Phosphorylation State Of Receptor Research Articles

ATP-independent Activation of Natriuretic Peptide Receptors

Natriuretic peptide receptor A (NPR-A) is an essential cardiovascular regulator that is stimulated by atrial natriuretic peptide and B-type natriuretic peptide, whereas natriuretic peptide receptor B (NPR-B) stimulates long bone growth in a C-type natriuretic peptide-dependent manner. Many reports indicate that ATP is essential for NPR-A and NPR-B activation. Current models suggest that natriuretic peptide binding to receptor extracellular domains causes ATP binding to intracellular kinase homology domains, which derepresses adjacent catalytic domains. Here, we report 100-fold activations of natriuretic peptide receptors in the absence of ATP. The addition of a nonhydrolyzable ATP analog had no effect at early time periods (measured in seconds) but increased cGMP production about 2-fold after longer incubations (measured in minutes), consistent with a stabilization, not activation, mechanism. These data indicate that ATP does not activate natriuretic peptide receptors as has been repeatedly reported. Instead, ATP increases activity primarily by maintaining proper receptor phosphorylation status but also serves a previously unappreciated enzyme stabilizing function.

ATP-independent activation of natriuretic peptide receptors

Natriuretic peptide receptor A (NPR-A) is an essential cardiovascular regulator that is stimulated by atrial natriuretic peptide and brain natriuretic peptide, whereas natriuretic peptide receptor B (NPR-B) stimulates long bone growth in a C-type natriuretic peptide-dependent manner. Many reports indicate that ATP is essential for NPR-A and NPR-B activation. Current models suggest that natriuretic peptide binding to receptor extracellular domains causes ATP binding to intracellular kinase homology domains, which derepresses adjacent catalytic domains. Here, we report 100-fold activation of natriuretic peptide receptors in the absence of ATP. Addition of a nonhydrolyzable ATP analog had no effect at early time periods (seconds) but increased cGMP production about two-fold after longer incubations (minutes), consistent with a stabilization, not activation, mechanism. These data indicate that ATP does not activate natriuretic peptide receptors. Instead, ATP increases activity primarily by maintaining proper receptor phosphorylation status, but also serves a previously unappreciated enzyme stabilizing function. from 2nd International Conference of cGMP Generators, Effectors and Therapeutic Implications Potsdam, Germany, 10–12 June, 2005

Green tea: prevention and treatment of cancer by nutraceuticals

Green tea 1 Demeule M Michaud-Levesque J Annabi B et al. Green tea catechins as novel antitumor and antiangiogenic compounds. Curr Med Chem Anti-Canc Agents. 2002; 2: 441-463 Crossref PubMed Scopus (127) Google Scholar has always been considered by the Chinese and Japanese peoples as a potent medicine for the maintenance of health, endowed with the power to prolong life. Recently, Yean Lee and colleagues 2 Lee YK Bone ND Strege AK Jelinek DF Kay NE VEGF receptor phosphorylation status and apoptosis is modulated by a green tea component, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) in B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Blood. 2004; 104: 788-794 Crossref PubMed Scopus (193) Google Scholar looked at the effects of the main active green tea constituent, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on chronic lymphocytic leukaemia B cells isolated from leukaemic patients. These cells are characterised by their resistance to apoptosis because they secrete and bind vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a potent angiogenic cytokine that also acts as a crucial survival factor for tumour cells. The researchers showed that addition of EGCG to these cells markedly decreased VEGF-receptor phosphorylation, leading to the disruption of the VEGF-dependent autocrine pathway that protects the cells from apoptosis and cell death.

