title: Calcium-dependent activation of Erk-1 and Erk-2 after hypo-osmotic astrocyte swelling.
abstract: The influence of hypo-osmotic cell swelling on the activity of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases Erk-1 and Erk-2 (where Erk stands for extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase) was studied in cultured rat astrocytes. Hypo-osmotic treatment led within 10 min to an increased activity of Erk-1 and Erk-2, which became maximal at 20 min and returned to the basal level within 60 min. Moreover, exposure to hypo-osmotic conditions induced a biphasic increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i): a rapid peak-like increase was followed by a sustained plateau. The absence of extracellular Ca2+ completely abolished Erk activation as well as the plateau of the [Ca2+]i response after hypo-osmotic stimulation. Application of wortmannin and agents to elevate intracellular cAMP levels also completely blocked Erk activation but were without effect on the biphasic [Ca2+]i response to hypo-osmotic treatment of the cells, suggesting a role of PtdIns 3-kinase and the Ras/Raf pathway downstream of the calcium signal. Protein kinase C (PKC) and Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent kinases are unlikely to play a role in the hypo-osmolarity-induced signalling towards MAP kinases, as revealed by the blockage of PKC and CaM kinases. Inhibition of tyrosine kinases, pertussis-toxin- or cholera-toxin-sensitive G-proteins and phospholipase C had no effect on the [Ca2+]i response; the Erk response to hypo-osmolarity was also largely unaltered. This is different from the swelling-induced MAP kinase activation in hepatocytes, which was shown to occur via a calcium-independent but G-protein- and tyrosine kinase-dependent mechanism. Thus osmo-signalling towards MAP kinases might exhibit cell-type-specific features.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Einrichtungen, Heinrich-Heine Universität, Klinik für Gastroenterologie, Düsseldorf, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schliess
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sinning
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schmalenbach
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Häussinger
mesh_terms: D000730:Androstadienes / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000494:pharmacology; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015398:Signal Transduction; D000077191:Wortmannin
chemical_list: D000730:Androstadienes; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D002118:Calcium; D000077191:Wortmannin