Differential MAP kinase activation and Na(+)/H(+) exchanger phosphorylation by H(2)O(2) in rat cardiac myocytes.

Bursts in reactive oxygen species production are important mediators of contractile dysfunction during ischemia-reperfusion injury. Cellular mechanisms that mediate reactive oxygen species-induced changes in cardiac myocyte function have not been fully characterized. In the present study, H(2)O(2) (50 microM) decreased contractility of adult rat ventricular myocytes. H(2)O(2) caused a concentration- and time-dependent activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), p38, and c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK) mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases in adult rat ventricular myocytes. H(2)O(2) (50 microM) caused transient activation of ERK1/2 and p38 MAP kinase that was detected as early as 5 min, was maximal at 20 min (9.6 +/- 1.2- and 9.0 +/- 1.6-fold, respectively, vs. control), and returned to baseline at 60 min. JNK activation occurred more slowly (1.6 +/- 0.2-fold vs. control at 60 min) but was sustained at 3.5 h. The protein kinase C inhibitor chelerythrine completely blocked JNK activation and reduced ERK1/2 and p38 activation. The tyrosine kinase inhibitors genistein and PP-2 blocked JNK, but not ERK1/2 and p38, activation. H(2)O(2)-induced Na(+)/H(+) exchanger phosphorylation was blocked by the MAP kinase kinase inhibitor U-0126 (5 microM). These results demonstrate that H(2)O(2)-induced activation of MAP kinases may contribute to cardiac myocyte dysfunction during ischemia-reperfusion.

Pyk2 expression and phosphorylation in neonatal and adult cardiomyocytes.

A. L. Bayer, A. G. Ferguson, P. A. Lucchesi and A. M. Samarel. PYK2 Expression and Phosphorylation in Neonatal and Adult Cardiomyocytes. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology (2001) 33, 1017-1030. Proline-rich tyrosine kinase (PYK2) is a Ca(2+)-dependent, non-receptor protein tyrosine kinase involved in growth factor signaling. Although PYK2 is expressed in a variety of tissues, it has not yet been identified in cardiac muscle. Therefore, immunocytochemical and Western blotting techniques were used to examine PYK2 expression and phosphorylation in neonatal and adult rat ventricular cardiomyocytes (NRVM and ARVM, respectively). PYK2 concentration was much greater in neonatal, than in adult ventricular tissue and cardiomyocytes. In cultured cells, PYK2 expression was highly dependent on [Ca(2+)](i)transients and contractile activity. Non-contracting, low-density NRVM in serum-free culture expressed very low levels of PYK2, while high-density, spontaneously contracting NRVM showed a approximately 12-fold increase in PYK2 expression. Conversely, high-density NRVM treated with nifedipine (10 microM, 48 h) to block spontaneous [Ca(2+)](i)transients and contractile activity resulted in a 2.6-fold decrease in PYK2 levels. Similarly, overnight culture of quiescent ARVM markedly reduced PYK2 levels. Chronic treatment (48 h) of cultured NRVM with the hypertrophic agonist endothelin-1 (ET) (10-300 n M) did not significantly increase PYK2 levels, but strongly shifted the ratio of phosphorylated to total PYK2, indicating that PYK2 phosphorylation accompanies cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Endothelin-1 also acutely activated PYK2 in both cultured NRVM, and in freshly isolated ARVM. These results suggest that PYK2 is involved in the generation of certain aspects of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.

Down-regulation by antisense oligonucleotides establishes a role for the proline-rich tyrosine kinase PYK2 in angiotensin ii-induced signaling in vascular smooth muscle.

Abnormal vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) growth plays a key role in the pathogenesis of hypertension and atherosclerosis. Angiotensin II (Ang II) elicits a hypertrophic growth response characterized by an increase in protein synthesis in the absence of DNA synthesis and cell proliferation. Intracellular signaling mechanisms linking angiotensin type I receptor activation to protein synthesis in VSMC have not been fully characterized. The present study investigates the role of the nonreceptor proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (PYK2) in Ang II-induced VSMC protein synthesis and in the regulation of two signaling pathways that have been implicated in the control of protein synthesis, the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathways. PYK2 antisense oligonucleotides were used to down-regulate PYK2 expression in cultured VSMC. An 80% down-regulation in PYK2 expression resulted in an approximately 80% inhibition of ERK1/2 (3.8 +/- 1.3 versus 16.6 +/- 1.8), p70S6 kinase (1.03 +/- 0.03 versus 3.8 +/- 0.5), and Akt activation (3.0 +/- 0.8 versus 16.0 +/- 1.0) by Ang II. Furthermore, PYK2 down-regulation resulted in a complete inhibition of Ang II-induced VSMC protein synthesis. These data conclusively identify PYK2 as an upstream regulator of both the ERK1/2 and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathways that are involved in Ang II-induced VSMC protein synthesis.

A role for PYK2 in regulation of ERK1/2 MAP kinases and PI 3-kinase by ANG II in vascular smooth muscle.

Abnormal vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) growth plays a key role in the pathogenesis of hypertension and atherosclerosis. Angiotensin II (ANG II) elicits a hypertrophic growth response characterized by an increase in protein synthesis without cell proliferation. The present study investigated the role of the nonreceptor tyrosine kinase PYK2 in the regulation of ANG II-induced signaling pathways that mediate VSMC growth. Using coimmunoprecipitation analysis, the role of PYK2 as an upstream regulator of both extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) 1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) pathways was examined in cultured rat aortic VSMC. ANG II (100 nM) promoted the formation of a complex between PYK2 and the ERK1/2 regulators Shc and Grb2. ANG II caused a rapid and Ca(2+)-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of the adapter molecule p130Cas, which coimmunoprecipitated both PYK2 and PI 3-kinase in ANG II-treated VSMC. Complex formation between PI 3-kinase and p130Cas and PYK2 was associated with a rapid phosphorylation of the ribosomal p70(S6) kinase in a Ca(2+)- and tyrosine kinase-dependent manner. These data suggest that PYK2 is an important regulator of multiple signaling pathways involved in ANG II-induced VSMC growth.

Focal adhesion kinase is involved in angiotensin II-mediated protein synthesis in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells.

The rate of vascular smooth muscle cell protein synthesis and cellular hypertrophy in response to angiotensin II (Ang II) is dependent on activation of protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) and both the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 and p70(S6K) pathways. One potential PTK that may regulate these signaling cascades is focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a nonreceptor PTK associated with focal adhesions. We used an actin depolymerizing agent, cytochalasin D (Cyt-D), and a replication-defective adenovirus encoding FAK-related nonkinase (FRNK), an inhibitor of FAK-dependent signaling, as tools to assess whether FAK was upstream of the ERK1/2 and/or the p70(S6K) pathways. Cyt-D reduced basal FAK phosphorylation and blocked Ang II-dependent FAK phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner. Confocal microscopy indicated that Cyt-D induced actin filament disruption and FAK delocalization from focal adhesions. Cyt-D also reduced Ang II-induced ERK1/2 activation, but p70(S6K) activation was relatively unaffected. Cyt-D reduced basal protein synthetic rate and substantially reduced the Ang II-induced increase in protein synthesis. Similarly, FRNK overexpression blocked Ang II-induced FAK phosphorylation and ERK1/2 activation, but not p70(S6K) phosphorylation, and markedly inhibited protein synthesis. This is the first report to demonstrate that FAK is a critical component of the signal transduction pathways that mediate Ang II-induced ERK1/2 activation, c-fos induction, and enhanced protein synthesis in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Proliferation of cultured human astrocytoma cells in response to an oxidant and antioxidant.

