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Exposure of mammalian cells to ultraviolet (UV) light elicits a cellular response and can also lead to apoptotic cell death. In this report, we show that a 36-kDa myelin basic protein (MBP) kinase detected by an in-gel kinase assay can be dramatically activated during the early stages of UV irradiation-triggered apoptosis of A431 cells. Immunoblot analysis revealed that this 36-kDa MBP kinase could be recognized by an antibody against the C-terminal regions of a family of p21Cdc42/Rac-activated kinases (PAKs). By using this antibody and a PAK2-specific antibody against the N-terminal region of PAK2 as studying tools, we further demonstrated that UV irradiation caused cleavage of PAK2 to generate a 36-kDa C-terminal catalytic fragment and a 30-kDa N-terminal fragment in A431 cells. The appearance of the 36-kDa C-terminal catalytic fragment of PAK2 matched exactly with the activation of the 36-kDa MBP kinase in A431 cells upon UV irradiation. In addition, UV irradiation also led to activation of CPP32/caspase-3, but not ICH-1L/caspase-2 and ICE/caspase-1, in A431 cells and the kinetics of activation of CPP32/caspase-3 appeared to correlate well with that of DNA fragmentation and of cleavage/activation of PAK2, respectively. Moreover, blockage of activation of CPP32/caspase-3 by pretreating the cells with two specific tetrapeptidic inhibitors for caspases (Ac-DEVD-cho and Ac-YVAD-cmk) could significantly attenuate the extent of cleavage/activation of PAK2 induced by UV irradiation. Collectively, the results demonstrate that cleavage and activation of PAK2 can be induced during the early stages of UV irradiation-triggered apoptosis and indicate the involvement of CPP32/caspase-3 in this process.

Exposure of A431 cells to a rapid temperature increase from 37 degrees to 46 degrees C could induce an increased expression (approximately 200% of control) and tyrosine phosphorylation/activation (approximately 300% of control) of protein kinase FA/ glycogen synthase kinase-3 alpha (kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha) in a time-dependent manner, as demonstrated by an anti-kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha immunoprecipitate kinase assay and by immunoblotting analysis with anti-kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha and anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies. The heat induction on the increased expression of kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha could be blocked by actinomycin D but not by genistein. In contrast, the heat induction on tyrosine phosphorylation/activation of kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha could be blocked by genistein or protein tyrosine phosphatase, indicating that heat stress induces a dual control mechanism, namely, protein expression and subsequent tyrosine phosphorylation to cause cellular activation of kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha. Taken together, the results provide initial evidence that kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha represents a newly described heat stress-inducible protein subjected to tyrosine phosphorylation/activation, representing a new mode of signal transduction for the regulation of this human carcinoma dedifferentiation modulator and a new mode of heat induction on cascade activation of a protein kinase.

Computer analysis of protein phosphorylation sites sequence revealed that transcriptional factors and viral oncoproteins are prime targets for regulation of proline-directed protein phosphorylation, suggesting an association of the proline-directed protein kinase (PDPK) family with neoplastic transformation and tumorigenesis. In this report, an immunoprecipitate activity assay of protein kinase FA/glycogen synthase kinase-3 alpha (kinase F(A)/GSK-3 alpha) (a member of PDPK family) has been optimized for human hepatoma and used to demonstrate for the first time significantly increased (P < 0.01) activity in poorly differentiated SK-Hep-1 hepatoma (24.2 +/- 2.8 units/mg) and moderately differentiated Mahlavu hepatoma (14.5 +/- 2.2 units/mg) when compared to well differentiated Hep 3B hepatoma (8.0 +/- 2.4 units/mg). Immunoblotting analysis revealed that increased activity of kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha is due to overexpression of the protein. Elevated kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha expression in human hepatoma biopsies relative to normal liver tissue was found to be even more profound. This kinase appeared to be fivefold overexpressed in well differentiated hepatoma and 13-fold overexpressed in poorly differentiated hepatoma when compared to normal liver tissue. Taken together, the results provide initial evidence that overexpression of kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha is involved in human hepatoma dedifferentiation/progression. Since kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha is a PDPK, the results further support a potential role of this kinase in human liver tumorigenesis, especially in its dedifferentiation/progression.

Exposure of A431 cells to a rapid and sudden increase from 37 degrees C to 46 degrees C for 30 min could induce an increase in protein level and cellular activity of protein (kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha) up to approximately 200% of control level. However, when cells were first treated with 500 nM tumor promoter phorbol ester TPA at 37 degrees C for 30 min to activate cellular protein kinase C (PKC) or with 400 nM okadaic acid at 37 degrees C for 30 min to inhibit cellular protein phosphatases followed by heat shock at 46 degrees C for another 30 min, the heat induction on kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha was found to be completed blocked. In sharp contrast, when cells were first treated with 1 microM TPA at 37 degrees C for 24 h or with 5 microM sphingosine at 37 degrees C for 30 min to down-regulate cellular PKC, the heat induction on kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha was found to be reversely promoted up to approximately 250% of control level, demonstrating that kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha may not represent a constitutively active/mitogen-inactivated protein kinase as previously conceived. Taken together, the results provide initial evidence that TPA/sphingosine and okadaic acid could reversibly modulate the heat induction on kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha in A431 cells, suggesting that phosphorylation/dephosphorylation mechanisms are involved in the regulation of the heat-shock induction of kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha, representing a new mode of signal transduction for the regulation of this multisubstrate protein kinase and a new mode of signaling pathway modulating the heat-induction process.

