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GRIP: a synaptic PDZ domain-containing protein that interacts with AMPA receptors.

AMPA glutamate receptors mediate the majority of rapid excitatory synaptic transmission in the central nervous system and play a role in the synaptic plasticity underlying learning and memory. AMPA receptors are heteromeric complexes of four homologous subunits (GluR1-4) that differentially combine to form a variety of AMPA receptor subtypes. These subunits are thought to have a large extracellular amino-terminal domain, three transmembrane domains and an intracellular carboxy-terminal domain. AMPA receptors are localized at excitatory synapses and are not found on adjacent inhibitory synapses enriched in GABA(A) receptors. The targeting of neurotransmitter receptors, such as AMPA receptors, and ion channels to synapses is essential for efficient transmission. A protein motif called a PDZ domain is important in the targeting of a variety of membrane proteins to cell-cell junctions including synapses. Here we identify a synaptic PDZ domain-containing protein GRIP (glutamate receptor interacting protein) that specifically interacts with the C termini of AMPA receptors. GRIP is a new member of the PDZ domain-containing protein family which has seven PDZ domains and no catalytic domain. GRIP appears to serve as an adapter protein that links AMPA receptors to other proteins and may be critical for the clustering of AMPA receptors at excitatory synapses in the brain.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Recruitment of functional GABA(A) receptors to postsynaptic domains by insulin.

Modification of synaptic strength in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS) occurs at both pre- and postsynaptic sites. However, because postsynaptic receptors are likely to be saturated by released transmitter, an increase in the number of active postsynaptic receptors may be a more efficient way of strengthening synaptic efficacy. But there has been no evidence for a rapid recruitment of neurotransmitter receptors to the postsynaptic membrane in the CNS. Here we report that insulin causes the type A gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA[A]) receptor, the principal receptor that mediates synaptic inhibition in the CNS, to translocate rapidly from the intracellular compartment to the plasma membrane in transfected HEK 293 cells, and that this relocation requires the beta2 subunit of the GABA(A) receptor. In CNS neurons, insulin increases the expression of GABA(A) receptors on the postsynaptic and dendritic membranes. We found that insulin increases the number of functional postsynaptic GABA(A) receptors, thereby increasing the amplitude of the GABA(A)-receptor-mediated miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) without altering their time course. These results provide evidence for a rapid recruitment of functional receptors to the postsynaptic plasma membrane, suggesting a fundamental mechanism for the generation of synaptic plasticity.

Action Potentials↗

Regulation of morphological postsynaptic silent synapses in developing hippocampal neurons.

Many excitatory synapses are thought to be postsynaptically 'silent', possessing functional NMDA but lacking functional AMPA glutamate receptors. The acquisition of AMPA receptors at silent synapses may be important in synaptic plasticity and neuronal development. Here we characterize a possible morphological correlate of silent synapses in cultured hippocampal neurons. Initially, most excitatory synapses contained NMDA receptors, but only a few contained detectable AMPA receptors. Synapses progressively acquired AMPA receptors as the cultures matured. AMPA receptor blockade increased the number, size and fluorescent intensity of AMPA receptor clusters and rapidly induced the appearance of AMPA receptors at 'silent' synapses. In contrast, NMDA receptor blockade increased the size, intensity and number of NMDA receptor clusters and decreased the number of AMPA receptor clusters, resulting in an increase in the proportion of 'silent' synapses. These results suggest that the number of silent synapses is regulated during development and by changes in synaptic activity.

2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate↗

A CD14-independent LPS receptor cluster.

Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the major structural component of the outer wall of Gram-negative bacteria, is a potent initiator of an inflammatory response and serves as an indicator of bacterial infection. Although CD14 has been identified as the main LPS receptor, accumulating evidence has suggested the possible existence of other functional receptor(s). In this study, using affinity chromatography, peptide mass fingerprinting and fluorescence resonance energy transfer, we have identified four new proteins that form an activation cluster after LPS ligation and are involved in LPS signal transduction. Here we present evidence that implicates heat shock proteins 70 and 90, chemokine receptor 4 and growth differentiation factor 5 as the main mediators of activation by bacterial lipopolysaccharide.

