Search

Physical exercise could play a neuroprotective role in both human and animals. However, the involved signal pathways underlying the neuroprotective effect are still not well established. This study was to investigate the possible signal pathways involved in the neuroprotection of pre-ischemic treadmill training after ischemic stroke. Seventy-two SD rats were randomly assigned into three groups (n=24/group): sham surgery group, middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) group and MCAO with exercise group. Following three weeks of treadmill training exercise, ischemic stroke was induced by occluding the middle cerebral artery (MCA) in rat for 2 h, followed by reperfusion. Twenty-four hours after MCAO/reperfusion, 12 rats in each group were evaluated for neurological deficit scores and then sacrificed to measure the infarct volume (n=6) and cerebral edema (n=6). Six rats in each group were sacrificed to measure the expression level of glutamate transporter-1 (GLT-1), protein kinase C-α (PKC-α), Akt, and phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) (n=6). Two hundred and eighty minutes (4.67 h) after occlusion, six rats in each group were decapitated to detect the mRNA expression level of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit type 2B (NR2B) (n=6).The results demonstrated that pre-ischemic treadmill training exercise reduced brain infarct volume, cerebral edema and neurological deficits, also decreased the over expression of PKC-α and increased the expression level of GLT-1, Akt and PI3K after ischemic stroke (p<0.05). The over-expression of mGluR5 and NR2B mRNA was also inhibited by pre-ischemic exercise (p<0.05). In summary, exercise preconditioning ameliorated brain damage after ischemic stroke, which might be involved in two signal pathways: PKC-α-GLT-1-Glutamate and PI3K/Akt-GLT-1-Glutamate., (Copyright © 2014 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Previously, tau protein kinase I/glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta/kinase FA(TPKI/GSK-3 beta/FA) was identified as a brain microtubule-associated tau kinase possibly involved in the Alzheimer disease-like phosphorylation of tau. In this report, we find that the TPKI/GSK-3 beta/FA can be stimulated to phosphorylate brain tau up to 8.5 mol of phosphates per mol of protein by heparin, a polyanion compound. Tryptic digestion of 32P-labeled tau followed by high-performance liquid chromatography and high-voltage electrophoresis/thin-layer chromatography reveals 12 phosphopeptides. Phosphoamino acid analysis together with sequential manual Edman degradation and peptide sequence analysis further reveals that TPKI/GSK-3 beta/FA after heparin potentiation phosphorylates tau on sites of Ser199, Thr231, Ser235, Ser262, Ser396, and Ser400, which are potential sites abnormally phosphorylated in Alzheimer tau and potent sites responsible for reducing microtubule binding possibly involved in neuronal degeneration. The results provide initial evidence that TPKI/GSK-3 beta/FA after heparin potentiation may represent one of the most potent systems possibly involved in the abnormal phosphorylation of PHF-tau and neuronal degeneration in Alzheimer disease brains.

Previously, we identified protein kinase FA/glycogen synthase kinase-3 alpha (GSK-3 alpha) as a brain microtubule-associated tau kinase that phosphorylates Ser235 and Ser404 of tau and causes its electrophoretic mobility shift in gels, a unique property characteristic of paired helical filament-associated pathological tau (PHF-tau) in Alzheimer's disease brains. In this study, we found that the activity of kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha towards phosphorylation of brain tau could be stimulated approximately fourfold by heparin. The phosphorylation molar ratio was increased simultaneously up to 9 mol of phosphates/mol of tau, resulting in a reduced mobility of tau with an apparent molecular mass shift to approximately 68 kDa in sodium dodecyl sulfate gels, which is very similar to that observed in Alzheimer-tau. Tryptic digestion of 32P-labelled tau, followed by HPLC and two-dimensional separation on TLC cellulose plates, revealed eight major phosphopeptides. Phosphoamino acid analysis together with sequential manual Edman degradation and protein sequence analysis further revealed that, in addition to Ser235 and Ser404, heparin generated Thr212, Thr231, Ser262, Ser324, and Ser356, the five extra phosphorylation sites in tau. As Ser235, Ser262, Ser324, Ser356, and Ser404 (particularly the site of Ser262) have been identified as five of the most potent sites in tau responsible for reducing microtubule binding possibly involved in neuronal degeneration, and Thr231, Ser235, Ser262, and Ser404 are four of the most well documented sites abnormally phosphorylated in Alzheimer-tau, the results provide initial evidence that protein kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha after heparin potentiation may represent one of the most potent systems possibly involved in the abnormal phosphorylation of PHF-tau in Alzheimer's disease brains.

