Ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of endogenous and exogenous inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors in alpha T3-1 anterior pituitary cells

In alphaT3-1 mouse anterior pituitary gonadotropes, chronic activation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptors causes inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP(3)) receptor down-regulation (Willars, G. B., Royall, J. E., Nahorski, S. R., El-Gehani, F., Everest, H. and McArdle, C. A. (2001) J. Biol. Chem. 276, 3123-3129). In the current study, we sought to define the mechanism behind this adaptive response. We show that GnRH induces a rapid and dramatic increase in InsP(3) receptor polyubiquitination and that proteasome inhibitors block InsP(3) receptor down-regulation and cause the accumulation of polyubiquitinated receptors. Thus, the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway is active in alphaT3-1 cells, and GnRH regulates the levels of InsP(3) receptors via this mechanism. Given these findings and further characterization of this system, we also examined the possibility that alphaT3-1 cells could be used to examine the ubiquitination of exogenous InsP(3) receptors introduced by cDNA transfection. This was found to be the case, since exogenous wild-type InsP(3) receptors, but not binding-defective mutant receptors, were polyubiquitinated in a GnRH-dependent manner, and agents that inhibited the polyubiquitination of endogenous receptors also inhibited the polyubiquitination of exogenous receptors. Further, we used this system to determine whether phosphorylation was involved in triggering InsP(3) receptor polyubiquitination. This was not the case, since mutation of serine residues 1588 and 1755 (the predominant phosphorylation sites in the type I receptor) did not inhibit polyubiquitination. In total, these data show that the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway is active in anterior pituitary cells, that this pathway targets both endogenous and exogenous InsP(3) receptors in GnRH-stimulated alphaT3-1 cells, and that, in contrast to the situation for many other substrates, phosphorylation does not trigger InsP(3) receptor polyubiquitination.     

Expression and distribution of InsP(3) receptor subtypes in proliferating vascular smooth muscle cells

The expression and distribution of types 1, 2, and 3 inositol 1,4, 5-trisphosphate receptor (InsP(3)R) in proliferating, primary cultures of rat aortic smooth muscle were compared to fully developed and differentiated rat aortic smooth muscle. Subtype-specific InsP(3)R antibodies revealed that the expression of type 1 InsP(3)R was similar in cultured aortic cells and aorta homogenate but expression of type 2 and 3 InsP(3)R subtypes was increased 3-fold in cultured aortic cells. The distribution of the type 1 InsP(3)R was located throughout the cytoplasm; type 2 InsP(3)R was found closely associated with the nucleus and at the plasma membrane; type 3 InsP(3)R was distributed predominantly around the nucleus. Alterations in InsP(3)R subtype expression and localization may have important functions in regulating intracellular calcium release around the nucleus when vascular smooth muscle cells switch to a more proliferating phenotype.     

Differential Localization of Alternative Spliced Transcripts Encoding Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors in Mouse Cerebellum and Hippocampus: In Situ Hybridization Study

Expression of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) receptor subtypes was determined in mouse brain using oligonucleotide-specific in situ hybridization. All subtypes, except one that deletes 120 bp from the full-length InsP3 receptor cDNA, were expressed in cerebellar Purkinje cells. In hippocampus, various subtypes showed distinct expression patterns. These results suggest that regionally selective expression of InsP3 receptor subtypes may result in the generation of functionally distinct channels.     

Purification and characterization of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor protein from rat vas deferens

Among rat peripheral tissues examined, Ins(1,4,5)P(3) receptor binding is highest in the vas deferens, with levels about 25% of those of the cerebellum. We have purified the InsP(3) receptor binding protein from rat vas deferens membranes 600-fold. The purified protein displays a single 260 kDa band on SDS/PAGE, and the native protein has an apparent molecular mass of 1000 kDa, the same as in cerebellum. The inositol phosphate specificity, pH-dependence and influence of various reagents are the same for purified vas deferens and cerebellar receptors. Whereas particulate InsP(3) binding in cerebellum is potently inhibited by Ca(2+), particulate and purified vas deferens receptor binding of InsP(3) is not influenced by Ca(2+). Vas deferens appears to lack calmedin activity, but the InsP(3) receptor is sensitive to Ca(2+) inhibition conferred by brain calmedin. The vas deferens may prove to be a valuable tissue for characterizing functional aspects of InsP(3) receptors.     

D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate phosphatase in skeletal muscle.

