7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene activates protein-tyrosine kinases Fyn and Lck in the HPB-ALL human T-cell line and increases tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C-gamma 1, formation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate, and mobilization of intracellular calcium.

Previous studies have shown that the immunosuppressive and carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) impairs Ca(2+)-dependent transmembrane signaling in human and murine lymphocytes. The purpose of the present studies was to analyze potential mechanisms of immunosuppression by DMBA and to examine effects on Ca2+ homeostasis and antigen-receptor signaling in human T cells. DMBA produced a rapid and sustained increase in Ca2+ levels in HPB-ALL cells by release of cytoplasmic Ca2+. DMBA also inhibited anti-CD3/CD4 mobilization of Ca2+ in HPB-ALL cells, with half-maximal inhibition occurring at approximately 4 hr. Thus, the kinetics for initial Ca2+ mobilization and inhibition of the anti-CD3/CD4 response differed. The rapid rise in intracellular Ca2+ induced by DMBA alone was accompanied by a rapid but transient increase in inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C-gamma 1. The pattern of tyrosine phosphorylation induced by DMBA in HPB-ALL cells was remarkably similar to that induced by anti-CD3/CD4 activation. Thus, DMBA-induced phosphorylation may mimic antigen-receptor activation in T cells, which may lead to alterations in antigen responsiveness. The mechanism of DMBA-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C-gamma 1 may have been due to an increase in protein-tyrosine kinase activity, since it was found that DMBA produced a > 2-fold increase in the activity of the T-cell receptor-associated Src-family kinases Fyn and Lck. The kinetics of activation of protein-tyrosine kinases demonstrated that Fyn activity was increased within 10 min of exposure to DMBA, whereas maximal Lck activation required 30 min. Thus, it is likely that the Fyn kinase or other protein-tyrosine kinases may be responsible for the early tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C-gamma 1, which results in inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate release and mobilization of intracellular Ca2+.

Fc epsilon RI-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of the 72-kDa protein-tyrosine kinase, PTK72, in RBL-2H3 rat tumor mast cells.

In RBL-2H3 rat tumor mast cells, cross-linking the high-affinity IgE receptor Fc epsilon RI causes tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple proteins. These phosphoproteins include phospholipase C gamma 1, the beta and gamma subunits of the Fc epsilon RI, the Src family protein-tyrosine kinase Lyn, and a 72-kDa protein that coimmunoprecipitates from lysates of antigen-stimulated cells with antibody to the receptor beta subunit. We now present evidence that the 72-kDa Fc epsilon RI-associated protein is the protein-tyrosine kinase PTK72 that forms part of the antigen receptor complex in B lymphocytes. The identification is based on immunoreactivity with anti-PTK72 antiserum, chromatographic profiles on the affinity resin heparin/agarose, and one-dimensional phosphopeptide mapping studies. Enzymatic activity of the kinase is increased in anti-PTK72 immune complexes prepared from lysates of antigen-activated RBL-2H3 cells. The 72-kDa protein-tyrosine kinase is the principal substrate for in vitro tyrosine phosphorylation in anti-phosphotyrosine immunoprecipitates of RBL-2H3 cells. The discovery that RBL-2H3 mast cells share a receptor-activated protein-tyrosine kinase, PTK72, with B lymphocytes provides additional support for the existence of common signaling pathways initiated by multichain immune recognition receptors.

Fc epsilon R1-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple proteins, including phospholipase C gamma 1 and the receptor beta gamma 2 complex, in RBL-2H3 rat basophilic leukemia cells.

