Roles of G-Protein βγ Arachidonic Acid and Phosphorylation in Convergent Activation of an S-Like Potassium Conductance by Dopamine Ala-Pro-Gly-Trp-NH2 and Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-NH2

摘要

Dopamine and the neuropeptides Ala-Pro-Gly-Trp-NH2(APGWamide or APGWa) and Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-NH2 (FMRFamide or FMRFa) all activate an S-like potassium channel in the light green cells of the mollusc Lymnaea stagnalis, neuroendocrine cells that release insulin-related peptides. We studied the signaling pathways underlying the responses, the role of the G-protein βγ subunit, and the interference by phosphorylation pathways. All responses are blocked by an inhibitor of arachidonic acid (AA) release, 4-bromophenacylbromide, and by inhibitors of lipoxygenases (nordihydroguaiaretic acid and AA-861) but not by indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor. AA and phospholipase A2 (PLA2) induced currents with similarI–V characteristics and potassium selectivity as dopamine, APGWa, and FMRFa. PLA2 occluded the response to FMRFa. We conclude that convergence of the actions of dopamine, APGWa, and FMRFa onto the S-like channel occurs at or upstream of the level of AA and that formation of lipoxygenase metabolites of AA is necessary to activate the channel. Injection of a synthetic peptide, which interferes with G-protein βγ subunits, inhibited the agonist-induced potassium current. This suggests that βγ subunits mediate the response, possibly by directly coupling to a phospholipase. Finally, the responses to dopamine, APGWa, and FMRFa were inhibited by activation of PKA and PKC, suggesting that the responses are counteracted by PKA- and PKC-dependent phosphorylation. The PLA2-activated potassium current was inhibited by 8-chlorophenylthio-cAMP but not by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA). However, TPA did inhibit the potassium current induced by irreversible activation of the G-protein using GTP-γ-S. Thus, it appears that PKA targets a site downstream of AA formation, e.g., the potassium channel, whereas PKC acts at the active G-protein or the phospholipase.