Inositol Phospholipid Metabolism Research Articles

D-indobufen inhibits collagen-induced intracellular calcium mobilization and inositol phosphates formation in human platelets

We obtained evidence that the cyclooxygenase inhibitor d-indobufen, (+)2[p-(1-oxo-2-isoindolinyl)phenyl] buthylic acid has a potent and specific inhibitory effect on collagen-induced aggregation and 40K-protein phosphorylation (Mamiya, S., Hagiwara, M., Ishikawa, T., and Hidaka, H. Thromb. Res. 54, 447, 1989) (1). In Fura-2 loaded platelets, d-indobufen inhibited collagen-induced intracellular calcium mobilization in a dose dependent manner and this inhibitory effect on calcium mobilization paralleled that on aggregation, either in the presence or absence of extracellular free calcium ions. This compound inhibited inositol phosphates (IPs) formation in collagen-stimulated platelets. In arachidonic acid-stimulated platelets, d-indobufen caused a lag on calcium mobilization, as observed with arachidonic acid-induced aggregation. There was no significant effect on thrombin- or A23187-induced calcium mobilization or on aggregation. These observations suggest that the collagen receptor couples to a distinct intracellular calcium mobilization system possibly via inositol phospholipid metabolism and that d-indobufen blocks the collagen-induced aggregation by arresting mobilization of intracellular calcium.

Arachidonic Acid Increases Inositol Phospholipid Metabolism and Glutamate Release in Synaptosomes Prepared from Hippocampal Tissue

We have been interested in the possibility that arachidonic acid or one of its 12-lipoxygenase metabolites may function as a retrograde messenger in long-term potentiation (LTP) in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. One criterion required of a retrograde messenger is that it stimulates presynaptic changes. Here, two possible presynaptic actions of arachidonic acid and its 12-lipoxygenase metabolites, 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (HETE) and 12-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (HPETE), are examined. We report that arachidonic acid, HETE, and HPETE significantly increase both K(+)-stimulated release of [3H]glutamate and [3H]inositol labelling of inositol phosphates in synaptosomes, whereas other biologically important fatty acids (oleic, palmitic, and stearic) failed to induce a similar response. The findings of these experiments are consistent with the hypothesis that arachidonic acid, HETE, or HPETE may play the role of a retrograde messenger in LTP.

Evidence that chlorpromazine and prostaglandin E 1 but not neomycin interfere with the inositol phospholipid metabolism in intact human platelets

Human platelets that had been prelabelled with [ 32P]P i were stimulated with trombin in the presence or absence of neomycin, prostaglandin E 1 (PGE 1) or chlorpromazine. The content of [ 32P]P i in phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate, phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate and phosphatidic acid (PA) were determined. The data demonstrate that PGE 1 and chlorpromazine but not neomycin interfere with the tight metabolic relationship that exists between the inositol phospholipids and PA in thrombin-stimulated platelets [(1989) Biochem. J. 263, 621-624]. Our results therefore indicate that neomycin does not inhibit signal transduction in intact platelets at the level of the inositol phospholipid metabolism.

Stimulatory and inhibitory actions of excitatory amino acids on inositol phospholipid metabolism in rabbit retina. Evidence for a specific quisqualate receptor subtype associated with neurones

The effects of excitatory amino acid agonists on [ 3H]inositol phosphates (InsPs) levels have been examined in rabbit retinal tissues under basal conditions and after agonist stimulation. Quisqualate (QA) is the most effective excitatory amino acid agonist at stimulating InsPs accumulation with an EC 50 value of 0·1 μ m. The responses for maximally effective concentrations of QA with either ibotenate or kainate were not additive, which suggested that all the excitatory amino acid agonists which stimulate InsPs accumulation (quisqualate, kainate, NMDA, glutamate, ibotenate, aspartate) have a common site of action. None of the following antagonists: dl-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (APV), dl-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate (APB) and glutamate dimethyl ester (GDEE), prazosin, ketanserin or atropine influenced the excitatory amino agonist stimulation of InsPs. These data suggest the presence of a specific QA-receptor subtype in the retina. QA, and to a lesser extent other excitatory amino acid agonists, were also effective in stimulating InsPs accumulation and the mobilization of internal calcium levels in 3–5-day-old retinal cultures but not in the older cultures (25–30 days old), which lack neurones but contain Müller cells. The QA receptor subtypes linked to InsPs accumulation in the retina are therefore present on neurones. Kainate and NMDA had a weak inhibitory action on the effect of the carbachol-induced stimulation of InsPs at 50 μ m. The NMDA action was abolished by APV, whereas this antagonist had no effect on the action of kainate. Experiments with tetrodotoxin, cadmium and verapamil indicate that the kainate and NMDA action on the carbachol-induced stimulation of InsPs does not take place through an indirect release of substances from neighbouring neurones. The mode of action of NMDA and kainate in reducing agonist-mediated InsPs formation in the retina still requires elucidation.

