Okadaic Acid Treatment Research Articles

Inactivation of GSK-3?? in okadaic acid-induced neurodegeneration: relevance to Alzheimer??s disease

Hyperphosphorylation of tau is a characteristic feature of the neurodegenerative pathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Okadaic acid is used as a research model of AD to increase the tau phosphorylation and neuronal death. Using Western blotting, we found that the amounts of activated PKB[pS-473] and inactivated GSK-3beta[pS-9] were increased in proportion to the progress of okadaic acid induced tau phosphorylation. Immunocytochemistry showed that PKB[pS-473] and GSK-3beta[pS-9] immunoreactivity increased in dystrophic neurites and cell bodies in degenerating neurons after okadaic acid treatment. Double staining with phosphospecific tau antibodies showed that PKB[pS-473] and GSK-3beta[pS-9] were colocalized with phosphospecific tau in response to okadaic acid. Taken together, our data suggest that inhibition of protein phosphatase results in the hyperphosphorylation of tau without GSK-3beta overactivation.

Ultrastructural identification of uncoated caveolin-independent early endocytic vehicles

Using quantitative light microscopy and a modified immunoelectron microscopic technique, we have characterized the entry pathway of the cholera toxin binding subunit (CTB) in primary embryonic fibroblasts. CTB trafficking to the Golgi complex was identical in caveolin-1null (Cav1−/−) mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and wild-type (WT) MEFs. CTB entry in the Cav1−/− MEFs was predominantly clathrin and dynamin independent but relatively cholesterol dependent. Immunoelectron microscopy was used to quantify budded and surface-connected caveolae and to identify noncaveolar endocytic vehicles. In WT MEFs, a small fraction of the total Cav1-positive structures were shown to bud from the plasma membrane (2% per minute), and budding increased upon okadaic acid or lactosyl ceramide treatment. However, the major carriers involved in initial entry of CTB were identified as uncoated tubular or ring-shaped structures. These carriers contained GPI-anchored proteins and fluid phase markers and represented the major vehicles mediating CTB uptake in both WT and caveolae-null cells.

In vivo effects of protein kinase and phosphatase inhibitors on CYP2B induction in rat liver

Effects of inhibiting protein kinases and phosphatases on induction of CYP2B by triphenyldioxane (TPD) and phenobarbital (PB) were investigated. Male Wistar rats were treated with test inhibitors before TPD or PB administration. Inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (Wortmannin) and protein kinase C (bisindolylmaleimide I) did not have appreciable effects on TPD- or PB-induced pentoxyresorufin O-dealkylase (PROD) activity specific for CYP2B, although bisindolylmaleimide I did give substantial induction alone. W-7, an inhibitor of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase II, produced a 6-fold increase in the TPD-induced PROD activity and did not lead to a significant increase in basal PROD activity. Treatment of rats with okadaic acid (OA), an inhibitor of protein phosphatases PP1 and PP2A, caused considerable decreases in PROD activity during the induction by TPD and PB (8- and 2.5-fold, respectively). Results of multiplex RT-PCR showed that the increase in enzymatic activity from W7 and OA treatment reflected at least in part increased mRNA levels. CYP2B mRNA level in the liver of rats treated with W-7 and TPD was 1.5 times higher than in the liver of TPD-treated rats. This effect was not observed for PB-induction. OA treatment caused a decrease of the CYP2B mRNA levels of 44% and 33% respectively, for TPD- and PB-induction. Thus, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that phosphorylation/dephosphorylation signaling pathways are involved in regulation of CYP2B induction in rat liver.