In a previous study, protein kinase FA/glycogen synthase kinase-3 (FA/GSK-3) was identified as a myelin basic protein (MBP) kinase associated with intact brain myelin. In this report, the phosphorylation sites of MBP by kinase FA/GSK-3 were further determined by two-dimensional electrophoresis/TLC, phosphoamino acid analysis, tryptic peptide mapping, Edman degradation, and direct sequencing. Kinase FA/GSK-3 phosphorylates MBP on both threonine and serine residues. Three tryptic phosphopeptide peaks were resolved by C18 reverse-phase HPLC. Sequential manual Edman degradation together with direct sequence analysis revealed that T(p)PPPSQGK is the phosphorylation site sequence for the first major phosphopeptide peak. When mapping with the bovine brain MBP sequence, we finally demonstrate Thr97-Pro, one of the in vivo phosphorylation sites in MBP, as the major site phosphorylated by kinase FA/GSK-3, implicating a physiologically relevant role of FA/GSK-3 in the regulation of brain myelin function. By using the same approach, we also identified NIVT94(p)PR as the phosphorylation site sequence in the second major tryptic phosphopeptide derived from [32P]MBP phosphorylated by kinase FA/GSK-3, further indicating that kinase FA/GSK-3 represents a Thr-Pro motif-directed MBP kinase involved in the phosphorylation of brain myelin.

Although protein kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha (an activating factor of ATP.Mg-dependent protein phosphatase) has been established as a cytosolic enzyme in mammalian nonnervous tissues involved in the metabolic regulation, immunological and biochemical studies on tissue and subcellular distributions demonstrate that kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha is in fact a membrane-associated enzyme and most abundantly exists in brain particulate membrane fractions depending on the tissue homogenization conditions. For instance, when brain was homogenized in Polytron without 0.32 M sucrose, approximately 40% of the total FA/GSK-3 alpha was found in the cytosol. However, when brain was homogenized in buffer containing 0.32 M sucrose and in a glass homogenizer with Teflon pestle, more than 80% of the total FA/GSK-3 alpha was found associated with the particulate membrane fractions. By manipulating these findings, we have developed a simplified procedure for purification of homogeneous kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha in high recovery and in a substantial amount from brain tissue. The data explain why kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha cannot be isolated in a reasonable amount from most mammalian tissues for the past years. The specific pure antibody that can specifically recognize kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha from crude tissue extracts together with the high quantity purification of the enzyme as presented in this report provides an initial key step for studies on the role of kinase FA/GSK-3 alpha in the regulation of brain functions especially in the brain particulate membrane fractions.

Mg-ATP-dependent protein phosphatase activating factor [kinase FA/glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3)] has been identified in highly purified clathrin-coated vesicles (CCVs) isolated from pig brain. Kinase FA was found to exist in an inactive state but can be activated by 1% Triton X-100 or 1 M Tris-HCl extraction in brain CCVs. Activation of kinase FA in CCVs is due to disassociation of the kinase from CCVs as demonstrated on sucrose density-gradient ultracentrifugation and Sepharose CL-4B gel filtration. Using purified brain CCVs as substrates, kinase FA enhanced the endogenous phosphorylation of assembly protein complexes in the molecular weight range of 100,000-130,000 severalfold, as demonstrated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by autoradiography. Comparisons with well-defined brain CCV-associated endogenous protein kinases such as pp50 kinase/AP50 and casein kinase 2 provide evidence that kinase FA/GSK-3 represents a third potent and unique CCV-associated protein kinase distinctly different from the previously described CCV protein kinases, suggesting the possible involvement of kinase FA in the regulation of CCV functions in the brain. The results also support the notion that protein kinase FA is involved in cell surface signal transduction in the CNS.