1,2-Diacylglycerol content in myocardium from spontaneously hypertensive rats during the development of hypertension

1,2-Diacylglycerol (DAG) has been considered to play an important role as an activator of protein kinase C in the signal transduction of inositol phospholipid metabolism. To examine the relation of 1,2-DAG in heart tissues to cardiac hypertrophy associated with hypertension, we measured the amount of 1,2-DAG in spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) hearts at 4,10 and 20 weeks of age, and in age-matched normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rat hearts using thin-layer chromatography with flame ionization detection (TLC-FID). Significant cardiac hypertrophy was found in 4-week-old SHR, while SHR did not yet have significant hypertension. Major phospholipids such as phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine increased from 4 to 20 weeks in the myocardium, but there was no difference between the two strains. The cholesterol levels of 4- and 20-week-old SHR were significantly higher than WKY rats. The 1,2-DAG contents of SHR hearts were significantly higher than WKY rats at 4 weeks. An increase in the RNA contents of SHR hearts were significantly higher than WKY rats at 4 weeks. An increase in the RNA content was also observed in 4-week-old SHR hearts. However, analysis of the fatty acid composition of 1,2-DAG revealed no difference between the two strains. However, there was no significant difference in the 1,2-DAG content or in its fatty acid composition between SHR and WKY rat hearts at 10 and 20 weeks of age. It is suggested that an increase in the 1,2-DAG content of SHR hearts during the early stages appears related to the initiation of cardiac hypertrophy in SHR hearts before developed hypertension.

Effects of light on phospholipid metabolism in DunaUella salina

Dunalliella salina (Teodoresco) is a unicellular, wall‐less, halotolerant green alga. Previous work has shown that levels of inositol phospholipiils in whole cells of D. salina fluctuate in response to hyper‐ and hypo‐osmotic shock. In this paper, we report the effects of changes in the light environment on levels of phospholipids, including inositol phospholipids, in D. scilina. Utilizing both short‐term and long‐term labeling of phospholipids with 32PO4, we were able to compare both immediate and long‐term changes in lipid metabolism during changes in the light environment. Relative to the other phospholipids. phosphotidic acid and the inositol phospholipids phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol 4‐phosphate and phosphatidylinositol 4,5‐bisphosphate were rapidly labeled, even in the dark, suggesting that the metabolism of these compounds is more active than that of the bulk cellular phospholipids. There was little change in inositol phospholipid metabolism when cells were illuminated following a 1 h dark adaptation period, Furthermore, the inositol phospholipid signal transduction pathway did not respond to severe photoinhibition treatment. Apparently this plasma‐membrane‐based signal transduction pathway, which responds to changes in the external environment, is relatively insensitive to major changes in chloroplast metabolism.

Retinoic Acid Rapidly Decreases Phosphatidylinositol Turnover During Neuroblastoma Cell Differentiation

Phosphatidylinositol (PI) turnover has recently been implicated in the regulation of cell proliferation and transformation. We have investigated its role in differentiation using LAN-1 cells, a human neuroblastoma cell line that can be induced to differentiate along the neuronal pathway by retinoic acid (RA). We have found that treatment of LAN-1 cells with RA is followed by a rapid decrease of inositol phospholipid metabolism, using myo-[1,2-3H]inositol or [1(3)-3H]glycerol. No changes were observed in both [3H]inositol and [3H]glycerol uptake within 24 h of RA treatment. Decreased incorporation of the metabolic precursor into PI 4-monophosphate and PI 4,5-bisphosphate occurred within 1 h of RA treatment. No changes were seen in the specific radioactivity of the precursor pools up to 1 h of treatment with RA. Analysis of labeled PI metabolites from prelabeled cells indicated a rapid decrease of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and 1,2-diacylglycerol content within 1 min of induction of LAN-1 cell differentiation. These findings constitute the earliest reported events in neuroblastoma cell differentiation.

