Volume and agonist-induced regulation of myosin light-chain phosphorylation in glomerular mesangial cells

We investigated whether cell volume decrease per se can activate intracellular mechanisms leading to mesangial cell contraction. For this purpose, we applied hyperosmotic stress to cultured glomerular mesangial cells and examined the effects on phosphorylation of myosin light chain (MLCP). Compared with control cells, hyperosmotic stress (390 mosmol/kg) attained by either NaCl or raffinose significantly increased MLCP to 140.7 +/- 7.0% (n = 5) and 134.8 +/- 7.7% (n = 4), respectively, in parallel with a decrease in the cell volume. This increase was comparable to that achieved by the following agonists: arginine vasopressin (AVP, 100 nM; n = 5) and endothelin-1 (ET, 10 nM; n = 5). By using two-dimensional tryptic phosphopeptide mapping, contribution of myosin light-chain kinase (MLCK) and protein kinase C (PKC) to the observed phosphorylation was examined by identifying phosphorylation at serine-19 (by MLCK) and at serine-1 or serine-2 (by PKC). Under resting conditions, relative distribution of phosphorylation between MLCK and PKC sites was 60.1 +/- 8.4 and 39.9 +/- 8.4%. The relative contribution by these enzymes remained similar during hyperosmotic stress or agonist stimulation. Since cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) is an important determinant of MLCP, we also examined [Ca2+]i in these settings. While AVP and ET-induced a characteristic transient spike in [Ca2+]i, hyperosmotic stress caused a gradual and modest increase in [Ca2+]i. These studies show that, in mesangial cells, reduction in cell volume induces MLCP through mechanisms distinct from those involved in agonist-induced events.