The insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-IR) is a key regulator of cell proliferation and survival. Activation of the IGF-IR induces tyrosine autophosphorylation and the binding of a series of adaptor molecules, thereby leading to the activation of MAPK. It has been demonstrated that pertussis toxin, which inactivates the G i class of GTP-binding proteins, inhibits IGF-I-mediated activation of MAPK, and a specific role for G ␥ subunits in IGF-I signaling was shown. In the present study, we have investigated the role of heterotrimeric G i in IGF-IR signaling in neuronal cells. Pertussis toxin inhibited IGF-I-induced activation of MAPK in rat cerebellar granule neurons and NG-108 neuronal cells. G ␣i and G  subunits were associated with IGF-IR immunoprecipitates. Similarly, in IGF-IR-null mouse embryo fibroblasts transfected with the human IGF-IR, G i was complexed with the IGF-IR. G ␣s was not associated with the IGF-IR in any cell type. IGF-I induced the release of the G  subunits from the IGF-IR but had no effect on the association of G ␣i . These results demonstrate an association of heterotrimeric G i with the IGF-IR and identify a discrete pool of G ␥ subunits available for downstream signaling following stimulation with IGF-I.Many receptors are coupled to heterotrimeric GTP-binding proteins (G-proteins). Prototypic G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) 1 contain a seven-membrane spanning region (1). Activated GPCRs bind to G-proteins and induce the release of G ␥ subunits from G ␣ subunits, which allows for the exchange of GDP for GTP on the G ␣ subunit. Activated G i subunits and G ␥ heterodimers interact with numerous signaling effectors, including adenylyl cyclase, ion channels, protein kinases, and phospholipases (2-4).In addition to their role in fully differentiated cells, GPCRs have been linked to mitogenesis and development (5-8). A specific role for G i in the induction of mitogenesis has been highlighted by the use of pertussis toxin, which inactivates G i by ADP-ribosylation of the G ␣ subunit. However, G ␣ subunits from several classes of G-proteins are not strongly mitogenic. Rather G ␥ heterodimer subunits activate a series of nonreceptor tyrosine kinases, which in turn activates p21 ras and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (or MAPK). Thus, G ␥ subunits serve to bridge intracellular signaling of classical GPCRs and mitogenic tyrosine kinase receptors (RTKs).G i also appears to be involved in the mitogenic actions of RTKs. Pertussis toxin variably inhibits the metabolic actions of insulin, both in vitro and in vivo (9 -16), and the insulin receptor may associate with G i (17)(18)(19). Importantly, mice with targeted knockout of G i have defects in insulin signaling (20). EGF-dependent signaling is also impaired by pertussis toxin in rat hepatocytes (21-23) and other cells (24 -27).The insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-IR), which has strong homology to the insulin receptor, exists as an ␣ 2 - 2 -heterodimer and contains a cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase domain (28, 29). U...