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Thiazolidinediones (TZD) are selective peroxizome-proliferator receptor gamma (PPARγ) agonists that are used to treat hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes. In addition to their hypoglycemic actions they have anti-inflammatory, anti-atherosclerotic and cardiovascular effects, but PPARγ activation does not account for all their actions. Three TZDs - troglitazone (Resulin), rosiglitazone (Avandia), and pioglitazone (Actos) - have been marketed; troglitazone was subsequently withdrawn due to hepatotoxicity and a precursor TZD - ciglitazone- was discontinued after phase II trials. TZDs, with troglitazone being the most potent, modulate L-type calcium and delayed-rectifier potassium channels by a seemingly PPARγ-independent mechanism. This could result from the adsorption of the amphiphilic TZDs to the membrane/solution interface, which can alter bilayer properties such as thickness, intrinsic curvature and the elastic moduli, and thus membrane protein function. We therefore examined whether TZDs alter lipid bilayer properties. We exploited the sensitivity of gramicidin channels to changes in bilayer properties to test for TZD-induced bilayer effects. TZDs alter gramicidin channel function and shift the monomer-dimer equilibrium toward the conducting dimers. Using gramicidin channels of different lengths we find that the TZD effects do not vary with changes in hydrophobic mismatch. Increasing bilayer stiffness with cholesterol amplifies the TZD-mediated changes in gramicidin channel function. Based on the concentrations at which we observe changes in gramicidin lifetime and appearance frequency, the potency is troglitazone>rosiglitazone>ciglitazone>pioglitazone, consistent with their effects on native membrane proteins. We examined the TZDs effects in native membranes using neuronal voltage-gated sodium channels (NaV) using whole-cell recordings. All TZDs caused a negative shift in the voltage-dependence of inactivation at concentrations similar to those that alter gramicidin channel function. Our results show that TZDs affect bulk membrane properties at concentrations that modulate native ion channels.

The distribution of inhibitor-1, a cyclic AMP-regulated inhibitor of protein phosphatase-1, was analyzed in various brain regions and peripheral tissues of various species by immunolabeling of sodium dodecyl sulfate-poly-acrylamide gel transfers using specific antibodies. The distribution of inhibitor-1 was directly compared to that of DARPP-32, a structurally related cyclic AMP-regulated inhibitor of protein phosphatase-1. In rat CNS, a single immunoreactive protein of M(r) 30,000, identified as inhibitor-1, was widely distributed. In contrast, DARPP-32 was highly concentrated in the basal ganglia. Inhibitor-1 was detected in brain tissue from frog (M(r) 27,000), turtle (M(r) 29,000/33,000), canary (M(r) 26,000), pigeon (M(r) 28,000), mouse (M(r) 30,500), rabbit (M(r) 26,500), cow (M(r) 27,000), and monkey (M(r) 27,500), but not from goldfish. Inhibitor-1 was detected at various levels in most peripheral tissues of the species studied; however, it was not detectable in certain tissues of particular species (e.g., rat and cow liver). DARPP-32 was detected in brain tissue of all the species tested except frog and goldfish, but was not detectable in most peripheral tissues. Both inhibitor-1 and DARPP-32 were concentrated in the cytosol and synaptosomal cytosol of rat striatum. The developmental expressions of inhibitor-1 and DARPP-32 in rat striatum differed: the level of inhibitor-1 peaked in the first postnatal week and then declined by the third postnatal week, whereas the level of DARPP-32 increased to a peak level by the third postnatal week and remained elevated thereafter.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The cellular localization of a dopamine- and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein of M r 32,000 (DARPP-32) was investigated in cat, monkey and human retina by immunohistochemistry. In cat, DARPP-32-immunoreactive cell bodies identified as Muller cells were demonstrated in the inner nuclear layer (INL) with processes closely surrounding the cell some of photoreceptors in the outer nuclear layer. Some DARPP-32-IR cells were also seen in the nerve fiber layer (NFL) sending processes to the inner plexiform layer. In monkey and human retina, DARPP-32-IR cell bodies were also demonstrated in the INL, with few cells located in the NFL.

The cellular localization of DARPP-32, a dopamine- and cyclic AMP-regulated phosphoprotein of 32 kD, enriched in dopamine-innervated brain regions, was investigated in the human parathyroid gland using indirect immunofluorescence histochemistry. Monoclonal antibodies were used to demonstrate DARPP-32-like immunoreactivity (LI) in chief cells of the normal human parathyroid gland and in cells of human parathyroid adenoma. Direct double-labelling revealed coexistence of DARPP-32-LI with parathyroid hormone (PTH)-LI. It has previously been demonstrated that dopamine D1-receptors are present in the parathyroid gland and that dopamine and D1-agonists stimulate the release of PTH. The present results suggest that DARPP-32 may play a role in the cellular mechanisms leading to dopamine-induced PTH secretion.

The localization of phosphatase inhibitor-1 was investigated in rat brain by use of immunocytochemistry. Studies were performed with an affinity purified IgG raised against purified rabbit skeletal muscle inhibitor-1. In rat brain tissue homogenates, this antibody reacted only with a 29 kDa protein corresponding to inhibitor-1. Immunocytochemical studies with this antibody revealed numerous immunoreactive cell bodies and fibers. The highest concentration of immunoreactive perikarya was observed in the caudate-putamen and nucleus accumbens, and these appeared to be exclusively medium-sized neurons. Other areas containing substantial populations of immunoreactive neurons included the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus, lateral hypothalamus, horizontal limb of the diagonal band of Broca, dentate gyrus of the hippocampal formation, habenula, superior colliculus, claustrum, endopiriform nuclei, and neocortex. The distribution of terminals containing inhibitor-1 coincided with the distribution of terminal fields known to originate from the above regions. Thus, plexuses of immunoreactive axons were seen in the globus pallidus, substantia nigra pars reticulata, paraventricular hypothalamus, dorsal thalamus, CA3 region of the hippocampus, and interpeduncular nucleus. These results demonstrate that phosphatase inhibitor-1, a cyclic AMP-regulated inhibitor of phosphatase-1, is differentially distributed in the rat CNS. Given the widespread role of protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation in intracellular signal transduction, these results suggest that neurons containing high levels of inhibitor-1 may share common, hitherto unrecognized, properties in terms of neurotransmitter regulation and/or responsiveness.

