Protein kinase CK2 in health and disease: Cellular functions of protein kinase CK2: a dynamic affair.

Protein kinase CK2 targets a vast array of substrates located in a number of cellular compartments, making the challenge of discriminating among these substrates a daunting task. However, as a signaling protein, CK2 could be targeted to different cellular compartments in response to various stress stimuli such as heat shock, UV irradiation, hypoxia, DNA damage and viral infections. This review will be focused on the evidence that the dynamic association of CK2 subunits and the substrate-dependent subcellular targeting of the enzyme are a likely point of regulation in response to a variety of signaling events. We propose that in addition to enzymatic substrate recognition, regulated CK2 localization to specific compartments should help to provide the exquisite specificity required for robust signal transduction.

p53-dependent inhibition of mammalian cell survival by a genetically selected peptide aptamer that targets the regulatory subunit of protein kinase CK2.

Based on the perturbation of its expression in human cancers and on its involvement in transformation and tumorigenesis, protein kinase CK2 has recently attracted attention as a potential therapeutic target. To assess the value of CK2 as a target for antiproliferative strategies, we have initiated a program aiming to develop inhibitors targeting specifically the regulatory CK2beta subunit. Here, we use a two-hybrid approach to isolate from combinatorial libraries, peptide aptamers that specifically interact with CK2beta. One of these (P1), which has significant sequence homology to the cytomegalovirus IE2 protein, binds with high affinity to the N-terminal domain of CK2beta without disrupting the formation of the CK2 holoenzyme. Expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-P1 in different mammalian cell lines activates p53 phosphorylation on serine 15, induces an upregulation of p21 and the release of the Cyt-C and apoptosis-inducing factor proapoptotic proteins triggering caspase-dependent and caspase-independent apoptosis. GFP-P1-induced apoptosis is associated with a p53-dependent pathway as cell death was abrogated in p53 knocked out cells. In summary, our data show that genetically selected peptide aptamers that specifically target CK2beta can induce apoptosis in mammalian cells through the recruitment of a p53-dependent apoptosis pathway. They also emphasize the critical role of CK2beta for cell survival and might allow the design of novel proapoptotic agents targeting this protein.

A site of tyrosine phosphorylation in the C terminus of the epidermal growth factor receptor is required to activate phospholipase C.

Cells expressing mutant epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptors have been used to study mechanisms through which EGF increases phospholipase C (PLC) activity. C-terminal truncation mutant EGF receptors are markedly impaired in their ability to increase inositol phosphate formation compared with wild-type EGF receptors. Mutation of the single tyrosine self-phosphorylation site at residue 992 to phenylalanine in an EGF receptor truncated at residue 1000 abolished the ability of EGF to increase inositol phosphate formation. C-terminal deletion mutant receptors that are impaired in their ability to increase inositol phosphate formation effectively phosphorylate PLC-gamma at the same tyrosine residues as do wild-type EGF receptors. EGF enhances PLC-gamma association with wild-type EGF receptors but not with mutant receptors lacking sites of tyrosine phosphorylation. These results indicate that formation of a complex between self-phosphorylated EGF receptors and PLC-gamma is necessary for enzyme activation in vivo. We propose that both binding of PLC-gamma to activated EGF receptors and tyrosine phosphorylation of the enzyme are necessary to elicit biological responses. Kinase-active EGF receptors lacking sites of tyrosine phosphorylation are unable to signal increased inositol phosphate formation and increases in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration.

A structural basis for substrate specificities of protein Ser/Thr kinases: primary sequence preference of casein kinases I and II, NIMA, phosphorylase kinase, calmodulin-dependent kinase II, CDK5, and Erk1.

We have developed a method to study the primary sequence specificities of protein kinases by using an oriented degenerate peptide library. We report here the substrate specificities of eight protein Ser/Thr kinases. All of the kinases studied selected distinct optimal substrates. The identified substrate specificities of these kinases, together with known crystal structures of protein kinase A, CDK2, Erk2, twitchin, and casein kinase I, provide a structural basis for the substrate recognition of protein Ser/Thr kinases. In particular, the specific selection of amino acids at the +1 and -3 positions to the substrate serine/threonine can be rationalized on the basis of sequences of protein kinases. The identification of optimal peptide substrates of CDK5, casein kinases I and II, NIMA, calmodulin-dependent kinases, Erk1, and phosphorylase kinase makes it possible to predict the potential in vivo targets of these kinases.

The tight association of protein kinase CK2 with plasma membranes is mediated by a specific domain of its regulatory beta-subunit.

