Bcl10 plays a critical role in NF-kappaB activation induced by G protein-coupled receptors.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play pivotal roles in cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival. Although many studies indicate that the stimulation of GPCRs leads to NF-kappaB activation, the molecular mechanism by which GPCRs induced NF-kappaB activation remains largely unknown. Bcl10 is an essential adaptor molecule connecting antigen receptor signaling cascades to NF-kappaB activation in lymphocytes. However, the function of Bcl10 in nonlymphoid cells remains to be determined. In this study, we demonstrated that the deficiency of Bcl10 resulted in the defect in NF-kappaB activation induced by either expressing the constitutively active mutant of G protein or stimulation of cells with lysophosphatidic acid or endothelin-1, which activate their GPCR. In contrast, TNF-alpha-, LPS-, and integrin-induced NF-kappaB activation was not affected in Bcl10-deficient cells. Together, our results provide genetic evidence showing that Bcl10 is a key signaling component mediating NF-kappaB activation induced by GPCRs in nonlymphoid cells.