Ca(2+)-regulated nitric oxide generation in rabbit parotid acinar cells.

In rabbit parotid acinar cells, the muscarinic cholinergic agonist methacholine induced an increase in the intracellular Ca(2+) concentration and provoked nitric oxide (NO) generation. Ca(2+)-mobilizing reagents such as thapsigargin and the Ca(2+) ionophore A23187 mimicked the effect of methacholine on NO generation. Methacholine-induced NO generation was inhibited by the removal of extracellular Ca(2+). Immunoblot analysis indicated that the antibody against the neuronal type of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) cross-reacted with NOS in the cytosol of rabbit parotid gland cells. Immunofluorescence testing showed that neuronal NOS is present in the cytosol of acinar cells but less in the ductal cells. NOS was purified approximately 8100-fold from the cytosolic fraction of rabbit parotid glands by chromatography on Sephacryl S-200, DEAE-Sephacel, and 29,59-ADP-Sepharose. The purified NOS was a NADPH- and tetrahydroxybiopterin-dependent enzyme and was activated by Ca(2+) within the physiological range in the presence of calmodulin. These results suggest that NO is generated by the activation of the neuronal type of NOS, which is regulated in rabbit parotid acinar cells by the increase in intracellular Ca(2+) levels induced by the activation of muscarinic receptors.

cGMP production is coupled to Ca(2+)-dependent nitric oxide generation in rabbit parotid acinar cells.

We investigated the mechanism of guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP) production in rabbit parotid acinar cells. Methacholine, a muscarinic cholinergic agonist, stimulated cGMP production in a dose-dependent manner but not isoproterenol, a beta-adrenergic receptor stimulant. Methacholine-stimulated cGMP production has been suggested to be coupled to Ca2+ mobilization, because intracellular Ca2+ elevating reagents, such as thapsigargin and the Ca2+ ionophore A23187, mimicked the effect of methacholine. The cGMP production induced by Ca2+ mobilization has also been suggested to be coupled to nitric oxide (NO) generation because the effects of methacholine, thapsigargin and A23187 on cGMP production were blocked by NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a specific inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), and hemoglobin, a scavenger of nitric oxide (NO). Sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a NO donor, stimulated cGMP production. Furthermore, methacholine stimulated NO generation, and NOS activity in the cytosolic fraction in rabbit parotid acinar cells was exclusively dependent on Ca2+. These findings suggest that cGMP production induced by the activation of muscarinic cholinergic receptors is coupled to NO generation via Ca2+ mobilization.

Endogenous inhibitor of the ADP-ribosylation of (a) G-protein(s) as catalyzed by pertussis toxin is present in rat liver.

The inhibitor activity of the ADP-ribosylation of (a) G-protein(s) as catalyzed by pertussis toxin was found in the membrane extract of rat liver. The inhibitor activity was found in the fractions of DEAE-Sephacel column chromatography at 50-120 mM NaCl. The inhibitor activity is not due to the degradation of NAD nor to the reverse reaction of pertussis toxin (removal of incorporated ADP-ribose). The present result suggests the presence of an endogenous inhibitor of the ADP-ribosylation reaction of (a) G-protein(s).

Isoproterenol-stimulated labelling of particulate proteins by using [adenylate-32P]NAD+ independent on a cAMP-dependent protein kinase in parotid acinar cells.

When saponin-permeabilized rat parotid acinar cells were incubated with [adenylate-32P]NAD+, labelling of proteins (33, 27 and 23 kDa) in particulate fractions of the cells was stimulated by isoproterenol. The effect of isoproterenol was completely blocked by a beta-antagonist. Both forskolin or cAMP mimicked the effect of isoproterenol on the labelling. However, an inhibitor of cAMPdPK failed to induce complete inhibition of the effects of isoproterenol, forskolin and cAMP. When the labelled proteins were treated with snake venom phosphodiesterase, neither [32P]5'-AMP nor [32P]phosphoribosyladenosine was released. These results suggest that covalent modification of proteins with NAD+, which is distinct from ADP-ribosylation and cAMPdPK-dependent phosphorylation, is coupled to beta-receptor-cAMP signalling system in rat parotid acinar cells.

Conformational changes of aminoacyl-tRNA and uncharged tRNA upon complex formation with polypeptide chain elongation factor Tu.