VEGF receptor phosphorylation status and apoptosis is modulated by a green tea component, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia

AbstractWe recently reported that chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells synthesize and release vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. CLL B cells also express VEGF membrane receptors (VEGF-R1 and VEGF-R2), suggesting that they use VEGF as a survival factor. To assess the mechanism of apoptosis resistance related to VEGF, we determined the impact of VEGF on CLL B cells, and we studied the impact of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a known receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitor, on VEGF receptor status and viability of CLL B cells. VEGF165 significantly increased apoptotic resistance of CLL B cells, and immunoblotting revealed that VEGF-R1 and VEGF-R2 are spontaneously phosphorylated on CLL B cells. EGCG significantly increased apoptosis/cell death in 8 of 10 CLL samples measured by annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) staining. The increase in annexin V/PI staining was accompanied by caspase-3 activation and poly–adenosine diphosphate ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage at low concentrations of EGCG (3 μg/mL). Moreover, EGCG suppressed the proteins B-cell leukemia/lymphoma-2 protein (Bcl-2), X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), and myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) in CLL B cells. Finally, EGCG (3-25 μg/mL) suppressed VEGF-R1 and VEGF-R2 phosphorylation, albeit incompletely. Thus, these results suggest that VEGF signaling regulates survival signals in CLL cells and that interruption of this autocrine pathway results in caspase activation and subsequent leukemic cell death.

In vivo phosphorylation of the somatostatin 2A receptor in human tumors.

Hormone-stimulated receptor internalization and desensitization occur widely in the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family. A critical first step in both these processes is thought to be receptor phosphorylation, a reaction which has been extensively characterized in cell culture. However, little is known about GPCR phosphorylation in vivo. The somatostatin (SS) receptor subtype (sst)2A is widely distributed in human neuroendocrine tumors, and SS analogs are commonly used to target this receptor for both therapy and diagnosis. In cultured pituitary cells sst2A is rapidly phosphorylated and internalized after hormone binding. The aim of the present study was to go one crucial step further and characterize the phosphorylation state of this receptor in human neuroendocrine tumors using a newly developed gel-shift assay. The receptor from a somatostatinoma was completely phosphorylated. In contrast, only unphosphorylated sst2A was present in human tumors that were not exposed to autocrine stimulation. Both in vivo and in cultured cells, the phosphorylation state of the sst2A receptor was correlated with its subcellular localization: phosphorylated receptor was mostly intracellular, whereas unphosphorylated receptor was localized at the cell surface. These results are the first to demonstrate ligand-stimulated GPCR phosphorylation in human tissue in situ, providing a crucial step toward a better understanding of receptor regulation in vivo. Analysis of sst2A phosphorylation promises to provide a sensitive indicator of the effectiveness of SS analogs in diagnostic and therapeutic situations in tumor patients.

Stoichiometric Phosphorylation of Cardiac Ryanodine Receptor on Serine 2809 by Calmodulin-dependent Kinase II and Protein Kinase A

Stoichiometric Phosphorylation of Cardiac Ryanodine Receptor on Serine 2809 by Calmodulin-dependent Kinase II and Protein Kinase A

Pulling strings below the surface: hormone receptor signaling through inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatases.

Hormones, cytokines, and related proteins (such as soluble hormone receptors) play an important role as therapeutic agents. Most hormone receptors signal through a mechanism that involves phosphorylation of the receptor's tyrosine residues. At any given moment, the receptor's phosphorylation state depends on the balance of kinase and phosphatase activities. Recent findings point to the exciting possibility that receptor signaling can be regulated by inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) that specifically hydrolyze receptor tyrosine-phosphates, or their immediate downstream effectors. This strategy has now been firmly validated for the insulin receptor and PTP1B; inhibiting PTP1B activity results in stimulation of the insulin receptor and signaling, even in the absence of insulin. This and similar findings suggest that PTP inhibitors have potential as hormone mimetics. In the present review, we outline this new paradigm for therapeutic regulation of the insulin receptor and discuss evidence that hints at other specific receptor-PTP pairs.

