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. 2013 May 20;8(5):e64672.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0064672. Print 2013.

Profiling epidermal growth factor receptor and heregulin receptor 3 heteromerization using receptor tyrosine kinase heteromer investigation technology

Affiliations

Profiling epidermal growth factor receptor and heregulin receptor 3 heteromerization using receptor tyrosine kinase heteromer investigation technology

Mohammed Akli Ayoub et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Heteromerization can play an important role in regulating the activation and/or signal transduction of most forms of receptors, including receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). The study of receptor heteromerization has evolved extensively with the emergence of resonance energy transfer based approaches such as bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET). Here, we report an adaptation of our Receptor-Heteromer Investigation Technology (Receptor-HIT) that has recently been published as the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) Heteromer Identification Technology (GPCR-HIT). We now demonstrate the utility of this approach for investigating RTK heteromerization by examining the functional interaction between the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR; also known as erbB1/HER1) and heregulin (HRG) receptor 3 (HER3; also known as erbB3) in live HEK293FT cells using recruitment of growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (Grb2) to the activated receptors. We found that EGFR and HER3 heteromerize specifically as demonstrated by HRG inducing a BRET signal between EGFR/Rluc8 and Grb2/Venus only when HER3 was co-expressed. Similarly, EGF stimulation promoted a specific BRET signal between HER3/Rluc8 and Grb2/Venus only when EGFR was co-expressed. Both EGF and HRG effects on Grb2 interaction are dose-dependent, and specifically blocked by EGFR inhibitor AG-1478. Furthermore, truncation of HER3 to remove the putative Grb2 binding sites appears to abolish EGF-induced Grb2 recruitment to the EGFR-HER3 heteromer. Our results support the concept that EGFR interacts with Grb2 in both constitutive and EGF-dependent manners and this interaction is independent of HER3 co-expression. In contrast, HER3-Grb2 interaction requires the heteromerization between EGFR and HER3. These findings clearly indicate the importance of EGFR-HER3 heteromerization in HER3-mediated Grb2-dependent signaling pathways and supports the central role of HER3 in the diversity and regulation of HER family functioning.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have read the journal's policy and have the following conflicts: In addition to being Head of the Laboratory for Molecular Endocrinology-GPCRs, Western Australian Institute for Medical Research and Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, KDGP is Chief Scientific Officer of Dimerix Bioscience Pty Ltd, a spin-out company of The University of Western Australia that has been assigned the rights to the RTK-HIT technology. KDGP is a named inventor on issued and pending patents covering the technology (WO/2008/055313 Detection System and Uses Therefor). KDGP also has a minor shareholding in Dimerix. This does not alter the authors‚ adherence to all the PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Receptor-HIT and its application to study RTK heteromerization (RTK-HIT) using BRET.
Cells co-expressed RTK1 fused to a BRET donor (Rluc8), untagged RTK2, and a RTK signaling or adaptor protein tagged with a BRET acceptor (Venus), exemplified here by Grb2/Venus. After cell stimulation with the RTK2-selective agonist, only the recruitment of Grb2/Venus to the RTK1/Rluc8-RTK2 heteromer can be detected by BRET resulting from the physical proximity between RTK1/Rluc8 and Grb2/Venus.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Kinetic analysis of EGF and HRG-induced recruitment of Grb2 to complexes containing EGFR and/or HER3.
HEK293FT cells expressing EGFR/Rluc8 and Grb2/Venus, with and without HER3, were treated with 1 µM EGF (a) or HRG (b). Similarly, cells expressing HER3/Rluc8 and Grb2/Venus, with and without EGFR, were again treated with 1 µM EGF (c) or HRG (d). BRET was measured in real-time and live cells before and after stimulation with the agonists as indicated. Data represent mean ± SEM of 3–7 independent experiments.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Dose-response analysis of EGF and HRG-induced recruitment of Grb2 to complexes containing EGFR and/or HER3.
HEK293FT cells expressing EGFR/Rluc8 and Grb2/Venus, with and without HER3, were treated with increasing concentrations of EGF (a) or HRG (b). Similarly, cells expressing HER3/Rluc8 and Grb2/Venus, with and without EGFR, were again treated with increasing concentrations of EGF (c) or HRG (d). BRET was measured in live cells before and after stimulation with the agonists as indicated, with the data shown generated after about 25 minutes of agonist stimulation. Data represent mean ± SEM of 3–9 independent experiments.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Dose-response analysis of AG-1478-mediated inhibition of Grb2 recruitment to complexes containing EGFR and/or HER3.
Live HEK293FT cells were treated with 20 nM agonist followed by increasing concentrations of AG-1478 or vehicle control (Con) after about 20 minutes. The data shown were generated about 60 minutes following initial agonist stimulation. Cells expressing EGFR/Rluc8 and Grb2/Venus treated with EGF (a) or HRG (b), cells expressing HER3/Rluc8 and Grb2/Venus treated with EGF (c) or HRG (d), cells expressing EGFR/Rluc8, Grb2/Venus and HER3 treated with EGF (e) or HRG (f), and cells expressing HER3/Rluc8, Grb2/Venus and EGFR treated with EGF (g) or HRG (h). Data represent mean ± SEM of 3–5 independent experiments.
Figure 5
Figure 5. Kinetic analysis of AG-1478-mediated inhibition of Grb2 recruitment to complexes containing EGFR and/or HER3.
HEK293FT cells were treated with 20 nM agonist followed by 1 µM AG-1478 or vehicle (control) after about 20 minutes as indicated. Cells expressing EGFR/Rluc8 and Grb2/Venus treated with EGF (a) or HRG (b), cells expressing HER3/Rluc8 and Grb2/Venus treated with EGF (c) or HRG (d), cells expressing EGFR/Rluc8, Grb2/Venus and HER3 treated with EGF (e) or HRG (f), and cells expressing HER3/Rluc8, Grb2/Venus and EGFR treated with EGF (g) or HRG (h). BRET was measured in real-time and live cells before and after stimulation with the agonists, and before and after stimulation with AG-1478 as indicated. Data represent mean ± SEM of 3 independent experiments.
Figure 6
Figure 6. Kinetic analysis of Grb2 recruitment to complexes containing EGFR and full length or truncated HER3.
HEK293FT cells were treated with 1 µM EGF or HRG. Cells expressing EGFR/Rluc8, Grb2/Venus and HER3 (a), cells expressing HER3/Rluc8, Grb2/Venus and EGFR (b), cells expressing EGFR/Rluc8, Grb2/Venus and truncated HER3 (HER3trunc; c), and cells expressing HER3trunc/Rluc8, Grb2/Venus and EGFR (d). BRET was measured in real-time and live cells before and after stimulation with the agonists as indicated. Data represent mean ± SEM of 4 independent experiments.

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Grants and funding

This research was funded by the Australian Research Council (www.arc.gov.au) Future Fellowship (FT100100271) awarded to KDGP, as well as Dimerix Bioscience Pty Ltd (www.dimerix.com). Other than KDGP, the funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.