DARPP-32, a dopamine- and cyclic AMP-regulated phosphoprotein of Mr 32,000, is phosphorylated in vitro by casein kinase II at a site which is also phosphorylated in intact cells. In the present study, we show that a protein kinase activity, present in caudate-putamen cytosol, phosphorylates DARPP-32 on a seryl residue located on the same thermolytic peptide that is phosphorylated by purified casein kinase II. This DARPP-32 serine kinase was indistinguishable from casein kinase II on the basis of a number of biochemical criteria. Excitotoxic lesions of the caudate-putamen and immunocytochemistry revealed the presence of casein kinase II in the medium-sized striatonigral neurons which are known to contain DARPP-32. Casein kinase II activity was high in all rat brain regions studied, and casein kinase II-like immunoreactivity was detected in most brain neurons, although some neuronal populations (e.g., cortical pyramidal cells and large striatal neurons) were stained more intensely than others. In rat caudate-putamen, 45% of the total casein kinase II activity was in the cytosol and 20% in the synaptosomal fraction. In mouse cerebral cortex and caudate-putamen, casein kinase II activity was high at embryonic day 16, and remained elevated during development. In addition to DARPP-32, several major substrates for casein kinase II were observed specifically in brain, but not in liver extracts. The high activity of casein kinase II in brain from the embryonic period to adult age and the existence of a number of specific substrates suggest that this enzyme may play an important role in both developing and mature brain, possibly in modulating the responsiveness of target proteins to various extracellular signals.

Background Despite their key role in the generation and propagation of action potentials in excitable cells, voltage-gated sodium (Na+) channels have been considered to be insensitive to general anesthetics. The authors tested the sensitivity of neuronal Na+ channels to structurally similar anesthetic (1-chloro-1,2,2-trifluorocyclobutane; F3) and nonanesthetic (1,2-dichlorohexafluorocyclobutane; F6) polyhalogenated cyclobutanes by neurochemical and electrophysiologic methods. Methods Synaptosomes (pinched-off nerve terminals) from adult rat cerebral cortex were used to determine the effects of F3 and F6 on 4-aminopyridine- or veratridine-evoked (Na+ channel-dependent) glutamate release (using an enzyme-coupled spectrofluorimetric assay) and increases in intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) (using ion-specific spectrofluorimetry). Effects of F3 and F6 on Na+ currents were evaluated directly in rat lumbar dorsal root ganglion neurons by whole-cell patch-clamp recording. Results F3 inhibited glutamate release evoked by 4-aminopyridine (inhibitory concentration of 50% [IC50] = 0.77 mM [approximately 0.8 minimum alveolar concentration (MAC)] or veratridine (IC50 = 0.42 mM [approximately 0.4 MAC]), and veratridine-evoked increases in [Ca2+]i (IC50 = 0.5 mM [approximately 0.5 MAC]) in synaptosomes; F6 had no significant effects up to 0.05 mM (approximately twice the predicted MAC). F3 caused reversible membrane potential-independent inhibition of peak Na+ currents (70+/-9% block at 0.6 mM [approximately 0.6 MAC]), and a hyperpolarizing shift in the voltage-dependence of steady state inactivation in dorsal root ganglion neurons (-21+/-9.3 mV at 0.6 mM). F6 inhibited peak Na+ currents to a lesser extent (16+/-2% block at 0.018 mM [predicted MAC]) and had minimal effects on steady state inactivation. Conclusions The anesthetic cyclobutane F3 significantly inhibited Na+ channel-mediated glutamate release and increases in [Ca2+]i. In contrast, the nonanesthetic cyclobutane F6 had no significant effects at predicted anesthetic concentrations. F3 inhibited dorsal root ganglion neuron Na+ channels with a potency and by mechanisms similar to those of conventional volatile anesthetics; F6 was less effective and did not produce voltage-dependent block. This concordance between anesthetic activity and Na+ channel inhibition supports a role for presynaptic Na+ channels as targets for general anesthetic effects and suggests that shifting the voltage-dependence of Na+ channel inactivation is an important property of volatile anesthetic compounds.

DARPP-32 (dopamine- and cAMP-regulated phosphorprotein, Mr = 32,000 as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) is an inhibitor of protein phosphatase-1 and is enriched in dopaminoceptive neurons possessing the D1 dopamine receptor. Purified bovine DARPP-32 was phosphorylated in vitro by casein kinase II to a stoichiometry greater than 2 mol of phosphate/mol of protein whereas two structurally and functionally related proteins, protein phosphatase inhibitor-1 and G-substrate, were poor substrates for this enzyme. Sequencing of chymotryptic and thermolytic phosphopeptides from bovine DARPP-32 phosphorylated by casein kinase II suggested that the main phosphorylated residues were Ser45 and Ser102. In the case of rat DARPP-32, the identification of these phosphorylation sites was confirmed by manual Edman degradation. The phosphorylated residues are located NH2-terminal to acidic amino acid residues, a characteristic of casein kinase II phosphorylation sites. Casein kinase II phosphorylated DARPP-32 with an apparent Km value of 3.4 microM and a kcat value of 0.32 s-1. The kcat value for phosphorylation of Ser102 was 5-6 times greater than that for Ser45. Studies employing synthetic peptides encompassing each phosphorylation site confirmed this difference between the kcat values for phosphorylation of the two sites. In slices of rat caudate-putamen prelabeled with [32P]phosphate, DARPP-32 was phosphorylated on seryl residues under basal conditions. Comparison of thermolytic phosphopeptide maps and determination of the phosphorylated residue by manual Edman degradation identified the main phosphorylation site in intact cells as Ser102. In vitro, DARPP-32 phosphorylated by casein kinase II was dephosphorylated by protein phosphatases-1 and -2A. Phosphorylation by casein kinase II did not affect the potency of DARPP-32 as an inhibitor of protein phosphatase-1, which depended only on phosphorylation of Thr34 by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. However, phosphorylation of DARPP-32 by casein kinase II facilitated phosphorylation of Thr34 by cAMP-dependent protein kinase with a 2.2-fold increase in the Vmax and a 1.4-fold increase in the apparent Km. Phosphorylation of DARPP-32 by casein kinase II in intact cells may therefore modulate its phosphorylation in response to increased levels of cAMP.

The complete amino acid sequence of bovine brain DARPP-32, a dopamine- and cyclic AMP-regulated neuronal phosphoprotein, which is a potent and specific inhibitor of the catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase-1, has been determined. The S-14C-carboxymethylated protein was subjected to enzymatic cleavage by endoproteinase Lys-C, endoproteinase Arg-C, trypsin, chymotrypsin, and Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, and to chemical cleavage by cyanogen bromide. The overlapping sets of peptides were purified by high performance liquid chromatography and subjected to amino acid sequencing by automated Edman degradation to deduce the complete sequence. The protein consists of a single NH2-terminal blocked polypeptide chain of 202 residues, with a calculated molecular mass of 22,591 daltons, excluding the unidentified NH2-terminal blocking group. This molecular mass is significantly lower than earlier estimates based on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis or hydrodynamic measurements. The threonine residue that is phosphorylated by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (Hemmings, H. C., Jr., Williams, K. R., Konigsberg, W. H., and Greengard, P. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 14486-14490), and that must be phosphorylated for the expression of inhibitory activity, is located at position 34. The molecule contains only 1 cysteine residue and 1 tryptophan residue, at positions 72 and 161, respectively. DARPP-32 is very hydrophilic, and contains a stretch of 16 consecutive acidic residues from position 119 to 134. The predicted secondary structure suggests the presence of 47% alpha-helix, 7% beta-sheet, and 46% random coil, with 11 beta-turns. Comparison of the complete amino acid sequence of bovine DARPP-32 with that of rabbit skeletal muscle protein phosphatase inhibitor-1 revealed a significant amount of sequence identity in the NH2-terminal regions of these two proteins. The active region of inhibitor-1 has been localized to an NH2-terminal fragment (Aitken, A., and Cohen, P. (1982) FEBS Lett. 147, 54-58), the part of the molecule that is most similar to DARPP-32. These data suggest that these two protein phosphatase inhibitors may share a common structural basis for their inhibitory activity and may be related by a common ancestral gene.