The conformation change of Thermus thermophilus tRNA(1Ile) upon complex formation with T. thermophilus elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) was studied by analysis of the circular dichroism (CD) bands at 315 nm (due to the 2-thioribothymidine residue in the T-loop) and at 295 nm (due to the core structure of tRNA). Formation of the ternary complex of isoleucyl-tRNA(1Ile) and EF-Tu.GTP increased the intensities of these CD bands, indicating stabilization of the association between the T-loop and the D-loop and also a significant conformation change of the core region. Upon complex formation of EF-Tu.GTP and uncharged tRNA, however, the conformation of the core region is not changed, while the association of the two loops is still stabilized. On the other hand, the binding with EF-Tu.GDP does not appreciably affect the conformation of isoleucyl-tRNA or uncharged tRNA. These indicate the importance of the gamma-phosphate group of GTP and the aminoacyl group in the formation of the active complex of aminoacyl-tRNA and EF-Tu.GTP.

Purification and characterization of glutamyl-tRNA synthetase from an extreme thermophile, Thermus thermophilus HB8.

Glutamyl-tRNA synthetase has been isolated from an extreme thermophile, Thermus thermophilus HB8. The enzyme has been purified to homogeneity by successive chromatography on columns of DEAE-cellulose, DEAE-Sephacel, phosphocellulose and hydroxyapatite. 11.7 mg of purified enzyme has been obtained from 2 kg of T. thermophilus cells, with a purification factor of 600 with an 11% yield. From gel permeation chromatography and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the enzyme is found to be a monomer protein with a molecular weight of 50,000. The optimum temperature for the aminoacylation of T. thermophilus tRNAGlu is 65 degrees C, and the optimum pH range is 8.0-9.0, in the presence of 5 mM Mg2+. The Km values for ATP, L-glutamate, and T. thermophilus tRNAGlu are 230 microM, 70 microM, and 0.65 microM, respectively, in the presence of 50 mM KCl and 10 mM MgCl2 at pH 8.0 at 65 degrees C. Escherichia coli tRNA2Glu is also a good substrate with a Km value of 0.60 microM at 65 degrees C. The mole fractions of Arg and Leu residues are higher and that of Asx residues is lower than those of E. coli glutamyl-tRNA synthetase. Glutamyl-tRNA synthetase from T. thermophilus is remarkably thermostable; even after incubation for 9 h at 65 degrees C, 70% of the enzyme activity is retained in the absence of any protecting factors. Such an extremely thermostable enzyme with a low molecular weight will be useful for detailed physiochemical analyses on the molecular mechanism of strict recognition by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the extracellular domain of the cell surface antigen CD38 complexed with ganglioside.

The cell surface antigen CD38 is a multifunctional ectoenzyme that acts as an NAD(+) glycohydrolase, an ADP-ribosyl cyclase, and also a cyclic ADP-ribose hydrolase. The extracellular catalytic domain of CD38 was expressed as a fusion protein with maltose-binding protein, and was crystallized in the complex with a ganglioside, G(T1b), one of the possible physiological inhibitors of this ectoenzyme. Two different crystal forms were obtained using the hanging-drop vapor diffusion method with PEG 10,000 as the precipitant. One form diffracted up to 2.4 A resolution with synchrotron radiation at 100 K, but suffered serious X-ray damage. It belongs to the space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with unit-cell parameters of a = 47.9, b = 94.9, c = 125.2 A. The other form is a thin plate, but the data sets were successfully collected up to 2.4 A resolution by use of synchrotron radiation at 100 K. The crystals belong to the space group P2(1) with unit-cell parameters of a = 57.4, b = 51.2, c = 101.1 A, and beta = 97.9 degrees, and contain one molecule per asymmetric unit with a VM value of 2.05 A(3)/Da.

Snare proteins essential for cyclic AMP-regulated exocytosis in salivary glands.

