Transcription of the c-fos proto-oncogene is greatly increased within minutes of administering purified growth factors to quiescent 3T3 cells. This stimulation is the most rapid transcriptional response to peptide growth factors yet described, and implies a role for c-fos in cell-cycle control. Transformation by c-fos may result from a temporal deregulation of this control.

Stimulation of 3T3 cells induces transcription of the c- fos proto-oncogene

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is a major mitogen for connective tissue cells and certain other cell types. It is a dimeric molecule consisting of disulfide-bonded, structurally similar A- and B-polypeptide chains, which combine to homo- and heterodimers. The PDGF isoforms exert their cellular effects by binding to and activating two structurally related protein tyrosine kinase receptors, denoted the alpha-receptor and the beta-receptor. Activation of PDGF receptors leads to stimulation of cell growth, but also to changes in cell shape and motility; PDGF induces reorganization of the actin filament system and stimulates chemotaxis, i.e., a directed cell movement toward a gradient of PDGF. In vivo, PDGF has important roles during the embryonic development as well as during wound healing. Moreover, overactivity of PDGF has been implicated in several pathological conditions. The sis oncogene of simian sarcoma virus (SSV) is related to the B-chain of PDGF, and SSV transformation involves autocrine stimulation by a PDGF-like molecule. Similarly, overproduction of PDGF may be involved in autocrine and paracrine growth stimulation of human tumors. Overactivity of PDGF has, in addition, been implicated in nonmalignant conditions characterized by an increased cell proliferation, such as atherosclerosis and fibrotic conditions. This review discusses structural and functional properties of PDGF and PDGF receptors, the mechanism whereby PDGF exerts its cellular effects, and the role of PDGF in normal and diseased tissues.

https://www.physiology.org/doi/pdf/10.1152/physrev.1999.79.4.1283

Mechanism of Action and In Vivo Role of Platelet-Derived Growth Factor

The steroid hormone estrogen regulates many functionally unrelated processes in numerous tissues. Although it is traditionally thought to control transcriptional activation through the classical nuclear estrogen receptors, it also initiates many rapid nongenomic signaling events. We found that of all G protein-coupled receptors characterized to date, GPR30 is uniquely localized to the endoplasmic reticulum, where it specifically binds estrogen and fluorescent estrogen derivatives. Activating GPR30 by estrogen resulted in intracellular calcium mobilization and synthesis of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate in the nucleus. Thus, GPR30 represents an intracellular transmembrane estrogen receptor that may contribute to normal estrogen physiology as well as pathophysiology.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/307/5715/1625.full.pdf

A transmembrane intracellular estrogen receptor mediates rapid cell signaling.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the phosphopeptide mapping and phosphoamino acid analysis by two-dimensional separation on thin-layer cellulose plates. Peptide mapping is a powerful technique used to help determine peptide structure and composition of proteins. Peptide maps or fingerprints of proteolyzed proteins are usually obtained by resolution on either one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), or by two-dimensional separation on thin-layer cellulose (TLC) plates. The most common applications of peptide mapping are (1) to compare proteins encoded by the same or related genes, (2) to prepare individual peptides for determining amino acid composition and sequence, and (3) to determine the precise location of amino acid residues that are posttranslationally modified by fatty acid acylation, glycosylation, methylation, acetylation, or phosphorylation.

Phosphopeptide mapping and phosphoamino acid analysis by two-dimensional separation on thin-layer cellulose plates.

Although nonclassical estrogen actions initiated at the cell surface have been described in many tissues, the identities of the membrane estrogen receptors (mERs) mediating these actions remain unclear. Here we show that GPR30, an orphan receptor unrelated to nuclear estrogen receptors, has all the binding and signaling characteristics of a mER. A high-affinity (dissociation constant 2.7 nm), limited capacity, displaceable, single binding site specific for estrogens was detected in plasma membranes of SKBR3 breast cancer cells that express GPR30 but lack nuclear estrogen receptors. Progesterone-induced increases and small interfering RNA-induced decreases in GPR30 expression in SKBR3 cells were accompanied by parallel changes in specific estradiol-17β (E2) binding. Plasma membranes of human embryonic kidney 293 cells transfected with GPR30, but not those of untransfected cells, and human placental tissues that express GPR30 also displayed high-affinity, specific estrogen binding typical of mERs. E2 treatm...

/pdf/identity-of-an-estrogen-membrane-receptor-coupled-to-a-g-1q7c16znmx.pdf

Identity of an Estrogen Membrane Receptor Coupled to a G Protein in Human Breast Cancer Cells

