Differential and region-specific activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases following chronic administration of phencyclidine in rat brain.

We have previously demonstrated elevation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway in the cerebellum from patients with schizophrenia, an illness that may involve dysfunction of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. Since the NMDA antagonist, phencyclidine (PCP), produces schizophrenic-like symptoms in humans, and abnormal behavior in animals, we examined the effects of chronic PCP administration in time- and dose-dependent manner on ERK and two other members of mitogen-activated protein kinase family, c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK) and p38, in rat brain. Osmotic pumps for PCP (18 mg/kg/day) and saline (controls) were implanted subcutaneously in rats for three, 10, and 20 days. Using Western blot analysis, we found no change at three days, but a significant increase in the phosphorylation of ERK1, ERK2 and MEK in the cerebellum at 10- and 20-days of continuous PCP infusion. For the experiments involving various doses of PCP, rats were infused with PCP at concentrations of 2.5, 10, 18, or 25 mg/kg/day, or saline for 10 days. We observed a dose-dependent elevation in the phosphorylation of ERK1 and ERK2 only in the cerebellum but not in brainstem, frontal cortex or hippocampus. The activities of JNK and p38 were unchanged in all investigated brain regions including cerebellum. These results demonstrate that chronic infusion of PCP in rats produces a differential and brain region-specific activation of MAP kinases, suggesting a role for the ERK signaling pathway in PCP abuse and perhaps in schizophrenia.

Increased levels of transcription factors Elk-1, cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element-binding protein, and activating transcription factor 2 in the cerebellar vermis of schizophrenic patients.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the levels of transcription factors associated with activation of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway in schizophrenics using postmortem brain samples. These studies were done to determine whether our previous findings of abnormal levels of the MAP kinases in the cerebellar vermis were linked to additional downstream targets of this signal transduction pathway. METHOD: We measured the protein levels of 3 transcription factors in nuclear fractions of postmortem samples from cerebellar vermis of 10 patients with schizophrenia and 13 control subjects: Elk-1, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element binding protein (CREB), and activating transcription factor 2 (ATF-2). Studies in rats examined the postmortem stability and effect of haloperidol and risperidone on levels of Elk-1, cAMP, and ATF-2 proteins. RESULTS: We found a significant increase in the protein levels of Elk-1 (mean+SD, 4489+/-659 vs 2915+/-583 arbitrary densitometric units [P<.001]), CREB (mean +/- SD, 2149 1061 vs 904+/-711 arbitrary densitometric units [P=.003]) and ATF-2 (mean+/-SD, 1421 854 vs 512+/-394 arbitrary densitometric units [P=.003]) in the cerebellar vermis of schizophrenic subjects. Complementary studies in rats indicate that these findings can not be attributed to subacute treatment with antipsychotic medications. CONCLUSION: Taken together with the alterations of MAP kinases previously reported, and the findings of elevations of downstream transcription targets, we suggest that the MAP kinase signal transduction pathway contributes to the cerebellar abnormalities in schizophrenia.

Mitogen-activated protein kinases in schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are important mediators of signal transduction from the cell surface to the nucleus and have been implicated in the integration of a variety of physiologic processes in most cells, including neurons. To investigate the possible involvement of MAPKs in schizophrenia, we compared the levels of the MAPK intermediates in postmortem brain tissue obtained from schizophrenic and control subjects. Our focus was on the cerebellar vermis because of evidence suggesting that schizophrenia is associated with abnormalities of structure, function, and signal transduction in this brain region. METHODS: Cytosolic proteins were fractionated by gel electrophoresis and subjected to Western blot analysis using polyclonal MAPK antibody, which detects total extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) 1 and 2 levels, and monoclonal MAP kinase phosphatase (MKP) 2 antibody. RESULTS: Schizophrenic subjects had increased levels of ERK2 [2763 +/- (SD) 203 vs. 2286 +/- 607 arbitrary units, U = 17, p < .05] in cerebellar vermis. The levels of a dual specificity tyrosine phosphatase, MKP2, were significantly decreased in cerebellar vermis (1716 +/- 465 versus 2372 +/- 429 arbitrary units, U = 12, p < .02) from schizophrenic patients. ERK1/MKP2 and ERK2/MKP2 ratios in cerebellar vermis, but not in other brain regions, were significantly different in schizophrenic subjects as compared to control subjects (U = 15, p < or = .027; U = 3, p < .001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: MAPK levels are elevated in the cerebellar vermis of schizophrenic subjects. This could result from a protein dephosphorylation defect in vivo and might be involved in the pathology of the disease.