The ATP.Mg-dependent protein phosphatase activating factor (FA) has been identified and purified to near homogeneity from brain. In this report, as evidenced on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by autoradiography, factor FA has further been identified as a cAMP and Ca(2+)-independent brain kinase that could phosphorylate synapsin I, a neuronal protein that coats synaptic vesicles, binds to cytoskeleton, and is believed to be involved in the modulation of neurotransmission. Kinetic study further indicated that factor FA could phosphorylate synapsin I with a low Km value of about 2 microM and with a molar ratio of 1 mol of phosphate per mole of protein. Peptide mapping analysis revealed that factor FA specifically phosphorylated the tail region of synapsin I but on a unique site distinct from those phosphorylated by Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and cAMP-dependent protein kinase, the two well-established synapsin I kinases. Functional study further revealed that factor FA could phosphorylate this unique specific site on the tail region of synapsin I and thereby inhibit cross-linking of synapsin I with microtubules. The results further suggest the possible involvement of factor FA as a synapsin I kinase in the regulation of axonal transport process of synaptic vesicles via the promotion of vesicles motility during neurotransmission.

The ATP.Mg-dependent type-1 protein phosphatase activating factor (FA) was identified as a protein kinase that could phosphorylate synapsin I, a neuronal protein that coats synaptic vesicles, binds to cytoskeleton and is believed to be involved in the modulation of neurotransmission. More importantly, more than 90% of the phosphates in 32P-synapsin I phosphorylated by FA could be removed by the activated ATP.Mg-dependent type-1 protein phosphatase and the synapsin I phosphatase activity was found to be strictly FA-dependent. Functional study further revealed that as a synapsin I kinase, factor FA could phosphorylate synapsin I and thereby inhibits crosslinking of synapsin I with tubulin, while as a synapsin I phosphatase activator, FA could promote the crosslinking copolymerization of synapsin I with tubulin. Taken together, the results provide initial evidence that a cyclic modulation of the crosslinking copolymerization of synapsin I with brain microtubules can be controlled by factor FA, representing an efficient cyclic cascade control mechanism for the regulation of axonal transport process during neurotransmission.

The activating factor of ATP.Mg-dependent protein phosphatase (FA) has been identified in brain microtubules. When using purified MAP-2 (microtubule associated protein 2) and tau proteins as substrates, FA could phosphorylate MAP-2 to 16 moles of phosphates per mole of protein with a Km value of 0.4 microM, and tau proteins to 4 moles of phosphates per mole of proteins with a Km value of about 3 microM. When using microtubules as substrates, FA could enhance many-fold the endogenous phosphorylation of many microtubule-associated proteins including MAP-2, tau proteins, and several low-molecular-weight MAPs. In contrast to other reported MAP kinases, such as cAMP-dependent protein kinase and Ca+2/phospholipid-dependent protein kinase, the FA-catalyzed phosphorylation of tau proteins could cause an electrophoretic mobility shift on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, suggesting that a dramatic conformational change of tau proteins was produced by FA. Peptide mapping analysis of the phosphopeptides derived from SV8 protease digestion revealed that FA could phosphorylate MAP-2 and tau proteins on at least four specific sites distinctly different from those phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent and Ca+2/phospholipid-dependent MAP kinases. Quantitative analysis further indicated that approximately 19% of the total endogenous kinase activity in brain microtubules was due to FA. Taken together, the results provide initial evidence that the ATP.Mg-dependent protein phosphatase activating factor (FA) is a potent and unique MAP kinase, and may represent one of the major factors involved in phosphorylation of brain microtubules.

Protein kinase FA (an activating factor of ATP.Mg-dependent protein phosphatase) has been characterized to exist in two forms in the purified brain myelin. One form of kinase FA is spontaneously active and trypsin-labile, whereas the other form of kinase FA is inactive and trypsin-resistant, suggesting a different membrane topography with active FA exposed on the outer face of the myelin membrane and inactive FA buried within the myelin membrane. When myelin was solubilized in 1% Triton X-100, all kinase FA became active and trypsin-labile. Phospholipid reconstitution studies further indicated that when kinase FA was reconstituted in acidic phospholipids, such as phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylserine, the enzyme activity was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting that kinase FA interacts with acidic phospholipids which inhibit its activity. Furthermore, when myelin was incubated with exogenous phospholipase C, the inactive/trypsin-resistant FA could be converted to the active/trypsin-labile FA in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Taken together, it is concluded that membrane phospholipids play an important role in modulating the activity of kinase FA in the brain myelin. It is suggested that phospholipase C may mediate the activation-sequestration of inactive/trypsin-resistant kinase FA in the brain myelin through the phospholipase C-catalyzed degradation of acidic membrane phospholipids. The activation-sequestration of protein kinase FA may represent one mode of control modulating the activity of kinase FA in the central nervous system myelin.

