|
|
||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Topical Review |
1 Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
2 Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
Epac is an acronym for the exchange proteins activated directly by cyclic AMP, a family of cAMP-regulated guanine nucleotide exchange factors (cAMPGEFs) that mediate protein kinase A (PKA)-independent signal transduction properties of the second messenger cAMP. Two variants of Epac exist (Epac1 and Epac2), both of which couple cAMP production to the activation of Rap, a small molecular weight GTPase of the Ras family. By activating Rap in an Epac-mediated manner, cAMP influences diverse cellular processes that include integrin-mediated cell adhesion, vascular endothelial cell barrier formation, and cardiac myocyte gap junction formation. Recently, the identification of previously unrecognized physiological processes regulated by Epac has been made possible by the development of Epac-selective cyclic AMP analogues (ESCAs). These cell-permeant analogues of cAMP activate both Epac1 and Epac2, whereas they fail to activate PKA when used at low concentrations. ESCAs such as 8-pCPT-2'-O-Me-cAMP and 8-pMeOPT-2'-O-Me-cAMP are reported to alter Na+, K+, Ca2+ and Cl channel function, intracellular [Ca2+], and Na+H+ transporter activity in multiple cell types. Moreover, new studies examining the actions of ESCAs on neurons, pancreatic beta cells, pituitary cells and sperm demonstrate a major role for Epac in the stimulation of exocytosis by cAMP. This topical review provides an update concerning novel PKA-independent features of cAMP signal transduction that are likely to be Epac-mediated. Emphasized is the emerging role of Epac in the cAMP-dependent regulation of ion channel function, intracellular Ca2+ signalling, ion transporter activity and exocytosis.
(Received 22 August 2006;
accepted after revision 8 September 2006;
first published online 14 September 2006)
Corresponding author G. G. Holz: Medical Sciences Building Room 442, 550 First Avenue, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA. Email: holzg01{at}popmail.med.nyu.edu
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
C. Liu, M. Takahashi, Y. Li, S. Song, T. J. Dillon, U. Shinde, and P. J. S. Stork Ras Is Required for the Cyclic AMP-Dependent Activation of Rap1 via Epac2 Mol. Cell. Biol., December 1, 2008; 28(23): 7109 - 7125. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. I. Masyuk, S. A. Gradilone, J. M. Banales, B. Q. Huang, T. V. Masyuk, S.-O. Lee, P. L. Splinter, A. J. Stroope, and N. F. LaRusso Cholangiocyte primary cilia are chemosensory organelles that detect biliary nucleotides via P2Y12 purinergic receptors Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol, October 1, 2008; 295(4): G725 - G734. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T. Boutros, E. Chevet, and P. Metrakos Mitogen-Activated Protein (MAP) Kinase/MAP Kinase Phosphatase Regulation: Roles in Cell Growth, Death, and Cancer Pharmacol. Rev., September 1, 2008; 60(3): 261 - 310. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
L. S. Barak, A. Salahpour, X. Zhang, B. Masri, T. D. Sotnikova, A. J. Ramsey, J. D. Violin, R. J. Lefkowitz, M. G. Caron, and R. R. Gainetdinov Pharmacological Characterization of Membrane-Expressed Human Trace Amine-Associated Receptor 1 (TAAR1) by a Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer cAMP Biosensor Mol. Pharmacol., September 1, 2008; 74(3): 585 - 594. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. V. Iancu, G. Ramamurthy, S. Warrier, V. O. Nikolaev, M. J. Lohse, S. W. Jones, and R. D. Harvey Cytoplasmic cAMP concentrations in intact cardiac myocytes Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, August 1, 2008; 295(2): C414 - C422. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Y. Li, I. B. M. Konings, J. Zhao, L. S. Price, E. de Heer, and P. M. T. Deen Renal expression of exchange protein directly activated by cAMP (Epac) 1 and 2 Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, August 1, 2008; 295(2): F525 - F533. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. Schnizler, L. P. Shutov, M. J. Van Kanegan, M. A. Merrill, B. Nichols, G. S. McKnight, S. Strack, J. W. Hell, and Y. M. Usachev Protein Kinase A Anchoring via AKAP150 Is Essential for TRPV1 Modulation by Forskolin and Prostaglandin E2 in Mouse Sensory Neurons J. Neurosci., May 7, 2008; 28(19): 4904 - 4917. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Salehi, B. A. Aulinger, and D. A. D'Alessio Targeting {beta}-Cell Mass in Type 2 Diabetes: Promise and Limitations of New Drugs Based on Incretins Endocr. Rev., May 1, 2008; 29(3): 367 - 379. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
U. Yokoyama, H. H. Patel, N. C. Lai, N. Aroonsakool, D. M. Roth, and P. A. Insel The cyclic AMP effector Epac integrates pro- and anti-fibrotic signals PNAS, April 29, 2008; 105(17): 6386 - 6391. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Metrich, A. Lucas, M. Gastineau, J.-L. Samuel, C. Heymes, E. Morel, and F. Lezoualc'h Epac Mediates {beta}-Adrenergic Receptor-Induced Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy Circ. Res., April 25, 2008; 102(8): 959 - 965. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
N. El Zein, B. Badran, and E. Sariban VIP differentially activates {beta}2 integrins, CR1, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 in human monocytes through cAMP/PKA, EPAC, and PI-3K signaling pathways via VIP receptor type 1 and FPRL1 J. Leukoc. Biol., April 1, 2008; 83(4): 972 - 981. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. Kang, C. A. Leech, O. G. Chepurny, W. A. Coetzee, and G. G. Holz Role of the cAMP sensor Epac as a determinant of KATP channel ATP sensitivity in human pancreatic {beta}-cells and rat INS-1 cells J. Physiol., March 1, 2008; 586(5): 1307 - 1319. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. Hochbaum, K. Hong, G. Barila, F. Ribeiro-Neto, and D. L. Altschuler Epac, in Synergy with cAMP-dependent Protein Kinase (PKA), Is Required for cAMP-mediated Mitogenesis J. Biol. Chem., February 22, 2008; 283(8): 4464 - 4468. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Dremier, M. Milenkovic, S. Blancquaert, J. E. Dumont, S. O. Doskeland, C. Maenhaut, and P. P. Roger Cyclic Adenosine 3',5'-Monophosphate (cAMP)-Dependent Protein Kinases, But Not Exchange Proteins Directly Activated by cAMP (Epac), Mediate Thyrotropin/cAMP-Dependent Regulation of Thyroid Cells Endocrinology, October 1, 2007; 148(10): 4612 - 4622. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Y. Fang and M. E. Olah Cyclic AMP-Dependent, Protein Kinase A-Independent Activation of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 1/2 Following Adenosine Receptor Stimulation in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells: Role of Exchange Protein Activated by cAMP 1 (Epac1) J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., September 1, 2007; 322(3): 1189 - 1200. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. S. Tang, N. Wang, A. Tse, and F. W. Tse Influence of Quantal Size and cAMP on the Kinetics of Quantal Catecholamine Release from Rat Chromaffin Cells Biophys. J., April 15, 2007; 92(8): 2735 - 2746. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |