title: Identification of the LIM kinase-1 as a ceramide-regulated gene in renal mesangial cells.
abstract: Stimulation of rat renal mesangial cells with cell-permeable C6-ceramide for 6 and 24h induces the expression of several genes as analyzed by a RNA fingerprinting arbitrarily primed-PCR method. Sequencing of the differentially expressed bands identified the serine/threonine protein kinase LIM kinase-1 (LIMK-1), which is involved in the regulation of cytoskeletal organization, as a ceramide-induced gene. The ceramide-triggered upregulation of LIMK-1 was verified by semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR. A detailed time course reveals a first detectable increase in RNA level after 2h of ceramide stimulation which reaches maximal levels after 6h of stimulation and remains elevated up to 24 h. This ceramide-induced gene transcription of LIMK-1 is accompanied by enhanced LIMK-1 protein levels with maximal protein expression seen after 6h of stimulation. Furthermore, cofilin, which is a specific substrate of LIMK-1, shows an increased phosphorylation at Ser-3 in mesangial cells exposed to C6-ceramide. Mechanistically, the ceramide-induced LIMK-1 expression is blocked by the Rho kinase inhibitor Y27632, but not by a farnesyl transferase inhibitor, suggesting the involvement of the small G protein Rho, but not Ras and Rac, in the expressional upregulation. Similar to exogenously added ceramide, also interleukin-1beta which is an established activator of the neutral sphingomyelinase that leads to endogenous ceramide formation upregulates LIMK-1 protein expression and activity. In summary, these data demonstrate for the first time that LIMK-1 is a ceramide-induced gene, thus suggesting that LIMK-1 may act as a link between stress-induced ceramide formation and reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton.
authors.affiliation: Pharmazentrum Frankfurt, Klinikum der Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Soheyla
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shabahang
authors.forename: Yan-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Huwiler
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pfeilschifter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002518:Ceramides / Q000502:physiology*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000502:physiology*; D005920:Glomerular Mesangium / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D054461:Lim Kinases; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D002518:Ceramides; D011494:Protein Kinases; D054461:Lim Kinases; C515894:Limk1 protein, rat