Cytosolic [Ca2+] homeostasis and tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C gamma 2 in HL60 granulocytes.

Activated phagocytes produce large amounts of reactive oxygen intermediates, including peroxides. In addition to their microbicidal effect, it has recently been suggested that reactive oxygen species play a role as intracellular messengers. The mechanism of action remains unknown, but peroxides have been reported to increase tyrosine phosphorylation, an effect potentiated by vanadate. In this report we studied the effects of a combination of H2O2 and vanadate on Ca2+ homeostasis in granulocytic HL60 cells. The peroxides induced a transient elevation of cytosolic [Ca2+] associated with release from internal stores. Ca2+ mobilization was accompanied by increased generation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate, implicating phospholipase C (PLC). A sizable increase in phosphotyrosine accumulation by several polypeptides in the M(r) 20,000 to 250,000 range preceded the [Ca2+] changes. We therefore considered the possibility that tyrosine phosphorylation of a phospholipase mediates the observed effects. Differentiated (granulocytic) HL60 cells did not have detectable levels of PLC gamma 1 but had substantial PLC gamma 2. Immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting experiments demonstrated that PLC gamma 2 becomes tyrosine-phosphorylated upon treatment of the cells with peroxides of vanadate. If associated with activation, such phosphorylation of PLC gamma 2 can account for the rise in [Ca2+]. Although capable of mobilizing internal Ca2+ stores, the peroxides failed to produce the sustained [Ca2+] increase predicted by the "capacitative" model. Mn2+ influx determinations indicated that this is due to impairment of divalent cation entry by the peroxides, uncoupling the plasma membrane from the internal stores. Changes in [Ca2+] homeostasis could mediate some of the messenger actions of reactive oxygen species.