DARPP-32 (dopamine- and cyclic AMP-regulated phosphoprotein of Mr = 32,000) and phosphatase inhibitor-1, two previously characterized inhibitors of protein phosphatase-1, were identified in both the neostriatum and the substantia nigra. Phosphatase inhibitor-1 was partially purified from bovine caudate nucleus and found to be distinct from DARPP-32 in some of its biochemical properties. The neuronal localization of DARPP-32 and phosphatase inhibitor-1 within the rat neostriatum and substantia nigra was investigated by studying the effects of kainic acid. Injection into the neostriatum of kainic acid, which destroys striatonigral neurons and striatonigral fibers, decreased the amounts of DARPP-32 and phosphatase inhibitor-1 to the same extent, both in the lesioned neostriatum and in the ipsilateral substantia nigra. The specific activity of protein phosphatase-1 in the neostriatum was unaffected by kainic acid. The results indicate that, in rat brain, DARPP-32 and phosphatase inhibitor-1 are both present in striatal neurons and in striatonigral fibers, and that they probably coexist in at least a subpopulation of striatonigral neurons. In contrast, protein phosphatase-1 does not appear to be enriched in any specific neuronal subpopulation in the neostriatum.

Protein phosphatase inhibitor-1 was purified from bovine adipose tissue. The protein had an apparent molecular mass of 32 kDa by SDS/PAGE and a Stokes' radius of 3.4 nm. It was phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase on a threonyl residue; this phosphorylation was necessary for inhibition of protein phosphatase-1. Bovine adipose tissue inhibitor-1 was compared directly with rabbit skeletal muscle inhibitor-1 and with a 32000-Mr, dopamine- and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein from bovine brain (DARPP-32), also an inhibitor of protein phosphatase-1. By the following biochemical and immunochemical criteria, bovine adipose tissue inhibitor-1 was found to be very similar and possibly identical to DARPP-32 and was clearly distinct from skeletal muscle inhibitor-1: molecular mass by SDS/PAGE; Stokes' radii; phosphorylation on threonine residues; Staphylococcus-aureus-V8-protease-generated peptide patterns analyzed by SDS/PAGE; tryptic phosphopeptide maps analysed by two-dimensional thin-layer electrophoresis/chromatography; elution on reverse-phase HPLC; chymotryptic peptide maps as analysed by reverse-phase HPLC; amino acid composition; antibody recognition by immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting; effect of cyanogen bromide cleavage on protein phosphatase inhibitor activity. Based on these results we conclude that bovine brain and adipose tissue contain an identical phosphoprotein inhibitor of protein phosphatase-1 (DARPP-32), which is distinct from that of skeletal muscle (inhibitor-1).

The cellular localization of DARPP-32, a dopamine- and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein of Mr 32,000 that appears to mediate certain actions of dopamine in the mammalian brain by acting as an inhibitor of protein phosphatase 1, was studied in the kidney of several species. DARPP-32 mRNA and DARPP-32-like immunoreactivity were found in the cytoplasm of cells in the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle. The specific dopamine DA1 agonist SKF 82526 caused a dose-dependent inhibition of Na+,K+-ATPase activity, which could be blocked by SCH 23390, a specific DA1 antagonist, and by PKI-(5-24) amide, a specific inhibitor of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. The results indicate that DA1 dopamine receptors and DARPP-32, an intracellular third messenger for dopamine, are part of the signal-transduction process for dopamine acting on renal tubule cells.

DARPP-32 (dopamine- and cyclic AMP-regulated phosphoprotein, Mr = 32,000) is a major endogenous cytosolic substrate for dopamine- and cyclic AMP-stimulated protein phosphorylation in neurons of the basal ganglia of mammalian brain. It shares many properties with phosphatase inhibitor 1, a substrate for cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, and with G-substrate, a substrate for cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase. We have, therefore, undertaken an analysis of the amino acid sequence around the site at which purified DARPP-32 is phosphorylated by the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. The results indicate that DARPP-32 is phosphorylated at a single threonine residue contained in the sequence Arg-Arg-Arg-Pro-Thr(P)-Pro-Ala-Met-Leu-Phe-Arg. This sequence was obtained by automated solid phase sequencing of two overlapping tryptic phosphopeptides and one overlapping chymotryptic phosphopeptide which were purified by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. A 9-amino acid sequence containing the phosphorylatable threonine residue in DARPP-32 shares 8 identical residues with a sequence containing the phosphorylatable threonine residue in phosphatase inhibitor 1, and shares 5 identical residues with the two identical sequences surrounding the 2 phosphorylatable threonine residues in G-substrate. These observations support the view that DARPP-32, inhibitor 1, and G-substrate are members of a family of regulatory proteins which are involved in the control of protein phosphatase activity by both cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP, but which differ in their cellular and tissue distributions.

ARPP-21 (cyclic AMP-regulated phosphoprotein, Mr = 21,000) is a cytosolic neuronal phosphoprotein that is highly enriched in regions of mammalian brain that receive dopaminergic innervation, in particular the striatum. The state of phosphorylation of ARPP-21 in brain slices prepared from rat striatum was shown to be regulated by 8-bromo-cyclic AMP. Phosphorylation occurred exclusively on seryl residues contained within a single tryptic phosphopeptide as analyzed by two-dimensional thin layer electrophoresis/chromatography. The tryptic phosphopeptide derived from ARPP-21 phosphorylated in intact cells comigrated with the tryptic phosphopeptide derived from purified ARPP-21 phosphorylated by the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase in vitro. Purified cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase catalyzed the incorporation of 1.1 mol of [32P]phosphate/mol of ARPP-21 exclusively on seryl residues. The amino acid sequence surrounding the site in purified ARPP-21 phosphorylated by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase in vitro was determined by analyzing two overlapping chymotryptic peptides isolated from [32P]phospho-ARPP-21 by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. A combination of gas phase and solid phase amino acid sequencing yielded a phosphorylation site sequence of -Glu-Arg-Arg-Lys-Ser(P)-Lys-Ser-Gly-Ala-Gly-. Initial rate studies of the phosphorylation of purified ARPP-21 by the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase yielded an apparent Km of 0.78 microM and a kcat of 2.2 s-1. A synthetic peptide based on the phosphorylation site of ARPP-21 was phosphorylated on the corresponding seryl residue with an apparent Km of 40 microM and a kcat of 4.0 s-1. These results are compatible with a physiological role for the phosphorylation of ARPP-21 by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase in vivo, regulated by first messengers acting via cyclic AMP, e.g. dopamine and vasoactive intestinal peptide.