The role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in initiation, promotion and progression of several (lung, skin, colon, bladder, breast) tumors is well-documented. Indirect evidence for ROS involvement in tumor proliferation is provided by numerous in vivo and in vitro studies that show antioxidants inhibit tumor proliferation. However, despite strong epidemiological and experimental support for ROS involvement in brain tumor proliferation, to date little is known about the role of ROS in brain tumor promotion at a cellular level. In the present study ROS involvement in proliferation of a cultured, human astrocytoma cell line (U373-MG) was tested by studying effects of an oxidant (hydrogen peroxide, H2O2), and an antioxidant (N-acetylcysteine, NAC) on astrocytoma on proliferation of these cultured cells. Proliferation was assessed by evaluating changes in cell counts and DNA synthesis. Results from these experiments clearly indicate that NAC inhibits tumor cell proliferation and DNA synthesis induced by both serum and H2O2 (10(-5) M). NAC alone did not have any significant effects on the proliferation of serum-starved cells. Thus, ROS are capable of inducing proliferation in cultured astrocytoma cells and antioxidants block ROS- and serum-induced proliferation. Further investigation using primary cultures and animal models will be needed to substantiate the therapeutic potential of antioxidants in future brain tumor therapy.

Calcium- and protein kinase C-dependent activation of the tyrosine kinase PYK2 by angiotensin II in vascular smooth muscle.

Angiotensin II (Ang II) induces vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) growth by activating Gq-protein-coupled AT1 receptors, which leads to elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) and activation of protein kinase C (PKC) and mitogen-activated protein kinases. To assess the link between these Ang II-induced signaling events, we examined the effect of Ang II on the proline-rich tyrosine kinase (PYK2), previously found to be activated by a variety of stimuli that increase [Ca2+]i or activate PKC. PYK2 distribution was demonstrated in rat aortic tissue and in cultured VSMC by immunohistochemistry, revealing a cytosolic distribution distinct from smooth muscle alpha-actin, focal adhesion kinase, or paxillin. The involvement of PYK2 in Ang II signaling was measured by immunoprecipitation and immune complex kinase assays. Treatment of quiescent VSMC with Ang II resulted in a concentration- and time-dependent increase in PYK2 tyrosine phosphorylation and kinase activity in PYK2 immunoprecipitates. PYK2 phosphorylation was inhibited by AT1 receptor blockade and was attenuated by downregulation of PKC or the chelation of [Ca2+]i. Treatment with either phorbol ester or Ca2+ ionophore also increased PYK2 phosphorylation, suggesting that PKC activation and/or increased [Ca2+]i are both necessary and sufficient to activate PYK2. Activation of PYK2 by Ang II was also associated with increased PYK2-src complex formation, suggesting that PYK2 activation represents a potential link between Ang II-stimulated [Ca2+]i and PKC activation with downstream signaling events such as mitogen-activated protein kinase activation involved in the regulation of VSMC growth.

Contractile activity is required for sarcomeric assembly in phenylephrine-induced cardiac myocyte hypertrophy.

Agonist-induced hypertrophy of cultured neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVM) has been attributed to biochemical signals generated during receptor activation. However, NRVM hypertrophy can also be induced by spontaneous or electrically stimulated contractile activity in the absence of exogenous neurohormonal stimuli. Using single-cell imaging of fura 2-loaded myocytes, we found that low-density, noncontracting NRVM begin to generate intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) transients and contractile activity within minutes of exposure to the alpha 1-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine (PE; 50 microM). However, NRVM pretreated with verapamil and then stimulated with PE failed to elicit [Ca2+]i transients and beating. We therefore examined whether PE-induced [Ca2+]i transients and contractile activity were required to elicit specific aspects of the hypertrophic phenotype. PE treatment (48-72 h) increased cell size, total protein content, total protein-to-DNA ratio, and myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoenzyme content. PE also stimulated sarcomeric protein assembly and prolonged MHC half-life. However, blockade of voltage-gated L-type Ca2+ channels with verapamil, diltiazem, or nifedipine (10 microM) blocked PE-induced total protein and MHC accumulation and prevented the time-dependent assembly of myofibrillar proteins into sarcomeres. Inhibition of actin-myosin cross-bridge cycling with 2,3-butanedione monoxime (7.5 mM) also prevented PE-induced total protein and MHC accumulation, indicating that mechanical activity, rather than [Ca2+]i transients per se, was required. In contrast, blockade of [Ca2+]i transients and contractile activity did not prevent the PE-induced increase in cell surface area, activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases ERK1 and ERK2, or upregulation of atrial natriuretic factor gene expression. Thus contractile activity is required to elicit some but not all aspects of the the hypertrophic phenotype induced by alpha 1-adrenergic receptor activation.

