In neutrophils fMet-Leu-Phe activates phospholipase C via a pertussis toxin sensitive G-protein and induces granule secretion. We have transfected a human cDNA sequence encoding the tMet-Leu-Phe receptor into the insulin secreting cell line RINm5F to study receptor-effector coupling with special regard to secretion. Stable overexpression resulted in membrane hyperpolarization, reduction of cAMP accumulation and inhibition of insulin secretion upon exposure of cells to fMet-Leu-Phe with EC50 values in the pmol range. As in the neutrophil, nanomolar concentrations of ligand induced membrane depolarization and activation of phospholipase C, with subsequent mobilization and influx of calcium. In permeabilized cells the inhibitory effect of fMet-Leu-Phe on secretion was partially retained indicating a direct action of the fMet-Leu-Phe receptor on exocytosis. Pertussis toxin abolished the effects of fMet-Leu-Phe. Our results suggest conserved coupling from fMet-Leu-Phe receptor to pertussis toxin sensitive transducers analogous to the mechanism in neutrophils. However, the net biological effect of receptor activation is determined by additional factors intrinsic to the host cell.

In a previous study it was found that the expression of the exogenous fMet-Leu-Phe-receptor (NFPR) in the insulin-secreting cell line RINm5F mediates inhibition of hormone release and additionally raises cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) by activating phospholipase C (PLC) in a pertussis-toxin (PTX)-sensitive manner. We investigated whether an endogenous receptor could elicit similar effects and examined the interaction with PTX-insensitive signalling pathways. The hormone galanin inhibited insulin release at subnanomolar concentrations and increased [Ca2+]i, mainly by a PTX-sensitive mechanism with an EC50 (50 nM) comparable with that for hyperpolarization of membrane potential. The effect of galanin or fMet-Leu-Phe on [Ca2+]i was inhibited by pre-activation of the P2-receptor by ATP, which mobilizes calcium in a PTX-insensitive fashion. Simultaneous activation of the P2- and peptide receptors caused additive increases in [Ca2+]i saturating at a calcium concentration corresponding to the optimal ATP response. This suggests a specific convergence of PTX-sensitive and -insensitive pathways. In contrast, galanin and FMLP inhibited the insulin secretion induced by ATP (1-100 microM), but only when added prior to the nucleotide. In permeabilized cells, FMLP added after the calcium stimulus still inhibited secretion, indicating that the inefficacy observed in intact cells was not due to the rapid ATP-evoked rise in [Ca2+]i. Thus, (i) insulin-secreting cells possess an endogenous PTX-sensitive pathway mobilizing [Ca2+]i, (ii) inhibitory hormones preferentially activate different effectors depending on the agonist concentration and (iii) activation of NFPR or galanin receptor reveals an unusual dissociation between [Ca2+]i rises and insulin secretion, pointing towards an overriding inhibitory control of exocytosis.