Studying heterotrimeric G-protein-linked signal transduction using replication-deficient adenoviruses

Muscarinic-induced recruitment of plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase involves PSD-95/Dlg/Zo-1-mediated interactions

Efflux of cytosolic Ca2+ mediated by plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPases (PMCA) plays a key role in fine tuning the magnitude and duration of Ca2+ signaling following activation of G-protein-coupled receptors. However, the molecular mechanisms that underpin the trafficking of PMCA to the membrane during Ca2+ signaling remain largely unexplored in native cell models. One potential mechanism for the recruitment of proteins to the plasma membrane involves PDZ interactions. In this context, we investigated the role of PMCA interactions with the Na+/H+ exchanger regulatory factor 2 (NHERF-2) during muscarinic-induced Ca2+ mobilization in the HT-29 epithelial cell line. GST pull-downs in HT-29 cell lysates showed that the PDZ2 module of NHERF-2 bound to the PDZ binding motif on the C terminus of PMCA. Co-immunoprecipitations confirmed that PMCA1b and NHERF-2 associated under normal conditions in HT-29 cells. Cell surface biotinylations revealed significant increases in membrane-associated NHERF-2 and PMCA within 60 s following muscarinic activation, accompanied by increased association of the two proteins as seen by confocal microscopy. The recruitment of NHERF-2 to the membrane preceded that of PMCA, suggesting that NHERF-2 was involved in nucleating an efflux complex at the membrane. The muscarinic-mediated translocation of PMCA was abolished when NHERF-2 was silenced, and the rate of relative Ca2+ efflux was also reduced. These experiments also uncovered a NHERF-2-independent PMCA retrieval mechanism. Our findings describe rapid agonist-induced translocation of PMCA in a native cell model and suggest that NHERF-2 plays a key role in scaffolding and maintaining PMCA at the cell membrane.

Serotonin mechanisms in heart valve disease II: the 5-HT2 receptor and its signaling pathway in aortic valve interstitial cells

Serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)]-mediated cardiac valvular disease has been commonly observed in patients with carcinoid tumors. Previous research by others using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction demonstrated that aortic valve cells expressed predominantly 5-HT(2A/2B) receptors (5-HT(2A)R). Related investigations by our group using sheep aortic valve interstitial cell (SAVIC) cultures demonstrated that 5-HT both up-regulates transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 expression and activity, and also results in increased phospholipase C (PLC) activity. Thus, the present study investigated the hypothesis that the 5-HT signaling pathway in SAVICs involves 5-HT(2)Rs with associated G-protein signal transduction. The objectives were to functionally characterize in SAVIC cultures the native serotonin receptor subtypes using specific agonists and antagonists, and to delineate the serotonin-signaling pathway. 5-HT administration caused a marked stimulation of PLC activity. SAVIC studies of specific agents that target the 5-HT(2)R subtypes indicate that this response seemed to be mediated predominantly by 5-HT(2A)Rs. Furthermore, the sheep 5-HT(2A)R was identified by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction with sequence confirmation including comparisons to pig and human 5-HT(2A)R. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk 1/2) is a signaling molecule downstream from the 5-HT(2A)R. Both a protein kinase C inhibitor, GF109203X, and a Src inhibitor, PP1, attenuated 5-HT-stimulated Erk 1/2 activation. However, a 5-HT(2A)R antagonist, MDL 100907, inhibited 5-HT up-regulation of PLC and TGF-beta1, while having far less pronounced effects on Erk 1/2. In conclusion, these studies of the signal transduction activity of SAVICs in response to 5-HT have demonstrated that the 5-HT(2A)Rs are the most functionally active of the 5-HT(2)Rs in this cell type. Furthermore, 5-HT(2A)Rs are also involved in 5-HT up-regulation of active TGF-beta. 5-HT also mediated strong Erk 1/2 signaling via the MAP-kinase pathway, which was only in part because of 5-HT(2A)R activity. Thus, major 5-HT Erk 1/2 signaling beyond that controlled by 5-HT(2)Rs must involve other serotonin receptor types and/or secondary signaling events.

Genetic and pharmacological dissection of pathways involved in the angiotensin II-mediated depression of baroreflex function

Heart failure and hypertension are associated with increases in angiotensin II (ANG II) activity. One brain area where ANG II effects may be particularly important in these situations is the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS). Located in the dorsomedial medulla, the NTS is the termination site of baroreceptor afferents and is essential for mediating the baroreflex. In hypertensive animals the baroreflex is impaired; this may be reversed by antagonizing ANG II AT1 receptors in the NTS. Recently, we showed that the baroreflex depressant action of ANG II in the NTS is mediated by activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and enhanced release of GABA. Using conventional pharmacological tools and a range of adenoviral-mediated expression of dominant negative proteins, we have determined the intracellular pathway(s) in the NTS by which ANG II activates eNOS. Our data indicate that ANG II acting in the NTS depresses the baroreflex via a Gq protein-mediated activation of phospholipase C, which through 1,4,5-inositol triphosphate causes release of calcium from the IP3-sensitive intracellular stores and calcium-calmodulin formation. In contrast, multiple site disruption of a pathway leading to eNOS activation via the serine/threonine kinase Akt was ineffective