title: G-protein-coupled receptors, channels, and Na+-H+ exchanger in nuclear membranes of heart, hepatic, vascular endothelial, and smooth muscle cells.
abstract: The action of several peptides and drugs is thought to be primarily dependent on their interactions with specific cell surface G-protein-coupled receptors and ionic transporters such as channels and exchangers. Recent development of 3-D confocal microscopy allowed several laboratories, including ours, to identify and study the localization of receptors, channels, and exchangers at the transcellular level of several cell types. Using this technique, we demonstrated in the nuclei of several types of cells the presence of Ca(2+) channels as well as Na(+)-H(+) exchanger and receptors such as endothelin-1 and angiotensin II receptors. Stimulation of these nuclear membrane G-protein-coupled receptors induced an increase of nuclear Ca(2+). Our results suggest that, similar to the plasma membrane, nuclear membranes possess channels, exchangers and receptors such as those for endothelin-1 and angiotensin II, and that the nucleus seems to be a cell within a cell. This article will emphasize these findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, QC, Canada. Ghassan.Bkaily@Usherbrooke.ca
authors.forename: Ghassan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bkaily
authors.forename: Moni
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nader
authors.forename: Levon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Avedanian
authors.forename: Sana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Choufani
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jacques
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: D'Orléans-Juste
authors.forename: Fernand
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gobeil
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chemtob
authors.forename: Johny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Al-Khoury
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000378:metabolism; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000378:metabolism; D009685:Nuclear Envelope / Q000378:metabolism*; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000378:metabolism; D017923:Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D017923:Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers