Stimulation Of High-affinity GTPase Research Articles

Heat stress stimulates high affinity GTPase in cervical carcinoma cells

A primary cellular site involved in heat shock response of eukaryotic cells is located in plasma membranes. The mechanism by which heat shock is sensed and the signals that trigger heat shock response remain an enigma. We aim to determine the role of guanine-nucleotide binding proteins (G)-proteins in mediating heat shock response in eukaryotic cells. The effect of heat shock on high affinity GTPase activity in presence or absence of modulators of G-proteins, such as pertussis toxin was studied by measuring GTPase catalyzed release of 32[P i] from γ- 32[P]GTP. The effect of pertussis toxin on induction of heat shock proteins in cells subjected to thermal stress was studied by SDS-PAGE analysis of 35[S]-methionine labelled cellular proteins. Exposure of cultured human malignant cells to thermal stress (43°C) resulted in a significant increase in activity of high affinity GTPase in the membranes ( P < 0.001). This response to heat shock was inhibited by prior exposure of the cells to nanogram concentrations of pertussis toxin, suggesting the involvement of G-proteins in mediating heat shock response. To characterize this G-protein dependence further, we assayed thermal stress stimulated high affinity GTPase activity in cells pretreated with antisera (AS/7) raised against a synthetic peptide corresponding to the last 10 amino acids of α-subunit of inhibitory G-protein (G i). A partial reduction in heat shock induced stimulation of GTPase activity was observed in the presence of this antisera. The pertussis toxin treated cells did not show induction of heat shock proteins in response to thermal stress. The inhibition of heat shock induced stimulation of high affinity GTPase by pretreatment of cells with pertussis toxin or antiserum against G i and inhibition of induction of heat shock proteins in toxin treated heat shocked cells suggests that G-protein(s) play a role in mediating the heat shock response.

Agonist-stimulated high-affinity GTPase in Dictyostelium membranes

GTP hydrolysis in Dictyostelium discoideum membranes is caused by a low ( K m> 1 mM) and a high affinity ( K m 6.5 μM) GTPase. cAMP enhances GTP hydrolysis apparently by increasing the affinity of the high affinity GTPase (stimulated K m 4.5 μM); the low affinity GTPase was not affected by cAMP. Stimulation of GTP hydrolysis by cAMP was maximal at early time points and declined thereafter. A half-maximal stimulation of GTPase occurred at 3 μM cAMP and the specificity of cAMP derivatives for stimulation of GTPase activity showed a close correlation with the specificity for binding to the cell surface cAMP receptor. Treatment of D. discoideum cells with pertussis toxin decreased the cAMP-induced stimulation of GTPase from 42 ± 6% in control cells to 17 ± 9% in pertussis toxin-treated cells. These results suggest that the interaction of cAMP with its surface receptor leads to stimulation of high affinity GTPase in D. discoideum membranes. At least one of those enzymes may represent a guanine nucleotide-binding protein sensitive to pertussis toxin.

Heparin and heparinoids impair adrenaline and platelet-activating factor but not thrombin-induced inhibition of adenylate cyclase and stimulation of GTP hydrolysis in human platelet membranes.

The effects of heparins and heparinoids were studied on adenylate cyclase and GTPase activities in human platelet membranes. Inhibition of adenylate cyclase by adrenaline and platelet activating factor was completely abolished by heparin at 1 microgram/ml. At similar concentration heparin blocked the stimulation of high affinity GTPase(s) by these hormonal factors. In contrast, heparin (up to 30 micrograms/ml) did not abolish adenylate cyclase inhibition and stimulation of GTP hydrolysis by thrombin in the absence of antithrombin III. In the presence of antithrombin III, thrombin action on adenylate cyclase was blocked by unfractionated and high molecular weight heparin at 0.1 microgram/ml. Low molecular weight heparins and pentosanpolysulfate were less or not effective. In contrast, all high and low molecular weight heparins tested were almost equally potent in inhibiting adrenaline-induced inhibition of adenylate cyclase in the absence of antithrombin III. The data indicate that heparins discriminate platelet activating factor and adrenaline-induced inhibition of adenylate cyclase from the inhibitory action of thrombin and delineate different structural requirements for the interaction of heparins with the adenylate cyclase system and antithrombin III.

Stimulation of high-affinity GTPase by trypsin and trypsin-like proteinases in membranes of human platelets.

The influence of various proteinases on GTP hydrolysis was studied in membranes of human platelets. Of the proteinases examined, trypsin, acrosin and a recently described trypsin-like proteinase from bovine sperm, but not chymotrypsin, increased GTP hydrolysis. Similar to what was described previously for hormone-like agents, the stimulation of GTP hydrolysis by the proteinases was only observed at low GTP concentrations, with apparent Km values of 0.2-0.3 microM-GTP. Stimulation of the high-affinity GTPase by the proteinases occurred without apparent lag phase and was constant over a long period of incubation. The proteinase inhibitors leupeptin and soya-bean trypsin inhibitor blocked the stimulation of GTP hydrolysis, but did not reverse the effect of the proteinases. Treatment of platelet membranes with N-ethylmaleimide, which eliminates Gi-protein (inhibitory guanine-nucleotide-binding protein)-related GTPase stimulation by adrenaline, decreased stimulation of GTP hydrolysis by the proteinases only partially. Activation of GTP hydrolysis by the proteinases was partially additive with that caused by adrenaline, whereas thrombin stimulation was not increased further. The data indicate that, similarly to the proteinase thrombin, trypsin and trypsin-like proteinases can activate GTP-hydrolysing protein(s) that exhibit high affinity for GTP in platelet membranes. It is suggested that the proteinases interact in platelet membranes with a receptor site similar to that used by thrombin and that the observed GTPase stimulation is a reflection of a proteinase-receptor interaction with a guanine-nucleotide-binding regulatory protein.