ARPP-21 (cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein, Mr = 21,000 as determined by SDS-PAGE) is a major cytosolic substrate for cAMP-stimulated protein phosphorylation in dopamine-innervated regions of the rat CNS. It has recently been purified to homogeneity from bovine caudate nucleus and characterized (Hemmings and Greengard, 1989). ARPP-21 is isolated as 2 isoforms, ARPP-21A and ARPP-21B. The amino acid sequence of purified bovine ARPP-21B has now been determined by gas-phase sequencing. The S- 14C-carboxymethylated protein was subjected to enzymatic cleavage with trypsin, chymotrypsin, subtilisin, and endoproteinase Lys-C. The resulting peptides were purified by high-performance liquid chromatography, and selected peptides were subjected to amino acid analysis and/or amino acid sequencing by automated Edman degradation. ARPP-21B consists of a single NH2-terminal blocked polypeptide chain of 88 residues, with a calculated molecular mass of 9561 Da, including an NH2-terminal acetyl group inferred by deblocking with an acylaminopeptidase. This molecular mass is significantly lower than earlier estimates based on SDS-PAGE or hydrodynamic measurements. The seryl residue phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (Hemmings et al., 1989) is located at position 55. The molecule contains 1 cysteinyl residue, at position 71, and contains no methionyl, tyrosyl, phenylalanyl, tryptophanyl, or histidinyl residues. Determination of the primary structure of ARPP-21, one of several phosphoproteins localized to dopaminoceptive neurons in the basal ganglia, provides a framework for further investigations into the molecular mechanisms involved in dopaminergic neurotransmission.

The development of a dopamine- and adenosine 3′:5′-monophosphate- regulated phosphoprotein with an apparent Mr of 32,000 (DARPP-32) has been investigated in the central nervous system of the prenatal and newborn rat by immunocytochemical methods. DARPP-32 first appears in the rat brain at day 14 of gestation, in the anlage of the primary olfactory cortex and the caudate nucleus. Over the next few days, the number of immunoreactive cell bodies in these 2 areas, and in the olfactory tubercle and frontal cortex, increases rapidly. By the day of birth, most of the brain regions that will ultimately contain DARPP-32- positive somata already display a disposition toward DARPP-32-like immunoreactivity similar to that observed in the adult animal. In addition to the nuclei mentioned above, DARPP-32-containing cell bodies also appear over the intervening period in the olfactory nucleus, nucleus accumbens, central amygdaloid nucleus, lateral funiculus, and the choroid plexus and ependymal layers of the third, fourth, and lateral ventricles and the Sylvian aqueduct. Many of these immunoreactive cells disappear during subsequent postnatal maturation. DARPP-32-immunoreactive fibers were also observed in the prenatal and newborn rat CNS. As in the adult, the processes were observed in known target areas of the DARPP-32-containing neurons, namely, the globus pallidus, ventral pallidum, internal capsule, and substantia nigra. The ontogeny of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-like immunoreactivity was analyzed simultaneously. Of particular interest was the observation that the arrival within a given brain region of the presumed dopaminergic, TH-containing innervation, part of whose postsynaptic function is putatively mediated by DARPP-32, was preceded by at least 2 d by the appearance of the DARPP-32-containing cells. Moreover, the subsequent reorganization of the DARPP-32-positive somata within the caudate nucleus into distinct clumps also predated by 1 or 2 d the aggregation of the TH fibers into the same microzones. The development of DARPP-32-like immunoreactivity is mostly complete by the day of birth, and is consistent with its playing a role in mediating some of the postsynaptic actions of dopamine pathways. The appearance of this protein does not seem to be dependent on the presence of a dopaminergic innervation.

ARPP-21, a cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein, has been studied by immunocytochemistry to determine its cellular and regional distribution in rat brain. This study demonstrates that ARPP-21 immunoreactivity is present throughout the cytoplasm of immunoreactive neurons and that most of the immunoreactivity is associated with the basal ganglia. Within the caudatoputamen (CP), nucleus accumbens, olfactory tubercle, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and portions of the amygdaloid complex, ARPP-21 is present in neuronal somata and dendrites. In brain regions known to receive projections from these nuclei, immunoreactivity is present in puncta (presumed axons and axon terminals). These regions include the globus pallidus, ventral pallidum, entopeduncular nucleus, lateral preoptic area, and substantia nigra. Within the basal ganglia, ARPP-21 immunoreactivity is most intense in the olfactory tubercle, nucleus accumbens, medial portion of the CP, and the ventral retrochiasmatic pocket of the CP. These same areas comprise the limbic striatum, and ARPP-21 is the first substance found to be specifically enriched therein. The possibility is discussed that ARPP-21 mediates effects of multiple first messengers, including dopamine and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, that act through cAMP.

DARPP-32, a phosphoprotein enriched in dopaminoceptive brain neurons containing the D-1 receptor subtype, probably functions as an intracellular third messenger to mediate some of the physiological effects of dopamine at the D-1 receptor. By immunohistochemistry in rat, cat, Rhesus monkey, and human, we have localized DARPP-32 to the non-pigmented epithelium of the ciliary body, the innermost layer of the bi-layered epithelium responsible for secretion of aqueous humor into the eye. The immunoreactive protein in rat ciliary body, identified by immunolabeling of a ciliary body extract separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, is indistinguishable from DARPP-32 derived from rat caudatoputamen. By analogy with brain, we propose that DARPP-32 may act as a third messenger in the ciliary epithelium, probably through a dopaminergic mechanism.

In this paper, we describe the results of a series of experiments which have examined the distribution within the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus of neurons containing the following immunoreactivities: TH-LI, GAD-LI, NT-LI, GAL-LI, GRF-LI, Met-ENK-LI, Leu-ENK-LI, Met-ENK-7-LI, Met-ENK-8-LI, metorphamide-LI, DYN-LI, NPY-LI, SOM-LI, FMRFamide-LI, and CLIP-LI and ependymal tanycytes containing DARPP-32-LI. Using elution-restaining and double antibody staining techniques we have established numerous patterns of coexistence of these various neurotransmitters and neuropeptides. Thus, neurons containing TH-LI were, in some instances, also found to contain GAD-LI, NT-LI, GAL-LI, GRF-LI, Met-ENK-8-LI, Leu-ENK-LI, or DYN-LI or combinations of these compounds. For example, some TH-IR neurons also contained GAL-LI and GRF-LI, while other TH-IR. neurons were also seen to contain GRF- and NT-LI. These neurons may, in fact, contain even more compounds. NPY-IR neurons and those containing SOM-LI and CLIP-LI were distinct and separate from those containing TH-LI. The distribution of these different neurochemical types of neurons and their patterns of coexistence are summarized in Fig. 34, while the relative distribution patterns of immunoreactive fibres in the median eminence are summarized in Fig. 35.

