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Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDE) are a family of exquisitely regulated enzymes which play a central role in regulating the biological half-life of cAMP and cGMP. Hormonal regulation of specific isoforms is the basis for crosstalk and antagonism between several well-described signaling pathways. In the present work improved methods are described which accelerate and simplify the separation and assay of PDE isoforms occurring in mouse peritoneal macrophages. The described method is equally applicable to other cell and tissue types, and is based on the mobilization of DEAE beads on a macroporous support structure which allows high flow rates, high resolution, and reproducible separations. The failure of the resin to undergo compression in this configuration prevents band spreading caused by diffusion into small pores and channeling associated with bed movement. Therefore, the PDE isoforms from a tissue extract can be resolved in a chromatographic run taking only 30-35 min. In addition, the column cartridge can be regenerated and fully reequilibrated in 10-15 min. After each chromatographic run, cAMP PDE activity in the fractions is characterized by incubating each fraction with [32P]cAMP, followed by quantitative conversion of [32P]AMP formed in the initial reaction to 32PO₄ and adenosine. The unreacted [32P]-cAMP is then adsorbed onto charcoal and after centrifugation, the 32PO₄ remaining in the supernatant is determined by counting an aliquot. The latter step replaces the need to use small columns to separate tritiated cAMP from tritiated adenosine as in previous assays, and provides the expected improvement in sensitivity associated with a high specific activity substrate. Using partially purified, high specific-activity adenylylcyclase from Bordetella pertussis, [α-32P]ATP can be converted to [32P]cAMP with 80-90% efficiency, followed by a single-step purification of [32P]cAMP using Sephadex G-25 superfine chromatography. The methods described herein provide a rapid and reproducible way to identify and characterize specific PDE isoforms that are subject to hormonal regulation.Copyright 1993, 1999 Academic Press

Antibodies directed against the T-cell antigen receptor-T3 complex mimic antigen and lead to cellular changes consistent with activation. When cells of the human T-cell line Jurkat were stimulated with a monoclonal antibody directed against T3, inositol phosphates were produced. In addition to inositol trisphosphate, which is the product of phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate cleavage, a second inositol polyphosphate was formed. This compound was more polar than inositol trisphosphate but less polar than inositol pentakisphosphate. It cochromatographed with inositol tetrakisphosphate from ostrich erythrocytes. In permeabilized Jurkat cells, this compound was shown to be formed from inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate, but only in the presence of ATP, and 32P was incorporated into it from [gamma-32P]ATP. There also was coincident formation of inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate. We conclude that the more polar compound is inositol tetrakisphosphate, which is formed by phosphorylation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and may be the precursor of inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate.

Islet-activating protein (IAP, a Bordetella pertussis toxin) was employed to test the hypothesis that the inhibitory GTP-binding regulatory protein of adenylate cyclase (Ni) mediates GTP effects on the binding of Ca2+-mobilizing hormones to liver plasma membranes and is involved in calcium mobilization stimulated by these agonists. IAP added to normal liver plasma membranes catalyzed the incorporation of radioactivity from [32P]NAD into a 41,000-Da peptide (presumably the alpha-subunit of Ni). However, no such incorporation was observed in liver membranes prepared from rats 24 hr after intraperitoneal injection of IAP. Angiotensin II attenuated glucagon-stimulated increases in cAMP in hepatocytes prepared from control but not IAP-treated rats. In contrast, following IAP treatment, no changes were observed in the ability of glucagon, vasopressin, angiotensin II, or epinephrine to activate phosphorylase; nor did this treatment alter [3H]vasopressin binding or epinephrine displacement of [3H]prazosin binding. However, IAP treatment decreased [3H]angiotensin II binding affinity when studies were performed in the absence but not the presence of 5'-guanylylimidodiphosphate (GppNHp). This shift was small and represented only 5-8% of the shift in apparent Kd elicited by GppNHp in untreated membranes. In vitro studies with IAP confirmed the results of the radioligand binding studies using in vivo IAP treatment. The effects of NaCl on [3H]angiotensin II binding were also tested but were not typical of other receptors which couple to Ni. The data suggest that, although a small population of hepatic angiotensin II receptors couple to Ni and attenuate glucagon-stimulated increases in cAMP, vasopressin, alpha 1-adrenergic, and the majority of angiotensin II receptors do not interact significantly with Ni. Thus, although there is evidence that agonist-induced Ca2+ mobilization requires a GTP-binding regulatory protein, this protein does not appear to be Ni in rat liver.

5-HT1A receptors couple to many signaling pathways in CHO-K1 cells through pertussis toxin-sensitive G proteins. The purpose of this study was to determine which members of the Gi/o/z family mediate 5-HT1A receptor-activated Na+/H+ exchange as measured by microphysiometry of cell monolayers. The method was extensively validated, showing that proton efflux was sodium-dependent, inhibited by amiloride analogs, and activated by growth factors, phorbol ester, calcium ionophore, and hypertonic stress. 5-HT and the specific agonist (+/-)-8-hydroxy-2-(di-N-propylamino)tetralin hydrobromide rapidly stimulated proton efflux that was blocked by a specific receptor antagonist, amiloride analogs or pertussis toxin. The activation by 5-HT depended upon extracellular sodium and could be demonstrated under conditions of imposed intracellular acid load, as well as in the presence and absence of glycolytic substrate. Acceleration of proton efflux was not inhibited by sequestration of G protein betagamma-subunits, a maneuver that blocked 5-HT1A receptor activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase. Transfection of Gzalpha and pertussis toxin-resistant mutants of Goalpha and Gialpha1 did not reverse the blockade induced by pertussis toxin. In contrast, pertussis toxin-resistant mutants of Gialpha2 and Gialpha3 "rescued" the ability of 5-HT to increase proton efflux after pertussis toxin treatment. These experiments demonstrate clearly that Gialpha2 and Gialpha3 can specifically mediate rapid agonist-induced acceleration of Na+/H+ exchange.

