G protein coupled receptors, G proteins and their downstream effectors adenylyl cyclase (ACs) were thought to transiently interact at the plasma membrane by random collisions following agonist stimulation. However a growing number of studies have suggested that a major revision of this paradigm was necessary to account for signal transduction specificity and efficiency. The revised model suggests that signalling proteins are pre-assembled as stable macromolecular complexes together with modulators of their activity prior to receptor activation. How and where these signalling complexes form and the mechanisms governing their assembly and maintenance are not completely understood yet. Initially, we addressed this question by exploring AC2 interaction with beta2-adrenergic receptors (beta2ARs) and heterotrimeric G proteins as parts of a pre-assembled signalling complex. Using a combination of biophysical and biochemical techniques, we showed that AC2 interacts with them before it is trafficked to the cell surface in transfected HEK-293 cells. These interactions are constitutive and do not require stimulation by receptor agonists. Furthermore, the use of dominant-negative Rab/Sar monomeric GTPases and dominant-negative heterotrimeric G protein subunits proved that AC2/beta2AR and AC2/Gbetagamma interactions occurred in the ER as measured using both BRET and co-immunoprecipitation experiments, while interaction of the Galpha subunits with the above complexes occurred at a slightly later stage. Both Galpha and Gbetagamma played a role in stabilizing these complexes. Our data also demonstrated that stimulation of AC was still possible when the complex remained on the inside of the cell but was reduced when the GalphaS/AC2 interaction was blocked, suggesting that the addition of the GalphaS subunit was required to render the nascent complexes functional prior to trafficking to proper sites of action. Next, we tackled the issue of higher order assembly of effectors and G proteins, using two different AC isoforms and GalphaS as a model. We demonstrated that AC2 can form heterodimers with AC5 through direct molecular interaction in unstimulated HEK-293 cells. AC2/5 heterodimerization resulted in a reduced total level of AC2 expression, which affected cellular accumulation of cAMP upon forskolin stimulation. The AC2/5 complex was stable in presence of receptor or forskolin stimulation. We provided evidence that co-expression with GalphaS increased the affinity of AC2 for AC5 as monitored by BRET. In particular, the complex formed by AC2/5 lead to synergistic accumulation of cAMP in presence of GalphaS and forskolin, with respect to either of the parent AC isoforms themselves. Finally, we also showed that this complex can be detected in native tissues, as AC2 and AC5 could be co-immunoprecipiated from lysates of mouse heart. Taken together, we provided evidence for stable formation of signalling complexes involving receptor/G proteins/adenylyl cyclase or G proteins/heterodimeric adenylyl cyclases and that G proteins play a crucial role for their assembly and function.

No description available.

O hormônio tireoidiano (HT) é essencial para o desenvolvimento, maturação e metabolismo ósseos, enquanto que o sistema nervoso simpático (SNS) é, também, um potente regulador do remodelamento ósseo. Demonstrou-se que SNS regula negativamente a massa óssea, agindo via receptores ?2-adrenérgicos (?2-AR), expressos em osteoblastos. O nosso grupo demonstrou que os receptores ?2 adrenérgicos (?2-AR) também medeiam ações do SNS no esqueleto e que são expressos em osteoblastos, osteócitos, condrócitos e osteoclastos. Considerando-se que o HT interage com o SNS para regular uma série de processos fisiológicos, e que o excesso de HT e a ativação do SNS causam perda de massa óssea, levantamos a hipótese de que há interação entre o HT com o SNS para regular a massa óssea. Estudos do nosso grupo vêm sustentando essa hipótese, uma vez que camundongos com inativação gênica dos receptores beta2-AR apresentam resistência à osteopenia induzida por doses tóxicas de HT. Considerando-se, ainda, que a interação do HT com o SNS em vários tecidos e/ou órgãos depende da sinalização beta2 adrenérgica, o presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar se a interação do HT com o SNS para regular a morfofisiologia óssea envolve o beta2-AR. Para tanto, estudamos o efeito de 10x e 20x a dose fisiológica de triiodotironina (3,5ug ou 7.0ug de T3/100g de massa corporal/dia, respectivamente), por 90 dias, na microaquitetura óssea e em parâmetros biomecânicos do fêmur de camundongos com inativação gênica do beta2-AR (beta2-AR-/-), e nos seus respectivos Selvagens (Selv), os camundongos da linhagem FVB. Como esperado, o tratamento com T3 promoveu efeitos deletérios na microarquitetura trabecular das fêmeas Selv, enquanto alguns desses efeitos foram mais brandos ou inexistentes nos animais beta2-AR-/-, revelando resistência do osso trabecular dos animais knockout (KO) aos efeitos deletérios da tireotoxicose. Em contraste, a microarquitetura femoral dos camundongos machos beta2-AR-/- se mostrou mais sensível aos efeitos deletérios da tireotoxicose, em relação aos respectivos Selv. Quanto ao osso cortical femoral, vimos que o tratamento com T3 aumentou o perímetro endosteal e a área medular nos animais Selv machos e fêmeas, mas não nos animais beta2-AR-/-, o que sugere que o T3 promove reabsorção óssea