title: Receptor heterodimerization: essential mechanism for platelet-derived growth factor-induced epidermal growth factor receptor transactivation.
abstract: Previous studies showed that the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) can be transactivated by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) stimulation and that EGFR transactivation is required for PDGF-stimulated cell migration. To investigate the mechanism for cross talk between the PDGF beta receptor (PDGFbetaR) and the EGFR, we stimulated rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) with 20 ng of PDGF/ml. Transactivation of the EGFR, defined by receptor tyrosine phosphorylation, occurred with the same time course as PDGFbetaR activation. Basal formation of PDGFbetaR-EGFR heterodimers was shown by coimmunoprecipitation studies, and interestingly, disruption of this receptor heterodimer abolished EGFR transactivation. Breakdown of the heterodimer was observed when VSMC were pretreated with antioxidants or with a Src family kinase inhibitor. Disruption of heterodimers decreased ERK1 and ERK2 activation by PDGF. Although PDGF-induced PDGFbetaR activation was abolished after pretreatment with 1 microM AG1295 (a specific PDGF receptor kinase inhibitor), EGFR transactivation was still observed, indicating that PDGFbetaR kinase activity is not required. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that the PDGFbetaR and the EGFR form PDGFbetaR-EGFR heterodimers basally, and we suggest that heterodimers represent a novel signaling complex which plays an important role in PDGF signal transduction.
authors.affiliation: Center for Cardiovascular Research, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14642, USA.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haendeler
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hojo
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Berk
mesh_terms: D014013:1,2-Dihydroxybenzene-3,5-Disulfonic Acid Disodium Salt / Q000494:pharmacology; D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019281:Dimerization; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020239:Receptor Cross-Talk; D020797:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D019061:src-Family Kinases / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D014013:1,2-Dihydroxybenzene-3,5-Disulfonic Acid Disodium Salt; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D020797:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor beta; D019061:src-Family Kinases; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases; D000111:Acetylcysteine