Role of Calmodulin-Calmodulin Kinase II, cAMP/Protein Kinase A and ERK 1/2 on Aeromonas hydrophila-Induced Apoptosis of Head Kidney Macrophages

The role of calcium (Ca 2+ ) and its dependent protease calpain in Aeromonas hydrophila -induced head kidney macrophage (HKM) apoptosis has been reported. Here, we report the pro-apoptotic involvement of calmodulin (CaM) and calmodulin kinase II gamma (CaMKII g ) in the process. We observed significant increase in CaM levels in A. hydrophila -infected HKM and the inhibitory role of BAPTA/AM, EGTA, nifedipine and verapamil suggested CaM elevation to be Ca 2+ -dependent. Our studies with CaM-specific siRNA and the CaM inhibitor calmidazolium chloride demonstrated CaM to be pro-apoptotic that initiated the downstream expression of CaMKII g . Using the CaMKII g -targeted siRNA, specific inhibitor KN-93 and its inactive structural analogue KN-92 we report CaM-CaMKII g signalling to be critical for apoptosis of A. hydrophila -infected HKM. Inhibitor studies further suggested the role of calpain-2 in CaMKII g expression. CaMK Kinase (CaMKK), the other CaM dependent kinase exhibited no role in A. hydrophila -induced HKM apoptosis. We report increased production of intracellular cAMP in infected HKM and our results with KN-93 or KN-92 implicate the role of CaMKII g in cAMP production. Using siRNA to PKACA, the catalytic subunit of PKA, anti-PKACA antibody and H-89, the specific inhibitor for PKA we prove the pro-apoptotic involvement of cAMP/PKA pathway in the pathogenicity of A. hydrophila . Our inhibitor studies coupled with siRNA approach further implicated the role of cAMP/PKA in activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK 1/2). We conclude that the alteration in intracellular Ca 2+ levels initiated by A. hydrophila activates CaM and calpain-2; both pathways converge on CaMKII g which in turn induces cAMP/PKA mediated ERK 1/2 phosphorylation leading to caspase-3 mediated apoptosis of infected HKM.