Bombyx adipokinetic hormone receptor activates extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 via G protein-dependent PKA and PKC but β-arrestin-independent pathways

Biochemistry. 2010 Dec 28;49(51):10862-72. doi: 10.1021/bi1014425. Epub 2010 Dec 2.

Abstract

Neuropeptides of the adipokinetic hormone (AKH) family are among the best studied hormone peptides. They play important roles in insect hemolymph sugar homeostasis, larval lipolysis, and storage-fat mobilization. Mechanistic investigations have shown that, upon AKH stimulation, adipokinetic hormone receptor (AKHR) couples to a Gs protein and enhances adenylate cyclase activity, leading to intracellular cAMP accumulation. However, the underlying molecular mechanism by which this signaling pathway connects to extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) remains to be elucidated. Using HEK293 cells stably or transiently expressing AKHR, we demonstrated that activation of AKHR elicited transient phosphorylation of ERK1/2. Our investigation indicated that AKHR-mediated activation of ERK1/2 was significantly inhibited by H-89 (protein kinase A inhibitor), Go6983, and GF109203X (protein kinase C inhibitors) but not by U73122 (PLC inhibitor) or FIPI (PLD inhibitor). Moreover, AKHR-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation was blocked by the calcium chelators EGTA and BAPTA-AM. Furthermore, ERK1/2 activation in both transiently and stably AKHR-expressing HEK293 cells was found to be sensitive to pretreatment of pertussis toxin, whereas AKHR-mediated ERK1/2 activation was insensitive to siRNA-induced knockdown of β-arrestins and to pretreatment of inhibitors of EGFR, Src, and PI3K. On the basis of our data, we propose that activated AKHR signals to ERK1/2 primarily via PKA- and calcium-involved PKC-dependent pathways. Our current study provides the first in-depth study defining the mechanisms of AKH-mediated ERK activation through the Bombyx AKHR.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arrestins / metabolism
  • Bombyx / enzymology
  • Bombyx / genetics
  • Bombyx / metabolism*
  • Cell Line
  • Cyclic AMP / metabolism
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Enzyme Activation
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Gene Expression
  • Humans
  • Insect Proteins / genetics
  • Insect Proteins / metabolism*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / metabolism*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / metabolism*
  • Protein Kinase C / metabolism
  • Receptors, Glucagon / genetics
  • Receptors, Glucagon / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction
  • beta-Arrestins

Substances

  • Arrestins
  • Insect Proteins
  • Receptors, Glucagon
  • beta-Arrestins
  • Cyclic AMP
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases
  • Protein Kinase C
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3
  • GTP-Binding Proteins