Hydrogen peroxide activates mitogen-activated protein kinases and Na+-H+ exchange in neonatal rat cardiac myocytes.

Reperfusion of cardiac tissue after an ischemic episode is associated with metabolic and contractile dysfunction, including reduced tension development and activation of the Na+-H+ exchanger (NHE). Oxygen-derived free radicals are key mediators of reperfusion abnormalities, although the cellular mechanisms involved have not been fully defined. In the present study, the effects of free radicals on mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase function were investigated using cultured neonatal rat ventricular myocytes. Acute exposure of spontaneously beating myocytes to 50 micromol/L hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) caused a sustained decrease in contraction amplitude (80% of control). MAP kinase activity was measured by in-gel kinase assays and Western blot analysis. Acute exposure to H2O2 (100 micromol/L, 5 minutes) resulted in sustained MAP kinase activation that persisted for 60 minutes. Catalase, but not superoxide dismutase, completely inhibited MAP kinase activation by H2O2. Pretreatment with chelerythrine (10 micromol/L, 45 minutes), a protein kinase C inhibitor, or genistein (75 micromol/L, 45 minutes) or herbimycin A (3 micromol/L, 45 minutes), tyrosine kinase inhibitors, caused significant inhibition of H2O2-stimulated MAP kinase activity (51%, 78%, and 45%, respectively, at 20 minutes). Brief exposure to H2O2 also stimulated NHE activity. This effect was completely abolished by pretreatment with the MAP kinase kinase inhibitor PD 98059 (30 micromol/L, 60 minutes). These results suggest that low doses of H2O2 induce MAP kinase-dependent pathways that regulate NHE activity during reperfusion injury.

Phosphorylation and regulation of the Na+/H+ exchanger through mitogen-activated protein kinase.

We examined mitogen-activated protein kinase-mediated phosphorylation and activation of the Na+/H+ exchanger isoform type 1. A rabbit skeletal muscle extract was fractionated by FPLC chromatography. Four main fractions had the ability to phosphorylate the carboxyl-terminal region of NHE1. Western blot analysis and immunoprecipitation showed that three of these were associated with MAP kinase-dependent phosphorylation. Phosphorylation studies using purified MAP kinase showed that the region involved was the carboxyl-terminal 178 amino acids of the protein and that the stoichiometry was 1 phosphate/mol of protein. In-gel kinase assays showed that cytosolic extracts from smooth muscle cells also phosphorylate the carboxyl-terminal of NHE1 and that the MAP kinase-dependent phosphorylation could be activated by PDGF and AngII. Mutant cell lines with an inducible dominant negative MAP kinase showed decreased serum activation of Na+/H+ exchange but normal hypertonic activation of the protein. The results show that MAP kinase is intimately involved in regulation of the Na+/H+ exchanger, possibly through phosphorylation of one amino acid of the carboxyl-terminal cytosolic domain.

A 90-kD Na(+)-H+ exchanger kinase has increased activity in spontaneously hypertensive rat vascular smooth muscle cells.

Increased activity of the Na(+)-H+ exchanger (NHE-1 isoform) has been observed in cells and tissues from hypertensive humans and animals, including the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). No mutation in NHE-1 DNA sequence or alteration in NHE-1 mRNA and protein expression has been demonstrated in hypertension, indicating that alterations in proteins that regulate NHE-1 activity are responsible for increased activity. The recent finding that NHE-1 phosphorylation in SHR vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) was greater than in Wistar-Kyoto rat (WKY) VSMCs suggested that NHE-1 kinases may represent an abnormal regulatory pathway present in hypertension. To define NHE-1 kinases altered in the hypertensive phenotype. We measured NHE-1 kinase activity by an in-gel-kinase assay using a recombinant glutathione S-transferase NHE-1 fusion protein as a substrate. At least 7 NHE-1 kinases (42 to 90 kD) were present in VSMCs. We studied a 90-kD kinase because it was the major NHE-1 kinase and exhibited differences between SHR and WKY. Comparison of 90-kD kinase activity revealed that SHR VSMCs had increased activity in growth-arrested cells and in cells stimulated by angiotensin II (100 nmol/L for 5 minutes). Activation of the 90-kD kinase by angiotensin II was Ca2+ dependent, PKC independent, and partially dependent on the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. These findings indicate that increased activity of a 90-kD NHE-1 kinase is a characteristic of SHR VSMCs in culture and suggest that alterations in the 90-kD NHE-1 kinase and/or proteins that regulate its activity may be a pathogenic component in hypertension in the SHR.

