antibodies was used to further characterize the expression of PKC isoforms in porcine ASM. In addition to the previously described beta-, delta-, epsilon-, and zeta-isoforms in ASM, the calcium-dependent alpha-isoform, and the calcium- and diacylglycerol-independent isoforms iota/lambda and mu were identified. This study demonstrates multiple PKC isoforms in porcine ASM that can participate in intracellular signaling pathways in this tissue.


Blood ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 91 (3) ◽  
pp. 813-822 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Hong ◽  
Dominique Dumènil ◽  
Bernd van der Loo ◽  
Frédérique Goncalves ◽  
William Vainchenker ◽  
...  

Protein kinase C (PKC) has been implicated in signal transduction events elicited by several hematopoietic growth factors. Thrombopoietin (TPO) is the major regulator of megakaryocytic lineage development, and its receptor, c-Mpl, transduces signals for the proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic progenitors. In this study we have examined the effect of TPO on the subcellular distribution of PKC (a measure of enzyme activation) in a growth factor-dependent pluripotent hematopoietic cell line that was engineered to express the c-Mpl receptor (UT-7/mpl). In addition, we have assessed the significance of this activation for the induction of both mitogenesis and differentiation. Using a PKC translocation assay, TPO was found to stimulate a time- and dose-dependent increase in the total content of PKC activity present in the membrane fraction of UT-7/mpl cells (maximum increase = 2.3-fold above basal level after 15 minutes with 40 ng/mL TPO, EC50 = 7 ng/mL). Accordingly, a decrease of PKC content in the cytosolic fraction was observed. Immunoblot analysis using PKC isotype-specific antibodies showed that TPO treatment led to a marked increase of the Ca2+/diacylglycerol-sensitive PKC isoforms α and β found in the membrane fraction. In contrast, the subcellular distribution of these isoforms did not change after treatment with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Exposure of UT-7/mpl cells to the selective PKC inhibitor GF109203X completely inhibited the PKC activity associated to the membrane fraction after TPO treatment, and blocked the mitogenic effect of TPO. In contrast, GF109203X had no effect on the TPO-induced expression of GpIIb, a megakaryocytic differentiation antigen. Downregulation of PKC isoforms α and β to less than 25% of their initial level by treatment with phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate also abolished the TPO-induced mitogenic response, but had no significant effect when this response was induced by GM-CSF. Taken together, these findings suggest that (1) TPO stimulates the activation of PKC, (2) PKC activation mediates the mitogenic action of TPO, and (3) PKC activation is not required for TPO-induced expression of megakaryocytic surface markers.


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