Modulation of α2C adrenergic receptor temperature-sensitive trafficking by HSP90

Decreasing the temperature to 30°C is accompanied by significant enhancement of α2C-AR plasma membrane levels in several cell lines with fibroblast phenotype, as demonstrated by radioligand binding in intact cells. No changes were observed on the effects of low-temperature after blocking receptor internalization in α2C-AR transfected HEK293T cells. In contrast, two pharmacological chaperones, dimethyl sulfoxide and glycerol, increased the cell surface receptor levels at 37°C, but not at 30°C. Further, at 37°C α2C-AR is co-localized with endoplasmic reticulum markers, but not with the lysosomal markers. Treatment with three distinct HSP90 inhibitors, radicicol, macbecin and 17-DMAG significantly enhanced α2C-AR cell surface levels at 37°C, but these inhibitors had no effect at 30°C. Similar results were obtained after decreasing the HSP90 cellular levels using specific siRNA. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated that α2C-AR interacts with HSP90 and this interaction is decreased at 30°C. The contractile response to endogenous α2C-AR stimulation in rat tail artery was also enhanced at reduced temperature. Similar to HEK293T cells, HSP90 inhibition increased the α2C-AR contractile effects only at 37°C. Moreover, exposure to low-temperature of vascular smooth muscle cells from rat tail artery decreased the cellular levels of HSP90, but did not change HSP70 levels. These data demonstrate that exposure to low-temperature augments the α2C-AR transport to the plasma membrane by releasing the inhibitory activity of HSP90 on the receptor traffic, findings which may have clinical relevance for the diagnostic and treatment of Raynaud Phenomenon.

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