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