[HTML][HTML] An Akt/β-arrestin 2/PP2A signaling complex mediates dopaminergic neurotransmission and behavior

JM Beaulieu, TD Sotnikova, S Marion, RJ Lefkowitz… - Cell, 2005 - cell.com
JM Beaulieu, TD Sotnikova, S Marion, RJ Lefkowitz, RR Gainetdinov, MG Caron
Cell, 2005cell.com
Dopamine plays an important role in the etiology of schizophrenia, and D2 class dopamine
receptors are the best-established target of antipsychotic drugs. Here we show that D2 class-
receptor-mediated Akt regulation involves the formation of signaling complexes containing β-
arrestin 2, PP2A, and Akt. β-arrestin 2 deficiency in mice results in reduction of dopamine-
dependent behaviors, loss of Akt regulation by dopamine in the striatum, and disruption of
the dopamine-dependent interaction of Akt with its negative regulator, protein phosphatase …
Summary
Dopamine plays an important role in the etiology of schizophrenia, and D2 class dopamine receptors are the best-established target of antipsychotic drugs. Here we show that D2 class-receptor-mediated Akt regulation involves the formation of signaling complexes containing β-arrestin 2, PP2A, and Akt. β-arrestin 2 deficiency in mice results in reduction of dopamine-dependent behaviors, loss of Akt regulation by dopamine in the striatum, and disruption of the dopamine-dependent interaction of Akt with its negative regulator, protein phosphatase 2A. Importantly, canonical cAMP-mediated dopamine-receptor signaling is not inhibited in the absence of β-arrestin 2. These results demonstrate that, apart from its classical function in receptor desensitization, β-arrestin 2 also acts as a signaling intermediate through a kinase/phosphatase scaffold. Furthermore, this function of β-arrestin 2 is important for the expression of dopamine-associated behaviors, thus implicating β-arrestin 2 as a positive mediator of dopaminergic synaptic transmission and a potential pharmacological target for dopamine-related psychiatric disorders.
cell.com