The role of insulin dissociation from its endosomal receptor in insulin degradation

Mechanisms that terminate signals from activated receptors have potential to influence the magnitude and nature of cellular responses to insulin. The aims of this study were to determine in rat liver endosomes (the subcellular site of insulin signal termination) whether dissociation of insulin from its receptor was a pre-requisite for ligand degradation and whether the state of receptor phosphorylation influenced the dissociation and hence endosomal degradation of insulin and/or receptor recycling. Following in vivo administration of 125I-[A14]-insulin or analogues (native, X10 or H2, relative binding affinities 1:7:67) livers were removed and endosomes prepared. In the endosomal preparations a significantly greater percentage of both analogues were receptor-bound than native insulin with concomitantly less ligand degradation. When rats were injected with protein-tyrosine phosphatase inhibitors (peroxovanadium compounds bpV(phen) or bpV(pic)) before insulin, endosomal insulin receptor phosphotyrosine content, assessed by Western blotting, was increased as was receptor-bound 125I-[A14]-insulin, whilst insulin degradation was decreased. Peroxovanadiums also completely inhibited recycling of insulin receptors from endosomes. However, treatment of freshly isolated endosomes with acid phosphatase which completely dephosphorylated the insulin receptor, did not return the rate of insulin dissociation and degradation to control values, suggesting that peroxovanadium compounds elicit their effect on binding and degradation via a mechanism other than as protein-tyrosine phosphatase inhibitors. We conclude that promotion of sustained receptor binding decreases endosomal insulin degradation and extends the half-life of the activated endosomal receptor, which in turn would be expected to potentiate insulin signalling from this intracellular compartment.

A model for assembly and activation of the GM-CSF, IL-3 and IL-5 receptors: Insights from activated mutants of the common β subunit

Granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), Interleukin-3 (IL-3) and Interleukin-5 (IL-5) have overlapping, pleiotropic effects on hematopoietic cells, including neutrophils, eosinophils, monocytes and early progenitor cells. The high-affinity receptors for human GM-CSF, IL-3, and IL-5 share a common β-subunit (hβ c), which is essential for signalling and plays a major role in recruiting intracellular signalling molecules. While activation of the cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase JAK2 appears to be the initiating event for signalling, the immediate events that trigger this are still unclear. We have isolated a number of activated mutants of hβ c, which can be grouped into classes defined by their state of receptor phosphorylation, their requirement for α subunit as a cofactor, and their activities in primary cells and cell lines. We discuss these findings with regard to the stoichiometry, activation, and signalling of the normal GM-CSF/IL-3/IL-5 receptor complexes. Specifically, this work has implications for the role of the ligand-specific α-subunits in initiating the signalling through the β-subunit, the role of β subunit dimerization as a receptor trigger, and the function of receptor tyrosine phosphorylation in generating growth and survival signals. Based on the properties of the activated mutants and the recent structures of erythropoietin receptor (Epo-R) complexes, we propose a model in which (1) activation of hβ c can occur via alternative states that differ with respect to stoichiometry and subunit assembly, but which all mediate proliferative responses, and (2) each of the different classes of activated mutants mimics one of these alternative states.

A method for the determination of activated receptor phosphorylation state following in vivo drug treatment

Reversible phosphorylation events can alter many critical cellular functions and has been hypothesized to play a role in the development of tolerance to chronically administered agonists. The technique described here was developed to assess the phosphorylation state of μ-opioid receptor protein isolated from rodent brain tissue following 4 days of continual, subcutaneously released morphine. We have adapted and combined two techniques: back-phosphorylation reactions, which make use of tissue from animal models, and phosphorylation followed by immunoprecipitation, an approach used in cell culture models. μ-receptor protein is precipitated using a receptor-specific antibody, and the protein phosphorylation state is preserved by the use of phosphatase inhibitors. Phosphorylation sites that are dephosphorylated on the isolated protein are then radiolabelled by the addition of purified cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) catalytic subunit and [ 32 P ]ATP. The samples are separated by gel electrophoresis, and the resulting bands are quantified using a phosphoimager. The amount of 32 P incorporated into the protein is assumed to be inversely related to the degree of phosphorylation prior to the reaction (i.e., the in vivo state of the protein). These estimates of μ-opioid receptor phosphorylation can then be correlated with a behavioral endpoint such as antinociception, to better understand the role of phosphorylation events in tolerance development. Themes: Neurotransmitters, modulators, transporters and receptors Topics: Second messengers and phosphorylation, receptor modulation, up- and down-regulation

