title: T cell antigen receptor dependent signalling in human lymphocytes: cholera toxin inhibits interleukin-2 receptor expression but not interleukin-2 synthesis by preventing activation of a protein kinase C isotype, PKC-alpha.
abstract: Activation and translocation of protein kinases C is a key event in the regulation of T lymphocyte activation, proliferation and function. Stimulation of human peripheral blood lymphocytes with the monoclonal antibody BMA 031 raised against the T cell antigen receptor led to a bimodal activation of protein kinases C. The immediate activation and translocation of the protein kinase C isoform PKC-alpha was followed by activation and translocation of the protein kinase C-beta isoenzyme after 90 min of stimulation. Pretreatment of the cells with cholera toxin for 90 min completely abolished activation of protein kinase C-alpha. In sharp contrast, activation and translocation of protein kinase C-beta was not influenced by the bacterial toxin, suggesting that activation and translocation of different protein kinase C isoenzymes are regulated by distinct mechanisms of transmembrane signalling coupled to the T cell antigen receptor/CD3 complex. The expression of high affinity IL-2 receptors was completely inhibited by cholera toxin, while IL-2 synthesis and secretion were not influenced in BMA 031-stimulated human lymphocytes. Extensive control experiments have shown that the effects of cholera toxin were not mediated by its B subunit, and were independent of elevation of intracellular cAMP concentration, suggesting that cholera toxin interfered with a signalling pathway leading to activation of protein kinase C-alpha, which could be responsible for the inhibition of IL-2 receptor expression. This hypothesis was substantiated by the finding that upon introduction of antibodies against protein kinase C-alpha, IL-2 receptor gene expression was completely suppressed. The results suggest, that protein kinase C-alpha might be the major protein kinase C isoenzyme of a signal transduction cascade regulating IL-2 receptor expression in stimulated human lymphocytes.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Pharmacology, Medical School Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szamel
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ebel
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Uciechowski
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kaever
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Resch
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002772:Cholera Toxin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051571:Protein Kinase C-alpha; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000276:immunology; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007376:Interleukin-2; D007527:Isoenzymes; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D002772:Cholera Toxin; C496628:PRKCA protein, human; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D051571:Protein Kinase C-alpha