Two forms of type-1 protein phosphatase activating factor (FA) termed FA1 and FA2 have been identified in plasma membranes of pig brain. FA1 is spontaneously active and trypsin-labile whereas FA2 is inactive and trypsin-resistant. Phospholipid reconstitution studies further indicate that the FA activity in the neutral phospholipids-reconstituted complex is spontaneously active and trypsin-labile whereas the FA activity in the acidic phospholipids-reconstituted complex is trypsin-resistant and inactive. The results indicate that inactive FA2 may have its catalytic domain interacted with negatively-charged phospholipids in brain membranes. This provides initial evidence for the regulation of protein kinase FA (a transmembrane signal of insulin and epidermal growth factor) in the central nervous system.

Two inactive/latent protein phosphatases termed LP-1 (Mr 260,000) and LP-2 (Mr 350,000) were identified and purified from pig brain. Examination of molecular structures indicated that LP-1 has three subunits with molecular weights of 69,000, 55,000, and 34,000, respectively, whereas LP-2 contains only one subunit, with molecular weight of 49,000. When using phosphorylase a as a substrate, LP-1 was completely inactive and could be dramatically activated by freezing and thawing in 0.2 M 2-mercaptoethanol, whereas LP-2 contained some basal activity but could also be stimulated 40-fold by the same treatment. Kinetic analysis further indicated that both LP-1 and LP-2 enzymes dephosphorylate histone 2A, myelin basic protein, and phosphorylase a at a rather comparable rate, but the dephosphorylation of histone 2A and myelin basic protein seems to be spontaneously active. This, together with the results that trypsinolysis could specifically knock off phosphorylase phosphatase activity but caused no effect on the associated myelin basic protein/histone phosphatase activities, supports the notion that a two-site mechanism may possibly be involved in the regulation of substrate specificity of LP-1 and LP-2 enzymes in the central nervous system.

Substantial amounts of ATP.Mg-dependent phosphorylase phosphatase (Fc. M) and its activator (kinase FA) were identified and extensively purified from pig brain, in spite of the fact that glycogen metabolism in the brain is of little importance. The brain Fc.M was completely inactive and could only be activated by ATP.Mg and FA, isolated either from rabbit muscle or pig brain. Kinetical analysis of the dephosphorylation of endogenous brain protein indicates that Fc.M could dephosphorylate 32P-labeled myelin basic protein (MBP) and [32P]phosphorylase alpha at a comparable rate and moreover, this associated MBP phosphatase activity was also strictly kinase FA/ATP.Mg-dependent, demonstrating that MBP is a potential substrate for Fc.M in the brain. By manipulating MBP and inhibitor-2 as specific potent phosphorylase phosphatase inhibitors, we further demonstrate that 1) Fc.M contains two distinct catalytic sites to dephosphorylate different substrates, and 2) brain MBP may be a physiological trigger involved in the regulation of protein phosphatase substrate specificity in mammalian nervous tissues.

A cyclic AMP and calcium-independent protein kinase has been identified and purified from pig brain to near homogeneity. This independent protein kinase was isolated in an inactive form, and activation required ATP and Mg2+. On sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the purified enzyme contains 1 subunit with a molecular mass of about 36 kDa. Although there was no significant phosphorylation of phosphorylase, phosphorylase b kinase, casein, phosvitin, and protamine, this kinase was found to be very active toward myelin basic protein and histones H1, 2A, and 2B. Trypsinolysis completely destroyed the kinase activity, indicating that this is not a protease-activated protein kinase. More interesting, this cAMP and calcium-independent protein kinase can be regulated by its state of phosphorylation. In its non-phosphorylated state, the kinase was essentially inactive but could be fully activated when the enzyme was phosphorylated up to a 1:1 molar ratio. Conversely, partial dephosphorylation of the phosphorylated enzyme was associated with a time-dependent decrease in the kinase activity and a loss of 32P. All the results taken together point out that this kinase is distinguished from all the reported protein kinases and may represent a previously undiscovered protein kinase. The results also provide initial evidence that a cascade activation mechanism may possibly be involved in the regulation of a protein kinase activity which is independent of cAMP and calcium.

