Tubulin stimulates adenylyl cyclase activity in C6 glioma cells by bypassing the beta-adrenergic receptor: a potential mechanism of G protein activation.

While the cytoskeleton is known to play several roles in the biology of the cell, one role, which has been revealed only recently, is that of a participant in the signal transduction process. Tubulin binds specifically to the alpha subunits of Gs (stimulatory GTP-binding regulatory protein of adenylyl cyclase), Gi1 (inhibitory protein of adenylyl cyclase), and Gq and transactivates those molecules through direct transfer of GTP. The relevance of this transactivation process to G proteins which are normally activated by a neurotransmitter-occupied receptor is the subject of this study. C6 glioma cells, made permeable with saponin, retained tight coupling between Gs and the beta-adrenergic receptor. Although 5-guanylylimidodiphosphate (GppNHp) was incapable of activating Gs (and subsequently, adenylyl cyclase) in the absence of agonist, tubulin with GppNHp bound (tubulin-GppNHp) activated adenylyl cyclase with an EC(50) of 30 nM. Desensitization of beta-adrenergic receptors by isoproterenol exposure had no effect on the ability of tubulin-GppNHp to activate Gs and adenylyl cyclase. When the photoaffinity GTP analog, azidoanilido GTP (AAGTP; P3(4-azidoanilido)-P1-5'-GTP), was added to C6 membranes or permeable C6 cells, it was only weakly incorporated by G alpha s in the absence of isoproterenol. When the same concentration of dimeric tubulin with AAGTP bound was introduced, AAGTP was transferred from tubulin to G alpha s, activating the latter species. Similar 'preferential' activation of G alpha s by tubulin-AAGTP versus the free nucleotide was seen using purified components. Thus, membrane-associated tubulin may serve to activate G alpha s, independent of signals not normally coupled to that protein. Tubulin may act as an agent to link a variety of membrane-associated signalling systems.

Muscarinic receptor activation promotes the membrane association of tubulin for the regulation of Gq-mediated phospholipase Cbeta(1) signaling.

The microtubule protein tubulin regulates adenylyl cyclase and phospholipase Cbeta(1) (PLCbeta(1)) signaling via transactivation of the G-protein subunits Galphas, Galphai1, and Galphaq. Because most tubulin is not membrane associated, this study investigates whether tubulin translocates to the membrane in response to an agonist so that it might regulate G-protein signaling. This was studied in SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cells, which possess a muscarinic receptor-regulated PLCbeta(1)-signaling pathway. Tubulin, at nanomolar concentrations, transactivated Galphaq by the direct transfer of a GTP analog and potentiated carbachol-activated PLCbeta(1). A specific and time-dependent association of tubulin with plasma membranes was observed when SK-N-SH cells were treated with carbachol. The same phenomenon was observed with membranes from Sf9 cells, expressing a recombinant PLCbeta(1) cascade. The time course of this event was concordant both with transactivation of Galphaq by the direct transfer of [(32)P]P(3)(4-azidoanilido)-P(1)-5'-GTP from tubulin as well as with the activation of PLCbeta(1). In SK-N-SH cells, carbachol induced a rapid and transient translocation of tubulin to the plasma membrane, microtubule reorganization, and a change in cell shape as demonstrated by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy. These observations presented a spatial and temporal resolution of the sequence of events underlying receptor-evoked involvement of tubulin in G-protein-mediated signaling. It is suggested that G-protein-coupled receptors might modulate cytoskeletal dynamics, intracellular traffic, and cellular architecture.

Tubulin, Gq, and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate interact to regulate phospholipase Cbeta1 signaling.

The cytoskeletal protein, tubulin, has been shown to regulate adenylyl cyclase activity through its interaction with the specific G protein alpha subunits, Galphas or Galphai1. Tubulin activates these G proteins by transferring GTP and stabilizing the active nucleotide-bound Galpha conformation. To study the possibility of tubulin involvement in Galphaq-mediated phospholipase Cbeta1 (PLCbeta1) signaling, the m1 muscarinic receptor, Galphaq, and PLCbeta1 were expressed in Sf9 cells. A unique ability of tubulin to regulate PLCbeta1 was observed. Low concentrations of tubulin, with guanine nucleotide bound, activated PLCbeta1, whereas higher concentrations inhibited the enzyme. Interaction of tubulin with both Galphaq and PLCbeta1, accompanied by guanine nucleotide transfer from tubulin to Galphaq, is suggested as a mechanism for the enzyme activation. The PLCbeta1 substrate, phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, bound to tubulin and prevented microtubule assembly. This observation suggested a mechanism for the inhibition of PLCbeta1 by tubulin, since high tubulin concentrations might prevent the access of PLCbeta1 to its substrate. Activation of m1 muscarinic receptors by carbachol relaxed this inhibition, probably by increasing the affinity of Galphaq for tubulin. Involvement of tubulin in the articulation between PLCbeta1 signaling and microtubule assembly might prove important for the intracellular governing of a broad range of cellular events.

