Recently we have shown that the metabotropic glutamate 5 (mGlu5) receptor can be expressed on nuclear membranes of heterologous cells or endogenously on striatal neurons where it can mediate nuclear Ca 2؉ changes. Here, pharmacological, optical, and genetic techniques were used to show that upon activation, nuclear mGlu5 receptors generate nuclear inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP 3 ) in situ. Specifically, expression of an mGlu5 F767S mutant in HEK293 cells that blocks G q/11 coupling or introduction of a dominant negative G␣ q construct in striatal neurons prevented nuclear Ca 2؉ changes following receptor activation. These data indicate that nuclear mGlu5 receptors couple to G q/11 to mobilize nuclear Ca 2؉ . Nuclear mGlu5-mediated Ca 2؉ responses could also be blocked by the phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor, U73122, the phosphatidylinositol (PI) PLC inhibitor 1-O-octadecyl-2-O-methyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylcholine (ET-18-OCH 3 ), or by using small interfering RNA targeted against PLC1 demonstrating that PI-PLC is involved. Direct assessment of inositol phosphate production using a PIP2/IP 3 "biosensor" revealed for the first time that IP 3 can be generated in the nucleus following activation of nuclear mGlu5 receptors. Finally, both IP 3 and ryanodine receptor blockers prevented nuclear mGlu5-mediated increases in intranuclear Ca 2؉ . Collectively, this study shows that like plasma membrane receptors, activated nuclear mGlu5 receptors couple to G q/11 and PLC to generate IP 3 -mediated release of Ca 2؉ from Ca 2؉ -release channels in the nucleus. Thus the nucleus can function as an autonomous organelle independent of signals originating in the cytoplasm, and nuclear mGlu5 receptors play a dynamic role in mobilizing Ca 2؉ in a specific, localized fashion.
Many cells produce Ca2ϩ signals both in the cytoplasm as well as the nucleus. Nuclear Ca 2ϩ is thought to play a vital role in a variety of nuclear functions such as cell division, proliferation, protein import, apoptosis, and gene transcription (1).Nuclear Ca 2ϩ may be mobilized from a number of sources including diffusion of cytosolic Ca 2ϩ waves through nuclear pore complexes (2), release into the nucleoplasm from the nuclear lumen (3, 4), or release from the so-called nucleoplasmic reticulum, invaginations of the nuclear envelope into the nucleoplasm itself (5). Presumably Ca 2ϩ release from the lumen of the nuclear membrane and/or the nucleoplasmic reticulum would either amplify Ca 2ϩ signals arriving via the nuclear pore complex and/or independently generate nucleoplasmic Ca 2ϩ transients. Such a model of nuclear Ca 2ϩ release is bolstered by data documenting the presence and activation of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP 3 Rs) 2 and ryanodine receptors (RyRs) on inner nuclear membranes and the nucleoplasmic reticulum (3, 4, 6 -9). Thus these Ca 2ϩ -release channels are perfectly poised to independently regulate nucleoplasmic Ca 2ϩ levels.Despite the importance of IP 3 Rs and RyRs in controlling the release of nuclear Ca 2ϩ , very little ...