Regulatory subunit I-controlled protein kinase A activity is required for apical bile canalicular lumen development in hepatocytes.

Signaling via cAMP plays an important role in apical cell surface dynamics in epithelial cells. In hepatocytes, elevated levels of cAMP as well as extracellular oncostatin M stimulate apical lumen development in a manner that depends on protein kinase A (PKA) activity. However, neither the identity of PKA isoforms involved nor the mechanisms of the cross-talk between oncostatin M and cAMP/PKA signaling pathways have been elucidated. Here we demonstrate that oncostatin M and PKA signaling converge at the level of the PKA holoenzyme downstream of oncostatin M-stimulated MAPK activation. Experiments were performed with chemically modified cAMP analogues that preferentially target regulatory subunit (R) I or RII holoenzymes, respectively, in hepatocytes. The data suggest that the dissociation of RI- but not RII-containing holoenzymes, as well as catalytic activity of PKA, is required for apical lumen development in response to elevated levels of cAMP and oncostatin M. However, oncostatin M signaling does not stimulate PKA holoenzyme dissociation in living cells. Based on pharmacological and cell biological studies, it is concluded that RI-controlled PKA activity is essential for cAMP- and oncostatin M-stimulated development of apical bile canalicular lumens.