Previous immunocytochemical studies have shown that protein kinase CK2 is mostly detected both in the cytoplasm and the nucleus of most cells. In the present study, CK2 was detected in highly purified plasma membrane preparations from rat liver. The protein kinase could be released from the membranes by high salt extraction (>1 M NaCl). Plasma membranes prepared from SF9 insect cells expressing the alpha- and beta-subunits of CK2 also contained a significant amount of oligomeric CK2. Furthermore, it was demonstrated in this cell system as well as in rat liver plasma membranes, that the beta-subunit of the kinase is the targeting subunit which mediates the tight association of the enzyme to plasma membrane components. Binding studies using membranes and recombinant proteins corresponding to different regions of the beta-subunit suggest that a functional domain previously shown to be involved in the binding of polyamines may also participate to the binding of CK2 to membranes. Modification of membranes by trypsin and phospholipases indicated that the binding process may require both membrane protein(s) and phospholipids. Interestingly, it was observed that the amount of membrane-bound CK2 in liver of embryos and new born rats increases dramatically after birth and persists during the postnatal stages of development.

Identification of a cryptic protein kinase CK2 phosphorylation site in human complement protease Clr, and its use to probe intramolecular interaction.

Treatment of human (activated)C1r by CK2 resulted in the incorporation of [32P]phosphate into the N-terminal alpha region of its non-catalytic A chain. Fragmentation of 32P-labelled (activated)C1r followed by N-terminal sequence and mass spectrometry analyses allowed identification of Ser189 as the phosphorylation site. Accessibility of Ser189 was low in intact C1r, due in part to the presence of one of the oligosaccharides borne by the alpha region, further reduced in the presence of calcium, and abolished when C1r was incorporated into the C1s-C1r-C1r-C1s tetramer or the C1 complex. In contrast, phosphorylation was enhanced in the isolated alpha fragment and insensitive to calcium. Taken together, these data provide support for the occurrence of a (Ca2+)-dependent interaction between the alpha region and the remainder of the C1r molecule.

Baculovirus-directed expression of human prostatic steroid 5 alpha-reductase 1 in an active form.

In the human prostate, the enzyme steroid 5 alpha-reductase (h5 alpha R) catalyses the conversion of testosterone into the more potent androgen, dihydrotestosterone. Two distinct cDNAs coding for h 5 alpha R in the human prostate have been previously characterized. Enzyme h5 alpha R1 shows a maximum activity at basic pH whereas h5 alpha R2 has an acidic pH optimum activity. We report here the expression of the human steroid h5 alpha R1 in a eukaryotic expression system: the baculovirus-directed-insect cell expression system. The full length cDNA was inserted into the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus genome and expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda, Sf9, insect cells. Sf9 cells were infected with the recombinant baculovirus and homogenates used in h5 alpha R activity assays by high pressure liquid chromatography showed that a catalytically active enzyme was produced. The recombinant enzyme showed an apparent Km for testosterone of 2.07 microM and a V(max) of 10.1 nmol of dihydrotestosterone/ min/mg of protein. Recombinant h 5 alpha R1 activity was inhibited by specific h 5 alpha R inhibitors such as 4-MA (Ki = 2.6 nM). Subcellular distribution in Sf9 cells demonstrated that the enzyme was associated with the nuclear membrane.

CK2 accumulation at the axon initial segment depends on sodium channel Nav1.

Accumulation of voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1 at the axon initial segment (AIS), results from a direct interaction with ankyrin G. This interaction is regulated in vitro by the protein kinase CK2, which is also highly enriched at the AIS. Here, using phosphospecific antibodies and inhibition/depletion approaches, we showed that Nav1 channels are phosphorylated in vivo in their ankyrin-binding motif. Moreover, we observed that CK2 accumulation at the AIS depends on expression of Nav1 channels, with which CK2 forms tight complexes. Thus, the CK2-Nav1 interaction is likely to initiate an important regulatory mechanism to finely control Nav1 phosphorylation and, consequently, neuronal excitability.

Regulation of the proapoptotic functions of prostate apoptosis response-4 (Par-4) by casein kinase 2 in prostate cancer cells.