Melatonin receptor-mediated stimulation of phosphoinositide breakdown in chick brain slices.

The direct effect of melatonin and related agonists on Li(+)-amplified phosphoinositide breakdown was studied in chick brain slices prelabeled with myo-[2-3H]-inositol. The melatonin receptor agonist 6-chloromelatonin (10-100 microM) increased, in a concentration-dependent manner, the accumulation of inositol phosphates (IP) in chick brain slices. This effect of 6-chloromelatonin (10 microM) was rapid as transient increases in IP3/IP4 (maximal increase, 29% at 20 s) and IP2 levels (maximal increase, 36% at 1 min) were observed, followed by a slower but sustained increase in IP1 level (30% at 5 min), when the amount of IP3/IP4 and IP2 had already been decreased to the control level. The phosphoinositide response elicited by 6-chloromelatonin (10 microM) was dependent on the presence of extracellular calcium. Direct stimulation of membrane phospholipase C by 6-chloromelatonin (10 microM) in isolated myo-[2-3H]inositol-prelabeled optic tectum membranes was dependent on the presence of guanosine-5'-O-(3-thio)triphosphate (1 microM), thus suggesting that G protein(s) link melatonin receptor activation to phospholipase C stimulation. The competitive melatonin receptor antagonist luzindole (10-100 microM) inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner the IP1 accumulation stimulated by 6-chloromelatonin (10-100 microM); however, it did not affect the accumulation stimulated by 5-hydroxytryptamine (10 microM). By contrast, methysergide (10 microM) completely inhibited 5-hydroxy-tryptamine (10 microM)-, but not 6-chloromelatonin (10 microM)-, induced IP1 accumulation. Melatonin receptor agonists increased IP1 accumulation in a concentration-dependent manner reaching different maximal responses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Chimeric G alpha s/G alpha i2 proteins define domains on G alpha s that interact with tubulin for beta-adrenergic activation of adenylyl cyclase.

Previous studies have demonstrated that dimeric tubulin, associated with synaptic membrane, is capable of activating the G-proteins Gs and G alpha i1 via transfer of GTP. To clarify the mechanism of intracellular interaction between tubulin and G alpha s as it refers to adenylyl cyclase activation, wild type and chimeric G alpha s/G alpha i2 proteins were transiently overexpressed in COS 1 cells. Effects of tubulin dimers with guanosine 5'-(beta, gamma-imido)triphosphate (Gpp(NH)p) bound (tubulin-Gpp(NH)p) or Gpp NH)p with/without isoproterenol on adenylyl cyclase were assessed in cells made permeable with saponin. In naive and wild type G alpha s-overexpressing COS 1 cells, the beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol potentiated significantly the stimulatory effects of Gpp(NH)p and, to an even greater extent, tubulin-Gpp(NH)p on adenylyl cyclase. In COS 1 cells expressing the chimera G alpha i(54)/s (G alpha i2 1-54, G alpha s 62-394 amino acids), tubulin-Gp-p (NH)p was more potent than Gpp(NH)p in the presence of isoproterenol, but the maximal activity was equal. In chimera G alpha s/i(38) (G alpha s 1-356, G alpha i2 357-392) tubulin-Gp-p(NH)p or Gpp(NH)p stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity 11-14 times above the control whether or not beta-adrenergic receptor was activated, suggesting that G alpha chimera and the beta-adrenergic receptor are uncoupled. The chimera G alpha i/s(Bam) (G alpha i2 1-212, G alpha s 213-292) was nearly identical to native COS 1 cells, but isoproterenol potentiated Gpp(NH)p but not the tubulin-Gpp(NH)p response. The construct G alpha i(Bam)/s/i(38) (G alpha i2 1-212, G alpha s 213-356, G alpha i2 357-392) was weakly responsive to Gpp(NH)p or tubulin-Gpp(NH)p and unresponsive to isoproterenol. In photoaffinity labeling studies with tubulin-[32P]azidoanilido-GTP (tubulin-[32P]AAGTP), isoproterenol increased the amount of tubulin associated with membranes and the transfer of [32P]AAGTP from tubulin to G alpha i(54)/s, G alpha s, and G alpha i/s(Bam), but not to G alpha i(Bam)/s/i(38) and very slightly to G alpha s/i(38). These results suggest that regions between the 54th and 212th amino acids of G alpha s are important for guanine nucleotide transfer from tubulin, while the 1st to 54th amino acids of G alpha s are required for the ability of tubulin to activate adenylyl cyclase. We speculate that the active G alpha s conformation provoked by nucleotide transfer from tubulin is stabilized by G alpha s-tubulin interaction leading to extended stimulation of adenylyl cyclase.

