Role of XLalphas as a novel alpha-subunit of Gs in hormone signaling

描述(申请人提供)：XLocs和GSA，刺激性G蛋白(GSA)的阿尔法亚单位，是来自同一个基因座的两个相关蛋白质，GNAS。XLAS与刺激性G蛋白(GSA)的α亚基不同，它有一个大的N-末端结构域，具有独特的序列。在其他方面，它与后者相同，并且包括被证明对GSA具有重要功能的大部分域。因此，XLAS被预测为刺激性G蛋白的一个新的阿尔法亚单位。然而，由于其独特的N-末端结构域，XLAS在其生物学作用和调控方面可能与GSA有重要的不同。当XLAS被引入内源性缺乏GSA和XLAS的细胞中时，XLAS可以介导受体刺激的cAMP的产生，但在其他几个细胞系和组织中不能证明XLAS的受体偶联，这表明XLAS的作用可能是细胞特异性的。XLAS被消融的动物模型已经证实，XLAS在许多生物学过程中都是必不可少的，包括出生后适应摄食、能量和葡萄糖代谢以及脂肪细胞生物学。然而，这些体内研究无法证明XLAS作为一种类似于GSA的信号蛋白的作用。因此，XLAS的生物学作用目前仍不清楚。我们的主要目标是确定XLAS作为一种新的α亚基在体内可以取代GSA的作用。在具体目标1中，我们建议通过研究肾近端小管甲状旁腺激素的作用作为体内环境来研究XLOS和GSA的作用，从而探讨XLAS是否可以在体内替代GSA。在特定目标2中，我们建议确定XLAS是否参与假性甲状旁腺功能低下患者甲状旁腺激素耐药的时间发展，假性甲状旁腺功能低下是一种由破坏GSA活性和/或表达的突变引起的疾病。为了实现我们的目标，我们将研究我们或我们的合作者培育的各种转基因和基因敲除小鼠的近曲小管甲状旁腺激素反应性。这些研究将揭示XLAS和GSA在近曲小管甲状旁腺素作用中的相互作用，并有望提高对激素反应的理解，这些激素反应通常涉及G蛋白偶联受体。最终，鉴于这一信号通路在正常生理和人类疾病中的重要性，我们的研究可能会为开发新的药物和诊断工具识别新的靶点。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): XLocs and Gsa, the alpha subunit of the stimulatory G protein (Gsa), are two related proteins derived from the same gene locus, GNAS. XLas differs from the alpha subunit of the stimulatory G protein (Gsa) by a large N-terminal domain with unique sequence. It is otherwise identical to the latter and comprises most of the domains shown to be functionally important for Gsa. Thus, XLas is predicted to act as a novel alpha subunit of the stimulatory G protein. However, owing to its unique N-terminal domain, XLas could importantly differ from Gsa with respect to its biological roles and regulation. When introduced into cells endogenously lacking Gsa and XLas (Gnas^"'" cells), XLas can mediate receptor-stimulated cAMP generation, but receptor coupling to XLas could not be demonstrated in several other cell lines and tissues, suggesting that the actions of XLas can be cell-specific. The animal models in which XLas is ablated have established that XLas is essential for many biological processes, including postnatal adaptation to feeding, energy and glucose metabolism, and adipocyte biology. However, these in vivo studies were unable to demonstrate a role for XLas as a signaling protein that is similar to Gsa. Thus, the biological roles of XLas currently remain unclear. Our main objective is to determine the role of XLas as a novel alpha subunit that can replace Gsa in vivo. In Specific Aim 1, we propose to address whether XLas can substitute for Gsa in vivo by studying the actions of parathyroid hormone in the renal proximal tubule as an in vivo setting whereby the roles of XLos and Gsa can be studied precisely. In Specific Aim 2, we propose to determine whether XLas is involved in the temporal development of PTH-resistance as seen in patients with pseudohypoparathyroidism, a disorder caused by mutations disrupting Gsa activity and/or expression. For accomplishing our aims, we will investigate proximal tubular PTH responsiveness in various transgenic and knockout mouse strains generated by us or by our collaborators. These studies will reveal the interacting roles of XLas and Gsa in the proximal tubular PTH actions and are predicted to improve the understanding of hormone responses that typically involve G protein-coupled receptors. Ultimately, given the importance of this signaling pathway in normal physiology and human disease, our investigations may lead to the identification of novel targets for development of new drugs and diagnostic tools.