title: Phosphorylation of 69-kDa choline acetyltransferase at threonine 456 in response to amyloid-beta peptide 1-42.
abstract: Choline acetyltransferase synthesizes acetylcholine in cholinergic neurons. In the brain, these neurons are especially vulnerable to effects of beta-amyloid (A beta) peptides. Choline acetyltransferase is a substrate for several protein kinases. In the present study, we demonstrate that short term exposure of IMR32 neuroblastoma cells expressing human choline acetyltransferase to A beta-(1-42) changes phosphorylation of the enzyme, resulting in increased activity and alterations in its interaction with other cellular proteins. Using mass spectrometry, we identified threonine 456 as a new phosphorylation site in choline acetyltransferase from A beta-(1-42)-treated cells and in purified recombinant ChAT phosphorylated in vitro by calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM kinase II). Whereas phosphorylation of choline acetyltransferase by protein kinase C alone caused a 2-fold increase in enzyme activity, phosphorylation by CaM kinase II alone did not alter enzyme activity. A 3-fold increase in choline acetyltransferase activity was found with coordinate phosphorylation of threonine 456 by CaM kinase II and phosphorylation of serine 440 by protein kinase C. This phosphorylation combination was observed in choline acetyltransferase from A beta-(1-42)-treated cells. Treatment of cells with A beta-(1-42) resulted in two phases of activation of choline acetyltransferase, the first within 30 min and associated with phosphorylation by protein kinase C and the second by 10 h and associated with phosphorylation by both CaM kinase II and protein kinase C. We also show that choline acetyltransferase from A beta-(1-42)-treated cells co-immunoprecipitates with valosin-containing protein, and mutation of threonine 456 to alanine abolished the A beta-(1-42)-induced effects. These studies demonstrate that A beta-(1-42) can acutely regulate the function of choline acetyltransferase, thus potentially altering cholinergic neurotransmission.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Western Ontario, and Robarts Research Institute, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada.
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dobransky
authors.forename: Dyanne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brewer
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lajoie
authors.forename: R Jane
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Rylett
mesh_terms: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009447:Neuroblastoma; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010748:Phosphopeptides / Q000737:chemistry; D010766:Phosphorylation; D010769:Phosphothreonine / Q000378:metabolism*; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; D013912:Threonine; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010748:Phosphopeptides; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C075222:amyloid beta-protein (1-42); D010769:Phosphothreonine; D013912:Threonine; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase; D011493:Protein Kinase C