Rat parotid acinar cells secrete amylase through the stimulation of beta-adrenoceptors followed by accumulation of intracellular cAMP. However, it remains unclear at the molecular level how secretory granules fuse with the apical membranes. We have examined whether SNARE proteins are involved in exocytosis in the salivary glands, and have found that one of the SNARE proteins, VAMP-2, is localized at the secretory granule membrane of rat parotid acinar cells. Moreover, botulinum neurotoxin B, which has endoprotease activity that cleaves VAMP-2, inhibited cAMP-dependent amylase release but did not inhibit basal secretion in the absence of cAMP. These results suggest that VAMP-2 is essential for cAMP-regulated exocytosis in rat parotid acinar cells. In contrast, both neurotoxins A and C1 (endoproteases that cleave SNAP-25 and syntaxin 1 respectively) failed to inhibit cAMP-dependent amylase release. Therefore, neither SNAP-25 nor syntaxin 1 are involved in amylase secretion in the parotid glands. Clarification of the mechanism of secretion will require the identification of proteins that interact and function cooperatively with VAMP-2. This approach may also reveal details of the molecular mechanism by which the cAMP facilitates secretion in other systems, including neurotransmission.

ADP-ribosylation factors in rat parotid acinar cells.

ADP-ribosylation factor (Arf) is a 20 kDa polypeptide that is a member of the Ras superfamily of small molecular mass GTP-binding proteins. In addition to an essential role of Arf1 in vesicle budding, recent observations suggest a role for Arf6 in calcium-dependent exocytosis in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells. In rat parotid acinar cells, exocytosis is cAMP-dependent and our findings suggest an interaction of Arf1 with the secretory granules. We describe here the structural and functional background to the Arf proteins focusing on their role in rat parotid acinar cells.

Ca2+-nitric oxide-cGMP signaling in rabbit parotid acinar cells.

Guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) is a second messenger generated in response to hormones or neurotransmitters in various tissues and cells. In parotid acinar cells, the activation of muscarinic cholinergic and beta-adrenergic receptors induces an increase in intracellular cGMP. However, the mechanism of cGMP production in parotid acinar cells has not been well elucidated. cGMP production is induced by the activation of guanylyl cyclases, which are directly activated by nitric oxide (NO). NO plays an important role as an inter- and intracellular signal molecule in various organs and cells. Biosynthesis of NO is catalyzed by NO synthase (NOS), and NO generation is controlled by the regulation of NOS activity, for example by Ca2+. We have studied the regulation of NOS activity, NO generation and cGMP production in rabbit parotid acinar cells, and have demonstrated a functional Ca2+-NO-cGMP signaling pathway.

Pocket epithelium in the pathological setting for HMGB1 release.

High-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) protein acts as a transcription factor in the nucleus and also as a pro-inflammatory cytokine when released into extracellular fluids. The presence of higher levels of HMGB1 is reported in the gingival crevicular fluid from periodontal patients. Since the proliferation of bacteria within the periodontal pocket is closely involved in the exacerbation of periodontal disease, it is hypothesized that the periodontal pocket causes the release of HMGB1. Immunohistochemical staining of inflamed gingiva revealed that HMGB1 is exclusively dislocated from the nucleus to the cytoplasm in the pocket epithelium, whereas it is mainly present in the nucleus in the gingival epithelium. Butyric acid, an extracellular metabolite from periodontopathic bacteria populating the periodontal pocket, induced the passive release of HMGB1 as a result of eliciting necrosis in the human gingival epithelial cell line. Thus, the periodontal epithelium may provide a unique pathological setting for HMGB1 release by bacterial insult.

An endogenous inhibitor of the ADP-ribosylation of GTP-binding proteins by pertussis toxin is present in bovine brain.

The ADP-ribosylation of GTP-binding proteins (G-proteins) catalyzed by pertussis toxin was inhibited by endogenous inhibitor activity in the membrane extract of bovine brain. Most of the activity appeared in the fractions eluted from a DEAE-Sephacel column by 0.5 M NaCl. The activity was heat-stable and sensitive to pronase K. The results suggest the presence of an endogenous inhibitor of pertussis toxin in bovine brain.

Possible involvement of adenylylation in the modification of a 26 kDa protein in rat parotid acinar cells.