In basophils, mast cells, and the RBL-2H3 tumor mast cell line, cross-linking the high-affinity immunoglobulin E receptor (Fc epsilon R1) stimulates a series of responses, particularly the activation of phospholipase C (PLC), that lead to allergic and other immediate hypersensitivity reactions. The mechanism of activation of PLC, however, is not clear. Here, we show that cross-linking Fc epsilon R1 on RBL-2H3 cells causes the tyrosine phosphorylation of at least 12 cellular proteins, including PLC gamma 1 (PLC gamma 1) and the receptor beta and gamma subunits. 32P-labeled PLC gamma 1 can be detected by anti-phosphotyrosine antibody as early as 10 s after the addition of antigen. The tyrosine-phosphorylated 33-kDa beta subunit and 9- to 11-kDa gamma subunit of the Fc epsilon R1 are additionally phosphorylated on serine and theonine residues, respectively, and are found as complexes with other phosphotyrosine-containing proteins in antigen-stimulated cells. Our results indicate a means by which the Fc epsilon R1 may control PLC activity in RBL-2H3 cells and raise the possibility that other receptor-mediated signalling events in mast cells may also be controlled through protein tyrosine phosphorylation.

Importance of bicarbonate ion for intracellular pH regulation in antigen- and ionomycin-stimulated RBL-2H3 mast cells.

In RBL-2H3 rat basophilic leukemia cells, Ca2+ influx and secretion are activated by antigens that crosslink IgE-receptor complexes and by the Ca2+ ionophore, ionomycin. Here we report that antigen-stimulated Ca2+ influx and secretion are impaired and ionomycin-induced responses are strongly inhibited following the removal of HCO3- from the medium. These results raised the possibility that HCO3(-)-dependent pH regulation mechanisms play a role in the cascade of events leading to mast cell activation. To test this hypothesis, intracellular pH (pHi) was measured by ratio imaging microscopy in individual RBL-2H3 cells labeled with 2',7'-bis-(2-carboxyethyl)-5-(6) carboxyfluorescein (BCECF). In unstimulated cells, it was found that basal pHi in the presence of HCO3- is 7.26, significantly greater than pHi in its absence, 7.09 (P less than 10(-6]. These results, as well as evidence that pHi increases rapidly when HCO3- is added to cells initially incubated in HCO3(-)-free medium, indicate that unstimulated cells use a HCO3(-)-dependent mechanism to maintain cytoplasmic pH. Further analyses comparing unstimulated with stimulated cells showed that antigen causes a small transient acidification in medium containing HCO3- and a larger sustained acidification in HCO3(-)-depleted medium. Ionomycin is a more potent acidifying agent, stimulating a sustained acidification in complete medium and causing further acidification in HCO3(-)-free medium. These results support the hypothesis that the inhibition of antigen- and ionomycin-induced 45Ca2+ influx and secretion in cells incubated in HCO3(-)-free medium is at least partially due to the inactivation of HCO3(-)-dependent mechanisms required to maintain pH in unstimulated cells and to permit pH recovery from stimulus-induced acidification.

Isoprenoid pathway activity is required for IgE receptor-mediated, tyrosine kinase-coupled transmembrane signaling in permeabilized RBL-2H3 rat basophilic leukemia cells.

Previously, we reported that the isoprenoid pathway inhibitor, lovastatin, blocks the activation by IgE receptor cross-linking of 45Ca2+ influx, 1,4,5-inositol trisphosphate production, secretion, and membrane changes (ruffling, spreading) in intact RBL-2H3 rat basophilic leukemia cells. These results indicated that an isoprenoid pathway intermediate, very likely an isoprenylated protein, is importantly involved in the control of IgE receptor-mediated signal transduction. Here, we show that 20 h of pretreatment with lovastatin also inhibits antigen-induced secretion and membrane responses in streptolysin O-(SLO)-permeabilized cells. However, lovastatin does not inhibit secretion stimulated by the nonhydrolyzable GTP analog, GTP gamma S. Furthermore, the membrane responses to GTP gamma S persist, although in an attenuated form, in lovastatin-treated permeabilized cells. The relative insensitivity of GTP gamma S-induced responses to lovastatin was one of several indications that antigen and GTP gamma S may activate separate pathways leading to transmembrane responses in permeabilized cells. Further experiments showed that the beta-thio derivative of GDP, GDPBAS, inhibits the secretory and membrane responses to GTP gamma S, as expected for a GTP-binding protein-dependent signaling pathway, while having little effect on antigen-induced responses. Conversely, genistein blocks the secretory and membrane responses to antigen, as expected for a tyrosine kinase-dependent pathway, without altering the GTP gamma S-induced responses. From these results, and from additional data from cells treated with tyrphostins and sodium orthovanadate, we propose that IgE receptor-mediated secretion from permeabilized RBL-2H3 cells occurs by a tyrosine kinase-dependent pathway that requires isoprenoid pathway activity for function. We propose further that RBL-2H3 cells contain a separate GTP-binding protein-mediated signaling pathway whose direct activation by GTP gamma S is either independent of isoprenoid pathway activity or depends on the activity of an isoprenylated protein that is not significantly depleted after 20 h of lovastatin treatment.

