1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol and calmidazolium

Numerous studies have demonstrated that members of the transient receptor potential (TRP) superfamily of channels are involved in regulated Ca2+ entry. Additionally, most Ca2+-permeable channels are themselves regulated by Ca2+, often in complex ways. In the current study, we have investigated the regulation of TRPC7, a channel known to be potentially activated by both store-operated mechanisms and non-store-operated mechanisms involving diacylglycerols. Surprisingly, we found that activation of TRPC7 channels by diacylglycerol was blocked by the SERCA pump inhibitor thapsigargin. The structurally related channel, TRPC3, was similarly inhibited. This effect depended on extracellular calcium and on the driving force for Ca2+ entry. The inhibition is not due to calcium entry through store-operated channels but rather results from calcium entry through TRPC7 channels themselves. The effect of thapsigargin was prevented by inhibition of calmodulin and was mimicked by pharmacological disruption of the actin cytoskeleton. Our results suggest the presence of a novel mechanism involving negative regulation of TRPC channels by calcium entering through the channels. Under physiological conditions, this negative feedback by calcium is attenuated by the presence of closely associated SERCA pumps.

Topics: Adenosine Triphosphate; Boron Compounds; Calcium; Calcium-Transporting ATPases; Calmodulin; Cations; Cytochalasin B; Cytoskeleton; Depsipeptides; Diglycerides; Gadolinium; Humans; Imidazoles; Indoles; Ion Transport; Thapsigargin; TRPC Cation Channels

Calponin, a thin filament-associated protein, inhibits actin-activated myosin ATPase activity, and this inhibition is reversed by phosphorylation. Calponin phosphorylation by protein kinase C and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II has been shown in purified protein systems but has been difficult to demonstrate in more physiological preparations. We have previously shown that calponin is phosphorylated in a cell-free homogenate of swine carotid artery. The goal of this study was to determine whether protein kinase C and/or Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II catalyzes calponin phosphorylation. Ca2+-dependent calponin phosphorylation was not inhibited by calmodulin antagonists. In contrast, both Ca2+- and phorbol dibutyrate/1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol dependent calponin phosphorylation were inhibited by the pseudosubstrate inhibitor of protein kinase C and staurosporine. Our results also demonstrate that stimulation with either Ca2+, phorbol dibutyrate, or 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol activates endogenous protein kinase C. We interpret our results as clearly demonstrating that the physiological kinase for calponin phosphorylation is protein kinase C and not Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. We also present data showing that the direct measurement of 32P incorporation into calponin and the indirect measurement of calponin phosphorylation using nonequilibrium pH gradient gel electrophoresis provide similar quantitative values of calponin phosphorylation.

Topics: Animals; Antiemetics; Calcium; Calcium-Binding Proteins; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; Calmodulin; Calmodulin-Binding Proteins; Calponins; Carcinogens; Carotid Arteries; Chelating Agents; Diglycerides; Egtazic Acid; Electrophoresis; Enzyme Inhibitors; Imidazoles; Microfilament Proteins; Okadaic Acid; Organ Culture Techniques; Peptide Fragments; Phorbol 12,13-Dibutyrate; Phosphorus Radioisotopes; Phosphorylation; Protein Kinase C; Staurosporine; Sulfonamides; Swine; Trifluoperazine; Vasodilator Agents

The inhibition of prostaglandin (PG) synthesis found in early human decidua is antagonized by the anti-progestin, ZK 98734. This action of ZK 98734 is abolished by actinomycin, an inhibitor of protein synthesis and by the calcium channel blocker, verapamil. Calmidazolium, an antagonist of the intracellular calcium binding protein calmodulin was less effective in inhibiting the stimulation of PG synthesis induced by the anti-progestin. Chronic stimulation of protein kinase C activity by 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol (OAG) induced a slight reduction of PG release and was antagonized by polymixin. These findings suggest that inhibition of PG synthesis in early pregnancy is caused by progesterone and that increased release of PGs induced by anti-progestins is dependent on new protein formation and requires extracellular calcium.

