Cj. Vankoppen et al., ACTIVATION OF A HIGH-AFFINITY G(I) PROTEIN-COUPLED PLASMA-MEMBRANE RECEPTOR BY SPHINGOSINE-1-PHOSPHATE, The Journal of biological chemistry, 271(4), 1996, pp. 2082-2087
Sphingosine-1-phosphate (SPP) has attracted much attention as a possib
le second messenger controlling cell proliferation and motility and as
an intracellular Ca2+-releasing agent. Here, we present evidence that
SPP activates a G protein-coupled receptor in the plasma membrane of
various cells, leading to increase in cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration (
[Ca2+](i)), inhibition of adenylyl cyclase, and opening of G protein-r
egulated potassium channels, In human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells, SP
P potently (EC(50), 2 nM) and rapidly increased [Ca2+](i), in a pertus
sis toxin-sensitive manner. Pertussis toxin-sensitive increase in [Ca2
+](i) was also observed with sphingosylphosphorylcholine (EC(50), 460
nM), whereas other sphingolipids, including ceramide-1-phosphate, N-pa
lmitoyl-sphingosine, psychosine, and D-erythro-sphingosine at micromol
ar concentrations did not or only marginally increased [Ca2+](i). Furt
hermore, SPP inhibited forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation in HEK c
ells and increased binding of guanosine 5'-3-O(thio)triphosphate to HE
K cell membranes. Rapid [Ca2+](i) responses were also observed in huma
n transitional bladder carcinoma (J82) cells, monkey COS-1 cells, mous
e NIH 3T3 cells. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells, and rat C6 glio
ma cells, whereas human HL-60 leukemia cells and human erythroleukemia
cells failed to respond to SPP. In guinea pig atrial myocytes, SPP ac
tivated G(i) protein-regulated inwardly rectifying potassium channels,
Activation of these channel occurred strictly when SPP was applied at
the extracellular face of atrial myocyte plasma membrane as measured
in cell-attached and inside-out patch clamp current recordings, We con
clude that SPP, in addition to its proposed direct action on intracell
ular Ca2+ stores, interacts with a high affinity G(1) protein-coupled
receptor in the plasma membrane of apparently many different cell type
s.