Bryan R. Reep

Inhibition of ras-induced germinal vesicle breakdown in Xenopus oocytes by rap-1B

A cDNA clone (Krev-1) has recently been identified that possesses the ability to reverse the transformed phenotype when introduced into a K-ras-transformed NIH/3T3 cell line. The Krev-1 protein, also known as rap-1A, was found to share 50% homology with the ras proteins. The rap-1A protein has also been shown to block the interaction of ras with its GTPase activating protein in vitro, leading to speculation regarding its role in vivo. A closely related protein, rap-1B, has also been identified in platelets, human erythroleukemia cells, neutrophils, and aortic smooth muscle cells. Unlike rap-1A, rap-1B has been shown to be phosphorylated in platelets. Given the high degree of similarity between the amino acid sequences of rap-1A and rap-1B, we sought to investigate the effect of microinjected rap-1B on H-ras(Val12)-induced germinal vesicle breakdown in Xenopus laevis oocytes. In this assay system, equimolar concentrations of rap-1B were found to block germinal vesicle breakdown triggered by the oncogenic ras protein. However, in the presence of IGF-1, this inhibition was not observed. Moreover, rap-1B is readily phosphorylated in the oocytes.

Adhesion of human platelets to collagen in the presence of prostacyclin, indomethacin and compound BW 755C

Prostacyclin (1 ng to 2 micrograms per ml), which effectively inhibits platelet secretion and aggregation, does not affect adhesion of a proportion of platelets (10-38%) to collagen (50-100 micrograms/ml). Adhesion is not detectable by changes of light transmission (as measured in the optical aggregometer) and is not affected by inhibitors of cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase enzymes such as indomethacin and compound BW 755C. This adhesion is independent of the collagen concentration (50-400 micrograms/ml) and the incubation time (5-20 min). This suggests that adhesion to collagen is related to a specific platelet population. Adhesion in the presence of prostacyclin, indomethacin and BW 755C occurs in parallel with the formation of a limited amount of phosphatidic acid. Under those conditions it is also possible to observe some phosphorylation of a 40,000 dalton protein which is a substrate for protein kinase C activity. Phosphorylation of the 20,000 dalton protein, or myosin light chain, is less evident. Chlorpromazine (25-100 micrograms/ml) inhibited the adhesion of platelets to collagen, but propanolol (0.5-4 microM) was inactive. The adhesion of platelets to collagen in these experiments parallels the formation of a fraction of phosphatidic acid and 40,000 dalton protein phosphorylation, which are independent of the increased levels of platelet cyclic-AMP induced by high concentrations of prostacyclin. It is also independent of the formation of cyclooxygenase or lipoxygenase products.

Ionophore A23187 stimulates phosphorylation of the 40, 000dalton protein in human platelets without phospholipase C activation

The Ca2+ ionophore A23187 (0.2-5 microM) stimulates the phosphorylation of the substrates of protein kinase C (40,000 dalton protein) and myosin light chain kinase (20,000 dalton protein) in the presence or absence of cyclooxygenase inhibitors. In the presence of cyclooxygenase inhibitors or millimolar Ca2+ there is no stimulation of phospholipase C by A23187. Fingerprints of the 32P-labeled 40,000 dalton protein isolated from platelets that have been stimulated with A23187, thrombin, phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate and 1,2-didecanoylglycerol were identical. Higher concentrations of A23187 (1-5 microM) induced the loss of polyphosphoinositides through phosphomonoesterase activity.