Simultaneous inhibitions of inositol phospholipid breakdown, arachidonic acid release, and histamine secretion in mast cells by islet-activating protein, pertussis toxin. A possible involvement of the toxin-specific substrate in the Ca2+-mobilizing receptor-mediated biosignaling system.

Incubation of rat mast cells with compound 48/80 resulted in transient breakdown of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, rapid generation of inositol polyphosphates, 45Ca inflow, and the arachidonic acid liberation mainly from phosphatidylcholine, eventually leading to histamine secretion. All of these processes of signaling from Ca-mobilizing receptors to degranulation were markedly inhibited by prior 2-h exposure of cells to islet-activating protein (IAP), pertussis toxin. A23187 caused 45Ca inflow and releases of arachidonic acid and histamine without inducing breakdown of inositol phospholipids. The effects of A23187, in contrast to those of compound 48/80, were not altered by the exposure of cells to IAP. Incubation of the supernatant fraction of mast cell homogenates with the active component of IAP caused the transfer of the ADP-ribosyl moiety of added [alpha-32P]NAD to a protein with Mr = 41,000. The IAP-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of this protein was prevented by guanosine 5'-(3-O-thio)triphosphate, indicating that this IAP substrate resembles, in character, the alpha-subunit of the guanine nucleotide regulatory protein (Ni) involved in inhibition of adenylate cyclase. The degree of ADP-ribosylation of this IAP substrate was prevented progressively by pre-exposure of the homogenate-donor cells to increasing concentrations of IAP. The half-maximally effective concentrations of the toxin were 0.2 to 0.6 ng/ml for all the IAP-sensitive processes studied. Thus, the ADP-ribosylation of the Mr = 41,000 protein occurring during exposure of cells to IAP appears to be responsible for the inhibition of signaling observed. It is proposed that the alpha-subunit of Ni, or a like protein, mediates signal transduction arising from Ca-mobilizing receptors, probably prior to Ca2+ gating.