Basic FGF activates phospholipase D in endothelial cells in the absence of inositol-lipid hydrolysis

In the absence of inositol-lipid hydrolysis, mitogenic concentrations of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) stimulated phosphatidylbutanol formation in the presence of butan-1-ol in [3H]myristate-labeled human umbilical vascular endothelial (HUVE) cells, indicating that the fibroblast growth factor receptor was able to couple to the activation of phospholipase D (PLD). The ability of bFGF and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) to stimulate PLD activity was completely abolished in cells pretreated with 400 nM TPA for 48 h to downregulate protein kinase C (PKC). bFGF-stimulated PLD activity was inhibited by genistein (5 microM; P < 0.02) and the PKC inhibitor 1-(5-isoquinolinylsulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H-7, 5 microM; P < 0.001) as well as by the removal of calcium from extracellular environment. bFGF induced DNA synthesis in a dose-dependent manner, and pretreatment of cells with H-7 inhibited the mitogenic activity of bFGF. These results indicate that activation of PKC is responsible for bFGF-induced PLD activation and the mitogenic activity of bFGF in HUVE cells. A coupled PLD/3-sn-phosphatidate phosphohydrolase pathway may play a role in the regulation of endothelial cell proliferation.