Serine 727 phosphorylation and activation of cytosolic phospholipase A2 by MNK1-related protein kinases.

We have previously reported that in thrombin-stimulated human platelets, cytosolic phospholipase A(2) (cPLA2) is phosphorylated on Ser-505 by p38 protein kinase and on Ser-727 by an unknown kinase. Pharmacological inhibition of p38 leads to inhibition of cPLA2 phosphorylation at both Ser-505 and Ser-727 suggesting that the kinase responsible for phosphorylation on Ser-727 is activated in a p38-dependent pathway. By using Chinese hamster ovary, HeLa, and HEK293 cells stably transfected with wild type and phosphorylation site mutant forms of cPLA2, we show that phosphorylation of cPLA2 at both Ser-505 and Ser-727 and elevation of Ca(2+) leads to its activation in agonist-stimulated cells. The p38-activated protein kinases MNK1, MSK1, and PRAK1 phosphorylate cPLA2 in vitro uniquely on Ser-727 as shown by mass spectrometry. Furthermore, MNK1 and PRAK1, but not MSK1, is present in platelets and undergo modest activation in response to thrombin. Expression of a dominant negative form of MNK1 in HEK293 cells leads to significant inhibition of cPLA2-mediated arachidonate release. The results suggest that MNK1 or a closely related kinase is responsible for in vivo phosphorylation of cPLA2 on Ser-727.

Stress stimuli increase calcium-induced arachidonic acid release through phosphorylation of cytosolic phospholipase A2.

Stress stimuli such as free radicals, high osmolarity or arsenite activate stress-activated protein kinases (SAPKs) in a wide variety of cells. In the present study, we have investigated the ability of several stress stimuli to activate SAPKs in platelets and to induce phosphorylation of their substrates. Treatment of human platelets with H(2)O(2) stimulated SAPK2a and its downstream target mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase-2 (MAPKAP-K2). Kinase activity reached a maximum after 2-5 min and declined towards basal levels after 15 min. Arsenite caused a steady increase of MAPKAP-K2 activity up to 15 min. The level of maximal kinase activation by H(2)O(2) and arsenite was comparable with the effect caused by the physiological platelet stimulus thrombin. A high osmolarity solution of sorbitol induced comparatively small activation of SAPK2a and MAPKAP-K2. The 42-kDa extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 2 was not activated by H(2)O(2), sorbitol or arsenite. None of these stimuli triggered significant arachidonic acid release on their own. However, H(2)O(2) and sorbitol enhanced the release of arachidonic acid induced by the calcium ionophore A23187. This effect was reversed by the inhibitor of SAPK2a, 4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-methylsulphinylphenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl) imidazole (SB 203580), but not by the inhibitor of the ERK2-activating pathway, 2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-oxanaphthalen-4-one (PD 98059). Both H(2)O(2) and sorbitol increased phosphorylation of cytosolic phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2)) and its intrinsic activity; both responses were blocked by SB 203580. Phosphorylation of cPLA(2) by H(2)O(2) occurred on Ser-505, a reaction that is known to increase the intrinsic lipase activity of the enzyme. Our results demonstrate that activation of SAPKs by stress stimuli primes cPLA(2) activation through phosphorylation. In vivo, this mechanism would lead to the sensitization of platelet activation and may be an important risk factor in thrombotic disease.

Phosphorylation of cytosolic phospholipase A2 in platelets is mediated by multiple stress-activated protein kinase pathways.

Stress-activated protein kinases (SAPKs) are stimulated by cell damaging agents as well as by physiological receptor agonists. In this study we show that human platelets contain the isoforms SAPK2a, SAPK2b, SAPK3 and SAPK4 as determined by immunoblotting with specific antibodies. All four kinases were activated in thrombin-stimulated platelets whereas only SAPK2a and SAPK2b were significantly stimulated by collagen. All four isoforms were able to phosphorylate wild-type human cPLA2 in vitro, although to different extents, but not cPLA2 mutants that had Ser505 replaced by alanine. Phosphorylation at Ser505 was confirmed by phosphopeptide mapping using microbore HPLC. SAPK2a and 42-kDa mitogen-activated protein kinase incorporated similar levels of phosphate into cPLA2 relative to the ability of each kinase to stimulate phosphorylation of myelin basic protein. SAPK2b and SAPK4 incorporated less phosphate, and cPLA2 was a poor substrate for SAPK3. The inhibitor of SAPK2a and SAPK2b, SB 202190, completely blocked collagen-induced phosphorylation of cPLA2 at its two phosphorylation sites in vivo, Ser505 and Ser727. We have also reported previously that SB 202190 partially ( approximately 50%) blocks phosphorylation at both sites and to a similar extent in thrombin-stimulated platelets. Inhibition of phosphorylation resulted in a two- to threefold shift to the right in the concentration response curves for arachidonic acid release from thrombin- and collagen-stimulated platelets. Our data suggest that cPLA2 is a substrate for several SAPK cascades and that phosphorylation of cPLA2 augments arachidonic acid release.

