Ceramide induces Bcl2 dephosphorylation via a mechanism involving mitochondrial PP2A.

Phosphorylation of Bcl2 at serine 70 is required for its potent anti-apoptotic function. We have recently shown that Bcl2 phosphorylation is a dynamic process that involves the protein kinase C alpha and protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) (Ruvolo, P. P., Deng, X., Carr, B. K., and May, W. S. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 25436-25442; and Deng, X., Ito, T., Carr, B. K., Mumby, M. C., and May, W. S. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 34157-34163). The potent apoptotic agent ceramide can activate a PP2A, suggesting that one potential component of the ceramide-induced death signal may involve the inactivation of Bcl2. Results indicate that C2-ceramide but not inactive C2-dihydroceramide, was found to specifically activate a mitochondrial PP2A, which rapidly and completely induced Bcl2 dephosphorylation and correlated closely with ceramide-induced cell death. Using a genetic approach, the gain-of-function S70E Bcl2 mutation, which mimics phosphorylation, fails to undergo apoptosis even with the addition of high doses of ceramide (IC50 > 50 microM). In contrast, cells overexpressing exogenous wild-type Bcl2 were sensitive to ceramide at dosages where PP2A is fully active and Bcl2 would be expected to be dephosphorylated (IC50 = 14 microM). These findings indicate that in cells expressing functional Bcl2, the mechanism of death action for ceramide may involve, at least in part, a mitochondrial PP2A that dephosphorylates and inactivates Bcl2.

A functional role for mitochondrial protein kinase Calpha in Bcl2 phosphorylation and suppression of apoptosis.

Phosphorylation of Bcl2 at serine 70 may result from activation of a classic protein kinase C (PKC) isoform and is required for functional suppression of apoptosis by Bcl2 in murine growth factor-dependent cell lines (Ito, T., Deng, X., Carr, B., and May, W. S. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 11671-11673). Human pre-B REH cells express high levels of Bcl2 yet remain sensitive to the chemotherapeutic agents etoposide, cytosine arabinoside, and Adriamycin. In contrast, myeloid leukemia-derived HL60 cells express less than half the level of Bcl-2 but are >10-fold more resistant to apoptosis induced by these drugs. The mechanism responsible for this apparent dichotomy appears to involve a deficiency of mitochondrial PKCalpha since 1) HL60 but not REH cells contain highly phosphorylated Bcl2; 2) PKCalpha is the only classical isoform co-localized with Bcl2 in HL60 but not REH mitochondrial membranes; 3) the natural product and potent PKC activator bryostatin-1 induces mitochondrial localization of PKCalpha in association with Bcl2 phosphorylation and increased REH cell resistance to drug-induced apoptosis; 4) PKCalpha can directly phosphorylate wild-type but not phosphorylation-negative and loss of function S70A Bcl2 in vitro; 5) stable, forced expression of exogenous PKCalpha induces mitochondrial localization of PKCalpha, increased Bcl2 phosphorylation and a >10-fold increase in resistance to drug-induced cell death; and () PKCalpha-transduced cells remain highly sensitive to staurosporine, a potent PKC inhibitor. Furthermore, treatment of the PKCalpha transformants with bryostatin-1 leads to even higher levels of mitochondrial PKCalpha, Bcl2 phosphorylation, and REH cell survival following chemotherapy. While these findings strongly support a role for PKCalpha as a functional Bcl2 kinase that can enhance cell resistance to antileukemic chemotherapy, they do not exclude the possibility that another Bcl2 kinase(s) may also exist. Collectively, these findings identify a functional role for PKCalpha in Bcl2 phosphorylation and in resistance to chemotherapy and suggest a novel target for antileukemic strategies.

RNA-directed DNA polymerase activity in human breast cancer biopsy specimens. Relation to estrogen receptor protein.

The expression of a mouse mammary tumor virus is inducible by hormones, and the virus contains a hormone-responsive element. Viral particles and RNA-directed DNA polymerase (RDDP, EC 2.7.7.7; reverse transcriptase) are both detectable in human breast tumors but the frequency and significance of these findings are unknown. Breast tumor biopsy specimens (from either the primary site or a metastasis), frozen in liquid nitrogen at the time of surgery, were routinely obtained to determine estrogen receptor (ERP) concentration. A sample of the tissue was pulverized, homogenized and centrifuged at low speed to remove nuclei and mitochondria. The supernate was then centrifuged at 225,000 g to obtain the cytosol fraction for estrogen and progestin receptor (PgR) assays. Partially purified membranes for the RDDP assays were prepared from the high-speed pellet by discontinuous sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The RDDP assay involved measuring primer-dependent poly(dT) synthesis in the presence of poly(A) as template and oligo-(dT)12-18 as primer. To date, we have studied biopsy specimens from 46 patients with breast cancer. 27 (59%) had ERP and 23 (50%) were RDDP-positive. There was no significant correlation between ERP concentration and RDDP activity. PgR data were available on 36 of the patients; 17 (47%) were positive. No correlation between RDDP and PgR was apparent. Similarly, there was no correlation between RDDP and clinical stage of the disease.

Template specificities of a RNA-directed DNA polymerase from a human homologous mixed mesodermal sarcoma.

A RNA-directed DNA polymerase was partially purified from a human homologous, mixed mesodermal sarcoma by DEAE-cellulose chromatography after sucrose density centrifugation. The enzyme transcribed poly(rA) most effectively but also transcribed poly(rI), poly(dA) and poly(rG) and to a lesser extent, poly(rmC). It was unable to transcribe poly(rU). The product with poly(rA) as template contained large material (greater than 28S) in addition to some proper size product demonstrating a slippage reaction. This pattern of transcription, while similar to avian myeloblastosis virus DNA polymerase, reveals qualitative differences making direct extrapolation from studies with animal oncornaviruses to human cancer difficult. In this paper, the detection and purification of RNA-directed DNA polymerase from a patient with an uncommon uterine sarcoma is reported along with the template specificities of the enzyme.

Utilization of mismatched initiator termini by avian myeloblastosis virus DNA polymerase.

DNA synthesis by avian myeloblastosis virus was studied using poly(C) as template and modified oligo(dG) as primer. The addition of one noncomplementary base to the 3'-end of the primer has no important effect on synthesis. The mispaired base is incorporated into the product and the apparent Km (for primer) and the V of the reaction remain unchanged. This confirms the absence of a 3' leads to 5'-exodeoxynuclease activity using a template that is transcribed faithfully rather than one that can undergo a slippage reaction.