STIM2 enhances receptor-stimulated Ca²⁺ signaling by promoting recruitment of STIM1 to the endoplasmic reticulum-plasma membrane junctions.

A central component of receptor-evoked Ca(2+) signaling is store-operated Ca(2+) entry (SOCE), which is activated by the assembly of STIM1-Orai1 channels in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and plasma membrane (PM) (ER-PM) junctions in response to depletion of ER Ca(2+). We report that STIM2 enhances agonist-mediated activation of SOCE by promoting STIM1 clustering in ER-PM junctions at low stimulus intensities. Targeted deletion of STIM2 in mouse salivary glands diminished fluid secretion in vivo and SOCE activation in dispersed salivary acinar cells stimulated with low concentrations of muscarinic receptor agonists. STIM2 knockdown in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells diminished agonist-induced Ca(2+) signaling and nuclear translocation of NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T cells). STIM2 lacking five carboxyl-terminal amino acid residues did not promote formation of STIM1 puncta at low concentrations of agonist, whereas coexpression of STIM2 with STIM1 mutant lacking the polybasic region STIM1ΔK resulted in co-clustering of both proteins. Together, our findings suggest that STIM2 recruits STIM1 to ER-PM junctions at low stimulus intensities when ER Ca(2+) stores are mildly depleted, thus increasing the sensitivity of Ca(2+) signaling to agonists.