Uncoupling by proteolysis of alpha-adrenergic receptor-mediated inhibition of adenylate cyclase in human platelets

Activation of rat brain adenylate cyclase by proteases: involvement of distinct protein components in the activation by ?-chymotrypsin and trypsin

Adenylate cyclase in synaptic plasma membranes from rat brain is activated by ?-chymotrypsin or trypsin. These proteases also activate adenylate cyclase reconstituted from the catalytic subunit of adenylate cyclase and the partially purified fraction of the GTP-binding proteins containing both the stimulatory and inhibitory GTP-binding proteins. Properties of the activation of reconstituted adenylate cyclase by the proteases are as follows. (1) The proteases do not directly activate the catalytic subunit. However, the pre-treatment of the partially purified GTP-binding proteins with ?-chymotrypsin (100 ?g/ml) increases the subsequently reconstituted cyclase activity at least 3-fold. Trypsin (10-30 ?g/ml) much more weakly enhances the cyclase activity. (2) ?-Chymotrypsin and trypsin synergistically activate the cyclase. (3) Trypsin but not ?-chymotrypsin no longer activates the cyclase when the purified stimulatory GTP-binding protein (Gs) replaces the partially purified GTP-binding proteins. (4) The stimulatory effects of ?-chymotrypsin and trypsin on the cyclase activity are little or slight unless 5?-guanylylimidodiphosphate (Gpp(NH)p) is present in the reconstitution. (5) The purified ??-subunits of the GTP-binding proteins markedly inhibit adenylate cyclase. This inhibition is nearly completely attenuated by treating the ??-subunits with ?-chymotrypsin (> 10 ?g/ml). (6) Trypsin (1-10 ?g/ml) inactivates the GTPase of the ?-subunit of the inhibitory GTP-binding protein (Gi). This inactivation of the GTPase seems to correlate with the activation of the reconstituted adenylate cyclase by trypsin. We conclude that two distinct protein components are involved in the activation of adenylate cyclase by ?-chymotrypsin and trypsin. One component sensitive to ?-chymotrypsin is probably the ??-subunits of the GTP-binding proteins. The other component sensitive to trypsin may be the ?-subunit of Gi.

Decrease in agonist affinity for human platelet thromboxane A2/prostaglandin H2 receptors induced by a platelet-derived supernatant

Platelets possess membrane receptors which mediate the aggregatory response to thromboxane A2 (TXA2) and prostaglandin H2 (PGH2). It has been observed recently that the affinities for a series of TXA2/PGH2 mimetics are decreased in crude human platelet membranes and solubilized membranes compared to intact washed platelets. The present study investigated the notion that platelets contain a substance that is released during platelet lysis that reduces the affinity of the TXA2/PGH2 receptor for agonists. The displacement of 9,11-dimethylmethano-11,12-methano-16-(3-iodo-4-hydroxyphenyl)-13, 14-dihydro-13 - aza-15 alpha beta-omega-tetranor-TXA2 ([125I]PTA-OH), a TXA2/PGH2 receptor antagonist, from its binding site in intact washed platelets by TXA2/PGH2 mimetics and antagonists was characterized in the presence or absence of the supernatant (50,000 g) obtained from sonicated platelets. In the presence of the supernatant, there was a significant (P less than 0.025) increase in the IC50 values for the TXA2/PGH2 mimetics U46619, SQ26655, and ONO11113. The increase in the IC50 for U46619 induced by the supernatant was abolished by either boiling or treating the supernatant with trypsin. The supernatant did not affect the Kd or Bmax of [125I]PTA-OH or the IC50 of the TXA2/PGH2 antagonist, SQ29548. Pretreatment of the platelets with the supernatant resulted in a significant (P less than 0.02) reduction in the aggregation response induced by U46619. Gel filtration (Sephacryl S200) of the supernatant revealed a fraction (molecular weight approximately 100,000 daltons) which significantly increased the IC50 for U46619 to displace [125I]PTA-OH from its binding site. Thus, human platelets appear to possess a protein(s) that is released into the supernatant upon sonication and inhibits the binding of TXA2/PGH2 agonists but not antagonists to their receptor. This protein may play a role in the regulation of platelet responses to the aggregatory stimuli TXA2/PGH2.