The presence and subcellular distribution of D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate phosphatase (InsP3ase) in rabbit fast-twitch skeletal muscle were investigated. A specific InsP3ase was found in both sarcotubular-membrane and soluble fractions. Membrane-bound InsP3ase accounted for 60-65% of total activity. The InsP3ase was detected both on the surface membranes and on the InsP3-sensitive intracellular Ca2+ store, i.e. the sarcoplasmic reticulum. The Km for inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) ranged between 15 and 18 microM, and the highest Vmax. (19.6 nmol of InsP3 hydrolysed/min per mg of protein) was measured in a membrane fraction enriched in transverse tubules. Several known inhibitors of InsP3ase, e.g. 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate, CdCl2 and EDTA, were active on skeletal-muscle InsP3ase. Total InsP3ase activity of both rabbit and frog skeletal muscle was comparable with that of rabbit brain, liver and main pulmonary artery (smooth muscle). The present results are consistent with the hypothesis that InsP3 plays a role in excitation-contraction coupling in skeletal muscle [Volpe, Salviati, Di Virgilio & Pozzan (1985) Nature (London) 316, 347-349].     

Muscarinic receptors in the prenatal mouse embryo. Comparison of M35-immunohistochemistry with [3H]quinuclidinyl benzylate autoradiography

Muscarinic cholinergic receptors are widespread in nervous tissue and smooth muscsle or paracrine epithelial cells of various organs. In the embryo, muscarinic receptors are transitorily expressed in the early blastoderm and later on in blastemic tissues during morphogenesis. Recently, a monoclonal antibody (M35) against muscarinic receptor from calf brain became available. In the present study the use of M35-immunohistochemistry is compared to autoradiographic localization of muscarinic binding sites in the mouse embryo. The aim of the study is to test the suitability of the antibody for localization of muscrinic receptors in embryonic tissues. For autoradiography whole-body sagittal cryostat sections of the 17- and 18-day mouse embryo were covered with LKB-Ultrofilm after incubation with the radioactive ligand [³H] quinuclidinyl benzylate (QNB). For immunohistochemistry cryostat sections of formalin fixed tissues were used. In general, all tissues exhibiting ligand binding were also recognized by the antibody. M35-immunohistochemistry resulted in higher spatial resolution of receptor localization than [³H]QNB autoradiography. Definitive muscarinic receptors were observed in smooth muscle and the epithelial lining of the vascular, intestinal, respiratory and urinary system, in the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. The embryonic type of the muscarinic receptor was detected in the mesothelium of lung and liver, in the nephrogenic blastema of the metanephros, and in lung mesenchyme. A large amount of embryonic muscarinic receptors was found in the remnants of the notochord and in the nucleus pulposus of the developing vertebral column. A function in morphogenesis is discussed of the embryonic muscarinic receptor.     

Affinity purification, peptide analysis, and cDNA sequence of the mouse interferon gamma receptor

The receptor for mouse interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) was purified from detergent-solubilized plasma membranes of EL-4, a thymoma cell line which expresses a high number of receptors on its cell surface. The purification was carried out by immunoaffinity chromatography using an anti-receptor monoclonal antibody. The purified receptor was subjected to NH2-terminal sequence analysis as well as sequencing of endopeptidase-generated peptides. One of the peptides was found to be identical to a portion of the published amino acid sequence of the human IFN-gamma receptor deduced from cDNA. This information was utilized to construct a mixed-sequence oligodeoxynucleotide probe which permitted the isolation of a full-length cDNA clone coding for the mouse IFN-gamma receptor. The mouse IFN-gamma receptor cDNA is comprised of 105 base pairs of the 5'-untranslated region, an open reading frame coding for a 477-amino acid serine-rich protein having calculated Mr 52,276, and a 3'-untranslated region of 539 base pairs. The receptor is first synthesized as a pre-protein from which a 25-amino acid signal peptide is cleaved. The receptor contains a hydrophobic transmembrane portion near the center of the molecule. Northern blot analysis of various cell lines showed that each contained a single 2.0-kilobase mRNA. A direct correlation between the amount of IFN-gamma receptor mRNA and the level of receptor expressed on the cell surface was observed. The mouse and human IFN-gamma receptors are structurally similar, showing 51% over-all homology in amino acid sequence. Mouse IFN-gamma receptor cDNA when inserted in a mammalian shuttle vector and transfected into COS-7 monkey cells was able to direct the expression of specific binding activity for mouse IFN-gamma.     

Molecular cloning and characterization of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor in Drosophila melanogaster.

