okadaic-acid and 1-norokadaone

Long-term potentiation (LTP) has a memory-like consolidation period during which it becomes progressively stabilized. However, it is unknown how the consolidation is achieved. The present study demonstrates that nicotine reverses stabilized LTP in the hippocampal CA1 region, providing the first evidence that consolidated LTP can be reversed. The nicotine-induced reversal appeared to work by reversing cellular processes involved in stabilizing LTP, as LTP was readily induced again after reversal. The effect of nicotine was mediated, in large part, via desensitization of alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), as an alpha7 nAChR-selective antagonist mimicked the nicotine effect. A non-selective N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist completely abolished the nicotine-induced reversal, whereas an NR2B-containing NMDAR-selective antagonist had no effect. Furthermore, both the protein phosphatase 1/protein phosphatase 2A inhibitor okadaic acid and the protein phosphatase 2B (calcineurin) inhibitor cyclosporin A blocked the nicotine-induced reversal. Taken together, our results suggest that the reversal of stabilized LTP depends on the activation of NR2A-containing NMDARs and dephosphorylation. Thus, the consolidation of LTP appears to be the interruption of signaling leading to NR2A-containing NMDAR-dependent activation of protein phosphatases, which can be circumvented by nicotine-induced signaling. LTP induced in chronic nicotine-treated hippocampi contained a component that is immune to reversal, and thus acute nicotine was no longer effective to reverse consolidated LTP. These results demonstrate the differential effects of acute and chronic nicotine exposure on the cellular processes that are potentially involved in learning and memory.

Topics: Aconitine; Analysis of Variance; Animals; Dihydro-beta-Erythroidine; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; Drug Administration Schedule; Drug Interactions; Electric Stimulation; Enzyme Inhibitors; Ethers, Cyclic; Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials; Hippocampus; In Vitro Techniques; Long-Term Potentiation; Male; Nicotine; Nicotinic Agonists; Nicotinic Antagonists; Okadaic Acid; Oxazoles; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

The protein serine/threonine phosphatase (PP) type 2A family consists of three members: PP2A, PP4, and PP6. Specific rabbit and sheep antibodies corresponding to each catalytic subunit, as well as a rabbit antibody recognizing all three subunits, were utilized to examine the expression of these enzymes in select rat tissue extracts. PP2A, PP4, and PP6 catalytic subunits (PP2A(C), PP4(C), and PP6(C), respectively) were detected in all rat tissue extracts examined and exhibited some differences in their levels of expression. The expression of alpha4, an interacting protein for PP2A family members that may function downstream of the target of rapamycin (Tor), was also examined using specific alpha4 sheep antibodies. Like the phosphatase catalytic subunits, alpha4 was ubiquitously expressed with particularly high levels in the brain and thymus. All three PP2A family members, but not alpha4, bound to the phosphatase affinity resin microcystin-Sepharose. The phosphatase catalytic subunits were purified to apparent homogeneity (PP2A(C) and PP4(C)) or near homogeneity (PP6(C)) from bovine testes soluble extracts following ethanol precipitation and protein extraction. In contrast to PP2A(C), PP4(C) and PP6(C) exhibited relatively low phosphatase activity towards several substrates. Purified PP2A(C) and native PP2A in cellular extracts bound to GST-alpha4, and co-immunoprecipitated with endogenous alpha4 and ectopically expressed myc-tagged alpha4. The interaction of PP2A(C) with alpha4 was unaffected by rapamycin treatment of mammalian cells; however, protein serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitors such as okadaic acid and microcystin-LR disrupted the alpha4/PP2A complex. Together, these findings increase our understanding of the biochemistry of alpha4/phosphatase complexes and suggest that the alpha4 binding site within PP2A may include the phosphatase catalytic domain.

Topics: Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; Animals; Anion Exchange Resins; Antibodies; Antibody Specificity; Blotting, Western; Brain; Brain Chemistry; Caseins; Catalytic Domain; Cattle; Chlorocebus aethiops; Chromatography, Affinity; Cloning, Molecular; COS Cells; Ethers, Cyclic; Gene Expression; Glutathione Transferase; Histones; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; Liver; Male; Mice; Microcystins; Molecular Chaperones; Molecular Sequence Data; Myocardium; Okadaic Acid; Oxazoles; Peptides, Cyclic; Phosphoprotein Phosphatases; Phosphoproteins; Phosphorylase a; Phosphorylation; Precipitin Tests; Protein Binding; Protein Kinases; Protein Phosphatase 2; Rats; Recombinant Fusion Proteins; Resins, Synthetic; Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 70-kDa; Sequence Alignment; Sequence Analysis, Protein; Sirolimus; Testis; Thymus Gland