Phosphorylation and hypoxia-induced heme oxygenase-1 gene expression in cardiomyocytes

Background Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a stress protein and the rate-limiting enzyme in heme degradation. We sought to examine the notion that protein kinases and phosphatases through phosphorylation and dephosphorylation modulate the HO-1 expression in cardiomyocytes under hypoxic conditions. Methods and results Exposure of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes to hypoxia markedly induced the HO-1 expression, as assessed by Northern blot, Western blot, and transfection assay. The hypoxia-induced HO-1 expression was blocked by the kinase inhibitors staurosporine and SB202190 in a dose-dependent manner. Hypoxia decreased the activity of phosphatase-1 (PP-1). To examine the effect of PP-1 inhibition on HO-1 expression we used the phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid (OA) and an antisense vector. OA treatment or overexpression of the antisense PP-1 transcript markedly induced HO-1 expression. Furthermore, transfection assay using HO-1 promoter constructs revealed the involvement of the nuclear factor kB (NF-kB) and Activator protein-1 (AP-1) in the hypoxia-induced activation of the HO-1 gene. The HO-1 promoter activity was modulated by OA under normoxic conditions or staurosporine under hypoxia. Conclusions Our results suggest that activation of protein kinases and downregulation of PP-1 activity contribute to the hypoxia-induced HO-1 gene expression and that the proximal HO-1 promoter region containing NF-kB and AP-1 binding sites is likely to play a role in the transcriptional activation of the HO-1 gene in cardiomyocytes in response to hypoxic stress.

Phosphatase inhibition potentiates IL-6 production by mast cells in response to FcepsilonRI-mediated activation: involvement of p38 MAPK.

Mast cells are crucial effector cells in the immune response through mediator secretion and release of cytokines. A coordinated balance between protein kinases and phosphatases plays an essential role in the regulation of mast cell mediator secretion. We have previously shown that treatment of mast cells with okadaic acid (OA), a protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) inhibitor, results in a dose-dependent increase in interleukin (IL)-6 production. We show here for the first time a synergism between OA and immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated IL-6 secretion by murine bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMC). Selective p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) inhibition reduces OA and IgE-mediated IL-6 production. Regulation of p38 MAPK by PP2A was demonstrated, as OA treatment caused a dose-dependent increase in p38 MAPK phosphorylation. Antigen-mediated activation of murine mast cells also resulted in an increase in p38 MAPK phosphorylation, which was potentiated by cotreatment of the cells with OA. Lastly, in two mast cell lines (human mast cell-1 5C6 and murine MC/9) and primary-cultured murine BMMC, we show by coimmunoprecipitation an interaction between p38 MAPK and PP2A. These data support a role for PP2A through interaction with p38 MAPK in the regulation of IgE-dependent mast cell activation.

Hyperphosphorylation of rat liver proteasome subunits: the effects of ethanol and okadaic acid are compared

In experimental alcoholic liver disease, protein degradation by the ATP-ubiquitin-proteasome pathway is inhibited. Failure of the proteasome to eliminate cytoplasmic proteins leads to the accumulation of oxidized and otherwise modified proteins. One possible explanation for the inhibition of the proteasome is hyperphosphorylation of proteasome subunits. To examine this possibility, the 26S proteasomes from the liver of rats fed ethanol and a pair-fed control were studied by isolating the proteasomes in a purified fraction. The effect of ethanol on the phosphorylation of proteasomal subunits was compared with the hyperphosphorylation of the proteasomes caused by okadaic acid given to rats in vivo. Ethanol ingestion caused an inhibition of the chymotrypsin-like activity of the purified proteasome. The 2D electrophoresis and Western blot analysis of the purified 20S and 26S proteasomes from the ethanol-fed rats indicated that hyperphosphorylation of proteasomal subunits had occured. The proteasomal alpha type subunits C9/α3 and C8/α7 were hyperphosphorylated compared to the controls. Chymotrypsin-like activity was also inhibited by okadaic acid treatment similar to ethanol feeding. The 26S proteasome fraction examined by isoelectric focusing gel revealed many hyperphosphorylated bands in the proteasomes from the okadaic acid treated and the ethanol fed rat livers compared with the controls. In conclusion hyperphosphorylation of the proteasome subunits occurs in the ethanol treated proteasomal subunits which could be one mechanism of the inhibition of the 26S proteasome caused by ethanol feeding.

