Heterotrimeric GTP-binding Proteins in the Lacrimal Acinar Cell Endomembrane System

Abstract

Secretagogues accelerate traffic in the lysosomal and basal-lateral pathways, as well as in the regulated apical secretory pathway, of lacrimal acinar cells. It has been proposed that alterations of protein segregation in compartments where these traffic pathways intersect may influence autoimmune responses. Heterotrimeric GTP-binding proteins couple secretagogue receptor ligand binding to activation of intracellular signaling cascades, but they are also suggested to participate in endomembrane traffic phenomena. Distributions of Go, Gi3, Gq, G11, and two Gsisoforms were mapped in reconstituted lacrimal acini by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy and in lysates of the reconstituted acini by analytical subcellular fractionation. All G proteins examined were detected at low levels in isolated compartments (blmi,j) believed to represent the basal-lateral plasma membrane. Gi3, G11, and the Gsisoforms were concentrated in a series of isolated compartments believed to be related to domains of a basal-lateral endosome with sorting and recycling functions (ble-s/ri,j,k), a distinct endosomal compartment with basal-lateral membrane-like composition (e-blml), and domains of the trans-Golgi network believed to be involved in traffic to and from the basal-lateral membrane (tgn-blmr). Goand Gqwere concentrated in compartments believed to represent a mixture of immature and mature secretory vesicle membranes (isvm and svm) and domains of the trans-Golgi network compartment believed to mediate traffic to secretory vesicles (tgn-svr) and to pre-lysosomes (tgn-lr). Confocal fluorescence microscopy confirmed the presence of both basal-lateral membrane and intracellular pools of the G proteins. Stimulation with 10μM carbachol for 20min caused a component of the Goto redistribute away from the isvm+svm; components of the Gi3, Gq, and Gsto redistribute away from the tgn-svr+tgn-lr; and a component of the Gi3to redistribute away from the ble-blml+tgn-blmr. Thus, these proteins may participate in endomembrane traffic steps activated by cholinergic stimulation in addition to playing their classical roles in plasma membrane signal transduction.