A proline-directed serine/threonine ceramide-activated protein (CAP) kinase mediates transmembrane signaling through the sphingomyelin pathway. CAP kinase reportedly initiates proinflammatory TNF alpha action by phosphorylating and activating Raf-1. The present studies delineate kinase suppressor of Ras (KSR), identified genetically in Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila, as CAP kinase. Mouse KSR, like CAP kinase, renatures and autophosphorylates as a 100-kDa membrane-bound polypeptide. KSR overexpression constitutively activates Raf-1. TNF alpha or ceramide analogs markedly enhance KSR autophosphorylation and its ability to complex with, phosphorylate, and activate Raf-1. In vitro, low nanomolar concentrations of natural ceramide stimulate KSR to autophosphorylate, and transactivate Raf-1. Other lipid second messengers were ineffective. Moreover, Thr269 the Raf-1 site phosphorylated by CAP kinase, is also recognized by KSR. Thus, by previously established criteria, KSR appears to be CAP kinase.

The sphingomyelin pathway, initiated by hydrolysis of sphingomyelin to ceramide and stimulation of a Ser/Thr ceramide-activated protein (CAP) kinase, mediates tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 beta action. CAP kinase is membrane-bound and proline-directed, recognizing the minimal substrate motif Thr-Leu-Pro. TNF may use the sphingomyelin pathway to signal Raf1 to activate the MAP kinase cascade. Evidence shows that cytoplasmic Raf1 binds to GTP-ras upon cellular stimulation, is recruited to the plasma membrane, and activated. How membrane-bound Raf1 is activated is uncertain, but regulation of its kinase activity may involve its phosphorylation. Specific Raf kinases, however, have not hitherto been identified. Here we report that CAP kinase phosphorylates Raf1 on Thr 269, increasing its activity towards MEK (MAP kinase or ERK kinase). Moreover, in intact HL-60 cells, CAP kinase complexes with Raf1 and, in response to TNF and ceramide analogues, phosphorylates and activates Raf1, implicating CAP kinase as a link between the TNF receptor and Raf1.

The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27 KIP1 plays a key role in controlling cell proliferation. Here we show that p27 KIP1 is commonly down-regulated in B-cells immortalized by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) (lymphoblastoid cell lines, LCLs). The significance of this event for the immortal phenotype of LCLs is implied by a requirement for active cdk2-containing complexes for continued proliferation, and by the ability of the residual p27 KIP1 to associate with cdk2. The mechanism of p27 KIP1 attenuation is post-translational, but inhibitor studies reveal that the mechanism does not rely heavily on the proteasome. Instead we find that LCLs contain an activity that cleaves a caspase recognition site present in p27 KIP1 (DPSD 139 ). The activity is not associated with apoptosis and closely resembles a proliferation-associated caspase activity we previously described in the EBVnegative B-lymphoma-derived cell line BJAB. Importantly, proliferating LCLs contain a p27 KIP1 product that is consistent with cleavage at this site. Inhibition of caspase(s) in vivo modulates p27 KIP1 expression and strongly inhibits proliferation of IB4 cells. This inhibitor profile is identical to that displayed by the DPSD-directed caspase present in BJAB cells, suggesting that the caspase may fulfil a general role in controlling p27 KIP1 expression in immortal lymphoid cell lines. Thus, apoptosis-independent cleavage appears to contribute to the maintenance of the low basal levels of p27 KIP1 in B-cells immortalized by EBV.

Bone marrow (BM) stromal cells express CD10 (cALLA), a surface antigen now known to be a neutral endopeptidase (NEP-24.11). The function of CD10 in BM stroma is unknown, although purified NEP-24.11 is known to degrade different substrates including interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta). We have therefore employed a CD10-positive BM stromal cell line (L2AK) which proliferates in response to IL-1 beta to test the hypothesis that degradation of this cytokine is one of the functions of stromal CD10. We first showed that [3H]thymidine incorporation by L2AK cells is enhanced by IL-1 beta in a clear dose-dependent manner. Addition of the CD10 inhibitor, phosphoramidon, together with IL-1 beta resulted in a left shift in the dose-response curve which corresponded to a 10-fold potentiation of the IL-1 beta effect. These results indicate that CD10 on bone marrow stromal cells can degrade IL-1 beta and therefore provide a local control of the effects of this, and possibly other, growth factor(s).

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