Synthesis of a new photoaffinity probe, 5-azido-[32P]UDPxylose, by UDPglucuronate carboxylyase from wheat germ.

The enzyme, UDPglucuronic acid carboxylase (EC 4.1.1.35), was extensively purified from wheat germ, and was used to convert 5-azido-[32P]UDPglucuronic acid to 5-azido-[32P]UDPxylose, for use as a new photoaffinity probe. The carboxylyase was purified approximately 1200-fold using conventional methods, and the enzyme preparation, at the final stage of purification, was stable to storage at -20 degrees C for at least 9 months with little or no loss of activity. The partially purified carboxylyase catalyzed the conversion of 5-azido-[32P]UDPglucuronic acid to 5-azido-[32P]UDPxylose in good yield, and the UDPxylose probe was purified by ion-exchange chromatography, and characterized. The newly synthesized photoaffinity analog, 5-azido-[32P]UDPxylose, should be a valuable tool in the purification of various xylosyltransferases.

Inhibitors of pig kidney trehalase.

Trehazolin, a new trehalase inhibitor isolated from the culture broth of Micromonospora, was reported to be a highly specific inhibitor for porcine and silk worm trehalases with IC50 values of 5.5 x 10(-9) and 3.7 x 10(-9) M, respectively (O. Ando, H. Satake, K. Itoi, A. Sato, M. Nakajima, S. Takashi, H. Haruyama, Y. Ohkuma, T. Kinoshita, and R. Enokita (1991) J. Antibiot. 44, 1165-1168). We also found that trehazolin is a very powerful and quite specific inhibitor against purified pig kidney trehalase, giving an IC50 value of 1.9 x 10(-8) M. Lineweaver-Burk plots showed that this compound was a competitive inhibitor of the trehalase. However, even at concentrations of 200 micrograms/ml, trehazolin did not inhibit the rat intestinal maltase or sucrase, yeast alpha-glucosidase or almond beta-glucosidase. Validoxylamine A and validamycin A, two other trehalase inhibitors, showed potent competitive inhibition against purified pig kidney trehalase, with IC50 values of 2.4 x 10(-9) and 2.5 x 10(-4) M, respectively. On the other hand, validoxylamine A was almost inactive against rat intestinal sucrase and maltase, with some inhibition being observed at millimolar concentration. A number of other glucosidase inhibitors, such as MDL 25637, castanospermine, and deoxynojirimycin were also tested against the purified trehalase and showed reasonable inhibitory activity.

Properties of mannosyl- and N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate transferases towards dolichol phosphate in liver microsomes from pig embryos.

1. The activity of mannosyl- and N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate transferases in microsomes from pig embryonic liver was linear to 1 min of incubation at 37 degrees C. 2. The activity of both enzymes was higher in the presence of Mg2+ as compared to Mn2+. A maximal stimulatory effect of Mn2+ was obtained at 2 mM concentration and greater concentrations of it inhibited the activities of both enzymes. 3. The activity of mannosyl transferase was found to be highest after treatment of microsomes with Nonidet P-40 while the activity of N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate transferase was greatest in the presence of sodium deoxycholate. 4. The Km for acceptor substrate was 1.6 x 10(-5)M in the reaction for dolichol phosphate mannose synthesis and 2.2 x 10(-5)M in the reaction for dolichol pyrophosphate N-acetylglucosamine formation. 5. The Km for GDP-mannose was 1.4 x 10(-5)M and for UDP-N-acetylglucosamine-6.2 x 10(-5)M. At saturating concentrations of donor substrates V values (pmol/min/mg) were 1330 and 150, respectively.