Tyrosine kinase-dependent phosphatidylinostiol turnover and functional responses in the Fc epsilon R1 signalling pathway.

In RBL-2H3 rat basophilic leukemia cells, Fc epsilon R1 crosslinking by multivalent antigen stimulates phosphatidylinositol (PI) turnover and Ca2+ influx and causes functional responses that include secretion, membrane ruffling and actin polymerization. Here, we show that the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, genistein, inhibits antigen-induced PI turnover, determined from assays of 1,4,5-inositol trisphosphate production, and impairs receptor-mediated secretion, ruffling and actin polymerization. Genistein has little effect on several functional responses to stimuli that bypass PI hydrolysis (ionomycin-induced secretion, phorbol ester-induced ruffling) but it inhibits phorbol ester-induced actin polymerization. These data implicate a common tyrosine kinase-dependent event, most likely the activation of phospholipase C gamma, in the Fc epsilon R1-mediated stimulation of PI turnover, secretion and ruffling. There may be additional tyrosine kinase-mediated events in the actin assembly pathway.

Role of isoprenoid metabolism in IgE receptor-mediated signal transduction.

In the 2H3 subline of rat basophilic leukemia cells (RBL-2H3), IgE receptor cross-linking stimulates a signal transduction pathway that leads to the secretion of histamine, serotonin, and other inflammatory mediators; the assembly of F-actin; and the transformation of the cell surface from a microvillous to a lamellar or ruffled architecture. We report here that 20 h incubation of RBL-2H3 cells with 10 microM lovastatin, an inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMG CoA reductase), inhibits both the secretory and morphologic responses to IgE receptor cross-linking. Ag-induced Ca2+ mobilization, determined from the influx and efflux of 45Ca2+, and Ag-induced 1,4,5-inositol trisphosphate production are also inhibited in lovastatin-treated RBL-2H3 cells. Under the same conditions, lovastatin does not alter cell proliferation or IgE receptor expression, and it causes only a small impairment of responses initiated by drugs that bypass the earliest steps in the receptor-activated transduction pathway (ionomycin-induced secretion and PMA-induced membrane ruffling). Receptor-mediated Ca2+ mobilization, secretion, and ruffling are all restored by 0.5- to 4-h incubation of lovastatin-treated cells with mevalonic acid, the product of HMG CoA reductase and the first committed intermediate of the isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway. In contrast, dolichol and cholesterol, which are synthesized from products of the isoprenoid pathway, do not restore receptor-activated responses. These data implicate an isoprenoid pathway intermediate in an early step in the IgE receptor-activated signal-transduction sequence. We postulate that this intermediate is required for a newly described post-translational modification of proteins, their post-synthetic isoprenylation. The substrates for this modification include the ras family of GTP-binding proteins and the gamma subunits of the heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding protein.

Regulation of IgE receptor-mediated secretion from RBL-2H3 mast cells by GTP binding-proteins and calcium.

In RBL-2H3 rat basophilic leukemia cells, cholera toxin does not per se stimulate secretion but it enhances secretion stimulated by antigens that crosslink IgE receptors, by the Ca2+ ionophore, ionomycin, and by thapsigargin, a tumor promoter that releases cytoplasmic Ca2+ stores. Calmodulin inhibitors reduce both the basal and cholera toxin-enhanced secretory responses to antigen and Ca2(+)-mobilizing agents. These synergistic effects suggest that the activation of a Gs-like GTP-binding protein, together with a (probably calmodulin-dependent) event activated by an increase in cytoplasmic Ca2+ levels, may jointly provide a sufficient signal for secretion. Antigen-stimulated secretion is inhibited by depleting cells of GTP with mycophenolic acid but is maximal in cells treated with mycophenolic acid plus cholera toxin. The simplest explanation is that cholera toxin selectively reactivates the Gs-coupled pathway leading to secretion in GTP-depleted cells without restoring the activity of a separate GTP-binding protein(s) that constrains antigen-stimulated secretion.

