Long-term phorbol ester treatment down-regulates protein kinase C and sensitizes the phosphoinositide signaling pathway to hormone and growth factor stimulation. Evidence for a role of protein kinase C in agonist-induced desensitization.
Exposure of a nontransformed, continuous line of epithelial cells derived from rat liver (WB cells) to epidermal growth factor, angiotensin II, [Arg8]vasopressin, and epinephrine resulted in rapid accumulation of the inositol phosphates (InsP) InsP1, InsP2, and InsP3. Although short-term (5-60 min) pretreatment of WB cells with the phorbol ester 4 beta-phorbol 12 beta-myristate 13 alpha-acetate (PMA) markedly attenuated InsP accumulation in response to all agonists, the inhibitory effects on the InsP response were lost after 2 h incubation with PMA; and, with extended (6-24 h) preincubation, a time-dependent potentiation of the InsP response to angiotensin II, epidermal growth factor and [Arg8]vasopressin was observed. The InsP response during a 15-min challenge with angiotensin II in cells pretreated for 18 h with 600 nM and 10 microM PMA was increased by 2-3-fold and 4-6-fold, respectively. Long-term (18 h) treatment with 600 nM and 10 microM PMA caused a similar 90-100% loss of measurable Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent enzyme (protein kinase C) activity in cytosolic and soluble particulate fractions. The effects of long-term PMA pretreatment do not represent a general enhancement of hormone responsiveness since the InsP response to epinephrine was not affected. In control cells, the InsP response to angiotensin II and epinephrine desensitized very rapidly. Long-term pretreatment with PMA greatly reduced the contribution of agonist-induced desensitization to the angiotensin II response; in contrast, the extent of desensitization occurring during incubation of WB cells with epinephrine was unaltered by long-term treatment with PMA suggesting that an additional mechanism may be involved in alpha 1-adrenergic receptor desensitization. No PMA-induced change in resting levels of [3H]phosphoinositides or the metabolism of exogenous [3H]inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate by WB homogenates occurred. Stimulation of InsP formation in intact cells by NaF and activation of phospholipase C by GTP gamma S in membranes both were unaltered by short-term or long-term PMA pretreatment. These data are consistent with the idea that following long-term treatment of WB cells with PMA, the occurrence of agonist-induced desensitization of receptors linked to the phosphoinositide/Ca2+ signaling system is reduced, apparently at least in part due to the loss of contribution of a negative feedback regulatory role of protein kinase C.
Hepler
J R
JR
Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27514.
Earp
H S
HS
Harden
T K
TK
D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002460:Cell Line; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006728:Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010716:Phosphatidylinositols / Q000378:metabolism*; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
D006133:Growth Substances; D006728:Hormones; D010716:Phosphatidylinositols; D000804:Angiotensin II; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; D004837:Epinephrine