Effect of the combination of the benzodiazepine tranquilizer medazepam and the nootropic agent meclofenoxate on the activity of rat brain muscarinic receptors.

1. The effect of 7-day treatment with the benzodiazepine tranquilizer medazepam (5 mg/kg), the nootropic agent meclofenoxate (100 mg/kg) and their combination in the same doses on the binding activity of muscarinic receptors in four rat brain structures (cerebral cortex, striatum, hippocampus and hypothalamus) were studied using the antagonist [3H]-1-quinuclidinyl benzylate [( 3H]-QNB) as radio-ligand. 2. Medazepam treatment caused significant decrease of muscarinic receptor binding affinity (Kd) and of the receptor binding capacity (Bmax) in the brain structures studied. The number of muscarinic binding sites was unsignificantly decreased only in the hippocampus. 3. Meclofenoxate treatment caused an increase of muscarinic receptor affinity and a decrease of the binding capacity in the cerebral cortex and hypothalamus and an increase of the binding affinity in the striatum and hippocampus. 4. The combination of medazepam and meclofenoxate caused no significant changes of both muscarinic receptor characteristics in the hippocampus and of the receptor affinity in the striatum and hypothalamus in comparison with control rats. The Bmax values were decreased in the cerebral cortex, striatum and hypothalamus when compared with control animals. The differences observed were slighter than those determined after the comparison of medazepam treated rats with control rats. 5. The results obtained afford an opportunity to suggest that the nootropic agent meclofenoxate acts to moderate the effect of the benzodiazepine tranquilizer medazepam on the activity of rat brain muscarinic receptors.

Age-related changes in rat brain muscarinic receptors and beta-adrenoreceptors.

1. In experiments on 2-, 10- and 22-month old rats, it was found that the Bmax values for muscarinic receptors and beta-adrenoreceptors increased in the cerebral cortex, striatum and hippocampus of 10-month old rats as compared to those in 2-month old rats. 2. The Bmax values for both receptor types significantly decreased in the same brain structures of 22-month old rats as compared to those in 10-month old rats. In the striatum and hippocampus of 22-month old rats the binding capacity decreased as compared also to those in 2-month old rats. 3. In the hypothalamus there was also a tendency towards increasing the binding capacity of 10-month old rats and towards decreasing the binding capacity of 22-month old animals only for muscarinic receptors. The beta max of beta-adrenoreceptors remained unchanged in all age groups studied. 4. The receptor affinity of both receptor types was in most cases unaltered with advancing age. The Kd values were slightly increased only in the striatum and hippocampus of 22-month old rats as compared to 10-month old rats. 5. The role of age for the changes in the activity of brain muscarinic and beta-adrenoreceptor systems is discussed.

Effects of the nootropic agents adafenoxate, meclofenoxate and the acetylcholine precursor citicholine on the brain muscarinic receptors (experiments on rats).

The effect of adafenoxate (Af), meclofenoxate (Mf) and citicholine on the brain muscarinic receptors was studied in groups of ten male Wistar rats. The compounds were administered in doses of 50 mg/kg body weight twice daily for 7 days. One hour after the last treatment the animals were killed and the frontal cerebral cortex striatum, the hypothalamus and the hippocampus were removed immediately. Af and Mf were found to diminish significantly and to an analogous extent the density (Bmax) of the muscarinic receptors in the cerebral cortex, striatum and the hippocampus. At the same time, however, the greater decrease of Kd induced by these two nootropic agents, i.e. the increased affinity of the muscarinic binding sites, exceeded considerably the decreased number of the binding sites. These differences in the effects on Bmax and Kd suggest that the functional capacity of the cerebral cholinergic system increases under the action of Mf and Af. The surprising increase in the number of muscarinic receptors in the striatum, observed in citicholine-treated animals, is assumed to be due to the great increase of the dopamine content in this structure, induced by this acetylcholine precursor, observed in other experiments. This increase would result in reduced acetylcholine production by the inhibited cholinergic neurones, with a subsequent increase in the number of the muscarinic receptors.