The regulatory effect of regucalcin on Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent phosphatase activity and the binding of regucalcin to calmodulin was investigated. Phosphatase activity toward phosphotyrosine, phosphoserine, and phosphothreonine in rat liver cytosol was significantly increased by the addition of Ca2+ (100 microM) and calmodulin (0.30 microM). These increases were clearly inhibited by the addition of regucalcin (0.50-1.0 microM) into the enzyme reaction mixture. The cytosolic phosphoamino acid phosphatase activity was significantly elevated by the presence of anti-regucalcin monoclonal antibody (0.2 microg/ml), suggesting that endogenous regucalcin in the cytosol has an inhibitory effect on the enzyme activity. This elevation was prevented by the addition of regucalcin (0.50 microM). Purified calcineurin phosphatase activity was significantly increased by the addition of calmodulin (0.12 microM) in the presence of Ca2+ (1 and 10 microM). This increase was completely inhibited by the presence of regucalcin (0.12 microM). The inhibitory effect of regucalcin was reversed by the addition of calmodulin with the higher concentration (0.36 microM). Regucalcin has been demonstrated to bind on calmodulin-agarose beads by analysis with sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The present study demonstrates that regucalcin inhibits Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase activity in rat liver cytosol, and that regucalcin can bind to calmodulin.

The regulatory role of regucalcin on protein phosphatase activity in isolated rat liver nuclei was investigated. Phosphatase activity toward phosphotyrosine and phosphoserine was significantly increased by the addition of CaCl(2) (10(-5) and 10(-4) M) in the enzyme reaction mixture. Trifluoperazine (25 and 50 microM), an antagonist of calmodulin, significantly inhibited protein phosphatase activity toward phosphoserine, while it had no effect on the enzyme activity toward phosphotysine and phosphothreonine. Cyclosporin A (10(-6)-10(-4) M), an inhibitor of Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase activity toward phosphoserine, but not phosphotyrosine and phosphoserine. Thus, Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent phosphatases were present in liver nuclei. Regucalcin (0.25 and 0.5 microM) had an inhibitory effect on liver nuclear phosphatase activity toward phosphotyrosine, phosphoserine, and phosphothreonine. The presence of anti-regucalcin monoclonal antibody (25 and 50 ng/ml) in the enzyme reaction mixture caused a significant elevation of nuclear phosphatase activity toward three phosphoaminoacids. An analysis with sodium sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis suggested a possibility of localization of regucalcin in liver nuclei. Moreover, regucalcin was determined in liver nuclei using enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay. The present study demonstrates that the endogenous regucalcin inhibits phosphatase activity in the liver nuclei.

The role of endogenous regucalcin (RC) in the regulation of neutral phosphatase activity in regenerating rat liver was investigated. The liver weight reduced by a partial hepatectomy (about 70%) was completely restored at 72 h after surgery. Phosphotyrosine, phosphoserine, and phosphothreonine were used as the substrate for the assay of phosphatase activity. Phosphatase activity toward phosphotyrosine in the hepatic cytosol and nuclei was significantly increased at 24-72 h after hepatectomy. Such an increase was not seen in the case of phosphoserine and phosphothreonine. However, the presence of anti-RC monoclonal antibody (200 ng/ml) in the enzyme reaction mixture caused a remarkable elevation of phosphatase activity toward three phosphoaminoacids in the hepatic cytosol at 24 and 48 h after hepatectomy. In the liver nuclei after sham operation or hepatectomy, phosphatase activity toward three phosphoaminoacids was significantly raised by the addition of anti-RC antibody (150 ng/ml). The nuclear phosphatase activity toward phosphothreonine in regenerating liver was significantly enhanced in the presence of anti-RC antibody (100 and 150 ng/ml). The effect of anti-RC antibody to increase phosphatase activity toward three phosphoaminoacids in the cytosol and nuclei of regenerating liver was completely blocked by the addition of exogenous RC (1.0 microM). The present study demonstrates that protein phosphatase activity in the cytoplasm and nuclei is enhanced in regenerating rat liver. This enhancement may be suppressed by endogenous RC.

The regulatory role of regucalcin on protein phosphatase activity in isolated rat liver nuclei was investigated. Phosphatase activity toward phosphotyrosine and phosphoserine was significantly increased by the addition of CaCl(2) (10(-5) and 10(-4) M) in the enzyme reaction mixture. Trifluoperazine (25 and 50 microM), an antagonist of calmodulin, significantly inhibited protein phosphatase activity toward phosphoserine, while it had no effect on the enzyme activity toward phosphotysine and phosphothreonine. Cyclosporin A (10(-6)-10(-4) M), an inhibitor of Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase activity toward phosphoserine, but not phosphotyrosine and phosphoserine. Thus, Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent phosphatases were present in liver nuclei. Regucalcin (0.25 and 0.5 microM) had an inhibitory effect on liver nuclear phosphatase activity toward phosphotyrosine, phosphoserine, and phosphothreonine. The presence of anti-regucalcin monoclonal antibody (25 and 50 ng/ml) in the enzyme reaction mixture caused a significant elevation of nuclear phosphatase activity toward three phosphoaminoacids. An analysis with sodium sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis suggested a possibility of localization of regucalcin in liver nuclei. Moreover, regucalcin was determined in liver nuclei using enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay. The present study demonstrates that the endogenous regucalcin inhibits phosphatase activity in the liver nuclei.

The role of endogenous regucalcin (RC) in the regulation of neutral phosphatase activity in regenerating rat liver was investigated. The liver weight reduced by a partial hepatectomy (about 70%) was completely restored at 72 h after surgery. Phosphotyrosine, phosphoserine, and phosphothreonine were used as the substrate for the assay of phosphatase activity. Phosphatase activity toward phosphotyrosine in the hepatic cytosol and nuclei was significantly increased at 24-72 h after hepatectomy. Such an increase was not seen in the case of phosphoserine and phosphothreonine. However, the presence of anti-RC monoclonal antibody (200 ng/ml) in the enzyme reaction mixture caused a remarkable elevation of phosphatase activity toward three phosphoaminoacids in the hepatic cytosol at 24 and 48 h after hepatectomy. In the liver nuclei after sham operation or hepatectomy, phosphatase activity toward three phosphoaminoacids was significantly raised by the addition of anti-RC antibody (150 ng/ml). The nuclear phosphatase activity toward phosphothreonine in regenerating liver was significantly enhanced in the presence of anti-RC antibody (100 and 150 ng/ml). The effect of anti-RC antibody to increase phosphatase activity toward three phosphoaminoacids in the cytosol and nuclei of regenerating liver was completely blocked by the addition of exogenous RC (1.0 microM). The present study demonstrates that protein phosphatase activity in the cytoplasm and nuclei is enhanced in regenerating rat liver. This enhancement may be suppressed by endogenous RC.