Babu V. Bassa

Lysophosphatidylcholine activates mesangial cell PKC and MAP kinase by PLCγ-1 and tyrosine kinase-Ras pathways

Although lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC)-mediated cellular responses are attributed to the activation of protein kinase C (PKC), relatively little is known about the upstream signaling mechanisms that regulate the activation of PKC and downstream mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase. LPC activated p42 MAP kinase and PKC in mesangial cells. LPC-mediated MAP kinase activation was inhibited (but not completely) by PKC inhibition, suggesting additional signaling events. LPC stimulated protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) activity and induced Ras-GTP binding. LPC-induced MAP kinase activity was blocked by the PTK inhibitor genistein. Because LPC increased PTK activity, we examined the involvement of phospholipase Cγ-1 (PLCγ-1) as a key participant in LPC-induced PKC activation. LPC stimulated the phosphorylation of PLCγ-1. PTK inhibitors suppressed LPC-induced PKC activity, whereas the same had no effect on phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-mediated PKC activity. Other lysophospholipids [e.g., lysophosphatidylinositol and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)] also induced MAP kinase activity, and only LPA-induced MAP kinase activation was sensitive to pertussis toxin. These results indicate that LPC-mediated PKC activation may be regulated by PTK-dependent activation of PLCγ-1, and both PKC and PTK-Ras pathways are involved in LPC-mediated downstream MAP kinase activation.

Effect of inhibition of cholesterol synthetic pathway on the activation of Ras and MAP kinase in mesangial cells

Intermediary metabolites of cholesterol synthetic pathway are involved in cell proliferation. Lovastatin, an inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, blocks mevalonate synthesis, and has been shown to inhibit mesangial cell proliferation associated with diverse glomerular diseases. Since inhibition of farnesylation and plasma membrane anchorage of the Ras proteins is one suggested mechanism by which lovastatin prevents cellular proliferation, we investigated the effect of lovastatin and key mevalonate metabolites on the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) and Ras in murine glomerular mesangial cells. The preincubation of mesangial cells with lovastatin inhibited the activation of MAP kinase stimulated by either FBS, PDGF, or EGF. Mevalonic acid and farnesyl-pyrophosphate, but not cholesterol or LDL, significantly prevented lovastatin-induced inhibition of agonist-stimulated MAP kinase. Lovastatin inhibited agonist-induced activation of Ras, and mevalonic acid and farnesylpyrophosphate antagonized this effect. Parallel to the MAP kinase and Ras data, lovastatin suppressed cell growth stimulated by serum, and mevalonic acid and farnesylpyrophosphate prevented lovastatin-mediated inhibition of cellular growth. These results suggest that lovastatin, by inhibiting the synthesis of farnesol, a key isoprenoid metabolite of mevalonate, modulates Ras-mediated cell signaling events associated with mesangial cell proliferation.

Activation of mesangial cells with TNF-α stimulates M-CSF gene expression and monocyte proliferation: evidence for involvement of protein kinase C and protein tyrosine kinase

In this study, we examined the effect of TNF-alpha on mesangial cell gene expression of M-CSF, a colony-stimulating factor associated with monocyte differentiation into macrophages and proliferation. Incubation of mesangial cells with TNF-alpha-stimulated mRNA expression and protein synthesis of M-CSF. Mesangial cell activation with PMA, a PKC activator, stimulated M-CSF mRNA expression while PKC depletion decreased M-CSF mRNA expression to control levels. Stimulation of PKC-depleted mesangial cells with either PMA or TNF-alpha inhibited M-CSF mRNA transcripts. Preincubation of mesangial cells with calphostin C, a PKC inhibitor, reduced both PMA- and TNF-alpha-induced M-CSF mRNA transcripts. Specific protein tyrosine kinase inhibitors blocked TNF-alpha-induced mesangial cell M-CSF mRNA expression. Additional studies showed that pertussis toxin, isoproterenol, and dibutyryl (db)cAMP did not induce mesangial cell M-CSF gene expression. However, coincubation of mesangial cells with TNF-alpha and either dbcAMP, forskolin, or pertussis toxin inhibited TNF-alpha-induced M-CSF gene expression. Finally, TNF-alpha-activated mesangial cell conditioned media stimulated monocyte/macrophage proliferation dose-dependently and was prevented by using anti-M-CSF. These data suggested that M-CSF can regulate monocyte differentiation into macrophages and proliferation within the mesangium induced by proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-alpha. These cellular events appeared to be modulated by signal transduction pathways mediated by PKC and PTK.

Low density lipoproteins transactivate EGF receptor: role in mesangial cell proliferation.

Hyperlipidemia and the glomerular accumulation of atherogenic lipoproteins (low density lipoprotein, LDL; and its oxidatively-modified variants, ox-LDL) are commonly associated with the development of glomerular mesangial proliferative diseases. However, cellular signaling mechanisms by which atherogenic lipoproteins stimulate mesangial cell proliferation are poorly defined. In this study, we examined the effect of atherogenic lipoproteins on the activation of mesangial cell epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor, mitogen activated protein kinase (MAP kinase), Ras, and mesangial cell proliferation. Stimulation of mesangial cells with LDL, and with greater activity, ox-LDL, markedly induced the transactivation of EGF receptor within 5 min of stimulation; the effect persisted up to at least 60 min LDL, and with a greater degree, ox-LDL, increased the activation of Ras, MAP kinase, and mesangial cell proliferation. Inhibition of EGF receptor kinase activity and/or MAP kinase activation blocked both LDL- and ox-LDL-induced mesangial cell proliferation. We suggest that the accumulation of LDL and more potently its oxidized forms within the glomerulus, through the transactivation of EGF receptor, stimulate down-stream Ras-MAP kinase signaling cascade leading to mesangial cell proliferation. Regulation of glomerular accumulation of atherogenic lipoproteins and/or EGF receptor signaling may provide protective environment against mesangial hypercellularity seen in glomerular diseases.