Protein kinase A phosphorylation of spinophilin modulates its interaction with the alpha 2A-adrenergic receptor (AR) and alters temporal properties of alpha 2AAR internalization.
Spinophilin plays critical roles in regulating trafficking and signaling of the alpha(2)-adrenergic receptor (AR) both in vitro and in vivo (Wang, Q., Zhao, J., Brady, A. E., Feng, J., Allen, P. B., Lefkowitz, R. J., Greengard, P., and Limbird, L. E. (2004) Science 304, 1940-1944). In the present study, we demonstrate that protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylation of spinophilin modulates the spinophilin-alpha(2A)AR interaction to regulate alpha(2A)AR internalization. Activation of PKA by forskolin abolishes the agonist-enhanced interaction between spinophilin and the alpha(2A)AR, and this event can be blocked by Ser --> Ala mutations at the PKA phosphorylation sites of spinophilin. In addition, a Ser --> Asp mutation that mimics the phosphorylated state at the PKA phosphorylation site Ser-177, which is located within the alpha(2A)AR binding region of spinophilin, is sufficient to block the spinophilin-alpha(2A)AR interaction in intact cells. In cells expressing mutant spinophilin carrying the S177D mutation, agonist-induced internalization of the alpha(2A)AR is accelerated and enhanced, as revealed by both intact cell enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and quantitative immunofluorescent studies. Furthermore, activation of PKA by forskolin enhances agonist-induced internalization of the alpha(2A)AR in cells expressing wild type spinophilin, but not in cells lacking spinophilin or expressing the spinophilin mutant Sp177D. These results strongly support that PKA phosphorylation of spinophilin is functionally relevant in regulating alpha(2A)AR trafficking. Therefore, modulation of spinophilin-receptor interaction through phosphorylation of spinophilin may represent a novel mechanism whereby PKA regulates G protein-coupled receptor trafficking.
Xu
Jianmin
J
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
Chen
Yunjia
Y
Lu
Roujian
R
Cottingham
Christopher
C
Jiao
Kai
K
Wang
Qin
Q
D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005576:Colforsin / Q000494:pharmacology; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D051379:Mice; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000819:agonists / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000819:agonists / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D011485:Protein Binding; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000099273:Neurabins
D005576:Colforsin; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2; D000099273:Neurabins; C547769:Adra2a protein, mouse