Hyperphosphorylation of rat liver proteasome subunits: the effects of ethanol and okadaic acid are compared

In experimental alcoholic liver disease, protein degradation by the ATP-ubiquitin-proteasome pathway is inhibited. Failure of the proteasome to eliminate cytoplasmic proteins leads to the accumulation of oxidized and otherwise modified proteins. One possible explanation for the inhibition of the proteasome is hyperphosphorylation of proteasome subunits. To examine this possibility, the 26S proteasomes from the liver of rats fed ethanol and a pair-fed control were studied by isolating the proteasomes in a purified fraction. The effect of ethanol on the phosphorylation of proteasomal subunits was compared with the hyperphosphorylation of the proteasomes caused by okadaic acid given to rats in vivo. Ethanol ingestion caused an inhibition of the chymotrypsin-like activity of the purified proteasome. The 2D electrophoresis and Western blot analysis of the purified 20S and 26S proteasomes from the ethanol-fed rats indicated that hyperphosphorylation of proteasomal subunits had occured. The proteasomal alpha type subunits C9/α3 and C8/α7 were hyperphosphorylated compared to the controls. Chymotrypsin-like activity was also inhibited by okadaic acid treatment similar to ethanol feeding. The 26S proteasome fraction examined by isoelectric focusing gel revealed many hyperphosphorylated bands in the proteasomes from the okadaic acid treated and the ethanol fed rat livers compared with the controls. In conclusion hyperphosphorylation of the proteasome subunits occurs in the ethanol treated proteasomal subunits which could be one mechanism of the inhibition of the 26S proteasome caused by ethanol feeding.

Protein phosphatase 1, but not protein phosphatase 2A, dephosphorylates DNA-damaging stress-induced phospho-serine 15 of p53

Okadaic acid (OA) is a protein phosphatase (PP) inhibitor and induces hyperphosphorylation of p53. We investigated whether the inhibition of PP1 by OA promotes the phosphorylation of the serine 15 of p53. In vitro dephosphorylation assay showed that PP1 dephosphorylated ultraviolet C (UVC)-induced phospho-ser15 of p53, and that OA treatment inhibited it. One of the PP1 regulators, growth arrest and DNA damage 34 (GADD34), disturbed PP1 binding with p53, interfered with the dephosphorylation of p53 and increased the amount of phospho-p53 after UVC-treatment. This report provides the first evidence that PP1, but not PP2A, dephosphorylates phospho-serine 15 of p53.

Okadaic acid augments utrophin in myogenic cells

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a fatal childhood disease caused by mutations that abolish the expression of dystrophin in muscle. Utrophin is a paralogue of dystrophin and can functionally replace it in skeletal muscle. A potential therapeutic approach is to increase utrophin levels in muscle. One way to achieve this aim is to increase the expression of the utrophin gene at a transcriptional level via promoter activation. In this study, we have shown that utrophin A mRNA levels can be induced by okadaic acid in murine myogenic C2C12 cells. We have found that a utrophin A promoter reporter can be induced by Sp1 in C2C12 myoblasts, but not in myotubes. This activation can be enhanced by okadaic acid treatment. Our data suggest that this induction is due to Sp1 phosphorylation during myogenesis and thus, utrophin expression in muscle could be regulated by treatment with phosphatase inhibitors. Control of utrophin promoter activation could then be used to increase the expression of utrophin, and thus ameliorate the symptoms of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase dynamics during the meiotic G2/MI transition of mouse spermatocytes.

Cellular and genetic approaches were used to investigate the requirements for activation during spermatogenesis of the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases (ERKs), more commonly known as the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). The MAPKS and their activating kinases, the MEKs, are expressed in specific developmental patterns. The MAPKs and MEK2 are expressed in all premeiotic germ cells and spermatocytes, while MEK1 is not expressed abundantly in pachytene spermatocytes. Phosphorylated (active) variants of these kinases are diminished in pachytene spermatocytes. Treatment of pachytene spermatocytes with okadaic acid (OA), to induce transition from meiotic prophase to metaphase I (G2/MI), resulted in phosphorylation and enzymatic activation of ERK1/2. However, U0126, an inhibitor of the ERK-activating kinases, MEK1/2, did not inhibit OA-induced MAPK activation or chromosome condensation. Analysis of spermatocytes lacking MOS, a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase responsible for MEK and MAPK activation, revealed that MOS is not required for OA-induced activation of the MAPKs. OA-induced MAPK activation was inhibited by butyrolactone I, an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases 1 and 2 (CDK1, CDK2); thus, these kinases may regulate MAPK activity. Additionally, spermatocytes lacking CDC25C condensed bivalent chromosomes and activated both MPF and MAPKs in response to OA treatment; therefore, there is a CDC25C-independent pathway for MPF and MAPK activation. These studies reveal that spermatocytes do not require either MOS or CDC25C for onset of the meiotic division phase or for activation of MPF and the MAPKs, thus implicating a novel pathway for activation of the ERK1/2 MAPKs in spermatocytes.