Effect of proteases and phospholipases on [3H]yohimbine binding to human platelet membranes

Trypsin and chymotrypsin inactivated specific [3H]yohimbine binding sites in the partially purified human platelet membranes in a concentration- and time-dependent fashion. The maximal inactivation (70-80% of control) was incomplete regardless of the concentrations of the proteases used or the incubation time. Scatchard analysis of the binding data showed that the total number of binding sites was reduced, but the affinity of the receptor to the ligand remained unaffected. Pretreatment of the membranes with unlabeled yohimbine or epinephrine produced a 20-30% increase in the specific [3H]yohimbine binding; however, this treatment offered only a slight protection (10-15%) against trypsin-induced inactivation of [3H]yohimbine binding. Pretreatment with phospholipase A2 produced a complete inhibition, while pretreatment with phospholipase C resulted in only a partial (70-80% of control) reduction in [3H]yohimbine binding. The inhibitory effects were not reversed when the specific binding of [3H]yohimbine was carried out with membranes treated with phospholipases and subsequently washed with defatted bovine serum albumin, suggesting that products released from phospholipolysis were not involved in the inhibition of [3H]yohimbine binding. These results suggest that the integrity of the receptor proteins and phospholipids is necessary for the specific binding of the ligand to the alpha 2-adrenoreceptor proteins of the human platelet membranes.

Critical assessment of the platelet adenylate cyclase system as a potential model for testing alpha 2 adrenergic activity

We have studied the effects of KUM 32 and CBS 1276, two clonidine-related drugs, upon the adenylate cyclase system of human platelets. Both drugs behaved as potent antagonists of epinephrine-induced platelet aggregation. [3H]Yohimbine binding studies revealed that the drugs bind to the alpha 2 adrenergic receptor of human platelets. KUM 32 and CBS 1276 also behaved as strong inhibitors of adenylate cyclase activity. This inhibition, which was not competitive with respect to ATP, is not an alpha 2 adrenergic phenomenon since it was not antagonized by yohimbine and was still observed in the absence of GTP. Moreover, pretreatment of platelet membranes with islet activating protein from Bordetella pertussis (IAP) had no effect on the inhibition by KUM 32, CBS 1276 and adenosine, although it completely reversed the effect of epinephrine and partially reversed the effect of clonidine. These results show that clonidine-like drugs may have different impacts on the adenylate cyclase system of human platelets. This system cannot be used as a pharmacological predictive test for alpha 2 adrenergic agonist activity, as various compounds, known to have central alpha 2 adrenergic agonist properties, do not behave as full agonists for the alpha 2 adrenergic receptor of human platelets.

Parallel inactivation of alpha 2-adrenergic agonist binding and Ni by alkaline treatment

Alpha 2-Adrenergic receptor-mediated inhibition of adenylate cyclase requires the guanine nucleotide-binding protein, Ni. This protein may also be required for stabilization of high-affinity alpha 2-adrenergic agonist binding. Human platelet membranes treated under alkaline conditions (pH 11.5) exhibited a selective loss of high-affinity agonist binding as measured by p-[3H]aminoclonidine and [3H]UK 14,304. Binding of the antagonist [3H]yohimbine was largely unaffected with retention of greater than 60% of control binding sites. Ni, determined by pertussis toxin-catalyzed [32P]ADP-ribosylation of cholate extracts from alkaline-treated membranes, was also markedly reduced. The parallel loss of alpha 2-agonist binding and Ni provides additional evidence that Ni is required for alpha 2-adrenergic agonist binding.

Relationship among calmodulin-, forskolin-, and guanine nucleotide-dependent adenylate cyclase activities in cerebellar membranes: studies by limited proteolysis

