Abstract. Provision of GTP (or other nucleotidescapable of acting as ligands for activation of G-proteins) together with Ca 2+ (at micromolar concentrations) is both necessary and sufficient to stimulate exocytotic secretion from mast cells permeabilized with streptolysin-O. GTP and its analogues, through their interactions with Gp, also activate polyphosphoinositide-phosphodiesterase (PPI-pde generating inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and diglyceride [DG]). We have used mast cells labeled with [3H]inositol to test whether the requirement for GTP in exocytosis is an expression of Gp activity through the generation of DG and consequent activation of protein kinase C, or whether GTP is required at a later stage in the stimulus secretion sequence. Neomycin (0.3 mM) inhibits activation of PPI-pde, but maximal secretion due to optimal concentrations of guanosine 5"O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTP-'t-S) can still be evoked in its presence. When ATP is also provided the concentration requirement for GTP-u in support of exocytosis is reduced. This sparing effect of ATP is nullified when the PPI-pde reaction is inhibited by neomycin. We argue that the sparing effect of ATP occurs as a result of enhancement of DG production and through its action as a phosphoryl donor in the reactions catalyzed by protein kinase C.
W,r~ have shown that rat mast ceils permeabilized with streptolysin-O undergo exocytotic secretion when provided with micromolar concentrations of Ca 2+ together with GTP, xanthosine triphosphate, or inosine triphosphate (18,19). These nucleotides are capable of acting as ligands for activation of G-proteins (5, 33). The combination of Ca 2+ + G~P is both necessary and sufficient for secretion to occur. There is no absolute requirement for the presence of any other water soluble metabolite though ATP has a sparing effect on the concentration requirements for both the Ca 2+ and the GTP. Since polyphosphoinositidephosphodiesterase (PPI-pde), t the enzyme that generates the second messengers inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and diglyceride (DG), is subject to control by a GTP-binding protein, Gp (9, 24, 26, 31), this represents one possible site of action whereby the effect of guanine nucleotides might act to control secretion in the permeabilized cells. It is now well understood that the water soluble product of PPI-txie activation, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate, mobilizes Ca 2+ from intracellular stores. DG is the activator of protein kinase C (4, 27). However, the existence of Gp, and a defined role for GTP in receptor activation mechanisms does not preclude 1. Abbreviations used in this paper: DG, diglyceride; GTP-y-S, guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate); IP, inositol phosphate; pale, phosphodiesterase; PIP, phosphatidylinositol monophosphate; PPI, polyphosphoinositide. the possibility that GTP might have other roles in the complete sequence of events which leads to exocytotic release of secretory materials.In the experiments reported here we have used [3H]inositol-labeled mast cells permeabilized with streptolysin-O to fo...