Identification of Nucleolin as an AU-rich Element Binding Protein Involved in bcl-2 mRNA Stabilization

bcl-2 mRNA contains an AU-rich element (ARE) that functions in regulating bcl-2 stability. Our earlier studies indicated that taxol- or okadaic acid-induced bcl-2 mRNA destabilization in HL-60 cells is associated with decreased binding of trans-acting factors to the ARE. To identify factors that play a role in the regulation of bcl-2 mRNA stability, bcl-2 ARE-binding proteins were purified from HL-60 cells. Three polypeptides of 100, 70, and 32 kDa were isolated from a bcl-2 ARE affinity matrix. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectroscopy analysis identified these proteins as full-length nucleolin and proteolytic fragments of nucleolin. RNA gel shifts assays indicated that recombinant nucleolin (residues 284-707) binds specifically to bcl-2 ARE RNA. In addition, recombinant nucleolin decreases the rate of decay of mRNA in HL-60 cell extracts in an ARE-dependent manner. Taxol or okadaic acid treatment of HL-60 cells results in proteolysis of nucleolin in a similar time frame as drug-induced bcl-2 mRNA down-regulation. These findings suggest that nucleolin functions as a bcl-2-stabilizing factor and that taxol and okadaic acid treatment induces apoptosis in HL-60 cells through a process that involves down-regulation of nucleolin and destabilization of bcl-2 mRNA.

Phosphorylation of tau at THR212 and SER214 in human neuronal and glial cultures: The role of AKT

We have reported recently that the microtubule-associated protein tau is phosphorylated in vitro by Akt, an important kinase in anti-apoptotic signaling regulated by insulin and growth factors. We also established that Akt phosphorylates tau separately at T212 and S214, two sites previously shown to be phosphorylated by glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) and protein kinase A (PKA), respectively. In the present studies, we examined the relationship between Akt and T212/S214 in primary cultures of human neurons and astrocytes, and evaluated the contribution of two other kinases. In intact cells, we found a very low content of active (phospho-S473) form of Akt. We also found a low content of phospho-S214 but not phospho-T212 of tau, suggesting that only phospho-S212 may depend on Akt activity in situ. We upregulated Akt activity using two experimental models: treatment with a protein phosphatase inhibitor, okadaic acid, and transfection with a constitutively active Akt gene construct (c-Akt). Under these conditions, phosphorylation of tau at T212 and S214 was regulated independently, with little change or downregulation of phospho-T212 and dynamic upregulation of phospho-S214. Our studies revealed that Akt may influence the phospho-S214 content in a meaningful manner. They also revealed that PKA may only partially contribute to the phosphorylation of S214. In comparison, okadaic acid treatment severely depleted the content of GSK3β and downregulated the remaining GSK3β activity by Akt-dependent inhibition, consistent with minimal changes in phospho-T212. In summary, these results strongly suggest that in primary cultures, Akt selectively phosphorylates tau at S214 rather than T212. Our studies raise the possibility that tau S214 may participate in Akt-mediated anti-apoptotic signaling.

Inhibitors of protein phosphatase 1 and 2A decrease the level of tubulin carboxypeptidase activity associated with microtubules.