The proapoptotic protein, prostate apoptosis response-4 (Par-4), acts as a tumor suppressor in prostate cancer cells. The serine/threonine kinase casein kinase 2 (CK2) has a well-reported role in prostate cancer resistance to apoptotic agents or anticancer drugs. However, the mechanistic understanding on how CK2 supports survival is far from complete. In this work, we demonstrate both in rat and humans that (i) Par-4 is a new substrate of the survival kinase CK2 and (ii) phosphorylation by CK2 impairs Par-4 proapoptotic functions. We also unravel different levels of CK2-dependent regulation of Par-4 between species. In rats, the phosphorylation by CK2 at the major site, S124, prevents caspase-mediated Par-4 cleavage (D123) and consequently impairs the proapoptotic function of Par-4. In humans, CK2 strongly impairs the apoptotic properties of Par-4, independently of the caspase-mediated cleavage of Par-4 (D131), by triggering the phosphorylation at residue S231. Furthermore, we show that human Par-4 residue S231 is highly phosphorylated in prostate cancer cells as compared with their normal counterparts. Finally, the sensitivity of prostate cancer cells to apoptosis by CK2 knockdown is significantly reversed by parallel knockdown of Par-4. Thus, Par-4 seems a critical target of CK2 that could be exploited for the development of new anticancer drugs.

Unbalanced expression of CK2 kinase subunits is sufficient to drive epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition by Snail1 induction.

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is closely linked to conversion of early-stage tumours into invasive malignancies. Many signalling pathways are involved in EMT, but the key regulatory kinases in this important process have not been clearly identified. Protein kinase CK2 is a multi-subunit protein kinase, which, when overexpressed, has been linked to disease progression and poor prognosis in various cancers. Specifically, overexpression of CK2α in human breast cancers is correlated with metastatic risk. In this article, we show that an imbalance of CK2 subunits reflected by a decrease in the CK2ß regulatory subunit in a subset of breast tumour samples is correlated with induction of EMT-related markers. CK2ß-depleted epithelial cells displayed EMT-like morphological changes, enhanced migration, and anchorage-independent growth, all of which require Snail1 induction. In epithelial cells, Snail1 stability is negatively regulated by CK2 and GSK3ß through synergistic hierarchal phosphorylation. This process depends strongly on CK2ß, thus confirming that CK2 functions upstream of Snail1. In primary breast tumours, CK2ß underexpression also correlates strongly with expression of EMT markers, emphasizing the link between asymmetric expression of CK2 subunits and EMT in vivo. Our results therefore highlight the importance of CK2ß in controlling epithelial cell plasticity. They show that CK2 holoenzyme activity is essential to suppress EMT, and that it contributes to maintaining a normal epithelial morphology. This study also suggests that unbalanced expression of CK2 subunits may drive EMT, thereby contributing to tumour progression.

Polyamine binding activity of casein kinase II.

Protein phosphorylation by the ubiquitous casein kinase II (CKII) is known to be sensitive to naturally occurring polyamines. Using isolated recombinant alpha and beta subunits of the kinase, as well as the alpha 2 beta 2 oligomeric enzyme, it is shown that (i) CKII binds [3H]-spermine with Kds in the micromolar range. (ii) The beta subunit appears mostly responsible for this binding activity. (iii) The isolated alpha (catalytic) subunit is not activated by polyamines. (iv) The polyamine-dependent activation of the oligomeric CKII requires the beta subunit, which appears as a regulatory component in the native kinase. These observations suggest that there may be a functional interaction between polyamines and CKII in living cells, especially in the response to cell growth factors and trophic hormones.

Casein kinase 2 inhibits the renaturation of complementary DNA strands mediated by p53 protein.

Considerable effort is currently being devoted to understand the functions of protein p53, a major regulator of cell proliferation. The protein p53 has been reported to catalyse the annealing of complementary DNA or RNA strands. We report that this activity is inhibited in the presence of the serine/threonine protein kinase CK2. It is shown that this inhibition can be explained by the occurrence of a high-affinity molecular association between p53 and CK2. The molecular complex involves an interaction between the C-terminal domain of p53 and the beta subunit of the oligomeric kinase. Accordingly, the isolated alpha subunit of the kinase was without effect. In addition, after phosphorylation by CK2, phosphorylated p53 lost its DNA annealing activity. Because the C-terminal domain of p53 is both involved in the association with CK2 and phosphorylated by it, our results suggest that either protein-protein interaction or phosphorylation of this domain might control the base pairing of complementary sequences promoted by p53 in processes related to DNA replication and repair.

DNA binding activity of casein kinase II.

