The ion transporter Na-K-ATPase functions as a cell signal transducer that mediates ouabain-induced activation of protein kinases, such as ERK. While Na-K-ATPase composed of the α1-polypeptide is involved in cell signaling, the role of other α-isoforms (α2, α3, and α4) in transmitting ouabain effects is unknown. We have explored this using baculovirus-directed expression of Na-K-ATPase polypeptides in insect cells and ERK phosphorylation as an indicator of ouabain-induced signaling. Ouabain addition to Sf-9 cells coexpressing Na-K-ATPase α1- and β1-isoforms stimulated ERK phosphorylation. In contrast, expression of the α1- and β1-polypeptides alone resulted in no effect, indicating that the αβ-complex is necessary for Na-K-ATPase signaling. Moreover, the ouabain effect was sensitive to genistein, suggesting that Na-K-ATPase-mediated tyrosine kinase activation is a critical event in the intracellular cascade leading to ERK phosphorylation. In addition, the Na-K-ATPases α3β1- and α4β1-isozymes, but not α2β1, responded to ouabain treatment. In agreement with the differences in ouabain affinity of the α-polypeptides, α1β1 required 100- to 1,000-fold more ouabain to signal than did α4β1 and α3β1, respectively. These results confirm the role of the Na-K-ATPase in ouabain signal transduction, show that there are important isoform-specific differences in Na-K-ATPase signaling, and demonstrate the suitability of the baculovirus expression system for studying Na-K-ATPase-mediated ouabain effects.
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