Calcium-independent phospholipid/diolein-dependent phosphorylation of a soluble ovarian Mr 80,000 substrate protein: biochemical characteristics

Regulation of protein kinase C delta by estrogen in the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line

We have previously shown that estrogen up-regulates expression of protein kinase C (PKC) delta in the rat and rabbit corpus luteum as well as in luteinized rat granulosa primary cell cultures. To determine whether a similar regulation of the PKC delta isoform by estrogen occurred in another estrogen responsive system, we investigated the estrogen receptor positive MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. In a characterization of PKC isoforms in MCF-7 cells we determined that PKC delta was the predominant PKC isoform. However in contrast to the effect of estrogen on PKC delta expression in ovarian cells, estrogen treatment of MCF-7 cells resulted in a significant decrease in PKC delta protein and mRNA expression in a time and dose dependent manner. Treatment of MCF-7 cells with 10(-10)-10(-8) M estrogen for 7 days down-regulated specifically PKC delta mRNA and protein while expression of other PKC isoforms was unchanged. The opposite regulation of PKC delta expression in ovarian and breast cancer cells prompted us to evaluate the type of estrogen receptor present in both cell types. Results showed that luteinized rat granulosa cells expressed predominantly estrogen receptor beta while the MCF-7 cells expressed predominantly estrogen receptor alpha and barely detectable levels of estrogen receptor beta. These results suggest that the differential ability of estrogen to regulate PKC beta expression could potentially be a result of differential signaling through the two estrogen receptor subtypes.

Heat-shock protein-25/27 phosphorylation by the delta isoform of protein kinase C

Small heat-shock proteins (sHSPs) are widely expressed 25-28 kDa proteins whose functions are dynamically regulated by phosphorylation. While recent efforts have clearly delineated a stress-responsive p38 mitogen-activated protein-kinase (MAPK)-dependent kinase pathway culminating in activation of the heat-shock (HSP)-kinases, mitogen-activated protein-kinase-activated protein kinase-2 and -3, not all sHSP phosphorylation events can be explained by the p38 MAPK-dependent pathway. The contribution of protein kinase C (PKC) to sHSP phosphorylation was suggested by early studies but later questioned on the basis of the reported poor ability of purified PKC to phosphorylate sHSP in vitro. The current study re-evaluates the role of PKC in sHSP phosphorylation in the light of the isoform complexity of the PKC family. We evaluated the sHSP phosphorylation status in rat corpora lutea obtained from two stages of pregnancy, mid-pregnancy and late-pregnancy, which express different levels of the novel PKC isoform, PKC-delta. Two-dimensional Western blot analysis showed that HSP-27 was more highly phosphorylated in vivo in corpora lutea of late pregnancy, corresponding to the developmental stage in which PKC-delta is abundant and active. Late-pregnant luteal extracts contained a lipid-sensitive HSP-kinase activity which exactly co-purified with PKC-delta using hydroxyapatite and S-Sepharose column chromatography. To determine whether there might be preferential phosphorylation of sHSP by a particular PKC isoform, purified recombinant PKC isoforms corresponding to those PKC isoforms detected in rat corpora lutea were evaluated for HSP-kinase activity in vitro. Recombinant PKC-delta effectively catalysed the phosphorylation of sHSP in vitro, and PKC-alpha was 30-50% as effective as an HSP-kinase; other PKCs tested (beta1, beta2, epsilon and zeta) were poor HSP-kinases. These results show that select PKC family members can function as direct HSP-kinases in vitro. Moreover, the observation of enhanced luteal HSP-27 phosphorylation in vivo, in late pregnancy, when PKC-delta is abundant and active, suggests that select PKC family members contribute to sHSP phosphorylation events in vivo.

Transforming growth factor-beta1 inhibits membrane association of protein kinase C alpha in a human prostate cancer cell line, PC3

The postreceptor signaling pathway(s) that mediates the effects of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) is incompletely understood. The present study investigated the involvement of protein kinase C (PKC) in the growth-inhibitory action of TGF-beta1 in PC3, a human prostate cancer cell line. PKC alpha, the only conventional PKC isoform detected in PC3 cells, appeared to be constitutively active based on its presence in both Triton-soluble membrane fraction and cytosol. However, levels of membrane-associated PKC alpha were decreased by a growth-inhibitory dose of TGF-beta1. The response to TGF-beta1 was rapid (within 5 min), time dependent, isoform specific, and occurred without apparent changes in levels of total PKC alpha protein. TGF-beta1 also decreased the levels of membrane-associated PKC activity coincident with its inhibitory effect on PKC alpha's membrane association. Inhibition of PKC activity appeared to be associated with growth inhibition in PC3 cells, because chelerythrine (a specific PKC inhibitor) likewise decreased cell proliferation. Taken together, our data suggest that inhibition of PKC activity, at least in part due to inactivation of PKC alpha, is an early event associated with TGF-beta1 postreceptor signaling that might mediate suppression of cell proliferation.