Depletion of guanine nucleotides with mycophenolic acid suppresses IgE receptor-mediated degranulation in rat basophilic leukemia cells.

In RBL-2H3 rat basophilic leukemia cells, Ag that crosslink IgE-receptor complexes stimulate the turnover of inositol phospholipids, the mobilization of Ca2+ from intra- and extracellular sources, the release of serotonin and other substances from granules and the transformation of the cell surface from a microvillous to a lamellar architecture. This study explores the role of GTP-binding proteins (G proteins) in the control of these biochemical and functional responses. We report that incubating RBL-2H3 cells for 4 h with 10 microM mycophenolic acid (MPA), an inhibitor of de novo GTP synthesis, reduces GTP levels by over 60% and causes an average reduction of 50% in Ag-stimulated serotonin release. This inhibition of secretion is associated with a 50% decrease in the rate of 45Ca2+ influx in MPA-treated cells. In contrast, Ag-stimulated inositol trisphosphate production is only slightly reduced, indicating that the phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C can be activated by Ag in GTP-depleted cells. The membrane responses to IgE receptor cross-linking are unaffected by incubating cells with MPA. Exogenous guanine or guanosine protects the GTP pools in MPA-treated cells and permits normal ion transport and secretory responses to Ag; adenine does not. These results implicate a guanine nucleotide-binding protein in the control of IgE receptor-dependent signal transduction in RBL-2H3 cells. This protein may particularly control the Ca2+ influx pathway that is essential for secretion.

The control of mediator release from RBL-2H3 cells: roles for Ca2+, Na+, and protein kinase C1.

Antigen-stimulated rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cells release serotonin and other inflammatory mediators by a process that requires Ca2+ influx and increased cytoplasmic Ca2+ levels, and is mimicked by Ca2+ ionophores. We report here that the Ca2+ response to antigen and to ionomycin has two components, a Ca2+ spike and a Ca2+ plateau. In nominally Ca2+-free medium, both components of the Ca2+ response are inhibited and secretion does not occur. In Na+-free medium, the initial Ca2+ spike induced by antigen or ionomycin occurs, but the plateau is again absent and secretion is inhibited by 30 to 50%. Secretion is also reduced by 10(-4) M amiloride, an inhibitor of Na+ transport pathways, and by 10(-5) M concentrations of two amiloride analogs with greater activity than amiloride, respectively, against Na+ channels and Na+/Ca2+ exchange. Phorbol esters, which stimulate protein kinase C, enhance the Ca2+ plateau and secretion caused by suboptimal amounts of both antigen and ionomycin; this enhancement depends on extracellular Na+. The Na+ ionophore, monensin, mimics the Ca2+ plateau. From these data, we infer that the Ca2+ spike and plateau reflect separate responses of RBL-2H3 cells to antigen or ionomycin. We propose that the Ca2+ plateau results at least in part from the activation of a Na+-dependent Ca2+ influx pathway. One possible mechanism is that antigen binding stimulates a protein kinase C-regulated Na+ transport system. The resulting influx of Na+ may activate a Na+/Ca2+ antiporter that supports the Ca2+ plateau and mediator release.

DNP-phycobiliproteins, fluorescent antigens to study dynamic properties of antigen-IgE-receptor complexes on RBL-2H3 rat mast cells.

