Regional modulation of cyclic nucleotides by endothelin-1 in rat pulmonary arteries: direct activation of G(i)2-protein in the main pulmonary artery.

The ability of endothelin-1 (ET-1) to modulate the cyclic nucleotides, guanosine 3' 5' cyclic monophosphate (cyclic GMP) and adenosine 3' 5' cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) was assessed in the main elastic pulmonary elastic artery (4 - 5 mm i.d.) and the small muscular pulmonary arteries (150 - 200 micrometer i.d.) of the rat. ET-1 caused an increase in cyclic GMP in the larger vessels but had no effect in the smaller arteries. The increase in cyclic GMP was not dependent on an intact endothelium and was inhibited by the ET(A)-receptor antagonist FR139137 (1 microM). ET-1 caused a decrease in cyclic AMP in the main pulmonary arteries, an effect that was partially blocked by FR139317 but not influenced by the ET(B)-receptor antagonist BQ-788 (1 microM) or removal of the vascular endothelium. In contrast, ET-1 caused an increase in cyclic AMP in the small vessels, an effect that was blocked by BQ-788 but unaffected by FR139317. In the main pulmonary arteries, ET-1 caused enhanced incorporation of radiolabelled ADP-ribose by cholera toxin into G(i)2 in the main pulmonary artery, an indicator of its receptor-mediated activation. In summary, we have shown that in the small muscular pulmonary artery of the rat, (where ET(B) mediated vasoconstriction prevails), there is an ET(B)-mediated increase in cyclic AMP with no net effect on cyclic GMP levels. In the large arteries, (where vasoconstriction is mediated via the ET(A) receptor), there is an ET(A)-mediated increase in cyclic GMP (endothelium independent) and an ET(A)-mediated (endothelium independent) decrease in cyclic AMP.

Endothelin-1 modulation of cAMP in rat pulmonary arteries: effect of chronic hypoxia.

The effect of hypoxic shock on the ability of endothelin (ET) receptors to interact with the cAMP second messenger system was assessed in rat pulmonary arteries. Whole pieces of tissue were dissected from the pulmonary arterial system of control and hypoxic (10% O2, 14 days) rats, incubated, where appropriate, with ET-1 (0.1 microM), and the levels of intracellular cAMP measured. Maintenance of rats under hypoxic conditions significantly reduced the basal cAMP levels in all of the arterial branches with the exception of the pulmonary resistance vessels, in which no change was observed. Incubation of the main and first branch extralobar pulmonary arteries from control rats with ET-1 resulted in a consistent decrease in the levels of intracellular cAMP. The ETA receptor antagonist FR139317 partially blocked this ET-1-mediated inhibition of cAMP accumulation in the main extralobar artery. In contrast, ET-1 caused a threefold increase in the levels of this cyclic nucleotide in the pulmonary resistance vessels from the normoxic rat. No ET-1-mediated reduction in intracellular cAMP levels was observed in any of the vessels isolated from hypoxic animals. All vessels showed ligand-activated increases in cAMP production. These results suggest differential modulation of cAMP in the different pulmonary arteries, either by direct activation through Gi and Gs or indirectly via a uncharacterized cross-talk mechanism.

Agonist-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of isoforms of the shc adapter protein by the delta opioid receptor.

Maximally effective concentrations of the opioid agonist D-ala2-D-leu5-enkephalin resulted in some 2-3-fold enhancement of tyrosine phosphorylation of the p52 Shc adapter protein in a clone of Rat-1 fibroblasts transfected to express stably the murine delta opioid receptor. More limited modifications of the tyrosine phosphorylation status of the p46 and p66 forms of Shc were observed in parallel. Epidermal growth factor caused some 10-12-fold enhancement of tyrosine phosphorylation of p52 Shc and marked increases in the p46 and p66 forms. The effect of D-ala2-D-leu5-enkephalin was prevented by pretreatment of the cells with pertussis toxin and was not observed in non-transfected parental fibroblasts whereas the effect of epidermal growth factor was still manifest in both these situations. Half-maximal effects of D-ala2-D-leu5-enkephalin on p52 Shc tyrosine phosphorylation were produced with sub-nanomolar concentrations, in agreement with previous results on the tyrosine phosphorylation of p44MAPK (Burt et al., 1996). p52 Shc became tyrosine phosphorylated more rapidly than p44MAPK in response to D-ala2-D-leu5-enkephalin and its enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation was maintained for at least 10 min.

Inverse agonism at adrenergic and opioid receptors: studies with wild type and constitutively active mutant receptors.