We isolated a cDNA encoding an inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (InsP3R) of Drosophila melanogaster. The predicted Drosophila InsP3R (2,833 amino acids) has extensive sequence similarity to the mouse InsP3R. The polypeptide encoded by the cDNA was functionally expressed and showed characteristic InsP3-binding activity. The Drosophila InsP3R gene is located at the region 83A5-9 on the third chromosome and expresses throughout development but predominantly in the adult. Localization of the InsP3R mRNA in adult tissues suggests strong expression in the retina and antenna, indicating the involvement of the InsP3R in visual and olfactory transduction. In addition, the InsP3R mRNA is abundant in the legs and thorax, which are enriched with a muscular system. Such localization is apparently consistent with the quantitatively predominant sites for [3H]InsP3 binding in Drosophila and the fleshfly (Boettcherisca peregrina). The present study points to the likely functional importance of the InsP3/Ca2+ signaling system in Drosophila.     

Structure of a novel InsP3 receptor.

Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) constitutes a major intracellular second messenger that transduces many growth factor and neurotransmitter signals. InsP3 causes the release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores by binding to specific receptors that are coupled to Ca2+ channels. One such receptor from cerebellum has previously been extensively characterized. We have now determined the full structure of a second, novel InsP3 receptor which we refer to as type 2 InsP3 receptor as opposed to the cerebellar type 1 InsP3 receptor. The type 2 InsP3 receptor has the same general structural design as the cerebellar type 1 InsP3 receptor with which it shares 69% sequence identity. Expression of the amino-terminal 1078 amino acids of the type 2 receptor demonstrates high affinity binding of InsP3 to the type 2 receptor with a similar specificity but higher affinity than observed for the type 1 receptor. These results demonstrate the presence of several types of InsP3 receptor in brain and raise the possibility that intracellular Ca2+ signaling may involve multiple pathways with different regulatory properties dependent on different InsP3 receptors.     

Demonstration of inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate receptor binding

Inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate (InsP4) is produced rapidly upon stimulation of the phosphoinositide system and may serve as a second messenger in hormone and neurotransmitter action. In this report we demonstrate specific binding sites for [3H]InsP4 in rat tissue membranes. In cerebellar membranes, [3H]InsP4 binding sites are displaced both by InsP4 and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) with similar potency (IC50 approximately equal to 300 nM) whereas several other inositol phosphates are much weaker. We have distinguished the InsP4 binding site from the InsP3 receptor binding site by differences in brain regional and tissue distribution, affinity for InsP4 and InsP3, and sensitivity to calcium.     

Cloning and expression of a novel angiotensin II receptor subtype.

Angiotensin II (AII) is a major regulator of cardiovascular function and fluid homeostasis. Recently, the cDNA for an AII receptor (AT1) was cloned from rat smooth muscle and bovine adrenal. To search for AII receptor subtypes, we amplified rat adrenal cortex cDNA by PCR using primers based on the AT1 receptor. The product was distinct from the AT1 receptor as indicated by restriction enzyme analysis and DNA sequencing. A full-length cDNA clone (2.2 kilobase pairs) encoding a novel AII receptor (AT3) was obtained by screening an adrenal cortex library. The AT3 cDNA encodes a Mr 40,959 protein with 95% amino acid identity to the rat smooth muscle receptor, but the overall nucleotide similarity is 71% due to low homology in the 5'- (58%) and 3'- (62%) untranslated regions. Expressed AT3 receptors in Xenopus oocytes and COS-7 cells mediate agonist-induced Ca2+ mobilization but are pharmacologically distinct from the AT1 receptors. AT3 mRNA is most abundant in the adrenal cortex and pituitary and differs from AT1 mRNA in its tissue distribution. The structural features of the AT3 receptor, including two additional potential phosphorylation sites for protein kinase C, could be related to the distinctive binding properties of the adrenal and vascular receptors and to their differential regulation during altered sodium intake.     

