scholarly journals Specific inhibition of GPCR-independent G protein signaling by a rationally engineered protein

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (48) ◽  
pp. E10319-E10328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Leyme ◽  
Arthur Marivin ◽  
Marcin Maziarz ◽  
Vincent DiGiacomo ◽  
Maria P. Papakonstantinou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
G Protein ◽  
Rational Design ◽  
G Protein Signaling ◽  
Guanine Nucleotide ◽  
Protein Signaling ◽  
Nucleotide Exchange ◽  
Protein Activation ◽  
Conserved Sequence ◽  
G Protein Activation

Activation of heterotrimeric G proteins by cytoplasmic nonreceptor proteins is an alternative to the classical mechanism via G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). A subset of nonreceptor G protein activators is characterized by a conserved sequence named the Gα-binding and activating (GBA) motif, which confers guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) activity in vitro and promotes G protein-dependent signaling in cells. GBA proteins have important roles in physiology and disease but remain greatly understudied. This is due, in part, to the lack of efficient tools that specifically disrupt GBA motif function in the context of the large multifunctional proteins in which they are embedded. This hindrance to the study of alternative mechanisms of G protein activation contrasts with the wealth of convenient chemical and genetic tools to manipulate GPCR-dependent activation. Here, we describe the rational design and implementation of a genetically encoded protein that specifically inhibits GBA motifs: GBA inhibitor (GBAi). GBAi was engineered by introducing modifications in Gαi that preclude coupling to every known major binding partner [GPCRs, Gβγ, effectors, guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitors (GDIs), GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs), or the chaperone/GEF Ric-8A], while favoring high-affinity binding to all known GBA motifs. We demonstrate that GBAi does not interfere with canonical GPCR-G protein signaling but blocks GBA-dependent signaling in cancer cells. Furthermore, by implementing GBAi in vivo, we show that GBA-dependent signaling modulates phenotypes during Xenopus laevis embryonic development. In summary, GBAi is a selective, efficient, and convenient tool to dissect the biological processes controlled by a GPCR-independent mechanism of G protein activation mediated by cytoplasmic factors.

scholarly journals Re-evaluating how low intrinsic efficacy and apparent bias for G protein activation relates to the improved side effect profiles of new opioid agonists

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward L. Stahl ◽  
Laura M. Bohn
Keyword(s):  
G Protein ◽  
Therapeutic Window ◽  
G Protein Signaling ◽  
Protein Signaling ◽  
Protein Activation ◽  
Biased Agonism ◽  
Intrinsic Efficacy ◽  
Cellular Environment ◽  
G Protein Activation ◽  
G Protein Coupled

AbstractIn a recent report by Gillis et al., 2020 (1), it was suggested that low intrinsic agonism, and not biased agonism, leads to an improvement in the separation of potency in opioid-induced respiratory suppression versus antinociception. Although the compounds that were tested have been shown to display G protein signaling bias in prior publications, the authors conclude that since they cannot detect biased agonism in their cellular signaling studies the compounds are therefore not biased agonists. Rather, they conclude that it is low intrinsic efficacy that leads to the therapeutic window improvement. Intrinsic efficacy is the extent to which an agonist can stimulate a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) response in a system. The designation of full agonist is made to compounds that produce the highest observable activation in a system (maximum intrinsic efficacy); agonists producing some fraction of that response are considered partial agonists. The maximum response window is determined by the cellular environment, receptor and effector expression levels, and the amplification readout of the system. Biased agonism takes into consideration not only intrinsic efficacy, but also potency (concentration required to reach half maximal efficacy) of an agonist in an assay. Herein, the data published in the aforementioned manuscript was used to rederive the intrinsic efficacy and bias factors as ΔΔlog(τ/KA) and ΔΔlog(Emax/EC50). Based on this reanalysis, the data does not support the conclusion that biased agonism, favoring G protein signaling, was not present. Further, these observations agree with prior studies wherein oliceridine, PZM21 and SR-17018 were first described as biased agonists with improvement in antinociception over respiratory suppression in mice. Therefore, introducing G protein signaling bias may be a means to improve opioid analgesia while avoiding certain undesirable side effects.

