Selective inhibition of alpha1A-adrenergic receptor signaling by RGS2 association with the receptor third intracellular loop.
Regulators of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins act directly on Galpha subunits to increase the rate of GTP hydrolysis and to terminate signaling. However, the mechanisms involved in determining their specificities of action in cells remain unclear. Recent evidence has raised the possibility that RGS proteins may interact directly with G-protein-coupled receptors to modulate their activity. By using biochemical, fluorescent imaging, and functional approaches, we found that RGS2 binds directly and selectively to the third intracellular loop of the alpha1A-adrenergic receptor (AR) in vitro, and is recruited by the unstimulated alpha1A-AR to the plasma membrane in cells to inhibit receptor and Gq/11 signaling. This interaction was specific, because RGS2 did not interact with the highly homologous alpha1B- or alpha1D-ARs, and the closely related RGS16 did not interact with any alpha1-ARs. The N terminus of RGS2 was required for association with alpha1A-ARs and inhibition of signaling, and amino acids Lys219, Ser220, and Arg238 within the alpha1A-AR i3 loop were found to be essential for this interaction. These findings demonstrate that certain RGS proteins can directly interact with preferred G-protein-coupled receptors to modulate their signaling with a high degree of specificity.
Hague
Chris
C
Department of Pharmacology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA. chague@emory.edu
Bernstein
Leah S
LS
Ramineni
Suneela
S
Chen
Zhongjian
Z
Minneman
Kenneth P
KP
Hepler
John R
JR
D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D001665:Binding Sites; D002460:Cell Line; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D043802:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gq-G11 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D025941:Protein Interaction Mapping; D021381:Protein Transport; D020710:RGS Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014162:Transfection
C547713:ADRA1A protein, human; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D020710:RGS Proteins; C087182:RGS2 protein, human; D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D043802:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gq-G11