Ca(2+)-dependent mitogen-activated protein kinase activation in spontaneously hypertensive rat vascular smooth muscle defines a hypertensive signal transduction phenotype.

The mechanisms responsible for altered vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) function in hypertension remain unknown. In the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) model of genetic hypertension, there are multiple abnormalities in VSMC function, including increased growth, Na(+)-H+ exchange, and increased signal transduction by protein kinase C. The family of kinases termed mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases has recently been shown to be essential mediators of growth factor signal transduction. In the present study, alterations in MAP kinase function in the hypertensive phenotype were investigated using early-passage SHR and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) VSMCs stimulated with angiotensin II (Ang II, 100 nmol/L) or platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB, 10 ng/mL). MAP kinase activity was measured by in-gel kinase assays and Western blot analysis. Two differences between SHR and WKY rats were observed for Ang II-mediated MAP kinase activation: (1) Inactivation after Ang II stimulation was more rapid in SHR than WKY VSMCs. (2) Activity in SHR VSMCs showed a greater dependence on Ca2+ mobilization, since chelation of intracellular Ca2+ with BAPTA inhibited maximal activity by 95% in SHR VSMCs but by only 50% in WKY VSMCs. In contrast to the results with Ang II, no differences in PDGF-stimulated MAP kinase activity were observed. These findings establish activation of MAP kinase by Ang II as a feature that distinguishes SHR VSMCs from WKY VSMCs and suggest that differences in regulation of MAP kinase signaling may alter cellular events that are increased in the SHR genetic model of hypertension.

Regulation of sodium-hydrogen exchange in vascular smooth muscle.

The Na+/H+ exchanger in vascular smooth muscle cells represents a major mechanism for sodium influx and is also one of the principal mechanisms responsible for the regulation of intracellular pH (pHi). In this review, the relationship between pHi and vascular smooth muscle cell growth, the regulation of Na+/H+ exchange by vasoactive agents and growth factors, and the second messenger pathways that may be involved in activation of Na+/H+ exchange have been discussed. The exchanger appears to be important in vascular smooth muscle cell growth, based on results that (1) Na+/H+ exchange is stimulated by hypertrophic and hyperplastic agonists, (2) vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation is induced by cytoplasmic alkalinisation in the absence of mitogens, (3) vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation is dependent on extracellular sodium, and (4) inhibitors of Na+/H+ exchange block cell growth. Several pathways appear capable of activating the exchanger in vascular smooth muscle cells as there is evidence for both calcium and protein kinase C dependent and independent pathways. We speculate that the calcium and protein kinase C dependent pathways may play a role in the contractile response of differentiated vascular smooth muscle cells in the vessel wall, while the calcium and protein kinase C independent pathways may be involved in the proliferative response observed after arterial injury and in tissue culture.

Na(+)-H+ exchanger expression in vascular smooth muscle of spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar-Kyoto rats.