Purification of A1 adenosine receptor–G-protein complexes: effects of receptor down-regulation and phosphorylation on coupling

We examined the effects of exposing A1 adenosine receptors (A1ARs) to an agonist on the stability and phosphorylation state of receptor-guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory protein (R-G-protein) complexes. Non-denatured recombinant human A1ARs extended on the N-terminus with hexahistidine (His6) and the FLAG (Asp-Tyr-Lys-Asp-Asp-Asp-Asp-Lys) epitope (H/F) were purified to near homogeneity from stably transfected Chinese-hamster ovary (CHO)-K1 cells. Purified receptors have pharmacological properties similar to receptors in membranes. G-proteins were co-purified with 15+/-2% of H/F-A1AR unless receptor-G-protein (R-G) complexes were uncoupled by pre-treating cell membranes with GTP. By silver staining, purified A1AR-G-protein complexes contain receptors, G-protein alpha and beta subunits and an unidentified 97 kDa protein. Pretreating intact cells with N6-cyclopentyladenosine (CPA) for 24 h decreased both the total number of receptors measured in membranes and the number of purified A1ARs by about 50%. In contrast, pretreating cells with CPA decreased the number of R-G complexes measured in membranes (54+/-6%) significantly less than it decreased the number of purified R-G complexes (78+/-3%) as detected by 125I-N6-(4-aminobenzyl)adenosine binding or by Western blotting Gialpha2. The effect of CPA to decrease the fraction of receptors purified as R-G complexes was not associated with any change in low-level A1AR phosphorylation (found on serine), or low-level phosphorylation of G-protein alpha or beta subunits or the 97 kDa protein. These experiments reveal a novel aspect of agonist-induced down-regulation, namely a diminished stability of receptor-G-protein complexes that is manifested as uncoupling during receptor purification.

Identification and Characterization of the Major Phosphorylation Sites of the B-type Natriuretic Peptide Receptor

C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) is a newly discovered factor that stimulates vasorelaxation and inhibits cell proliferation. Natriuretic peptide receptor-B (NPR-B) is the primary signaling molecule for CNP. Recently, the guanylyl cyclase activity of NPR-B was shown to correlate with its phosphorylation state, and it was suggested that receptor dephosphorylation is a mechanism of desensitization. We now report the identification and characterization of the major NPR-B phosphorylation sites. Mutagenesis and comigration studies using synthetic phosphopeptides were employed to identify five residues (Ser-513, Thr-516, Ser-518, Ser-523, and Ser-526) within the kinase homology domain that are phosphorylated when NPR-B is expressed in human 293 cells. Mutation of any of these residues to alanine reduced the receptor's phosphorylation state and CNP-dependent guanylyl cyclase activity. The reductions were not explained by decreases in receptor protein level as indicated by immunoblot analysis and determinations of cyclase activity in the absence of CNP or in the presence of detergent. Elimination of all of the phosphorylation sites resulted in a completely dephosphorylated receptor whose CNP-dependent cyclase activity was decreased by >90%. However, unlike NPR-A, the dephosphorylated receptor was not completely unresponsive to hormone. Finally, two additional residues (Gly-521 and Ser-522) were identified that when mutated to alanine reduced the overall phosphorylation state and hormone responsiveness of the receptor without abolishing the phosphorylation of a specific site. These data indicate that phosphorylation of the kinase homology domain is a critical event in the regulation of NPR-B.

Phosphorylation of the kinase homology domain is essential for activation of the A-type natriuretic peptide receptor.