Ligands which display inverse agonism at G protein-coupled receptors do so by decreasing the intrinsic ability of a receptor to active the cellular G protein population in the absence of an agonist ligand. Expression of the murine delta opioid receptor in Rat-1 fibroblasts resulted in the inverse agonist ICI174864 being able to cause inhibition of basal high affinity GTPase activity and of the binding of [35S]GTP gamma S in membranes of a clone (D2) of these cells which expresses high levels of the receptor. These effects were blocked by co-addition of the neutral antagonist TIPP[psi], demonstrating a requirement for the delta opioid receptor, and by pertussis toxin pretreatment of the cells, showing them to be produced via a Gi-like G protein. The inverse agonist properties of ICI174864 could also be demonstrated in whole cells. Stimulation of forskolin-amplified adenylyl cyclase activity was produced by ICI174864 following [3H]adenine prelabelling of the cells. Constitutively activated mutants of receptors should provide a convenient means to detect inverse agonists. Incubation of cells either transiently or stably transfected with a constitutively activated mutant of the human beta 2-adrenoceptor with the beta 2-inverse agonists betaxolol or sotalol, which are both able to inhibit CAM beta 2-adrenoceptor-mediated basal adenylyl cyclase activity, resulted in a strong upregulation of levels of the receptor. In the stable cells lines this effect was prevented by co-incubation with neutral antagonists but could not be reproduced by an adenylyl cyclase P-site ligand which also inhibited basal adenylyl cyclase levels.

Regulation of spontaneous activity of the delta-opioid receptor: studies of inverse agonism in intact cells.

Adenylyl cyclase activity was measured following labelling of the cellular ATP pool with [3H]adenine in intact Rat-1 fibroblasts that had been stably transfected to express the murine delta-opioid receptor (clone D2). Basal [3H]cyclic AMP accumulation was low and was increased substantially by the addition of the diterpene forskolin. The synthetic enkephalin D-Ala2,D-Leu5 enkephalin (DADLE) produced strong inhibition of forskolin-amplified [3H]cyclic AMP production, whereas the delta-opioid ligand ICI174864 augmented forskolin-amplified adenylyl cyclase activity. Naloxone was unable to mimic the effects of ICI174864, and coincubation of the cells with these two ligands attenuated the effect of ICI174864. The EC50 (9.4 +/- 0.6 x 10(-8) M) for ICI174864 augmentation of forskolin-stimulated adenylyl cyclase was equal to its estimated Ki. Pertussis toxin pretreatment of clone D2 cells prevented both this effect of ICI174864 and the inhibition produced by DADLE. Use of a Cytosensor microphysiometer demonstrated that treatment of clone D2 cells with DADLE increased and that with ICI174864 decreased the basal rate of cellular proton extrusion. By using these two distinct experimental strategies, ICI174864 was shown to function in a manner anticipated for an inverse agonist, demonstrating that such effects can be observed in intact cells and are not restricted to assays performed on membrane preparations.

Selective interactions of mu-opioid receptors with pertussis toxin-sensitive G proteins: involvement of the third intracellular loop and the c-terminal tail in coupling.

A cDNA encoding the rat mu-opioid receptor was expressed stably in a Rat-1 fibroblast cell line. Expression of this receptor was demonstrated with specific binding of the mu-opioid selective ligand [3H][D-Ala2,N-MePhe4,Gly5-ol]-enkephalin ([3H]DAMGO). In membranes of clone mu11 cells DAMGO produced a robust, concentration-dependent stimulation of basal high affinity GTPase activity. Cholera toxin-catalyzed [32P]ADP-ribosylation in membranes of this clone labelled a 40 kDa Gi family polypeptide(s) that was markedly enhanced by the addition of DAMGO. Antisera against Gi2alpha and Gi3alpha were both able to immunoprecipitate a [32P]-radiolabelled 40 kDa polypeptide(s) from DAMGO and cholera-toxin treated membranes of clone mu11, indicating that the mu-opioid receptor was able to interact effectively with both Gi2 and Gi3 in Rat-1 fibroblasts. A series of peptides derived from the delta-opioid receptor sequence were assessed for their ability to modify agonist-stimulated G protein activation and [3H] agonist binding to the receptor. In membranes from the clone mu11, specific binding of [3H]DAMGO was reduced by peptides corresponding to the NH2-terminal region of the third intracellular loop (i3.1) and the carboxyl-terminal tail (i4) of this receptor. Agonist stimulated GTPase activity and DAMGO dependent cholera toxin-catalyzed [32P]ADP-ribosylation were inhibited by peptides derived from the proximal (i3.1) and the distal portion (i3.3) of the third intracellular loop. Peptide i3.1 also inhibited DAMGO-stimulated [35S]guanosine-5'-O-(3-thio)triphosphate ([35S]GTP-gammaS) binding in the same membranes. In contrast, peptides derived from the second intracellular loop were without any effect.

