[Reprogramming of nuclear proteasomes in K562 cells undergoing apoptosis. I. Effect of glutathione-depleting agent, diethylmaleate].

Here we have studied changes in the subunit composition, phosphorylation state and enzymatic activities of 26S proteasomes in cells undergoing the programmed cell death. Apoptosis in proerythroleukemic K562 cells was induced by glutathione-depleting agent, diethylmaleate (DEM). We have shown for the first time that proteasomes isolated from the nuclei of control and induces K562 cells differ in their subunit patterns, as well as in the phosphorylation state of subunits on threonine and tyrosine residues. We observed trypsin- and chymotrypsin-like activities on nuclear proteasomes and the specificity of proteasomal nucleolysis of several individual messenger RNAs (c-fos and c-myc) to be changed under effect of DEM on K562 cells. Treatment of K562 cells with DEM leads to modification of zeta/alpha5 and iota/alpha6 proteasomal subunits associated with RNAse activity of proteasomes. These findings confirm our hypothesis about so-called reprogramming of nuclear proteasome population in undergoing apoptosis K562 cells which is manifested by the changes in proteasomal composition, phosphorylation state, and enzymatic activities during the programmed cell death.

[Specificity of changes in proteasome properties in diethylmaleate-induced apoptosis of K562 cells].

The participation of proteasome in the programmed cells death is now extensively investigated. Studies using selective inhibitors of proteasomes have provided a direct evidence of both pro- and anti-apoptotic functions of proteasomes. Such opposite roles of 26S proteasomes in regulation of apoptosis may be defined by the proliferative state of cell. The induction of apoptosis in K562 cells by diethylmaleate was used as a model to investigate changes in the subunit composition, phosphorylation state and enzymatic activities of 26S proteasomes undergoing the programmed cell death. Here we have shown that proteasomes isolated from the cytoplasm of control and diethylmaleate treated K562 cells differ in their subunit patterns, as well as in the phosphorylation state of subunits on threonine and tyrosine residues. It has been shown for the first time that proteolytic activity of 26S proteasomes is decreased, and endoribonuclease activity of 26S proteasomes is affected under diethylmaleate action on K562 cells. Treatment of K562 cells with an inductor of apoptosis--diethylmaleate--leads to modification of a proteasomal subunit (zeta/alpha5) associated with RNase activity of proteasomes. These data suggest the subunit composition and enzymatic activities of 26S proteasomes to be changed in K562 cells undergoing apoptosis, and that specific subtypes of 26S proteasomes participate in execution of programmed death of these cells.

[Phosphorylation of proteasomes and alpha-RNP from rat liver cells].

In eukaryotic cells the population of proteasomes is heterogeneous. Here we have shown that proteasomes from nuclei and cytoplasm of rat liver cells differ in their subunit patterns. The subunit pattern of alpha-RNP differs from that of proteasomes, however, alpha-RNP particles contain the number of 26S proteasome subunits. Moreover, the proteasomes contain subunits of alpha-RNP. We have shown for the first time that nuclear proteasomes and alpha-RNP are hyperphosphorylated on threonine residues. Differences in phosphorylation state of subunits of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteasomes and alpha-RNP on threonine and tyrosine residues have been revealed. A suggestion is put forward that hyperphosphorylation of subunits may determine nuclear localization of these complexes in rat liver cells. The results obtained suggest that a highly specialized system of protein kinases and phosphatases may be involved in the regulation of phosphorylation state of different populations of proteasomes and alpha-RNP in rat liver cells.