The Na(+)-H+ exchanger has important modulatory effects on vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and contractility. Increased Na(+)-H+ exchange activity is a general property of many tissues, including mesenteric artery and cultured vascular smooth muscle cells, in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). In the present work, we investigated whether alterations in the steady-state levels of specific Na(+)-H+ exchanger mRNA isoforms (NHE-1 through NHE-4) are associated with the observed increases in exchanger activity. Poly(A+) mRNA prepared from 12-week-old hypertensive SHR and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) aorta, kidney, and intestine was hybridized to cDNAs specific for each NHE isoform. By Northern blot analysis, NHE-1 was detected in all tissues as well as cultured vascular smooth muscle cells and was not regulated differently in SHR compared with WKY tissues. There was no expression of NHE-2, NHE-3, or NHE-4 in SHR and WKY aortas or in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells from SHR and WKY aortas. Stimulation of NHE-1 mRNA expression by growth factors was similar in cultured SHR and WKY vascular smooth muscle cells. We conclude that the previously observed increase in exchanger activity in blood vessels and cultured vascular smooth muscle cells of the SHR is not caused by induction of the NHE-2, NHE-3, and NHE-4 isoforms or by alterations in steady-state NHE-1 mRNA expression. These findings suggest that posttranslational regulation of the Na(+)-H+ exchanger is responsible for increased activity in the SHR.

Postnatal changes in Na,K-ATPase isoform expression in rat cardiac ventricle. Conservation of biphasic ouabain affinity.

The cardiac glycoside sensitivity of the rat heart changes during postnatal maturation and in response to certain pathological conditions. The Na,K-ATPase is thought to be the receptor for cardiac glycosides, and there are three isozymes of its catalytic (alpha) subunit with different cardiac glycoside affinities: alpha 1 (low affinity) and alpha 2 and alpha 3 (high affinity). We examined the developmental expression of the alpha subunit isozymes in rat ventricular membrane preparations by immunoblotting with isozyme-specific antibodies. The alpha 1 isozyme was present throughout all stages of maturation. A developmental switch from alpha 3 to alpha 2 occurred between 14 and 21 days after birth. Measurements of [3H]ouabain binding and inhibition of Na,K-ATPase activity indicated that alpha 2 and alpha 3 should make equivalent contributions to ion pump capacity; in both neonatal natal and adult preparations, ouabain interacted with a single class of high-affinity binding sites (KD = 15 or 40 nM, respectively; Bmax = 4-5 pmol/mg protein), and at low concentrations produced a similar degree of Na,K-ATPase inhibition (25%). The results indicate that the developmental difference in cardiac glycoside sensitivity cannot be explained by quantitative differences in the proportion of high-affinity isozymes of the Na,K-ATPase. The switch from alpha 3 to alpha 2 coincides with other major changes in cardiac electrophysiology and calcium metabolism.

Ligand binding and G protein coupling of muscarinic receptors in airway smooth muscle.

Ligand binding properties of muscarinic receptors were examined in membranes and isolated cells prepared from bovine trachea. The binding of the muscarinic antagonist [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) to both membranes and isolated cells was saturable, reversible, and of high affinity [dissociation constant (KD) = 100-200 pM]. The binding constants of three selective antagonists, pirenzepine, AF-DX 116, and 4-DAMP, were examined, and the results indicate that the smooth muscle cells contain at least two receptor subtypes. The majority of receptors exhibit binding constants for these selective antagonists similar to those of the M2-subtype. AF-DX 116 binding curves indicated the presence of a small population of receptors with binding constants similar to those reported for the M3-subtype. These findings suggest that the smooth muscle cells may contain both M2- and M3-receptors and are in agreement with evidence of the presence of mRNAs coding for these two subtypes in tracheal extracts (A. Maeda, T. Kubo, M. Mishina, and S. Numa. FEBS Lett. 239: 339-342, 1988). [3H]QNB displacement curves of the muscarinic agonist oxotremorine were best described as a sum of binding to high- and low-affinity sites with KD values of 3.8 nM and 2.2 microM. Guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTP gamma S) shifted the high-affinity sites to low affinity, suggesting that the high-affinity sites may represent receptors coupled to G proteins. Pertussis toxin catalyzed the ADP ribosylation of a 40- to 41-kDa protein band present in the membranes but had no significant effect on high-affinity agonist binding, suggesting that most of the receptors are coupled to G proteins in a toxin-insensitive manner.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Interaction of agonists and selective antagonists with gastric smooth muscle muscarinic receptors.

