Gßγ subunits inhibit Epac-induced melanoma cell migration.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Recently we reported that activation of Epac1, an exchange protein activated by cAMP, increases melanoma cell migration via Ca 2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). G-protein ßγ subunits (Gßγ) are known to act as an independent signaling molecule upon activation of G-protein coupled receptor. However, the role of Gßγ in cell migration and Ca 2+ signaling in melanoma has not been well studied. Here we report that there is crosstalk of Ca 2+ signaling between Gßγ and Epac in melanoma, which plays a role in regulation of cell migration. METHODS: SK-Mel-2 cells, a human metastatic melanoma cell line, were mainly used in this study. Intracellular Ca 2+ was measured with Fluo-4AM fluorescent dyes. Cell migration was examined using the Boyden chambers. RESULTS: The effect of Gßγ on Epac-induced cell migration was first examined. Epac-induced cell migration was inhibited by mSIRK, a Gßγ -activating peptide, but not its inactive analog, L9A, in SK-Mel-2 cells. Guanosine 5', α-ß-methylene triphosphate (Gp(CH2)pp), a constitutively active GTP analogue that activates Gßγ, also inhibited Epac-induced cell migration. In addition, co-overexpression of ß1 and γ2, which is the major combination of Gßγ, inhibited Epac1-induced cell migration. By contrast, when the C-terminus of ß adrenergic receptor kinase (ßARK-CT), an endogenous inhibitor for Gßγ, was overexpressed, mSIRK's inhibitory effect on Epac-induced cell migration was negated, suggesting the specificity of mSIRK for Gßγ. We next examined the effect of mSIRK on Epac-induced Ca 2+ response. When cells were pretreated with mSIRK, but not with L9A, 8-(4-Methoxyphenylthio)-2'-O-methyladenosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-pMeOPT), an Epac-specific agonist, failed to increase Ca 2+ signal. Co-overexpression of ß1 and γ2 subunits inhibited 8-pMeOPT-induced Ca 2+ elevation. Inhibition of Gßγ with ßARK-CT or guanosine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) (GDPßS), a GDP analogue that inactivates Gßγ, restored 8-pMeOPT-induced Ca 2+ elevation even in the presence of mSIRK. These data suggested that Gßγ inhibits Epac-induced Ca 2+ elevation. Subsequently, the mechanism by which Gßγ inhibits Epac-induced Ca 2+ elevation was explored. mSIRK activates Ca 2+ influx from the extracellular space. In addition, W-5, an inhibitor of calmodulin, abolished mSIRK's inhibitory effects on Epac-induced Ca 2+ elevation, and cell migration. These data suggest that, the mSIRK-induced Ca 2+ from the extracellular space inhibits the Epac-induced Ca 2+ release from the ER, resulting suppression of cell migration. CONCLUSION: We found the cross talk of Ca 2+ signaling between Gßγ and Epac, which plays a major role in melanoma cell migration.