Potentiation of G-protein-coupled receptor-induced MAP kinase activation by exogenous EGF receptors in SK-N-MC neuroepithelioma cells

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and endothelin-1 (ET-1), two ligands for G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), induce activation of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK). Surprisingly, LPA and ET-1 did not induce MAPK activation in SK-N-MC neuroepithelioma cells, even though these GPCR ligands evoked a rapid, transient rise in intracellular free Ca2+ concentration in these cells, indicating that SK-N-MC cells express functional LPA- and ET-1-receptors. Transient transfection of the EGFR into SK-N-MC cells, which do not express endogenous EGFR, potentiated LPA- and ET-1-induced MAPK activation. LPA and ET-1 did not enhance basal level tyrosine phosphorylation of the transfected EGFR in SK-N-MC cells. Even though the mechanism of LPA- and ET-1-induced MAPK activation in EGFR-transfected SK-N-MC cells remains to be determined definitively, our results provide strong evidence that the EGFR links these GPCRs to MAPK activation. (C) 1998 Academic Press.