Natriuretic peptide receptor A (NPR-A) is the biological receptor for atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). Activation of the NPR-A guanylyl cyclase requires ANP binding to the extracellular domain and ATP binding to a putative site within its cytoplasmic region. The allosteric interaction of ATP with the intracellular kinase homology domain (KHD) is hypothesized to derepress the carboxyl-terminal guanylyl cyclase catalytic domain, resulting in the synthesis of the second messenger, cyclic GMP. Here, we show that phosphorylation of the KHD is essential for receptor activation. Using a combination of phosphopeptide mapping techniques, we have identified six residues within the ATP-binding domain (S497, T500, S502, S506, S510, and T513) which are phosphorylated when NPR-A is expressed in HEK 293 cells. Mutation of any one of these Ser or Thr residues to Ala caused reductions in the receptor phosphorylation state, the number and pattern of phosphopeptides observed in tryptic maps, and ANP-dependent guanylyl cyclase activity. The reductions were not explained by decreases in NPR-A protein levels, as indicated by immunoblot analysis and determinations of cyclase activity in the presence of detergent. Conversion of Ser-497 to Ala resulted in the most dramatic decrease in cyclase activity (approximately 20% of wild-type activity), but conversion to an acidic residue (Glu), which mimics the charge of the phosphoserine moiety, had no effect. Simultaneous mutation of five of the phosphorylation sites to Ala resulted in a dephosphorylated receptor which was unresponsive to hormone and had potent dominant negative inhibitory activity. We conclude that phosphorylation of the KHD is absolutely required for hormone-dependent activation of NPR-A.

Agonist-induced phosphorylation of the kappa-opioid receptor.

Antipeptide antibodies against the kappa-opioid receptor were used to test whether acute or chronic exposure to kappa agonists altered the phosphorylation state of the kappa-opioid receptor. Immunoprecipitation of the kappa receptor from guinea pig hippocampal slices preincubated in [32P]orthophosphoric acid revealed a basal phosphorylation of the kappa-opioid receptor. The amount of 32P incorporation into the receptor was increased following a 75-min treatment with the kappa agonist U50,488H. This effect was blocked by the selective kappa receptor antagonist norbinaltorphimine. The time course of this change in the phosphorylation state of the receptor correlated with a desensitization of the electrophysiological response to kappa agonists measured in the dentate gyrus of hippocampal slices. The phosphorylation state of the kappa-opioid receptor was also elevated in brain slices from guinea pigs made tolerant to U50,488H by 5 days of continuous exposure and then maintained in kappa agonist to avoid acute opiate withdrawal. The results of this study show that the kappa-opioid receptor was phosphorylated in an agonist-dependent manner in brain slices taken from untreated and U50,488H-tolerant animals.

FKBP12 Binds the Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptor at Leucine-Proline (1400–1401) and Anchors Calcineurin to this FK506-like Domain

The immunophilin FKBP12 is one of the most abundant and conserved proteins in biology. It is the primary receptor for the immunosuppressant actions of the drug FK506 in whose presence FKBP12 binds to and inhibits calcineurin, disrupting interleukin formation in lymphocytes. The physiologic functions of FKBP12 are less clear, although the protein has been demonstrated to physiologically interact with the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R), the ryanodine receptor, and the type 1 transforming growth factor beta receptor. We now report that FKBP12 binds the IP3R at residues 1400-1401, a leucyl-prolyl dipeptide epitope that structurally resembles FK506. We further demonstrate that binding to IP3R at this site enables FKBP12 to interact with calcineurin, presumably to anchor the phosphatase to IP3R and modulate the receptor's phosphorylation status. We propose that FK506 promotes an FKBP12-calcineurin interaction by mimicking structurally similar dipeptide epitopes present within proteins that use FKBP12 to anchor calcineurin to the appropriate physiologic substrates.

Site-specific anti-phosphopeptide antibodies: use in assessing insulin receptor serine/threonine phosphorylation state and identification of serine-1327 as a novel site of phorbol ester-induced phosphorylation.