Agonist activation of p42 and p44 mitogen-activated protein kinases following expression of the mouse delta opioid receptor in Rat-1 fibroblasts: effects of receptor expression levels and comparisons with G-protein activation.

Rat-1 fibroblasts were transfected with a cDNA encoding the mouse delta opioid receptor. Two separate clones, D2 (which expressed some 6 pmol of the receptor/mg of membrane protein) and DOE (which expressed some 0.2 pmol/mg of membrane protein), were examined in detail. With membranes from both clones, the opioid agonist [D-Ala2]leucine enkephalin (DADLE) caused stimulation of high-affinity GTPase activity and of the binding of guanosine 5'-[gamma-[35S]thio]triphosphate, and inhibition of forskolin-amplified adenylate cyclase activity. DADLE also induced phosphorylation and activation of both the p42MAPK (42 kDa isoform) and p44MAPK (44 kDa isoform) members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) family. All of these effects of DADLE were prevented in both clones by pretreatment of the cells with pertussis toxin. The maximal response that could be produced by DADLE in direct assays of G-protein activation were substantially greater in clone D2 than in clone DOE, but in both clones essentially full phosphorylation of both p42MAPK and p44MAPK could be achieved. EC50 values for DADLE stimulation of GTPase activity and for activation of p44MAPK were substantially lower in clone D2 than in clone DOE. Moreover, in both clones the EC50 value for DADLE stimulation of p44MAPK was substantially lower than that for stimulation of GTPase activity, and the Hill coefficients for agonist activation of p44MAPK (h > 1) displayed marked co-operativity whereas those for G-protein activation did not (h 0.8-1.0). DADLE activation of p44MAPK showed more sustained kinetics in clone D2 than in clone DOE. By contrast, lysophosphatidic acid, acting at an endogenously expressed G-protein-coupled receptor, also activated p44MAPK in both clones in a pertussis toxinsensitive manner, but both the kinetics and the concentration-response curve for activation of p44MAPK by this ligand were similar. As with other systems, maintained cellular levels of a cAMP analogue prevented the effects of both G-protein-coupled receptors on activation of p44MAPK. These results demonstrate for the first time that an opioid receptor, at least when expressed in Rat-1 fibroblasts, is able to initiate activation of the MAP kinase cascade in a G1-dependent manner, and show that only a very small proportion of the cellular G1 population is required to be activated to result in full phosphorylation of the p42MAPK and p44MAPK MAP kinases.

Overexpression of G(s)alpha in NG108-15, neuroblastomaXglioma cells: effects on receptor regulation of the stimulatory adenylyl cyclase cascade.

NeuroblastomaXglioma hybrid, NG108-15 cells were stably transfected with an epitope tagged variant of G(s)alpha (HA-G(s)alpha). The introduced HA-G(s)alpha was able to interact with the IP prostanoid receptor and was able to stimulate adenylyl cyclase activity as measured by an enhanced capacity of membrane extracts to reconstitute NaF-dependent adenylyl cyclase activity to membranes of S49 lymphoma cyc- cells. Despite this, neither the maximal stimulation nor the potency of agonist ligands at the IP prostanoid, A2 adenosine or secretin receptors was altered substantially compared to the parental cells although the basal adenylyl cyclase activity was increased. These data indicate that cellular levels of G(s)alpha do not limit signal transduction capacity in NG108-15 cells, whereas enhanced expression of adenylyl cyclase allows greater maximal cAMP generation following receptor activation (MacEwan, D.J., Kim, G.D. and Milligan, G. (1996) Biochem. J. 318, 1033-1039).

Analysis of inverse agonism at the delta opioid receptor after expression in Rat 1 fibroblasts.

