A pertussis toxin-sensitive GTP-binding protein couples endothelin to phospholipase C in rat mesangial cells

The mechanisms of stimulation of phospholipase C (PLC) by endothelin, specifically the role of guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (GTP-binding proteins) in coupling the endothelin receptor to PLC, were investigated in rat mesangial cells. Endothelin-1 (ET) synergistically released inositol polyphosphates in the presence of the stimulatory GTP analogue guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTP gamma S) in permeabilized cells. In addition, in intact cells, pertussis toxin partially inhibited the stimulation of total inositol phosphates (IPn) by ET. Pertussis toxin also reduced the peak ET-stimulated intracellular free calcium level ([Ca2+]i) in these cells, both in the presence and absence of extracellular calcium. Pertussis toxin induced ADP ribosylation of a 41- to 43-kDa protein in mesangial cell membranes, and this effect was inhibited by prior exposure to ET and augmented by the inhibitory GDP analogue, guanosine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) (GDP beta S). Thus a pertussis toxin-sensitive GTP-binding protein is involved in the activation of PLC by ET in glomerular mesangial cells.