Animals↗

Direct demonstration of MuSK involvement in acetylcholine receptor clustering through identification of agonist ScFv.

MuSK is a tyrosine kinase localized to the postsynaptic surface of the neuromuscular junction. We have searched for modulators of MuSK function using a library of human single chain variable region antibodies (scFv) that can be displayed on M13 phage or expressed as soluble protein. A panel of 21 independent MuSK-specific scFv, identified in a screen for binding to MuSK-Fc immunoadhesin, were examined for ability to induce proliferation in a factor dependent cell line (Ba/F3) through a chimeric receptor, MuSK-Mpl. Four of the scFv induced a proliferative response, suggesting an ability to induce dimerization of MuSK. These scFv were also able to induce tyrosine phosphorylation of full-length MuSK and retained this ability when re-engineered to be expressed as authentic (and dimeric) human IgG molecules. Addition of agonist scFv to a cultured myotube cell line induced AChR clustering and tyrosine phosphorylation. These results provide direct evidence that MuSK activation is capable of triggering a key event in neuromuscular junction formation and further demonstrate that large libraries of phage-displayed scFv provide a robust method for generating highly specific agonist agents.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Proapoptotic Bcl-2 family member Bim is involved in the control of mast cell survival and is induced together with Bcl-XL upon IgE-receptor activation.

Mast cells play critical roles in the regulation of acute and chronic inflammations. Apoptosis is one of the mechanisms that limit and resolve inflammatory responses. Mast cell survival can be controlled by growth factors and activation of the IgE-receptor FcvarepsilonRI. Members of the Bcl-2 protein family are critical regulators of apoptosis and our study provides evidence that the proapoptotic BH3-only family member Bim is essential for growth factor deprivation-induced mast cell apoptosis and that Bim levels increase upon FcvarepsilonRI activation. Bim deficiency or Bcl-2 overexpression delayed or even prevented cytokine withdrawal-induced mast cell apoptosis in culture. The prosurvival protein Bcl-XL and the proapoptotic Bim were both induced upon FcvarepsilonRI activation. These results suggest that Bim and possibly also other BH3-only proteins control growth factor withdrawal-induced mast cell apoptosis and that the fate of mast cells upon FcvarepsilonRI activation depends on the relative levels of pro- and antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family members.

Animals↗

Selective activation of p42 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase in murine B lymphoma cell lines by membrane immunoglobulin cross-linking. Evidence for protein kinase C-independent and -dependent mechanisms of activation.

Cross-linking of membrane immunoglobulin (mIg), the B lymphocyte antigen receptor, with anti-receptor antibodies stimulates tyrosine phosphorylation of a number of proteins, including one of 42 kDa. Proteins with a similar molecular mass are tyrosine-phosphorylated in response to receptor stimulation in other cell types and have been identified as serine/threonine kinases, termed mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases or extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs). The MAP kinases constitute a family of related kinases, at least three of which have molecular masses of 40-45 kDa. In this paper we show that mIg cross-linking stimulated the myelin basic protein phosphotransferase activity characteristic of MAP kinase in both mature and immature murine B cell lines. This enzyme activity co-purified on three different columns with a 42 kDa protein that was tyrosine-phosphorylated (pp42) in response to mIg cross-linking and which reacted with a panel of anti-(MAP kinase) antibodies. Although immunoblotting with the anti-(MAP kinase) antibodies showed that these B cell lines expressed both 42 kDa and 44 kDa forms of MAP kinase, only the 42 kDa form was activated and tyrosine-phosphorylated to a significant extent. Activation of protein kinase C (PKC) with phorbol esters also resulted in selective tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of the 42 kDa MAP kinase. This suggested that mIg-induced MAP kinase activation could be due to stimulation of PKC by mIg. However, mIg-stimulated MAP kinase activation and pp42 tyrosine phosphorylation was only partially blocked by a PKC inhibitor, the staurosporine analogue Compound 3. In contrast, Compound 3 completely blocked the ability of phorbol esters to stimulate MAP kinase activity and induce tyrosine phosphorylation of pp42. Thus mIg may activate MAP kinase by both PKC-dependent and -independent mechanisms.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Characterization of ATP receptor responsible for the activation of phospholipase A2 and stimulation of prostaglandin E2 production in thymic epithelial cells.