1. Phosphorylation by kinases and dephosphorylation by phosphatases markedly affect the biological activity of proteins involved in stimulus-response coupling. In this study, we have characterized the effects of okadaic acid, an inhibitor of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A, on insulin secretion. Mouse pancreatic islets were preincubated for 60 min in the presence of okadaic acid before their function was studied. 2. Okadaic acid dose-dependently (IC50 approximately 200 nM) inhibited insulin secretion induced by 15 mM glucose. At 0.5 microM, okadaic acid also inhibited insulin secretion induced by tolbutamide, ketoisocaproate and high K+, and its effects were not reversed by activation of protein kinases A or C. 3. The inhibition of insulin secretion did not result from an alteration of glucose metabolism (estimated by the fluorescence of endogenous pyridine nucleotides) or a lowering of the ATP/ADP ratio in the islets. 4. Okadaic acid treatment slightly inhibited voltage-dependent Ca2+ currents in beta cells (perforated patch technique), which diminished the rise in cytoplasmic Ca2+ (fura-2 method) that glucose and high K+ produce in islets. However, this decrease (25%), was insufficient to explain the corresponding inhibition of insulin secretion (90%). Moreover, mobilization of intracellular Ca2+ by acetylcholine was barely affected by okadaic acid, whereas the concomitant insulin response was decreased by 85%. 5. Calyculin A, another inhibitor of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A largely mimicked the effects of okadaic acid, whereas 1-norokadaone, an inactive analogue of okadaic acid on phosphatases, did not alter beta cell function. 6. In conclusion, okadaic acid inhibits insulin secretion by decreasing the magnitude of the Ca2+ signal in beta cells and its efficacy on exocytosis. The results suggest that, contrary to current concepts, both phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of certain beta cell proteins may be involved in the regulation of insulin secretion.

Topics: Adenosine Diphosphate; Adenosine Triphosphate; Animals; Calcium; Calcium Channels; Cytoplasm; Energy Metabolism; Enzyme Inhibitors; Ethers, Cyclic; Exocytosis; Female; In Vitro Techniques; Insulin; Insulin Secretion; Islets of Langerhans; Marine Toxins; Mice; Okadaic Acid; Oxazoles; Phosphoprotein Phosphatases

We examined the effect of okadaic acid, an inhibitor of protein phosphatase type 1 and 2A, on prostaglandin E1 (PGE1)-induced alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells. PGE1 increased ALP activity dose dependently in the range between 10 nM and 0.3 microM in these cells. The pretreatment with okadaic acid enhanced the PGE1-induced ALP activity in a dose-dependent manner in the range between 0.1 and 5 nM. On the other hand, 1-norokadaone, a less potent analogue of okadaic acid, had no effect on the PGE1-induced ALP activity. Tautomycin, an another inhibitor of protein phosphatase type 1 and 2A, also enhanced the PGE1-induced ALP activity. PGE1 stimulated cAMP accumulation dose dependently in the range between 10 nM and 0.3 microM. However, PGE1 had no effect on the formation of inositol phosphates. Okadaic acid did not affect the PGE1-induced cAMP accumulation. Okadaic acid dose dependently enhanced the dibutyryl cAMP-induced ALP activity. These results strongly suggest that protein phosphatase type 1 and/or 2A act as a regulator of ALP activity at a point downstream from protein kinase A in osteoblast-like cells.

Topics: Alkaline Phosphatase; Alprostadil; Animals; Antifungal Agents; Bucladesine; Cyclic AMP; Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Enzyme Inhibitors; Ethers, Cyclic; Inositol Phosphates; Mice; Okadaic Acid; Osteoblasts; Oxazoles; Pyrans; Spiro Compounds

Glucocorticoids induce apoptosis in murine T cell hybridomas. It was inhibited by okadaic acid and calyculin A, potent inhibitors of protein phosphatase 1 and 2A, but not by 1-norokadaone, a structural analog of okadaic acid without phosphatase inhibitory activity. The inhibitory effect of okadaic acid was significant even when it was added 9 h after the start of the culture. Okadaic acid did not prevent either the translocation of glucocorticoid receptor from the cytoplasm to the nucleus or the induction of luciferase activity in the T cell hybridoma transfected with a plasmid containing the luciferase gene under the control of glucocorticoid response elements. These results indicate that protein dephosphorylation is an essential step for glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis in T cell hybridomas, and that the step is at the late stage of the apoptotic process.

Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; Binding Sites; Dexamethasone; DNA; Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; Ethers, Cyclic; Hybridomas; Luciferases; Marine Toxins; Mice; Okadaic Acid; Oxazoles; Phosphoprotein Phosphatases; Plasmids; Protein Phosphatase 1; Receptors, Glucocorticoid; T-Lymphocytes; Transfection