Coupling of M3 acetylcholine receptor to Gq16 activates a natriuretic peptide receptor guanylyl cyclase

Muscarinic activation of tracheal smooth muscle (TSM) involves a M3AChR/heterotrimeric-G protein/NPR-GC coupling mechanism. G protein activators Mastoparan (MAS) and Mastoparan-7 stimulated 4- and 10-fold the NPR-GC respectively, being insensitive to PTX and antibodies against Gαi/o subfamily. Muscarinic and MAS stimulation of NPR-GC was blocked by antibodies against C-terminal of Gαq16, whose expression was confirmed by RT-PCR. However, synthetic peptides from C-terminal of Gαq15/16 stimulated the NPR-GC. Coupling of αq16 to M3AChR is supported by MAS decreased [3H]QNB binding, being abolished after M3AChR-4-DAMP-alkylation. Anti-i3M3AChR antibodies blocked the muscarinic activation of NPR-GC, and synthetic peptide from i3M3AChR (M3P) was more potent than MAS increasing GTPγ [35S] and decreasing the [3H]QNB activities. Coupling between NPR-GC and Gαq16 was evaluated by using trypsin-solubilized-fraction from TSM membranes, which displayed a MAS-sensitive-NPR-GC activity, being immunoprecipitated with anti-Gαq16, also showing an immunoreactive heterotrimeric-G-β- subunit. These data support the existence of a novel transducing cascade, involving Gαq16βγ coupling M3AChR to NPR-GC.