In RBL-2H3 rat mucosal mast cells, the crosslinking of cell-surface IgE-receptor complexes by multivalent antigens initiates a sequence of responses leading to degranulation. We have developed a family of dinitrophenol (DNP)-conjugated fluorescent antigens to study dynamic membrane events associated with these responses. Lysyl groups on the phycobiliproteins, B-phycoerythrin and C-phycocyanin, were labelled with DNP, yielding fluorescent conjugates that cause the release of [3H]serotonin from anti-DNP-IgE-primed RBL-2H3 cells. The binding of these antigens to IgE-receptor complexes was observed by fluorescence microscopy and quantified by flow cytometry. Incubation with 1 microgram/ml DNP42-B-phycoerythrin stimulates maximum degranulation from IgE-saturated cells. Under these conditions, approximately 26 X 10(3) molecules of DNP42-B-phycoerythrin are bound per cell at equilibrium. The rate and extent of antigen binding and of antigen-stimulated mediator release decrease in parallel as the concentration and DNP:protein ratio of the fluorescent conjugates is reduced. Secretion stops immediately when the nonfluorescent monovalent antigen, DNP-lysine, is added to degranulating cell suspensions. DNP-lysine also displaces surface-bound antigen when added during the first minutes after multivalent antigen. However, the ability of DNP-lysine to displace surface-bound DNP42-B-phycoerythrin from IgE-receptor complexes decreases progressively with time. Treatment with dihydrocytochalasin B and several analogs that prevent antigen-stimulated F-actin assembly enhances secretion and delays the transition of antigen to its DNP-lysine-resistant form. Cytochalasin treatment also permits the long-range movement of antigen into surface caps.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Heme-linked ionizations of myeloperoxidase detected by Raman difference spectroscopy. A comparison with plant and yeast peroxidases.

The pH-dependence of the oxidation state marker line v4 of human leucocyte myeloperoxidase is determined in the absence of chloride using Raman difference spectroscopy (RDS). A transition in the frequency of v4 with pK of 4.2 +/- 0.3 is found. The pK compares favorably with that previously determined by spectrophotometric titration and kinetic studies. The shift in v4 across the transition is -1.3 cm-1. The shift in v4 and other Raman marker lines indicates enhanced pi charge in the chlorin ring below the transition. The low frequencies of the oxidation state marker lines indicate that a structural change occurs near the chromophore, which results in the formation of a more pi-charge donating protein environment for the chlorin ring at low pH. The Raman results are discussed in terms of a proposed catalytic control mechanism based on charge stabilization of the energy of ring charge-depleted ferryl intermediates of the reaction with peroxide. The myeloperoxidase findings are compared with similar RDS results for ferrous horseradish peroxidase and ferric cytochrome c peroxidase.

Membrane and cytoskeletal changes associated with IgE-mediated serotonin release from rat basophilic leukemia cells.

Binding of antigen to IgE-receptor complexes on the surface of RBL-2H3 rat basophilic leukemia cells is the first event leading to the release of cellular serotonin, histamine, and other mediators of allergic, asthmatic, and inflammatory responses. We have used dinitrophenol-conjugated bovine serum albumin (DNP-BSA) as well as the fluorescent antigen, DNP-B-phycoerythrin, and the electron-dense antigen, DNP-BSA-gold, to investigate dynamic membrane and cytoskeletal events associated with the release of [3H]serotonin from anti-DNP-IgE-primed RBL-2H3 cells. These multivalent antigens bind rapidly to cell surface IgE-receptor complexes. Their distribution is initially uniform, but within 2 min DNP-BSA-gold is found in coated pits and is subsequently internalized. Antigen internalization occurs in the presence and absence of extracellular Ca2+. The F-actin content of the detergent-extracted cell matrices analyzed by SDS PAGE decreases during the first 10-30 s of antigen binding and then increases by 1 min to almost double the control levels. A rapid and sustained increase is also observed when total F-actin is quantified by flow cytometry after binding of rhodamine-phalloidin. The antigen-stimulated increase in F-actin coincides with (and may cause) the transformation of the cell surface from a finely microvillous to a highly folded or plicated topography. Other early membrane responses include increased cell spreading and a 2-3-fold increase in the uptake of fluorescein-dextran by fluid pinocytosis. The surface and F-actin changes show the same dependence on DNP-protein concentration as stimulated [3H]serotonin release; and both the membrane responses and the release of mediators are terminated by the addition of the non-cross-linking monovalent ligand, DNP-lysine. These data indicate that the same antigen-stimulated transduction pathway controls both the membrane/cytoskeletal and secretory events. However, the membrane and actin responses to IgE-receptor cross-linking are independent of extracellular Ca2+ and are mimicked by phorbol myristate acetate, whereas ligand-dependent mediator release depends on extracellular Ca2+ and is mimicked by the Ca2+ ionophore A23187.