The association of tubulin carboxypeptidase with microtubules may be involved in the determination of the tyrosination state of the microtubules, i.e. their proportion of tyrosinated vs. nontyrosinated tubulin. We investigated the role of protein phosphatases in the association of carboxypeptidase with microtubules in COS cells. Okadaic acid and other PP1/PP2A inhibitors, when added to culture medium before isolation of the cytoskeletal fraction, produced near depletion of the carboxypeptidase activity associated with microtubules. Isolation of the native assembled and nonassembled tubulin fractions from cells treated and not treated with okadaic acid, and subsequent in vitro assay of the carboxypeptidase activity, revealed that the enzyme was dissociated from microtubules by okadaic acid treatment and recovered in the soluble fraction. There was no effect by nor-okadaone (an inactive okadaic acid analogue) or inhibitors of PP2B and of tyrosine phosphatases which do not affect PP1/PP2A activity. When tested in an in vitro system, okadaic acid neither dissociated the enzyme from microtubules nor inactivated it. In living cells, prior stabilization of microtubules with taxol prevented the dissociation of carboxypeptidase by okadaic acid indicating that dynamic microtubules are needed for okadaic acid to exert its effect. On the other hand, stabilization of microtubules subsequent to okadaic acid treatment did not reverse the dissociating effect of okadaic acid. These results suggest that dephosphorylation (and presumably also phosphorylation) of the carboxypeptidase or an intermediate compound occurs while it is not associated with microtubules, and that the phosphate content determines whether or not the carboxypeptidase is able to associate with microtubules.

Characteristics of okadaic acid--induced cytotoxic effects in CHO K1 cells.

This article reports the results of investigations into the process of cell death induced in the Chinese hamster ovary cell K1 subclone (CHO K1) by okadaic acid (OA), a hydrophobic polyether produced by marine dinoflagellates. The IC50 was about 13 nM OA after 24 h of treatment, as determined using neutral red. With the MTT assay, the IC50 was 25 nM, although in this case 25% of the initial staining was still observed at 100 nM. Hoechst staining showed that mitotic figures accumulated at 12 nM OA after a 24- or 48-h treatment. In experiments limited to a 3-day treatment without changing the medium, CHO K1 cells were engaged in the death process at 50 nM OA after about 20 h and at 10 nM OA after 48 h. In many cells nuclear fragmentation that resulted in the apparent appearance of vesicles correlated with increasing cellular volume. But additional cell fragmentation was not observed with any treatment, and the chromatin material seemed to progressively disappear inside the cells. DNA fragmentation was analyzed by electrophoresis and with the TUNEL technique. With both techniques, the DNA was fragmented by 48 h in both 25 and 50 nM OA. Electrophoresis showed that both adherent and nonadherent cells were affected. Annexin-positive/ propidium iodide (PI)-negative cells were rarely observed after OA treatment. Some were seen under the scanning cytometer after 20 h at 50 nM OA or after 48 h at 10 nM OA, but they were never detected by flow cytometry. Most of the time scanning cytometry showed either unstained cells or PI-positive (annexin-positive or -negative) cells (48 h, 50 nM, or 72 h, 10 nM). Flow cytometry cytograms showed two cell subpopulations: one composed of a majority of smaller cells, the other of larger cells. The larger cells markedly decreased with time and OA treatment (50 and 100 nM). Stained-cell counting showed that all cells that stained were both annexin- and PI positive and that most PI-positive cells were smaller. Ki67 antigen labeling showed the proliferative activity of CHO K1 cultures but also demonstrated the loss of this activity in smaller cells treated with 50 nM OA for 48 h. We concluded that in our culture conditions the main OA target within CHO K1 cultures was dividing cells. Our results suggest that cells with disturbed metaphase-anaphase enter apoptosis, leading to necrotic daughter cells.

Proteasome Inhibition Stabilizes Tau Inclusions in Oligodendroglial Cells that Occur after Treatment with Okadaic Acid

Tau-positive inclusions in oligodendrocytes are consistent neuropathological features of corticobasal degeneration, progressive supranuclear palsy, and frontotemporal dementias with Parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17. Here we show by immunohistochemistry that tau-positive oligodendroglial inclusion bodies also contain the small heat-shock protein (HSP) alphaB-crystallin but not HSP70. To study the molecular mechanisms underlying inclusion body formation, we engineered an oligodendroglia cell line (OLN-t40) to overexpress the longest human tau isoform. Treatment of OLN-t40 cells with okadaic acid (OA), an inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A, caused tau hyperphosphorylation and a decrease in the binding of tau to microtubules. Simultaneously, tau-positive aggregates that also stained with the amyloid-binding dye thioflavin-S as well as with antibodies to tau and alphaB-crystallin were detected. However, they were only transiently expressed and were degraded within 24 hr. When the proteasomal apparatus was inhibited by carbobenzoxy-l-leucyl-l-leucyl-l-leucinal (MG-132) after OA treatment, the aggregates were stabilized and were still detectable after 18 hr in the absence of OA. Incubation with MG-132 alone inhibited tau proteolysis and led to the induction of HSPs, including alphaB-crystallin and to its translocation to the perinuclear region, but did not induce the formation of thioflavin-S-positive aggregates. Hence, although tau hyperphosphorylation induced by protein phosphatase inhibition contributes to pathological aggregate formation, only hyperphosporylation of tau followed by proteasome inhibition leads to stable fibrillary deposits of tau similar to those observed in neurodegenerative diseases.

Okadaic acid mediates tau phosphorylation via sustained activation of the L-voltage-sensitive calcium channel

Accumulation of phosphorylated isoforms of the microtubule-associated protein tau is one hallmark of affected neurons in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This increase has been attributed to increased kinase or decreased phosphatase activity. Prior studies indicate that one of the kinases that phosphorylates tau (mitogen-activated protein kinase, or MAP kinase) does so at least in part indirectly within intact neuronal cells by phosphorylating and activating the L-voltage-sensitive calcium channel. Resultant calcium influx then fosters tau phosphorylation via one or more calcium-activated kinases. We demonstrate herein that treatment of differentiated SH-SY-5Y human neuroblastoma with the phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid (OA) similarly may increase tau phosphorylation via sustained activation of the L-voltage-sensitive calcium channel. OA increased phospho-tau as indicated by increased immunoreactivity towards an antibody (PHF-1) directed against paired helical filaments from AD brain. This increase was blocked by co-treatment with the channel antagonist nimodipine. OA treatment increased channel phosphorylation. The increases in calcium influx, PHF-1 immunoreactivity and channel phosphorylation were all attenuated by co-treatment with PD98059, which inhibits MAP kinase activity, suggesting that OA mediates these effects at least in part via sustained activation of MAP kinase. These findings underscore that divergent and convergent kinase and phosphatase activities regulate tau phosphorylation.

Taxol- and okadaic acid-induced destabilization of bcl-2 mRNA is associated with decreased binding of proteins to a bcl-2 instability element

The observation that overexpression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 is associated with both cancer development and anti-cancer drug resistance suggests that factors which regulate bcl-2 expression may be important therapeutic targets. We report here that taxol or okadaic acid (OA) treatment of HL-60 cells reduced bcl-2 mRNA steady state levels to 50% of control cell levels in 20–24 hr of treatment. The 3′-untranslated region of bcl-2 mRNA contains four potential A+U-rich elements (AREs), which are associated with mRNA destabilization. RNA gel mobility shift assays revealed that HL-60 cell extracts contain proteins that bind to RNA transcripts containing the first bcl-2 ARE (ARE 1). ARE 1 binding activity was substantially reduced in extracts of cells treated for 20 hr with taxol or OA and was abolished after 32 hr of treatment. UV-induced RNA cross-linking assays revealed that untreated HL-60 cell extracts contain approximately eight proteins, ranging in size from 32 to 100 kDa, that bind to ARE 1 RNA. Following 20 hr of taxol or OA treatment, RNA cross-linking to ∼70 and ∼38 kDa proteins was greatly reduced, and cross-linking to four proteins of 45–60 kDa sizes was progressively reduced with 10–34 hr of OA or taxol treatment. Collectively, these results suggest a novel action of taxol and OA on bcl-2 expression, which involves bcl-2 mRNA downregulation through inactivation of bcl-2 mRNA stabilizing factors.

