The D2s Dopamine Receptor Stimulates Phospholipase D Activity: A Novel Signaling Pathway for Dopamine

  1. Susan E. Senogles
  1. Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee, Memphis, Tennessee

    Abstract

    The D2 dopamine receptor isoforms signal to a variety of cellular effectors in both the central nervous system and periphery. Two alternative splice forms of the D2 dopamine receptor exist, the D2s (short) and D2l (long), which has an insertion of 29 amino acids in the third intracellular loop (Dal Taso et al., 1989). In cells of the anterior lobe of the pituitary, D2 dopamine receptors (both forms) are present on lactotroph cells coupled to the inhibition of adenylyl cyclase, activation of voltage-gated calcium channels, and inhibition of potassium channels. We describe here a novel signaling pathway for the D2s, which is the activation of phospholipase D (PLD). GH4C1 cells, a clonal line derived from a rat pituitary tumor, were stably transfected with the gene encoding the D2s, generating GH4-121 cells. Treatment of GH4-121 cells with a dopaminergic agonist resulted in activation of PLD in both a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. This signaling pathway was not inhibited by prior treatment of cells with pertussis toxin at concentrations that ablate other D2s receptor signaling in this cell line. The stimulation of PLD activity by D2s appeared to correlate with the presence of a specific protein kinase C isoform, PKCε. The D2s stimulation of PLD activity was blocked by preincubation of cells with C3 exoenzyme, indicating that the stimulation of PLD may involve Rho family members. The stimulation of PLD by dopaminergic agonists took place in the absence of any detectable stimulation of phosphoinositide metabolism.

    Footnotes

    • Send reprint requests to: Dr. Susan E. Senogles, University of Tennessee, 858 Madison Ave. G01, Memphis, TN 28163. E-mail:ssenogles{at}utmem.edu

    • This work was supported by National Institutes of Health Grant NS 28811 and by a grant from the University of Tennessee Medical Group.

    • Abbreviations:
      PTX
      pertussis toxin
      PLD
      phospholipase D
      PKC
      protein kinase C
      PLC
      phospholipase C
      D2s
      D2 dopamine receptor, short form
      PtdEtOH
      phosphatidylethanol
      PC
      phosphatidylcholine
      PA
      phosphatidic acid
      TRH
      thyrotropin-releasing hormone
      4αPDD
      4α-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate
      4βPDD
      4β-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate
      PMA
      phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate
      DAG
      diacylglycerol
      NPA
      N-propylnorapomorphine
      C3 exoenzyme
      C3 exoenzyme of C. botulinum
      PAGE
      polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis
      IP
      inositol phosphate
      • Received January 27, 2000.
      • Accepted May 10, 2000.
    « Previous | Next Article »Table of Contents