The Journal of general physiology
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Gq protein-coupled receptors (GqPCRs) of the plasma membrane activate the phospholipase C (PLC) signaling cascade. PLC cleaves the membrane lipid phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) into the second messengers diacylgycerol (DAG) and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3), leading to calcium release, protein kinase C (PKC) activation, and in some cases, PIP2 depletion. We determine the kinetics of each of these downstream endpoints and also ask which is responsible for the inhibition of KCNQ2/3 (KV7.2/7.3) potassium channels in single living tsA-201 cells. ⋯ Physiol. http://dx.doi.org/10.1085/jgp.201210886), we extend our kinetic model for signaling from M1Rs to DAG/PKC and IP3/calcium signaling. We conclude that calcium/CaM and PKC-mediated phosphorylation do not underlie dynamic KCNQ2/3 channel inhibition during GqPCR activation in tsA-201 cells. Finally, our experimental data provide indirect evidence for cleavage of PI(4)P by PLC in living cells, and our modeling revisits/explains the concept of receptor reserve with measurements from all steps of GqPCR signaling.
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Gq-coupled plasma membrane receptors activate phospholipase C (PLC), which hydrolyzes membrane phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) into the second messengers inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (DAG). This leads to calcium release, protein kinase C (PKC) activation, and sometimes PIP2 depletion. To understand mechanisms governing these diverging signals and to determine which of these signals is responsible for the inhibition of KCNQ2/3 (KV7.2/7.3) potassium channels, we monitored levels of PIP2, IP3, and calcium in single living cells. ⋯ These differences can be attributed purely to differences in receptor abundance. Full amplitude calcium responses can be elicited even after PIP2 was partially depleted by overexpressed inducible phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphatases, suggesting that very low amounts of IP3 suffice to elicit a full calcium release. Hence, weak PLC activation can elicit robust calcium signals without net PIP2 depletion or KCNQ2/3 channel inhibition.