1. Adenylylation, a posttranslational modification of proteins, was investigated in saponin-permeabilized acinar cells of the rat parotid gland. 2. When cells were incubated with [2,8-3H]ATP, several proteins, including a 26 kDa protein in the particulate fraction, were labeled. 3. Upon incubation of cells with [alpha-32P]ATP in the presence of cAMP and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, 32P-labeling of the 26 kDa protein was observed. 4. After treatment with snake venom phosphodiesterase, [32P]AMP was released from the 26 kDa protein. Such release was not observed when cells were labeled with [gamma-32P]ATP. 5. The 32P-labeling pattern of proteins with [alpha-32P]ATP was clearly different from that with [adenylate-32P]NAD+. 6. The results suggest that the 26 kDa protein is one of the adenylylation substrates in rat parotid acinar cells.

Circular dichroism analyses of tRNA X protein interactions.

The interactions of tRNA species with aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases and polypeptide chain elongation factor Tu from Thermus thermophilus HB8 were studied by the analyses mainly of the circular dichroism band of 2-thioribothymidine in position 54 of T. thermophilus tRNA species.

Conformation change of tRNAGlu in the complex with glutamyl-tRNA synthetase is required for the specific binding of L-glutamate.

The binding of Thermus thermophilus glutamyl-tRNA synthetase (GluRS) with T. thermophilus tRNAGlu, Escherichia coli tRNAGlu, and amino acids was studied by fluorescence measurements. In the absence of tRNAGlu, GluRS binds with D-glutamate as well as L-glutamate. However, in the presence of E. coli tRNAGlu, GluRS binds specifically with L-glutamate. The KCl effects on the Michaelis constants (Km) for tRNAGlu, L-glutamate, and ATP were studied for the aminoacylation of the homologous tRNAGlu and heterologous tRNAGlu species. As the KCl concentration is raised from 0 to 100 mM, the Km value for L-glutamate in the heterologous system is remarkably increased whereas the Km value for L-glutamate in the homologous system is only slightly increased. The circular dichroism analyses were made mainly of the bands due to the 2-thiouridine derivatives of tRNAGlu in the complex. The conformation change of T. thermophilus tRNAGlu upon complex formation with GluRS is not affected by addition of KCl. In contrast, the heterologous tRNAGlu X GluRS complex is in an equilibrium of two forms that depends on KCl concentration. The predominant form at low KCl concentration is closely related to the small Km value for L-glutamate. In this form of the complex, the conformation of tRNAGlu is appreciably different from that of free molecule. Accordingly, such a conformation change of tRNAGlu in the complex with GluRS is required for the specific binding of L-glutamate as the substrate.

Dephosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 phosphorylated via the cAMP-mediated signaling pathway in rat parotid gland: effect of okadaic acid and Zn2+.

The particulate proteins of 34, 26, and 22 kDa are phosphorylated on serine residues in the rat parotid gland by activation of the cAMP-mediated signaling system. The 34 kDa protein was identified as ribosomal protein S6 by immunoprecipitation with anti S6 peptide antibody. The dephosphorylation of S6 was observed by incubation of the particulate fraction of the saponin-permeabilized cells labeled with [gamma-32P]ATP in the presence of cAMP/3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine. The dephosphorylation of S6 was inhibited by either okadaic acid, a potent inhibitor of protein phosphatase, or Zn2+, however, neither Ca2+ nor Mg2+ showed significant effect. S6 phosphatase activities detected by using the 32P-labeled S6 peptide as a substrate were inhibited by both okadaic acid and Zn2+. These results suggest that the dephosphorylation of S6 is mediated by the okadaic acid and Zn(2+)-sensitive phosphatases in the rat parotid gland.

Involvement of type 2C phosphatase in the dephosphorylation of 26 kDa phosphoprotein in rat parotid acinar cells.

Phosphorylation of three particulate proteins with molecular masses of 34, 26, and 22 kDa was stimulated in the presence of cyclic AMP/3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine in saponin-permeabilized rat parotid acinar cells. When the particulate fraction isolated from the cells labeled with [gamma-32p]ATP was incubated at 30 degrees C, dephosphorylation of the 26 kDa phosphoprotein occurred in the presence of Mg2+ or Mn2+. Okadaic acid had no effect on the Mg(2+)-dependent dephosphorylation of the 26 kDa phosphoprotein. Addition of the recombinant type 2C phosphatase, Mg(2+)-dependent and okadaic acid-insensitive phosphatase, caused a remarkable dephosphorylation of the 26 kDa phosphoprotein. These observations strongly suggest type 2C phosphatase is involved in the dephosphorylation of the 26 kDa phosphoprotein.

