Previous work from our laboratory demonstrated that 1,25(OH)(2)D-3 rapidly
stimulated hydrolysis of membrane polyphosphoinositides (PI) in rat colonoc
ytes and in Caco-2 cells, generating the second messengers DAG and IP3. [Ca
2+](i) subsequently increased due to IP3-mediatcd release of intracellular
Ca2+ stores, and to Ca2+ influx through a receptor-mediated Ca channel. Stu
dies examining purified antipodal plasma membranes and experiments using Ca
co-2 cell monolayers found that 1,25(OH)(2)D-3 influenced PI turnover only
in the basolateral (BLM) and not brush border (BBM) membranes. Vitamin D an
alogues with poor affinity for the vitamin D receptor were found to effecti
vely stimulate PI turnover, suggesting the presence of a unique vitamin D r
eceptor in the BLM. Studies from our laboratory have demonstrated saturable
, reversible binding of 1,25(OH)(2)D-3 to colonocyte BLM. Recently, we foun
d that 1,25(OH)(2)D-3 activated the tyrosine kinase c-src in colonocyte BLM
by a heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide binding protein (G-protein)-depende
nt mechanism, with subsequent phosphorylation, translocation to the BLM, an
d activation of PI-specific phospholipase C gamma. Due to the rise in [Ca2](i) and DAG, two isoforms of protein kinase C (PKC alpha and PKC beta 2),
but not other isoforms were activated by 1,25(OH)(2)D-3 in rat colonocytes.
Recent studies demonstrated that the seco-steroid translocated the beta 2
isoform to the BLM, but not the BBM. In contrast, the alpha isoform did not
translocate to either antipodal plasma membrane, but modulated IP3-mediate
d Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum. Preliminary studies have sho
wn that 1,25(OH)(2)D-3 also activated phosphatidylcholine phospholipase D (
PLD) in Caco-2 cells, generating phosphatidic acid and contributing to the
sustained rise in DAG. PLD stimulation occurred by both PKC-dependent and -
independent mechanisms. Inhibitors of G-proteins, c-src, and PKC blunted th
e seco-steroid-mediated activation of PLD. Cells stably transfected with se
nse PKC alpha showed increased 1,25(OH)(2)D-3-stimulated PLD activation, wh
ereas transfectants with antisense PKC alpha had an attenuated response. In
addition, 1,25(OH)(2)D-3 also regulated PLD by activating the monomeric G-
protein rho A by a mechanism independent of the G-protein/c-src/PKC pathway
. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.