The signal transduction mechanism of protein kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha by tyrosine phosphorylation in A431 cells was investigated using calphostin C as an inhibitor for protein kinase C (PKC). Kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha could be tyrosine-dephosphorylated and inactivated to approximately 10% of control in a concentration-dependent manner by 0.1-10 microM calphostin C (IC50, approximately 1 microM), as demonstrated by immunoprecipitation of kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha from cell extracts, followed by phosphoamino acid analysis and by immunodetection in an antikinase FA/GSK-3 alpha immunoprecipitate kinase assay. In sharp contrast, down-regulation of PKC by 0.05 microM calphostin C (IC50, approximately 0.05 microM for inhibiting PKC in cells) or by tumor promoter phorbol ester TPA was found to have stimulatory effect on the cellular activity of kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha, when processed under identical conditions. Furthermore, TPA-mediated down-regulation of PKC was found to have no effect on calphostin C-mediated tyrosine dephosphorylation/inactivation of kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha. Taken together, the results provide initial evidence that the PKC inhibitor calphostin C may induce tyrosine dephosphorylation/inactivation of kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha in a pathway independent of TPA-mediated down-regulation of PKC, representing a new mode of signal transduction for the regulation of this multisubstrate/multifunctional protein kinase by calphostin C in cells. Since kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha is a possible carcinoma dedifferentiation/progression-promoting factor, the results further suggest calphostin C as a potential anticancer drug involved in blocking carcinoma dedifferentiation/progression, possibly via inactivation of protein kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha in tumor cells.

Computer analysis of protein phosphorylation-sites sequence revealed that most transcriptional factors and viral oncoproteins are prime targets for regulation of proline-directed protein phosphorylation, suggesting an association of proline-directed protein kinase (PDPK) family with neoplastic transformation and tumorigenesis. In this report, an immunoprecipitate activity assay of protein kinase FA/glycogen synthase kinase-3alpha (kinase FA/GSK-3alpha) (a particular member of PDPK family) has been optimized for human cervical tissue and used to demonstrate for the first time significantly increased (P < 0.001) activity in poorly differentiated cervical carcinoma (82.8 +/- 6.6 U/mg of protein), moderately differentiated carcinoma (36.2 +/- 3.4 U/mg of protein), and well-differentiated carcinoma (18.3 +/- 2.4 U/mg of protein) from 36 human cervical carcinoma samples when compared to 12 normal controls (4.9 +/- 0.6 U/mg of protein). Immunoblotting analysis further revealed that increased activity of kinase FA/GSK-3alpha in cervical carcinoma is due to overexpression of protein synthesis of the kinase. Taken together, the results provide initial evidence that overexpression of protein synthesis and cellular activity of kinase FA/GSK-3alpha may be involved in human cervical carcinoma dedifferentiation/progression, supporting an association of proline-directed protein kinase with neoplastic transformation and tumorigenesis. Since protein kinase FA/GSK-3alpha may function as a possible regulator of transcription factors/proto-oncogenes, the results further suggest that kinase FA/GSK-3alpha may play a potential role in human cervical carcinogenesis, especially in its dedifferentiation and progression.

As compared to normal people, the lymphocytes of patients with schizophrenia were found to have an impairment of ATP.Mg-dependent protein phosphatase activation. More importantly, the impaired protein phosphatase activation in the lymphocytes of schizophrenic patients could be consistently and completely restored to normal by exogenous pure protein kinase FA/glycogen synthase kinase-3 alpha (kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha) (the activating factor of ATP.Mg-dependent protein phosphatase), indicating that the molecular mechanism for the impaired protein phosphatase activation in schizophrenic patients may be due to a functional loss of kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha. Immunoblotting and kinase activity analysis in an anti-kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha immunoprecipitate further demonstrate that both cellular activities and protein levels of kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha in the lymphocytes of schizophrenic patients were greatly impared as compared to normal controls. Statistical analysis revealed that the lymphocytes isolated from 37 normal people contain kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha activity in the high levels of 14.8 +/- 2.4 units/mg of cell protein, whereas the lymphocytes of 48 patients with schizophrenic disorder contain kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha activity in the low levels of 2.8 +/- 1.6 units/mg, indicating that the different levels of kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha activity between schizophrenic patients and normal people are statistically significant. Taken together, the results provide initial evidence that patients with schizophrenic disorder may have a common impairment in the protein levels and cellular activities of kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha, a multisubstrate protein kinase and a multisubstrate protein phosphatase activator in their lymphocytes.