Surface functions during mitosis in rat basophilic leukemia cells.

At the entry into mitosis, cells abruptly lose membrane activities such as phagocytosis, pinocytosis, and capping. The present studies test if mitotic cells also resist functional responses to cell surface ligand-receptor interactions. The IgE receptors of RBL-2H3 rat basophilic leukemia cells were labeled with anti-dinitrophenol IgE (anti-DNP-IgE) and then cross-linked with multivalent ligands (DNP-bovine serum albumin [BSA]; DNP-B-phycoerythrin; DNP-BSA-gold). IgE-receptor cross-linking modulates cell surface organization and function and releases serotonin and other mediators of allergic and asthmatic reactions from interphase cells (Pfeiffer, J. R., JC. Seagrave, B. H. Davis, G. G. Deanin, and J. M. Oliver, 1985, J. Cell Biol., 101:2145-2155). It was found that anti-DNP-IgE-receptor complexes are preserved on the cell surface throughout mitosis; they continue to bind DNP-proteins, and the resulting antigen-IgE-receptor complexes can redistribute to coated pits on the cell surface. Furthermore, there is no loss of [3H]serotonin through mitosis. Nevertheless, antigen-stimulated [3H]-serotonin release is strongly impaired in mitotic-enriched as compared with mixed interphase or G1-enriched cell populations. In addition, antigen binding transforms the surface of interphase cells from a microvillous to a plicated topography and stimulates the uptake of fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated dextran by fluid pinocytosis. Mitotic cells maintain a microvillous surface topography after antigen treatment, and fluid pinocytosis virtually ceases from prometaphase to telophase. Phorbol myristate acetate, a tumor promoter that activates protein kinase C, restores surface ruffling activity to mitotic cells. Thus, the mitosis-specific freezing of membrane and secretory responses is most likely due to the failure of transmembrane signaling.

On the mechanism of turnover of the carboxy-terminal tyrosine of the alpha chain of tubulin.

The removal of tyrosine from the carboxyl terminus of the alpha chain of tubulin occurs predominantly from those tubulin dimers that are part of microtubules, and is dependent upon microtubular treadmill metabolism. A heretofore unrecognized factor is present in the high-speed supernatant fraction of rat brain homogenates that is required for detyrosination. This factor is neither tubulin:tyrosine ligase, the enzyme that catalyzes the addition of tyrosine to the carboxylterminal position of the alpha chain of tubulin, nor a carboxypeptidase-like activity. Pulse-chase experiments demonstrated that, in the reconstituted rat brain preparations, detyrosination takes place late in the transit of dimers through the microtubule and we suggest that dimer loss and detyrosination during treadmill metabolism in these systems are linked.

The phylogenetic distribution of tubulin:tyrosine ligase.

The post-translational addition of tyrosine to alpha-tubulin, catalyzed by tubulin:tyrosine ligase, has been previously reported in mammals and birds. The present study demonstrated that significant ligase activity was present in representative organisms from several other major vertebrate classes (chondrichthyes through reptiles) and that both substrate and enzyme from all vertebrates investigated were compatible with mammalian ligase and tubulin in the tyrosination reaction. None of the invertebrate tissues examined showed incorporation of tyrosine, phenylalanine or dihydroxyphenylalanine into alpha tubulin under conditions allowing significant incorporation of these compounds in vertebrate supernatant samples. The failure of invertebrate tubulin to incorporate tyrosine in vitro did not appear to be due to saturation of the carboxyl terminal position with tyrosine or the presence of a soluble inhibitor of ligase activity. Although tubulin amino acid composition has been highly conserved throughout evolution, a major evolutionary divergence is described based upon biochemical differences whereby invertebrate tubulin cannot be tyrosinated or post-translationally modified with phenylalanine or dihydroxyphenylalanine under conditions suitable for the incorporation of these compounds by vertebrate alpha tubulin.