Phosphorylation of Human Choline Kinase Beta by Protein Kinase A: Its Impact on Activity and Inhibition

PLoS One. 2016 May 5;11(5):e0154702. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154702. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Choline kinase beta (CKβ) is one of the CK isozymes involved in the biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine. CKβ is important for normal mitochondrial function and muscle development as the lack of the ckβ gene in human and mice results in the development of muscular dystrophy. In contrast, CKα is implicated in tumorigenesis and has been extensively studied as an anticancer target. Phosphorylation of human CKα was found to regulate the enzyme's activity and its subcellular location. This study provides evidence for CKβ phosphorylation by protein kinase A (PKA). In vitro phosphorylation of CKβ by PKA was first detected by phosphoprotein staining, as well as by in-gel kinase assays. The phosphorylating kinase was identified as PKA by Western blotting. CKβ phosphorylation by MCF-7 cell lysate was inhibited by a PKA-specific inhibitor peptide, and the intracellular phosphorylation of CKβ was shown to be regulated by the level of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), a PKA activator. Phosphorylation sites were located on CKβ residues serine-39 and serine-40 as determined by mass spectrometry and site-directed mutagenesis. Phosphorylation increased the catalytic efficiencies for the substrates choline and ATP about 2-fold, without affecting ethanolamine phosphorylation, and the S39D/S40D CKβ phosphorylation mimic behaved kinetically very similar. Remarkably, phosphorylation drastically increased the sensitivity of CKβ to hemicholinium-3 (HC-3) inhibition by about 30-fold. These findings suggest that CKβ, in concert with CKα, and depending on its phosphorylation status, might play a critical role as a druggable target in carcinogenesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Choline Kinase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Choline Kinase / metabolism*
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Phosphorylation

Substances

  • Choline Kinase
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Universiti Sains Malaysia Research University (RU) Grant (http://www.research.usm.my/default.asp?tag=23) 1001/PPSK/812161 to WCST and Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) (https://jpt.mohe.gov.my/menupenyelidik.php) 203/PPSK/6171171 to LLF. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.