The indirect immunofluorescence technique was used to study the cellular localization of DARPP-32, a dopamine- and cyclic AMP-regulated phosphoprotein, in brown adipose tissue of newborn piglets. Clusters of strongly DARPP-32-immunoreactive cells were found in brown adipose tissue from the interscapular area and around lymph nodes close to the kidneys, adrenal glands, descending aorta, and great veins in the neck. The DARPP-32-immunoreactive cells contained multilocular lipid droplets, had round, centrally located nuclei, and were polygonal in shape, thus possessing characteristics and location sites typical for brown fat cells. The results indicate that brown adipose tissue from the newborn pig contains DARPP-32, an intracellular third messenger for dopamine. Together with recent functional data, these results strongly suggest that dopaminergic D1 mechanisms--i.e., activation of adenylate cyclase and formation of cyclic AMP--may be involved in cold-induced, nonshivering, and/or diet-induced thermogenesis.

DARPP-32 is a neuronal phosphoprotein of Mr = 32,000, originally identified in rat brain (Walaas, S.I., D.W. Aswad, and P. Greengard (1983) Nature 301: 69–72). This protein has now been identified in bovine caudate nucleus cytosol and purified 435-fold to apparent homogeneity as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The purification procedure involved acid extraction at pH 2, CM-cellulose chromatography, DEAE-cellulose chromatography, hydroxylapatite chromatography, and gel filtration on Ultrogel AcA 44. The purified catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase catalyzed the incorporation of 0.96 mol of phosphate/mol of purified DARPP-32. Phosphorylation occurred exclusively on threonine. The isoelectric point of dephospho-DARPP-32 was 4.7, and that of phospho- DARPP-32 was 4.6. The amino acid composition showed a high content of glutamate/glutamine and proline, and a low content of hydrophobic amino acids. DARPP-32 was found to have a Stokes radius of 34 A and a sedimentation coefficient of 2.05 S, indicating that it exists as an elongated monomer.

ARPP-21 (cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein, Mr = 21,000 as determined by SDS/PAGE) is a major cytosolic substrate for cAMP-stimulated protein phosphorylation in dopamine-innervated regions of rat CNS (Walaas et al., 1983c). This acidic phosphoprotein has now been identified in bovine caudate nucleus cytosol and purified to homogeneity from this source. The purification procedure involved diethylaminoethyl-cellulose chromatography, ammonium sulfate fractionation, phenyl-Sepharose CL-4B chromatography, and fast protein liquid chromatography using Mono Q anion-exchange resin. Two isoforms of ARPP-21 (ARPP-21A and ARPP-21B) were obtained, which were present in approximately equal amounts in the starting material. ARPP-21A was purified 2610-fold with a final yield of 20% and ARPP-21B was purified 2940-fold with a final yield of 21%. The purified preparations of both isoforms were judged to be homogenous by SDS/PAGE. ARPP-21A and ARPP-21B yielded identical 2-dimensional thin- layer tryptic phosphopeptide maps, identical amino acid compositions and closely related, but distinct, reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatograms of tryptic digests. The amino acid composition of ARPP-21 showed a high content of glutamic acid/glutamine, and no methionine, tryptophan, tyrosine, phenylalanine, or histidine. ARPP-21 was stable to heat denaturation and to 50% (vol/vol) ethanol treatment and was partially soluble at pH 2. The Mr determined for ARPP-21 by SDS/PAGE was 21,000. The Stokes radius of ARPP-21 was 26.3 A, and the sedimentation coefficient of ARPP-21 was 1.3 S; these values yield a calculated molecular mass of 13,700 Da and a frictional ratio of 1.7, indicative of an elongated tertiary structure. ARPP-21 was an excellent substrate for cAMP-dependent protein kinase and was either not phosphorylated or only poorly phosphorylated by cGMP-dependent protein kinase, calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase I, calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, casein kinase II, or protein kinase C. The purified catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase catalyzed the incorporation of 1.2 mol phosphate/mol purified ARPP-21. Phosphorylation occurred exclusively on seryl residues. Phospho-ARPP-21 was dephosphorylated effectively by protein phosphatase-1 or -2A, but not by protein phosphatase-2B or -2C. Rabbit polyclonal and mouse monoclonal antibodies were prepared to purified ARPP-21. These antibodies specifically immunoprecipitated ARPP-21, which was found to be highly enriched in the caudate nucleus and putamen of monkey brain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

DARPP-32 is a neuronal phosphoprotein that is specifically enriched in neurons possessing D 1 dopamine receptors, including the medium-sized spiny neurons of the striatum. DARPP-32 phosphorylation is regulated by dopamine acting through cyclic AMP. Biochemical studies have shown that phosphorylated DARPP-32 functions as a potent inhibitor of protein phosphatase-1 in vitro. In vivo , this inhibition may be an important component of the biochemical mechanisms by which dopamine, acting via D 1 receptors, exerts its neurophysiological effects. Regulation of DARPP-32 phosphorylation may also mediate specific interactions between dopamine, acting through cyclic AMP, and glutamate (or other first messengers), acting through Ca 2+ . Future studies of basal ganglion-specific phosphoproteins in general, and of DARPP-32 in particular, should lead to a clearer understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying dopaminergic regulation of neuronal function.

Protein phosphorylation is involved in the regulation of a wide variety of physiological processes in the nervous system. Studies in which purified protein kinases or kinase inhibitors have been microinjected into defined cells while a specific response is monitored have demonstrated that protein phosphorylation is both necessary and sufficient to mediate responses of excitable cells to extracellular signals. The precise molecular mechanisms involved in neuronal signal transduction processes can be further elucidated by identification and characterization of the substrate proteins for the various protein kinases. The roles of three such substrate proteins in signal transduction are described in this article: 1) synapsin I, whose phosphorylation increases neurotransmitter release and thereby modulates synaptic transmission presynaptically; 2) the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, whose phosphorylation increases its rate of desensitization and thereby modulates synaptic transmission postsynaptically; and 3)...

A distinct form of DARPP-32, a protein phosphatase-1 inhibitor, has been identified in bovine calf parathyroid glands. Immunoblot analysis of parathyroid tissue revealed a 32 kDa protein present predominantly in a particulate fraction; it remained particulate after treatment with 1.0 M NaCl or 0.1 M Na2CO3. Metabolic labeling of parathyroid cells with mevalonolactone demonstrated that DARPP-32 is isoprenylated. Immunocytochemical localization studies demonstrated that DARPP-32 is present in vesicles throughout the cytoplasm of parathyroid cells, and that protein phosphatase-1γ is concentrated in the region of the plasma membrane. Thus, in contrast to the predominately soluble form of DARPP-32 that has been characterized in selected areas of the central nervous system, the parathyroid form is tightly associated with intracellular membranes.

