Several lines of evidence suggest that phosaffinity for proline-rich domains and may be involved phorylated products of phosphatidylinositol play critical in the association of P1 3-kinase with cytoskeletal profunctions in the regulation of membrane trafficking along teins. The I 1O-kDa subunit of P1 3-kinase has two the secretory pathway. To probe the possible involvecatalytic activities: a Mn 2-dependent protein kinase ment of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (P1 3-kinase) in activity that phosphorylates p85, and a Mg2~-depenregulated exocytosis, we have examined its subcellular dent lipid kinase activity that phosphorylates the D-3 distribution in cultured chromaffin cells by immunoreplica analysis and confocal immunofluorescence. We found position of the inositol ring producing phosphatidylthat the P1 3-kinase heterodimer consisting of the regulainositol 3-phosphate, phosphatidylinositol 3,4-bisphostory and catalytic subunits was associated essentially phate, and phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate with the subplasmalemmal cytoskeleton in both resting (PIP 1) (Kapeller and Cantley, 1994). In many cell and nicotine-stimulated chromaffin cells. Attempts to imtypes, the agonist-stimulated P1 3-kinase utilizes munoprecipitate Pl 3-kinase with anti-phosphotyrosine predominantly phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate antibodies failed, suggesting that the activity of P1 3ki-(PIP2) as substrate, and the various 3-phosphorylated nase was not modulated by tyrosine phosphorylation inositol lipids are believed to arise from hydrolysis of and/or physical interaction with SH2-containing proteins newly generated PIP3 (Stephens et al., 1991; Carter et in stimulated chromaffin cells. LY294002 [2-(4-morpholia!., 1994). nyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one], a potent inhibiAmong the molecular factors underlying constitutor of P1 3-kinase, produced a dose-dependent inhibition of catecholamine secretion evoked by various secretative and regulated exocytosis, proteins have received gogues. Furthermore, cytochemical experiments with particular attention, and their primary role in directing rhodamine-labeled phalloidin revealed that LY294002 membrane interaction and fusion is indisputable (Rothblocked the disassembly of cortical actin in chromaffin man, 1994; Sudhof, 1995). Several lines of evidence cells stimulated by a depolarizing concentration of potassuggest, however, that lipids, in particular the highly sium. Our results suggest that P1 3-kinase may be one phosphorylated metabolites of phosphatidylinositol, of the important regulatory exocytotic components inalso play a fundamental role in vesicular trafficking volved in the signaling cascade controlling actin (De Camilli et al., 1996). The first indication that rearrangements required for catecholamine secretion.inositol phospholipids might be important for Ca 2~-