Heterotrimeric G proteins regulate diverse cellular responses by coupling heptahelical receptors to intracellular effectors (11,25,35). Of the different ␣-subunits that have been analyzed thus far, the ␣-subunit of the heterotrimeric G protein G12 (G␣ 12 ) shows the most potent mitogenic and oncogenic activities (5, 35). The initial identification of G␣ 12 as the transforming oncogene in Ewing's sarcoma cell lines indicated the critical role of G␣ 12 in oncogenic signaling (5). Consistent with these observations, serum stimulation or mutational activation of G␣ 12 has been shown to stimulate mitogenic pathways in different cell types in addition to inducing neoplastic transformation of 35). NIH 3T3 cells transformed by the GTPase-deficient activated mutant of G␣ 12 (G␣ 12 Q229L, or G␣ 12 QL) show the characteristic oncogenic phenotype defined by the increased proliferation, anchorage-independent growth, reduced growth factor dependency, attenuation of apoptotic signals, and neoplastic cytoskeletal changes (35). Previously, we have shown that the neoplastic growth of NIH 3T3 cells mediated by the activated mutant G␣ 12 involves the expression several unique genes, including platelet-derived growth factor receptor ␣ (PDGFR␣) (25). This finding is of critical interest since the signaling pathways involving PDGFR have been strongly correlated with cell proliferation and neoplastic transformation (18), thus pointing to a possible role of PDGFR␣ in G␣ 12 QL-mediated oncogenic signaling pathways.The receptor kinases PDGFR␣ and PDGFR are activated by dimers of PDGF isoforms, PDGF-A, PDGF-B, PDGF-C, and PDGF-D (18). Distinct homo-or heterodimers of PDGFs activate specific homo-or heterodimers of PDGFR␣ and PDGFR in a tissue-specific and context-specific manner (18). The activation of PDGFRs, leading to their dimerization and transphosphorylation at specific tyrosine residues, provides docking sites for different effector molecules such as Shp, phospholipase C-gamma, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) (18). Overexpression of PDGFR␣ or PDGFR and the associated autocrine signaling pathways appear to play an etiological role in tumorigenesis and tumorangiogenesis of different neoplasms including basal cell carcinoma (45), gastrointestinal stromal tumors (17), and ovarian cancers (19,30). It has also been observed that PDGFR, specifically PDGFR, is transactivated by G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) stimulated by lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) (20), sphingosine-1 phosphate (2), serotonin (33), and angiotensin II (39). However, the underlying signaling mechanisms and the role of the specific G proteins in mediating such transactivation are not fully understood.In the present study, we demonstrate that G␣ 12 QL stimulates the expression and transactivation of PDGFR␣ in NIH 3T3 cells. The ability of transiently expressed G␣ 12 QL to stimulate the expression of PDGFR␣ in 1321N1 astrocytoma cells indicates that such a nexus between G␣ 12 and PDGFR␣ is not restricted to one specific cell type. Our results indicate that...