Rapid phosphorylation of microtubule-associated proteins through distinct mitogenic pathways

Mitogenic stimulation of sparse quiescent Swiss 3T3 cells with serum induces a transient reorganization of microtubules which may be necessary for generation or transduction of the mitogenic signal(s). Recently, several studies have shown that microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) modulate microtubule-mediated functions in vitro and in vivo. We have analyzed, by two-dimensional electrophoresis, the molecular changes in MAPs associated with microtubules in situ following cell activation. By as early as 15 min after addition of serum, several of the MAPs present in quiescent cells are lost from the assembled microtubule fraction while one additional MAP becomes evident. This new MAP is a phosphoprotein whose appearance is independent of protein synthesis. Four additional MAPs also become phosphorylated, and this phosphorylation is accompanied by a partial redistribution of MAPs into the unassembled soluble fraction. Stimulation of cells with purified platelet-derived growth factor or phorbol tumor promoter, a direct activator of protein kinase C, also induces phosphorylation of the same MAPs and DNA synthesis. These results demonstrate that activation of the protein kinase C pathway is sufficient to promote the phosphorylation of MAPs and mitogenesis. However, epidermal growth factor, which does not activate protein kinase C, also stimulates phosphorylation of MAPs and DNA replication. Furthermore, down-regulation of the protein kinase C pathway does not prevent these responses. We conclude that phosphorylation of MAPs and mitogenesis can proceed through protein kinase C-dependent and -independent pathways in 3T3 cells.