Presence of a complex containing vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 in rat parotid acinar cells and its disassembly upon activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase.

Amylase release from parotid acinar cells is mainly induced by the accumulation of intracellular cAMP, presumably through the phosphorylation of substrates by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). However, the molecular mechanisms of this process are not clear. In a previous study (Fujita-Yoshigaki, J., Dohke, Y., Hara-Yokoyama, M., Kamata, Y., Kozaki, S., Furuyama, S., and Sugiya, H. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 13130-13134), we reported that vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 (VAMP2) is localized at the secretory granule membrane and is involved in cAMP-induced amylase secretion. To study the formation of the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complex containing VAMP2 in parotid acinar cells, we prepared rabbit polyclonal antibody against the peptide corresponding to Arg(47)-Asp(64) of VAMP2 (anti-SER4256). The recognition site of anti-SER4256 overlaps the domain involved in binding target membrane SNAREs (t-SNARES). Then we examined the condition of VAMP2 by immunoprecipitation with anti-SER4256. VAMP2 was not included in the immunoprecipitate from solubilized granule membrane fraction under the control conditions, but incubation with cytosolic fraction and cAMP caused immunoprecipitation of VAMP2. The effect of cytosolic fraction and cAMP was reduced by addition of PKA inhibitor H89. Addition of both the catalytic subunit of PKA and the cytosolic fraction allowed immunoprecipitation of VAMP2, whereas the PKA catalytic subunit alone did not. These results suggest that () the t-SNARE binding region of VAMP2 is masked by some protein X and activation of PKA caused the dissociation of X from VAMP2; and () the effect of PKA is not direct phosphorylation of X, but works through phosphorylation of some other cytosolic protein.

Vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 is essential for cAMP-regulated exocytosis in rat parotid acinar cells. The inhibition of cAMP-dependent amylase release by botulinum neurotoxin B.

Amylase exocytosis of the parotid gland is mediated by intracellular cAMP. To investigate whether cAMP-dependent secretion has a mechanism similar to that of regulated neuroexocytosis, we examined the expression of synaptosome-associated proteins. In rat parotid acinar cells, we found 25 (p25) and 18 kDa (p18) proteins reacted with antibodies against Rab3A and vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 (VAMP-2), respectively. On the other hand, syntaxin 1 and SNAP-25, which interact with VAMP-2 at synapses, were undetectable. Rab3A-like p25 and VAMP-2-like p18 were also expressed in other exocrine acinar cells. The latter was localized at secretory granule membranes, and the former was detected in secretory granule and cytosolic fractions. The antibody against VAMP-2 used in this study did not react with cellubrevin, and p18 was cleaved with botulinum neurotoxin B. Thus, we identified p18 as VAMP-2. Botulinum neurotoxin B inhibited the cAMP-induced amylase release from streptolysin O-permeabilized acinar cells. Therefore, VAMP-2 is required for cAMP-regulated amylase release in rat parotid acinar cells. This is the first report that VAMP-2 is involved in regulated exocytosis that is independent of Ca2+.

Two tRNAIle1 species from an extreme thermophile, Thermus thermophilus HB8: effect of 2-thiolation of ribothymidine on the thermostability of tRNA.

From Thermus thermophilus HB8 grown at 65 degrees C, two major tRNAIle species have been purified by column chromatography and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The nucleotide sequence of one of these two tRNAIle1 species (tRNAIle1a) has been determined to be pGGGCGAUUAGCUCAGCUGmGUDAGAGCGCACGCCUGAUt6AAGCGUGAGm7GUCGGUGGs2T psi CAm1AGUCCACCAUCGCCCACCAOH. The nucleotide sequence of the other species (tRNAIle1b) is found to be the same as that of tRNAIle1a except for the modification in position 54; tRNAIle1a has s2T(54) while tRNAIle1b has T(54). The melting temperature of tRNAIle1a is as high as 86.2 degrees C while that of tRNAIle1b is 83.3 degrees C. The single replacement of an oxygen atom (2-carbonyl oxygen) of T(54) by a sulfur atom significantly contributes to the thermostability of the tRNAIle1a species. In addition, the methylation of G(18) and A(58) possibly contributes to the thermostability of T. thermophilus tRNAIle1a and tRNAIle1b species.