scholarly journals Interferonβ-1b Induces the Expression of RGS1 a Negative Regulator of G-Protein Signaling

2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiffany Tran ◽  
Pedro Paz ◽  
Sharlene Velichko ◽  
Jill Cifrese ◽  
Praveen Belur ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
G Protein ◽  
Mononuclear Cells ◽  
Immune Cell ◽  
Negative Regulator ◽  
G Protein Signaling ◽  
Protein Signaling ◽  
Peripheral Blood Mononuclear ◽  
Protein Activation ◽  
G Protein Activation ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis Patients

We present evidence of a link between interferonβ-1b (IFN-β) and G-protein signaling by demonstrating that IFN-β can induce the expression of the negative regulator of G-protein signaling 1 (RGS1). RGS1 reduces G-protein activation and immune cell migration by interacting with heterotrimeric G-proteins and enhancing their intrinsic GTPase activity. In this study, IFN-β treatment resulted in the induction of RGS1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), monocytes, T cells, and B cells. Induction of RGS1 by IFN-β was concentration dependent and observed at both the RNA and protein level. Other members of the RGS family were not induced by IFN-β, and induction of RGS1 required the activation of the IFN receptor. In addition, RGS1 induction was observed in PBMCs obtained from IFN-β-treated multiple sclerosis patients suggesting a possible, as yet unexplored, involvement of G-protein regulation in disease treatment. The upregulation of RGS1 by IFN-β has not been previously reported.

scholarly journals Endogenous modification of the chemoattractant CXCL5 alters receptor usage and enhances its activity toward neutrophils and monocytes

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (673) ◽  
pp. eaax3053
Author(s):  
Mieke Metzemaekers ◽  
Anneleen Mortier ◽  
Alessandro Vacchini ◽  
Daiane Boff ◽  
Karen Yu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Signaling Pathways ◽  
G Protein ◽  
Chemotactic Activity ◽  
G Protein Signaling ◽  
Protein Signaling ◽  
Agonist Activity ◽  
N Terminus ◽  
G Protein Coupled

The inflammatory human chemokine CXCL5 interacts with the G protein–coupled receptor CXCR2 to induce chemotaxis and activation of neutrophils. CXCL5 also has weak agonist activity toward CXCR1. The N-terminus of CXCL5 can be modified by proteolytic cleavage or deimination of Arg9 to citrulline (Cit), and these modifications can occur separately or together. Here, we chemically synthesized native CXCL5(1–78), truncated CXCL5 [CXCL5(9–78)], and the citrullinated (Cit9) versions and characterized their functions in vitro and in vivo. Compared with full-length CXCL5, N-terminal truncation resulted in enhanced potency to induce G protein signaling and β-arrestin recruitment through CXCR2, increased CXCL5-initiated internalization of CXCR2, and greater Ca2+ signaling downstream of not only CXCR2 but also CXCR1. Citrullination did not affect the capacity of CXCL5 to activate classical or alternative signaling pathways. Administering the various CXCL5 forms to mice revealed that in addition to neutrophils, CXCL5 exerted chemotactic activity toward monocytes and that this activity was increased by N-terminal truncation. These findings were confirmed by in vitro chemotaxis and Ca2+ signaling assays with primary human CD14+ monocytes and human THP-1 monocytes. In vitro and in vivo analyses suggested that CXCL5 targeted monocytes through CXCR1 and CXCR2. Thus, truncation of the N-terminus makes CXCL5 a more potent chemoattractant for both neutrophils and monocytes that acts through CXCR1 and CXCR2.