Protein phosphorylation and inositol phospholipid metabolism in activated mast cells

Clinical & Experimental AllergyVolume 20, Issue 1 p. 7-12 Protein phosphorylation and inositol phospholipid metabolism in activated mast cells M. KUROSAWA, Corresponding Author M. KUROSAWA First Department of Internal Medicine. Gunma University School of Medicine, Gunma, JapanDr M. Kurosawa, First Department of Internal Medicine, Gunma University School of Medicine. Maebashi. Gunma 371, Japan.Search for more papers by this author M. KUROSAWA, Corresponding Author M. KUROSAWA First Department of Internal Medicine. Gunma University School of Medicine, Gunma, JapanDr M. Kurosawa, First Department of Internal Medicine, Gunma University School of Medicine. Maebashi. Gunma 371, Japan.Search for more papers by this author First published: January 1990 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2222.1990.tb02768.xCitations: 15AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume20, Issue1January 1990Pages 7-12 RelatedInformation

Mastoparan inhibits rat renal NAK-ATPase activity

Rat renal NAK-ATPase was inhibited by mastoparan in a dose dependent fashion. This inhibition reached completion within 30 seconds. Due to mastoparan's rapid effects on NAK-ATPase activity, this inhibition does not appear to involve either a decrease in the rate of synthesis or an increase in their degradation of NAK-ATPase since these processes require a latency period of at least several minutes. In addition, the phosphoenzyme intermediate formed in the presence of mastoparan was greater than that formed in its absence further indicating that inhibition of NAK-ATPase by mastoparan is not due to a decrease in the number of NAK-ATPase. A possible mechanism for the inhibition is that mastoparan stabilizes the phosphoenzyme intermediate and reduces the Vmax of the enzyme by decreasing the rate of turnover of existing enzyme sites. Neomycin, an inhibitor of inositol phospholipid metabolism, was also found to attenuate the inhibition of Na,K-ATPase by mastoparan, suggesting that the mechanism of this inhibition may involve degradation of the phosphatidylinositol “pool”.

A selective signaling defect in helper T cells induced by antigen-presenting cells from mice with murine acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

APC activity of spleen cells from C57BL/10 (B10) mice infected with LP-BM5 murine leukemia virus (MuLV), which is known as a murine acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (MAIDS) virus, was investigated. The ability of splenic APC from LP-BM5 MuLV-inoculated B10 mice to induce soluble Ag-specific proliferation of cloned Th cells was decreased progressively during the infection. The APC defect was found to be due neither to the decreased expression of Ia Ag nor to the insufficient production of IL-1. It was demonstrated that cloned Th stimulated with virus-infected splenic APC displayed the increased [Ca2+]i with severely decreased inositol phospholipid metabolism, which probably led to the defect of Th proliferative responses. These results suggested that the failure of Th to respond to soluble Ag in MAIDS is at least in part due to a selective defect in signal transduction caused by abnormal APC.

Excitatory amino acid receptor agonists stimulate membrane inositol phospholipid hydrolysis and increase cytoplasmic free Ca 2+ in primary cultures of retinal neurons

A variety of neurotransmitters are believed to elicit effects through receptor-stimulated inositol phospholipid metabolism. It appears that most major types of retinal neurons receive a direct glutamatergic input. The aim of the present studies was to characterize excitatory amino acid (EAA) receptor-mediated breakdown of inositol phospholipids and changes in Ca 2+ homeostasis in primary avian retinal cell cultures. Cell monolayers, prepared from 8-day-old chick embryo neural retina, were labelled with [ 3H]inositol for 48 h, and used after 7 days in vitro. Kainic acid stimulated the accumulation of inositol phosphates in a time- and dose-dependent manner (ED 50 = 30 μM). The EAA receptor agonists glutamate, N-methyl- D-aspartate (NMDA), ibotenate and quisqualate were all active, with the rank order: glutamate > kainate > NMDA ⪢ ibotenate ≈ quisqualate. External Ca 2+ was required for these effects. Agonist actions were inhibited by type-specific antagonists, and also Mg 2+ in the case of glutamate and NMDA. Glutamate, NMDA and kainate also elevated cytosolic free Ca 2+ in individual retinal cells loaded with the Ca 2+-sensitive dye Fura-2, as assessed by digital fluorescence ratio imaging microscopy. The agonist-induced increases in [Ca 2+] i were largely dependent on extracellular Ca 2+, independent of membrane depolarization and were blocked by Mg 2+ for glutamate and NMDA. These results demonstrate that vertebrate retinal cells posses EAA receptors coupled to intracellular signal transduction pathways.

