Abstract. Interactions between μ-opioid receptor (μOR) and cannabinoid CB 1 receptor (CB 1 R) were examined by morphological and electrophysiological methods. In baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells coexpressing μOR fused to the yellow fluorescent protein Venus and CB 1 R fused to the cyan fluorescent protein Cerulean, both colors were detected on the cell surface; and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) analysis revealed that μOR and CB 1 R formed a heterodimer. Coimmunoprecipitation and Western blotting analyses also confirmed the heterodimers of μOR and CB 1 R. [D-Ala 2 ,N-Me-Phe 4 ,Gly 5 -ol]enkephalin (DAMGO) or CP55,940 elicited K + currents in Xenopus oocytes expressing μOR or CB 1 R together with G protein activated-inwardly rectifying K + channels (GIRKs), respectively. In oocytes coexpressing both receptors, either of which was fused to the chimeric Gα protein G qi5 that activates the phospholipase C pathway, both DAMGO and CP55,940 elicited Ca 2+ -activated Cl − currents, indicating that each agonist can induce responses through G qi5 fused to either its own receptor or the other. Experiments with endogenous G i/o protein inactivation by pertussis toxin (PTX) supported the functional heterodimerization of μOR/ CB 1 R through PTX-insensitive G qi5(m) fused to each receptor. Thus, μOR and CB 1 R form a heterodimer and transmit a signal through a common G protein. Our electrophysiological method could be useful for determination of signals mediated through heterodimerized G protein-coupled receptors.

We investigated the role of G protein coupled-receptor kinases (GRKs) in the desensitization of GABA B receptor-mediated signaling using Xenopus oocytes and baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells. Baclofen elicited inward K þ currents in oocytes coexpressing heterodimeric GABA B receptor, GABA B1a subunit (GB 1a R) and GABA B2 subunit (GB 2 R), together with G protein-activated inwardly rectifying K þ channels (GIRKs), in a concentration-dependent manner. Repetitive application of baclofen to oocytes coexpressing GABA B R and GIRKs did not change peak K þ currents in the first and second responses, but the latter responses were significantly attenuated by coexpression of either GRK4 or GRK5 with attenuation efficacy of GRK4 > GRK5. Coexpression of other GRKs including GRK2, GRK3, and GRK6 had no effect on GABA B receptor-mediated desensitization processes. In BHK cells coexpressing GRK4 fused to Venus (brighter variant of yellow fluorescent protein, GRK4-Venus) with GB 1a R and GB 2 R, GRK4-Venus was expressed in the cytosol but was translocated to the plasma membranes by GABA B R activation. In BHK cells coexpressing GRK4 fused to Cerulean (brighter variant of cyan fluorescent protein, GRK4-Cerulean) with GB 1a R and GB 2 R-Venus, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) analysis demonstrated that GRK4-Cerulean formed a protein complex with GB 2 R-Venus. Immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis confirmed GB 2 R-GRK4 complex formation. GRK5 also formed a complex with GB 2 R on the plasma membranes as determined by FRET and Western blotting but not GRK2, GRK3, and GRK6. Our results indicate that GRK4 and GRK5 desensitize GABA B receptor-mediated responses by forming protein complexes with GB 2 R subunit of GABA B R at the plasma membranes.

Coupling of functional GABAB receptors (GABABR) to G proteins was investigated with an expression system of baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells and Xenopus oocytes. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) analysis of BHK cells coexpressing GABAB1a receptor (GB1aR) fused to Cerulean, a brighter variant of cyan fluorescent protein, and GABAB2 receptor (GB2R) fused to Venus, a brighter variant of yellow fluorescent protein, revealed that GB1aR-Cerulean and GB2R-Venus form a heterodimer. The GABABR agonists baclofen and 3-aminopropylphosphonic acid (3-APPA) elicited inward-rectifying K+ currents in a concentration-dependent manner in oocytes expressing GB1aR and GB2R, or GB1aR-Cerulean and GB2R-Venus, together with G protein-activated inward-rectifying K+ channels (GIRKs), but not in oocytes expressing GB1aR alone or GB2R alone together with GIRKs. Oocytes coexpressing GB1aR + Gαi2-fused GB2R (GB2R-Gαi2) caused faster K+ currents in response to baclofen. Furthermore, oocytes coexpressing GB1aR + GB2R fused to Gαqi5 (a chimeric Gαq protein that activates PLC pathways) caused PLC-mediated Ca2+-activated Cl− currents in response to baclofen. In contrast, these responses to baclofen were not observed in oocytes coexpressing GB1aR-Gαi2 or GB1aR-Gαqi5 together with GB2R. BHK cells and Xenopus oocytes coexpressing GB1aR-Cerulean + a triplet tandem of GB2R-Venus-Gαqi5 caused FRET and Ca2+-activated Cl− currents, respectively, with a similar potency in BHK cells coexpressing GB1aR-Cerulean + GB2R-Venus and in oocytes coexpressing GB1aR + GB2R-Gαqi5. Our results indicate that functional GABABR forms a heterodimer composed of GB1R and GB2R and that the signal transducing G proteins are directly coupled to GB2R but not to GB1R.

S(+)-Ketamine suppressed the desensitization of GABABR-mediated signaling at least in part through inhibition of formation of protein complexes of GB2R with GRK 4 or 5.

Abstract. Baclofen, a GABA B -receptor (GABA B R) agonist has been proposed to be useful as therapeutic agent for the management of gastro-esophageal reflux disease, but whether the compound acts directly at the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) remains to be elucidated. We performed the present study to assess the presence of GABA B R in human LES. Western blot analysis showed that both proteins of GABA B1(a) /GABA B1(b) and GABA B2 subunits were present in the muscle layer of LES. Immunohistochemical findings showed that both GABA B1 -and GABA B2 -subunit proteins were located on the neurons within the myenteric plexus, and furthermore, both proteins were observed in the same neurons. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis also revealed the presence of mRNAs for both subunits of GABA B R and also mRNAs for 6 isoforms of GABA B1 subunits, from GABA B1(a) to GABA B1(g) , except GABA B1(d) , in human LES. Thus, the functional GABA B R-forming heterodimers with subunits of GABA B1 and GABA B2 are located on the myenteric neurons in human LES, suggesting that GABA B R agonists and antagonists act at least, at the level of the peripheral nervous system.