Rabbit antisera were raised against synthetic phosphopeptides corresponding to defined or putative sites of insulin receptor serine/threonine phosphorylation (Ser-1305, Ser-1327, Thr-1348). All of these antibodies bound specifically to the immunogenic phosphopeptide but not to the non-phosphorylated form of the peptide or to other phosphopeptides, in a microtitre plate competition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Anti-PS1327 antibody reacted well with native insulin receptor prepared from phorbol ester-treated transfected CHO.T cells, but showed little reaction with receptor from untreated cells. Anti-PT1348 antibody in crude form reacted substantially with receptor from both phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-treated and untreated cells, but displayed specificity for phosphoreceptor after adsorption to remove antibodies reactive with dephosphopeptide. The ability to discriminate between receptor from cells treated with or without phorbol ester was retained when these antibodies were used to probe denatured receptor on Western blots. Thus anti-PS1327 and anti-PT1348 react with insulin receptor in a site-specific and phosphorylation-state-dependent manner. Anti-PT1348, but not anti-PS1327, also showed increased reactivity with receptor prepared from insulin-treated cells. The third antibody, anti-PS1305, did not react with intact insulin receptor under any conditions. It is concluded that serine 1327 is a major, previously unrecognized, site of phorbol ester-induced receptor phosphorylation, and that anti-phosphopeptide antibodies will be valuable reagents with which to examine the serine/threonine phosphorylation state of receptor extracted from tissues.

In vitro phosphorylation of the 46-kDa mannose 6-phosphate receptor by casein kinase II. Structural requirements for efficient phosphorylation

Some steps in the receptor-mediated transport of newly synthesized mannose 6-phosphate-containing lysosomal enzymes are assumed to be accompanied by changes in the phosphorylation state of receptors. In vitro, the metabolically phosphorylated 46-kDa mannose 6-phosphate receptor (MPR 46) was dephosphorylated by protein phosphatase 2A. The synthetic cytoplasmic domain of MPR 46 was phosphorylated in vitro by casein kinase II. Tryptic phosphopeptide mapping showed that casein kinase II phosphorylates MPR 46 in vitro at the same site that is phosphorylated in vivo. Inhibition studies using synthetic peptides corresponding to different amino acid sequences of the cytoplasmic tail of MPR 46 revealed that the sequence 26-32 (ADGCDFV) contribute to efficient phosphorylation of serine 56. Baby hamster kidney cells were transfected with wild type human MPR 46 cDNA or cDNAs containing mutations in the cytoplasmic tail and assayed for their phosphorylation state in vivo. The phosphorylation of mutant receptors with deleted residues 23-28 (NLVADG) was strongly reduced. These data indicate that residues on the N-terminal side of the phosphorylatable serine 56 may influence the efficiency with which a casein-kinase II-like kinase phosphorylates MPR 46.

Modulation of cell signaling pathways can enhance or impair glucocorticoid-induced gene expression without altering the state of receptor phosphorylation.

We have stably introduced expression vectors for the glucocorticoid receptor and a sensitive, hormone-responsive reporter (mouse mammary tumor virus-luciferase) into a human breast carcinoma-derived cell line. Employing this cell line, we have conducted a detailed examination of the induction of glucocorticoid-regulated genes and the phosphorylation of glucocorticoid receptor following pharmacologic manipulation of cell signaling pathways. The hormone response can be enhanced from 2 to 10-fold by activators of protein kinase A, protein kinase C, and inhibitors of protein phosphatase. Forskolin and 8-bromoadenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (BrcAMP), but not BrcGMP, enhance the hormone effect, yet surprisingly, phosphodiesterase inhibitors, isobutylmethylxanthine and Ro20-1724, strongly inhibit hormone-mediated induction of the reporter gene. These treatments do not alter cellular receptor content, dexamethasone binding, nor hormone-mediated receptor down-regulation. Tryptic peptide analysis of 32P-labeled receptor reveals that neither BrcAMP, isobutylmethylxanthine, nor the tumor promoter and protein kinase C activator, 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate, detectably alter the state of glucocorticoid receptor phosphorylation. The only agent which alters receptor phosphorylation is the protein phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid, but only at concentrations higher than required for maximum effects on glucocorticoid receptor transactivation. We propose that these effectors do not modify receptor directly but alter its interaction with transcription complexes.