The neurotransmitter dopamine has been demonstrated by biochemical, histochemical and immunocytochemical techniques to be unevenly distributed in the mammalian central nervous system. DARPP-32 (dopamine- and cyclic-AMP-regulated phosphoprotein of molecular weight 32,000) is a neuronal phosphoprotein that displays a regional distribution in the mammalian brain very similar to that of dopamine-containing nerve terminals, being highly concentrated in the basal ganglia. The state of phosphorylation of DARPP-32 can be regulated by dopamine and by cyclic AMP in intact nerve cells, suggesting a role for this phosphoprotein in mediating certain of the effects of dopamine on dopaminoceptive cells. The observation that many of the physical and chemical properties of purified DARPP-32 resemble those of phosphatase inhibitor-1 (inhibitor-1), a widely distributed inhibitor of protein phosphatase-1, suggests that DARPP-32 might also function as a phosphatase inhibitor. We report here that DARPP-32 inhibits protein phosphatase-1 at nanomolar concentrations. Moreover, like inhibitor-1, DARPP-32 is effective as an inhibitor in its phosphorylated but not its dephosphorylated form. Thus, the basal ganglia of mammalian brain contain a region-specific neuronal phosphoprotein that is a protein phosphatase inhibitor.

The distribution of a dopamine- and cyclic adenosine-3':5'-monophosphate (cAMP)-regulated phosphoprotein with an apparent molecular weight of 32,000 (DARPP-32) was investigated in the rat diencephalon and monkey hypothalamus by use of immunohistochemical techniques. In addition to single cells located peri- and paraventricularly in hypothalamus and thalamus in the rat, and ependymal cells, DARPP-32-immunoreactivity was found to be present in a subpopulation of ependymal tanycytes. These DARPP-32-positive tanycytes lined the walls and floor of the third ventricle, sending processes towards the arcuate nucleus, surrounding blood vessels in this nucleus, and continuing towards the median eminence, where they abutted on portal vessels. A second group of DARPP-32-positive tanycytes with cell bodies within the median eminence was also observed. Simultaneous labeling with antiserum against tyrosine hydroxylase, a presumptive marker for tuberoinfundibular dopamine neurons, revealed a close relation to DARPP-32-containing tanycytes in several anatomical locations. Thus, in the periventricular area DARPP-32-positive tanycytes ensheathed tyrosine hydroxylase-positive processes. These processes, presumably representing dopaminergic dendrites, virtually penetrated between the ependymal cells to the ventricular space and thus perhaps established direct contact with the cerebrospinal fluid. Tyrosine hydroxylase-terminals were also observed in close association with DARPP-32-immunoreactive tanycytes in the rat median eminence. However, in view of the density of DARPP-32-positive processes in the external layer of the median eminence, the DARPP-32 processes may be related to a number of other types of nerve endings, including luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone, as shown in this study. The close association of DARPP-32-immunoreactive processes with tyrosine hydroxylase- and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone-immunoreactive nerve endings in the rat was directly visualized at the ultrastructural level using triple-labeling immunocytochemistry. Both the ultrastructural analysis and immunohistochemistry at the light microscopic level, comparing the distribution of DARPP-32 and glial fibrillary acidic protein, indicated the presence of two types of glial processes in the median eminence. The electron microscopic studies also suggested the presence of both DARPP-32-positive and DARPP-32-negative glial processes in the external layer of the median eminence.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Rabbit antisera and mouse monoclonal antibodies have been prepared to bovine DARPP-32 (dopamine- and adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate-regulated phosphoprotein, Mr = 32,000), and used to study its regional, tissue, and phylogenetic distributions. The antibodies, none of which distinguished between dephospho-DARPP-32 and phospho-DARPP-32, were characterized and used to develop a sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay for DARPP-32. The radioimmunoassay, in conjunction with immunolabeling of SDS/PAGE transfers and immunoprecipitation of phosphorylated tissue extracts, was used to measure immunoreactive DARPP-32 in microdissected regions of rat CNS, in peripheral nervous and non-nervous tissues, and in CNS tissue from various animal species. The distribution of DARPP-32 was generally consistent with the interpretation that it is localized primarily to dopaminoceptive cells that possess dopamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase (D-1 dopamine receptors coupled to adenylate cyclase). Within the rat CNS, DARPP-32 was most highly concentrated in the basal ganglia. DARPP-32 was present in neostriatum from all six mammalian species tested (mouse, rat, guinea pig, rabbit, cow, and rhesus monkey) at concentrations of from 96 to 144 pmol/mg total protein, which constituted from 0.22 to 0.32% of the total protein. DARPP-32 was also identified at low levels in several peripheral tissues, including choroid plexus, parathyroid cells, adrenal chromaffin cells, posterior pituitary gland, pineal gland, and superior cervical sympathetic ganglion. A phylogenetic survey was carried out of proteins immunologically related to DARPP-32 in nervous tissue from nonmammalian species. DARPP-32-like proteins were identified in dopaminoceptive brain regions from representative members of the amniote vertebrate classes (birds and reptiles), while none was identified in dopaminoceptive brain regions from representative members of the anamniote vertebrate classes (bony fishes and amphibians) or in nervous tissue from representative members of several invertebrate classes.

A dopamine- and cyclic AMP-regulated neuronal phosphoprotein with an apparent molecular weight of 32,000 has been discovered and termed DARPP-32 (Walaas et al., 1983; Walaas and Greengard, 1984). It has been purified to homogeneity from bovine caudatoputamen and biochemically characterized (Hemmings et al., 1984b). Its complete amino acid sequence has been determined (Williams et al., 1986), and recently cDNA for DARPP-32 has been cloned (Kurihara et al., 1987). DARPP-32 is a potent, specific inhibitor of protein phosphatase-1 (Hemmings et al., 1984a,c,d; Williams et al., 1986), and it is highly enriched in the basal ganglia and may be restricted to the D-1 subclass of dopaminoceptive neurons (Walaas and Greengard, 1984; Ouimet et al., 1984; Hemmings and Greengard, 1986).

Dopamine (DA) is one of many neurotransmitter agents that utilize cyclic AMP as a second messenger (for reviews see Kebabian and Calne, 1979; Stoof and Kebabian, 1984; Hemmings et al., 1987). Dopamine, acting via the D1 dopamine receptor, initiates the biochemical sequence of adenylate cyclase activation, increased formation of cyclic AMP, activation of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, and phosphorylation of specific substrate proteins. There are two major categories of substrate proteins for this DA-sensitive adenylate cyclase/cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase pathway. One category contains broadly distributed substrate proteins that appear to regulate physiological processes common to all neurons. An example of a phosphoprotein in this category is synapsin I which is regulated by the nerve impulse itself (Nestler and Greengard, 1980) as well as by multiple first messengers. In the basal ganglia and substantia nigra, dopamine is one of the first messengers that regulate synapsin I phosphorylation (Walaas and Greengard, unpublished observations). Synapsin I is associated with small (50 nm) synaptic vesicles (DeCamilli et al., 1983a), is present in all nerve terminals (DeCamilli et al., 1983ab), and appears to play a role in regulating neurotransmitter release (Llinas et al., 1985). Thus, synapsin I appears to be involved in a physiological process common to all neurons, is broadly distributed in all axon terminals, and is regulated by dopamine in those nerve terminals containing D1 dopamine receptors.

