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Ras-dependent activation of fibroblast mitogen-activated protein kinase by 5-HT1A receptor via a G protein beta

M N Garnovskaya1, T van Biesen, B Hawe

  • 1Department of Medicine (Nephrology and Cardiology), Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.

Biochemistry
|October 29, 1996
PubMed

Insights

Serotonin (5-HT) activates the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway via the 5-HT1A receptor. This process involves specific G protein subunits and kinases, converging with receptor tyrosine kinase pathways.

Area of Science:

  • Cellular signaling pathways
  • Molecular biology
  • Receptor pharmacology

Background:

  • Serotonin (5-HT) acts as a mitogen in various cell types, often mediated by pertussis toxin-sensitive G proteins.
  • Understanding the specific signaling cascades initiated by G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) like the 5-HT1A receptor is crucial for elucidating cellular growth regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To delineate the specific molecular components involved in the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) by the human G protein-coupled 5-HT1A receptor.
  • To investigate the signaling pathway downstream of the 5-HT1A receptor in a stably transfected CHO-K1 cell line.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized pharmacological inhibitors and dominant-negative signaling constructs to probe the MAPK activation pathway.
  • Employed stable transfection of CHO-K1 cells with the human 5-HT1A receptor for experimental analysis.

Main Results:

  • MAPK activation by the 5-HT1A receptor does not directly involve protein kinase C (PKC) but requires pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein beta gamma-subunits.
  • The pathway necessitates a staurosporine- and genistein-sensitive protein kinase, phosphoinositide-3'-kinase (PI3K) activity, and the activation of Sos within a complex containing Shc proteins and Grb2.
  • p21Ras and p74Raf-1 are essential components, indicating a convergence of the 5-HT1A receptor pathway with receptor tyrosine kinase signaling.

Conclusions:

  • The 5-HT1A receptor mediates MAPK activation through a defined pathway involving G protein subunits, PI3K, Ras/Raf signaling cascade.
  • This pathway converges with signaling cascades typically activated by receptor tyrosine kinases, highlighting a shared mechanism for growth factor signaling.

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