The activating factor FA of the ATP.Mg-dependent protein phosphatase FcM was purified to near homogeneity from pig brain by a procedure involving chromatography on phosphocellulose, phosvitin-Sepharose 4B, and Blue Sepharose CL-6B. A specific myelin basic protein (MBP) kinase was found to co-purify with FA in a constant ratio throughout purification. It also proved impossible to separate the two activities on nondenaturing gel electrophoresis and 5-20% sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation. Kinetic study indicated that MBP, presumably a substrate for FA, could compete with FcM for FA and thereby prevent the FA-mediated activation of the FcM activity. All the results taken together demonstrate that MBP kinase and FA are localized on the same protein. This, together with the data that FA, by activating the ATP.Mg-dependent phosphatase, promotes the dephosphorylation of [32P]MBP, phosphorylated by FA itself, suggests the evidence for a protein bearing two opposing activities involved in the regulation of brain functions. Moreover, since FA is tightly associated with the purified brain myelin membrane, the results further support the notion that FA may well be an endogenous protein kinase responsible for the cyclic phosphorylation-dephosphorylation of the central nervous system myelin.

A Mn2+/phospholipid-dependent protein phosphatase has been identified and characterized from brain membranes. The phosphatase contains three subunits with molecular weights of 64,000, 54,000, and 35,000 in a 1:1:1 molar ratio. On gel filtration, the enzyme has an apparent molecular weight of approximately 180,000. The phosphatase was active on many substrates, including p-nitrophenyl phosphate, phosphotyrosine, phosphothreonine, phosphorylase a, myelin basic protein, histones, type 1 phosphatase inhibitor-2, microtubule tau protein, and synapsin I. To dephosphorylate phosphoproteins, the phosphatase was dependent on such acidic phospholipids as phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylserine but not on neutral phospholipids such as phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine. The phospholipid-mediated activation of the phosphatase was time and dose dependent and could be reversed by Triton X-100 or gel filtration. Kinetic study further indicates that phospholipid was able to increase the Vmax of the phosphatase but had no effect on the Km value for substrates, suggesting a direct interaction of phospholipids with the phosphatase. Conversely, in order to dephosphorylate phosphoamino acids such as phosphotyrosine and phosphothreonine, this phosphatase was entirely dependent on Mn2+. Phospholipids had no effect on the dephosphorylation of phosphoamino acids, whereas Mn2+ had no effect on the dephosphorylation of phosphoproteins. It is concluded that this Mn2+/phospholipid-dependent membrane phosphatase has two distinct activation mechanisms. The enzyme requires Mn2+ to dephosphorylate micromolecules, whereas acidic phospholipids are needed to dephosphorylate macromolecules. This suggests that Mn2+ and phospholipids may play a role in regulating the substrate specificity of this multisubstrate membrane phosphatase.

Direct treatment of brain myelin with freezing/thawing in 0.2 M 2-mercaptoethanol stimulated the endogenous myelin phosphatase activity manyfold when 32P-labeled phosphorylase a was used as a substrate, a result indicating that an endogenous myelin phosphatase is a latent protein phosphatase. When myelin was treated with Triton X-100, this endogenous latent phosphatase activity was further stimulated 2.5-fold. Diethylaminoethyl-cellulose and Sephadex G-200 chromatography of solubilized myelin revealed a pronounced peak of protein phosphatase activity stimulated by freezing/thawing in 0.2 M 2-mercaptoethanol and with a molecular weight of 350,000, which is characteristic of latent phosphatase 2, as previously reported. Moreover, endogenous phosphorylation of myelin basic protein (MBP) in brain myelin was completely reversed by a homogeneous preparation of exogenous latent phosphatase 2. By contrast, under the same conditions, endogenous phosphorylation of brain myelin was entirely unaffected by ATP X Mg-dependent phosphatase and latent phosphatase 1, although both enzymes are potent MBP phosphatases. Together, these findings clearly indicate that a high-molecular-weight latent phosphatase, termed latent phosphatase 2, is the most predominant phosphatase responsible for dephosphorylation of brain myelin.