endosteal no osso cortical, em um mecanismo que depende da via de sinalização do beta2-AR. Vimos, ainda, que o tratamento com T3 causou reduções significativas na carga máxima, tenacidade, rigidez e resiliência do fêmur dos camundongos fêmeas Selv. Em contraste, nenhum desses parâmetros biomecânicos foi afetado pelo tratamento com T3 no fêmur das fêmeas KO, evidenciando, mais uma vez, uma resistência desses animais aos efeitos deletérios da tireotoxicose no tecido ósseo. Por outro lado, os camundongos machos Selv e KO se mostraram resistentes aos efeitos deletérios do tratamento com T3 sobre os parâmetros biomecânicos do fêmur, sugerindo a participação de fatores sexuais na interação do HT com o SNS para regular a morfofisiologia óssea. Em conjunto, os achados do presente estudo corroboram a hipótese de que o HT interage com o SNS através da via dos receptores beta2 adrenérgicos para regular a morfofisiologia óssea, especialmente em fêmeas e no osso cortical / Thyroid hormone (TH) is essential for bone development, maturation and metabolism, while the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is also a potent regulator of bone remodeling. SNS has been shown to negatively regulate bone mass, acting via beta2-adrenergic (beta2-AR) receptors expressed in osteoblasts. Our group demonstrated that alpha2-adrenergic (alpha2-AR) receptors also mediate SNS actions in the skeleton and are expressed in osteoblasts, osteocytes, chondrocytes and osteoclasts. Considering that TH interacts with the SNS to regulate a series of physiological processes, and that the excess of TH and the activation of the SNS cause loss of bone mass, we hypothesize that there is interaction between TH and the SNS to regulate the bone mass. Studies of our group have supported this hypothesis, since mice with gene inactivation of alpha2-AR present resistance to the osteopenia induced by toxic doses of TH. Considering that the TH-SNS interaction in various tissues and/or organs depends on beta2-adrenergic signaling, the present study aimed to evaluate whether the interaction of TH with the SNS to regulate the bone morphophysiology involves beta2- AR. Therefore, we studied the effect of 10x and 20x the physiological dose of triiodothyronine (3.5ug or 7.0ug of T3/100g body mass/day, respectively), for 90 days, in the bone microarchitecture and biomechanical parameters of the femur mice with beta2-AR gene inactivation (beta2-AR-/-), and of their respective Wild-type (WT) controls, the FVB lineage mice. As expected, T3 treatment promoted deleterious effects on the trabecular microarchitecture of the WT females, while some of these effects were milder or nonexistent in beta2-AR-/- animals, revealing trabecular bone resistance of knockout (KO) animals to the deleterious effects of thyrotoxicosis. In contrast, the femoral microarchitecture of the male beta2-AR-/- mice was more sensitive to the deleterious effects of thyrotoxicosis, in relation to the respective WT animals. Regarding to the femoral cortical bone, we saw that T3 treatment increased the endosteal perimeter and the medullary area both male and female WT animals, but not in the beta2-AR-/- mice, suggesting that T3 promotes endosteal bone resorption in the cortical bone, in a mechanism that depends on the alpha2-AR signaling pathway. We also found that treatment with T3 caused significant reductions in the maximum load, tenacity, stiffness and resilience of femurs of the WT female mice. In contrast, none of these biomechanical parameters was affected by T3 treatment in the KO females, demonstrating again resistance of these animals to the deleterious effects of thyrotoxicosis on bone tissue. On the other hand, WT and KO male mice were resistant to the deleterious effects of T3 treatment on the biomechanical parameters of the femur, suggesting the participation of sexual factors in the interaction of HT with the SNS to regulate bone morphophysiology. Taken together, the findings of the present study corroborate the hypothesis that TH interacts with the SNS through the beta2 adrenergic receptor pathway to regulate bone morphophysiology, especially in females and cortical bone

O hormônio tireoidiano (HT) é essencial para o desenvolvimento, maturação e metabolismo ósseos, enquanto que o sistema nervoso simpático (SNS) é, também, um potente regulador do remodelamento ósseo. Demonstrou-se que SNS regula negativamente a massa óssea, agindo via receptores ?2-adrenérgicos (?2-AR), expressos em osteoblastos. O nosso grupo demonstrou que os receptores ?2 adrenérgicos (?2-AR) também medeiam ações do SNS no esqueleto e que são expressos em osteoblastos, osteócitos, condrócitos e osteoclastos. Considerando-se que o HT interage com o SNS para regular uma série de processos fisiológicos, e que o excesso de HT e a ativação do SNS causam perda de massa óssea, levantamos a hipótese de que há interação entre o HT com o SNS para regular a massa óssea. Estudos do nosso grupo vêm sustentando essa hipótese, uma vez que camundongos com inativação gênica dos receptores beta2-AR apresentam resistência à osteopenia induzida por doses tóxicas de HT. Considerando-se, ainda, que a interação do HT com o SNS em vários tecidos e/ou órgãos depende da sinalização beta2 adrenérgica, o presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar se a interação do HT com o SNS para regular a morfofisiologia óssea envolve o beta2-AR. Para tanto, estudamos o efeito