Okadaic acid stimulates expression of Fas receptor and Fas ligand by activation of nuclear factor kappa-B in human oral squamous carcinoma cells

In the present study, we used western blot and RT-PCR analysis to examine the expression of proteins and mRNAs of Fas receptor and Fas ligand in human oral squamous carcinoma SCC-25 cells treated with okadaic acid. Treatment with okadaic acid enhanced the expression of proteins and mRNAs of both Fas receptor and Fas ligand in SCC-25 cells. The amount of IκB-α in whole cell lysates decreased, while the level of NF-κB in nucleus increased, in the okadaic acid-treated cells. Okadaic acid-treatment also alters the cellular localization of NF-κB, from cytoplasm to nuclei. To investigate the activation of NF-κB in okadaic acid-treated SCC-25 cells, we performed electrophoretic mobility gel shift assay using nuclear extracts and the consensus oligonucleotide for NF-κB DNA binding site. The binding of nuclear proteins to the oligonucleotide of NF-κB increased when the cells had been treated with 20 nM okadaic acid for 4 h. We transfected the cells with pFLF1, which has the promoter region of Fas receptor gene containing NF-κB binding site. A luciferase reporter gene assay demonstrated that the activity in the cells transfected with pFLF1 and treated with 20 nM okadaic acid increased in a time-dependent manner and that the activity was more than three-fold over that in the control cells. Our results suggest that NF-κB activated at early stages in the okadaic acid-treated SCC-25 cells stimulated the promoter activity of Fas receptor in the cells leading to the apoptotic death of these cells.

Suppression of Egr-1 expression in human oral squamous carcinoma cells by okadaic acid

We examined the expression of early growth response-1 (Egr-1) gene in human oral squamous carcinoma cell lines SCCKN and SCC-25 cells and human osteoblastic cell lines Saos-2 and MG63 cells treated with okadaic acid, a potent inhibitor of protein phosphatases type 1 and type 2A. Western blot analysis revealed that Egr-1 was strongly expressed in SCCKN cells and that okadaic acid decreased the expression of Egr-1 protein in these cells. However, Egr-1 was expressed at lower levels in SCC-25, Saos-2, and MG63 cells and transiently increased with the okadaic acid treatment. Suppression of Egr-1 protein expression in okadaic acid-treated SCCKN cells stemmed from the suppression of the Egr-1 mRNA level, as determined by the RT-RCR method. Formaldehyde-fixed and alcohol-permeabilized cultured SCCKN cells were reacted with the anti-Egr-1 antibody using immunohistochemical methods. Intense fluorescence was observed in the nuclei of the control SCCKN cells interacted with anti-Egr-1 antibody. However, only a weak reaction was observed in the nuclei in SCCKN cells treated with okadaic acid. A gel mobility shift assay showed that treatment of SCCKN cells with okadaic acid suppressed Egr-1 binding to the DIG-labeled Egr-1 consensus oligonucleotide probe. The present results indicate that the alteration of phosphorylation states in SCCKN cells regulates Egr-1 binding to its consensus sequence and its expression at the transcriptional level.

Evidence of a balance between phosphorylation and O-GlcNAc glycosylation of Tau proteins—a role in nuclear localization

Both phosphorylation and O-GlcNAc glycosylation posttranslationally modify microtubule-associated Tau proteins. Whereas the hyperphosphorylation of these proteins that occurs in Alzheimer's disease is well characterized, little is known about the O-GlcNAc glycosylation. The present study demonstrates that a balance exists between phosphorylation and O-GlcNAc glycosylation of Tau proteins, and furthermore that a dysfunction of this balance correlates with reduced nuclear localization. The affinity of Tau proteins for WGA lectin, together with evidence from [ 3H]-galactose transfer and analysis of beta-eliminated products, demonstrated the presence of O-GlcNAc residues on both cytosolic and nuclear Tau proteins. In addition, our data indicated the existence of a balance between phosphorylation and O-GlcNAc glycosylation events. Indeed, as demonstrated by 2D-electrophoresis and Western blotting, O-GlcNAc residues were mainly located on the less phosphorylated Tau 441 variants, whereas the more phosphorylated forms were devoid of O-GlcNAc residues. Furthermore, the Tau protein hyperphosphorylation induced by cellular okadaic acid treatment was correlated with reduced incorporation of O-GlcNAc residues into Tau proteins and with diminished Tau transfer into the nucleus. Hence, this paper establishes a direct relationship between O-GlcNAc glycosylation, phosphorylation and cellular localization of Tau proteins.