Immunocytochemical studies have been carried out to determine the regional and cellular distribution of DARPP-32, a protein the phosphorylation of which can be regulated by dopamine and cAMP in intact cells. These immunocytochemical studies indicate tha DARPP-32 is localized primarily in those brain regions enriched in dopaminergic nerve terminals. Moreover, the staining pattern supports the conclusion that the DARPP-32 is present in dopaminoceptive neurons, i.e., neurons that receive a dopamine input, and that it is absent from the dopaminergic neurons themselves. Within the caudatoputamen, nucleus accumbens, olfactory tubercle, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and portions of the amygdaloid complex, all of which receive a strong dopamine input, DARPP-32 immunoreactivity is present in neuronal cell bodies and dendrites. In brain regions that are known to receive projections from these nuclei, puncta (presumed nerve terminals) are strongly immunoreactive for DARPP-32 but indigenous cell bodies and dendrites are not immunoreactive. These target areas include the globus pallidus, ventral pallidum, entopeduncular nucleus, and the pars reticulata of the substantia nigra. No immunoreactivity is detected in neuronal cell bodies or dendrites in any of the dopaminergic nuclei. Furthermore, nerve terminals immunoreactive for DARPP-32 do not resemble dopaminergic varicosities in either their morphology or their pattern of distribution. Many neurons are weakly immunoreactive for DARPP-32 and some of these are found in areas that apparently lack a dopaminergic input: weakly labeled neuronal cell bodies and dendrites were found throughout the neocortex, primarily in layer VI, and in the Purkinje neurons of the cerebellum. DARPP-32 immunoreactivity is also present in certain glial cells, especially in the median eminence, arcuate nucleus, and medial habenula. The present immunocytochemical studies, taken together with biochemical studies (Hemmings, H.C., Jr., A.C. Nairn, D.W. Aswad, and P. Greengard (1984) J. Neurosci. 4: 99–110; Walaas, S.I., and P. Greengard (1984) J. Neurosci. 4: 84–98) on DARPP- 32, indicate that DARPP-32, is present in the subclass of dopaminoceptive neurons containing D-1 receptors (dopamine receptors coupled to adenylate cyclase). DARPP-32 may be an effective marker for certain of the actions of dopamine that are mediated through cAMP and its associated protein kinase.

Publisher Summary A dopamine-regulated phosphoprotein (DARPP-32) is a phosphoprotein specifically enriched in dopaminoceptive neurons possessing D-1 dopamine receptors. The chapter summarizes some studies in which DARPP-32 has provided useful information or holds promise for future research. Biochemical studies have shown that DARPP-32 functions as a potent inhibitor of protein phosphatase-1 in vitro and that it may be involved in mediating some of the physiological effects of dopamine by inhibiting this enzyme in vivo . The regulation of the state of phosphorylation of DARPP-32 may also mediate specific interactions between the dopamine acting through cyclic adenosine monophosphate and other first messengers acting through calcium ion. The chapter shows the regional distribution of DARPP-32 in the rat central nervous system determined by radioimmunoassay. The highest concentrations of immunoreactive DARPP-32 are found in the substantia nigra, caudatoputamen, and globus pallidus, while slightly lower concentrations are found in the olfactory tubercle and nucleus accumbens.

The ontogeny of a dopamine and cyclic adenosine-3':5'-monophosphate-regulated phosphoprotein with an apparent molecular weight of 32 kilodaltons (DARPP-32) has been studied in the central nervous system of the prenatal, newborn and adult mouse. DARPP-32-immunoreactive somata were first identified at day 12 of gestation, in the primary olfactory cortex and in the ventrolateral medulla oblongata. On day 14 of gestation, neurons containing DARPP-32-like immunoreactivity became apparent in the caudate nucleus, olfactory tubercle, nucleus accumbens, frontoparietal cortex and the ventral medulla oblongata. During the period up to and including birth, the number of cell bodies and fibres in all these areas increased markedly. In addition, DARPP-32-positive neurons became visible in the olfactory nucleus, the arcuate nucleus, and DARPP-32-positive cells appeared in the choroid plexus of the lateral, third and fourth ventricles. DARPP-32-containing fibres could be seen in the median eminence, the ventrolateral thalamus, and in the striatonigral projection, descending in the internal capsule to ramify extensively in the substantia nigra. Only in the cerebellum and suprachiasmatic nucleus did the development of DARPP-32-like immunoreactivity occur postnatally. The development of tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme for catecholamine synthesis, was simultaneously examined. The arrival of the tyrosine hydroxylase-containing projection to the caudate nucleus, the olfactory tubercle and the nucleus accumbens apparently occurred 1-2 days after the appearance of DARPP-32-immunoreactive cells within these regions. In the ventral and ventrolateral medulla oblongata, and the primary olfactory cortex, no tyrosine hydroxylase innervation was seen near the DARPP-32-positive neurons at days 12-14. The organization of the DARPP-32-containing somata of the caudate nucleus into aggregates of 5-15 neurons was partly paralleled spatially by an increased density of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive fibres. Many DARPP-32-immunoreactive cells in the immature mouse brain are present by the day of birth, particularly in the areas known to receive a dopaminergic innervation. The development of these presumptive dopaminoceptive DARPP-32-containing neurons does not seem to be dependent on the presence, however, of a dopaminergic input, since in all regions examined DARPP-32-LI preceded the appearance of tyrosine hydroxylase-like immunoreactivity by at least 1-2 days. Indeed, the results suggest that the existence of DARPP-32-like immunoreactivity in cell bodies and dendrites may be a pre-requisite for the formation or subsequent stabilization of dopaminergic synapses.

Dopamine inhibits Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity in several renal tubule segments and thereby regulates urinary Na+ excretion. We now show that a phosphopeptide of 31 amino acids, corresponding to residues 8-38 of the protein phosphatase inhibitor DARPP-32 (dopamine- and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein of Mr 32,000), mimics the inhibitory action of dopamine on Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity in renal tubule cells from the ascending limb of the loop of Henle. The dephosphorylated form of the peptide is ineffective. The results indicate that dopamine acts through a protein phosphorylation pathway to regulate the activity of an ion pump. In addition, the data suggest that inhibition of protein phosphatase 1 by phophorylated DARPP-32 is a component of the mechanism by which dopamine regulates urinary Na+ excretion.

