Heterotrimeric G protein Giis involved in a signal transduction pathway for ATP release from erythrocytes

Abstract

Erythrocytes are reported to release ATP in response to mechanical deformation and decreased oxygen tension. Previously we proposed that receptor-mediated activation of the heterotrimeric G protein Gsresulted in ATP release from erythrocytes. Here we investigate the hypothesis that activation of heterotrimeric G proteins of the Gisubtype are also involved in a signal transduction pathway for ATP release from rabbit erythrocytes. Heterotrimeric G proteins Gαi1, Gαi2, and Gαi3but not Gαowere identified in rabbit and human erythrocyte membranes. Pretreatment of rabbit erythrocytes with pertussis toxin (100 ng/ml, 2 h), which uncouples Gi/ofrom their effector proteins, inhibited deformation-induced ATP release. Incubation of rabbit and human erythrocytes with mastoparan (Mas, 10 μM) or Mas-7 (1 μM), which are compounds that directly activate Giproteins, resulted in ATP release. However, rabbit erythrocytes did not release ATP when incubated with Mas-17 (10 μM), which is an inactive Mas analog. In separate experiments, Mas (10 μM) but not Mas-17 (10 μM) increased intracellular concentrations of cAMP when incubated with rabbit erythrocytes. Importantly, Mas-induced ATP release from rabbit erythrocytes was inhibited after treatment with pertussis toxin (100 ng/ml, 2 h). These data are consistent with the hypothesis that the heterotrimeric G protein Giis a component of a signal transduction pathway for ATP release from erythrocytes.