Incubation of murine peritoneal macrophages with platelet-activating factor (PAF; 1-O-alkyl(C16+ C18)-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphorylcholine) results in the rapid accumulation of [3H]inositol phosphates and sn-1,2-diacylglycerol (DAG) and mobilization of intracellular calcium (Prpic, V., Uhing, R. J., Weiel, J. E., Jakoi, L., Gawdi, G., Herman, B., and Adams, D. O. (1988) J. Cell Biol. 107, 363–372). We have further investigated the relationship of phosphoinositide metabolism to accumulation of DAG and the possible involvement of protein kinase C in the accumulation of DAG in response to PAF. DAG accumulation proceeds at a slower rate than the accumulation of either [3H] inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate or total [3H]inositol phosphates. Accumulation of DAG from additional precursors is suggested from both an estimation of the mass of total inositol phosphates produced and the accumulation of [3H]choline in response in PAF. Down-regulation of protein kinase C by prolonged pretreatment with phorbol ester or inhibition of the enzyme with sphingosine inhibited the PAF-generated accumulation of DAG at 10 min by ∼ 80%. Under the same conditions, no inhibition of PAF-stimulated generation of [3H]inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate was observed. Similar inhibition was observed when 10 εMionomycin or 0.1 εMphorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate were used to stimulate accumulation of DAG. The results suggest that PAF stimulates the accumulation of DAG from source other than phosphatidylinositol metabolism in peritoneal macrophages and that this occurs subsequent to the activation of protein kinase C.

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a potent stimulant of leukocytes, including macrophages. To analyze the mechanisms of its effects upon macrophages, we determined whether macrophages bear specific surface receptors for PAF. By competitive radioactive binding assays, we determined two classes of specific receptors to be present on purified membranes derived from murine peritoneal macrophages (one having a Kd of approximately 1 X 10(-10) M and one a Kd of approximately 2 X 10(-9) M). When the macrophages were incubated with PAF, rapid formation of several inositol phosphates including inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate were observed. PAF also elevated intracellular levels of calcium to 290 +/- 27% of basal levels which were 82.7 +/- 12 nM. Increases in calcium were observed first in submembranous areas of the macrophages. PAF also led to increases of 1,2-diacylglycerol of approximately 200 pmol/10(7) cells. A characteristic pattern of enhanced protein phosphorylation, similar to that initiated by both phorbol 12,13-myristate and lipopolysaccharide, was observed and involved enhanced phosphorylation of proteins of 28, 33, 67, and 103 kD. The half-maximal dose of PAF for initiating all the above effects was approximately 5 X 10(-9) M. PAF also initiated significant chemotaxis of the cells; the half-maximal dose for this effect was approximately 1 X 10(-11) M. Taken together, these observations suggest that murine mononuclear phagocytes bear specific membrane receptors for PAF and that addition of PAF leads to generation of break-down products of polyphosphoinositides, subsequent changes in intracellular calcium and protein phosphorylation, and chemotaxis.

Calcium-sensitive inositide release in a purified rat liver plasma membrane preparation is increased by calcium-mobilizing hormones in the presence of guanine nucleotides. Vasopressin-stimulated inositide release is evident in the presence of GTP or its nonhydrolyzable analogs guanyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate and guanosine 5'-(3-O-thio)triphosphate (GTP gamma S). The stimulation of inositide release by (-)-epinephrine (alpha 1), angiotensin II, or vasopressin in the presence of either 1 microM or 10 microM GTP gamma S correlates with the number of receptors present for each hormone. The guanine nucleotide and hormonal stimulation is evident on both inositol trisphosphate production and phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate degradation. Ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N‘-tetraacetic acid (1 mM) completely abolishes stimulation by guanine nucleotides and hormone. Prior treatment of plasma membranes with cholera toxin or islet activating protein or prior injection of animals with islet activating protein does not affect stimulation of inositide release by GTP gamma S or GTP gamma S plus vasopressin. Stimulation by GTP gamma S is dependent upon magnesium and is inhibitable by guanosine 5‘-(2-O-thio) diphosphate. Inositide release from the plasma membrane exhibits half-maximal stimulation by calcium at approximately 100 nM free calcium in the presence of 1.5 mM MgCl2 and at approximately 10 microM free calcium in the presence of 10 mM MgCl2. Addition of guanine nucleotides decreases the requirement for calcium and also increases the activity at saturating calcium. The results presented suggest that calcium-mobilizing hormones stimulate polyphosphoinositide breakdown in rat liver plasma membranes through a novel guanine nucleotide binding protein.