Calcium- and calmodulin-dependent PMA-activation of the CD44 adhesion molecule

The ability of the CD44 adhesion molecule to interact with its ligand hyaluronic acid (HA) is tightly regulated. CD44-positive mouse LB lymphoma cells are unable to bind HA unless activated by the tumor promoter phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). PMA causes a dose-dependent increase in both CD44 expression level and HA-binding capacity, with the binding of HA observed only above a threshold amount of CD44 molecules. This induction of HA-binding as well as the increase in CD44 expression are prevented by cycloheximide, suggesting a requirement for new additional CD44 molecules on the cell surface and/or cooperating proteins. In the present study, we have investigated which of the signal transduction pathways activated by PMA leads to the increased CD44 expression with subsequent acquisition of HA-binding capacity. By comparing the influence of each inhibitory agent on PMA-activated LB lymphoma cells versus that on a constitutive HA-binder cell line derived from LB cells (designated HA9 cells), we could distinguish between an effect on the PMA-activation phase and a one on the HA-binding phase. Our data show that the PMA-induced HA-binding could not be blocked by agents inhibiting protein kinase C (PKC) (staurosporine, sphingosine, polymyxin B, quercetin) or genestein, an inhibitor of tyrosine protein kinases. However, this PMA response was strongly inhibited by calmodulin antagonists (chlorpromazine, trifluoperazine, W-7) and the calcium blocker verapamil. The calmodulin antagonists inhibited the PMA-induced increase in CD44 expression on LB cells, but had no influence on the ability of the constitutive HA-binder HA9 cell line to interact with HA, indicating an effect on the PMA induction phase rather than on the binding itself. Verapamil also blocked the PMA-induced increase in CD44 expression on LB cells, but in addition it slightly reduced the ability of the HA9 cells to bind HA without affecting their CD44 expression level. In conclusion, our data suggest that CD44 activation by PMA is calcium and calmodulin dependent, rather than mediated by protein kinase C.