Possible heterogeneity of glutamate receptors linked to inositol phospholipid metabolism : Hiroyuki Sugiyama, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Myodaiji, Okazaki 444, Japan

Possible heterogeneity of glutamate receptors linked to inositol phospholipid metabolism : Hiroyuki Sugiyama, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Myodaiji, Okazaki 444, Japan

Studies of the Mechanism of Natural Killer (NK) Degranulation and Cytotoxicity

Exocytosis of cytotoxic granule contents towards bound target cells is thought to be of central importance in natural killer (NK) cell-mediated killing. Although cellular cytotoxicity involving degranulation is thought to be calcium-dependent, the biochemical mechanisms that mediate this granule mobilization are unknown. Inositol-1,4,5-tris-phosphate (IP3), which acts to elevate internal calcium levels, and 1,2-diacylglycerol (DAG), which activates protein kinase C, are potent second messengers that have been shown to synergistically mediate secretion in other cell types. Production of these products of inositol phospholipid metabolism has previously been demonstrated in a rat NK cell line RNK upon exposure to susceptible tumor targets. We therefore investigated the role of IP3 and DAG in NK-mediated cytotoxicity, specifically at the level of degranulation. Pretreatment of RNK cells with neomycin, a drug that interferes with the hydrolysis of inositol phospholipids and thus inhibits the formation of second messengers, inhibited RNK cytotoxicity against a susceptible tumor target and also inhibited RNK production of DAG in response to a similar target. Natural killing exhibited by normal rat nylon wool-nonadherent splenocytes was also inhibited by neomycin. Phorbol-12-myristate, 13-acetate (PMA), a phorbol ester that acts like DAG to activate protein kinase C, markedly enhanced lysis of a susceptible target cell by RNK. We evaluated whether modulation of lysis by these drugs was associated with effects on RNK degranulation by assaying the release of a granule-specific serine esterase (BLTE) in response to PMA and the calcium ionophore A23187. These agents synergized to promote the release of BLTE, and the extent of release was dependent on the concentrations of both agents. D2O and cytochalasin B, which enhance secretion in other cells, both enhanced BLTE release from RNK cells, indicating that we were detecting BLTE released via granule secretion and not due to nonspecific causes such as cell lysis. Our findings lead us to propose that NK cells form IP3 and DAG in response to susceptible target cells and that a major function of these second messengers is to mediate the exocytosis of cytotoxic granules towards the bound target cells.

Differences in the adenosine receptors modulating inositol phosphates and cyclic AMP accumulation in mammalian cerebral cortex

1. 2-Chloroadenosine stimulated adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) accumulation and potentiated (guinea-pig) or inhibited (mouse) the histamine H1-receptor-stimulated hydrolysis of inositol phospholipids in slices of guinea-pig and mouse cerebral cortex. 2. Two xanthine-based adenosine receptor antagonists were identified which were one order of magnitude more potent at the adenosine receptor mediating augmentation of the histamine-stimulated inositol phospholipid hydrolysis than at the receptor linked to cyclic AMP formation in guinea-pig cerebral cortical slices. 3. These compounds, 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX) and 7-benzyl-3-(2-methylpropyl)xanthine (BMPX) retained their selectivity under near-identical incubation conditions in both assays. 4. These compounds also showed similar affinities and selectivity for the adenosine receptor mediating inhibition of histamine-stimulated inositol phospholipid hydrolysis in mouse cerebral cortical slices. 5. Inclusion of agents which give rise to, or mimic, high levels of cyclic AMP (forskolin (1 microM), 8-bromo-cyclic AMP (1 mM) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (1 microM] in the incubation medium failed to mimic the action of 2-chloroadenosine on inositol phospholipid turnover in cerebral cortical slices from either species. 6. These data suggest that the adenosine receptor modulating the hydrolysis of inositol phospholipid in mouse and guinea-pig cerebral cortical slices is different from the adenosine receptor linked to cyclic AMP formation, and, furthermore, that the modulation of inositol phospholipid metabolism in either species is not mediated via alterations in cyclic AMP levels.