Adenylate cyclase activity in bovine cerebellar membranes is regulated by calmodulin, forskolin, and both stimulatory (Ns) and inhibitory (Ni) guanine nucleotide-binding components. The susceptibility of the enzyme to chymotrypsin proteolysis was used as a probe of structure-function relationships for these different regulatory pathways. Pretreatment of membranes with low concentrations of chymotrypsin (1-2 micrograms/ml) caused a three- to fourfold increase in basal adenylate cyclase activity and abolished the Ca2+-dependent activation of the enzyme by calmodulin. In contrast, the stimulation of the enzyme by GTP plus isoproterenol was strongly potentiated after protease treatment, an effect that mimics the synergistic activation of adenylate cyclase by Ns and calmodulin in unproteolyzed membranes. Limited proteolysis revealed low- and high-affinity components in the activation of adenylate cyclase by forskolin. The low-affinity component was readily lost on proteolysis, together with calmodulin stimulation of the enzyme. The activation via the high-affinity component was resistant to proteolysis and nonadditive with the Ns-mediated activation of the enzyme, suggesting that both effectors utilize a common pathway. The inhibitory effect of low concentrations (10(-7) M) of guanyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate [Gpp(NH)p] on forskolin-activated adenylate cyclase was retained after limited proteolysis of the membranes, indicating that the proteolytic activation does not result from an impairment of the Ni subunit. Moreover, in the rat cerebellum, proteolysis as well as calmodulin was found to enhance strongly the inhibitory effect of Gpp(NH)p on basal adenylate cyclase activity. Our results suggest that calmodulin and Ns/Ni interact with two structurally distinct but allosterically linked domains of the enzyme. Both domains appear to be involved in the mode of action of forskolin.

Stimulation and inhibition of rat basophilic leukemia cell adenylate cyclase by forskolin

The influence of the diterpene, forskolin, was studied on adenylate cyclase activity in membranes of rat basophilic leukemia cells. Forskolin increased basal adenylate cyclase activity maximally 2-fold at 100 microM. However, adenylate cyclase activity stimulated via the stimulatory guanine nucleotide-binding protein, Ns, by fluoride and the stable GTP analog, guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate), was inhibited by forskolin. Half-maximal and maximal inhibition occurred at about 1 and 10 microM forskolin, respectively. The inhibition occurred without an apparent lag phase, whereas the enzyme stimulation by forskolin was preceded by a considerable lag period. The inhibition was not affected by treating intact cells or membranes with pertussis toxin and proteolytic enzymes, respectively, which have been shown in other cell types to prevent adenylate cyclase inhibition mediated by the guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory component, Ni. The forskolin inhibition of the stable GTP analog-activated adenylate cyclase was impaired by increasing the Mg2+ concentration and was reversed into a stimulation by Mn2+. Under optimal inhibitory conditions, forskolin even decreased basal adenylate cyclase activity. Finally, forskolin largely reduced the apparent affinity of the rat basophilic leukemia cell adenylate cyclase for its substrate, MgATP, which reduction resulted in an apparent inhibition at low MgATP concentrations and a loss of the inhibition at higher MgATP concentrations. The data indicate that forskolin can cause both stimulation and inhibition of adenylate cyclase and, furthermore, they suggest that the inhibition may not be mediated by the Ni protein, but may be caused by a direct action of forskolin at the adenylate cyclase catalytic moiety.

Abnormality of adenylate cyclase regulation in human platelet membranes in renal insufficiency

Adenylate cyclase in human platelets is under dual control of prostaglandins (PGI2 and PGE1) and catecholamines. The adenylate cyclase complex in membranes of platelets from ten patients with uraemia was investigated. The activation of the platelet cyclase by PGE1 is increased in the uraemic state, Vmax 4436 +/- 607 pmol cAMP mg-1 15 min-1. In the normal state Vmax is 2098 +/- 309 pmol cAMP mg-1 15 min-1. The alpha 2-adrenergic receptor was assayed with 3H-yohimbine binding. The density of receptors was equal in the uraemic (175 fmol mg-1 membrane protein) and the normal (170 fmol mg-1 membrane protein) states. Norepinephrine/3H-yohimbine competition binding revealed that catecholamines were bound with normal affinity in platelets in uraemia. Yet the inhibition of adenylate cyclase through the alpha 2-adrenergic receptor was diminished since Vmax values of adenylate cyclase with PGE1 and PGE2 + norepinephrine did not significantly differ. In the normal state, norepinephrine significantly (P less than 0.05) inhibited the PGE1 stimulated cyclase. It is concluded that platelet adenylate cyclase in the uraemia has an increased capacity for activation which is the result of both a sensitized stimulatory mechanism (prostaglandin mediated) and a deficient inhibitory mechanism (catecholamine mediated). It is suggested that a defect exists in the inhibitory nucleotide binding protein (NI) which is the coupling unit between the adenylate cyclase catalytic subunit (C).

