Macrophage colony-stimulating factor promotes cell survival through Akt/protein kinase B.

The signaling pathways activated by the macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) to promote survival of monocyte and macrophage lineage cells are not well established. In an effort to elucidate these pathways, we have used two cell types responsive to M-CSF: NIH 3T3 fibroblasts genetically engineered to express human M-CSF receptors (3T3-FMS cells) and human monocytes. M-CSF treatment induced M-CSF receptor tyrosine phosphorylation and recruitment of the p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) to these receptors. These M-CSF receptor events correlated with activation of the serine/threonine kinase Akt. To clarify that PI3K products activate Akt in response to M-CSF, NIH 3T3 fibroblasts expressing mutant human M-CSF receptors (3T3-FMS(Y809F)) that fail to activate Ras in response to M-CSF also exhibit increased Akt kinase activity in response to M-CSF challenge. Furthermore, Akt appears to be the primary regulator of survival in 3T3-FMS cells, as transfection of genes encoding dominant-negative Akt isoforms into these fibroblasts blocked M-CSF-induced survival. In normal human monocytes, M-CSF increased the levels of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins and induced Akt activation in a PI3K-dependent manner. The PI3K inhibitor LY294002 blocked M-CSF-mediated monocyte survival, an effect that was partially restored by caspase-9 inhibitors. These data suggest that M-CSF may induce cell survival through Akt-induced suppression of caspase-9 activation.

Contribution of cytosolic and membrane-bound 5'-nucleotidases to cardiac adenosine production.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relative contributions of AMP-specific cytosolic 5'-nucleotidase and ecto-5'-nucleotidase to cardiac adenosine production and its regulation by ADP and Mg2+. 5'-Nucleotidase activity was measured spectrophotometrically in the total homogenate, the 150,000-g supernatant fraction (cytosolic 5'-nucleotidase), and the membrane pellet fraction (ecto-5'-nucleotidase) of dog left ventricles. Increasing [MgCl2] over a range from 0 to 6 mmol/l increased 5'-nucleotidase activity in both the supernatant and pellet; only cytosolic 5'-nucleotidase exhibited an absolute requirement for Mg2+. ADP, (20-480 mumol/l) activated supernatant and inhibited membrane-bound 5'-nucleotidase activity. At 80 mumol/l ADP, 5 mmol/l MgCl2, 100 mumol/l AMP, and pH 7.3, the average 5'-nucleotidase activities of the supernatant vs. pellet were 74% of total and 26% of total, respectively. Total adenosine production in unfractionated samples of ventricular homogenates decreased an average of 73% by specific inhibition of cytosolic 5'-nucleotidase, using antibodies against the cytosolic enzyme, and 46% by specific inhibition of ecto-5'-nucleotidase with alpha, beta-methylene adenosine 5'-diphosphate (AOPCP). These findings support the hypotheses that 1) both cytosolic and ecto-5'-nucleotidase contribute to cardiac adenosine production in dog heart homogenates; 2) AMP-specific cytosolic 5'-nucleotidase activity exceeds ecto-5'-nucleotidase activity at physiological concentrations of ADP, AMP, and Mg2+; and 3) Mg2+ is an important regulator of cardiac adenosine production via activation of both ecto- and AMP-specific cytosolic 5'-nucleotidases.

Spontaneous pressure-flow relationships in renal circulation of conscious dogs.

Renal pressure-flow (P-F) relationships are usually evaluated by measuring effects of mechanically induced changes in renal arterial pressure (AP) on renal blood flow (RBF). We devised a method allowing evaluation of renal P-F relationships during normal changes in AP occurring spontaneously in a conscious animal rather than during artificially induced changes in AP. In 18 trials in 6 dogs standing at rest, we measured average AP and RBF for each cardiac cycle over periods of approximately 35 min (approximately 3,100 cardiac cycles/trial). AP and RBF values for each cardiac cycle were expressed as percent change (%delta) from the 35-min average (beat-to-beat changes). Slope and angle of each consecutive beat-to-beat P-F change were calculated and collated into one of eight zones representing the possible physiological mechanisms responsible for concurrent, spontaneous changes in RBF and AP. In a predominance of the cardiac cycles (approximately 43%), the spontaneous AP-RBF relationship was consistent with being mediated by arterial baroreflexes (i.e., increases in AP were accompanied by proportionately greater increases in RBF during 44.4% of cardiac cycles in which AP increased, and decreases in AP were accompanied by proportionately greater decreases in RBF during 41.4% of cardiac cycles in which AP decreased). Blockade of autonomic ganglionic transmission with hexamethonium markedly attenuated this pattern. Our results indicate that renal circulation participates in moment-to-moment control of AP via a predominant baroreflex-like pattern.