Figure 5.

ER export and trafficking through the Golgi apparatus are required for Rho-mOREG functional expression. CNG cells transiently transfected with Rho-mOREG were assayed for increases in intracellular calcium in response to 10 uM eugenol, to gauge Rho-mOREG function, or 1 nM isoproterenol, to gauge β-AR function, following treatment with vehicle (0.1% ethanol), BFA (5 ug/ml), monensin (10 uM), or incubation at 20°C for 4 h (A) or 5 min (B). (C) Cells were treated with vehicle or CHX (75 uM) for 4 hr. In all experiments, cells were also co-treated for 4 h with control (0.1% DMSO), 10 mM 3-MA, or 50 uM MG-132 as indicated. Partial inhibition of Rho-mOREG function with BFA or monensin but not 20°C (A, control columns), a temperature that also attenuates endocytic events, is likely attributable to turnover of cell surface Rho-mOREG when the biosynthetic pathway, which normally replenishes the plasma membrane Rho-mOREG pool, is blocked. By contrast, BFA and monensin do not affect function of the β-AR, a control GPCR that exhibits a long half-life at the plasma membrane [31]. * p < 0.005 compared to cells treated with vehicle in the same group.