Biosynthesis of lipid-linked oligosaccharides in embryonic liver. Glucosylation of mannose containing dolichyl diphosphate oligosaccharide.

A maximum rate of dolichyl phosphate [14C]glucose synthesis from 55-day embryos was achieved at 16 nM concentration of exogenous dolichyl phosphate and exceeded about 3 times that without addition of dolichyl phosphate. The highest values of [14C]glucose incorporation from UDP-[14C]glucose into dolichyl phosphate [14C]glucose, dolichyl diphosphate [14C]Glc-oligosaccharides and protein were reached at 5 min time point of incubation of liver microsomes both from embryos and sows. The radioactive incorporation into proteins was about 7-fold higher in liver microsomes from sows compared to that from embryos, probably due to the greater content of acceptor proteins in microsomes from sows. The enzymatic transfer of Glc3-oligosaccharide from a lipid carrier to endogenous protein acceptor in microsomes from pig embryonic and adult livers was considerably faster than the removal of glucose residues during the initial stages of processing of protein-bound oligosaccharides. One labelled compound was discovered in the CHCl3-CH3OH-H2O (1:1:0.3, by vol) extract after incubation of liver microsomes from embryos and sows with UDP-[14C]glucose. On the basis of its mobility on the chromatogram it appears to be GlcNAc2Man9Glc3.

Biosynthesis of lipid-linked oligosaccharides in embryonic liver. Formation of mannose containing derivatives.

In the presence of exogenous dolichyl phosphate mannosyl transferase activity towards dolichyl phosphate was nearly 3-fold higher in microsomes from pig embryonic liver compared to that from adult liver. After incubation of microsomes from embryonic liver with UDP-N-acetylglucosamine and GDP-[14C]mannose lipid-linked tri- to undecasaccharides were discovered in CHCl3-CH3OH (2:1, v/v) and CHCl3-CH3OH-H2O (1:1:0.3, by vol) extracts. The main proportion of the radioactivity was incorporated into penta-, sexta and undecasaccharides. Amphomycin at concentration 500 micrograms/ml inhibited almost completely dolichyl phosphate mannose synthesis in embryonic liver microsomes without inhibition the formation of lipid-linked penta- and sextasaccharides. It was suggested that mannose transferred to lipid-linked tetra- to heptasaccharides comes from GDP-mannose but not from dolichyl phosphate mannose.

Biosynthesis of lipid-linked oligosaccharides in embryonic liver. Formation of dolichyl pyrophosphate N-acetylglucosaminyl intermediates.

Liver microsomes from pig embryos synthesized dolichyl pyrophosphate N-acetylglucosamine and converted it to dolichyl pyrophosphate N,N'-diacetylchitobiose. N-acetylglucosaminyl transferase activity towards dolichol was about 2-fold greater in microsomes from embryonic liver than in microsomes from adult liver. A maximum level of conversion of dolichyl pyrophosphate N-acetylglucosamine to dolichyl pyrophosphate N,N'-diacetylchitobiose was achieved at 5 mM concentration of unlabelled UDP-N-acetylglucosamine, while this conversion was negligible at lower UDP-N-acetylglucosamine concentrations (0.1 and 0.5 mM). The level of dolichyl phosphate, assessed by the level of dolichyl pyrophosphate N-acetylglucosamine synthesis was 2-fold higher in microsomes from embryonic liver than that in microsomes from adult liver. Tunicamycin (1 microgram/ml) inhibited completely the formation of dolichyl pyrophosphate N-acetyl-glucosamine in embryonic liver microsomes, while the inhibitory effect of UMP (1 mM) was about 70%.