Stimulation of oncogenic metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 in melanoma cells activates ERK1/2 via PKCepsilon.
Metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (Grm1, formerly mGluR1) is a G protein coupled receptor (GPCR) normally expressed and functional in the central nervous system. Studies of our transgenic mouse melanoma model (TG-3) revealed that ectopic expression of Grm1 in melanocytes is sufficient to induce melanoma development in vivo [P.M. Pollock, K. Cohen-Solal, R. Sood, J. Namkoong, J.J. Martino, A. Koganti, H. Zhu, C. Robbins, I. Makalowska, S.S. Shin, Y. Marin, K.G. Roberts, L.M. Yudt, A. Chen, J. Cheng, A. Incao, H.W. Pinkett, C.L. Graham, K. Dunn, S.M. Crespo-Carbone, K.R. Mackason, K.B. Ryan, D. Sinsimer, J. Goydos, K.R. Reuhl, M. Eckhaus, P.S. Meltzer, W.J. Pavan, J.M. Trent, S. Chen, Nat. Genet. 34 (2003) 108-112.]. We have established and characterized several cell lines in vitro from independent mouse melanoma tumors [Y.E. Marín, J. Namkoong, S.S. Shin, J. Raines, K. Degenhardt, E. White, S. Chen, Neuropharmacol. 49 (2005) 70-79.]. These cell lines are useful tools in the studies of signaling events that may be mediated by Grm1 in transformed melanocytes. Here we show that stimulation of Grm1 by l-quisqualate, a group I metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist, results in inositol triphosphate (IP3) accumulation, and the activation of ERK1/2 in these cell lines. IP3 accumulation and ERK1/2 activation were inhibited by pretreatment of the tumor cells with a Grm1-specific antagonist (LY367385) or by dominant negative mutants of Grm1, demonstrating the specificity of these events. We also show that ERK1/2 activation by Grm1 was PKC-dependent, but cAMP and PKA-independent. PKCepsilon was shown to play a pivotal role in Grm1-mediated ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Insights into the signaling cascades mediated by Grm1 in melanoma cells may aid in the identification of key molecular targets for the future design of combined therapies for melanoma.
Marín
Yarí E
YE
Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Department of Chemical Biology, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, 164 Frelinghuysen Rd., Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
Namkoong
Jin
J
Cohen-Solal
Karine
K
Shin
Seung-Shick
SS
Martino
Jeffrey J
JJ
Oka
Masahiro
M
Chen
Suzie
S
D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D005799:Genes, Dominant / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D015544:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009857:Oncogenes / Q000235:genetics*; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D051744:Protein Kinase C-epsilon / Q000378:metabolism*; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / Q000235:genetics; D016318:Quisqualic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / Q000378:metabolism*
D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate; C104077:metabotropic glutamate receptor type 1; D015544:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate; D016318:Quisqualic Acid; D000242:Cyclic AMP; C482120:Braf protein, mouse; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf; D051744:Protein Kinase C-epsilon; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases