Many extracellular signals are at the cell surface received by specific receptors, which upon activation transduce information to the appropriate cellular effector molecules via trimeric G proteins. The G protein-mediated cascades ultimately lead to the highly refined regulation of systems such as sensory perception, cell growth, and hormonal regulation. Transmembrane signaling may be seriously deranged in various pathophysiological conditions. Over the last two decades the major experimental effort of our group has been devoted to better understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying transmembrane signaling regulated by G proteins and to the closely related process of desensitization of hormone response. This review provides general information about the basic principles of G protein-regulated transmembrane signaling as well as about our contribution to the current progress in the field.
b1_Large number of extracellular signals is received by plasma membrane receptors which, upon activation, transduce information into the target cell interior via trimeric G-proteins (GPCRs) and induce activation or inhibition of adenylyl cyclase enzyme activity (AC). Receptors for opioid drugs such as morphine ( μ-OR, δ-OR and κ-OR) belong to rhodopsin family of GPCRs. Our recent results indicated a specific up-regulation of AC I (8-fold) and AC II (2.5-fold) in plasma membranes (PM) isolated from rat brain cortex exposed to increasing doses of morphine (10-50 mg/kg) for 10 days. Increase of ACI and ACII represented the specific effect as the amount of ACIII-ACIX, prototypical PM marker Na, K-ATPase and trimeric G-protein α and β subunits was unchanged. The up-regulation of ACI and ACII faded away after 20 days since the last dose of morphine. Proteomic analysis of these PM indicated that the brain cortex of morphine-treated animals cannot be regarded as being adapted to this drug because significant up-regulation of proteins functionally related to oxidativ e stress and alteration of brain energy metabolism occurred. The number of δ-OR was increased 2-fold and their sensitivity to monovalent cations was altered. Characterization of δ-OR-G-protein coupling in model HEK293 cell line indicated high ability of lithium to support affinity of δ-OR response to agonist stimulation. Our studies of PM structure and function in context with desensitization of GPCRs action were extended by data indicating part icipation of cholesterol-enriched membrane domains in agonist-specific internalization of δ-OR. In HEK293 cells stably expressing δ-OR-G i 1 α fusion protein, depletion of PM cholesterol was associated with the decrease in affinity of G-protein response to agonist stimulation, whereas maximum response was unchanged., b2_drophobic interior of isolated PM became more “fluid”, chaotically organized and accessible to water molecules. Validity of this conclusion was supported by the analysis of an immediate PM environment of cholesterol molecules in living δ -OR-G i 1 α-HEK293 cells by fluorescent probes 22- and 25-NBD-cholesterol. The alteration of plasma membrane structure by cholesterol depletion made the membrane more hydrated. Unders tanding of the positive and negative feedback regulatory loops among different OR-initiated signaling cascades (μ-, δ -, and κ-OR) is crucial for understanding of the long-term mechanisms of drug addiction as the decrease in functional activity of μ-OR may be compensated by increase of δ-OR and/or κ-OR signaling., H. Ujčíková ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
The present paper is an extension to our earlier publication
(Šochman et al. 2016) documenting a beneficial effect of renal
sympathetic denervation on pharmacologically uncontrollable
hypertension in a group of seven patients followed up for
1-2 years post-procedure. The same patients remained on
ambulatory follow-up for another 5-6 years, with the beneficial
effect persisting throughout the follow-up period while on the
same medication.
Low-density membrane-domain fractions were prepared from S49 lymphoma cells and clone e2m11 of HEK293 cells expressing a large number of thyrotropin-releasing hormone receptor (TRH-R) and G11 by flotation on sucrose density gradients. The intact cell structure was broken by detergent-extraction, alkaline-treatment or drastic homogenization. Three types of low-density membranes were resolved by two-dimensional electrophoresis and analyzed for Gsα (S49) or Gqα/G11 (e2m11) content. Four individual immunoblot signals of Gsα protein were identified in S49 lymphoma cells indicating complete resolution of the long GsαL±ser and short GsαS±ser variants of Gsα. All these were diminished by prolonged agonist (isoprenaline) stimulation. In e2m11-HEK cells, five different immunoblot signals were detected indicating post-translational modification of G proteins of Gqα/G11α family. The two major spots corresponding to exogenously (over)expressed G11α and endogenous Gqα were reduced; the minor spots diminished by hormonal stimulation. Parallel analysis by silver staining of the total protein content indicated that no major changes in protein composition occurred under these conditions. Our data thus indicate that agonist-stimulation of target cells results in down-regulation of all different members of Gs and Gq/G11 families. This agonist-specific effect may be demonstrated in crude membrane as well as domain/raft preparations and it is not accompanied by changes in overall protein composition.
The circadian rhythms of many behavioral and physiological functions are regulated by the major circadian pacemaker in the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Long-term opiate addiction and drug withdrawal may affect circad ian rhythmicity of various hormones or the sleep/activity pattern of many experimental subjects; however, limited research has been done on the long -term effects of sustained opiate administration on the intrinsic rhythmicity in the suprachiasmatic nucleus and pineal gland. Here we compared the effects of repeated daily treatment of rats with morphine or methadone and subsequent naloxone-precipitated withdrawal on the expression of the Per1, Per2, and Avp mRNAs in the suprachiasmatic nucleus and on arylalky lamine N-acetyltransferase activity in the pineal gland. We revealed that 10-day administration and withdrawal of both these drugs failed to affect clock genes and Avp expression in the SCN. Our results indicate that opioid-induced changes in behavioral a nd physiological rhythms originate in brain structures downstream of the suprachiasmatic nucleus regulatory output pathway. Furthermore, we observed that acute withdrawal from methadone markedly extended the period of high night AA -NAT activity in the pine al gland. This suggests that withdrawal from methadone, a widely used drug for the treatment of opioid dependence, may have stronger impact on melatonin synthesis than withdrawal from morphine., D. Pačesová, J. Novotný, Z. Bendová., and Obsahuje bibliografii