A cDNA encoding the mouse delta opioid receptor was expressed stably in a Rat 1 fibroblast cell line. Expression of this receptor was demonstrated both in ligand binding studies and by reverse transcriptase-PCR. In membranes of clone D2 cells the opioid peptide [D-Ala(2)]-leucine enkephalin (DADLE) produced a robust, concentration-dependent, stimulation of basal high-affinity GTPase activity; the prototypic opioid antagonist naloxone and the highly selective and potent delta opioid ligands H-Tyr-Tic-Phe-Phe-OH (TIPP) and H-Tyr-Tic[Ch2-NH]Phe-Phe-OH (TIPP[psi]) had little effect but N,N-diallyl-Tyr-Aib-Aib-Phe-Leu (ICI174864) caused a marked dose-dependent inhibition of this activity (Tic, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolin-2-yl-carbonyl]; Aib, alpha-aminobutyric acid). This effect of ICI174864 was reversed by TIPP[psi] and attenuated after treatment of the cells with pertussis toxin. No stimulation by DADLE or inhibition by ICI174864 was observed in Rat 1 fibroblasts that did not express the delta opioid receptor. Basal binding of [(35)S]guanosine 5'-O-(3-thio-triphosphate) to membranes of clone D2 cells was also stimulated by DADLE and inhibited by ICI174864; both of these effects were reversed by co-incubation with TIPP[psi]. When cholera toxin-catalysed [(32)P]ADP-ribosylation was performed on membranes of clone D2 cells in the absence of guanine nucleotides, a 40 kDa G1-family polypeptide was labelled in addition to both the long and short isoforms of Gsalpha. Labelling of the 40 kDa polypeptide was enhanced by addition of DADLE and fully attenuated by addition of ICI174864. In contrast, labelling of the isoforms of Gsalpha was unaffected by either opioid ligand. Again, both the positive effect of DADLE and the inhibitory effect of ICI174864 were prevented by co-incubation with TIPP[psi] which, in isolation, had little effect on cholera toxin-catalysed [(32)P]ADP-ribosylation of either Gs or Gi. These data demonstrate that the delta opioid receptor displays a spontaneous activity when expressed in this genetic background. Attenuation of this activity is produced by ICI174864, which by acting as an 'inverse agonist' in this system, functionally uncouples the expressed receptor from the cellular G-protein population. The complete attenuation of agonist-independent cholera toxin-catalysed [(32)P]ADP-ribosylation of Gi demonstrated that ICI174864 acts as an inverse agonist with high intrinsic activity at this receptor.

Expression of the human beta 2-adrenoceptor in NCB20 cells results in agonist activation of adenylyl cyclase and agonist-mediated selective down-regulation of Gs alpha.

Murine neuroblastoma x embryonic Chinese hamster brain NCB20 cells were transfected with a construct containing the human beta 2-adrenoceptor under the control of a beta-actin promoter. Two clones were selected for detailed analysis: D1, which expressed some 12.7 pmol/mg of membrane protein, and L9, which expressed 1.2 pmol/mg of membrane protein of the receptor. Incubation with the beta-adrenoceptor agonist isoprenaline resulted in stimulation of adenylyl cyclase activity in both of the clones, whereas no such activation was observed in wild-type NCB20 cells. The EC50 for isoprenaline stimulation of adenylyl cyclase activity in membranes of clone D1 (0.8 nM) was significantly lower, however, than in membranes of clone L9 (10.4 nM). Although the maximal adenylyl cyclase stimulation by isoprenaline was similar in both clones, D1 had a higher basal activity. Immunoblotting studies with specific antipeptide antisera directed against various G protein alpha subunits showed that treatment of the cells with isoprenaline resulted in a 35% reduction in the membrane-associated levels of Gs alpha in membranes of clone L9 cells and a 50% reduction in Gs alpha levels in membranes prepared from clone D1. Isoprenaline treatment had no effect on the levels of Gs alpha in wild-type NCB20 cells, and such treatment had no effect on the levels of other G protein alpha subunits such as Gq/G11 and Gi2 in any of the cell lines investigated. Time course analysis revealed that half-maximal loss of Gs alpha in clone D1 was achieved within 1-2 h of addition of agonist.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Regulation of cellular Gs alpha levels and basal adenylyl cyclase activity by expression of the beta 2-adrenoceptor in neuroblastoma cell lines.

Mouse neuroblastoma x rat glioma hybrid NG 108-15 and mouse neuroblastoma x embryonic hamster brain NCB20 cells were transfected with a construct containing a human beta 2 adrenoceptor cDNA under the control of the beta actin promoter. Clones were selected on the basis of resistance to geneticin sulphate and those expressing a range of levels of the receptor expanded for further study. Membranes from a clone of NG108-15 cells expressing high levels of the receptor (beta N22) but not one expressing only low levels of the receptor (beta N17) exhibited a markedly elevated adenylyl cyclase activity when measured in the presence of Mg2+ compared to wild type cells. This was not due to elevated levels of the adenylyl cyclase catalytic moiety however as there was no difference in these membranes when the adenylyl cyclase activity was measured in the presence of Mn2+. The elevated basal activity was partially reversed by addition of the beta-adrenoceptor antagonist propranolol. Agonist activation of beta N22 but not beta N17 cells led to a large selective down-regulation of cellular Gs alpha levels which was independent of the generation of cyclic AMP. Isoprenaline stimulation of adenylyl cyclase activity and of the specific high affinity binding of [3H] forskolin was achieved with substantially greater potency (some 30 fold) in beta N22 cell membranes than in beta N17. By contrast agonist activation of the endogenously expressed IP prostanoid receptor caused stimulation of adenylyl cyclase and stimulation of high affinity [3H] forskolin binding which was equipotent in each of beta N22, beta N17 and wild type NG108-15 cells. Agonist activation of the IP prostanoid receptor caused an equivalent degree of Gs alpha down-regulation in each cell type. Expression of an epitope tagged variant of Gs alpha in NG108-15 cells resulted in prostanoid agonist-induced down-regulation of this polypeptide in a manner indistinguishable from that of wild type Gs alpha. Isolation of clones of NCB20 cells expressing high levels of the beta 2 adrenoceptor also resulted in a specific agonist-induced down-regulation of Gs alpha.

