Eikichi Hashimoto

Phosphorylation of liver gap junction protein by protein kinase C

The 27 kDa protein, a major component of rat liver gap junctions, was shown to be phosphorylated in vitro by protein kinase C. The stoichiometry of the phosphorylation indicated that approx. 0.33 mol phosphate was incorporated per mol 27 kDa protein. Phosphorylation was entirely dependent on the presence of calcium and was virtually specific for serine residues. For comparison, the gap junction protein was also examined for its phosphorylation by cAMP‐dependent protein kinase, the extent of phosphorylation being one‐tenth that exerted by protein kinase C.

A new type of glycogen storage disease caused by deficiency of cardiac phosphorylase kinase

A five-month-old Japanese boy was found to have marked glycogen accumulation only in the heart. A survey of enzymes revealed normal activities of phosphorylase, cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, acid maltase and amylo-1,6-glucosidase. However, the heart had capacity of activating neither rabbit muscle phosphorylase b nor endogenous phosphorylase b, which was converted to active form only when supplemented rabbit muscle phosphorylase kinase. In contrast to the heart, activities of phosphorylase kinase were found within normal levels in other organ tissues so far tested. These findings indicate that the present case of the cardiac glycogenosis is caused by deficiency of cardiac phosphorylase kinase.

Down‐regulation of protein kinase C‐α detected in human colorectal cancer

The down‐regulation of protein kinase C (PKC) was examined by Western blot procedure on about 30 tissue samples derived from human colorectal cancer and the corresponding normal mucosa. PKC‐α down‐regulation was detected in 60% of the cancer tissues compared with the respective normal mucosa and was observed in a higher frequency with the tissues under more advanced cancer stages. However, the frequencies of the down‐regulation of PKC‐δ and PKC‐ζ were lower than that of PKC‐α. These results suggest that a decreased level of PKC‐α may affect the cell growth and tumor promotion in colorectal tissue.

Proteolytic activation of protein kinase C by membrane-bound protease in rat liver plasma membrane

Incubation of rat liver plasma membrane produced histone phosphorylating activity at 75 mM Mg2+ in the soluble fraction. The release of the kinase activity was inhibited by leupeptin and bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor, suggesting the involvement of membrane-bound protease. When partially purified protein kinase C from rat liver cytosol was treated with the trypsin-like protease purified from rat liver plasma membrane, histone phosphorylating kinase which was independent of Ca2+ and phospholipids, produced with a molecular weight of about 5 X 10(4). These results suggest that membrane-bound, trypsin-like protease activates protein kinase C in plasma membrane and the activated kinase is released from the membrane to the soluble fraction.

An activated S6 kinase in regenerating rat liver

S6 kinase activity was increased in the regenerating liver 5 h after partial hepatectomy compared with sham-operated liver. The protein kinase activity was eluted from DE-52 column at approximately 250 mM NaCl and was not affected by known regulators of protein kinases. The S6 kinase was further purified by chromatography on peptide R1A13-Sepharose 4B and Sephadex G-150. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 4.5 X 10(4) by gel filtration. The enzyme catalyzes the phosphorylation of whole histone, mainly H2B histone, at 75 mM Mg2+. These properties are similar to those of a proteolytically modified Ca2+/phospholipid-independent form of protein kinase C.

Mr 25 000 protein, a substrate for protein serine/threonine kinases, is identified as a part of Xenopus laevis vitellogenin B1.

A phosphorylated protein with a molecular mass of 25 000 (pp25) previously purified from the cytosolic fraction of Xenopus laevis oocytes is an effective phosphate acceptor for casein kinases and protein kinase C. In this study, based on the partial amino acid sequence of pp25, a cDNA was isolated that encodes a new yolk precursor protein, Xenopus vitellogenin B1, which contained the sequence encoding pp25. Both mRNA and protein of vitellogenin B1 were expressed in all of the female organs examined. In agreement with a previous report, the amount of vitellogenin B1 protein in the liver increased after stimulation with estrogen. These results suggest that pp25 is a cytosolic non‐crystallized yolk protein nutrient source, but it might also play a role in rapid development.

Protease-activated protein kinase in rat liver plasma membrane

Upon limited proteolysis with trypsin, a cAMP and Ca2+-independent protein kinase was produced from rat liver plasma membrane. This enzyme showed a multifunctional capacity and phosphorylated calf thymus histone and rat liver ribosomal proteins. The molecular weight was estimated to be 5.0 X 10(4). When plasma membrane was treated with a buffer containing Triton X-100, a proenzyme with a molecular weight of 8.4 X 10(4) was extracted. By tryptic digestion, the proenzyme was converted to an active protein kinase which was similar to the enzyme obtained by the direct digestion of membrane. However, this proenzyme phosphorylated H1 histone in the presence of Ca2+ and phospholipid without proteolytic digestion. These results indicate the existence of a protease-activated protein kinase in rat liver plasma membrane and the proenzyme seems to be same as protein kinase C.

(-)-Epigallocatechin gallate inhibits mos activation-mediated xenopus oocyte maturation induced by progesterone.

(−)‐Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), one of the constituents of green tea known to have a tumor preventing effect, inhibited maturation of Xenopus laevis oocytes induced by progesterone when this polyphenol was microinjected into oocytes at a final concentration of about 1 mM. Western blot and activity measurement analyses showed that Mos translation and the subsequent activations of mitogen‐activated protein kinase and p90rsk, probably by protein phosphorylation, seemed to have been inhibited by the microinjection of EGCG. These results suggest that EGCG may have the ability to control Xenopus oocyte maturation at least during the stage of Mos activation.

Calcium-calmodulin-dependent activation of porcine liver phosphorylase kinase

Porcine liver phosphorylase kinase was activated about 1.5‐fold by calmodulin in a calcium‐dependent manner. Half‐maximal stimulation was observed at about 80 nM calmodulin and the activation was almost pH‐independent. The specific binding of procine liver phosphorylase kinase to calmodulin—Sepharose affinity column exhibited an absolute dependence upon the presence of calcium. The physiological role of the calmodulin‐dependent activation for liver phosphorylase kinase is discussed.

Insulin-stimulated serine kinase in Xenopus oocyte plasma membrane

Insulin-stimulated protein kinase activities detected in Xenopus oocyte membrane were examined. The plasma membrane proteins solubilized in a buffer containing Triton X-100 were immunoprecipitated with anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies and adsorbed materials were eluted with a buffer containing p-nitrophenyl phosphate. The eluate contained protein serine kinase activity toward H1 histone which was increased 2-3 fold by insulin. Protein tyrosine kinase activity was also exhibited in Xenopus oocyte membrane and the close parallel to serine kinase activity was observed in response to insulin. These results suggest that insulin-stimulated serine kinase is activated through the phosphorylation by protein tyrosine kinase.