Calcineurin, a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent phosphoprotein phosphatase found in several tissues, is highly concentrated in mammalian brain. In an attempt to identify endogenous brain substrates for calcineurin, kinetic analyses of the dephosphorylation of several well-characterized phosphoproteins purified from brain were performed. The proteins studied were: G-substrate, a substrate for cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase; DARPP-32, a substrate for cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase; Protein K.-F., a substrate for a cyclic nucleotide- and Ca2+-independent protein kinase; and synapsin I, a substrate for cyclic AMP-dependent (site I) and a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (site II). Calcineurin dephosphorylated each of these proteins in a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent manner. Similar Km values were obtained for each substrate: G-substrate, 3.8 microM; DARPP-32, 1.6 microM; Protein K.-F., approximately 3 microM (S0.5); synapsin I (site I), 7.0 microM; synapsin I (site II), 4.4 microM. However, significant differences were obtained for the maximal rates of dephosphorylation. The kcat values were: G-substrate, 0.41 s-1; DARPP-32, 0.20 s-1; Protein K.-F., 0.7 s-1; synapsin I (site I), 0.053 s-1; synapsin I (site II), 0.040 s-1. Comparisons of the catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) for each substrate indicated that DARPP-32, G-substrate, and Protein K.-F. are all potential substrates for calcineurin in vivo.

Synapsins are major neuronal phosphoproteins involved in regulation of neurotransmitter release. Synapsins are well established targets for multiple protein kinases within the nerve terminal, yet little is known about dephosphorylation processes involved in regulation of synapsin function. Here, we observed a reciprocal relationship in the phosphorylation-dephosphorylation of the established phosphorylation sites on synapsin I. We demonstrate that, in vitro, phosphorylation sites 1, 2, and 3 of synapsin I (P-site 1 phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase; P-sites 2 and 3 phosphorylated by Ca(2+)-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II) were excellent substrates for protein phosphatase 2A, whereas P-sites 4, 5, and 6 (phosphorylated by mitogen-activated protein kinase) were efficiently dephosphorylated only by Ca(2+)-calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase 2B-calcineurin. In isolated nerve terminals, rapid changes in synapsin I phosphorylation were observed after Ca(2+) entry, namely, a Ca(2+)-dependent phosphorylation of P-sites 1, 2, and 3 and a Ca(2+)-dependent dephosphorylation of P-sites 4, 5, and 6. Inhibition of calcineurin activity by cyclosporin A resulted in a complete block of Ca(2+)-dependent dephosphorylation of P-sites 4, 5, and 6 and correlated with a prominent increase in ionomycin-evoked glutamate release. These two opposing, rapid, Ca(2+)-dependent processes may play a crucial role in the modulation of synaptic vesicle trafficking within the presynaptic terminal.

General anesthetics are often proposed to affect membrane properties through interactions with the lipid bilayer. Though recent studies have shown that inhaled anesthetics can interact more specifically with certain membrane proteins such as ion channels. For example, volatile anesthetics inhibit voltage-gated sodium channels to reduce neurotransmitter release. Fluorobenzenes (FBs), once considered for clinical use, were abandoned due to their flammability and toxicity but are still valuable model anesthetics for investigating the molecular mechanisms of anesthetics. We examined the properties of four FB compounds, 1,2-DiFB, 1,4-DiFB, 1,3,5-TriFB and HexaFB on lipid bilayer and sodium channel function at equipotent clinically relevant concentrations. Effects on lipid bilayer properties were tested using a gramicidin channel based stopped-flow fluorescence assay for lipid bilayer perturbation; effects on sodium channel function were tested using whole-cell voltage-clamp electrophysiology on neuronal cells (ND7/23). The stopped-flow results showed that all four FBs minimally affected lipid bilayer properties, whereas the sodium channels were strongly inhibited by all four anesthetics. Inhibition of peak sodium current was voltage-dependent as a pre-pulse to a voltage at which half the channels were in the fast inactivated state (V1/2) revealed strong inhibition compared to a pre-pulse to a voltage at which the majority of the channels were in the resting state (V0). The FBs produce a left-shift in the voltage of half-maximal inactivation (V1/2, also known as h∞ or availability), with 1,2-DiFB showing the greatest and HexaFB the least shift; these changes are comparable to those observed with modern inhaled anesthetics such as isoflurane. Together these results suggest that these compounds alter sodium channel function through direct interactions with the channels, though we cannot exclude that membrane effects may become involved at high, supra-pharmacological concentrations.

General anesthetics are a widely used class of drugs but, despite their clinical use for >160 years, their exact molecular mechanism(s) remain to be elucidated. A mechanism proposed early on was direct interaction with the lipid bilayer, in some unspecified manner to alter cellular function, which lead to the unitary lipid-based hypothesis of anesthetic action. More recent studies show that general anesthetics interact specifically with various proteins, in particular membrane-embedded ion channels. For example, the inhibition of voltage-gated sodium channels by volatile anesthetics leads to reduced neurotransmitter release in excitable cells. But, though a number of anesthetic targets have been identified, it remains unclear whether the bilayer per se may be involved as well. We therefore examined whether various general anesthetics (isoflurane, sevoflurane, halothane, desflurane, chloroform, diethyl ether, F3, cyclopropane, ketamine and etomidate) and related nonanesthetics (F6 and flurothyl) alter lipid bilayer properties at clinically relevant concentrations. The effects on lipid bilayer properties were tested using the gramicidin-based fluorescence assay (GBFA). The results show that none of the anesthetics or nonanesthetics tested altered lipid bilayer properties at the clinical concentration of 1 MAC (minimal alveolar concentration) with a membrane mole-fraction ranging from 1x10∧-3 (for F6) to 0.1 (for diethyl ether and sevoflurane). Even at two- to four-fold higher concentrations only minimal effects on the bilayer were observed; at much higher (supratherapeutic) concentrations, however, certain anesthetic agents did alter lipid bilayer properties. These results suggest that general anesthetics do not alter ion channel function by altering lipid bilayer properties in a manner that is sensed by a bilayer-spanning channel at clinically relevant concentrations.

Current knowledge of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of anesthetic action is insufficient to explain amnesia, unconsciousness or immobilization, the principal features of general anesthesia. A more detailed knowledge of the blocking mechanisms of volatile anesthetics (VAs) on presynaptic targets is critical to understanding their synaptic mechanisms of action. Here we show inhibition of synaptic vesicle (SV) exocytosis by the volatile anesthetic isoflurane as a function of nerve terminal [Ca2+]i, determined in the presence of varying external [Ca2+]e to test the hypothesis that VAs inhibit neurotransmitter release upstream of Ca2+ entry and thus reduce exocytosis in proportion to reductions in intracellular [Ca2+]i. Laser-scanning fluorescence image measurements of intracellular Ca2+ in transfected neonatal rat hippocampal neurons were made using the genetically encoded Ca2+-indicator GCaMP3 (Tian et al., 2009) or the acetoxymethyl (AM) ester of the Ca2+-sensitive dye fluo5 (10 μM) (Ariel & Ryan, 2010), and action potential (AP)-evoked exocytosis was measured with synaptophysin-pHluorin. The effect of isoflurane on [Ca2+]i correlates with its effect on exocytosis at varying external [Ca2+] to reveal minimal direct effect on the Ca2+ sensitivity of exocytosis. These data suggest the primary anesthetic targets in the inhibition of neurotransmitter release from small synaptic vesicles are situated upstream of Ca2+ entry and not within the synaptic vesicle fusion machinery.