Biochemical approaches to examine the specificity of interactions between receptors and guanine nuclotide binding proteins.

It is now appreciated both that G-protein-linked receptors and signal transducing heterotrimeric G-proteins consist of large multi-member superfamilies and that regulation of a signal transduction cascade can be produced by a variety of means following activation of a G-protein by a receptor. To begin to unravel the complexities of this regulation it is clearly important to be able to define the molecular identity of the G-protein or G-proteins activated by a receptor and to assess the quantitative importance of such interactions for the integration of signals produced by a receptor agonist. Substantial progress has been made towards these goals in recent years and the purpose of this short review will be to discuss the use and potential limitations of some of the currently most widely used approaches.

Equivalent regulation of wild type and an epitope-tagged variant of Gs alpha by the IP prostanoid receptor following expression in neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid, NG108-15, cells.

NG108-15 cells were transfected to stably express a haemagglutinin epitope-tagged variant of the long isoform of Gs alpha. Clone BST15 expressed this polypeptide at similar levels to the endogenous long isoform of Gs alpha. Treatment of clone BST15 with the IP prostanoid receptor agonist iloprost resulted in down-regulation of both forms of Gs alpha with both dose-effect curves to iloprost and time courses of loss of the two forms of Gs alpha being indistinguishable. These results demonstrate that the IP prostanoid receptor interacts with and regulates the epitope-tagged variant of Gs alpha in an equivalent manner to the unmodified protein and indicates that the epitope-tagged polypeptide can be used to analyse mechanisms of receptor regulation of cellular G-protein levels.

Distribution and relative levels of expression of the phosphoinositidase-C-linked G-proteins Gq alpha and G11 alpha: absence of G11 alpha in human platelets and haemopoietically derived cell lines.

Membranes of a variety of clonal cell lines, including neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid NG108-15, glioma C6, Rat 1 and CHO fibroblasts and the pituitary-derived cell lines alpha T3 and GH3 were immunoblotted with an antiserum (CQ) raised against a synthetic peptide corresponding to the C-terminal decapeptide of the alpha subunits of the phosphoinositidase-C-linked G-proteins Gq and G11. In SDS-PAGE conditions able to resolve these two polypeptides, direct evidence was obtained for co-expression of these two G-proteins in all of the above cell lines. The ratio of these two G-proteins varied substantially (alpha 11/alpha q = 0.25-2.5) between the cell lines. In human platelets and in a range of haemopoietically derived human cell lines including U937 (monoblasts), Raji (Burkitts lymphoma) and Jurkat (mature T cell) expression of G11 alpha was not detected. This was not due to the inability of the antiserum to identify human G11 alpha as other human cell lines co-expressed both G-proteins. A third, unidentified CQ reactive polypeptide of similar mobility was resolved and present in all cell lines examined.

The human muscarinic M1 acetylcholine receptor, when express in CHO cells, activates and downregulates both Gq alpha and G11 alpha equally and non-selectively.

CHO cells express both of the phosphoinositidase C-linked G-proteins Gq and G11. G11 alpha is some 2.5-fold more highly expressed than Gq alpha in membranes of these cells. Following transfection and stable expression of CHO cells with DNA encoding the human muscarinic M1 acetylcholine (HM1) receptor, chronic treatment of the cells with the cholinergic agonist carbachol resulted in down-regulation of membrane levels of both Gq alpha and G11 alpha. Dose-response curves to carbachol produced identical EC50 values for agonist-induced down-regulation of the two G-proteins and both were down-regulated with the same time course. These data indicate that the HM1 receptor interacts with the activates both Gq alpha and G11 alpha equivalently and non-selectively in a whole cell system in which the receptor has access to both G-proteins.