Heterogeneity in the beta-subunit of translational initiation factor eIF-2 during brain development

The intraischemic and early reperfusion changes of protein synthesis in the rat brain. eIF-2 alpha kinase activity and role of initiation factors eIF-2 alpha and eIF-4E

Rats were subjected to the standard four-vessel occlusion model of transient cerebral ischemia (vertebral and carotid arteries). The effects of normothermic ischemia (37 degrees C) followed or not by 30-minute reperfusion, as well as 30-minute postdecapitative ischemia, on translational rates were examined. Protein synthesis rate, as measured in a cell-free system, was significantly inhibited in ischemic rats, and the extent of inhibition strongly depended on duration and temperature, and less on the model of ischemia used. The ability of reinitiation in vitro (by using aurintricarboxylic acid) decreased after ischemia, suggesting a failure in the synthetic machinery at the initiation level. Eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF-2) presented almost basal activity and levels after 30-minute normothermic ischemia, and the amount of phosphorylated eIF-2 alpha in these samples, as well as in sham-control samples, was undetectable. The decrease in the levels of phosphorylated initiation factor 4E (eIF-4E) after 30-minute ischemia (from 32% to 16%) could explain, at least partially, the impairment of initiation during transient cerebral ischemia. After reperfusion, eIF-4E phosphorylation was almost completely restored to basal levels (29%), whereas the level of phosphorylated eIF-2 alpha was higher (13%) than in controls and ischemic samples (both less than 2%). eIF-2 alpha kinase activity in vitro as measured by phosphorylation of endogenous eIF-2 in the presence of ATP/Mg2+, was higher in ischemic samples (8%) than in controls (4%). It seems probable that the failure of the kinase in phosphorylating eIF-2 in vivo during ischemia is due to the depletion of ATP stores. The levels of the double-stranded activated eIF-2 alpha kinase were slightly higher in ischemic animals than in controls. Our results suggest that the modulation of eIF-4E phosphorylation could be implicated in the regulation of translation during ischemia. On the contrary, phosphorylation of eIF-2 alpha, by an eIF-2 alpha kinase already activated during ischemia, represents a plausible mechanism for explaining the inhibition of translation during reperfusion.

Phosphorylation of the alpha subunit of initiation factor 2 correlates with the inhibition of translation following transient cerebral ischaemia in the rat

Rats were subjected to the standard four-vessel occlusion model of cerebral transient ischaemia (vertebral and carotid arteries) for 15 and 30 min. After a 30 min recirculation period, protein synthesis rate, initiation factor 2 (eIF-2) and guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) activities, and the level of phosphorylation of the alpha subunit of eIF-2 (eIF-2 alpha) were determined in the neocortex region of the brain from sham-operated controls and ischaemic animals. Following reversible cerebral ischaemia, the protein synthesis rate, as measured in a cell-free system, was significantly inhibited (70%) in the ischaemic animals. eIF-2 activity, as measured by its ability to form a ternary complex, also decrease parallel to the decrease in protein synthesis. As eIF-2 activity was assayed in the presence of Mg2+ and GTP-regenerating capacity, the decrease in ternary-complex formation indicated the possible impairment of GEF activity. Since phosphorylated eIF-2 [eIF-2(alpha P)] is a powerful inhibitor of GEF, the levels of phosphorylated eIF-2 alpha were determined, and an increase from 7% phosphorylation in sham control rats to 20% phosphorylation in 15 min and 29% phosphorylation in 30 min in ischaemic rats was observed, providing evidence for a tight correlation of phosphorylation of eIF-2 alpha and inhibition of protein synthesis. Moreover, GEF activity measured in the GDP-exchange assay was in fact inhibited in the ischaemic animals, proving that protein synthesis is impaired by the presence of eIF-2(alpha P), which blocks eIF-2 recycling.

Translational initiation factor eIF-2 subcellular levels and phosphorylation status in the developing rat brain

We have quantified the levels of the alpha subunit of initiation factor 2 (eIF-2) in the postmicrosomal supernatant and the ribosomal salt wash fractions from suckling and adult rat brain. The levels of eIF-2 in the ribosomal salt wash decrease in adult with respect to that present in suckling rat brain, but the total amount remains fairly constant, and a very close parallelism exists between the eIF-2 associated with ribosomes and RNA levels in the microsomal fraction in the two age groups. The phosphorylation state of eIF-2 alpha, as determined by isoelectric focusing followed by protein immunoblotting, in the same subcellular fractions, did not reveal the presence of the phosphorylated form in any of the fractions studied. These results suggest that phosphorylation of the alpha subunit is not implied in the regulation of protein synthesis initiation during brain development, and some other component regulates both the number of active ribosomes and eIF-2 levels in microsomes.