Differential sensitivity of anti-IgM-induced and NaF-induced inositol phospholipid metabolism to serine protease inhibitors in BAL17 B lymphoma cells

A BAL17 B lymphoma cell line bearing mu and delta chains on its surface behaves in a similar manner to normal mature B cells in terms of initial biochemical transmembrane signalling [Mizuguchi, Beaven, Ohara & Paul (1986) J. Immunol. 137, 2162-2167; Mizuguchi, Yong-Yong, Nakabayashi, Huang, Beaven, Chused & Paul (1987) J. Immunol. 139, 1054-1059]. Therefore the effects of protease inhibitors on increases in inositol phospholipid metabolism and intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) were examined. We show that the serine protease inhibitors Tos-Phe-CH2Cl (1-chloro-4-phenyl-3-L-tosylamidobutan-2-one-, TPCK) and Tos-Lys-CH2Cl (7-amino-1-chloro-3-L-tosylamidoheptan-2-one; TLCK) inhibit anti-IgM-mediated accumulation of inositol phosphates in a dose-dependent manner. InsP3 production induced by anti-IgM is also inhibited by pretreatment with Tos-Lys-CH2Cl or Tos-Phe-CH2Cl. Tos-Lys-CH2Cl- Tos-Phe-CH2Cl-mediated inhibition is not overcome by high concentrations of anti-IgM. Moreover, anti-IgM-mediated increases in [Ca2+]i are inhibited by pretreatment of the cells with these inhibitors. However, increases in inositol phospholipid metabolism caused by NaF, an activator of guanine-nucleotide-binding proteins (G-proteins), are approx. 10-fold more resistant to Tos-Lys-CH2Cl and Tos-Phe-CH2Cl inhibition compared with anti-IgM-induced changes. Furthermore, NaF-induced increases in [Ca2+]i are not inhibited by Tos-Lys-CH2Cl or Tos-Phe-CH2Cl pretreatment, suggesting that the inhibitors act at a step proximal to phospholipase C activation. The Tos-Lys-CH2Cl or Tos-Phe-CH2Cl treatment does not change the membrane IgM density as measured by flow cytometry, indicating that the active site of the inhibitors is distal to the membrane IgM molecule. These results indicate that serine proteases may be involved in coupling the receptor cross-linkage to G-protein.

Effects of phorbol esters and forskolin on basal and histamine-induced accumulation of inositol phosphates in cultured bovine adrenal chromaffin cells.

The effect of phorbol esters and forskolin pretreatment on basal and histamine-induced accumulation of inositol phosphates and catecholamine release was examined in cultures of bovine adrenal chromaffin cells. Histamine caused a dose-dependent, Ca2+-dependent accumulation of total inositol phosphates with an EC50 at approximately 1 microM and an eight- to 10-fold increase at 100 microM within 30 min of incubation. Histamine (10 microM) also caused the release of cellular catecholamines amounting to some 2.8% of cellular stores released over a 20-min period. Both the inositol phosphate and catecholamine responses were completely blocked by the H1-antagonist mepyramine and were insensitive to the H2-antagonist cimetidine. Examination of the time course of accumulation of the individual inositol phosphates stimulated by histamine revealed an early and sustained rise in inositol 1,4-bisphosphate content but not inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate content at 1 min and the overall largest accumulation of inositol monophosphate after 30 min of stimulation. Pretreatment with the tumor-promoting phorbol ester phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) resulted in a dose-dependent, time-dependent inhibition of histamine-induced inositol phosphate formation and catecholamine secretion. In this inhibitory action, PMA exhibited high potency (IC50 of approximately 0.5 nM), an effect not shared by the inactive phorbol ester 4-alpha-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate. Pretreatment with forskolin, on the other hand, only marginally inhibited the histamine-induced inositol phospholipid metabolism and catecholamine secretion. These data suggest that protein kinase C activation in chromaffin cells may mediate a negative feedback control on inositol phospholipid metabolism.

DNA-synthesis regulation and correlation with inositol trisphosphate levels in cultured bovine retinal capillary pericytes

Inositol phosphate (IP), inositol bisphosphate (IP2) and inositol trisphosphate (IP3) in cultured bovine retinal capillary pericytes (BRCP) were quantitated by an ion-pair reverse-phase HPLC. BRCP were grown in media with standard (5 mM) or high (30 mM) glucose, and were either labeled with myo-[2-3H]inositol (20 microCi ml-1) for 60 hr or with dual isotopes (20 microCi ml-1 myo-[2-3H]inositol and 2 microCi ml-1 [14C]glycerol) for 8 hr. In parallel, BRCP in different glucose-media were incubated with 1 microCi ml-1 [3H]thymidine for 4 hr. High glucose significantly suppressed the accumulation of [3H]label in IP, IP2 and IP3, and specifically reduced the incorporation of [14C]glycerol into inositol phospholipids, but not that of neutral lipids and other types of phospholipids. The reduced IP3 level correlated with the decrease in the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into DNA. Both the reduced IP3 formation and DNA synthesis which were induced by high glucose were significantly reversed by adding either myo-inositol or AL1576, an aldose reductase inhibitor (ARI). However, the addition of neither myo-inositol nor ARI stimulated IP3 formation and/or DNA synthesis when BRCP were grown in the standard medium (5 mM glucose). These findings indicate that myo-inositol metabolism and the polyol pathway affect inositol phospholipid-mediated pericyte division in vitro only under the high-glucose condition. These data are compatible with the hypothesis that altered inositol phospholipid metabolism accounts for the loss of pericytes in diabetic retinopathy.

