The human CCKB/gastrin receptor transfected into rat1 fibroblasts mediates activation of MAP kinase, p74raf-1 kinase, and mitogenesis.

The human cholecystokinin (CCK)B/gastrin receptor was stably transfected into Rat1 fibroblasts to examine the signaling pathways mediated by this seven-transmembrane, G protein-linked receptor. We report here that binding of CCK-8 or gastrin to the CCKB/gastrin receptor induced phosphoinositide breakdown and led to a rapid, transient, and concentration-dependent increase in intracellular Ca2+, which was completely blocked by a specific CCKB receptor antagonist. The peptides also stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (p125FAK) and paxillin. Both CCK-8 and gastrin induced a dose- and time-dependent activation of MAP kinase and p74raf-1 kinase in the transfected Rat1 cells. These effects could be dissociated from protein kinase C activation and were not dependent on a functional Gi protein. Finally, both CCK-8 and gastrin induced DNA synthesis in Rat1 cells transfected with the human CCKB/gastrin receptor through a pertussis toxin-insensitive pathway. These results indicate that the neuropeptides gastrin and CCK can activate multiple signal transduction pathways and act as sole mitogens by binding to the CCKB/gastrin receptor transfected into Rat1 fibroblasts.