2-Aminoethoxydiphenyl borate inhibits inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor function,ubiquitination and downregulation,but acts with variable characteristics in different cell types

2-Aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2-APB) is a putative, membrane-permeable inhibitor of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP(3)) receptors, but it is the case that little is known about its action at the InsP(3) receptor level. Thus, we examined the effects of 2-APB on InsP(3) receptor-mediated effects in a range of cell types expressing different complements of InsP(3) receptor types. In experiments with permeabilized cells we found that 2-APB could inhibit InsP(3)-induced release of stored Ca(2+), but also that it released Ca(2+), and that the prevalence of these two effects varied between different cell types and did not correlate with the expression of a particular receptor type. These effects of 2-APB reflected an interaction distal to the ligand binding site of InsP(3) receptors, since InsP(3) binding was unaffected by 2-APB. In intact cells, we found only inhibitory effects of 2-APB on Ca(2+) mobilization, and that variation between cell types in the characteristics of this inhibition appeared to be due to differential entry of 2-APB. 2-APB also inhibited InsP(3) receptor ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation, which again was cell type dependent. In total, these data reveal a remarkable degree of variation between cell types in the effects of 2-APB, showing that its usefulness as a specific and universal inhibitor of InsP(3) receptors is limited. However, the ability of 2-APB to inhibit InsP(3) receptor ubiquitination and degradation indicates that 2-APB may block InsP(3)-induced conformational changes in the receptor, resulting in perturbation of multiple regulatory events.     

A cerebellar Purkinje cell marker P400 protein is an inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) receptor protein. Purification and characterization of InsP3 receptor complex.

P400 protein is a 250 kd glycoprotein, characteristic of the cerebellum, which is accumulated at the endoplasmic reticulum, at the plasma membrane and at the post-synaptic density of Purkinje cells. In this study, we purified inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) receptor from mouse cerebellum and examined the possibility that P400 protein is identical with cerebellar InsP3 receptor protein. InsP3 receptor was solubilized with Triton X-100 from a post-nuclear fraction of ddY mouse cerebellum and was purified with high yield by sequential column chromatography on DE52, heparin-agarose, lentil lectin-Sepharose and hydroxylapatite. In these chromatographies, P400 protein co-migrated completely with the InsP3 binding activity. The purified receptor is a 250 kd protein with a Bmax of 2.1 pmol/microgram and a KD of 83 nM. It reacted with three different monoclonal antibodies against P400 protein, indicating that P400 protein is the same substance as the InsP3 receptor (P400/InsP3 receptor protein). Electron microscopy of the purified receptor showed a square shape with sides approximately 25 nm long. Binding assays of the cerebella of Purkinje cell-degeneration (pcd) mice with [3H]InsP3 demonstrated that the InsP3 binding sites in the cerebellum are distributed exclusively on the Purkinje cells. Immunohistochemical analysis indicated that P400/InsP3 receptor is present at the dendrites, cell bodies, axons and synaptic boutons of the Purkinje cells.     

Molecular cloning of cDNA encoding the Ca2+ release channel (ryanodine receptor) of rabbit cardiac muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum

We have cloned and sequenced cDNA encoding the Ca2+ release channel (ryanodine receptor) of rabbit cardiac muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum. The cDNA, 16,532 base pairs in length, encodes a protein of 4,969 amino acids with a Mr of 564,711. The deduced amino acid sequence is 66% identical with that of the skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor, but analysis of predicted secondary structures and hydropathy plots suggests that the two isoforms exhibit the same topology in both transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains. A potential ATP binding domain was identified at residues 2619-2652, a potential phosphorylation site at residue 2809, and potential calmodulin binding sites at residues 2775-2807, 2877-2898, and 2998-3016. We suggest that a modulator binding domain in the protein lies between residues 2619 and 3016. Northern blot analysis of mRNA from a variety of tissues demonstrated that the cardiac isoform is expressed in heart and brain, while the skeletal muscle isoform is expressed in both fast- and slow-twitch muscle. No ryanodine receptor mRNA was detected in extracts from smooth muscle or any other non-muscle tissue examined. The two receptors are clearly the products of separate genes, and the gene encoding the cardiac muscle ryanodine receptor was localized to chromosome 1.     

Critical intracellular Ca2+ concentration for all-or-none Ca2+ spiking in single smooth muscle cells.

Neurotransmitters induce contractions of smooth muscle cells initially by mobilizing Ca2+ from intracellular Ca2+ stores through inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) receptors. Here we studied roles of the molecules involved in Ca2+ mobilization in single smooth muscle cells. A slow rise in cytoplasmic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in agonist-stimulated smooth muscle cells was followed by a wave of rapid regenerative Ca2+ release as the local [Ca2+]i reached a critical concentration of approximately 160 nM. Neither feedback regulation of phospholipase C nor caffeine-sensitive Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release was found to be required in the regenerative Ca2+ release. These results indicate that Ca(2+)-dependent feedback control of InsP3-induced Ca2+ release plays a dominant role in the generation of the regenerative Ca2+ release. The resulting Ca2+ release in a whole cell was an all-or-none event, i.e. constant peak [Ca2+]i was attained with agonist concentrations above the threshold value. This finding suggests a possible digital mode involved in the neural control of smooth muscle contraction.     