Both homodimeric isoforms of PDGF (AA and BB) have mitogenic and chemotactic activity and stimulate phosphoinositol turnover

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) occurs as three dimeric isoforms, AA, BB, and AB, which were previously shown to bind to two receptors with different isoform-specificity, the A/B-type (binds all three isoforms) and the B-type (binds only PDGF-BB). Results from competition binding experiments with Swiss 3T3 cells suggest the existence of a third receptor type, which recognizes PDGF-AB and PDGF-BB. Furthermore, Swiss 3T3 cells and human dermal fibroblasts express different relative and absolute levels of these receptor types. In particular, Swiss 3T3 cells express 90,000 PDGF-AA binding sites (A/B-receptors) per cell, whereas human fibroblasts express only 20,000 A/B-receptors per cell. All three PDGF isoforms were tested in either cell type for their effect on DNA synthesis. PDGF-BB and PDGF-AA were also tested in Swiss 3T3 cells for their effect on inositol phospholipid metabolism and chemotaxis. Each isoform promoted all three processes dose-dependently, but there were differences in the maximum cellular responses elicited. These responses reflect the capacity of the cells to bind the individual isoforms. These results demonstrate that the previous distinctions in responsiveness to the different PDGF isoforms are primarily a consequence of the differences in the levels of surface expression of the various isoform-specific receptor types, rather than of the differences in the intrinsic activity of these isoforms. Furthermore, these results suggest that all types of PDGF receptors are capable of responding to their respective ligands by mediating phosphoinositide breakdown, chemotactic responses, and DNA synthesis. Whether they exhibit other functional differences remains to be seen.

Microwave induced stimulation of32Pi incorporation into phosphoinositides of rat brain synaptosomes

Exposure of synaptosomes to microwave radiation at a power density of 10 mW/sq cm or more produced stimulation of the 32Pi-incorporation into phosphoinositides. The extent of 32Pi incorporation was found to be much more pronounced in phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (PIP), and phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) as compared to phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidic acid (PA). Other lipids were also found to incorporate 32Pi but no significant changes in their labeling were seen after exposure to microwave radiation. Inclusion of 10 mM lithium in the medium reduced the basal labeling of PIP2, PIP and PI and increased PA labeling. Li+ also inhibited the microwave stimulated PIP2, PIP and PI labeling but had no effect on PA labeling. Calcium ionophore, A23187, inhibited the basal and microwave stimulated 32Pi labeling of PIP and PIP2, stimulated basal labeling of PA and PI and had no effect on microwave stimulated PA and PI labeling. Calcium chelator, EGTA, on the other hand, had no effect on basal labeling of PA and PI, stimulated basal PIP and PIP2 labeling but did not alter microwave stimulated labeling of these lipids. Exposure of synaptosomes to microwave radiation did not alter the chemical concentration of phosphoinositides indicating that the turnover of these lipids was altered. These results suggest that low frequency microwave radiation alter the metabolism of inositol phospholipids by enhancing their turnover and thus may affect the transmembrane signalling in the nerve endings.

Inhibitory effect of nonviable preparations from human immunodeficiency virus 1 on inositol phospholipid metabolism

Previously it was established [Pahwa, S., Pahwa, R., Saxinger, C., Gallo, R. C. & Good, R. A. (1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82, 8198] that nonviable preparations of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) abolish the proliferative response of human lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin A. Now we describe that this effect might be, at least partially, due to an impairment of the function of phospholipase C. It was found that addition of HIV-1 preparation to lymphocytes diminished the stimulation of phosphatidylinositol phosphorylation caused by phytohemagglutinin A. Moreover, this preparation completely abolished the phytohemagglutinin-A-stimulated release of inositol trisphosphate and prevented a translocation of protein kinase C from cytosol to membranes. From this data we conclude that nonviable HIV-1 preparations inhibit the intracellular signalling pathway, leading to a reduced mitogenic response to phytohemagglutinin A, at the level of protein kinase C.