de 10x e 20x a dose fisiológica de triiodotironina (3,5ug ou 7.0ug de T3/100g de massa corporal/dia, respectivamente), por 90 dias, na microaquitetura óssea e em parâmetros biomecânicos do fêmur de camundongos com inativação gênica do beta2-AR (beta2-AR-/-), e nos seus respectivos Selvagens (Selv), os camundongos da linhagem FVB. Como esperado, o tratamento com T3 promoveu efeitos deletérios na microarquitetura trabecular das fêmeas Selv, enquanto alguns desses efeitos foram mais brandos ou inexistentes nos animais beta2-AR-/-, revelando resistência do osso trabecular dos animais knockout (KO) aos efeitos deletérios da tireotoxicose. Em contraste, a microarquitetura femoral dos camundongos machos beta2-AR-/- se mostrou mais sensível aos efeitos deletérios da tireotoxicose, em relação aos respectivos Selv. Quanto ao osso cortical femoral, vimos que o tratamento com T3 aumentou o perímetro endosteal e a área medular nos animais Selv machos e fêmeas, mas não nos animais beta2-AR-/-, o que sugere que o T3 promove reabsorção óssea endosteal no osso cortical, em um mecanismo que depende da via de sinalização do beta2-AR. Vimos, ainda, que o tratamento com T3 causou reduções significativas na carga máxima, tenacidade, rigidez e resiliência do fêmur dos camundongos fêmeas Selv. Em contraste, nenhum desses parâmetros biomecânicos foi afetado pelo tratamento com T3 no fêmur das fêmeas KO, evidenciando, mais uma vez, uma resistência desses animais aos efeitos deletérios da tireotoxicose no tecido ósseo. Por outro lado, os camundongos machos Selv e KO se mostraram resistentes aos efeitos deletérios do tratamento com T3 sobre os parâmetros biomecânicos do fêmur, sugerindo a participação de fatores sexuais na interação do HT com o SNS para regular a morfofisiologia óssea. Em conjunto, os achados do presente estudo corroboram a hipótese de que o HT interage com o SNS através da via dos receptores beta2 adrenérgicos para regular a morfofisiologia óssea, especialmente em fêmeas e no osso cortical / Thyroid hormone (TH) is essential for bone development, maturation and metabolism, while the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is also a potent regulator of bone remodeling. SNS has been shown to negatively regulate bone mass, acting via beta2-adrenergic (beta2-AR) receptors expressed in osteoblasts. Our group demonstrated that alpha2-adrenergic (alpha2-AR) receptors also mediate SNS actions in the skeleton and are expressed in osteoblasts, osteocytes, chondrocytes and osteoclasts. Considering that TH interacts with the SNS to regulate a series of physiological processes, and that the excess of TH and the activation of the SNS cause loss of bone mass, we hypothesize that there is interaction between TH and the SNS to regulate the bone mass. Studies of our group have supported this hypothesis, since mice with gene inactivation of alpha2-AR present resistance to the osteopenia induced by toxic doses of TH. Considering that the TH-SNS interaction in various tissues and/or organs depends on beta2-adrenergic signaling, the present study aimed to evaluate whether the interaction of TH with the SNS to regulate the bone morphophysiology involves beta2- AR. Therefore, we studied the effect of 10x and 20x the physiological dose of triiodothyronine (3.5ug or 7.0ug of T3/100g body mass/day, respectively), for 90 days, in the bone microarchitecture and biomechanical parameters of the femur mice with beta2-AR gene inactivation (beta2-AR-/-), and of their respective Wild-type (WT) controls, the FVB lineage mice. As expected, T3 treatment promoted deleterious effects on the trabecular microarchitecture of the WT females, while some of these effects were milder or nonexistent in beta2-AR-/- animals, revealing trabecular bone resistance of knockout (KO) animals to the deleterious effects of thyrotoxicosis. In contrast, the femoral microarchitecture of the male beta2-AR-/- mice was more sensitive to the deleterious effects of thyrotoxicosis, in relation to the respective WT animals. Regarding to the femoral cortical bone, we saw that T3 treatment increased the endosteal perimeter and the medullary area both male and female WT animals, but not in the beta2-AR-/- mice, suggesting that T3 promotes endosteal bone resorption in the cortical bone, in a mechanism that depends on the alpha2-AR signaling pathway. We also found that treatment with T3 caused significant reductions in the maximum load, tenacity, stiffness and resilience of femurs of the WT female mice. In contrast, none of these biomechanical parameters was affected by T3 treatment in the KO females, demonstrating again resistance of these animals to the deleterious effects of thyrotoxicosis on bone tissue. On the other hand, WT and KO male mice were resistant to the deleterious effects of T3 treatment on the biomechanical parameters of the femur, suggesting the participation of sexual factors in the interaction of HT with the SNS to regulate bone morphophysiology. Taken together, the findings of the present study corroborate the hypothesis that TH interacts with the SNS through the beta2 adrenergic receptor pathway to regulate bone morphophysiology, especially in females and cortical bone

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--University of South Florida, 2008. / Title from PDF of title page. Document formatted into pages; contains 201 pages. Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references.