title: Activation of the double-stranded RNA-regulated protein kinase by depletion of endoplasmic reticular calcium stores.
abstract: Perturbants of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), including Ca(2+)-mobilizing agents, provoke a rapid suppression of translational initiation in conjunction with an increased phosphorylation of the alpha-subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF)-2. Depletion of ER Ca2+ stores was found to signal the activation of a specific eIF-2 alpha kinase. Analysis of extracts derived from cultured cells that had been pretreated with Ca2+ ionophore A23187 or thapsigargin revealed a 2-3-fold increase in eIF-2 alpha kinase activity without detectable changes in eIF-2 alpha phosphatase activity. A peptide of 65-68 kDa, which was phosphorylated concurrently with eIF-2 alpha in extracts of pretreated cells, was identified as the interferon-inducible, double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-regulated protein kinase (PKR). Depletion of ER Ca2+ stores did not alter the PKR contents of extracts. When incubated with reovirus dsRNA, extracts derived from cells with depleted ER Ca2+ stores displayed greater degrees of phosphorylation of PKR and of eIF-2 alpha than did control extracts. The enhanced dsRNA-dependent phosphorylation of PKR was observed regardless of prior induction of the kinase with interferon. Lower concentrations of dsRNA were required for maximal phosphorylation of PKR in extracts of treated as compared to control preparations. These findings suggest that PKR mediates the translational suppression occurring in response to perturbation of ER Ca2+ homeostasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854.
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Prostko
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Dholakia
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Brostrom
authors.forename: C O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Brostrom
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D000001:Calcimycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D004533:Egtazic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / Q000378:metabolism; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D019892:eIF-2 Kinase
chemical_list: D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D000001:Calcimycin; D004533:Egtazic Acid; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D019892:eIF-2 Kinase; C019363:eIF-2 phosphatase; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases; D002118:Calcium