In TEA3A1 rat thymic epithelial cells, ATP stimulates prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production through activation of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) enzymic activity. The stimulation of PGE2 production tested with other nucleotides indicated the agonist potency of adenosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (ATP[S]) > or = UTP > ATP, with ED50 of about 10 microM for ATP[S]. In TEA3A1 cells, cross-linking studies with ATP[35S] revealed the presence of four cell-surface cross-linked bands of 42 kDa, 53 kDa, 83 kDa and 100 kDa in Triton X-100 extracts of TEA3A1 cells by fluorography. Guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate specifically blocked the cross-linking of ATP[35S] to the 53 kDa, 83 kDa and 100 kDa ATP-binding proteins, and inhibited the ATP[S]-mediated stimulation of PGE2 production with an ED50 of about 25 microM. On the other hand, 2-methylthioadenosine triphosphate (2MeSATP) blocked ATP[35S] cross-linking to the 42 kDa protein, but had no effect on ATP[S]-mediated stimulation of PGE2 production. In a variant cell line, TEAvarl, derived from TEA3A1 cells that lost their response to ATP in the activation of PLA2, the presence of 83 kDa ATP-binding protein was not detected. Results from our study suggest that ATP activates PLA2 enzymic activity in TEA3A1 cells by binding to an atypical ATP receptor that has not been described previously.

Animals↗

Functional rescue of a constitutively desensitized beta2AR through receptor dimerization.

We have recently demonstrated that wild-type beta2-adrenergic receptors (beta2AR) form homodimers and that disruption of receptor dimerization inhibits signalling via Gs [Hebert, Moffett, Morello, Loisel, Bichet, Barret and Bouvier (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 16384-16392]. Here taking advantage of the altered functional properties of a non-palmitoylated, constitutively desensitized mutant beta2AR (C341Gbeta2AR), we sought to study whether physical interactions between mutant and wild-type beta2AR expressed in Sf9 cells could occur and have functional consequences. Using metabolic labelling with [3H]palmitate and co-immunoprecipitation we demonstrated the existence of heterodimerization between wild-type and C341Gbeta2AR. Furthermore, we show that, in co-expression experiments, wild-type receptors have a dominant positive effect resulting in the functional complementation of C341Gbeta2AR. Indeed, when expressed alone, the mutant C341G receptor displays altered functional characteristics in that (1) the response of the receptor to agonist is reduced as compared to the wild-type receptor and (2) the desensitization of the receptor in response to prolonged exposure to agonist is minimal. In contrast, when C341G and the wild-type beta2AR were expressed together, both the response to agonist and subsequent desensitization (at a constant level of total receptor) were equivalent to the wild-type beta2AR expressed alone. This dominant positive effect was also seen when C341G was co-expressed with a second receptor mutant in which the two protein kinase A phosphorylation sites (S261, 262, 345, 346A beta2AR) were mutated. Taken together these data suggest that intermolecular interactions between receptors may have both functional and structural implications for G-protein-mediated signalling.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors of Drosophila: three subunits encoded by genomically linked genes can co-assemble into the same receptor complex.

The second beta-like subunit (SBD) is a putative structural subunit of Drosophila melanogaster nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). Here we have produced specific antibodies against SBD to study, which other nAChR subunits can co-assemble with SBD in receptor complexes of the Drosophila nervous system. Immunohistochemical studies in the adult optic lobe revealed that SBD has a distribution similar to that of the alpha-subunit ALS in the synaptic neuropil. The subunits ALS, D(alpha)2 and SBD can be co-purified by alpha-bungarotoxin affinity chromatography. Moreover, anti-SBD antibodies co-precipitate ALS and D(alpha)2 and, vice versa, ALS and D(alpha)2 antibodies co-immunoprecipitate SBD protein. Two-step immunoaffinity chromatography with immobilized antibodies against ALS and D(alpha)2 revealed the existence of nAChR complexes that include ALS, D(alpha)2 and SBD as integral components. Interestingly, the genes encoding these three subunits appear to be directly linked in the Drosophila genome at region 96 A of the third chromosome. In addition, SBD appears to be a component of a different receptor complex, which includes the ARD protein as an additional beta-subunit, but neither ALS nor D(alpha)2 nor the third alpha-subunit D(alpha)3. These findings suggest a considerable complexity of the Drosophila nicotinic receptor system.