Casein kinase II, an ubiquitous, oligomeric, messenger-independent protein kinase has previously been shown to concentrate in the nuclear compartment when cells are stimulated to proliferate. The present communication reports that purified mammalian CKII interacts with genomic DNA preparations in vitro. This interaction led to an apparent activation of the kinase, most likely explained by prevention of its aggregation and subsequent denaturation. Binding of CKII was optimum with double stranded DNA preparations; duplex lambda phage DNA exhibited at least two types of binding sites and the high affinity system (Kd approximately equal to 6 x 10(-13) M) represented a binding capacity of about 1 mol CKII per mol DNA. CKII-DNA interaction was stimulated in the presence of a polyamine and inhibited by heparin. Blotting experiments disclosed that DNA binds CKII through its alpha subunit. These observations are in line with the hypothesis that casein kinase II may be examined as a component in the transduction of the mitogenic signal from the cell membrane to the nucleus, in response to growth factors.

Cytoplasmic and nuclear distribution of casein kinase II: characterization of the enzyme uptake by bovine adrenocortical nuclear preparation.

Casein kinase II (CK II) is a ubiquitous protein kinase that has been found in both nuclear and soluble subcellular fractions and whose precise cellular functions and mechanisms of control remain to be clarified. Using immunocytochemical localization, it was observed that the intracellular distribution of CK II exhibited a striking shift toward an increased nuclear concentration during active proliferation of bovine adrenocortical cells in primary culture. The interaction of CK II with purified adrenocortical cell nuclear preparation was thus examined in vitro. CK II was found to rapidly associate with nuclei in a temperature-dependent and saturable process, resulting in a tight binding of the kinase to nuclear components, as shown by various extraction procedures. This association resulted in a concentration of the kinase in the nuclear preparation about 100-fold that in the medium and exhibited two types of binding sites with Ka of 10(9) and 10(7) M-1, respectively. The nuclear CK II uptake was dependent upon the presence of ATP and was stimulated by a kinase activator such as spermine, although the enzyme activity did not appear to be required for the process. These observations would be in line with a pore-mediated, energy-dependent nuclear uptake of the kinase. Since a number of potential nuclear CK II targets have been reported, including the oncoprotein myc, it is suggested that the nuclear translocation of the kinase as characterized in vitro may have a biological significance in living cell, especially in the control of nuclear activities related to cell proliferation and the mechanism of action of growth factors.

Coexpression of both alpha and beta subunits is required for assembly of regulated casein kinase II.

Casein kinase II is an ubiquitous serine-threonine kinase whose functional significance and regulation in the living cell are not clearly understood. The native enzyme has an oligomeric structure made of two different (alpha and beta) subunits with an alpha 2 beta 2 stoichiometry. To facilitate the study of the structure-activity relationship of the kinase, we have expressed its isolated subunits in a baculovirus-directed insect cell expression system. The resulting isolated recombinant alpha subunit exhibited a protein kinase catalytic activity, in agreement with previous observations [Cochet, C., & Chambaz, E. M. (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 1403-1406]. Coinfection of insect cells with recombinant viruses encoding the two kinase subunits resulted in the biosynthesis of a functional enzyme. Active recombinant oligomeric kinase was purified to near homogeneity with a yield of about 5 mg of enzymatic protein per liter, showing that, in coinfected host cells, synthesis was followed, at least in part, by recombination of the two subunits with an alpha 2 beta 2 stoichiometry. The catalytic properties of the recombinant enzyme appeared highly similar to those previously observed for casein kinase II purified from bovine tissue. Access to the isolated subunits and to their alpha 2 beta 2 association disclosed that the beta subunit is required for optimal catalytic activity of the kinase. In addition, the beta subunit is suggested to play an essential role in the regulated activity of the native casein kinase II. This is clearly illustrated by the observation of the effect of spermine which requires the presence of the beta subunit to stimulate the kinase catalytic activity which is borne by the alpha subunit.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Casein kinase II and polyamines may interact in the response of adrenocortical cells to their trophic hormone.

The ubiquitous casein kinase II (CKII) has been shown to accumulate in the cell nuclear compartment, following exposure to extracellular growth stimuli (O. Filhol et al., Biochemistry, 1990, 29, 9928-9936). The aim of the present study was to examine whether intracellular polyamines, whose levels are increased under similar conditions, could be related to this process. It is shown that (i) CKII accumulates in nuclei of adrenocortical cells exposed to their trophic hormone ACTH; (ii) this CKII nuclear translocation is concomitant with an increase in nuclear polyamine content resulting from ACTH-induced polyamine synthesis; (iii) selective inhibition of polyamine biosynthesis by DFMO results in the inhibition of both ACTH-induced cellular polyamine increase and CKII nuclear accumulation. These observations suggest that polyamines may be examined as intracellular messengers in the regulation of CKII activity and subcellular distribution in the cell response to growth factors and trophic hormones.