Hormonal regulation of PKC-delta protein and mRNA levels in the rabbit corpus luteum

We have previously reported that rabbit corpora lutea exhibit a prominent phosphorylated substrate protein at 76 kDa which corresponds to the autophosphorylated form of protein kinase C (PKC) delta and that the expression of PKC-delta protein is increased in rabbit corpora lutea of pseudopregnancy at least 2-fold when serum estrogen levels are raised by the presence of an estrogen implant inserted at the time of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)-induced ovulation. The purpose of the experiments described herein was to evaluate further the hormonal regulation of PKC-delta in the rabbit corpus luteum. Results demonstrate that luteal PKC-delta protein and mRNA are concomitantly induced some 5-fold within 48 h in response to an ovulatory surge of hCG; that, as in corpora lutea of pseudopregnancy, luteal PKC-delta expression is relatively constant during the life span of the corpus luteum following a fertile mating; that exogenous estrogen does not modulate the induction of luteal PKC-delta during luteinization but promotes an additional two-fold increase in steady state PKC-delta mRNA (and protein) levels in corpora lutea by day 10 of pseudopregnancy; and that luteal PKC-delta expression can be abruptly and reversibly modulated upon withdrawal and subsequent replacement of an estrogen implant to pseudopregnant rabbits. These results demonstrate that an ovulatory surge of luteinizing hormone induces the expression of PKC-delta mRNA and protein in rabbit corpora lutea, and that once the corpus luteum becomes estrogen responsive, estrogen then regulates expression of PKC-delta mRNA and protein.

Regulation of delta protein kinase C during rat ovarian differentiation

Studies were undertaken to classify protein kinase C (PKC) forms present in rat corpora lutea and to begin to evaluate their regulation during ovarian differentiation. Hydroxyapatite (HAP) column chromatography of rat luteal tissue revealed the presence of multiple forms of PKC (alpha, beta, delta, zeta). Identification of the PKC isoforms was based upon elution positions from HAP column chromatography and immunoreactivity. The delta PKC isoform was identified as the major Ca(2+)-independent form of PKC present in rat luteal tissue. The Ca(2+)-independent, lipid-dependent phosphorylation of the 80-kDa delta PKC was readily detectable in soluble luteal extracts and was shown to reflect autophosphorylation of delta PKC. To evaluate the regulation of PKC isoforms during ovarian differentiation, PKC protein levels were compared between preovulatory follicle-enriched ovaries and corpora lutea obtained on day 16 of pregnancy. Levels of delta PKC protein were greatly elevated in corpora lutea compared to levels in preovulatory follicles. In contrast, levels of alpha and beta PKC protein remained constant while levels of zeta PKC were slightly higher in the follicular than the luteal extract. Levels of delta PKC mRNA were also higher in corpora lutea than in preovulatory follicles. These results are the first to demonstrate the physiological regulation of delta PKC with follicular differentiation into corpora lutea and implicate a role for this prominent PKC form in the corpus luteum during pregnancy.

Protein kinase C activity in the rat ovary: increasing enzyme activity and presence of an endogenous inhibitor during pregnancy

1. Protein kinase C (PKC) activity was measured in corpora lutea and ovarian interstitial tissues obtained from rats on days 7, 13/14 and 20 of normal pregnancy. 2. PKC activity increased steadily from day 7 to day 20 of pregnancy in luteal tissue but not in ovarian interstitial tissues. 3. Cytosolic fractions of both tissue types inhibited PKC activity in a control preparation of the enzyme, suggesting that both tissues contain an endogenous inhibitor of PKC throughout pregnancy.

Hormonal regulation of the type III isoform of C-kinase in porcine ovarian tissues

C-kinase activity is notably increased in corpora lutea (CL) compared to preovulatory follicles of porcine ovaries. Our purpose was to identify the C-kinase isoform(s) involved in this increase and to examine the expression of C-kinase in ovarian tissues at different stages. The major component of C-kinase activity in the CL was isoform III, with a molecular weight (M(r)) of 80,000. Minor activities were attributed to the type II isoform (M(r) = 80,000) and an unidentified C-kinase activity (M(r) = 77,000). C-kinase was not partitioned differently in preovulatory follicles and CL as demonstrated by tissue homogenization in the presence of a detergent and increased chelators. A 3-fold increase in immunoreactive C-kinase was detected in postovulatory follicles relative to preovulatory. A second, nearly 3-fold increase in C-kinase was detected in mature CL relative to postovulatory follicles. These increases are examined in the context of the complex hormonal regulation of the porcine CL.

Structure and properties of a ubiquitously expressed protein kinase C, nPKC delta

cDNA clones coding for novel protein kinase C delta (nPKC delta) were isolated from a mouse brain cDNA library. Mouse nPKC delta consists of 674 amino acid residues and has sequence identity of 95% with rat nPKC delta. Antiserum raised against a C-terminal peptide of rat nPKC delta identified a 79-kDa protein in COS cells transfected with a mouse nPKC delta cDNA expression plasmid. nPKC delta expressed in COS1 cells had phorbol-ester-binding activity and protein kinase activity in a phorbol-ester- or diacylglycerol-dependent manner, like conventional protein kinase C (cPKC) isozymes and nPKC epsilon. However, nPKC delta, like nPKC epsilon, is not activated by Ca2+, a known activator of cPKCs, and requires lower concentrations of Mg2+ for full activation than cPKCs. Moreover, apparent kinetic constants for synthetic oligopeptides (MBP4-14, EGFR peptide and epsilon-peptide) were quite different between nPKC delta and cPKC in two different conditions. Among various phospholipids tested, phosphatidylinositol is the most potent activator of nPKC delta, in clear contrast to cPKCs and nPKC epsilon. Limited proteolysis of nPKC delta generated a C-terminal active fragment with a cofactor-independent kinase activity. Northern blot analysis indicated that nPKC delta, like cPKC alpha, is widely distributed in almost all the tissues and cells examined and, in some cases such as fibroblast cells, exists as a major PKC type. These results suggest that nPKC delta is involved in fundamental cellular functions regulated by diacylglycerols and mimicked by phorbol esters.