Direct inhibition of cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 by the kinase inhibitors SB 203580 and PD 98059. SB 203580 also inhibits thromboxane synthase.

The kinase inhibitors SB 203580 and PD 98059 have been reported to be specific inhibitors of the 38- and 42/44-kDa mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways, respectively. In this study, the two inhibitors were found to decrease platelet aggregation induced by low concentrations of arachidonic acid, suggesting that they also interfere with the metabolism of arachidonic acid to thromboxane A2. In support of this, SB 203580 and PD 98059 inhibited the conversion of exogenous [3H]arachidonic acid to [3H]thromboxane in intact platelets. Measurement of platelet cyclooxygenase-1 activity following immunoprecipitation revealed that SB 203580 and PD 98059 are direct inhibitors of this enzyme. Both compounds were shown to inhibit purified cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 by a reversible mechanism. In addition, SB 203580 (but not PD 98059) inhibited platelet aggregation induced by prostaglandin H2 and the conversion of prostaglandin H2 to thromboxane A2 in intact platelets. SB 203580 also inhibited this pathway in platelet microsome preparations, suggesting a direct inhibitory effect on thromboxane synthase. These results demonstrate that direct effects of the two kinase inhibitors on active arachidonic acid metabolites have to be excluded before using these compounds for the investigation of MAPKs in signal transduction pathways. This is of particular relevance to studies on the regulation of cytosolic phospholipase A2 as these two MAPKs are capable of phosphorylating cytosolic phospholipase A2, thereby increasing its intrinsic activity.

Identification of the phosphorylation sites of cytosolic phospholipase A2 in agonist-stimulated human platelets and HeLa cells.

The present study identifies the phosphorylation sites of the 85-kDa cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) in human platelets and HeLa cells. Tryptic digests of 32P-phosphorylated and -immunoprecipitated cPLA2 were analyzed by microbore high performance liquid chromatography and two-dimensional phosphopeptide mapping against synthetic phosphopeptide standards. Thrombin stimulated significant phosphorylation of platelet cPLA2 at two sites, Ser-505 and Ser-727. Exclusive phosphorylation on these two sites was also seen in collagen-stimulated platelets and HeLa cells stimulated with interferon-alpha or arsenite; no tyrosine phosphorylation was detected. The inhibitor of the 38-kDa stress-activated protein kinase (p38(mapk)), SB 203580, reduced phosphorylation of both Ser-505 and Ser-727 by 50 and 60%, respectively, in thrombin-stimulated platelets. An additional p38(mapk) inhibitor SB 202190 also partially (60%) inhibited the phosphorylation of cPLA2 in arsenite-stimulated HeLa cells. These studies extend the previous work on the identification of multiple phosphorylation sites on cPLA2 expressed in a baculovirus/insect cell system to cPLA2 in mammalian cells stimulated with physiological agonists. They also underscore the necessity of high resolution phosphopeptide mapping combined with microbore high performance liquid chromatography for quantification of phosphorylation levels, which has lead to the conclusion that Ser-505 and Ser-727 are common phosphorylation sites on cPLA2 in different mammalian cells stimulated with multiple agonists.

Phosphorylation and activation of cytosolic phospholipase A2 by 38-kDa mitogen-activated protein kinase in collagen-stimulated human platelets.

Phosphorylation and activation of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (PLA2) can occur independently of the activation of 42/44-kDa mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase in human platelets. We have investigated the hypothesis that the stress-activated p38 MAP kinase plays a role in the regulation of cytosolic PLA2. The specific inhibitor of p38 MAP kinase, SB 203580 [4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-methylsulfinylphenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl) imidazole], completely blocked the collagen-stimulated phosphorylation of cytosolic PLA2 in the presence of a cyclooxygenase blocker, and reduced the release of [3H]arachidonic acid by low concentrations of collagen. Stimulation of platelets with collagen (100 microg/ml) enhanced in vitro PLA2 activity of platelet lysates twofold over basal levels. In vitro PLA2 activity was reduced to basal levels when platelets were stimulated in the presence of SB 203580, but not in the presence of an inhibitor of the kinase that activates p42/p44 MAP kinase. SB 203580 only partially inhibited phosphorylation of cytosolic PLA2 in platelets that had not been treated with a cyclooxygenase blocker indicating that secondary stimulation by thromboxane A2 induces cytosolic PLA2 phosphorylation, by kinase(s) other than p38 MAP kinase. Under these conditions, inhibition of p42/p44 MAP kinase did not result in a reduction of cytosolic PLA2 phosphorylation, which is in agreement with the results obtained in the presence of cyclooxygenase blockers. In contrast to collagen, both p38 MAP kinase and p42/p44 MAP kinase participated in the phosphorylation of cytosolic PLA2 in platelets stimulated by cross-linking of the low-affinity receptor for immune complexes, Fc gammaRIIA. The present results demonstrate an important role for p38 MAP kinase in the regulation of cytosolic PLA2 activity in collagen-stimulated human platelets.

p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylates cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) in thrombin-stimulated platelets. Evidence that proline-directed phosphorylation is not required for mobilization of arachidonic acid by cPLA2.

