Suppression of cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase is essential to the Wnt/cGMP/Ca2+ pathway

J Biol Chem. 2006 Oct 13;281(41):30990-1001. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M603603200. Epub 2006 Aug 18.

Abstract

Novel downstream effectors sensing changes in intracellular concentrations of Ca2+ and cyclic GMP in response to activation of the Wnt/Frizzled-2 pathway were sought. Activation of Frizzled-2 suppressed protein kinase G activity while activating NF-AT-dependent transcription. Each of these responses was abolished by pertussis toxin and by knock-down of the expression of either Galphat2 or Galphao. Activation of NF-AT-dependent transcription in response to Wnt5a stimulation was suppressed by activation of protein kinase G and by buffering intracellular Ca2+. Elevation of intracellular cyclic GMP either by inhibition of cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase or by addition of 8-bromocyclic GMP was shown to activate protein kinase G, to block Ca2+ mobilization, as well as to markedly attenuate activation of NF-AT-dependent transcription in response to Wnt5a stimulation. Chemical inhibition of protein kinase G by Rp-8-pCPT-cGMP, conversely, was shown to provoke increased NF-AT gene transcription and Ca2+ mobilization in the absence of Wnt stimulation. Protein kinase G is shown to be a critical downstream effector of the noncanonical Wnt-Frizzled-2/cGMP/Ca2+ pathway.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Calcium / metabolism*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cyclic GMP / metabolism*
  • Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / metabolism*
  • Cytoplasm / metabolism
  • Enzyme Activation
  • Frizzled Receptors / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • NFATC Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Wnt Proteins / metabolism*
  • Wnt-5a Protein

Substances

  • Frizzled Receptors
  • Fzd2 protein, mouse
  • NFATC Transcription Factors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • Wnt Proteins
  • Wnt-5a Protein
  • Wnt5a protein, mouse
  • Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases
  • Cyclic GMP
  • Calcium