Proteolysis of synaptobrevin, syntaxin, and SNAP-25 in alveolar epithelial type II cells.

Synaptobrevin-2, syntaxin-1, and SNAP-25 were identified in rat alveolar epithelial type II cells by Western blot analysis. Synaptobrevin-2 was localized in the lamellar bodies, and syntaxin-1 and SNAP-25 were found in 0.4% Nonidet P40-soluble and -insoluble fractions, respectively, of the type II cells. When the isolated type II cells were stimulated for secretion with calcium ionophore A23187 or with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, these proteins were found to have been proteolyzed. Preincubation of cells with calpain inhibitor II (N-acetylleucylleucylmethionine), however, prevented the proteolysis. Treatment of the cell lysate with exogenous calpain resulted in a time-dependent decrease of these proteins. The data suggest that synaptobrevin, syntaxin, and SNAP-25 are subject to proteolytic modification by activated calpain in intact type II cells stimulated for secretion.