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Robert J. Lefkowitz

Bio: Robert J. Lefkowitz is an academic researcher from Howard Hughes Medical Institute. The author has contributed to research in topics: Receptor & G protein-coupled receptor. The author has an hindex of 214, co-authored 860 publications receiving 147995 citations. Previous affiliations of Robert J. Lefkowitz include University of Nice Sophia Antipolis & University of Stuttgart.


Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Insight is provided into GPCR regulation, the functional scope of prolyl hydroxylation is broadened, and the understanding of the cellular response to hypoxia is expanded.
Abstract: Agonist-induced ubiquitylation and degradation of heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding protein (G protein)-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play an essential role in surface receptor homeostasis, thereby tuning many physiological processes. Although beta-arrestin and affiliated E3 ligases mediate agonist-stimulated lysosomal degradation of the beta(2)-adrenergic receptor (beta(2)AR), a prototypic GPCR, the molecular cues that mark receptors for ubiquitylation and the regulation of receptor degradation by the proteasome remain poorly understood. We show that the von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor protein (pVHL)-E3 ligase complex, known for its regulation of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) proteins, interacts with and ubiquitylates the beta(2)AR, thereby decreasing receptor abundance. We further show that the interaction of pVHL with beta(2)AR is dependent on proline hydroxylation (proline-382 and -395) and that the dioxygenase EGLN3 interacts directly with the beta(2)AR to serve as an endogenous beta(2)AR prolyl hydroxylase. Under hypoxic conditions, receptor hydroxylation and subsequent ubiquitylation decrease dramatically, thus attenuating receptor degradation and down-regulation. Notably, in both cells and tissue, the abundance of endogenous beta(2)AR is shown to reflect constitutive turnover by EGLN3 and pVHL. Our findings provide insight into GPCR regulation, broaden the functional scope of prolyl hydroxylation, and expand our understanding of the cellular response to hypoxia.

146 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
02 Feb 2007-Science
TL;DR: The dual function of β-arrestins, limiting production of diacylglycerol (by receptor desensitization) while enhancing its rate of degradation, is analogous to their ability to recruit adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate phosphodiesterases to Gs-coupled β2-adrenergic receptors.
Abstract: Seven-transmembrane receptor (7TMR) signaling is transduced by second messengers such as diacylglycerol (DAG) generated in response to the heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide–binding protein Gq and is terminated by receptor desensitization and degradation of the second messengers. We show that β-arrestins coordinate both processes for the Gq-coupled M1 muscarinic receptor. β-Arrestins physically interact with diacylglycerol kinases (DGKs), enzymes that degrade DAG. Moreover, β-arrestins are essential for conversion of DAG to phosphatidic acid after agonist stimulation, and this activity requires recruitment of the β-arrestin–DGK complex to activated 7TMRs. The dual function of β-arrestins, limiting production of diacylglycerol (by receptor desensitization) while enhancing its rate of degradation, is analogous to their ability to recruit adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate phosphodiesterases to Gs-coupled β2-adrenergic receptors. Thus, β-arrestins can serve similar regulatory functions for disparate classes of 7TMRs through structurally dissimilar enzymes that degrade chemically distinct second messengers.

145 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The existence of a long lived nucleotide-sensitive agonist receptor complex in both turkey and frog erythrocyte membranes is demonstrated and qualitatively similar mechanisms of receptor adenylate cyclase coupling may be operative in these two widely studied model systems.

145 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Progesterone-induced decrease in the number of uterinealpha adrenergic receptors provides a potential explanation for the reduced alpha adrenergic contractile response to epinephrine in the progester one-primed myometrium.
Abstract: The effects of estrogen and progesterone on uterine alpha-adrenergic receptors were investigated by direct receptor-binding studies. Immature female rabbits were primed with estrogen by intramuscular injections for 4 days. Other rabbits were primed with progesterone by injections of estrogen for 4 days followed by injections of progesterone for 4 days. The alpha adrenergic antagonist, [3H]dihydroergocryptine, was used to directly assess the number and affinity of alpha adrenergic receptors in membranes derived from estrogen-and progesterone-primed uteri. Membranes from estrogen-primed uteri contained 257 +/- 52 fmol of [3H]dihydroergocryptine-binding sites per mg protein whereas membranes from progesterone-primed uteri contained 83 +/- 11 fmol of of binding sites per mg protein. This reduction of alpha adrenergic receptor-binding sites by progesterone was statistically significant (P less than 0.02). In contrast, no significant difference in the binding site affinity was observed between the estrogen- and progesterone-primed groups. The progesterone-induced decrease in the number of uterine alpha adrenergic receptors provides a potential explanation for the reduced alpha adrenergic contractile response to epinephrine in the progesterone-primed myometrium.