181 THE POTENTIAL ROLE OF NON-GENOMIC PATHWAYS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON THE REGULATION OF CALBINDIN-D9k IN VITRO

2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 189
Author(s):  
V. H. Dang ◽  
E.-B. Jeung
Keyword(s):  
Signaling Pathways ◽  
G Protein ◽  
Gh3 Cells ◽  
G Protein Signaling ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Protein Signaling ◽  
Calbindin D9k ◽  
Protein Expressions ◽  
Genomic Effects

Calbindin-D9k (CaBP-9k), a cytosolic protein, is one of the members of the family of vitamin D-dependent calcium-binding proteins with high affinity for calcium. The previous in vitro studies indicated that this gene is controlled by 17β-estradiol (E2), a physiological estrogen, via both genomic (through its classical nuclear receptors) and non-genomic (through different cypoplasmic signals) mechanisms. In order to provide a better understanding in molecular events by which E2 exerts its actions in the regulation of CaBP-9k, we employed GH3 cells as an in vitro model to examine the possible non-genomic effects of E2 on the induction of CaBP-9k. GH3 cells were treated dose-dependently (10–5, 10–6, 10–7, 10–8, and 10–9 m) with E2-BSA, a membrane-impermeable E2 conjugated with BSA, for 24 h. To examine the time dependency, the cells were also exposed to a high concentration (10–6 m) of E2-BSA and harvested at various time points (5 min, 15 min, 30 min, 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, and 48 h). Furthermore, in order to determine the potential involvement of non-genomic signaling pathways in E2-BSA-induced expression of CaBP-9k, several inhibitors also were employed, including ICI 182 780 for membrane estrogen receptor (ER) pathway, pertussis toxin (PTX) for G protein signaling, U0126 for ERK pathway, and wortmannin for Akt pathway. The non-genomic effects of E2-BSA on the induction of CaBP-9k mRNA and protein were determined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. In a dose-dependent manner, administration with E2-BSA (10–6 m) induced the highest response of CaBP-9k at transcriptional (mRNA) level, whereas protein level of CaBP-9k peaked at E2-BSA concentration (10–7 m) at 24 h. In a time course, E2-BSA (10–6 m) exposure caused a significant increase in both CaBP-9k mRNA and protein expressions as early as 15 min and peaked at 24 h. Co-treatment with ICI 182 780 and PTX completely inhibited E2-BSA-induced CaBP-9k mRNA and protein expressions. Interestingly, although co-treatments with U0126 and/or wortmannin alone failed to attenuate the effects of E2-BSA, a combination of 2 inhibitors completely reversed E2-BSA-induced CaBP-9k expressions at both transcriptional (mRNA) and translational (protein) levels, suggesting their involvement in the regulation of CaBP-9k in GH3 cells. Taken together, these results demonstrate that various signaling pathways may be involved in E2-induced regulation of CaBP-9k in which membrane ER and G protein signaling pathways play a central role in non-genomic responses. Further in vitro experiments are required to elucidate additional details of the interaction of ERK and Akt pathways in the regulation of CaBP-9k in these cells, offering a new insight into the mode of E2 action in the pituitary gland of human and wildlife.

scholarly journals Structural basis for GPCR-independent activation of heterotrimeric Gi proteins

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (33) ◽  
pp. 16394-16403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas A. Kalogriopoulos ◽  
Steven D. Rees ◽  
Tony Ngo ◽  
Noah J. Kopcho ◽  
Andrey V. Ilatovskiy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
G Protein ◽  
G Proteins ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Control Cell ◽  
Structural Basis ◽  
Common Mechanism ◽  
Hydrophobic Core ◽  
Nucleotide Exchange ◽  
Protein Activation ◽  
G Protein Activation

Heterotrimeric G proteins are key molecular switches that control cell behavior. The canonical activation of G proteins by agonist-occupied G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) has recently been elucidated from the structural perspective. In contrast, the structural basis for GPCR-independent G protein activation by a novel family of guanine-nucleotide exchange modulators (GEMs) remains unknown. Here, we present a 2.0-Å crystal structure of Gαi in complex with the GEM motif of GIV/Girdin. Nucleotide exchange assays, molecular dynamics simulations, and hydrogen–deuterium exchange experiments demonstrate that GEM binding to the conformational switch II causes structural changes that allosterically propagate to the hydrophobic core of the Gαi GTPase domain. Rearrangement of the hydrophobic core appears to be a common mechanism by which GPCRs and GEMs activate G proteins, although with different efficiency. Atomic-level insights presented here will aid structure-based efforts to selectively target the noncanonical G protein activation.

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