Animals↗

Subunit specificity and interaction domain between GABA(A) receptor-associated protein (GABARAP) and GABA(A) receptors.

GABARAP (GABA(A) receptor-associated protein) interacts with both microtubules and GABA(A) receptors in vitro and in vivo and is capable of modulating receptor channel kinetics. In this study, we use the intracellular loop of 15 GABA(A) receptor subunits to show that the interaction between GABARAP and GABA(A) receptor is specific for the gamma subunits. Pharmacological characterization of proteins purified by GABARAP affinity column indicates that native GABA(A) receptors interact with GABARAP. Quantitative yeast two-hybrid assays were used to identify the interaction domain in the gamma2 subunit for GABARAP binding, and to identify the interaction domain in GABARAP for GABA(A) receptor binding. A peptide corresponding to the GABARAP interaction domain in the gamma2 subunit was used to inhibit the interaction between GABARAP and the gamma2 subunit. In addition, the ability of GABARAP to promote cluster formation of recombinant receptors expressed in QT-6 fibroblasts was inhibited by a membrane-permeable form of this peptide in a time-dependent manner. The establishment of a model for GABARAP-induced clustering of GABA(A) receptors in living cells and the identification of subunit specificity and interaction domains in the interaction between GABARAP and GABA(A) receptors is a step in dissecting the function of GABARAP in GABA(A) receptor clustering and/or targeting.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Mercury inhibition of neutrophil activity: evidence of aberrant cellular signalling and incoherent cellular metabolism.

Exposure to environmental heavy metals has been reported to affect the immune system. Here, we tested the hypothesis that Hg(+2), acting through membrane proteins, disrupts metabolic dynamics and downstream cell functions in human neutrophils. We found that HgCl(2) inhibited: (1) polarization and (2) immunoglobulin (Ig)G-mediated phagocytosis of sheep erythrocytes in a dose-dependent manner from 2.5 to 10 microM. Because these activities have been linked with pro-inflammatory signalling, we also studied the effects of HgCl(2) on intracellular signalling by measuring protein tyrosine phosphorylation. HgCl(2) at doses = 1 microM increased tyrosine phosphorylation. We also studied the effect of HgCl(2) on neutrophil metabolism by measuring NAD(P)H autofluorescence as an indicator of intracellular NAD(P)H concentration. After HgCl(2) treatment, we found that normal sinusoidal NAD(P)H oscillations became incoherent. We recently reported that the NAD(P)H oscillation frequency is affected by cell migration and activation, which can in turn be regulated by integrin-mediated signalling. Therefore, we examined the effects of HgCl(2) on cell surface distribution of membrane proteins. After exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of HgCl(2) we found that CR3, but not other membrane proteins (e.g. uPAR, Fc gamma RIIA and the formyl peptide receptor), became clustered on cell surfaces. We suggest that HgCl2 disrupts integrin signalling/functional pathways in neutrophils.

Animals↗

Clustering of delta glutamate receptors is regulated by the actin cytoskeleton in the dendritic spines of cultured rat Purkinje cells.

The interaction of neurotransmitter receptors with the cytoskeleton is an important mechanism for the targeting of receptors to the postsynaptic membrane. Using cytoskeleton-perturbing agents, it was demonstrated that delta glutamate receptors, predominantly expressed on the dendritic spines of cerebellar Purkinje cells, are anchored to the actin cytoskeleton. The number of delta glutamate receptor-immunoreactive clusters was dramatically decreased following treatment of the Purkinje cells with the actin-disrupting agents, cytochalasin D or latrunculin A, without any significant effect on the number of presynaptic contacts of the granule cell axons. The clusters disrupted by latrunculin A were re-established 24 h after removal of the drug. These results suggest that morphological changes in the actin cytoskeleton regulate the delta glutamate receptor clustering on the dendritic spines, and may affect synaptic efficacy and plasticity.