Insulin-mimetic actions of phorbol ester in cultured adult rat hepatocytes. Lack of phorbol-ester-elicited inhibition of the insulin signal

The actions of the phorbol ester phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) on glucose metabolism, amino acid transport and enzyme inductions were studied in primary cultures of adult-rat hepatocytes and compared with the effects of insulin. PMA and insulin stimulated glycolysis 5- and 7-fold respectively. The half-maximal effective dose of PMA was 60 nM. Stimulation of glycolysis was accompanied by an insulin- or PMA-dependent and okadaic acid-sensitive activation of 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase and pyruvate kinase, as well as by an increase in fructose 2,6-bisphosphate. Glucose production from glycogen was decreased to 50% by PMA and to 15% by insulin, whereas glycogen synthesis was stimulated 2- and 7-fold respectively. PMA also increased aminoisobutyrate uptake, induced ornithine decarboxylase and counteracted the glucagon-dependent induction of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase. PMA strongly antagonized the hormonal activation of glycogen synthesis, but all other insulin actions assayed were not decreased by the phorbol ester. Whereas additive effects of PMA and insulin were not detected, PMA and a simultaneous increase in the glucose concentration had additive effects on glycolysis and glycogen metabolism. Cell exposure to insulin resulted in receptor autophosphorylation and a more than 10-fold activation of the receptor tyrosine kinase. PMA did not alter these effects, and also had no effect on the receptor phosphorylation status in the absence of insulin. Long-term (15 h) pretreatment of the cells with PMA abolished all PMA effects, but not the insulin effects. It is concluded that PMA does not generally antagonize the action of insulin in differentiated adult hepatocytes, and that insulin and PMA may use related signal-transduction pathways.

Alteration of phosphotyrosine phosphatase activity in tissues from diabetic and pregnant rats

Membrane-associated tyrosine phosphatase activities were studied in two distinct states of insulin resistance: diabetes and pregnancy. Using a novel immunoenzymatic assay with intact insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and insulin receptors as substrates, we show that phosphotyrosine-protein phosphatases (PTP-ases) from normal rat tissues induce a decrease in tyrosine phosphorylation of both receptors. Membrane fractions from kidney, brain, and liver contain the highest PTP-ase activity toward the insulin receptor. After 20-day streptozotocin-induced diabetes, PTP-ase activities are increased by 70% in the placenta, reduced by 40-50% in liver and skeletal muscle, and remained unchanged in the nonclassical insulin target tissues, kidney and brain. In general, the dephosphorylation of IGF-I receptor follows a pattern similar to that of insulin receptor except in red skeletal muscle in which it is not modified. Pregnancy also induces alterations of liver PTP-ases similar to those elicited by diabetes with a 50% reduction of insulin and IGF-I receptor dephosphorylation. This effect of pregnancy is further potentiated by diabetes. The alterations in the activity of hepatic PTP-ases from diabetic and pregnant rats are associated with a decreased autophosphorylation of the insulin receptor, suggesting that the diminution of phosphatase activity might be associated to the state of receptor phosphorylation and activation. Our data demonstrate that alterations of PTP-ases in insulin target tissues are found in two insulin-resistant states, one characterized by hyperinsulinemia, pregnancy and one by insulinopenia, streptozotocin-diabetes. These observations suggest a possible relationship between the defective activity of receptor tyrosine kinases and membrane-associated phosphatases from insulin responsive tissues.