Mol. Cell. Biol., 01 1995, 1-11, Vol 15, No. 1
JM Lahti, J Xiang, LS Heath, D Campana and VJ Kidd
Minimal ectopic expression of a 58-kDa protein kinase (PITSLRE beta 1),
distantly related to members of the cdc2 gene family, induces telophase
delay, abnormal chromosome segregation, and decreased growth rates in
Chinese hamster ovary cells. Here we show that this decrease in cell growth
rate is due to apoptosis. Apoptosis is also induced by ectopic expression
of an amino-terminal deletion mutant containing the catalytic and
C-terminal domains of PITSLRE beta 1 but not by other mutants lacking
histone H1 kinase activity or by other members of the cdc2 gene family.
However, unlike the wild-type PITSLRE beta 1 over- expressors, ectopic
expression of the N-terminal PITSLRE beta 1 mutant does not result in
telophase delay or abnormal chromosome segregation. These results suggested
that the function of this protein kinase could be linked to apoptotic
signaling. To test this hypothesis, we examined levels of PITSLRE mRNA,
steady-state protein, and enzyme activity in human T cells undergoing
apoptosis after activation with the anti-Fas monoclonal antibody (MAb). All
were substantially elevated shortly after Fas MAb treatment. In addition to
new transcription and translation, proteolysis contributed to the increased
steady-state levels of a novel 50-kDa PITSLRE protein, as suggested by the
diminution of larger PITSLRE isoforms observed in the same cells. Indeed,
treatment of the Fas-activated T cells with a serine protease inhibitor
prevented apoptotic death and led to the accumulation of larger, less
active PITSLRE kinase isoforms but not the enzymatically active 50-kDa
PITSLRE isoform. Finally, induction of apoptosis by glucocorticoids in the
same cell line, as well as by Fas MAb treatment of another T-cell line, led
to a similar induction of 50-kDa PITSLRE protein levels over time. These
findings suggest that (i) PITSLRE kinase(s) may lie within apoptotic
signaling pathway(s), (ii) serine protease activation may be an early event
in Fas-activated apoptosis of human T cells, and (iii) some PITSLRE kinase
isoforms may be targets of apoptotic proteases.
Copyright © 1995, American Society for Microbiology
PITSLRE protein kinase activity is associated with apoptosis
Department of Tumor Cell Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105.
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