The interaction of cholinergic agonists and antagonists with smooth muscle muscarinic receptors has been investigated by measurement of displacement of the muscarinic antagonist [3H]QNB (quinuclidinyl benzilate) in membranes prepared from toad stomach. The binding of [3H]QNB was saturable, reversible and of high affinity (KD = 423 pM). The muscarinic receptor subtypes present in gastric smooth muscle were classified by determining the relative affinities for the selective antagonists pirenzepine (M1), AF-DX 116 (M2) and 4-DAMP (M3). The results from these studies indicate the presence of a heterogeneous population of muscarinic receptor subtypes, with a majority (88%) exhibiting characteristics of M3 receptors and a much smaller population (12%) exhibiting characteristics of M2 receptors. The binding curve for the displacement of [3H]QNB binding by the agonist oxotremorine was complex and was consistent with presence of two affinity states: 24% of the receptors had a high affinity (KD = 4.7 nM) for oxotremorine and 76% displayed nearly a 1,000-fold lower affinity (KD = 4.4 microM). When oxotremorine displacement of [3H]QNB binding was determined in the presence GTP gamma S, high affinity binding was abolished, indicating that high affinity agonist binding may represent receptors coupled to G proteins. Moreover, pertussis toxin pretreatment of membranes also abolished high affinity agonist binding, indicating that the muscarinic receptors are coupled to pertussis toxin-sensitive G proteins. Reaction of smooth muscle membranes with pertussis toxin in the presence [32P]NAD caused the [32P]-labelling of a 40 dD protein that may represent the alpha subunit(s) of G proteins that are known to by NAD-ribosylated by the toxin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Assessment of transport capacity of plasmalemmal Ca2+ pump in smooth muscle.

In resting smooth muscle, a variety of Ca2+ extrusion processes offset the inward Ca2+ leak. Biochemical studies suggest that the plasmalemmal Ca2+ pump dominates this process; however, this contention could not be proven without a reliable estimate of the inward Ca2+ leak that must be opposed by active transport. Recent studies using dispersed cells from the toad stomach provided such an estimate; thus we examined the capacity of the plasmalemmal Ca2+ pump in this tissue. Membranes were prepared using nitrogen cavitation, high-salt extraction, and flotation on discontinuous sucrose gradients. These membrane vesicles were enriched 16- to 24-fold for plasma membrane markers and exhibited an ATP-dependent uptake of 45Ca that was insensitive to azide or oxalate but sensitive to orthovanadate inhibition and calmodulin stimulation. 45Ca accumulated in the presence of ATP was rapidly released by Ca2+ ionophore but not by caffeine, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate, or GTP. Uptake exhibited a high affinity for Ca2+ (Km 0.2 microM) and a high-transport capacity, producing greater than 12,000-fold gradient for Ca2+ and a transmembrane flux rate greater than that observed in resting smooth muscle cells. Thus this enzyme is capable of maintaining steady-state Ca2+ levels in smooth muscle.

Effects of the anti-calmodulin drugs calmidazolium and trifluoperazine on 45Ca transport in plasmalemmal vesicles from gastric smooth muscle.

The anti-calmodulin drugs calmidazolium (CMZ) and trifluoperazine (TFP) were shown to have a number of effects on 45Ca transport by plasmalemmal vesicles from gastric smooth muscle. Although these compounds produced the expected dose-dependent inhibition of the plasmalemmal ATP-dependent Ca2+ transport system, they also evoked a Ca2+ release comparable to that observed in the presence of the Ca2+ ionophore, ionomycin. This increased transmembrane Ca2+ flux was so large that it accounted for much of the apparent decrease in 45Ca uptake produced by these agents. Thus, direct effects of CMZ and TFP on ATP-dependent 45Ca uptake could only be reliably assessed for brief (less than or equal to 30 seconds) drug exposures. The explanation for the observed effects of CMZ and TFP on membrane Ca2+ permeability is unclear. The increased transmembrane Ca2+ flux may reflect nonspecific effects on membrane permeability or it may reflect a specific interaction of the anticalmodulin drugs with a Ca2+ release channel or with the Ca2+ transport ATPase. In any case, these results suggest the need for caution in the design and interpretation of studies using both CMZ and TFP as anticalmodulin agents.