N. Bevan et al., NOCICEPTION ACTIVATES ELK-1 AND SAP1A FOLLOWING EXPRESSION OF THE ORL1 RECEPTOR IN CHINESE-HAMSTER OVARY CELLS, NeuroReport, 9(12), 1998, pp. 2703-2708
NOCICEPTIN stimulation of the ORL1 receptor expressed in Chinese hamst
er ovary (CHO) cells results in the activation of the extracellular si
gnal regulated kinases ERK1 and ERK2. ERK1/ERK2 activation is inhibite
d by pertussis toxin, the MEK inhibitor PD 98059 and by transient expr
ession of alpha-transducin, indicating that ORL1 up-regulation of thes
e kinases occurs as a consequence of the release of the G-protein beta
gamma complex following the activation of pertussis-toxin sensitive G
alpha(i)-family G-proteins. Using specific reporter genes we demonstr
ate that the transcription factors Elk-l and Sapla are activated in a
pertussis toxin-sensitive manner as a consequence of ORL1 upregulation
of ERK1/ERK2 to induce changes in gene expression. The activation of
these transcription factors is also inhibited following treatment with
PD 98059 and following coexpression of alpha-transducin. (C) 1998 Lip
pincott Williams & Wilkins.