The Ca2+-sensitive 85-kDa cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) is responsible for thrombin-stimulated mobilization of arachidonic acid for the synthesis of thromboxane A2 in human platelets. We have previously shown that thrombin activates p38 kinase, a recently discovered new member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase family (Kramer, R. M., Roberts, E. F., Strifler, B. A., and Johnstone, E. M. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 27395-27398) and also induces phosphorylation of cPLA2, thereby increasing its intrinsic catalytic activity. In the present study we have examined the role of p38 kinase in the phosphorylation and activation of cPLA2 in stimulated platelets. We have observed that activation of p38 kinase accompanies receptor-mediated events in platelets and coincides with cPLA2 phosphorylation. Furthermore, in the presence of inhibitors of p38 kinase, the proline-directed phosphorylation of cPLA2 was completely blocked in platelets stimulated with the thrombin receptor agonist peptide SFLLRN and was suppressed during the early (up to 2 min) phase of platelet stimulation caused by thrombin. Unexpectedly, we found that prevention of proline-directed phosphorylation of cPLA2 in stimulated platelets did not attenuate its ability to release arachidonic acid from platelet phospholipids. We conclude that: 1) cPLA2 is a physiological target of p38 kinase; 2) p38 kinase is involved in the early phosphorylation of cPLA2 in stimulated platelets; and 3) proline-directed phosphorylation of cPLA2 is not required for its receptor-mediated activation.

Inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase does not impair primary activation of human platelets.

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), a family of protein serine/threonine kinases regulating cell growth and differentiation, are activated by a dual-specificity kinase through phosphorylation at threonine and tyrosine. We used a recently described selective inhibitor of the p42/p44mapk-activating enzyme, PD 98059 [2-(2'-amino-3'-methoxyphenyl)-oxanaphthalen-4-one], to investigate the role of the p42/p44mapk pathway in human platelets. PD 98059 inhibited p42/p44mapk activation in thrombin-, collagen- and phorbol esterstimulated platelets, as determined from in-gel renaturation kinase assays, with an IC50 of approx. 5 microM (thrombin stimulation). It also prevented activation of MAPK kinase, which was measured in whole-cell lysates with glutathione S-transferase/p42mapk fusion protein (GST-MAPK) as substrate. Inhibition of p42/p44mapk did not affect platelet responses to thrombin or collagen such as aggregation, 5-hydroxytryptamine release and protein kinase C activation. In addition, PD 98059 did not interfere with release of arachidonic acid, a response mediated by cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2), or with cPLA2 phosphorylation. This suggests that platelet cPLA2 is not regulated by p42/p44mapk after stimulation with physiological agonists. In contrast, phorbol ester-induced phosphorylation of cPLA2 and potentiation of arachidonic acid release stimulated by Ca2+ ionophore A23187 were inhibited by PD 98059, indicating that p42/p44mapk phosphorylates cPLA2 after activation of protein kinase C by the non-physiological tumour promoter.

Cytosolic phospholipase A2 is phosphorylated in collagen- and thrombin-stimulated human platelets independent of protein kinase C and mitogen-activated protein kinase.

Human platelets pretreated with indomethacin release arachidonic acid predominantly through the activity of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2), an 85-kDa protein. This enzyme is regulated by an increase in intracellular Ca2+, a necessary condition of for arachidonic acid liberation, and by phosphorylation. Phosphorylation of cPLA2 enhanced the Ca(2+)-induced arachidonic acid release in platelets stimulated by the ionophore A23187 and phorbol ester (phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu)). In thrombin-stimulated platelets, however, phosphorylation appeared not to be necessary for arachidonic acid release since the latter response was not impaired in the presence of staurosporine, which inhibited phosphorylation. Collagen, thrombin, and PDBu induced phosphorylation of platelet cPLA2 as well as activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK; p42mapk and p44mapk). cPLA2 activation was not dependent on protein kinase C (PKC) in thrombin- and collagen-stimulated platelets, as preincubation with the PKC inhibitor Ro 31-8220 neither interfered with cPLA2 phosphorylation nor reduced arachidonic acid release. However, collagen- and thrombin-induced activation of MAPK was inhibited by Ro 31-8220, indicating that PKC is necessary for MAPK stimulation in platelets. Although MAPK may underlie phosphorylation of cPLA2 in PDBu-activated human platelets, our results provide evidence for PKC- and MAPK-independent phosphorylation of cPLA2 in platelets stimulated by the physiological activators collagen and thrombin.