Computer analysis of protein phosphorylation sites sequence revealed that transcriptional factors and viral oncoproteins are prime targets for regulation of proline-directed protein phosphorylation, suggesting an association of the proline-directed protein kinase (PDPK) family with neoplastic transformation and tumorigenesis. In this report, an immunoprecipitate activity assay of protein kinase FA/glycogen synthase kinase-3 alpha (kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha) (a member of the PDPK family) has been optimized for human thyroid tissue and used to demonstrate for the first time significantly increased (P < 0.001) activity in thyroid carcinoma (24.2 +/- 2.8 units/mg of protein) (n = 7), thyroid adenoma (14.5 +/- 2.2 units/mg of protein) (n = 6), and thyroid hyperplasia (8.0 +/- 2.4 units/mg of protein) (n = 5) when compared to five normal controls (4.1 +/- 1.8 units/mg of protein). Immunoblotting analysis further revealed that increased activity of kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha in thyroid tumor cells is due to overexpression of the protein synthesis of the enzyme. Taken together, the results provide initial evidence that overexpression of protein level and cellular activity of kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha is involved in human thyroid tumor cell dedifferentiation, supporting an association of PDPK with neoplastic transformation and tumorigenesis. Since kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha may function as a possible regulator of transcription factors/protooncogenes, kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha may therefore play an important role in thyroid cell carcinogenesis, especially in its differentiation.

The signal transduction mechanism of protein kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha by tyrosine phosphorylation in A431 cells was investigated. Kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha was found to exist in a highly tyrosine-phosphorylated/activated state in resting cells but could be tyrosine-dephosphorylated and inactivated to approximately 60% of the control level when cells were acutely treated with 1 microM tumor promoter phorbol ester (TPA) at 37 degrees C for 30 min, as demonstrated by metabolic 32P-labeling the cells, followed by immunoprecipitation and two-dimensional phosphoamino acid analysis and by immunodetection in an antikinase FA/GSK-3 alpha immunoprecipitate kinase assay. Conversely, when cells were chronically treated with 1 microM TPA at 37 degrees C for 24 h and processed under identical conditions, kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha was found to be rephosphorylated on tyrosine residue and reactivated to approximately 130% of the original control level. Taken together, the results provide initial evidence that the phosphotyrosine content and cellular activity of kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha can be modulated in a reversible manner by short-term and long-term exposure of A431 cells to TPA. Since acute exposure of cells to TPA causes up-regulation of cellular protein kinase C (PKC) activity and prolonged exposure to TPA causes down-regulation of PKC, the results further suggest that the TPA-mediated modulation of PKC may play a role in the regulation of tyrosine phosphorylation and concurrent activation of kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha in cells, representing a new mode of signal transduction pathway for the regulation of this multisubstrate/multifunctional protein kinase in cells.

Modulation of protein kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha by tyrosine phosphorylation in A431 cells was investigated. Kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha was found to exist in a highly tyrosine-phosphorylated/activated state in resting cells but could become tyrosine-dephosphorylated and inactivated down to less than 30% of control values in a concentration-dependent manner by 50-400 microM genistein (a specific tyrosine kinase inhibitor), as demonstrated by metabolic 32P-labeling of the cells followed by immunoprecipitation and two-dimensional phosphoamino acid analysis and by immunodetection in an antikinase FA/GSK-3 alpha immunoprecipitate kinase assay. Taken together, the results provide evidence that kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha may exist in a highly tyrosine-phosphorylated/activated state in resting cells which can be tyrosine-dephosphorylated and inactivated by extracellular stimulus and that tyrosine kinase(s) and/or tyrosine phosphatase(s) may play a role in the modulation of kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha activity in cells.

Okadaic acid (OA), a protein phosphatase inhibitor, was found to induce hyperphosphorylation and reorganization of vimentin intermediate filaments in 9L rat brain tumor cells. The process was dose dependent. Vimentin phosphorylation was initially enhanced by 400 nM OA in 30 min and reached maximal level (about 26-fold) when cells were treated with 400 nM OA for 90 min. Upon removal of OA, dephosphorylation of the hyperphosphorylated vimentin was observed and the levels of phosphorylation returned to that of the controls after the cells recovered under normal growing conditions for 11 h. The phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of vimentin induced by OA concomitantly resulted in reversible reorganization of vimentin filaments and alteration of cell morphology. Cells rounded up as they were entering mitosis in the presence of OA and returned to normal appearance after 11 h of recovery. Immuno-staining with anti-vimentin antibody revealed that vimentin filaments were disassembled and clustered around the nucleus when the cells were treated with OA but subsequently returned to the filamentous states when OA was removed. Two-dimensional electrophoresis analysis further revealed that hyperphosphorylation of vimentin generated at least seven isoforms having different isoelectric points. Furthermore, the enhanced vimentin phosphorylation was accompanied by changes in the detergent-solubility of the protein. In untreated cells, the detergent-soluble and -insoluble vimentins were of equal amounts but the solubility could be increased when vimentins were hyperphosphorylated in the presence of OA. Taken together, the results indicated that OA could be involved in reversible hyperphosphorylation and reorganization of vimentin intermediate filaments, which may play an important role in the structure-function regulation of cytoskeleton in the cell.