Estrogen rapidly activates the mitogen-activated protein kinases, Erk-1 and Erk-2, via an as yet unknown mechanism. Here, evidence is provided that estrogen-induced Erk-1/-2 activation occurs independently of known estrogen receptors, but requires the expression of the G protein-coupled receptor homolog, GPR30. We show that 17beta-estradiol activates Erk-1/-2 not only in MCF-7 cells, which express both estrogen receptor alpha (ER alpha) and ER beta, but also in SKBR3 breast cancer cells, which fail to express either receptor. Immunoblot analysis using GPR30 peptide antibodies showed that this estrogen response was associated with the presence of GPR30 protein in these cells. MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells (ER alpha-, ER beta+) are GPR30 deficient and insensitive to Erk-1/-2 activation by 17beta-estradiol. Transfection of MDA-MB-231 cells with a GPR30 complementary DNA resulted in overexpression of GPR30 protein and conversion to an estrogen-responsive phenotype. In addition, GPR30-dependent Erk-1/-2 activation was triggered by ER antagonists, including ICI 182,780, yet not by 17alpha-estradiol or progesterone. Consistent with acting through a G protein-coupled receptor, estradiol signaling to Erk-1/-2 occurred via a Gbetagamma-dependent, pertussis toxin-sensitive pathway that required Src-related tyrosine kinase activity and tyrosine phosphorylation of tyrosine 317 of the Shc adapter protein. Reinforcing this idea, estradiol signaling to Erk-1/-2 was dependent upon trans-activation of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor via release of heparan-bound EGF (HB-EGF). Estradiol signaling to Erk-1/-2 could be blocked by: 1) inhibiting EGF-receptor tyrosine kinase activity, 2) neutralizing HB-EGF with antibodies, or 3) down-modulating HB-EGF from the cell surface with the diphtheria toxin mutant, CRM-197. Our data imply that ER-negative breast tumors that continue to express GPR30 may use estrogen to drive growth factor-dependent cellular responses.

/pdf/estrogen-induced-activation-of-erk-1-and-erk-2-requires-the-siseon25ox.pdf

Estrogen-induced activation of Erk-1 and Erk-2 requires the G protein-coupled receptor homolog, GPR30, and occurs via trans-activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor through release of HB-EGF.

Tyrosine-specific phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor in hormonally stimulated A431 cells is blocked by three chemically distinct classes of tumor promoters. Tumor-promoting esters of the diterpene phorbol (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, beta-phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate, and beta-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate), indole alkaloids (teleocidin and lyngbyatoxin A), and polyacetates ( aplysiatoxin and debromoaplysiatoxin ) all inhibited EGF-stimulated phosphorylation of the receptor. Non-tumor-promoting analogs (beta-phorbol, alpha-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate, and hydrolyzed teleocidin) had no effect on the levels of receptor phosphorylation. The ED50 values of the inhibitory effect (0.1-3 ng/ml) reflected the relative tumor-promoting abilities of these compounds in vivo. None of the tumor promoters tested significantly decreased the overall specific binding of 125I-labeled EGF to A431 cells. Scatchard analysis, however, revealed two apparent EGF receptors in this cell type. The dose-responses for tumor-promoter inhibition of EGF receptor tyrosine phosphorylation and high-affinity EGF binding were similar, suggesting that the same initial event is responsible for both effects. This demonstrates a correlation between modulation of EGF receptor binding and phosphorylation of tyrosine by tumor promoters. The data suggest a possible role for protein kinase C, the putative cellular receptor for these tumor promoters, in the mechanism of action.

Tumor promoters block tyrosine-specific phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor

Protein kinases that phosphorylate the hydroxyl group of tyrosine residues of proteins have been implicated in cell transformation by some retroviruses and in regulation of normal cell growth by some polypeptide growth factors. To facilitate the identification of tyrosine kinase substrates, we developed monoclonal antibodies to the hapten azobenzylphosphonate. One of these antibodies, MA-2G8, proved to be especially attractive in that it bound a derivative of aminophenylphosphate, a close phosphotyrosine analog, with higher affinity than it bound the corresponding derivative of aminobenzylphosphonate; however, its affinity for phosphoserine was negligible. In this paper we describe the optimal conditions for using this antibody to isolate phosphotyrosine proteins, emphasizing particularly that its interaction with phosphotyrosyl proteins is sensitive to ionic detergents and to antibody density on the immunosorbent matrix. The antibody also bound ATP citrate lyase; this enzyme lacks phosphotyrosine but contains phosphohistidine, which is similar structurally to phosphotyrosine. By attaching the antibody at high density to Sepharose beads and omitting ionic detergents from the buffers, it was possible by microbatch immunoadsorption (followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) to isolate the 120,000-dalton transforming protein and several other phosphotyrosyl proteins from cells transformed by Abelson murine leukemia virus. Under the same conditions, phosphotyrosyl proteins were also isolated from human epidermal carcinoma cells (A431) that had been stimulated with epidermal growth factor; most prominent among these proteins was the 170,000-dalton receptor for epidermal growth factor.

Characterization and use of monoclonal antibodies for isolation of phosphotyrosyl proteins from retrovirus-transformed cells and growth factor-stimulated cells.

Evidence for the platelet-derived growth factor-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of the platelet-derived growth factor receptor in vivo. Immunopurification using a monoclonal antibody to phosphotyrosine.

http://www.jbc.org/content/262/21/10212.full.pdf

Frackelton Ar

Papers

Estrogen-induced activation of Erk-1 and Erk-2 requires the G protein-coupled receptor homolog, GPR30, and occurs via trans-activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor through release of HB-EGF.

Tumor promoters block tyrosine-specific phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor

Characterization and use of monoclonal antibodies for isolation of phosphotyrosyl proteins from retrovirus-transformed cells and growth factor-stimulated cells.

Evidence for the platelet-derived growth factor-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of the platelet-derived growth factor receptor in vivo. Immunopurification using a monoclonal antibody to phosphotyrosine.

Identification of Insulin Receptor Tyrosine Residues Autophosphorylated in Vitro