β-Arrestin 2-mediated heterologous desensitization of IGF-IR by prolonged exposure of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells to a mu opioid agonist

Prolonged (12 h) exposure of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells to the mu-opioid receptor (MOPr) agonist [D-Ala2,N-Me-Phe4,Gly5-ol]-enkephalin (DAMGO) causes homologous desensitization as well as heterologous desensitization of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK 1/2) phosphorylation induced by insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I. Brief (15 min) but not prolonged exposure to DAMGO transregulates the insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) receptor, as evidenced by its phosphorylation in the absence of IGF-I. Silencing of β-arrestin 2 uncouples the crosstalk between the two receptors, thus maintaining IGF-I-mediated receptor phosphorylation and ERK 1/2 activation even after prolonged DAMGO exposure. Furthermore, MOPr-induced activation of IGF-I receptor requires the tyrosine kinase c-Src.