Protein and diacylglycerol phosphorylation in the stimulus-secretion coupling of rat mast cells

The pattern of endogenous protein phosphorylation during stimulation of rat peritoneal mast cells by two types of agonists has been compared. Compound 48/80, substance P and histone, which do not require the presence of external Ca²⁺ to trigger histamine release, induced a similar profile of phosphorylation comprising an increased phosphorylation of a 35,000 molecular weight (MW) protein and dephosphorylation of a 15,000 MW protein. The same profile was seen when the cells were stimulated with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate. The phorbol ester also induced histamine release, although less than that caused by the other secretagogues. The pattern of phosphorylation shared by both the phorbol ester and the basic secretagogues represented only part of that observed when the cells were stimulated in a Ca²⁺-free medium with anti-IgE. Under those conditions, two additional proteins of 68,000 and 56,000 MW became phosphorylated. The phosphorylation of these two proteins increased when anti-IgE was applied in the presence of Ca²⁺. In contrast, the extent of phosphorylation of the 35,000 MW protein was diminished. Both the basic secretagogues and anti-IgE, but not the phorbol ester, also enhanced the production of phosphatidic acid, indicating that diacylglycerol was generated. This process was independent of the presence of external Ca²⁺. It is suggested that protein kinase C activation is responsible for the phosphorylation observed with the basic secretagogues but not entirely with IgE-directed ligands.