145 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that β-arrestin1 phosphorylation and function are modulated by an ERK-dependent negative feedback mechanism, and the results suggest that dephosphorylated β-Arrestin 1 mediates endocytosis-dependent ERK activation.

145 citations


Cited by
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28 Jul 2005
TL;DR: PfPMP1)与感染红细胞、树突状组胞以及胎盘的单个或多个受体作用,在黏附及免疫逃避中起关键的作�ly.
Abstract: 抗原变异可使得多种致病微生物易于逃避宿主免疫应答。表达在感染红细胞表面的恶性疟原虫红细胞表面蛋白1(PfPMP1)与感染红细胞、内皮细胞、树突状细胞以及胎盘的单个或多个受体作用,在黏附及免疫逃避中起关键的作用。每个单倍体基因组var基因家族编码约60种成员,通过启动转录不同的var基因变异体为抗原变异提供了分子基础。

18,940 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
19 Feb 1998-Nature
TL;DR: To their surprise, it was found that double-stranded RNA was substantially more effective at producing interference than was either strand individually, arguing against stochiometric interference with endogenous mRNA and suggesting that there could be a catalytic or amplification component in the interference process.
Abstract: Experimental introduction of RNA into cells can be used in certain biological systems to interfere with the function of an endogenous gene Such effects have been proposed to result from a simple antisense mechanism that depends on hybridization between the injected RNA and endogenous messenger RNA transcripts RNA interference has been used in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to manipulate gene expression Here we investigate the requirements for structure and delivery of the interfering RNA To our surprise, we found that double-stranded RNA was substantially more effective at producing interference than was either strand individually After injection into adult animals, purified single strands had at most a modest effect, whereas double-stranded mixtures caused potent and specific interference The effects of this interference were evident in both the injected animals and their progeny Only a few molecules of injected double-stranded RNA were required per affected cell, arguing against stochiometric interference with endogenous mRNA and suggesting that there could be a catalytic or amplification component in the interference process

15,374 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This approach provides two major advantages compared with other available methods: it uses an exact mathematical model of the ligand-binding system, thereby avoiding the possible biases introduced by several commonly used approximations and it uses a statistically valid, appropriately weighted least-squares curve-fitting algorithm with objective measurement of goodness of fit.

8,717 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
13 Oct 2000-Cell
TL;DR: Understanding of the complex signaling networks downstream from RTKs and how alterations in these networks are translated into cellular responses provides an important context for therapeutically countering the effects of pathogenic RTK mutations in cancer and other diseases.

7,056 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This review considers recent findings regarding GC action and generates criteria for determining whether a particular GC action permits, stimulates, or suppresses an ongoing stress-response or, as an additional category, is preparative for a subsequent stressor.
Abstract: The secretion of glucocorticoids (GCs) is a classic endocrine response to stress. Despite that, it remains controversial as to what purpose GCs serve at such times. One view, stretching back to the time of Hans Selye, posits that GCs help mediate the ongoing or pending stress response, either via basal levels of GCs permitting other facets of the stress response to emerge efficaciously, and/or by stress levels of GCs actively stimulating the stress response. In contrast, a revisionist viewpoint posits that GCs suppress the stress response, preventing it from being pathologically overactivated. In this review, we consider recent findings regarding GC action and, based on them, generate criteria for determining whether a particular GC action permits, stimulates, or suppresses an ongoing stressresponse or, as an additional category, is preparative for a subsequent stressor. We apply these GC actions to the realms of cardiovascular function, fluid volume and hemorrhage, immunity and inflammation, metabolism, neurobiology, and reproductive physiology. We find that GC actions fall into markedly different categories, depending on the physiological endpoint in question, with evidence for mediating effects in some cases, and suppressive or preparative in others. We then attempt to assimilate these heterogeneous GC actions into a physiological whole. (Endocrine Reviews 21: 55‐ 89, 2000)

6,707 citations