Effects of proteolysis on the actions of monovalent cations and 1-O-octadecyl-2-O-acetyl-sn-glyceryl-3-phosphorylcholine on platelet adenylate cyclase

NaCl stimulated the adenylate cyclase activities of human and rabbit platelet particulate fractions prepared in the presence of ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N',-tetraacetate, but inhibited the activities of particulate fractions proteolysed by endogenous Ca2+-activated protease or treatment with alpha-chymotrypsin. Studies with other monovalent cations showed that LiCl had weak effects similar to those of NaCl, whereas KCl inhibited the enzyme in both proteolysed and non-proteolysed preparations. The results suggest that NaCl exerts stimulatory and inhibitory effects through different sites. NaCl potentiated and proteolysis greatly reduced the inhibition of platelet adenylate cyclase by 1-O-octadecyl-2-O-acetyl-sn-glyceryl-3-phosphorylcholine (platelet-activating factor).

Synergistic inhibition of human platelet adenylate cyclase by stable GTP analogs and epinephrine

Adenylate cyclase inhibition by stable GTP analogs and their interaction with epinephrine were studied in human platelet membranes. Whereas basal enzyme activity was increased by these nucleotides, the stable GTP analogs decreased the adenylate cyclase activity stimulated by fluoride or forskolin by maximally 60 to 70%, with the potency order, guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTP gamma S) greater than guanyl-5'-ylimidodiphosphate greater than guanyl-5'-ylmethylenediphosphate. The inhibition of the forskolin-stimulated enzyme by GTP gamma S was half-maximal at about 4 nM, occurred after a time lag period, which was inversely related to the GTP gamma S concentration, and was resistant to washing of the membranes. Prostaglandin E1-stimulated activity exhibited a biphasic response towards GTP gamma S, with activation occurring at low (1 nM) and inhibition at higher GTP gamma S concentrations. The inhibitory effect of GTP gamma S was competitively antagonized by GTP. This antagonism was prevented by epinephrine, which inhibited the stimulated platelet adenylate cyclase in the presence of GTP to the same degree as observed with GTP gamma S alone. In the absence of GTP, epinephrine largely diminished the time lag required for the inhibitory action of GTP gamma S. Furthermore, the decrease in final activity induced by GTP gamma S was amplified by epinephrine. Whereas the acceleration of the inhibitory action of GTP gamma S was observed at low and high GTP gamma S concentrations, the amplification by epinephrine was observed only at submaximally effective concentrations of GTP gamma S.

Determination of the turn-off reaction for the epinephrine-inhibited human platelet adenylate cyclase

Epinephrine inhibits human platelet adenylate cyclase by an alpha 2-adrenoceptor-mediated and GTP-dependent process. The turn-off reaction for this epinephrine-inhibited enzyme was studied by measuring the rate of cyclic AMP formation upon addition of the alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonist, yohimbine, or upon addition of an excess of the stable GDP analog, guanosine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) (GDP beta S), which competitively inhibited the action of GTP in the epinephrine-induced inhibition. The decay of the inhibited state of the adenylate cyclase was used to calculate the rate constant of the turn-off reaction. With both methods, almost identical koff values of 0.6-0.7 min-1 at 25 degrees C were obtained for the epinephrine-inhibited platelet enzyme. Cholera toxin, which does not inhibit the epinephrine-induced GTPase stimulation in platelet membranes, did not affect this turn-off reaction. In contrast, the turn-off rate of the prostaglandin-E1-stimulated human platelet adenylate cyclase, measured with GDP beta S, was reduced from about 9 min-1 to 2 min-1 at 25 degrees C by pretreatment of the membranes with cholera toxin, which inhibits the prostaglandin-E1-stimulated GTPase activity. The data strongly suggest that the guanine nucleotide regulatory site, mediating epinephrine-induced adenylate cyclase inhibition, is activated and inactivated by similar mechanisms as is the site mediating adenylate cyclase stimulation, and that cholera toxin affects only the stimulatory site. The findings furthermore suggest that the activity states of these two regulatory sites control the activity of the adenylate cyclase.