Topics: Abortion, Spontaneous; Calmodulin; Cells, Cultured; Dactinomycin; Decidua; Diglycerides; Dinoprost; Estrenes; Female; Humans; Imidazoles; Kinetics; Pregnancy; Progesterone; Progestins; Radioimmunoassay; Verapamil

We tested the question whether junctional cell-to-cell communication is regulated by the diacylglycerol branch of the phosphoinositide transmembrane signal pathway. Cultured epithelial rat liver cells were treated with the synthetic diacylglycerol 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl glycerol, while their junctional permeability was probed with the microinjected 443-dalton fluorescent tracer Lucifer Yellow. The treatment reduced junctional permeability (without affecting Lucifer permeability of nonjunctional cell membrane). The effect was dose dependent, with a threshold of about 25 micrograms diacylglycerol/ml in sparse cultures and about 50 micrograms/ml in confluent cultures. The reduction of junctional permeability began within 3 min of diacylglycerol application, peaked within 20 min, and reversed spontaneously within 90 min. The phorbol ester TPA mimicked the diacylglycerol effect, but the (spontaneous) reversal was slower. We propose that cell-to-cell communication is under dual physiological control: an up-regulatory one, as exerted by the cyclic AMP signal route (Loewenstein, W.R., 1985, Biochem. Soc. Symp. London, 50: 43-58), and a downregulatory one, by the diacylglycerol signal route. TMB-8 (54-70 microM)--a blocker of intracellular Ca2+ mobilization--impeded the diacylglycerol action on junctional permeability. It prevented the effect of low diacylglycerol doses completely and it markedly reduced the effect of high doses. (It also counteracted the effect of TPA.) Ca2+ thus emerges as a possible candidate for a role in the junctional downregulation by the diacylglycerol signal route. We tentatively advance two models. In one, leaning closely on the Calcium Hypothesis of cell-to-cell channel regulation (Loewenstein, W.R., 1966, Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 137:441-472), Ca2+ mediates the action of the route on the channel. In the other, Ca2+ acts farther removed from the channel, on protein kinase C. Calmidazolium (5-10 microM)--an inhibitor of calmodulinactivated proteins--did not prevent the diacylglycerol-induced reduction of junctional permeability. Nor did sodium orthovanadate (25 or 50 microM)--an inhibitor of tyrosyl phosphatase--prevent the reversal of diacylglycerol-induced (or TPA-induced) reduction of junctional permeability.

Topics: Animals; Calcium; Cell Communication; Cell Membrane Permeability; Clone Cells; Diglycerides; Gallic Acid; Glycerides; Imidazoles; Intercellular Junctions; Ion Channels; Isoquinolines; Phorbols; Protein Kinase C; Rats; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; Time Factors

Intercellular gap-junctional communication was measured using [14C]citrulline incorporation in co-cultures of argininosuccinate lyase-deficient human fibroblasts and argininosuccinate synthetase-deficient Chinese Hamster V79 cells. As previously shown, in this system junctional communication is completely inhibited by the tumor promoting phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). In the absence of extracellular calcium, TPA inhibition was less pronounced. However, synergism with calcium ionophore A23187 could not be demonstrated. Chlorpromazine, trifluoperazine and 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoic acid 8-(diethylamino)octyl ester partially antagonised the effect of TPA. No antagonism was demonstrable between calmidazolium and TPA. Treatment of co-cultures with exogenous phospholipase C or 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol (OAG) resulted in communication inhibition, suggesting that protein kinase C activation is involved in the mechanism of phorbol ester-mediated communication inhibition. However co-cultures which had been made refractory to TPA by prolonged exposure to high concentrations remained sensitive to inhibition by phospholipase C and OAG. These results suggest either that diacylglycerol can produce other effects independent of protein kinase C activation, or that refractoriness to phorbol esters is not simply due to a decrease in the amount of protein kinase C.

Topics: Animals; Calcimycin; Cell Communication; Cells, Cultured; Chlorpromazine; Cricetinae; Cricetulus; Diglycerides; Gallic Acid; Humans; Imidazoles; Phorbols; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; Type C Phospholipases