Epidermal growth factor stimulates a protein tyrosine kinase which is separable from the epidermal growth factor receptor.

The intrinsic protein tyrosine kinase activity of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor is necessary for ligand-induced signaling. To determine whether cellular protein tyrosine kinases are substrates for EGF-activated receptors, phosphotyrosine-containing proteins were isolated from EGF-treated cells and assayed for tyrosine kinase activity using peptide substrates. A tyrosine kinase activity that is distinct from the EGF receptor was adsorbed to monoclonal anti-phosphotyrosine antibody columns and eluted with phenyl phosphate. Near-maximal tyrosine phosphorylation of this kinase occurred within 1 min of cell stimulation with an ED50 for EGF of 2.5 nM. The kinase was deactivated by incubation with purified CD45 tyrosine phosphatase in vitro, but activity could be restored by incubation with purified EGF receptor and Mn2+ ATP. These results suggest a cascade of tyrosine kinase signaling analogous to well characterized serine/threonine kinase cascades.

DNA topoisomerase II and casein kinase II associate in a molecular complex that is catalytically active.

Immunoprecipitation of DNA topoisomerase II from yeast results in a preparation that contains casein kinase II; this suggests that the two proteins may associate in the intact cell. Purified recombinant topoisomerase II and casein kinase II associate to form a complex in vitro which is stable after topoisomerase II becomes phosphorylated by the kinase. Studies with isolated recombinant casein kinase II subunits disclosed that although the alpha (catalytic) subunit alone can efficiently phosphorylate topoisomerase II, the formation of a stable topoisomerase II-casein kinase II association requires the presence of the beta subunit of the kinase. Both proteins engaged in this complex retain their catalytic activities. Naturally occurring polyamines and polyanionic compounds appear to be crucial factors governing the interaction between the two proteins. Although the biological significance of a stable catalytically active topoisomerase II-casein kinase II molecular complex remains to be defined, these observations suggest the possibility of a novel mechanism regulating topoisomerase II and casein kinase II activities.

Casein kinase II and the tumor suppressor protein P53 associate in a molecular complex that is negatively regulated upon P53 phosphorylation.

Selective immunoisolation of P53 from Sf9 cells coexpressing wild-type P53 and casein kinase II yielded a preparation containing casein kinase II, thus suggesting that the two proteins may associate in a molecular complex in the intact cell. Such a complex could indeed be demonstrated in vitro between purified recombinant P53 and oligomeric casein kinase II and was shown to dissociate when P53 became phosphorylated by the kinase. This suggested that the P53 C-terminal domain, which contains the casein kinase II phosphorylation site was involved in the protein-protein interaction; this was confirmed by the fact that an anti-P53 monoclonal antibody directed to that domain inhibited the P53-casein kinase II association. Studies with isolated recombinant casein kinase II subunits disclosed that although the alpha (catalytic) subunit could phosphorylate P53, the formation of a stable P53-casein kinase II association required the presence of the beta subunit of the kinase. This was confirmed by immunoisolation of a P53-beta subunit complex from cells expressing both polypeptides. Although the biological significance of a reversible P53-casein kinase II molecular complex in the control of cell proliferation processes remains to be defined, these observations suggest the possibility of a novel mechanism regulating P53 and casein kinase II activities in the intact cell.

Binding of polyamines to an autonomous domain of the regulatory subunit of protein kinase CK2 induces a conformational change in the holoenzyme. A proposed role for the kinase stimulation.

The means by which the cell regulates protein kinase CK2 remain obscure. However, natural polyamines, cellular compounds required for cell proliferation, have been reported to strongly stimulate CK2-mediated phosphorylation of a number of substrates. Using spermine analogs, we have shown that polyamines directly interact with the CK2 beta subunit, and the chemical features of the highly acidic binding site (Asp51-Tyr80) have been determined. In the present study, we show that the isolated beta subunit region extending from residue Asp51 to Pro110 exhibits a specific and efficient polyamine binding activity similar to that of the entire beta subunit. Moreover, the replacement of Glu60, Glu61, and Glu63 of the beta subunit by 3 alanine residues leads to a loss of the spermine-induced stimulation of CK2 activity which correlates with a decrease in spermine binding affinity. Thermal stability studies indicate that the binding of spermine induces a 4 degrees C decrease of the Tm value for the holoenzyme. This was confirmed by circular dichroism analyses, which show that the 6 degrees C negative shift of the CK2 Tm value provoked by spermine binding, reflects a conformational change in the kinase. Together, these observations strongly suggest that this newly defined polyamine-binding domain is involved in the intrasteric regulation of CK2 activity.