Author(s): Gomes, Ana ; Gélébart, Virginie ; Félix, Rute ; Cardoso, João ; Zimmermann, Fabian ; Lai, Floriana ; Power, Deborah Mary ; Ronnestad, Ivar
Date: 2025
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/27169
Origin: Sapientia - Universidade do Algarve
Subject(s): Signaling pathway; G(i); G(q); ERK; Nutrient sensing; Teleost
In mammals, the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) is involved in nutrient sensing and modulated by several amino acids. In teleosts, sequence homologues of the mammalian CaSR have been described but their function in sensing amino acids remains elusive, including in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), an important aquaculture species. This study investigated the activation of Atlantic salmon Casr (asCasr)-mediated signaling pathways-Gq, Gi, and ERK1/2-by six selected L-amino acids (histidine, tryptophan, phenylalanine, isoleucine, leucine and valine) and by Ca2+. Using a Flp-In-HEK293 cell line stably expressing asCasr, we confirmed activation of all three pathways. L-histidine, L-phenylalanine, and L-tryptophan triggered Gi signaling independent of Ca-2(+). Notably, no Ca-2(+) concentrations induced Gi activation, but IP1 production increased in a concentration-dependent manner. L-histidine was the only amino acid to activate the Gq pathway without Ca-2(+), and this response was amplified by the presence of Ca-2(+). In the presence of 2.5 mM Ca-2(+), L-phenylalanine and L-tryptophan also activated Gq signaling in a concentration-dependent manner. Additionally, in the presence of 10 mM Ca-2(+), L-histidine, L-phenylalanine, and L-tryptophan triggered ERK phosphorylation. These findings establish asCasr as a functional homologue of mammalian CaSR, activated in a concentration-dependent manner by L-amino acids with an aromatic ring.
