Mahogunin ring finger-1 (MGRN1) E3 ubiquitin ligase inhibits signaling from melanocortin receptor by competition with Galphas.

Mahogunin ring finger-1 (MGRN1) is a RING domain-containing ubiquitin ligase mutated in mahoganoid, a mouse mutation causing coat color darkening, congenital heart defects, high embryonic lethality, and spongiform neurodegeneration. The melanocortin hormones regulate pigmentation, cortisol production, food intake, and body weight by signaling through five G protein-coupled receptors positively coupled to the cAMP pathway (MC1R-MC5R). Genetic analysis has shown that mouse Mgrn1 is an accessory protein for melanocortin signaling that may inhibit MC1R and MC4R by unknown mechanisms. These melanocortin receptors (MCRs) regulate pigmentation and body weight, respectively. We show that human melanoma cells express 4 MGRN1 isoforms differing in the C-terminal exon 17 and in usage of exon 12. This exon contains nuclear localization signals. MGRN1 isoforms decreased MC1R and MC4R signaling to cAMP, without effect on beta(2)-adrenergic receptor. Inhibition was independent on receptor plasma membrane expression, ubiquitylation, internalization, or stability and occurred upstream of Galpha(s) binding to/activation of adenylyl cyclase. MGRN1 co-immunoprecipitated with MCRs, suggesting a physical interaction of the proteins. Significantly, overexpression of Galpha(s) abolished the inhibitory effect of MGRN1 and decreased co-immunoprecipitation with MCRs, suggesting competition between MGRN1 and Galpha(s) for binding to MCRs. Although all MGRN1s were located in the cytosol in the absence of MCRs, exon 12-containing isoforms accumulated in the nuclei upon co-expression with the receptors. Therefore, MGRN1 inhibits MCR signaling by a new mechanism involving displacement of Galpha(s), thus accounting for key features of the mahoganoid phenotype. Moreover, MGRN1 might provide a novel pathway for melanocortin signaling from the cell surface to the nucleus.