Agonist-induced translocation of gq/11 immunoreactivity directly from plasma membrane in mdck cells. Arthur, John M., Georgiann P. Collinsworth, Thomas W. Gettys and John R. Raymond. The University of Louisville_, Louisville, KY 40202 and The Medical University of South Carolina&, Charleston, South Carolina 29425
APStracts 5:0217F, 1998.
Gs and Gq are both palmitoylated and both can move from a crude membrane fraction to a soluble fraction in response to stimulation with agonists. This response may be mediated through depalmitoylation. Previous studies have not demonstrated that endogenous G protein -subunits are released directly from plasma membrane. We have examined the effect of agonist stimulation on the location of Gq/11 immunoreactivity in MDCK cells. Bradykinin (BK, 0.1 M) caused Gq/11, but not Gi, to rapidly translocate from purified plasma membranes to the supernatant. AlF and GTP also caused translocation of Gq/11 immunoreactivity from purified plasma membranes. BK caused translocation of Gq/11 immunoreactivity in intact cells from the basal and lateral plasma membranes to an intracellular compartment as assessed by confocal microscopy. Thus, Gq/11 is released directly from the plasma membrane to an intracellular location in response to activation by agonist and direct activation of G proteins. G protein translocation may be a mechanism for desensitization or for signaling specificity.

Received 7 May 1998; accepted in final form 10 December 1998.
APS Manuscript Number F108-8.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Renal Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1998 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 18 December 1998