Human α-adrenoceptors (α-ARs) are a group of the seven transmembrane-spanning proteins that mediate many of the physiological and pathophysiological actions of adrenaline and noradrenaline. Although it is known that α-ARs are phosphoproteins, their specific phosphorylation sites and the kinases involved in their phosphorylation remain largely unknown. Using a combination of in silico analysis, mass spectrometry and site directed mutagenesis, we identified distinct α-AR phosphorylation patterns during noradrenaline- or phorbol ester-mediated desensitizations. We found that the G protein coupled receptor kinase, GRK2, and conventional protein kinases C isoforms α/β, phosphorylate α-AR during these processes. Furthermore, we showed that the phosphorylated residues are located in the receptor's third intracellular loop (S300, S323, T328, S331, S332, S334) and carboxyl region (S441, T442, T477, S486, S492, T507, S515, S516, S518, S543) and are conserved among orthologues but are not conserved among the other human α-adrenoceptor subtypes. Additionally, we found that phosphorylation in either the third intracellular loop or carboxyl tail was sufficient to regulate calcium signaling desensitization. By contrast, mutations in either of these two domains significantly altered mitogen activated protein kinase (ERK) pathway and receptor internalization, suggesting that they have differential regulatory mechanisms. Our data provide new insights into the functional repercussions of these posttranslational modifications in signaling outcomes and desensitization.

Upon agonist stimulation, -adrenergic receptors couple to G proteins, calcium signaling and protein kinase C activation; subsequently, the receptors are phosphorylated, desensitized, and internalized. Internalization seems to involve scaffolding proteins, such as -arrestin and clathrin. However, the fine mechanisms that participate remain unsolved. The roles of protein kinase C and the small GTPase, Rab9, in-AR vesicular traffic were investigated by studying -adrenergic receptor-Rab protein interactions, using Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), confocal microscopy, and intracellular calcium quantitation. In human embryonic kidney 293 cells overexpressing spp. red fluorescent protein (DsRed)-tagged -ARs and enhanced green fluorescent protein--tagged Rab proteins, pharmacological protein kinase C activation mimicked-AR traffic elicited by nonrelated agents, such as sphingosine 1-phosphate (i.e., transient -AR-Rab5 FRET signal followed by a sustained-AR-Rab9 interaction), suggesting brief receptor localization in early endosomes and transfer to late endosomes. This latter interaction was abrogated by blocking protein kinase C activity, resulting in receptor retention at the plasma membrane. Similar effects were observed when a dominant-negative Rab9 mutant (Rab9-GDP) was employed. When -adrenergic receptors that had been mutated at protein kinase C phosphorylation sites (S396A, S402A) were used, phorbol ester-induced desensitization of the calcium response was markedly decreased; however, interaction with Rab9 was only partially decreased and internalization was observed in response to phorbol esters and sphingosine 1-phosphate. Finally, Rab9-GDP expression did not affect adrenergic-mediated calcium response but abolished receptor traffic and altered desensitization. Data suggest that protein kinase C modulates-adrenergic receptor transfer to late endosomes and that Rab9 regulates this process and participates in G protein-mediated signaling turn-off.

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