Active ERK1/2 protein interacts with the phosphorylated nuclear constitutive active/androstane receptor (CAR; NR1I3), repressing dephosphorylation and sequestering CAR in the cytoplasm

J Biol Chem. 2011 Oct 14;286(41):35763-35769. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M111.284596. Epub 2011 Aug 26.

Abstract

The nuclear constitutive active/androstane receptor (CAR) is inactivated and sequestered in the cytoplasm when Thr-38 is phosphorylated. Here, we have demonstrated that activated ERK1/2 interacts with phosphorylated CAR to repress dephosphorylation of Thr-38. The phosphorylation-dependent interaction between CAR and ERK1/2 was examined by co-immunoprecipitation experiments of ectopically expressed FLAG-tagged CAR T38A and CAR T38D mutants with endogenous phospho-ERK1/2 in Huh-7 cells. Phospho-ERK1/2 coprecipitated only the phosphorylation-mimicking CAR T38D mutant; this coprecipitation was mediated by the interaction with the xenochemical response signal peptide near the C terminus of CAR. This interaction increased after EGF treatment and decreased after treatment with the MEK inhibitor U0126 as well as after knockdown of MEK1/2 by shRNA in Huh-7 cells. The phosphorylation levels of Thr-38 of CAR decreased in U0126-treated Huh-7 cells. Thus, activated ERK1/2 interacts with CAR and represses dephosphorylation of Thr-38, providing a cell signal-regulated mechanism for CAR activation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Substitution
  • Animals
  • Butadienes / pharmacology
  • Cell Line
  • Constitutive Androstane Receptor
  • Cytoplasm / genetics
  • Cytoplasm / metabolism*
  • Enzyme Activation / drug effects
  • Enzyme Activation / physiology
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 1 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 1 / genetics
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 1 / metabolism
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 2 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 2 / genetics
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 2 / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / genetics
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / metabolism*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / genetics
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / metabolism*
  • Mutation, Missense
  • Nitriles / pharmacology
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Phosphorylation / physiology
  • Protein Sorting Signals / physiology
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Protein Transport / drug effects
  • Protein Transport / physiology
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / genetics
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / metabolism*

Substances

  • Butadienes
  • Constitutive Androstane Receptor
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • NR1I3 protein, human
  • Nitriles
  • Nr1i3 protein, mouse
  • Protein Sorting Signals
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear
  • U 0126
  • MAP2K2 protein, human
  • MAPK1 protein, human
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 1
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 2
  • MAP2K1 protein, human
  • Map2k1 protein, mouse
  • Map2k2 protein, mouse