Actin Cytoskeleton↗

Microtubule depolymerization inhibits ethanol-induced enhancement of GABAA responses in stably transfected cells.

We studied whether microtubule organization is important for actions of ethanol on GABAA ergic responses by testing the effects of microtubule depolymerization on ethanol enhancement of GABA action in mouse L(tk-) cells stably transfected with GABAA receptor alpha 1 beta 1 gamma 2L subunits. The microtubule-disrupting agents colchicine, taxol, and vinblastine completely blocked ethanol-induced enhancement of muscimol-stimulated chloride uptake. beta-Lumicolchicine, a colchicine analogue that does not disrupt microtubules, had no effect on ethanol action. Colchicin did not alter the potentiating actions of flunitrazeparn or pentobarbital on muscimol-stimulated chloride uptakes. Thus, colchicine specifically inhibited the potentiating action of ethanol. From these findings, we conclude that intact microtubules are required for ethanol-induced enhancement of GABAA responses and suggest that a mechanism involving microtubules produces posttranslational modifications that are necessary for ethanol sensitivity in this cell system.

Animals↗

Ca2+/calmodulin-mediated regulation of agonist-induced sequestration of Gq protein-coupled histamine H1 receptors in human U373 MG astrocytoma cells.

We investigated the regulation by intracellular Ca2+ of agonist-induced sequestration of Gq protein-coupled histamine H1 receptors in human U373 MG astrocytoma cells. Histamine-induced sequestration of H1 receptors from the cell surface membrane was detected as the loss of [3H]mepyramine binding sites on intact cells accessible to the hydrophilic H1-receptor antagonist pirdonium. The changes in the pirdonium-sensitive binding of [3H]mepyramine were mirrored by changes in the subcellular distribution of H1 receptors detected by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The histamine-induced sequestration of H1 receptors did not occur in hypertonic medium, in which clathrin-mediated endocytosis is known to be inhibited, but was significantly accelerated in the absence of extracellular Ca2+ or in the presence of the calmodulin antagonists W-7 and calmidazolium. Inhibitors of protein kinase C (H-7 and GF109203X), Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (KN-62), or protein phosphatase 2B (FK506) did not alter the time course of H1-receptor sequestration. These results provide the first evidence that agonist-induced, clathrin-mediated sequestration of Gq protein-coupled receptors is transiently inhibited by Ca2+/calmodulin, with the result that receptors remain on the cell surface membrane during the early stage of agonist stimulation.

Astrocytoma↗

Interaction between GABAA receptor subunit intracellular loops: implications for higher order complex formation.

The majority of fast inhibitory neurotransmission in the CNS is mediated by the GABA type-A (GABAA) receptor, a ligand-gated chloride channel. Of the approximately 20 different subunits composing the hetero-pentameric GABAA receptor, the gamma2 subunit in particular seems to be important in several aspects of GABAA receptor function, including clustering of the receptor at synapses. In this study, we report that the intracellular loop of the gamma2 subunit interacts with itself as well as with gamma1, gamma3 and beta1-3 subunits, but not with the alpha subunits. We further show that gamma2 subunits interact with photolabeled pentameric GABAA receptors composed of alpha1, beta2/3 and gamma2 subunits, and calculate the dissociation constant to be in the micromolar range. By using deletion constructs of the gamma2 subunit in a yeast two-hybrid assay, we identified a 23-amino acid motif that mediates self-association, residues 389-411. We confirmed this interaction motif by inhibiting the interaction in a glutathione-S-transferase pull-down assay by adding a corresponding gamma2-derived peptide. Using similar approaches, we identified the interaction motif in the gamma2 subunit mediating interaction with the beta2 subunit as a 47-amino acid motif that includes the gamma2 self-interacting motif. The identified gamma2 self-association motif is identical to the interaction motif reported between GABAA receptor and GABAA receptor-associated protein (GABARAP). We propose a model for GABAA receptor clustering based on GABARAP and GABAA receptor subunit-subunit interaction.

Amino Acid Motifs↗