Reduced Striatal [3H]Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Binding in Huntington''s Disease

Specific [3H]inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [( 3H]InsP3) binding was studied in regions of postmortem brain from 15 patients with Huntington's disease (HD) and 13 nonneurological controls. Single-point binding analyses, using 5.0 nM InsP3, showed statistically significant reductions in specific [3H]InsP3 binding in the caudate (-71%) and putamen (-75%) of HD patients compared with controls. Frontal and occipital cortical [3H]InsP3 binding was not significantly different between HD and controls, a finding suggesting that the reduced [3H]InsP3 binding parallels the brain regional specificity of the neuropathological changes in HD. Scatchard analyses of data from [3H]InsP3 competition binding assays performed on caudate nucleus revealed that the reductions found using single-point binding assays were due to a decrease in both binding density (-57%) and affinity (-50%) in HD brain compared with controls. The concomitant changes in InsP3 receptor density and affinity in HD brain suggest that these alterations may be produced by processes in addition to cell loss. These results suggest the possibility that disturbances in InsP3 receptor function, possibly resulting in altered intracellular calcium flux and homeostasis, occur in HD and may participate in the pathogenesis of this neurodegenerative disorder.     

Atrial natriuretic peptide clearance receptor. Complete sequence and functional expression of cDNA clones

The major class of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) receptors was isolated from cultured vascular smooth muscle cells, and a partial amino acid sequence was obtained. This allowed the isolation of cDNA clones from which the entire amino acid sequence was established. The smooth muscle cell ANP receptor appears to be synthesized as a 537-amino acid precursor with an N-terminal membrane translocation signal. The mature form consists of 496 amino acids with a single potential transmembrane domain predicting a 37-amino acid cytoplasmic domain and a large, acidic, extracellular domain low in cysteine and probably containing attached carbohydrate. The receptor is therefore similar in structure to the growth factor receptors but notably lacks repetitive cysteine-rich domains and has a relatively small intracellular domain. Expression of the cloned receptor in Xenopus oocytes elicited high affinity, membrane-associated binding sites for ANP and for truncated and internally deleted analogs of ANP. These results reflect the ligand binding specificity found for the major class of ANP receptors on smooth muscle cells and thus provide additional evidence that two distinct ANP receptors exist since ANP receptor-coupled guanylate cyclase activity exhibits a very different ANP analog specificity.     

Bradykinin binding to B2 kinin receptors and stimulation of phosphoinositide turnover and arachidonic acid release in primary cultures of cells from late pregnant rat myometrium.

Primary cultures of cells from late pregnant rat myometrium contain B2 kinin receptors through which bradykinin (BK) stimulates inositol phosphate (InsP) formation and arachidonic acid (20:4) release. Equilibrium binding at 4 degrees C revealed that [3H]BK identified a maximal number of cell surface B2 kinin receptor binding sites on rat myometrial cells of 308 +/- 78 fmol/10(6) cells with apparently a single equilibrium dissociation constant of 1.8 +/- 0.2 nM. At 37 degrees C, [3H]BK binding was associated with a time-dependent decrease in the reversibility of the binding. This decrease was due in part to formation of slowly dissociating cell surface receptor [3H]BK binding and in part to internalization of the receptor-bound [3H]BK. Exposure of labeled cells to BK resulted in dose-dependent increases in [3H]InsP3, [3H]InsP2 ([3H]Ins(1,4)P2), and [3H]InsP1 ([3H]Ins(1)P1) formation and [3H]20:4 release. Pretreatment with 100 ng/mL pertussis toxin did not perturb BK stimulation of [3H]InsP formation but partially (approximately 30%) inhibited BK stimulation of [3H]20:4 release. BK stimulation of [3H]20:4 release was directly proportional to the number of receptor sites occupied by BK. In contrast, stimulation of [3H]InsP formation required a threshold level of receptor occupancy, which decreased as a function of time of BK exposure. These results show that BK interacts with B2 kinin receptors on rat myometrial cells with apparently a single affinity through which BK stimulates [3H]InsP formation and [3H]20:4 release. BK stimulation of [3H]InsP formation requires a threshold BK concentration, which decreases with time, and we suggest that the decrease is due to a time-dependent formation of a BK receptor binding state from which BK slowly dissociates.